EHS: The Magazine of Episcopal High School Fall 2025

AIMING HIGHER

HOW EPISCOPAL IS INCORPORATING GENERATIVE AI INTO TEACHING AND LEARNING TO EQUIP STUDENTS FOR A RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD

FALL 2025

ON THE COVER

40 AIMING HIGHER

THE SCHOOL IS THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE SPRING 2024 AND FALL 2024 ISSUES OF EHS: THE MAGAZINE OF EPISCOPAL HIGH SCHOOL WON PRESTIGIOUS COUNCIL FOR ADVANCEMENT AND SUPPORT OF EDUCATION AWARDS! BOTH ISSUES WERE RECOGNIZED IN THE BEST OF DISTRICT III AWARDS FOR THE SOUTHEAST.

How Episcopal is incorporating generative AI into teaching and learning to equip students for a rapidly changing world.

Pictured on the cover are English teacher and Chair of the AI Task Force Hugh Koeze (middle), Quinn McGruder ’27 (left), and Symphany James ’26 (right) in their Gothic Literature Across Two Centuries class.

FEATURES

46 STAYING POWER

In their own words, 15 faculty and staff members who have been at Episcopal for over 20 years reflect on why this is such a special place.

56 FROM THE ARCHIVIST: FUELING THE FIRE Archivist Laura Vetter details the rich history of Episcopal’s Bonfire, which was not always limited to The Game.

104 “WHEN THE NEXT STORM HITS...”

In a Chapel Talk this fall, Amy Braine ’26 reflected on the devastation of Hurricane Helene in September 2024. In the aftermath of the natural disaster, with no sense of when her school in western North Carolina would reopen again, Braine took matters into her own hands and found hope again at EHS.

DEPARTMENTS

2 FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

4 EPISCOPAL UP CLOSE

64 CLASS NOTES

After Episcopal: Author Jane Borden ’95, dietitian Lucy Glaize Frey ’08, communications director Phil Newland ’08

98 IN MEMORIAM

Head of School: Charley Stillwell

Assistant Head for Advancement: Christina Holt

Director of Communications: Irfan Latimer

Associate Director of Communications and Magazine Editor: Ann deSaussure Biondi ’08

Assistant Director of Communications and School Photographer: Harrison Griffin

Assistant Director of Communications and Class Notes Editor: Marissa Murdock

Photographers: Lisa Boggs, Natalie Davies, Rebecca Drobis, Harrison Griffin, Sam Levitan, Cory

Royster

Archivist: Laura Vetter

Design: Linda Loughran

Printer: Dominion Paper Products, Inc.

Published by Episcopal High School for alumni, parents, grandparents, and friends of Episcopal High School. ©2025 Episcopal High School

Please send address corrections to: Advancement Office, Episcopal High School, 1200 North Quaker Lane, Alexandria, VA 22302. Or by email to communications@episcopalhighschool.org.

Episcopal High School does not discriminate in its admissions, or in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs, or in access to or treatment in any other School-administered program on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, ancestry, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, or any other protected category in accordance with applicable Federal, State, and local laws.

HEAD OF SCHOOL LETTER

As we begin the school year each fall, I love to be reminded of the very special marriage of tradition and innovation on our campus that makes an Episcopal experience so uniquely powerful for our students. There is no more important moment each year than when our students hear from our Honor Committee leaders and take time to sign the Honor Book and pledge their support for this system that lies at the heart of the trust and integrity so critical to this community’s success. I also love the fact that we place an important focus each fall on reminding our students of the School’s crucial core values that are captured in our Portrait of a Graduate and that have guided our efforts for the past 187 years. Through moments in Chapel, in advisory conversations, in class discussions, and in those special one-on-one adult-student moments, our students are constantly reminded of the importance of leading and serving with humility and kindness, of treating others with dignity as children of God, of pursuing ambitious goals and leaning into rigor, and of pursuing their learning with curiosity and creativity and wrestling with today’s complex issues from multiple perspectives as they mature in their views as important future leaders.

“We depend on the strength of our core values and traditions to serve as the backbone of our excellence”

These critical traditions that guide Episcopal are reinforced with any number of exciting community moments, those moments that instill pride that we are Episcopal and strengthen the unity that is so important in this time when our society struggles with divisiveness. It was wonderful to see the powerful school spirit behind our exciting Seminary Hill Cup victory for our girls’ athletic teams over rival St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes. This same remarkable spirit of unity and pride is front and center each year as we battle the Tigers in The Game. We want our students to understand that being Episcopal means doing things in a certain way — cheering for classmates, showing gratitude for those who help us each day, greeting each other around campus and holding doors for each other, and finding ways to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

In the midst of these traditional strengths, it has also been inspiring to see the desire of our faculty and staff to pursue new and intriguing approaches to ensure that our focus on academic excellence and ethical leadership development is second to none. In this magazine, you will learn more about our new Strategic Plan that we are beginning to implement this year. We are excited to create powerful new academic experiences utilizing the resources of Washington to help our students be even more unique as candidates in the college admissions process. We remain firmly focused on teaching ethical leadership as we equip our students for a future shaped by rapid technological change. I am especially excited about the work that our AI Task Force is doing to help us access the capabilities of these new tools as teachers and students while also remaining committed to honor and academic integrity.

This plan is also designed to help us continue to attract gifted and caring adults to our faculty and staff. A crucial element in our success has always been those legendary adults who spend their careers at Episcopal and support multiple generations of students. There is a wonderful article about many of our current stars who have now been on the Hill for more than twenty years.

As Mr. Callaway once said, there should be a sign at our front gate that reminds us all that Episcopal is always under construction. We strive to be the very best boarding school in the country. We depend on the strength of our core values and traditions to serve as the backbone of our excellence, and we benefit from the creativity and remarkable dedication of our star adults to make sure our innovations today and tomorrow will ensure that no student in the country gets a more powerful education than those who live with us here on The Holy Hill.

Sincerely,

Charles M. Stillwell Head of School

Charting Our Future — Committed to Excellence

At Episcopal High School, we strive to be the best boarding school in the U.S. and beyond and provide students with an educational experience that is impossible to replicate. Our distinct advantage lies in combining a uniquely powerful academic program — harnessing the resources of a global capital — with a 100% residential experience that cultivates intellectual growth, strong character, empathy, and gifted ethical leadership in ways unmatched by any other school.

Our comprehensive strategic plan in 2018 was designed to bring this vision of excellence to life in new and exciting ways, and the School has achieved remarkable progress.

OUR 2025 STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE BUILDS ON OUR 2018 STRATEGIC PLAN, OUTLINING HOW EPISCOPAL WILL LEVERAGE OUR UNIQUE RESOURCES, EMBRACE EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES, AND EMPOWER FACULTY AND STUDENTS TO REACH NEW HEIGHTS IN THE YEARS AHEAD.

• Our commitment to academic excellence and heightened student engagement through connections with real world experiences in Washington, D.C., has never been more impactful.

• Our commitment to attracting and retaining an outstanding faculty has never been stronger.

• Our commitment to fostering within students the School’s core values of honor, respect, kindness, and the pursuit of ambitious goals continues to be paramount.

• Our commitment to building true community — strengthened by the myriad talents and wide-ranging perspectives of our students and faculty — has never been more defining.

• Our commitment to equipping students to wrestle with the complexity of the world around them with curiosity and respect has never been more resonant.

• And, as a result, our cultivation of character and ethical leadership is unmatched.

As we reflect on these accomplishments, we look to the future with gratitude for the unwavering support of our community and with confidence in our vision. Now is the time for us to unleash the next phase in our fulfillment of this promise of excellence as we chart an exciting future for the School. To achieve this vision we have developed our new 2025 Strategic Plan Update.

Our focus at Episcopal is on being the absolute best boarding school in the country. With the use of Washington’s many resources, this plan will bring uniquely powerful and engaging approaches to academic excellence, exceptional ethical leadership development, and the achievement of our students’ true potential that will set them apart in ways that other schools simply cannot match.”

CHARLEY STILLWELL, HEAD OF SCHOOL

Over the next three years, we will:

MAXIMIZE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF ETHICAL LEADERS

By taking our use of Washington’s resources to new heights to reach new levels of academic excellence and to offer students at younger ages unique opportunities to explore their passions, maximize their capabilities as ethical leaders, and best prepare them for an increasingly competitive college admissions environment.

EMBRACE INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES

By integrating cuttingedge technologies to enhance our academic program, improve institutional effectiveness, and prepare students for the workplaces and challenges of the future, all while fostering ethical leadership in a rapidly evolving world.

ATTRACT, SUPPORT, AND RETAIN WORLD CLASS EDUCATORS

By investing in recruiting, supporting, and retaining exceptional faculty and staff who bring our mission to life and inspire our students to reach their highest potential.

ENSURE FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

By creating and sustaining financial pathways that support the pursuit of our mission by fostering strong applicant pools, expanding auxiliary programming, managing our endowment with wisdom, and making thoughtful use of the School’s resources.

Through these strategic initiatives, Episcopal High School will further grow its legacy of excellence and cement its place in the top tier of elite college preparatory schools. The boarding school experience we offer will be unrivaled.

Episcopal Up Close

NEW FACULTY AND STAFF

New Faces on the Hill

THIS FALL, EPISCOPAL WELCOMED A VIBRANT WAVE OF NEW FACULTY AND STAFF, BRINGING AN IMPRESSIVE MIX OF EXPERTISE TO THE HILL.

ASHER BARRERAS

Strings and Guitar Teacher

B.M., University of North Texas

What’s the best part of your day at EHS?

Teaching the students music and sharing my love for the subject.

What surprised you the most about Episcopal? How friendly everyone was!

CINDY BENNETT

Admissions Visit Coordinator

B.A., Kenyon College

M.A., Columbia University

What’s the best part of your day at EHS?

Walking my chocolate and black British Labradors through the quad and having all the students who are missing their dogs at home come visit for some Labrador love.

What surprised you the most about Episcopal?

I was surprised to find I could visit the Kennedy Center door-to-door in 18 minutes and attend amazing performances at super reasonable ticket prices.

CONSTANCE DINAPOLI

Dance Teacher

B.A., Stanford University

MFA, George Mason University

What’s the best part of your day at EHS?

Dancing with the students and watching them grow as artists.

What surprised you the most about Episcopal?

The regularity of scheduling to bring the students off campus to see live performances.

MCKENNA DOUB

Assistant Dean of Students

B.S., Roanoke College

M.S., McDaniel College

What’s the best part of your day at EHS?

Taking my dog Bogey for walks around the athletics fields and watching all the different games happening!

What surprised you the most about Episcopal?

There has been something new and exciting to learn about every day!

ARTHUR HOFFMANN

Senior School Store and Retail Operations Manager

B.A., Washington and Lee University

What’s the best part of your day at EHS?

Interacting with all the students and slowly memorizing all their names.

What surprised you the most about Episcopal?

How friendly and welcoming the community is. Coming from higher education, this is a refreshing change.

LAXMIKANT PATHADE

Chemistry and Physics Teacher

B.Tech., Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai

Ph.D., Syracuse University

What’s the best part of your day at EHS?

I enjoy mentoring the sports media afternoon option. I learn new things every day, not only about the technical aspect of broadcasting but also about the athletic events and life at EHS.

What surprised you the most about Episcopal?

How many things are happening around me. Coming from a day school, I didn’t think about all the afternoon, evening, weekend, athletics, dorm, and flex activities happening on campus.

JACQUELINE PIPPIN

Interim Assistant Chaplain

B.A., San Diego State University

M.Div., Virginia Theological Seminary

What’s the best part of your day at EHS?

Sneaking down to the nook and getting a little cereal snack in between classes!

What surprised you the most about Episcopal? How quickly this community feels like home! From the first Chapel service to casual conversations, everyone here is so genuinely welcoming.

GARNELL STEWART

Assistant Director of Safety & Security

Retired Law Enforcement with the Arlington Police Department (22 Years)

What’s the best part of your day at EHS?

Interacting with students, staff, and faculty.

What surprised you the most about Episcopal?

Everyone is so friendly, and I find the kids very outgoing — they acknowledge you daily.

MICAH VALADEZ BUSH

Chemistry Teacher

B.A., Amherst College

What’s the best part of your day at EHS?

It is an absolute pleasure to watch students rise to the occasion in their academic, personal, and athletic moments of growth.

What surprised you the most about Episcopal?

The incredibly deep passion for teaching and mentorship amongst the faculty, administration, and staff.

KIMBERLY VLASSEMAN

Mathematics Teacher and Service Learning Assistant Coordinator

B.A., Union College

M.Ed., University of Phoenix

What’s the best part of your day at EHS?

Sharing delicious meals together in the dining hall and engaging in wonderful, meaningful conversations with students and colleagues.

What surprised you the most about Episcopal?

The pervasive school spirit — so apparent at community gatherings, on the sports field, during dorm games, and throughout the classrooms and dormitories — is one of the aspects of EHS that makes it such a special place. Go High School!

KATHLEEN WESTERVELT

Biology and Chemistry Teacher

B.A., University of Virginia

M.S., California State University, Long Beach

What’s the best part of your day at EHS?

Observing students’ “aha” science moments and hearing laughter as students walk through campus.

What surprised you the most about Episcopal?

The amazing collection of fossils in Baker!

Episcopal Up Close

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

New Faces on the Board

IN THE 2025-26 SCHOOL YEAR, EPISCOPAL WELCOMED THREE NEW MEMBERS TO OUR ESTEEMED BOARD. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THEIR IMPACT ON THE SCHOOL IN THE YEARS TO COME!

“I was at a recent alumni gathering in New York City where I was the oldest alumnus. But after spending a few hours with everyone it reminded me that we all had a common experience: EHS. As I am beginning my tenure on the board, I am excited to be a part of shaping how that common experience will be for years to come.”

DAVID HATCHER ’84

“Returning to the School as a new trustee of the Board after 32 years feels like coming full circle in the most meaningful way. Episcopal shaped who I am today, and I’m deeply honored to now have the opportunity to contribute to its future and help create similar transformative experiences for the next generation of students.

SCOTT KIM ’93 P’28

“I am most excited about reengaging with the EHS community. EHS changed the trajectory of my life, and I am thrilled to give back in any way I can!”

WHITNEY PHILLIPS SCHWARTZ ’96

Episcopal’s 2025-26 Board of Trustees

The 2025-26 Student Leaders

SINCE ITS FOUNDING, EHS HAS TRUSTED ITS STUDENTS WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY TO GUIDE THEIR PEERS AND UPHOLD THE VALUES THAT DEFINE LIFE ON THE HILL.

Head Monitor Charles Fischer ’26, Honor Committee Head Joe Lee ’26, and Discipline Committee Head William McCollum ’26 carr y that tradition today, forming the backbone of Episcopal’s student leadership.

Fischer leads through authenticity and connection. “I hope that I can inspire people to be themselves and never feel they have to suppress who they are,” he shared. He views campus culture as a place where individuality shines and every student feels recognized. “I want to help cultivate a space where everyone feels safe, supported, and encouraged to show up fully,” he said. “When people feel that kind of freedom, our community thrives.”

For Lee, leadership centers on the Honor Code — not as a set of rules, but as a living commitment to integrity and personal growth.

“The Honor Code isn’t just a list of rules; it’s a framework that helps us become stronger, more honorable individuals,” he explained. “When we embrace it fully, it shapes how we interact, how we support each other, and

the kind of community we build together.” Lee hopes students come to view honor as a source of pride and inspiration, rather than an obligation. “With the Honor Code, we create a community where every student has the opportunity to be recognized, celebrated, and motivated to live up to the best version of themselves.”

McCollum, who leads the Discipline Committee, focuses on fostering fairness and empathy in every case the Committee handles. “I hope that the DC continues to create an environment where every student can learn and thrive without judgment,” he said. He believes leadership requires both perspective and patience. “Leading has taught me that sometimes I need to step back from the small details and consider the bigger picture,” he reflected. Together, Fischer, Lee, and McCollum demonstrate that leadership at EHS is about more than holding a title. It sets a standard for character, accountability, and community that will endure long after their time on the Hill.

Left to right: Head of the Honor Committee Joe Lee ’26, Head Monitor Charles Fischer ’26, and Head of the Discipline Committee William McCollum ’26

Episcopal Up Close

The High School was full of happy faces and warm conversations as Episcopal welcomed families back to campus for Fall Family Weekend. The schedule featured a gallery exhibition, performing arts showcase, senior family breakfast, global programs presentations, and athletic contests. Families also attended a community Chapel that featured a talk from Lulu Foster ’26. Friday evening culminated in the annual Friday Night Lights showdown, where girls’ varsity field hockey earned a 5-0 victory against Flint Hill School, and varsity football narrowly fell 28-21 to Landon School.

Fifty alumni currently have children attending EHS! The families gathered in Callaway Chapel for this legacy photo.

Episcopal Up Close

Mc CAIN-RAVENEL CENTER

MRC Days Focus on Committing to Ambitious Goals

THE YEAR’S FIRST Mc CAIN-RAVENEL DAY WELCOMED TIM HIGHTOWER ’04 AND MANY OTHER IMPRESSIVE ALUMNI BACK TO CAMPUS TO DISCUSS ONE OF EPISCOPAL’S PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE QUALITIES: COMMITS TO AMBITIOUS GOALS.

Hightower, an NFL veteran and the Senior Director of Alumni Relations for the Washington Commanders, gave the keynote address about his journey through success, fear, injury, and faith. After reading Hightower’s memoir, “A Dream Worth Fighting For: Never Let Obstacles Stop You from Being Your Best Self,” over the summer, students came prepared with questions that were deftly moderated by MRC liaisons Marin Condray ’26 and Rocky Jiang ’27 after the address.

Hightower discussed the highs and lows of his career — his accomplishments, his setbacks, and his injuries — and how his faith carried him through it all. He told the students that when he was at Episcopal, he used to tape pictures of the San Francisco 49ers where he could see them every day. He laser focused on his dream of playing in the NFL, and those pictures helped him commit to such an ambitious goal. “If you can see it, you can be it,” he learned throughout his time at Episcopal and beyond. And he left the audience with a challenge: “Dream big; it’s worth it.”

We also were fortunate to welcome back 23 other guests, 17 of whom were alumni, who engaged in breakout sessions with students — discussing their own ambitious goals, sharing their career stories, and giving advice to curious students. From national security experts to authors, entrepreneurs, and more, each guest channeled their own experiences to further enrich the day for our students.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED!

Harleigh Bean ’14

Kino Clarke ’03

Alix Dejean ’00

Maddie Eldridge ’16

Christine Fruehwirth P’25

Dr. Lenora Gant P’96

Lewis Gaskin ’14

Zach Glubiak ’08

Tim Hightower ’04

Kate Hanlan Kegan ’05

Byron Jones ’14

Brennan Killeen Lynch ’05

Willie MacDade ’12

Will Mebane ’91

Will Nisbet ’01

Forrest Pritchard ’92

Edward Rackley ’84

Lewis Robinson

Dan Sallick P’28

Kenneth Simon Jr.

Natalie Wall ’15

Hunt Wasden ’18

Captain Rob Watts ’98 P’27 ’29

Ambassador Aldona Wo´s P’14 ’14

The second McCain-Ravenel Day of the year focused on service, sustainability, and stewardship, and included not only active community service but also a Civil Dialogue discussion.

Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins addressed students with an inspirational kick-off to the morning of community service, drawing on her personal experiences and emphasizing the impact service to others has in building strong communities. Taking her charge to heart, students and faculty spent the first half of their day working with various organizations both on campus and off.

Moderated by science teacher Javier Bastos with curated questions from six MRC student liaisons, the afternoon Civil Dialogue conversation centered around the role of government and the private sector in developing policy and action that leads to a sustainable future. Bob Inglis, a former six-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives who currently serves as the executive director of republicEn.org, debated with Bill Eger, the founder of ETHOS Sustainability and previous chief climate policy and coordination officer for Arlington County.

At the Civil Dialogue session, junior Sawyer Locke said, “Similar conversations happen at educational institutions around the country. What makes them unique at EHS is not that they occur but how they occur. At Episcopal we lean into challenging conversations. We don’t do so because it is comfortable but because it makes us grow. These conversations, where it is okay not to agree, are so valuable because debating a point of contention makes us understand the question in full context and expands what we all know about a topic.”

INTEGRITY IN ACTION

Each year, the Integrity in Action Award is presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution to bettering our world. The recipient, in turn, presents the annual Phillips Integrity in Action Lecture on campus.

This year’s Integrity in Action Award was given to The Diocese of Western North Carolina (DWNC) for its impressive work offering emergency support in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. We welcomed Reverend Kelsey Davis, the Bishop’s Deputy for Disaster Response and Recovery for DWNC, to Callaway Chapel to present this year’s Phillips Lecture on Integrity in Action and to accept the award on behalf of the diocese.

In her speech, Reverend Davis urged the audience to strive to live with integrity and compassion, and use each of their unique gifts to serve others, especially in times of crisis. “Our lives will involve disruption and suffering and disasters. How you choose to respond and grow through it is a choice…. Make the choice tonight and tomorrow and in the quiet moments to strengthen the muscle of your moral leadership and character so

Episcopal Up Close

SUSTAINABILITY

Plants, Power, and Precipitation

WALK ON THE HILL IN THE AFTERNOON OR ON SATURDAY MORNINGS AND MIGHT SPOT STUDENTS KNEELING IN THE DIRT, HARVESTING SQUASH AND PICKING TOMATOES TO SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY IN LAIRD DINING HALL.

Look up at Flippin Field House, and you will see solar panels quietly generating roughly 10% of the campus’s electricity. After a storm rolls through campus, you will see students in Javier Bastos’ Environmental Science class head outside to record precipitation data that informs climate researchers in the local Alexandria community and across the country.

From the community garden to solar energy and citizen science, students are learning that environmental stewardship means understanding the resources their choices require and the impact those decisions have on their community and beyond. With support from passionate faculty, these initiatives are transforming how students engage with the world around them.

COMMUNITY GARDEN

What began as an Environmental Club fundraiser has grown into an impressive community garden that produces three to four gallons of tomatoes weekly, squash for Family Weekend soups, and vegetables for both Laird Dining Hall and ALIVE!, a nonprofit serving Alexandrians facing food insecurity.

Led by faculty Steve Castle and Nat Duffield, the garden operates on compost gathered from around campus: fallen leaves, leftover food from the dining hall, and other organic waste. Students plant, nurture, and harvest alongside faculty, seeing sustainability in action on a daily basis. “It has been amazing working beside Mr. Duffield and Mr. Castle,” said Joshua Tse ’26, an avid participant in the garden. “I love seeing their enthusiasm and care for the environment around them.” More than a source of fresh produce, the garden serves as a living classroom where students learn how their work makes a tangible difference in their community.

SOLAR PANELS

Sustainability Coordinator Steve Castle wanted a bold way to demonstrate that environmental stewardship matters at EHS. Working with former CFO Boota deButts ’76, he par tnered with a company to invest in solar panels on the roof of Flippin Field House. On a single day, the solar panels generated approximately 3,280 kWh. According to Isabel Ho ’26, that is enough energy to power 5,400 hour-long Netflix shows, 13,000 10-minute hair drying sessions, or 66,000 servings of microwave ramen.

“What sustainability means,” Castle said, “is understanding the resources required for what you want and the byproducts of those choices. Your decisions have implications on the environment, society, and economy.” To bring science to life, Castle has incorporated the panels into his physics classes. “Energy can be a really abstract topic,” he explained, “but when I can put it in terms of the solar panels and the energy they produce, students see it differently and more clearly.”

Your decisions have implications on the environment, society, and economy.”

COCORAHS

After storms pass over campus, students in Bastos’ Environmental Science class participate in the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS), a nationwide program where volunteers measure precipitation to support meteorologists, climate researchers, and local planners. Students see their measurements contribute to something larger than themselves — from analyzing local rainfall to informing national precipitation trends. The data supports both national climate researchers and Alexandria city planners studying flood mitigation, connecting student work from campus to the broader world.

Bastos incorporates the precipitation data into his courses to help students understand connections between earth systems, climate, and human impact. For him, this work develops environmental stewardship and intellectual courage — qualities at the heart of the Portrait of a Graduate. According to Bastos, the students take ownership of collecting accurate data and develop a lasting sense of accountability for the environment around them.

Episcopal Up Close

“H

istory Nerds” Brought Together by EHS

SINCE

2009,

A GROUP OF MEN BOUND BY EPISCOPAL CONNECTIONS HAVE TRAVELED THE COUNTRY TO PURSUE THEIR SHARED LOVE OF HISTORY.

Fearlessly led by former EHS history teacher

Bobby Watts, whom they fondly call General Watts, the “History Nerds” consist of former EHS faculty members Mason New and Billy Peebles ’ 73, current faculty member and Historian in Residence Mike Reynolds, alumni David Carr ’73 and Joe Simpson ’69, and past parent Warner Blunt P’07. Over the years, the Episcopal group joined forces with a group of Atlanta men by way of Peebles’ relationship to The Lovett School, and the rest, they say, is history.

For 15 years, the History Nerds have traveled extensively to study topics like Abraham Lincoln’s Kentucky roots, famous battlegrounds including Antietam, Shiloh, and Vicksburg, and racial relationships in Charleston, S.C., in the wake of the 2015 Mother Emanuel shooting. Not ones to shy from adventure, they have gone as far west as Springfield, Illinois, as far north as Lake Champlain, and up and down the East Coast. During their most recent trip this summer, the group stayed at Episcopal’s Alumni Cottage and hosted experts like Captain Rob Watts ’98 who discussed national security, Tom Dunkel who presented on the state of journalism, and Watts’ brother-in-law Dr. Billy Andrews who led a discussion about medical care in the U.S.

The group typically appoints a person to plan each trip, focused on that person’s particular interests and strengths. Reynolds,

who has studied the antebellum period for 25 years, helped plan the Charleston trip, where they visited the Maybank family’s Lavington Plantation, The South Carolina Historical Society’s Fireproof Building, and Fort Moultrie. Unsurprisingly with a group of historians and educators, the trips are well-researched and well-executed. In each location, the group hires local tour guides, brings in friends and family to share their expertise, leans on special EHS connections to dive deeper into the topic at hand, and of course imbibes in the local culture (especially Kentucky’s Knob Creek bourbon while on “The Land of Lincoln” tour).

After every trip, Reynolds does his best to bring his learnings back to the classroom. A great example, he recounted, was the Battle of Vicksburg. “You hear about it so much,” he said of the famous battle where General Ulysses S. Grant laid siege to the citadel of Vicksburg and cut off the Confederate Army until it surrendered, “but you can’t understand how impregnable of a position it is unless you actually stand on the ground. Seeing it in person and understanding what it feels like brings it to life in a way textbooks can’t.”

When asked what keeps the History Nerds coming back year after year, having covered almost everything east of the Mississippi River, “General” Watts said it was simple: “To pursue new knowledge, new places, and old friendships.”

It was really an amazing, once-ina-lifetime experience...”

Inaugural “Civics Day” Introduces Students to Alexandria and D.C.

WHILE EPISCOPAL IS WELL-KNOWN FOR ITS UNMATCHED ABILITY TO HARNESS THE INCREDIBLE NATIONAL RESOURCES OF WASHINGTON, D.C., JUST SEVEN MILES FROM OUR CAMPUS, THERE ARE ALSO PHENOMENAL LOCAL RESOURCES EVEN CLOSER TO HOME THAT ADD IMPORTANT PERSPECTIVES FOR EHS STUDENTS.

Recently, Episcopal had the opportunity to bring together the national and local to create a uniquely special learning experience for our ninth-grade students.

For the past several years, all ninth graders at EHS take the required one-semester course “Civics in the 21st Century,” which introduces our students to essential Civics subjects such as the U.S. Constitution, separation of powers, checks and balances, and federalism, which is how power is shared between the national government and local governments.

In October, the entire freshman class had the opportunity to bring these important topics to life — especially the crucial concept of federalism — on the first-ever “EHS Ninth Grade Civics Day,” where they visited Alexandria City Hall to learn about our local government, and the U.S. Supreme Court to learn about our national government.

EHS Ninth Grade Civics Day started with a short drive to Old Town Alexandria for an informative session at City Hall with the City of Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins and Councilman Kirk McPike. The mayor spoke to the students about her journey to the Office of the Mayor, and her important roles and responsibilities as the mayor of the city in which Episcopal High School is located. She also took many insightful questions from the students, who had prepared for the meeting in their Civics classes by studying how local

governments work and how they differ from the national government.

Ealian Kowalsky ’29 said, “I enjoyed the meeting with the mayor and how she is trying to make Alexandria a better place.” Caroline Reid ’29 added, “I learned so much about general political topics around Alexandria. It is so nice to know more about my surroundings now that I live in Alexandria.”

After visiting City Hall, the students made the quick bus ride across the Potomac River for a visit to the U.S. Supreme Court. At the court, they experienced the full grandeur of the “highest Court in the land” with a private session in the courtroom for a 30-minute lesson about the Court from a Supreme Court docent, followed by a Q&A session with one of the Supreme Court Associate Justices. The students were well-prepared for this visit, having studied the purpose and function of the Judiciary Branch, the U.S. Dual Court System, and the landmark U.S. Supreme Court Case Marbury v. Madison, which established the enduring principle of judicial review.

“It was really an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Lila Gambrill ’29 said. “We hear so often, on the news or from those around us, about this impending ruling or that case making its way to the Court, or in history class about certain landmark decisions, and it was incredible to be there ourselves. Overall, I felt that the experience really brought the material we had spent the last weeks learning to life.”

Episcopal Up Close

TALK

“

hasLearning always been a cho ce ”

ENGLISH TEACHER AND HEAD OF EPISCOPAL’S AI TASK FORCE HUGH KOEZE REFLECTS ON THE POWER AND PURPOSE OF LEARNING.

I played the cello in high school, or rather, as other members of the orchestra played the cello, I bowed along, trying to look like I was playing the piece, but making as little actual sound as possible. As the 8th chair of 8 cellists, my perpetual fear was drawing the attention of the dreaded Mr. Seaton, who might make a cutting comment like “Tell us, Hugh, what piece do you think we’re playing?” or, even worse, make me play a tricky section in front of the whole orchestra.

I had two main problems as a cellist: first, I was not talented, and, second, I did not practice. I vaguely wanted to improve — I sometimes daydreamed about being good at the cello — but I never did anything concrete to support that ambition. This presented a problem to my cello teacher, Harel. He was a great guy, really kind, interesting, and a brilliant cellist, but no matter how much I liked him, there were always more important things to do than practice — reading to finish, essays to write, vocab to study, girls to text, alarm clocks set for the middle of the night to hide in my friends’ rooms — you know, important stuff. My lessons with Harel were on Wednesdays, and I would continually put

off practicing until the next day, and the next, and the next, until, once again, it was Wednesday, and I hadn’t done anything. Consequently, the lessons were awful: to be asked how the piece was going, to hear myself playing just as badly as I had the week before, to see Harel attempting to keep the sadness out of his expression — all of this was terribly painful.

I’ve come back to these memories as I’ve been thinking about the challenges and opportunities that artificial intelligence presents for schools, for this memory reminds me that learning has always been a choice. Under pressure from a competitive world obsessed with the shallow measures of a good life that we call “success,” most students have to prioritize — to focus on a few things that seem likely to matter later, and for the rest, to mail it in. This is why I didn’t practice; I judged (correctly) that cello — and everything else I didn’t care about in high school, like sports or math — were never going to be my ticket to college or a career.

AI amplifies this dynamic. All I could do to fake my cello competence was bow along. You have much more sophisticated tools, and it’s a testament to the honor of this community that the wheels haven’t fallen off the bus here, as they have at

learning is to deepen your relationship with the world around you...”

many other schools and universities. But AI’s effect on society will be much bigger than any one school; among many others, its increasing power and ubiquity gives you more power than ever to opt out of the hard work necessary to learn. AI also offers incredible new access to learn anything you want, no teacher required. The world is changing: more and more, we, your teachers, are losing the ability to make you learn on our terms. If you’re going to learn in the years to come, it will be your choice to do so.

I actually remember the day that Harel gave up trying to teach me cello. At the beginning of one lesson early in my senior year, he said: “Look, Hugh” — you’ll have to imagine his thick Israeli accent — “you don’t practice much. You are choosing other things. That is okay. We will enjoy our time together. We will just play.”

And that’s what we did. After a cursory check to see if I’d improved at the beginning of the lesson — you never knew when a passing demigod might have graced me with the gift of cello — we’d play together, badly in my case, but with Harel patiently accompanying me, I sounded pretty good. It’s hard to describe what these sessions meant to me; sitting in a tiny room with a professional musician playing a beautiful

piece — I often left with tears in my eyes. Later in the year, especially after I’d gotten into college, I began to look forward to these lessons. I began to listen to cello music on my own. I began to practice — not much, but more than before. I got a bit better. I even made it up to 6th chair. More importantly, I began to appreciate music: its emotional depth, its expressive power, the skill and passion it requires of musicians, and how meaningful and profound a simple piece well played can be.

Harel didn’t teach me much cello, but he did help me understand what it means to learn. Learning is not about what you produce, nor how quickly and easily you can produce it. A school is not a factory for essays or problem sets, cello performances or lab reports. Even if assignments don’t, learning always takes time and effort; it is an embodied, internal process that can never be automated. The purpose of learning is not to become the best at something, or to be better than the machines, or to get yourself into college or a certain career. Even if these things are good, they are not the point: learning is to deepen your relationship with the world around you; to cultivate curiosity, to meet your own mind, to open wider the windows of your perception, to develop empathy,

honesty and courage, to see more, to understand more deeply, and to grapple with the incredible mysteries of life in the universe in which we live. There is so much more to learn than I realized when I was 18, and I wish now that I’d dedicated more time to all of my classes, cello especially. I still wouldn’t be a good cellist, but my world would be a bit more musical.

Harel also gave me a lesson about teaching that I’ve only appreciated recently. Strictness, accountability and control aren’t the only values that make a good teacher. Compassion, flexibility, the gentle nurturing of genuine curiosity, and the humility to recognize when my approach needs to change — these matter too, now more than before. The ground is shifting under our feet, and we will need to rely on each other to regain our footing. You must trust that what we teach has value, even if you can’t see it right now, and we must trust that you will embrace the hard work that learning entails, even if we can’t make you. I don’t know what the future will look like. But whatever happens, however AI remakes our society and our school, I ask us all to remember that the purpose of school is simple, if difficult to sustain: we are here, together, to learn.

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Flexing IntellectualTheirMuscles

A peek into recent flex blocks.

1 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE STUDENTS MEET THE BEES

Students in Javier Bastos’s Advanced Environmental Science class have been studying the vital role bees play in sustaining ecosystems and agriculture. To bring that learning to life, they visited the beehives at Virginia Theological Seminary, where they met with beekeepers to observe hives up close and learn about pollination in action. Dressed in white beekeeping suits with wide-brimmed hats and mesh veils, students moved carefully among the buzzing hives, experiencing firsthand what Mr. Bastos describes as “the intersection of agriculture, ecology, and social biology.” “It was so cool to see their ‘BEEhavior’ up close,” said Isabel Ho ’26. “You can read about pollination, but standing next to a living hive makes you appreciate how complex and organized they are,” added Tate Donaldson ’26. In the classroom, students continue to analyze data on pollinator health and explore how protecting bees can strengthen both ecosystems and food security.

2 EXPLORING “TWELVE ANGR Y MEN”

Tim Rogers ’79 brought “ Twelve Angry Men” to life in his Genre Studies class by connecting literature with the law. After studying the play, the students visited the Alexandria City Courthouse (ACC) during a flex block to see the justice system in action. There, students met with a juvenile court judge, observed a DWI sentencing presided over by The Hon. Don Haddock Jr. ’89, toured the holding cells, and even stepped inside a jury room. “This flex block opened my eyes to our justice system,” said Hugh Duskin ’28. “Not only did we tour the ACC, but we also got to see a case live in action, something I wouldn’t be able to do in the classroom. It also gave me a better perspective of what a jury room would look like, instead of making it up in my mind from words on a page in ‘Twelve Angry Men.’”

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MIDDLE EAST STUDIES EXPLORES THE ISLAMIC CENTER

Students in Dr. Alan Roe’s Advanced Global Studies: Middle East class have been learning about the history, culture, and religions that shape the region. To deepen that work, they visited the Islamic Center of Northern Virginia during Friday prayer. Nearly 150 worshippers gathered, giving students the chance to witness the prayer progression firsthand before meeting with Ismael Laher, the center’s public outreach coordinator. “Being able to experience how others worship brought me great joy,” said Burnam Dubose ’26. “This flex block helped me connect dots in the classroom and made me feel immersed in my learning.” Laher then spoke with the class about the intentionality of the Muslim faith, the five pillars of Islam, concepts of the afterlife, and core values of the tradition. He also addressed common misconceptions, giving students a deeper and more personal perspective on what they had been studying.

4 CULTURE, CONNECTIONS, AND THE STORY OF SPANISH

Sam Slack’s Spanish Language Through Culture class has been exploring the unit “The Story of the Language,” focusing on the origins of Spanish and how it spread to different regions across the globe. Delving into that unit, they visited the National Museum of American History, where they spent time in the Molina Family Latino Gallery. There, students investigated the history of the language and reflected on how Spanish-speaking cultures are represented within the museum’s exhibits. They considered the nuances of these cultures, their similarities and differences, and the ways they have shaped and enriched the larger American story. Claire Harty ’26 shared, “This flex block really helped strengthen my connection between U.S. history and Spanish-speaking countries. The museum did an excellent job giving credit to traditions, cuisines, and trends from other countries that America has used.”

7 WRITING WHAT WE FORAGE

Students in Dr. C harlotte Fryar’s Advanced Writing about the Environment, Nature, and Place class have been developing their use of sensory language to enrich their writing about the natural world. To deepen that work, they teamed up with expert naturalist Matt Cohen for a foraging tour right here on the Hill in Laird Acres. There, students identified and even tasted more than a dozen plants, from the bright tang of wood sorrel and the unique flavor of shiso to the sweetness of late-season American persimmon. They also discovered fungi, including a lion’s mane mushroom. The experience highlighted how much can be foraged and observed right in our own backyard.

8 GENRE STUDIES VISITS THE FOLGER

Students in Lauren Echko’s Genre Studies class have been studying “Macbeth” and exploring how Shakespeare’s language works, how it has evolved, and how audiences across time have engaged with his plays. To deepen that learning, the class visited the Folger Shakespeare Library’s Exhibition Hall, where they examined copies of the “First Folio”, experimented with a mock printing press, and tested their wit on a language simulator. The experience offered a dynamic look at Shakespeare’s enduring influence and the power of his words across centuries. 3 6 4 5

Episcopal Up Close AUSTRIA

GLOBAL PROGRAMS

Episcopal Students Travelthe World

Contributed by German teacher Hannah Ellington ’03 From mastering the Viennese waltz to crafting the perfect apple strudel, 11 Episcopal students immersed themselves in Austria’s vibrant culture this June. Their journey to Vienna was the latest chapter in the celebrated EHS exchange with the Theresianum Academy, a partnership established in 1993, where mornings were spent in classes while afternoons and weekends were filled with unforgettable adventures. Large group explorations took students through the imperial grandeur of Schönbrunn Palace and its sprawling gardens, after which they refueled with a Viennese classic, the wiener schnitzel, while another evening was spent taking in a stunning performance of Mozart’s beloved opera, “The Marriage of Figaro.”

Giving them the freedom to explore more independently, Frau Professor Ellington ’03 sent students off in small groups to pursue their own passions. Art lovers stood in awe before Gustav Klimt’s shimmering masterpiece, “The Kiss,” at the Belvedere Palace; history buffs explored the life of the enigmatic Empress Elisabeth at the Sisi Museum; and others explored centuries of innovation at Vienna’s Technical Museum. Every interaction, from navigating the U-Bahn to ordering an Eiskaffee, became a chance for the group’s 8 German students to put their language to practical use, while offering a fun crash course for the others.

Students also embraced the city’s vibrant summer life by conquering the 343 steps of St. Stephen’s Cathedral’s south tower for a breathtaking, 450-foot-high view over Vienna, riding bikes under the iconic Riesenrad Ferris wheel through the Prater, Vienna’s vast public park, and joining their hosts for a refreshing swim in the Danube. The experience even extended beyond the capital’s borders with a memorable day trip to Salzburg, but beyond the whirlwind of activities, it was the genuine connections forged with their host families that defined our students’ experience in Austria.

FRANCE

Paris was an exceptional full-immersion experience, designed to advance bilingualism, foster cross-cultural understanding, and inspire a lasting commitment to French language and academic growth. Upon arrival in Paris, students began with a full day of classes and quickly embarked on a whirlwind of activities, including meeting the Lycée Stanislas Head of School, Monsieur Le Diagon, navigating the metro, and visiting landmarks such as the Arc de Triomphe, Place de la Concorde, and Café Fouquet’s.

Over the following days, participants explored Parisian treasures like Notre Dame, Île de la Cité, Luxembourg Gardens, and the Musée d’Orsay, attended a show at the Lido, and toured Versailles. The program also included a weekend in Biarritz, a trip to San Sebastián in Spain, and a variety of cultural experiences back in Paris, including Montmartre, Sacré-Cœur, Les Invalides, the Eiffel Tower, and a macaron-making class. Students enjoyed authentic engagement with their host families while balancing classroom learning and unforgettable excursions. Overall, the program provided a rich blend of language, culture, and personal growth, leaving participants with memories to last a lifetime. Many thanks to all the families who made this transformative experience possible.

Contributed by French teacher Bodhi Amos

The 2025 Summer Program in

INDIA

SPAIN

Contributed by science teacher Steve Castle

This past June, Ari Perry ’27, Nisha Roy ’27 and Elle Young ’27 traveled with science teacher Steve Castle to Dehradun, India, to participate in the Groton Program for Intercultural Exchange (G-PIE). The week-long program, co-hosted by the Doon School and Welham Girls’ School, included boarding schools from the United States, England, Rwanda, Bhutan, and Shanghai. Students spent the week interacting with and learning about students from other cultures and exploring intercultural competence. Additionally, the conference explored the issues surrounding water scarcity and water insecurity, with a focus on India. This included hearing from two different experts focused on local solutions to water scarcity. Following the conference, the group spent three days of guided sightseeing, visiting the Fort at Agra, the Taj Mahal, Ghandi Smriti, and New Delhi.

Contributed by Spanish teacher Catherine Gomez-Goodnow

This summer, 16 Episcopal students traveled to Seville, Spain for 3 weeks, as part of an exchange program between EHS and Colegio Irlandesas Bami. While living with homestay families and host students, the group participated in a Spanish language and cultural immersion program at the Centro Norteamericano (CNA), located in the heart of the historic district of the city. These sites, just steps away from the Cathedral, the Giralda, the Real Alcázar Palace and the old Jewish quarter, Barrio Santa Cruz, served as ideal flex blocks to complement the coursework. In addition, our students enjoyed a wide variety of cultural activities, including flamenco lessons followed by a spectacular professional dance performance. They dabbled in tile painting at a ceramic studio in the quaint neighborhood of Triana and learned how to prepare paella and gazpacho in cooking class. Other excursions included a visit to the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Itálica and a day trip to Huelva which featured a tour of the monastery where Christopher Columbus planned his first voyage. For many, the highlight of the program was a weekend excursion to visit the historic cities of Córdoba and Granada, including guided tours of the Gran Mezquita, the Alhambra Palace, and the Capilla Real, the burial place of Queen Isabela and King Ferdinand. Spanish teachers Catherine Gómez-Goodnow and Dr. Luís Gamboa served as chaperones.

VISUAL ARTS

HARPER RUEGER ’29

JACK JOHNSON ’27

JI ’27

ISABEL HO ’26

JULES COCKERILL ’28

BEE BOWERS ’26

JALEN XU ’28

LILLEMOR ASHFORD ’27

HARPER RUEGER ’29

JOHN TERRY ’26

WALKER BREWER ’26

Episcopal Up Close

VISUAL ARTS — INTERDISCIPLINARY WORK

Where Color Meets Verse

ON THE HILL, INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION IS A PART OF DAILY LIFE. WHEN ARTS TEACHER LIZ VORLICEK , RESEARCH LIBRARIAN SARAH FITE , AND ENGLISH TEACHER KATRINA REED CAME TOGETHER ON A PROJECT, IT BROUGHT THAT MAGIC OF COLLABORATION TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL. “WHEN IT COMES TO WORKING WITH MY COLLEAGUES IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS, MY ANSWER IS ALWAYS YES,” REED SAID.

The Color and Verse project brought together three departments for a semester-long exploration of visual art, ekphrastic poetry, and exhibit design. Over the summer, Fite, Reed, and Vorlicek went on a professional development experience and visited the National Building Museum’s “Building Stories” exhibition, putting themselves “in the students’ shoes” and gathering inspiration for the project ahead.

Vorlicek’s Painting 1 students created colorful children’s book illustrations inspired by Romare Bearden’s “Pepper Jelly Lady”, whose art lives just outside the arts classroom. Knowing their work would be used to inspire upperclassmen poets, students

The positive attitude, the excitement, just seeing that collaborative moment was very sweet.”

had to change their approach to their paintings. “They had to think about designing the work for a children’s audience and having somewhat of a story for the writer to dig into,” Vorlicek reflected.

Reed’s Poetry Workshop students then wrote ekphrastic poetry in response to those illustrations. To help them understand their young audience, Reed had students interview faculty kids about their favorite children’s books. “It creates a community connection that really deepens the feeling of family here,” Reed shared.

Fite brought both classes together in March Library for a workshop exploring illustration and poetry styles in children’s literature. “I started both classes with, ‘What books from your childhood do you all remember?’” Fite said. “They all had one. There was just this deep-seated callback. Oh my gosh, I remember this book. That brought an energy to the whole thing.”

When both classes participated in a Sunday evening flex block to design their exhibition displays, students collaborated across grade levels. When Ziggy Allen ’26 discovered his poem needed to

be paired with a different painting at the last minute, he adapted seamlessly. “He grabbed all the stuff and we went over and looked at the other painting and he said, ‘Yeah, yeah, oh this is going to work here,’” Reed remembered. “The positive attitude, the excitement, just seeing that collaborative moment was very sweet.”

Vorlicek was struck by watching new students from different grades work together. “From the moment they started working, they just got pulled into it,” she said. “Their design choices were surprising. They really approached it like an expansion of the book.” The collaboration harkened back to what is outlined in the Portrait of a Graduate qualities, “collaborating with empathy”, learning to question critically while respecting different creative processes.

The final works were on display in March Library over Family Weekend. “The library is such a crossroads of this community,” Fite noted. “I love the vitality of the things created by students — there’s something really immediate about these that I hope families resonated with.”

Episcopal Up Close

PERFORMING ARTS

“The Tempest” Travels Out of This World

THIS FALL, EHS THEATER PRESENTED WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S “ THE TEMPEST ” IN THE BREEDEN BLACK BOX THEATER, REIMAGINING THE MYSTICAL AND MAGICAL COMEDY IN A BOLD NEW SETTING: OUTER SPACE .

The production challenged the cast to master Shakespeare’s language while exploring daring choices in both design and performance. Working together as a strong ensemble, students brought this cosmic vision of “The Tempest” to life, transforming the classic tale of magic, revenge, and forgiveness into an

otherworldly theatrical experience. “The play was such a fun experience, and the whole cast and crew coming together made it feel like a family,” said Jane Goldstein ’26, who played the sorcerer Prospera. “‘The Tempest,’ but in space, was such a fun concept, and I was so excited for people to see it.”

Up Close

AUXILIARY PROGRAMS

Off to the Races with The Summer Camp

THE SUMMER CAMP AT EPISCOPAL LAUNCHED THIS PAST SUMMER, AND IT WAS ONE FOR THE BOOKS. LED BY EPISCOPAL’S DIRECTOR OF AUXILIARY PROGRAMS DAN O’NEIL AND ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR JULIO LOPEZ , THE INAUGURAL SEASON WAS MET WITH MUCH FANFARE AND POSITIVE FEEDBACK.

By the Numbers

104 counselors

6 weeks offered

17 international staff members representing 12 countries

10,150 towels washed

192 kids per week

14 Episcopal alumni on staff

5 of 6 weeks sold out

6 current Episcopal students on staff

54 summer birthdays celebrated

778 total happy campers Over

500 cannonballs into the pool

Under the Lights

SEVERAL OF EPISCOPAL’S ATHLETICS FIELDS ARE NOW SHINING BRIGHTER THAN EVER.

This summer, the School completed the installation of a state-of-the-art lighting system, marking a major milestone in enhancing both the student-athlete experience and community engagement. The new lights, which illuminate Hummel Bowl, Coxe Field, and the new Track and Field, have transformed the way Episcopal hosts games and evening events.

The lights provide greater scheduling flexibility for night games — a longawaited addition to campus life. “After intense advocacy from EHS students, we installed lights across campus, illuminating the School,” said The Chronicle editor-in-chief Payton Alfieri ’26. “This is the best part of the school year, and with the School’s new additions, I couldn’t have asked for a better start to our senior fall.”

Since their debut, the lights have already begun to redefine the rhythm of campus evenings. The inaugural night game drew one of the largest crowds of the fall season for the boys’ varsity soccer game versus Potomac School, with stands packed and the atmosphere buzzing. Players described the experience as both surreal and inspiring — a new chapter for Episcopal athletics. “As a soccer player, being able to play under the lights is a dream come true,” Burnam DuBose ’26 said. “It’s every kid’s dream to play at night with a big crowd cheering you on.”

Episcopal Up Close

Autumn Athletics on the Hill

AS THE LEAVES TURNED AND THE CRISP FALL AIR SETTLED OVER THE HOLY HILL, EPISCOPAL’S STUDENTATHLETES DELIVERED A SEASON FULL OF ENERGY, GRIT, AND SCHOOL SPIRIT.

Several programs earned top-10 finishes in conference and state standings; Claire Harty ’26 and Nisha Roy ’27 f inished in the top 35 of the VISAA XC State Championships; and four athletes received Alexandria Sportsman’s Club Athlete of the Month honors. Whether on the field or the trail, these players represented the Maroon with pride, teamwork, and resilience that carried through every match and meet.

IVY BROWN ’28

WINNIE HUGHES ’27

ZIGGY ALLEN ’26

ALEX HADDOCK ’28

ALEX BAIK ’27

KK GOTTFRID ’26

ROGER MATA CASTILLO ’26

CLAIRE HARTY ’26

AYOSA STEWART ’27

Episcopal Up Close

Episcopal the 17th annual Seminary Hill Cup!

Before competition weekend kicked off, Episcopal’s girls’ teams gathered for the annual Seminary Hill Cup Dinner. This year’s speaker, Eleanor Winants ’1 8, captured the essence of that tradition with a heartfelt and energetic address. Winants — remembered as a field hockey competitor who “never took a day off” and “pushed her teammates to be their best” — earned four All-ISL and VISAA First Team honors, three Washington Post All-Met selections, and went on to a standout collegiate career at Wake Forest University. In her remarks, she shared

THE 17TH ANNUAL SEMINARY HILL CUP BROUGHT ANOTHER THRILLING WEEKEND OF ATHLETIC RIVALRY, SPORTSMANSHIP, AND SCHOOL PRIDE TO THE HILL AS THE GIRLS’ TEAMS OF EPISCOPAL AND ST. STEPHEN’S & ST. AGNES FACED OFF. THE LONG-STANDING COMPETITION ONCE AGAIN DELIVERED EXCITEMENT WITH THE MAROON EMERGING VICTORIOUS FOR A FOURTH STRAIGHT YEAR.

her top 10 lessons learned from sports at EHS and beyond, emphasizing the importance of tradition, preparation, teamwork, resilience, and leadership both on and off the field. She encouraged the athletes to support one another, embrace challenges, and savor every moment, reminding them that the bonds formed through sports and shared effort are what make Episcopal athletics thrive.

The weekend opened with fierce matchups as the girls’ JV soccer team took to the field, setting the tone for an actionpacked slate of games. Cross country led

the charge with a nail-biting victory over the Saints, thanks to a thrilling finish by Sadie Archie ’26. The varsity field hockey team battled to a commanding 2–0 win, with varsity and JV volleyball following suit, notching impressive victories. This marked the ninth consecutive Seminary Hill Cup win for varsity volleyball.

Episcopal prevailed, capturing the Seminary Hill Cup with a 5-4 victory across all events. The win marked Episcopal’s fourth consecutive overall Cup victory and the School’s eighth win in the 18-year history of the event.

Episcopal Up Close 2025

AS THE SCHOOL PREPARED FOR SPIRIT WEEKEND, THE ENERGY ON THE HOLY HILL WAS PALPABLE. STUDENTS DRESSED IN THEIR BEST SPIRIT WEEK ATTIRE, BANNERS WAVED FROM DORM WINDOWS, AND CHEERS ECHOED ACROSS CAMPUS IN ANTICIPATION OF THE 124TH GAME.

To kick off the weekend, the annual bonfire was held on the new quad between the North and West dorms, drawing the community together around the glow of tradition in a fresh setting. The Spirit of The High School Reception welcomed many EHS community members to Potter’s Craft Cider in Charlottesville, Va., where they toasted to the start of a weekend full of EHS pride.

On Saturday, the Maroon traveled to Orange, Va., to take on Woodberry Forest School. The stands pulsed with maroon

and black as students, families, and alumni made the trip to cheer from the sidelines. Against the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the team battled through a season full of injuries and the Tigers’ fierce opposition. Leaning heavily on their brotherhood, the team fought for every yard, rallied on every play, and never let their determination waver. Even with a final score of 52-12, the effort and resilience shown on the field reflected the true spirit that defines The High School.

2025

How Episcopal teachers and students are incorporating generative AI into teaching and learning.

Editor’s Note: This

article was written by a human.

There is no question that artificial intelligence (AI) will forever change the world of education. It is changing the way students learn, and it is changing the way teachers teach.

To remain one of the best high schools in the country, Episcopal teachers know that we must innovate — while remaining true to the School’s core values of honor and intellectual courage.

Enter the 2025 Strategic Plan. Thoughtfully designed to position Episcopal as “the best boarding school in the U.S. and beyond,” this plan outlines how Episcopal will navigate the rapidly changing landscape of AI to prepare our students for the world outside our gates.

Episcopal’s AI Task Force, made up of 14 faculty members across disciplines, is implementing experiments in their classrooms to then report back to the rest of the teaching faculty and continue to ideate about the best use of AI on campus. In true Episcopal fashion, the task force keeps “honor, integrity, and transparency” at the center of its work.

EPISCOPAL’S 2025-26 STUDENT HANDBOOK ON AI:

It is a violation of the EHS Honor Code for a student to use an AI tool on graded assignments without explicit permission or instruction from their teacher about what tools may be used, and exactly how those tools may be used. We recognize the tremendous potential that responsible and ethical artificial intelligence use creates for our teachers and our students, and we encourage our faculty and students to explore the application and use of AI to enhance teaching, learning, and critical thinking. However, we also recognize that AI, when used inappropriately and without guidance, can undermine student learning and intellectual growth. If a student has any questions or concerns about the use of AI on any additional classwork, they must ask their teacher for specific guidance before beginning work on the assignment.

Meet members of the AI task force along with two standout students below.

Hugh Koeze Chair of the AI Task Force

“WHAT DOES THIS TECHNOLOGY MAKE POSSIBLE?”

English teacher Hugh Koeze is leading the charge among faculty members to experiment with AI on their own before taking it to the classroom. He began his own journey with AI out of mere curiosity in 2021 by creating “KoezeBot,” a program that mimics his teaching and grading style and can help his students predict his feedback as they work. “KoezeBot” then morphed into “ChekhovBot” for his “Advanced English Seminar: Chekhov” class, and has now morphed into “GothBot,” for his “Gothic Literature Across Two Centuries” class. To build the chatbots, Koeze uploaded all of Chekhov’s work and famed Gothic writers’ work that he could find in the public domain to ChatGPT. He then uploaded over 100 of his students’ essays with his comments and grades. After months of trial and error, the

Jamie

chatbots were trained to provide feedback in the same style as Koeze, helping students to anticipate feedback in the editing process and improve their work long before Koeze gets out his red pen.

The task force considers AI in four ways: a study tool, a thought tool, a research tool, and a product tool. In ninth grade, students are not encouraged to use AI as they focus on building a strong foundation of study skills. In tenth grade, they are introduced to AI in the classroom as a study tool. In eleventh and twelfth grades, students continue to experiment with AI as a study and research tool as well as a product tool. And as the students grow more comfortable with AI, they are also introduced to the importance of using it honorably. “Every AI experiment is going to be focused on documenting student use, reflecting on student use, and having direct and explicit discussions of honor,” Koeze noted.

As a lover of language and a passionate teacher, Koeze naturally

Biondi and Luke Peterson

Ainslie Fellows

English teacher Jamie Biondi and B. Hollis Hand Chair of the Science Department Luke Peterson have entered the second year of their Ainslie Fellows Mastership on the science of teaching and learning. With the goal of fostering research-informed pedagogy at EHS, they have leaned heavily on AI applications to support their work.

In one of many examples, Biondi and Peterson used ChatGPT to create a custom “Research-Informed EHS

has reservations about the rise of AI and the skillsets that could disappear because of the technology. “We don’t know what schools will look like in 10 years,” he mused, “but at an individual level, teachers have to grapple with ‘What does this technology make possible?’”

Despite those reservations, he also feels hopeful and excited for the future that we cannot yet predict. “I don’t believe that learning will disappear,” he said. “Smart, curious people are going to remain smart and curious. It’s just going to look really different from what we’ve done in the past.”

Teaching Assistant” bot. While the two teachers have spent countless hours poring through research-informed best practices, they know how busy educators at Episcopal are with their full plates of 24/7 boarding school responsibilities.

Solution: the teaching assistant bot delivers concise, actionable teaching and learning strategies that answer each faculty member’s immediate needs.

Depending on what a teacher needs, the chatbot can:

• help ideate assessments or full units of courses;

• tweak lesson plans to better align with how students learn most efficiently;

• suggest ways to foster habits like metacognition and retrieval practice that have been proven to take teaching to the next level;

• help teachers connect their curriculum directly to Portrait of a Graduate qualities; and more.

AI tools like this one help Episcopal faculty members become better teachers and free up time to focus on the most important aspect of their job: building the strong relationships that unlock student growth and can only happen at a place like EHS.

Sarah Fite and Miranda Fox

Librarians

Librarians Sarah Fite and Miranda Fox signed up for the task force to better understand how students can

access informational resources in this changing landscape. “Our primary goal as librarians, especially when it comes to AI, is information literacy,” said Fox. “We want to teach students how to use AI ethically and efficiently — not as a shortcut but as an enhancement to what they’re already doing.”

Fite agreed: “As the research librarian, I see a real need to guide

students through the ethics of research. Is it ethical to use what they’ve found? Is it accurate? It’s really critical to learn to evaluate what they have found before they continue down the road.”

As the research databases within March Library roll out their own AI chatbots, the librarians are hard at work to understand the capabilities. Fox recently presented on Britannica Academic’s version, ASK Britannica, to show the faculty how it can elevate their students’ research. As it was built by and within the Britannica Academic database, the chatbot has a narrower focus. It also filters inappropriate content and questions outside its educational scope, including harmful content, personal information requests, or non-academic queries, making it safer for high schoolers to use. The system also will not write essays or complete assignments; it simply will point students in the right direction for their research purposes.

Fite and Fox are both passionate about teaching students to do the initial research with the help of AI, and

“WE WANT TO TEACH STUDENTS HOW TO USE AI ETHICALLY AND EFFICIENTLY.”

then come interact with the librarians in person to go deeper with their own brains. “The skill I don’t want students to lose as they experiment with AI is curiosity,” Fox said. “I want them to follow their interests and pursue what they legitimately want to research, because that’s what makes learning fun and keeps them coming back to the library.”

Evan Howard, MacKenzie Hand ’26, and Nathaniel Familua ’26

Advanced Chemistry Teacher and Students

Science teacher Evan Howard’s use of AI in the classroom was inspired by his college work. He spent copious amounts of time in his professor’s office,

peppering him with questions that Howard could now ask an AI chatbot. As a student, he was always hungry for more practice questions, more chances to study, and more peers to brainstorm with — especially over the most complicated topics. Now he encourages his students to use AI to do just that.

Howard recognized the fast-paced nature of most college classes and noted how professors do not always give study guides like students are accustomed to in high school. Instead, college professors will typically give a topics list to the students. “I want to prepare our students to navigate that.”

For AP Chemistry, Howard and his students will create a topics list together. He then gives them some well-crafted AI prompts to help them

“IT'S ABOUT SLOWLY REMOVING THE SCAFFOLDING SO OUR STUDENTS ARE BETTER PREPARED FOR WHAT'S AHEAD.”

dig deeper. “It can basically come up with a snapshot of what your test could look like.” He encourages students to take practice tests, to generate more practice problems, and to have AI quiz them over and over until they feel prepared for the written exams. If and when they find the questions too easy, they can instruct AI to make them harder and push themselves further. “It’s like a study partner without having to leave your room or coordinate schedules.”

While working with Howard, MacKenzie Hand ’ 26 learned early on that ChatGPT was not going to be the most effective tool for chemistry, so she found a more specific chatbot called Your Chemistry Tutor. ChatGPT, which pulls from the entire internet, “contains different atomic theories that have been disproven over the years,” Hand has learned through trial and error. “So the answer won’t be as accurate because the chatbot has to have knowledge of history as well as chemistry.” The more specialized version, however, “is very current with modern chemical theory and economic theory — everything we’re learning in the AP curriculum.”

Hand and Nathaniel Familua ’26 mostly use AI as a study tool, especially if they are struggling with a difficult problem in Advanced Chemistry. They take the practice questions from Howard and ask the chatbot to give them 15 more. The chatbot then grades them as they wade through the problems, telling them where they went wrong and where they went right. The AI is fallible, however; Familua and Hand have both caught it grading them incorrectly. “Tell me where I went wrong,” Familua has asked, and the chatbot will then correct itself. “The more questions it gave me, the easier it became,” he said.

As the semester progresses, Howard will eventually take away the practice tests he usually supplies. He will give the students a study guide and a topic list and encourage them to use those to create their own practice tests through AI. “It’s about slowly removing the scaffolding so our students are better prepared for what’s ahead,” he said of the challenges that await them in higher education.

Familua, who also serves on the Honor Committee, knows that honorable use of AI can get more complicated in the humanities over STEM. As a member of the committee, he hopes to impart to younger students the importance of using it as a thought partner — not a shortcut to do the work itself. “If you don’t get the fundamentals down, you’re always going to be dependent upon generative AI. I would tell underclassmen to stay away from it during the most formative years of their writing.”

Tommy Pratt

Advanced Computer Science Teacher

Teaching computer science in the age of artificial intelligence presents its own set of challenges. While preparing his students for the AP exam, Tommy Pratt has learned that the biggest challenge might be teaching them why they should know how to code, despite AI being able to do it for them (and do it much faster). “I think AI reveals coding for what it is,” Pratt said, “an art as much as a science.” He likens using AI for coding to mass manufacturing pottery. “We automated lots of manual work long ago,” he said, “but to create something with your own two hands from your own brain is powerful.”

It takes a certain expertise to use AI well. Pratt, who was a standout computer science student at Duke University, has found that more often than not, teaching AI to code in the way he wants takes far longer than doing it himself. To get the perfect code from a chatbot, he must feed it exact instructions.

Throughout the semester, Pratt gives his students an extra credit opportunity he has dubbed “Extensions.” For each assignment, the students must write the original code themselves, which Pratt grades independently. Then he encourages them to imagine something a little bit bigger and use AI to go there

— wherever it might lead. To appropriately monitor the work and understand how the students are interacting with the programs, Pratt has them email the conversation to him, and he then conducts surveys to learn how the experiments are going from the students’ perspectives. As the course is already a significant workload, Extensions are optional, but Pratt has found students leaning in wholeheartedly, with one student working to write a program that allows his computer microphone to detect the pitch of a note that he speaks aloud. Ultimately, Pratt hopes his students walk away from the course with a solid foundation and knowledge of code, but also an appreciation for the incredible things their minds can unlock. He tries to impart to the students that nothing beats the feeling of “looking back on a coding project that you’re proud of and realize, ‘I did that. I made it happen.’”

“WE AUTOMATED LOTS OF MANUAL WORK LONG AGO, BUT TO CREATE SOMETHING WITH YOUR OWN TWO HANDS FROM YOUR OWN BRAIN IS POWERFUL.”

STAYING POWER

The best part of Episcopal has always been the people. In their own words, devoted faculty and staff members who have been here for over 20 years share their “why they stay” stories.

ELLEN ALBERS

When I first arrived at Episcopal in the fall of 2005, I couldn’t have imagined the ways this place would become woven into the fabric of my life. I’ve grown up here alongside my students — celebrating life’s milestones from marriage to raising three children, and now to being a parent of a 10th and 12th grader at EHS. Over the past twenty years, I’ve shared countless moments of joy, challenge, laughter, and learning — each one reminding me how deeply this community shapes all of us.

There is a rare and enduring sense of connection at Episcopal — between students and teachers, colleagues and families — that makes this community feel more like an extended family than simply a school. The college landscape continues to evolve, but what has remained constant is the privilege of walking beside students as they discern their next steps and begin to imagine their futures. The joy of seeing who they become — and staying connected long after they leave — has been one of the greatest rewards of my career. Episcopal’s deep sense of purpose and unwavering commitment to community make it an extraordinary place to work and live, and I am grateful to be a part of it.

There is a rare and enduring sense of connection at Episcopal.

Nothing warms my heart more than being called “Coach.”

STEVE CASTLE

I don’t think it will surprise anyone, especially not my former wrestlers, but nothing warms my heart more than being called “Coach.” When I started here in 1988, I quickly found a home in the Bocock Wrestling Cage, and to this day, when a former wrestler returns and simply says, “Hey, Coach,” I know that I chose the right place to spend my career.

I’ve been so lucky that every seven or eight years, Episcopal has allowed me to pursue something new. I got to coach varsity football; I took on the role of head wrestling coach five years after I started; I became the head of the Hummel Dorm; I took on the role of sustainability coordinator; and I’ve enjoyed so many other roles that have filled my metaphorical cup.

The community is special. For those who live on campus, Episcopal is not just a neighborhood. It’s a group of people who share similar values. Boarding school life is not for the faint of heart, and to be surrounded by so many dedicated adults every day is a blessing.

At the end of the day, if I were to highlight a moment, it would likely be sometime during the 1996-97 school year. The Class of 1997 is special to both Susan and me — perhaps because they were ninth graders when we were newly married or because we went through a number of challenging moments with them or because it was a large class of wrestlers. Whatever the reason, we connected with them and have kept lifelong friendships with a number of them. Those connections are rewarding, and a large part of what has kept us here.

SUSAN CASTLE

It’s cliché, but for me, it’s not about my job at Episcopal. It is about the community. It’s what I wanted for my daughters. What I saw early on that the faculty children had. Their relationships with the adults in the community, the other children, and even the students. In our first few years here, we were lucky to live on Hummel Dorm in the apartment above Marty and Jim Fraser. While Jim was teaching and coaching, Marty became “Nana” to countless faculty children, including ours. At 24 and 26 years old, Sarah Gray and Kate still refer to Marty as Nana. As a baby, Sarah Gray would sometimes cry when I came home from work at the end of the day and took her from Nana’s arms. That stung a little at first, but made me realize what a gift it was to have someone like Marty in Sarah Gray’s world. She was our first call when I went into labor with Kate, and she came right upstairs to be with Sarah Gray until Steve’s mom got here. I ended up taking time off to be home with the girls for a couple of years, but we still leaned heavily on Nana and “Big Jim” for support until Jim retired and they moved to Pennsylvania, and the girls cherished their time with both of them.

Also living on Hummel was one of our best babysitters, Brandon Gay ’04. He was over one night and Kate (who was maybe one year old) woke up crying, so he called me. I told him she may want some milk and would then go right back

It’s the people who have kept me here.

to sleep. I didn’t hear from him again, so I assumed that Kate would be sound asleep when I got home. When I came in around 11:30 p.m., there was a group of boys — and Kate, happily sitting on the sofa with them, drinking her milk and watching football. I could have been mad, but all I could think was how lucky Kate was to have these “big brothers” hanging out with her.

Two years ago, we were in Philadelphia for our nephew’s wedding, and we went to visit Marty Fraser. The girls hadn’t seen Nana in many years, but when they walked in it was like greeting family. Nine months later, Kate celebrated her fifth reunion and got to see her old babysitter Brandon who was back celebrating his 20th. And now here we are, with our girls’ favorite childhood toys stored in our basement, ready for the campus children to play with when they come over. It’s the people who have kept me here.

DAVID DOUGLAS

As a lifelong Alexandrian, I had always admired Episcopal from afar. One fateful day, I ran into John Lisanick, an old family friend who taught art here, at a Blockbuster (that’s a very vintage sentence). He asked me what I thought about replacing him here as he prepared to retire, and I ended up starting just a few months later.

Life on campus inspires me so much.

I wasn’t new to teaching; I had taught adults for a decade. But after a week of new faculty orientation at Episcopal, it felt like I was drinking water through a fire hose. The first day I had to be in front of students, I felt like I was going to throw up. John laughed and said, “David, you don’t look so good. Just be yourself. You’ll be fine.” I always go back to that when I feel frustrated or overwhelmed.

When we first moved in with our 6-year-old and 4-year-old, I wondered briefly how Max, who has Down syndrome, would be welcomed into the community. Fast forward a few weeks later, I’m sitting in Laird Dining Hall and see Max doing “head, shoulders, knees, and toes” by himself outside the window. I crane my neck a little bit to see who he is laughing with, and I see 20 students cheering him on and doing it alongside him. It was that moment that I thought, “Yes, this is the place for us.”

I’ve been so lucky throughout my time here to continue my work as a full-time artist. Life on campus inspires me so much, and I don’t think the views, the trees, or the cast of characters will ever get old. This place is incredibly busy for all of us and at times, we tend to complain or find what’s wrong with it. The reality is that we’re all very blessed to be here.

STACIE GALIGER

I clearly remember the night before I started my first school year in the fall of 2004. I was an assistant dean, a math teacher, and the Harrison dorm head, so needless to say, there was a lot happening that night. I remember panicking and thinking: “What would happen if I just packed up my Honda Accord right now and drove away?” I ultimately didn’t (surprise!), and I started to get the rhythm of life here with the help of so many colleagues and friends. John Walker, who was so patient, kind, and wise, Tim Jaeger, and Jackie Maher mentored me throughout my early years here. On the worst or hardest days, they always made me feel everything would be okay.

I’ve been through so many phases of my life on this campus (fiancée, wife, mom, widow, and now Episcopal parent), and they all have somehow worked. You would think other places would be a good place to land for a few years or only feasible for a certain life stage, but Episcopal has remained my constant throughout. I’ve been supported at every single step, and I’ve had the chance to support others. Over the years, there have been countless students who have played a huge part in our daily lives. Edith Amason ’17 would come do her homework in my apartment on Harrison so I could go to the grocery store. Hunter deButts ’12 would volunteer to babysit while I went to seated dinners. And my girls loved it. They wouldn’t even think “Oh, Mom’s got to go to work now;” they were just excited to spend time with their friends Edith and Hunter. And now, in the true circle of life fashion, my girls have babysat Hunter’s two children. Looking back now, with one daughter in college, one daughter at EHS, and one daughter in middle school, I can say I’m so glad I didn’t pack up that Honda Accord 21 years ago.

On the worst or hardest days, they always made me feel everything would be okay.

JOEY HALM

What brought Joe and me to EHS in the fall of 1996 was the feeling that the teachers and coaches here were all in. These adults clearly loved being with kids on dorm, in the classroom, on the playing fields, in the dining hall, in Chapel, and even in their homes. It was so satisfying to see a group of adults who, across the board, wanted to be part of students’ lives in the most holistic way. We had found our people.

First teaching English, then starting the instrumental music program and directing the orchestra, and finally moving into a counseling role, I have been the recipient of a school unyieldingly committed to my own growth and development.

Even more, this institution has helped bring up my own children in the most meaningful of ways. My kids have had the good fortune of having surrogate aunts, uncles, and cousins from Sesame Street and beyond. From long afternoons of shark and fish at the pool, early morning sprints to the bus stop, and games of capture the flag on warm summer nights, to trick-or-treating all over the campus without the need of their parents, sledding for hours behind Penick and the Crosland Alumni Cottage, and putting on backyard plays with a whole gaggle of faculty kids, our children had the most special of childhoods. When they eventually joined the student body, they discovered and cherished EHS in new ways. My children cannot yet fathom calling any other place home.

We had found our people.

I never imagined in those early days on campus that our family would face the hardships that followed many years later. But when those tragedies did strike, I knew with certainty that this community would keep us afloat. And it has.

It has always been the students.

ROCÍO MENDIZÁBAL

Episcopal is not only the place where I work. It is where I live, where I have raised a family, and where I have memories well beyond the classroom. As I focus on my career and what has made Episcopal High School my chosen workplace, I can speak only of the one constant: the students. It has always been the students.

I remember so many faces and names, so many brighteyed, open-minded, genuinely intelligent young men and women. Some were funny; some I watched mature academically right before my eyes; some loved to learn; some learned to love to learn; some tested my patience; some became friends through the years. I rooted for all of them, every year. And that makes 32 years pass rather quickly.

it really is all about the people and the relationships

ELEANOR MOORE

There are many aspects of life at EHS that encouraged or prompted me to stay, ranging from the people to the opportunities, challenges, projects, and missions. The list goes on. When I boil it down to its essence though, it really is all about the people and the relationships. If it hadn’t been for the people early on who “brought” me here from my school in South Carolina and encouraged me to inquire about working and living here, I wouldn’t have found this home and community for my family and me.

Number one on that list were Joey and Joe Halm — I am so grateful that they put me in touch with Rick Dixon, John Walker, Jackie Maher, and Rob Hershey to go through the interview process. Then, my colleagues and mentors, some of whom have become my close friends, who sustain and support me along the way and over time, some even after they have gone, have been invaluable.

The School has generously offered resources to help me grow professionally and to provide me with ways to remain inspired, curious, and engaged as a lifelong learner. That is a real treasure to be offered throughout one’s career. And, of course, and most importantly, it’s the students — every. single. year. There are students who keep me here, who keep me coming back to teach, to learn, to play, because they are really why I am here and why I do this. Over these years there have been a large number of individual students and groups of students, whom I’ve gotten to know in the various ways we walk through life on The Holy Hill. Their energy, perspectives, ideas, life experiences, questions, and causes are the reasons I love being here. They are why I stay.

WHIT MORGAN

I discovered early on that there was power in sharing a passion for literature with teenagers...

I’m a product of a boarding school myself, so I suppose my choice to come to EHS back in the fall of 1987 was driven, in part, by my deep conviction that what happens at places of this sort can matter. My experience at McCallie School had mattered for me, pushing me intellectually but also providing a group of friends I still count as some of the most important people in my life. I believed in the boarding school model because I was living proof of its value.

After a year teaching in a North Carolina public high school, I jumped at the opportunity to teach smaller classes of more motivated students. I also loved sports, and Episcopal allowed (actually expected) me to be involved athletically. Since my arrival, I’ve coached basketball, football, baseball, golf, and squash as a head coach and as an assistant on both junior varsity and varsity teams. Like so many coaches, I’ve enjoyed the chance to forge relationships outside the classroom. Also, it’s nice to have hung a few banners in Centennial Gym.

Primarily, though, I’m still here because I love teaching. I discovered early on that there was power in sharing a passion for literature with teenagers, and the classroom moments I’ve had over the decades that stick with me are almost uniformly connected to watching a student have an intellectual epiphany — a realization that literature, especially Shakespeare, can be cool! Not just cool, really. Lifechanging! Sharing my enthusiasm for Shakespeare’s plays is, hands down, my favorite professional duty, and I think I’ve done a pretty good job of that over the years. At least the

students who reach out to me from the past tell me I’ve done so, and my “love language” is words of affirmation. I know of no other job I might have chosen that would have allowed me such a steady stream of affirmation, both in terms of thank yous from past students and in watching my former scholars leave this place and accomplish so many wonderful things beyond our gates.

My long-time mentor Perry Epes ’65 also played a part. He modeled patient devotion and care in all his interactions with his students and advisees. Watching him in action, I knew that what he did was worthwhile, was truly appreciated, and I wanted to do the same. While the financial rewards might not have measured up to those of other professions, the feeling of making a real difference in a student’s life was immeasurable. Truly, all my colleagues, especially in the English department, have been phenomenal. Who else gets to go to work every day surrounded by such capable, interesting people? Not many.

Finally, this place has been home for a long time. To live here, on this beautiful campus, surrounded by so many bright, engaging colleagues, to let my children run amok with other faculty kids wherever they wanted (pretty much), to have as my commute a five-minute walk up the hill to my classroom — well, what’s not to like? I love the people here, faculty and students alike, and I’ve known for decades that I’d never leave. It’s a blessing to have been able to do what I love for so long in such a special place.

The very best times come when I’m working one-on-one with kids...

TIM ROGERS  ’79

Every first day of school in September, I tell each of my classes that I’m nervous to see them. I haven’t slept; I’m sweating; I’m not sure that what I have planned will work. I know that I have no real reason to be so other than I’m stepping into four new little communities for the first time (and six if you include the sports teams I’ve coached over the years).

So that is the reason I stay: the idea of getting to know and work each year with different groups — their idiosyncrasies, their senses of humor, their complaints, their tempers — and most of all, their stories. I think of all the thousands (that’s accurate!) of stories I’ve heard now over the years, and I consider myself lucky to have had a career like this. The very best times come when I’m working one-on-one with kids, when we get real and honest. That’s when I feel that this has been the right choice for me.

My wife Rocío and I love to watch a British show called “Taskmaster” where seasons are built around 10 or so episodes with the same five contestants (usually comedians or actors), who are asked to do silly things. They laugh (a lot) and give each other a hard time, showing vulnerability and the occasional mean side — but it’s the camaraderie the small group builds and the closeness we the audience develop with this ‘family’ over the course of 10 shows — I know, it’s just television! — that reminds me of why I like going into the classroom, too. I like the time I spend with this group of actors over the short term, and I love the time I spend with a given class over the course of a school year.

MIRANDA THOMPSON ’00

Episcopal is more than a school; it’s a lifelong community. I accepted my first position in the Alumni Office shortly after celebrating my five-year EHS reunion. The energy of that weekend — being back on campus — reminded me how special this place is and inspired me to start my career here. I never imagined I would stay for 20 years, but as I reflect on my time, I realize I’ve remained because of both the work and the people. The Advancement Office — and my role within it — has continually evolved to better serve the School and its community. Over the years, our work has become more strategic and collaborative, deepening our ability to connect alumni, students, parents, and friends in meaningful ways that strengthen Episcopal’s mission and spirit. That sense of purpose, combined with the warmth and dedication of this community, is what makes this work so fulfilling. I especially love driving up Front Drive each day, seeing students and faculty engaged living and learning together — it’s a daily reminder of the focus, energy, and commitment that make Episcopal so special.

Working with alumni from every decade has been a constant source of inspiration, and the EHS bond is strong no matter where you come from. From being silly with the Evans girls on dorm duty in the mid 2000s to helping bring Mega Reunion to life in 2022, the moments that define my career all center around bringing people together and celebrating the heart of the Episcopal experience.

And really — who knew just how much maroon and black I’d end up with in my wardrobe?

Episcopal is more than a school; it’s a lifelong community.

PATRICK THOMPSON

When I look back on my EHS career, it is hard to imagine it having been over two decades of being a part of this community. Sometimes it feels like yesterday when I was working with that first set of advisees. So the time, it flies; I suppose I must be having fun. The parts I love haven’t changed much — hosting Math Parties, laughing and cheering with a climber as they fall off that route awkwardly but get right back up and send it, or having the advisees over for dinner and laughter. Each year brings the same, but each kid I get to work with is different. It’s that dichotomy — the old and new, tradition mixed with progress. Lately, getting to experience all of that joy and learning with my children Bruce ’25 and Renny ’27 at school has been amazing. Next up, I guess I will just continue walking this same old road with each new years’ set of companions. It’s a pretty fun gig, and wow, do I feel lucky to get to keep doing it.

It’s that dichotomy — the old and new, tradition mixed with progress.

It has been an honor to preserve and tell the story of Episcopal.

LAURA VETTER

I was an archivist at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and was expecting my first child, Killian. The museum had provided artifacts for a documentary about the kindertransports “Into the Arms of Strangers” and my department was invited to a pre-release screening at the museum. Prior to this screening, I had always considered myself to be an even-keeled person and given my undergraduate research into the reproductive policies of Weimar and Nazi Germany, the collection felt like a natural fit. However, that documentary absolutely broke me and I decided I should open myself up to other opportunities.

Looking at Episcopal’s website, I was curious to see if they had an archives program. Not only was that the case, but the position was open. Since I had not been looking for a job until that moment, my resume was out of date. I updated it that night, put it in the mail the next day, and came in for an interview the following week. Having attended a boarding school myself, I was smitten to be on campus and felt at home.

When I received an offer, I immediately accepted. It has been an honor to preserve and tell the story of Episcopal High School. While I was already hooked, being invited by members of the history faculty to support their efforts to incorporate the EHS archives into their students’ research has been particularly gratifying. Through this element of my job, I am introducing our students to archival research and the archives profession, while sharing Episcopal’s rich history.

LIZ VORLICEK

Professional development at EHS allows me to do work over the summer and throughout the year to learn new skills, collaborate with my colleagues and attend conferences. Maintaining my own studio practice as an artist gives me the perspective and hands-on experience to make learning more engaging for my students, as I can recreate the wheel each year and design innovative projects for use in the classroom. My artist’s life also helps me in my work to bring the spirit of renewal to my curatorial projects in the Angie Newman Johnson Gallery and in the teaching spaces. Research is also a big part of my job in all spheres of my work at EHS, and that challenges me to learn and look at things in new and exciting ways.

My dad, a lifelong educator, always said that my work with the students at EHS keeps me young, as I search out fresh, creative approaches to teaching the fundamentals in art and craft. While I may now be approaching a more “wizened” era in my career as a teacher, I learn something new everyday that makes the joy of learning and discovery a space that I need to come back to every day.

My work with the students at EHS keeps me young.

This campus has been an incredible place to pour your heart into your work.

DAMIAN WALSH

It has been an honor and a privilege to be part of this community. Many years ago, I was introduced to a place that would be one of the transformative experiences of my life. Coming to campus each day to work with Ed Rice and George Harris as a member of the track and field coaching staff was my initial introduction, and how the student-athletes interacted with all members of this community was refreshing. As years passed and different opportunities presented themselves, I was always impressed with the depth of the amenities and support that EHS students were provided. It was almost staggering how warm and welcoming this faculty and staff were to all those who came inside the gates each and every day. Every year is different, of course, and the dynamic challenges from getting to know new students every year always keep me growing and wondering how I can best support them through their short time here.

Many years later, my children can boast an education from Episcopal High School that spanned more than four years after countless experiences with the student body from their first steps to their final steps across the graduation stage. From leaving our first born with a colleague while we traveled to the hospital to welcome our second born, to looking for our two children around campus and finding them playing in the infamous Castle’s basement, this campus has been an incredible place to pour your heart into your work while having your family right next to you every step of the way.

Fueling the Rivalry

… on return about 10 P.M. had a cordial reception from the boys, who expressed their satisfaction by having a bonfire & burning up $6.00 worth of fencing and forage.”

LAUNCELOT MINOR BLACKFORD DIARIES, NOVEMBER 7, 1904; HEAD OF SCHOOL 1870-1913

hile the EHS bonfire may feel like a timeless tradition to most, it has certainly evolved with the times — as most traditions do. In the early years, the bonfire followed, rather than preceded, big games. Until 1927, only players and coaches traveled for games. The score would be reported back by telegraph or telephone to those who remained on campus, and the building of the bonfire would ensue to be lit upon the team’s return to campus.

John White ’30 recounted the process for constructing the bonfire: “After several years they (the unpainted bleachers) would begin to rot so the oldest two were carried down to the front cow pasture and placed facing each other. Then the wooden food boxes that had accumulated behind the kitchen were placed on top with miscellaneous wood and paper.”

With the bonfire laid, the students would wait for the announcement of the team’s approach from the Alexandria train station, where they would be met by Vic Donaldson in one of his REO Speedwagons for the drive up the hill to the campus. A teacher assigned to a position on the road about a quarter mile from campus would announce the team’s approach by firing a pistol twice and then the bonfire would be lit — enhanced by the Roman candles distributed to the student body. After the bonfire died down, everyone would meet on the porch of Hoxton House where the players and coaches would regale the rest of the community with highlights from The Game. Rendered obsolete by 1930, the base of that year’s bonfire was the horse-drawn omnibus that had transported students to and from the School’s earliest games, as well as other destinations.

2019 Cheerleader Arrival by Vintage Car

“

The bonfire is the culmination of Spirit Week and is not just about football. In past years, scores for other sports have been reported to the crowd at the bonfire to an enthusiastic response.”

DAMIAN WALSH, FACULTY ADVISOR TO THE CHEERLEADERS

Eventually, the bonfire was moved to the night before The Game, although some players would miss the bonfire to ensure they were sufficiently rested to play at their best. With the introduction of the Maroon and Black Dance the night before The Game, the bonfire is now held on the Thursday night before The Game.

Around 2000, the decision was made between Woodberry and Episcopal that the Cheerleaders’ entrance to The Game had to be carried out on one’s own two feet and not by vehicle. The bonfire then took on a new significance with more creativity and spectacle. This evolving tradition includes the suspense around how the Cheerleaders would make their entrance: monster trucks, military vehicles, a hearse, Harley Davidsons, antique cars, and even a vintage firetruck have made an appearance. Longtime faculty member Tim Rogers ’79 recalls the excitement in 2022 when Damian Walsh, faculty advisor to the Cheerleaders, and the Cheerleaders entered the bonfire in a huge monster truck. Since Rogers was positioned at the guardhouse at the Braddock Road entrance, he did not see the excitement, but he certainly heard it. Before they could see the truck, the students could hear the engine revving and Rogers could hear the roar of the crowd. Upon seeing the truck, the students went wild.

Despite all the pageantry and theatrics, the bonfire is always carried out with a commitment to safety. The bonfire is lit by a designated adult with the students outside a fifty-foot perimeter and a live firehose at the ready. Episcopal High School coordinates with the Fire Marshall and secures a permit for the event, adhering to requirements including no accelerant. In a departure from the early years, the bonfire is constructed by the Facilities Department, not the students, with a combination of starter logs, several pallets, and wood set aside months in advance to dry out. Even with adherence to these precautions, the bonfire has occasionally had to be cancelled, particularly on account of high winds or extended drought.

Even without an actual bonfire, the Cheerleaders manage to create the excitement around the event, as they did in 2007. Since the bonfire could not be held, the student body met in Hummel Bowl. In lieu of a bonfire, a stuffed tiger was suspended above the Bowl. When a spotlight was shone on the tiger, it was rushed by the students, who tore apart the tiger with the stuffing going everywhere. That stuffed tiger proved to be the start of a new bonfire tradition.

While changes to the bonfire have largely come out of necessity, Walsh thinks big in terms what he would like to see in an unconstrained future: pyrotechnics, light shows, and even drones.

The Cheerleaders 2021 Bonfire Entrance by Vintage Firetruck

Preparing the Bonfire 1949

dreaming BIGGER for your child?

EHS might be more accessible than you think.

For many families, the idea of a top-tier boarding school like Episcopal comes with an immediate, daunting number: our comprehensive fee of $74,900 for the 2025-26 school year. We understand that “sticker shock” can be a powerful deterrent, leading some to assume that an EHS education is simply out of reach. We want to challenge that assumption, and encourage every family with a talented and motivated student to explore the possibilities.

“By

investing in financial aid, we’re not just supporting individual families; we’re investing in the collective experience for every student on The Holy Hill.”

SCOTT CONKLIN DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS

The truth is, over 35% of our students receive financial assistance, with the average grant awarded to families being a substantial $56,143.

This means that for a significant portion of our student body, the actual out-of-pocket cost is far less than the published fee, and could be equal to or less than your local independent school options. Resources from the School’s endowment and generous annual gifts enable our financial aid budget to provide transformational support for many families.

LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR OPTIONS

FRIDAY, JUNE 26 – SUNDAY, JUNE 28

Don’t miss this fun summer opportunity to introduce your child to EHS and spend quality time together during a fun-filled weekend on Episcopal’s 130-acre campus!

Participate in classic camp activities on campus, visit Washington, D.C., and enjoy family and fellowship in a fun and relaxed setting.

While programming is best suited for children ages 6-12, younger siblings are welcome to join the adventure, too!

Reach out to our Camp Team with any questions at hello@summeratepiscopal.org.

Follow the QR code to learn more and register!

and make your impact today!

Support compensation for faculty and staff

Allow the business office to say “yes” to teacher’s ideas and needs

Make EHS more accessible to great students

Demonstrate the strength of our community through high participation rates Keep tuition increases moderate Express gratitude for Episcopal’s impact in your life With

Direct your gift to a specific area that you care about Honor a specific teacher or classmate

Mark Your Calendars forReunion Weekend

JUNE 5-6, 2026

THIS YEAR’S REUNION IS CELEBRATING THE CLASSES OF:

5th Reunions: 2020 & 2021

10th Reunions: 2015 & 2016

15th Reunions: 2010 & 2011

20th Reunions: 2005 & 2006

25th Reunions: 2000 & 2001

30th Reunions: 1995 & 1996

35th Reunions: 1990 & 1991

40th Reunions: 1985 & 1986

45th Reunions: 1980 & 1981

50th Reunions: 1975 & 1976

55th Reunions: 1970 & 1971

60th Reunions: 1965 & 1966

65th Reunions: 1960 & 1961

“ Hardly ever does a day pass that I do not, at some fleeting moment, think back fondly and appreciatively of the old School. My years there were just about the best thing, or at least the most formative thing, that ever happened to me. And our Reunion, with its overflowing nostalgia and warm camaraderie, happily carried me back, time and again, to those olden, golden days. Long may The High School thrive! ”

DRUMMOND AYRES ’53 IN THE FALL 2013 ISSUE OF EHS: THE MAGAZINE

QUESTIONS?

Class Notes

Thank you to our dedicated Class Correspondents for your contributions and efforts to keep us all connected.

’47

Class Correspondents Needed

If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

’48

Class Correspondents Needed

If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

’49

Herbert A. Donovan (C) 914-645-6561 hdonovan@gmail.com

’50

Class Correspondents Needed

If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

’51

Class Correspondents Needed

If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

’52

Harte C. Crow hcahcrow@gmail.com

There are several ways to submit Class Notes:

1 Submit news online through the alumni por tal at episcopalhighschool.org;

2. Contact your Class Correspondent by phone, mail, or email; or

3. Write your news in the space provided on the Roll Call reply card and mail it with your annual gift. 1 2 3

’53

Edward W. Mullins Jr. (C) 803-463-1440 ewmullinsjr@gmail.com

Your Class Correspondent reports that he still has an office in his son’s firm, which he goes to daily. He is still active in the John Belton O’Neall Inn of Court and will attend the annual meeting of the American Inns of Court in D.C. The board reception will take place at the office of his old firm, Nelson Mullins, which overlooks the Capitol. He says that his firm has grown beyond his wildest dreams, with over 1,000 lawyers in 33 offices across 17 states and D.C.

Peter Page says: “Still pursuing country life. The garden has run its course after yielding an abundance of weeds and some pretty good edibles. Sorry to hear the crowd is thinning, but I suppose it is to be expected as we approach 90. I am still hanging in there and am in reasonably good health.”

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Charles V. Covell Jr. (C) 502-639-2691 covell@louisville.edu

John Burress writes: “Mary Louise and I had three visits with classmates this spring, which we would like to share.

All three of our classmates are living in excellent retirement communities, and each is happy and actively involved. We went to Atlanta, Ga., and had a pleasant visit with Oscar Davis. He and Carole are doing well, and his infectious laughter is still the same. He does a great job of keeping up with several classmates of ours by phone. He is out ever y day and is a real joy.

Then we went to Towson, Md., to visit Claire Stewart, widow of Van Stewart. Van died several years ago, and Claire has kept

in touch with a number of our classmates, visiting the Hill with us on several occasions. She has a daughter in the area and is quite involved in many activities.

Then we went to Charlotte, N.C., and had a great half day with our Head Monitor Charlie Tompkins. He and Dianne have been married for ten years, and he would tell you he is slowing down, but by my observation, not that much. With all three, we had some great laughs about things that happened while we were at EHS, and all agreed how much the School, faculty, and other student relationships meant to us.

The entire exercise was very uplifting to Mary Louise and me, and we recommend it to all. Come by Winston-Salem, N.C., and visit with us!”

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Sandy A. Wise (C) 614-638-5190 hawppmd@gmail.com

’56 Class Correspondents Needed

If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

’57

Tim Thompson deGavre (C) 321-543-4661 tim.degavre@gmail.com

Tom Davenport wrote about a project he has worked on for two decades. I found his exposition on music to be especially interesting and enjoyable, not only to hear the old songs played as they were many years ago, but also to see the photos, yellowed

over the years, that accompanied the music. Check it out; you won’t be disappointed!

Tom writes: “Alas, we are indeed thinning out. For my part, I remain deeply involved in a projec t I’ve worked on for nearly 20 years — folkstreams.net, a curated streaming site featuring documentary films about American folklife. Both the Smithsonian Institution and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have shown interest in becoming its institutional home, though funding has been the usual stumbling block.

As the years go by, I’ve noticed that conversations with old friends often circle around to losses, and it can be lonely getting old. I particularly miss my EHS roommate Phil Carter and my friend and our classmate Shep Ansle y. Still, the work keeps me going, and I’m grateful for the chance to preserve and share these stories from our shared culture. No Kilimanjaro climbs to report — but I keep busy.”

Chip Buxton states that he fully retired from his law practice in March, and his son, Wakefield Buxton, is now the manager. Chip continues to serve as Of Counsel to the firm, Buxton & Buxton t/a Trustbuilders Law Group, with offices in Yorktown, Williamsburg, and Virginia Beach. Having not a clue what an “Of Counsel” might be, I learned that an Of Counsel lawyer is one with a close, continuing, and regular relationship with a law firm, but is not a partner or associate.

Floyd Lankford writes: “I met a lovely girl in Annapolis, Md., after EHS, and we have been married now for over 65 years, with two girls and one granddaughter. No longer running around Greenway fields in the ice and snow (thank goodness), but I do walk two laps on a long hill of a driveway every day (except in the rain), tend flower beds in the backyard, and watch a granddaughter who loves to play ‘socci’ ball in any weather (until she gets tired of running), then picks up the ball to go inside and get a cup of hot chocolate from Mom or Grandmom.

I think that is what we missed practicing and playing soccer on the Greenways — the hot chocolate! Truthfully, I’m glad not to be running around in a uniform that included very short gray pants on the ground, soaking

wet with snow and ice. As you may recall, everyone played American-style football in the fall. Coach Mac was the varsity football coach (former Green Bay Packers player). Our soccer coach was originally from England, so we played “English football.” I enjoyed Coach Heslett K. Murray’s British accent and sense of humor about the weather and exercise. While everyone played American football in the fall, our time in the winter quarter was unique. Glad to not be so engaged today.

After EHS, I went to the University of Virginia (BSc degree in Commerce), where I played varsity soccer, followed by law school at UVA for one year. I then got an MBA from Northwestern University (downtown Chicago then) in 12 months (equal to four semesters), summer to summer. End of schooling!

I joined Alex Brown & Sons as a broker, but soon became an analyst covering the energy industry. I purposefully limited myself to ‘above ground,’ as I could not ‘see below ground.’ After 23 years at ABS and miles of travel, I moved to a smaller firm in Baltimore (Chapin Davis) and then retired to work on the assets I had managed to put together. That’s what I am doing today and staying inside when the weather is cold with ice and snow, as my memory is still vivid with the Greenway experiences.

It’s amazing how much we remember from our lessons at The High School, all these years later, like, Mr. Ravenel — you do NOT end a sentence with a preposition. Even John McCain ’54 remembered him while captured by the Vietnamese! Fond memories.”

Cotes Pinckney reports on a most admirable contribution he is making to

the less-advantaged young children of Richmond. He writes: “I think I have been pretty lucky in warding off, or at least slowing down, dementia. I volunteer as a study hall tutor at the Anna Julia Cooper School, an independent school for underprivileged children in grades K-8 in the east end of Richmond, Va. It has been a rewarding experience. Middle school boys I have worked with have gone on to attend Christchurch School, Longwood University, St. Christopher’s School, and Old Dominion University, as well as Cristo Rey Richmond High School. I am getting ready to start my eleventh year over there; they do not have an age limit for tutors.”

Your Class Correspondent writes: “Every two years, Caroline and I change homes. Six years ago, after living in it for two years, we sold our house in Palm Bay, Fla., and bought a home in The Villages, also in Florida. That did not work out — too many old people, and you may have heard about the way of life there! After almost two years, we moved into a home in Viera (near Melbourne), Florida (where else?) that I had bought donkey’s years ago as a rental investment. We upgraded it, and after two years, put it on the market while moving into a home, also in Viera, in early August (5770 Mascaro Court, Viera, FL 32940).

We haven’t spent much time at any of these homes, preferring to travel, mostly outside the United States. This year, for example, we welcomed in the New Year on our favorite island, Antigua, and stayed for a couple of weeks. Early the next month, we boarded a repositioning cruise from Miami to Barcelona. In Barcelona, we were robbed of everything except a credit card and a cell phone: our U.S. and U.K. passports, wallets, a laptop, iPad, cameras, cell phones, and watches — all gone. We were able to get an emergency passport the following day from the U.S. Consulate. Then, two more uneventful weeks in Spain, which turned out to be most pleasant.

In April, it was back to Antigua, where we served on the Race Committees for the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta and Antigua Sailing Week, as we have for nearly 20 years. The following month, we found ourselves in Ireland staying with my cousin in his castle near Limerick; from there, we were off to

Tim deGavre ’57 and his wife Caroline in the San Juan Islands.

Class Notes

Italy and Pisa, Florence, and Venice, concluding with several days in Tuscany where we hunted for truffles with dogs and rode bicycles. Back in America, we flew to the San Juan Islands, near Seattle, to spend a few days with my brother, Rob deGavre ’58, and on the way back, in Colorado, where my daughters have their homes, in Parker and Castle Rock.

In August, we were away to England, joining friends on a 70s barge on the River Thames in the Cotswolds, and later meeting relatives and friends in the south. Rounding out the year, we will fly to Ushuaia on the southern tip of Argentina, where we will board a cruise ship bound for Antarctica. One of the nights there, we will be camping on the ice. Idiots.

That does it for 2025. In the future, because we have had our fill of airports, airlines, and customs, we are thinking of buying a small RV and driving around this amazing country, calling on folks such as you who are reading this drivel (if you made it this far!).”

Ken Ringle followed up his last offering in our Class News with yet another escapade; he has certainly led an adventure-filled life. He recently put a new C8 Corvette through its paces on the Corvette factory test track at Bowling Green, Ky.

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Surry P. Roberts (C) 919-828-2245 surryroberts@adventure777.com

Sandy Sierck writes: “Susan and I were fortunate to spend the summer at our place in Brooklin, Maine. We were also fortunate that six of our seven grandchildren were there part of the time. They range in age from 14 to 27. Eldest grandson Henry Shapard moved to London to ser ve as co-principal cello of the London Philharmonic. Before that, he was the principal cello of the Vancouver Symphony, a position he assumed in 2020 upon graduating from Yale with a magna cum laude degree in history. His twin sister Serena also graduated from Yale in 2020; she is an accomplished violinist with plans to go to medical school next year. The other five grandkids are all growing up fast. This fall, I will be in my 26th year co-teaching a course

at Georgetown Law on international white collar crime.” ‘’

John Briddell says: “We still are living in Bloomington, Ind., but we are looking to move closer to our eldest son and his wife. They live outside of Madison, Wis., so that will be our final move. Having been ‘corporate gypsies,’ we know the moving routine. I have chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and have been a participant in three clinical trials for the disease starting in 2019. We learned late spring that the CLL has now morphed into Hodgkin lymphoma while leaving the CLL in place, so now I have two cancers to deal with. I have been a patient at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., ever since this started, and I cannot speak more highly about the clinic or its providers. I am now just starting radiation therapy for the lymphoma. We’ll see what improvement that might make, but eventually, there will not be any more choices. We are all born, we live, and then we die — life summed up.”

Bill Wood writes: “Kristine and I have just returned from a week at Chautauqua Institution near Jamestown, N.Y., where we witnessed Doris Kearns Goodwin, Morgan Freeman, among others. The theme of the week was ‘Past Informs The Future.’ Our chaplain for the week was Brian McLaren, who is a colleague and friend of Richard Rohr. Life is good in Haverford, Penn., following ten years of ‘retirement’ at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Radnor, Penn., after 25 years at St. Christopher’s in Gladwyne.”

Rick Pietsch presently has two problems: “No TV to watch the playoffs” and an Orbitz mix-up preventing travel plans at present. “I’m still vertical and trying to accept this aging process,” he writes.

John Ramey says: “For starters, I have to take exception to Billy Hood’s statement, ‘Now that we’re all 85,’ — I remain the undisputed oldes t living member of our class at 86 years and 3 months and still going strong, having beaten cancer twice. I still mow my lawn, use a weed eater, and clean my gutters (on a two-story house and barn). No doubt the Latin over the door of Stewart Gym played a big part in my good fortune (loose translation is “a strong mind in a strong body.”) Since we have about half of us still living from the Class of ’58, which I believe to be remarkable, probably as a result of “living at the foot of the Cross” as we were taught at EHS. Faye and I have

just returned from a wonderful week in Maine and are headed to South Carolina to visit my daughter and her husband in September. Life is good with the help of a few pharmaceuticals.”

Pope Shuford writes: “I am excited to report that I have a granddaughter who will attend The High School as a ninth grader this fall. After having a grandson graduate from Woodberry, I look forward to reconnecting with Episcopal and cheering for the School that made such a difference in my life.”

Richard Somerville says: “In recent years, I have been a lecturer on cruise ships in many areas of the world. I often spoke about the oceanography and meteorology of the region of the voyage. The captain of one particular cruise ship also gave several lectures. He spoke mainly about shipwrecks and other marine disasters. He seemed to know all about virtually every major catastrophe at sea, not only famous ones like the Titanic, but also many lesser-known tragedies. I was surprised because several cruise lines had warned me not to discuss unpleasant topics in my lectures, such as shipwrecks, pirates, mutinies, fires at sea, and other maritime disasters. Passengers on cruise ships want to have an enjoyable time, not to be frightened or depressed.

However, the passengers on this voyage all told me that they liked our captain’s lectures. He emphasized that many of the routine safety precautions on cruise ships today, such as mandatory lifeboat drills, owe their origins to disasters long ago, when these precautions had not been taken. Our passengers decided that with this marine disaster expert in command of our ship, if an emergency happened, our captain would know exactly what to do.

As a climate scientist, I realized that cruise ship passengers would also welcome hearing about climate change if my lectures provided objective and factual scientific information, not opinions on controversial topics. People want to hear about scientific findings, based on facts and evidence, but they do not like to be lectured on politics or the role of governments. I kept to science, and everybody liked my lectures. The only criticism I received was that I should stop wearing a tie. Nobody else on the ship ever wore a tie, so I gladly complied with this suggestion.”

John Brabson writes: “I traveled with my oldest daughter, Anderson, to Antarctica last November aboard Silverseas for a week of exploration and adventure. This is a very inhospitable environment, but there is much beauty in the land and wildlife. I learned that Antarctica is not owned by any country, and a 1959 treaty of 21 countries agreed that it could only be used for scientific research, with no permanent dwellings allowed. Also, 92% of the fresh water in the world is stored in this continent, which is larger in size than the U.S. I am leaving in August with my other two daughters and wife for another cruise to Norway. Still able to travel and play 18 holes of golf. Very fortunate on all fronts.”

Your Class Correspondent says: “My next year will be exciting, as one young lady who worked in my home office for two years, Natalie Cotton, who is currently working with Google in New York City, is returning to create and run a wedding venue relatively close to the Raleigh-Durham airport, which I will put into action. Natalie, her sister Jessica, their mother (who has run 28 marathons), and their father (a retired Sergeant Major with 28 years of service in the Marine Corps) will run this wedding venue with excellence. I also have four students from Meredith College and North Carolina State University who are working together in my home office to write a ‘Hidden History’ with the help of AI for each of North Carolina’s 100 counties. Totally fascinating, and who knows what will be the end result of this endeavor. My book of the year is “The War Journal of Major Damon ‘Rocky’ Gause” by Damon Gause. He escaped from the Bataan Death March and ended up in Australia.”

Tom Boyd writes: “On Monday, May 12, 11 EHS old boys met at the Farmington Country Club Grill in Charlottesville, Va., to have a luncheon event. It was great fun to get together, and we all want to do it again, and hopefully, more often. In the past, Rick Pietsch, Saunders Midyette, and I have gotten together for lunches, and often with old Woodberry friends. But this time, we wanted it to be strictly an EHS affair. It was great fun to catch up and to tell old stories. There are other Old Boys in our area that we would also like to include. We hope to do this event again, maybe in the fall.”

Tom Roberts II relays that he is related to Thomas Henry Huxley (b. May 4, 1825

– d. June 29, 1895). “I found that Thomas Huxley had some sons who were famous, one being Aldous Huxley, who wrote “Brave New World.” He had a daughter, who moved to Tennessee and married a newspaper publisher whose last name was Roberts. His son, Thomas Scott Roberts, moved to my hometown, Anniston, Ala., and married. One of his sons was my father, Pete Roberts, who named me Thomas Scott Roberts II. So I was pleased to trace all this back and found my connection to Thomas Huxley, who, by the way, was known as Charles Darwin’s ‘Bulldog,’ an acknowledgement for his pluck and courage in defending the older man’s “Theory of Evolution” after his death. Huxley was also acknowledged as one of the brightest minds ever, essentially self-taught.”

Saunders Midyette says: “This fall, having been awarded Phi Beta Kappa in his junior year at Georgetown University, my grandson Aidan Hunter is starting his senior year. At the beginning of 2025, he completed a semester abroad in Florence, Italy, before heading to New York City this summer to work as an intern with Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) Capital Markets. While interning at RBC to land a new investment banking client and assist with its multi-billion-dollar acquisition, he drank from the ‘high finance’ firehose, learned to operate on small amounts of sleep, and managed to thrive in an ‘unrelenting pressure cooker’ environment. So, having just accepted an RBC job offer, he’ll be heading back to the city, after graduation in 2026, to start his career as a mergers and acquisitions investment banking analyst.

My grandson Zach Hunter is currently in his third year of the mathematics Ph.D. program at the ETH Zurich, studying under Dr. Benny Sudakov. Starting with his studies at the University of Oxford, resulting in undergraduate and master’s math degrees, Zach has collaborated and published more than 30 math papers with many of the world’s leading mathematicians in the graph theory and combinatorics math field.”

Junius Fishburne received a comedic video from Tom Boyd that states the following: “A group of 40-year-old friends debated where to mee t for lunch. After some discussion, they agreed on the Ocean View Restaurant because the waitresses were stunning, with beautiful legs, dazzling smiles, and fantastic personalities. Ten years

later, at 50, they debated again. They settled on the Ocean View Restaurant because the food was great, the service was excellent, and the wine selection was top-notch. At 60, they had the same debate, and happily decided on the Ocean View Restaurant, because it had a gorgeous view of the sea. At 70, the debate continued, once again, they picked the Ocean View Restaurant, because it was wheelchair accessible and had an elevator. At 80, they happily decided on the Ocean View Restaurant, because they had never been there before and heard it was quite nice.”

Junius commented, “I thoroughly enjoyed this, but if I had my druthers, I would prefer to have the last reunion for the group in their 90s. All of our group is still enjoying middle age.”

William Moffett says: “While I’m not yet up to try writing a full-length book as some of the Class of ’58 have already successfully undertaken, on a much lower level, I’m enjoying scouting out and recording short pieces from U.S. Armed Services Veterans. We’ve all seen guys sporting baseball-style caps with the theme ‘WW II Veteran’ or ‘Korea Veteran,’ right? Ever thought of introducing yourself to one of them and getting their story? I recognize it might be a little off-beat, but I’m giving it a try. Here’s how I start out: ‘Hey. I see from your cap that you’re a U.S. Veteran. What Service were you in? When? Where?’ Nobody’s ever turned me down, and nearly every one of them has a tale of some significance, if not worthy of novel-hood stature, waiting to be told. Here are a couple of stories:

1. ‘U.S. Army. Battle of the Bulge. 18 years old.’

2. ‘USMC. Right after graduation from Parris Island and waiting for orders for my first assignment, my drill instructor asked me if I wanted to go overseas. ‘Sure,’ I said. He didn’t tell me it would be Vietnam. All I got out of it was two Purple Hearts.’

I’ve gotten about 25 stories like these. I have a feeling that the teller somehow wanted to tell them and was only waiting for someone to ask. I might find it interesting one day to invite one of my invitees to lunch for more tales and exploration.

Semper Fi, everybody.”

’59

Page Dame III

(C) 802-624-0071

wpdame3@gmail.com

Your Class Correspondent says: “The Canadian climate continues to provide a welcome respite from summer in Sarasota. Suffered an attack of food poisoning in August. While visiting a friend, she served us something called fermented oat water (ugh). My adverse reaction was almost immediate, although Beverly had no ill effects. The following 24 hours were dreadful, and the next day I spent six hours in the ER at North Country hospital in Newport, Vt., luckily only a half hour away — many tests, a large saline drip, and, finally, a diagnosis of gastritis. Diet changes can be challenging and may not be necessary to continue. May that be so. We will spend several days at The High School in early October on our way south.

Beverly and I are in our former home of North Hatley, Quebec until the end of September and if any of you will be traveling in, or near, northern Vermont or Montreal, please let me know. We drove the whole way from Sarasota (no auto train this time) and the 1,800 mile journey left us exhausted. Have booked the auto train for our return in early October.”

Jack Cann writes: “My life is absolutely boring as I await two surgeries this fall. Nothing more than old-age maintenance. Then I will be good for another few decades. While I am immobilised and my wife is tired of waiting on me hand and foot, I will be writing another book. At least that is the plan.

Notwithstanding the repairs, I bowsteered a quadruple scull of fellow pensioners in a local regatta and placed second in an unhandicapped race against far younger crews. Dinosaur points (age handicaps) would have put us in first. Now our Charlottesville late-1950s to early-1960s alumni are anticipating with great excitement another luncheon in October.”

Sam Clark writes: “Diana and I do not have any exciting trips to report; however, we did experience a propane gas explosion in our neighborhood that completely demolished one house and damaged several others. Several of our neighbors suffered injuries;

fortunately, we were not among them. Now we look ahead to a potentially interesting fall in Charlottesville, Va. In an effort to keep our bodies somewhat functional, we’ll be at the YMCA several days a week. I have the privilege of singing old songs with my banjo at several senior facilities in the area. Also, our community Bible study class will undergo a study of the Psalms throughout the school year. Other activities offer opportunities to visit with Tom Boyd ’58, Jack Cann, and Dickie Tayloe ’58 regularly.”

Bill Flippin says: “I try to play golf three times a week weather permitting. I always shoot my age and still have a couple of holes to play.”

John Thompson continues as treasurer of the Baltimore International Seafarers’ Center and is in frequent contact with Page Dame.

’60

Bill M. Drennen (C) 304-283-5011

wmdrennen1@me.com

Joint 65th Reunion with 1961: June 5-6, 2026

’61

Class Correspondents Needed If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

Joint 65th Reunion with 1960: June 5-6, 2026

’62

Al R. Berkeley III (C) 443-310-0588

alfredBerkeley@gmail.com

Joint 65th Reunion with 1963: June 2028

Kemble White writes: “I continue to enjoy the practice of tax law and living in Santa Barbara, Calif., where we see snow on the mountains behind us every 5 years.”

Tex Small says: “Cathy and I celebrated our 51st anniversary in July by taking two of our 10 grandchildren fly fishing at the South Fork Lodge in Idaho. A gift trip for graduating on the same day in May from Clemson University. All is well here on the Isle of Palms, S.C.”

Van MacNair writes: “For starters, I’m lucky to be alive. The past four years have been pretty rough. Two types of cancer. Pancreatic (caught early, thank God!), a serious melanoma, hip replacement that became infected and had to be redone, and the surgery to repair five hernias left over from my pancreatic surgery. Five major surgeries, eight trips to the emergency room (hell couldn’t be any worse!), and over 20 days in the hospital. At one point, I was given less than a 40% chance of making it. Not good odds. But, so far, there is no sign of cancer recurrence. Keeping my fingers crossed. Every day that I wake up and I’m not dead is a cause for celebration.

As I said, it’s been a grueling four years. I wouldn’t have made it if it hadn’t been for my wife Gretchen. She gives me a swift kick in the rear end when I want to give up and a hug when I get depressed. No whining or complaining allowed. Ok, enough of my tribulations. Let’s talk about some fun things.

Living on borrowed time gives one a different perspective. Every day is precious. Your ‘bucket list’ takes on more importance. Right now, Gretch and I are on a quest to see as much of the world as we can before our energy gives out, or the dark man finally catches up with me. We mostly take cruises, as you usually only have to unpack once. We prefer the smaller ships, instead of the behemoths with 3,500 of your closest friends. We generally take a couple of trips a year. So far, we have toured most of Europe, the Baltic, the Mediterranean, Greece, and Africa. Our favorites are numerous, but if I had to name five, it would probably be Petra, Israel, the Pyramids, St. Petersburg, and especially our African safari. It is a beautiful and amazing world out there.

The real joy in our lives is our two grandsons. I closed my eyes, and suddenly they were both teenagers (13 and 15). Both are now as tall as I am. And, although they are typical teenagers, they are still sweet and caring. Also very handsome, so they both are babe magnets, and absolutely clueless when it comes to the opposite sex.

I think of them all the time and just smile. They are both good athletes and play a number of sports, including football, lacrosse, and ice hockey. The youngest is a goalie on two hockey teams (school and country club), which makes for some

exciting moments and, of course, some agonizing ones. We make most of their games, but as they grow older, they are playing in tournaments all over the East Coast, as far north as Connecticut, and as far south as Florida. Pretty tough for us to get to those games, and it’s pretty tough for the parents to get them there.

So, right now, life is good. I would love to hear from you guys. I’m on Facebook, and my email is vanmacnair@aol.com. Happy trails.”

’63Cotten Alston (C) 404-310-0541

cottenalston@gmail.com

Joint 65th Reunion with 1962: June 2028

Well, we got invited back to the Class Notes party. Still, secretarial potentials were not exactly clambering, so I’m back and diving into the 2025 fall edition to get familiar with new eyes. OMG, I feel like I’ve been invited to one of those lovely EHS weddings, but I don’t know anyone — the whole book is so stunning. Do we belong here? Can we geezers (’63) fit in? The Jay Walker Symposium, say what? The thickness of the book with its amazing design — the lovely people therein — all so young and attractive and doing so many wonderful projects, and on and on. But change is good, so I’ll start familiar with notes from Alex Jones ’64. I end up online at his recommendation for youthful acclimation, youtube.com, EHSshakeitoff. And we are onward and upward. Let’s roll...

In June 1963, we were 54 strong, our latest list counts 30, and it dawns that we are very fortunate (if you are reading this) to be vertical and reading Class Notes! Thanks, Marissa, for the invitation. Here are our snapshots.

John Joyner writes: “What’s TikTok? :-) Does anyone have the know-how to anonymously poll our class members on some of the social/political issues that are so hot these days? I’d be interested to know whether we’re all one way, all the other, or all over the place?

Does anybody know when Scoop Daniel is getting out of the slammer?

I report that the Kennedy Compound in Hyannis Port has nothing on Cecile and me. We now have our daughter, son-in-law,

grandson #1, grandson #2, son-in-law’s mother, and Cecile’s sister, in addition to the two of us, in four residences here south of Atascadero. Speaking of the Kennedy clan, here’s a good item for the next class poll: raise your hand if you were there at JFK’s inauguration. Brrr, that was a chilly day.

I’m now old; I had the big one on March 21. I feel I’ve broken the tape at the end of the race and that the rest of the ride is free. Others’ mileage may differ, of course; I can speak only for myself. And for myself, I can say that my recent photo dynamic therapy for minor skin issues was one of the more offbeat (as in cool) experiences that I’ve had in a doctor’s office. Thanks for your work trying to herd us cats of ’63!”

Sam Smart says: “I read the email several times, and I think you are asking 1. Do I care about the class news? 2. How do I get my news in general? 3. How controversial do I want to get? That may not be the essence, but anyway. From a news standpoint, Laura and I are fine for the most part. Our youngest daughter Rebekah and her husband bought the brick Georgian that we built in 1981 at 7 Derby Drive from us, so we could build a house at 8 Derby Drive, which is more livable for us old folks. It’s working out great. They (and three grandchildren) are next door, and we are not in each other’s way except when desired. That is the big news on our front. I don’t use TikTok or most other social media platforms. The main reason is the absolute mess that our electorate has created in D.C. I’d have dropped The Washington Post, but Laura really enjoys the food section. I read the sports now that the Washington football team is respectable again. (That and the Capitals). I fear that what is going on will push us as a country to such a place that future leaders will not be able to pull us back to the middle ground that I believe most of us really reside in. We can only hope and keep voting.”

Sam Williams writes: “For you. More stories. Barbara and I are divorced, but still fast friends. I’m now married to Car Margeson, a girl I dated during my second senior year at UNC. She called me out of the blue five years ago, and we reconnected and married about one year later. She’s been living in Australia for the last 50 years, so we spend three months here and three months in north Georgia. Her mom just

passed away at 110 years old. So we’ve had a sad return to the U.S.”

All true. Only Sam, we can’t make this stuff up.

Walter Nicklin says: “I admire your spirit and courage in these times of Trump that upend all the values we were taught at EHS. Alas, I’m a lesser man than you, and much too sad to contribute to Class Notes — which will by definition record comings and goings as if the end of the world is not happening.”

Walter, aka Piglet, is a renowned journalist and was at the top of our graduating class in 1963. We can’t make this up either!

Page Wilson writes: “Great to hear from you, and I hope that you are doing well! Hope to see you sometime! All the best!”

Always a man of few words, holding forth in Raleigh, N.C.

Ty Tyler says: “I’m not one of the writers, but am almost vertical, so count me in. Thank you very much.”

Jim Maddox writes: “Spending as much time in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming trout fishing as possible. Real estate in Nashville, Tenn., keeps me busy. Best to all of you survivors.” Jim is living the dream and is holding forth mostly from his lovely cabin, Miner’s Point, just near north Yellowstone.

Dick Yarborough says: “When I retired from EHS in 2005, Nancy and I moved to Vero Beach, Fla., where we have lived since. Fortunately, I worked as an interim CFO at several schools until 2011, when I retired forever. We have two children with spouses, one in California and the other in Washington State, and four grandsons ranging in age from 8 to 22. In 2016, we moved to Indian River Estates, a CCRC here in Vero, where we enjoy life and try to stay as busy as we can, considering the limitations of age.”

Jim Stallworth writes: “Happily, Mary Carol and Jere Taylor were just here for two nights! They had been at Wrightsville Beach with Bev ’62 and Leslie Eggleston. Our time was spent sitting on our porch watching the ICW traffic, eating good food, and enjoying a toddy or two.”

From Peggy Stallworth: “Yesterday, I posted the invitations to Jim’s 80th birthday celebration, an oyster roast in mid-September. Sons William ’00 and Joe ’03 and their wives will be coming for that weekend to help their dad celebrate. Jim was diagnosed

about four years ago with Parkinson’s disease. There is a good program just for PD sufferers, and he goes to Rock Steady Boxing twice a week. We continue to take one day at a time, but our door is always open. Sharing our little piece of heaven with others is always a joy!”

Peg and Jim have been gracious hosts to many alumni over the years, and the idea of sitting on the porch overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway sounds just right for an 80-year-old dude! Meanwhile in Atlanta, the Stallworth + EHS connections continue to make impressive waves: William Stallworth ’00 has partnered with Justin Amick, husband of Hannah Huffines Amick ’99, in Painted Hospitality, which has developed a fascinating, successful niche entertainment of themed restaurant/ bars. The first opening was in 2014, The Painted Pin (bowling!); The Painted Duck was next; followed by The Painted Pickle (with courts!); and Painted Park (Inman Park) this spring. The Stallworths keep the good times rolling. Check ’em out.”

George Logan is bringing new energy to living the dream, jetting from Roanoke to Key West to Woods Hole, onward and upward.

Stay strong and keep moving!

’64Alex S. Jones (C) 617-549-8203

alexsjones2@gmail.com Joint 65th Reunion with 1965: June 2030

David Dougherty has devoted his professional life to teaching, inspired by several EHS teachers to make that his calling. The first inspiration came from Patrick Callaway, the iconic geometry teacher who many of us had as a teacher. The Callaway Chapel is named after him.

As a sophomore, David had a head-on collision with Mr. Callaway, who dressed him down for not working hard. David took a deep breath and buckled down. Over time, he forged a deep relationship with Mr. Callaway, who left him $500 in his will — a total surprise to David.

This is one of the stories David recounts in his recent Cum Laude speech, which I urge all of you to read — and which was

reprinted in the last EHS magazine. I think you can find it on the EHS website, too.

Among the other inspiring teachers David included were Mr. Ordeman, the swarthy English teacher with a touching sensitivity and a macho presentation, and Richard Thomsen ’30, our Headmaster, who shocked David one morning at Chapel by declaring that he hoped EHS would “beat the hell out of Woodberry.” Neither of these men were what they seemed, but they were teachers, which David came to believe was the highest calling of all.

To better understand David — and Callaway, Ordeman, and Thomsen —read his Cum Laude speech. You won’t regret it.

This summer, I joined Tom Pope, Rick Smythe, and Timbo Hubbard and their wives at the Pope beach house on Sullivan’s Island. They are long-time friends and grads of Sewanee. The years dropped away as they recounted tales from those college days. I was the interloper, having gone to Washington & Lee, but in those days, the Sewanee guys used to come to W&L for big weekends to prey on the girls from Hollins, Sweet Briar, and other girls’ schools that were near W&L. There were no girls’ schools near Sewanee, and both colleges were allmale then. That made those weekends a real bacchanal for those female-starved guys. They remember it well.

’65

Richard H. Lee (C) 617-512-2034

dlee60@verizon.net

Joint 60th Reunion with 1966: June 5-6, 2026

Let’s see, now. The year is 2025 AD. We graduated in 1965 AD. Yikes!

That’s 60 years. So, let’s just ignore the topic altogether. No hackneyed references

to age — to “evolving” prostates, to artificial joints, etc. Just the news.

Judge Ian Williams has sequestered himself long enough from his family-dominated courthouse in Winchester, Va., to write a book. (How many authors do we have in the class? Hmmm, not sure.) It is titled “I Danced with Princess Grace.” ’Tis a compendium of intriguing biographical anecdotes in chapter form. Ian cannily observes that several EHS classmates are mentioned. So we suggest all class members buy a copy (on Amazon!) and, at least, check out the index.

And does Will Haltiwanger ever stop?! “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night…” With wife Anna, they traveled through Ohio on a five-week odyssey to ride 50 bike trails in celebration of their 50th anniversary. There, they caught up with Angus Randolph, a man with a history more oriented to two wheels powered by an internal combustion engine. (See photo. We shan’t be so gauche as to ask who looks in better shape.)

Wil Painter ’63 is grappling in earnest with cancer. He ably joined, from a Seattle hospital bed, a Zoom meeting with Frank Wideman ’64, Sandy Von St ackelberg, and Richard Lee — this, regarding our respective family connections in Shanghai during the 30s. It was hosted in May by Sandy at his home in Duxbury, Mass. Frank and Richard’s grandparents were medical missionaries from 1905 on in China — also, close friends prior to departure from the States. Sandy’s mother, an adventurous soul from the Midwest, made it to Shanghai on her own circa 1932. There, she started work with the American Consulate. She was a fearless amateur photographer during the Japanese bombing of the city in 1937.

Wil’s father arrived about the same time. He became a very prominent builder, only

Mason Sexton ’65 and Humphrey Tyler ’65 at Tupper Lake.

Richard Lee ’65, Sandy Von Stackelberg ’65, and Frank Wideman ’64.

later to become a near mythic performer of engineering feats during WWII, often in very hostile settings. Wil followed his footsteps in Vietnam, Iraq, and later in the organization, “Engineers Without Borders.” (Wil has also maintained a lifelong passion for racing cars. Who knew?!)

The sharing of stories proved more engaging than all could have imagined — really, an exercise in total immersion over two days. The gathering was enhanced by the exquisite cooking of Sandy’s wife Nancy. It is noteworthy that Wil has been home in recent months. And, as has been his habit in all endeavors, he remains resolute in beating this treacherous diagnosis. His fortitude is impressive.

And, as a wind-battered eagle returns to its aerie, so Humphrey Tyler retreats from the ever-colorful LA environs to his beloved Adirondacks for the summer. Mason Sexton reports a fine visit with Humphrey at Tupper Lake. Not only were they classmates at EHS, but also later at Columbia University. Lots about which to reminisce in an idyllic setting.

So then, as we saunter into this seventh decade departed from the Hill, such is “all the news fit to print.” ’Til, of course, the spring edition. Send more.

’66

Jack N. Sibley Sr. (C) 404-290-6427 jack@sibleyfarm.net

Phil G. Terrie Jr. (C) 810-300-5311 pterrie@bgsu.edu

Howell Hollis III howell.hollis@outlook.com Joint 60th Reunion with 1965: June 5-6, 2026

Charlie Holt writes: “Still teaching, and I have a new book from Princeton University Press, co-authored with a 2022 econ major who is now a doctoral student at Harvard. It’s called “The Economics Experience,” and I’m writing a new book with a different UVA econ major to be called “Rebels WITH a Cause: Nobel Laureates in Economics.” I love working with these talented students.”

Blair Buck: “Having moved to a retirement community near Atlanta, Ga., four months ago, I can report seeking opportunities to escape the community as often as possible. I am currently in Chautauqua, N.Y., with Henry Smythe and other friends for a week. My three children and three grandchildren are doing well in various states across the country. If health holds, I look forward to attending our 60th anniversary next year!”

Whitt Clement reports that Randy Wyckoff has successfully transitioned his legendary soccer skills into those of a polished golfer, recording his first hole-in-one this past spring at his Richmond golf club.

Syd Gervin , reminiscing about the music scene in ancient times: “I remember an incident in Pendleton Hall. Someone showed me how to turn on the pipe organ in front of the stage, and I went over there early one Saturday night to play it. I believe it was Mr. Walker who came in as I was playing (I’m sure it was “Monkey Time”), and he basically told me that pipe organs weren’t for that genre of music. I could have been a smarty pants and said, ‘How about boogie woogie?’ but decided to walk away politely. I probably played every piano on that campus at one time or another. There wasn’t much else to do with the little free time we had.”

Speaking of music, Syd also wrote a fight song about EHS athletics based on the three comeback games that the University

Will Ravenel ’67 with the tote bag he designed from a painting he completed about 25 years ago.

of Florida basketball team played to win the national championship this past April. Listen to it here: bit.ly/43g1yMD

For the second consecutive year, Jack Sibley and Wick Williams undertook a week of strenuous hiking, this year in the Scottish Highlands. They followed up with some culture at the Edinburgh Festival.

Your Class Correspondent writes: “My sixth (and last) book, “Wild Forest Lands: Finding History and Meaning in the Adirondacks,” was published in 2025 by Syracuse University Press.”

’67

Charles D. Coppage (C) 252-202-132

charles@nccoppagelaw.com

Joint 60th Reunion with 1968: June 2028

Will Ravenel writes: “A few months ago, a member of the EHS advancement team paid me a visit in Nashville. I gave them a copy of the English Reference Book from my collection and a tote bag that I designed from a small painting I’d done about 25 years ago. The painting shows God creating the Ravenel family. The seven gold stars reflect the Ravenel coat of arms, which my dad had printed on the cover of all the ERBs — seven stars and six crescents. God, a red-haired woman, hasn’t added the crescents just yet; the green moon is there to provide them.”

’68

George W. St. Clair Moore Jr. (C) 864-941-0666

moorew327@aol.com

Joint 60th Reunion with 1967: June 2028

Will Haltiwanger ’65 and Angus Randolph ’65 in Ohio.

Jack Sibley ’66 and Wick Williams ’66 in Edinburgh.

Marty Martin (C) 919-272-2106

marty_martin@martinlegalhelp.com

Kinloch Nelson Jr. (C) 585-733-3132

kinloch@rochester.rr.com

Joint 60th Reunion with 1970: June 2030

Joining her father Fred Poisson Jr. , Stewart Poisson ’96 was recently inducted in Chicago as a fellow in the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers in recognition of her professional achievements and dedication to the field of workers’ compensation law. They may be the only father-daughter combination inducted as fellows. Fred practices law with Stewart and her brother, Davis Poisson ’99, as the fourth- and fifth-generation of North Carolina lawyers. Davis currently serves as a fourth-generation North Carolina State Bar Counselor. Born in February 2025, Frederick Davis Poisson IV will join his big sister Jules and cousins Alexander and Cutlar as prospective EHS students and sixth-generation lawyers.

After being apolitical for most of his life (always voting; never marching), Verne Morland reports that he has developed a deeper sense of civic responsibility. In June, he joined 3,000 people at the “No Kings” protest in Dayton, Ohio, with a sign that called attention to the administration’s attacks on science. He is particularly concerned about the politicization of the National Institute of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the unprecedented cuts in funding for scientific research, and the attacks on major universities and their ability to attract and retain the brightest minds from around the world. Verne encourages all classmates to apply the critical thinking skills they learned at EHS to engage in constructive dialogue about the future of our country.

Bo Cheatham and his wife Jan enjoyed another wonderful trip to Scotland this summer! They enjoyed great golf at Dornoch and St. Andrews. The highlight of their trip was having dinner at Edinburgh Castle and watching the 75th annual Royal Military Tattoo. Bo says it was one of the most incredible and moving events.

Verne Morland ’69 joined 3,000 people at the “No Kings” protest in Dayton, Ohio, with a sign that called attention to the administration’s attacks on science.

Sharon and Marty Martin visited Queens and New York City this summer. While Marty remained at the Queens hotel to attend his client’s annual board and membership meetings, Sharon enjoyed touring the city. They visited Ground Zero and its museum before returning home. On a future trip, Marty plans to see more of NYC.

Glen Stancik lost his wife Valerie unexpectedly in Charlotte, N.C., in June, just after her final music student recital. She died in the hospital with family surrounding her.

’70

James E. Newman Jr. (C) 253-677-4697

newman_jim@comcast.net

Joint 55th Reunion with 1971: June 5-6, 2026

Jan and Bo Cheatham ’69 attended the 75th annual Royal Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle.

Compensation Lawyers.

Craig Stewart writes: “Vic and I returned to our beloved alma mater, UNC, to watch our Tar Heels hopefully take second place at the Super Regional. The winner (2 out of 3) goes to Omaha for the College World Series. This would make a second consecutive trip to the Series for us. My gratitude to an EHS-related friend who has box tickets and offered them to me since she was out of town.”

Proud grandfather Clay Jacob says: “Our oldest son Reade ’06 and his wife Claire had their second daughter, Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Douglas Jacob, in April. Betsy is our fifth grandchild, three boys (11, 8, and 2 years old) and two girls (2 years old and 4 months old).” Clay remarked that Washington State University will be coming to Charlottesville, Va., this fall for football. Also, remember, Clay, that the Cavaliers’ NCAA Championship coach came from WSU!

Jan and Bo Cheatham ’69 at Edinburgh Castle.

Alexander Gray, Stewart Poisson ’96, Cutlar Gray, and Fred Poisson ’69 attended Stewart’s induction ceremony as a Fellow of the College of Workers’

From the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, Jim Farrar writes: “Our son Lyle ’04 and his wife Loftin Johnson Farrar welcomed Margaret Fields Farrar on July 8, 2025. Fields joins a brother, Hamilton, in Raleigh, N.C., and two cousins, Bo and Tucker Farrar, of Jacksonville, Fla. (sons of Bois and Katie Farrar). Daughter Katharine Farrar ’07 lives in Raleigh and is in the family business here in Lexington as W&L’s Director of Alumni Chapter Programs. Lexington has yet to open its international airport.

Back in late February, Kitty and I had dinner with David Dougherty ’64 and his wife Kay, who were driving through Lexington on their way home to Wilmington, N.C. We had an all-too-brief catch-up, but they are doing very well.

We had a great visit with Jenner Wood in May. In his role as Board Chair of the Lettie Pate Evans Foundation, he and the foundation’s president, Russ Hardin, came to Washington and Lee to receive a W&L tribute to Ms. Evans. Both Episcopal and Washington & Lee are two of the many educational and cultural institutions that have benefited from her generosity over the decades. We are grateful for Jenner’s magnificent work with Episcopal’s Board as well as his commitment to the Lettie Pate Evans Foundation! I also recently shared a beer with Leebo McLaughlin. He and his wife Nancy closed out a successful 2025 summer camp season (Camp Maxwelton for boys and Camp Lachlan for girls). He is doing great!”

Ken Ulsaker writes: “Nash and I live in Gainesville, Va., near Manassas battlefield.” As you would imagine, Ken remarks,

“Our grandchildren are amazing.” His other activity is pickleball. He is probably an expert by now!

Johnny Coupland says: “Kris and I are doing well in Wilmington. Like many of our classmates we celebrated our 50th anniversary in April. We started dating our sophomore year in college. In June, we celebrated in Spain and Portugal with our families at a beach house in Cascais area, Portugal. Wonderful time.”

Johnny’s advice for aging Boomers: “60s are Go, Go; 70s are Slow Go; 80s are No Go.”

David Luther writes: “I have resisted retirement and am still the director of The Natural Health Solutions Center here in Bristol, Tenn.” David continues to focus on helping others with nature-based options for healing without the risk of negative side effects. This concept has gained more traction in the wake of Covid which exposed some limitations of traditional medicine. Currently, he focuses on the root causes of aging and finding effective nature-based options for cancer, and other conditions. His cell number is 423-646-6599 should anyone want to contact him.

David’s extracurricular interests are focused on tennis and fishing (mostly for trout) with some travel thrown in. The enclosed picture is from a fishing trip with his son Brendon ’10 on the upper Rio Grande River. He plans to return to EHS for our next reunion. It will be great to see you again, David!

’71

Geoffrey P. Snodgrass (C) 504-914-4470

geoff@snodgrassplc.com

Joint 55th Reunion with 1970: June 5-6, 2026

Your Class Correspondent writes: “My family gathered in North Carolina in June to attend my son Palmer’s retirement from the Marine Corps after 21 years of service. Notable alums in attendance were Palmer’s godfather, Stan Denegre ’70, who came up from Dallas, and my brother-in-law, John Walker ’79.”

Mark Gardner says: “On my 72nd birthday, I’m reporting from the far, upper-left corner of the U.S., where only a few other Old Boys live. After 20 years of enduring a one-to-two hour ferry trip and the seasonal assault of ‘tourons,’ we moved from San Juan Island to Anacortes, Wash. Much easier and very enjoyable! Anacortes is a small seaside town located about one-and-a-half hours north of Seattle, on the mainland side of the ferry route to San Juan Island. It’s also an island, but it has convenient bridges. I’m now mostly retired, but still doing some commercial and portrait work for select clients and as a volunteer for several local non-profits, and am increasingly an amateur photographer. Old age and three new joints have begun to limit our activities. We no longer do the crazy things we used to. Our adventuring is now limited to exploring remote places on long trips in our RV, and doing lots of hiking, biking, and driving on remote dirt roads. These trips create lots of photo opportunities in some fascinating places. We enjoy all the well-known parks

1970 classmates and friends Craig Stewart and Vic Grainger at UNC-Chapel Hill for a super regional baseball game.

David Luther ’70 with a large rainbow trout.

Geoff Snodgrass ’71 with Lt. Col. Palmer Snodgrass, USMC at his retirement party.

Class Notes

and monuments, but usually seek out more remote and lesser-known places. It’s lots of good fun! If interested, check out my new website: markgardnerphotoart.com. If you plan to travel to the Pacific Northwest, we’d love to show you around.”

Walter Holt says: “Happily retired for seven years in Chapel Hill, N.C., though I work part-time with some old commercial real estate friends. Social security covers what I need, and the part-time gig gets me what I want. I see Marty Martin ’69 and Woody Coley ’73 occasionally. I’m active in the North Carolina Society of the Cincinnati with classmates Burke Haywood and Brodie Burwell, both of Raleigh, N.C.; rat year roommate Cheshire Rhett of Charleston, S.C.; Will Corbitt ’70 of Greenville, S.C.; and Weyher Dawson ’72 of Fayetteville, N.C., who only stayed one year. I have some balance issues these days and will have cataract surgery on both eyes in September. Curious to see what Bill Belichick does with the UNC football team this fall. I missed our 50th Reunion due to food poisoning, and I’m not sure about the 55th yet. My daughter earned her MBA from UVA in May and works for Hershey in Pennsylvania. My son works in commercial real estate for Lincoln Properties in San Antonio. Go Maroon, and Beat Woodberry!”

Skip Fox writes: “The big news for Beth and me was the birth of our first grandchild, Winnifred Louise Fox, on August 4. If my math is correct, she might be in the Class of 2043. Other than that, 2025 has been a busy travel year including three weeks in Australia and New Zealand, where we did a lot of great things such as snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef and seeing the sun rise and set over Uluru. We also spent a week in LaQuinta seeing friends; spent a week driving to Montreal for a meeting and exploring Vermont and the Louise Penny sites in Quebec (we saw Louise Penny at the bookstore in Knowlton which much of Three Pines is based); and spent 10 days in July seeing the Columbia River Gorge and riding three bike trails in Washington, Idaho, and Montana. We are heading to Tacoma in August to visit our younger son, who is a captain in the Army stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Then we are off to Holland and Germany for two weeks in September. In between trips, we have spent a lot of time at the Delaware Shore.”

’72

Beau A. Wilson Jr. (C) 828-390-9802

beauatciti@aol.com

Joint 55th Reunion with 1973: June 2028

Howell Morrison took his long-awaited trip to Paris last summer. Traveling with his wife Erwin and their daughter Lilly.

As reported by your Class Correspondent, Elizabeth Johns Ferguson, the daughter of B.I. Johns, died on August 3, 2025. He wanted to share a quote from her obituary: “Memories of Elizabeth will be filled with her glowing, infectious smile and contagious laughter. She had a rare gift for making others smile and laugh along with her.”

’73

Palmer Holt (C) 704-662-8764

pholt@inchristcommunications.com

Joint 55th Reunion with 1972: June 2028

Greetings, Class of ’73. Here’s the latest from the brothers:

Ken Callaway writes: “My goddaughter, Margaret Hodges ’27, is in her third year on the Hill, and her success reminds me of how great EHS is for high-octane minds and bodies.” Ken may be the largest bottler of spring-fed water in Georgia.

Need to pay Woody Coley for this info: “I’m not sure it’s newsworthy, but it is a test. I usually gift myself on big birthdays to try to ignore the aging process. Cycled 100 miles in this case. It was a big 70. I’m sure we had a number of guys who had grandchildren this year. I think David Carr was one of those. Ralph Strayhorn is in year two or three of launching a new business, combining family office services in a bank, and this may be his finest business chapter.”

John Townsend will be recognized at UNC in early November. He donated a significant work of art to be installed in the lobby of the new undergraduate business school.

Marshall Ellison has taken several companies public.

In February, North Carolina State University named its Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering for Ross W. Lampe Jr.

Billy Peebles continues his fascination with the leadership qualities and impacts of Abraham Lincoln, as every year he makes a trip covering part of our past president’s history.

Henry Morgan, Chip Compton, and Gene Brooks are illustrious alumni residents of Savannah.

Henry Morgan says: “Great to hear from our journalist. I’m not sure about this, but my wife Lee and I visited with Hank Osborne in St. Augustine Beach. I had the privilege of playing soccer and fall fairies with Hank and thoroughly enjoyed my front row seat to watching not only our Pele, but also being associated with a great scholar/ athlete. Maroon Machine.”

’74

John Hughes Chandler Jr. (C) 901-326-2422

jhchandlerjr@yahoo.com

Joint 55th Reunion with 1975: June 2030

’75

Stuart M. Grainger (C) 910-352-7474

stuartgrainger@msn.com

Joint 50th Reunion with 1976: June 5-6, 2026

’76

Boota H. deButts III (C) 703-774-5717

whd@episcopalhighschool.org

Joint 50th Reunion with 1975: June 5-6, 2026

Greetings, fellow members of the Legendary Class of 1976! I hope these notes find you all healthy and happy. Where to start?

I heard from “Captain” Jack Carter, who sent me the following link sailblogs.com/ member/cloud to an incredible adventure he and his wife Page recently completed sailing their new boat somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic between the Isle of Man and Gran Canaria. You will recognize Jack Barber ’75 and Bill McIntosh ’77 in some of the photos, as well as Jack, Page, and Jack’s brother Andrew ’79. Jack needs to hook up with our classmate Clay Burkhalter to do some serious circumnavigating!

Mack Benn continues to enjoy retirement from Southwest Airlines, living the life with his wife outside of Phoenix.

I heard from J.O. Brown . He writes the following: “I’m currently playing in the United States Croquet Association Midwest Regionals Championships in Tulsa, Okla. Croquet has been my favorite pursuit since 2012. It’s a sport that I can play with my wife Georgia Carter. She is also an equestrian and rides hunters and jumpers. I have two sons who both live in Denver, Colo. My oldest is married, and his wife is expecting a child in October. Georgia has three children (two are married, one has children, and the youngest is getting married in April 2026 at our house in Hunt, Texas). I’m in the final steps of selling my company and retiring. I hope to close next week.” Good luck! He is also serving (in a volunteer position) as vice president of the United States Croquet Association and is involved with the management and guidance of some of the title events. They have the World Association Rules tournament scheduled for October and the U.S. Open in February. He says he touches base with Mike Berry and Isaac Manning ’77 regularly and looks forward to Reunion.

I heard from Jim Brown. According to Jim, “the thought of being fully retired is most appealing! But, that hasn’t quite arrived yet.”

He just added his first grandson in August and is busy in real estate brokerage. He says farming has a particular draw for him, though he’s glad he doesn’t depend on it for income. Amen, brother! Playing music and enjoying photography gives him great enjoyment and helps him stay grounded in our very strange and getting stranger world.

I got a great update from George Cornelson. He has retired, or at least it sounds like it, with his wife Kim and has been living in Jackson Hole, Wyo., for the past 19 years. Time flies! He turned over his real estate business to his wife and son George, who he says are running it better than he ever did! He spends his summers paddling and flyfishing and his winters skiing. Obviously, those weekend ski trips to Seven Springs prepared this country boy from Clinton, S.C., to ski the big mountains out west! His youngest son, Rivers, is married and lives in Nashville.

Just when you think it can’t get any crazier, the former Kentucky Supreme Court Justiceship Larry VanMeter has acquired a new title. It is “Professor” VanMeter. Yes, that is correct. Larry is teaching trust and estates at the Kentucky College of Law and shaping young minds. On the side, he is still working on projects for the Kentucky Supreme Court and the Kentucky State Legislature. Sounds like a peaceful retirement so far. He and his wife Lucy spend as much time as they can with their four grandchildren.

The last time I heard from Harry MacDougal, he was causing a ruckus in the Georgia election scene. He says he is still “breaking big rocks into little rocks” and plans on doing it for several more years because he enjoys it most of the time. He says he has no grandchildren, but his oldest is getting married soon, and so the odds will improve. Makes sense to me. Harry is an avid bike rider and claims he “wobbles around as best he can.” His answer to his question of me, “Are you working on long delayed reading?” (Yes, I am) was “I’m stacking up unread books like I have a disorder!”

Speaking of bike riding, Tench Coxe took a spill a while back and broke his femur, which is never a good thing to do. But in typical Tench fashion, he was up and back at it, pursuing his other two passions — golf and fly fishing — without hardly missing a beat.

We had a great time at the wedding of one of Al and June Rhyne’s daughters this past April at their farm outside of Charlotte, N.C. It seems like we spend a lot of time going to the weddings of the children of our friends, and they are a lot of fun! Well, that’s all my news for now.

My wife Shelley and I had lunch with Howard Smith recently. I also think Howard has finally retired from Walker & Dunlop. He has a family farm close by, and we get together frequently to discuss whose farm is losing the most money. I think I have Howard beat, but I am confident that when we convert to mushrooms and marijuana, we will be rolling in cash! Howard and his wife Page spend their time between D.C., the farm, and Grandfather Mountain outside of Linville, N.C.

John Hopkins checked in. He and his wife Terry had just gotten back from Krakow, Poland, visiting their son and daughter-inlaw, but more importantly, their two-yearold granddaughter. John is still practicing architecture in Atlanta, but getting into the office later and later!

Everyone has an open invitation to visit Shelley and me here in God’s Country in Marshall, Va.

Also, just so everyone knows and remembers, we have our 50th Reunion coming up this June 5-6, 2026. Please try to make it. If you haven’t been back to campus in a while, you will be amazed at the changes. Stay in touch and take care.

’77

William “Billy” King (C) 804-450-4614

wtkiii@hotmail.com

Joint 50th Reunion with 1978: June 2028

Greetings, Class of ’77. We’ve all been busy this summer, and I know everyone is eager to share their adventures, yet there seems to be no mail in the bin. I tried to contact some of our illustrious classmates, but no reply. Therefore, I must work with what’s at hand — starting with myself. I politely abandoned my 1908 farmhouse so they could tear it down, and moved to a tidy bungalow in Montross, Va. For the past two years, I’ve been fixing up the house next door, and now have room for guests, including old classmates. My daughter is 26 and living the good life in Portland, Ore. Her mother is always glad to see me, especially if I bring a chainsaw and weed eater. I hung up my tree-trimming spikes, but don’t mind a handyman job now and then.

A little higher on the vine is my buddy David Mikell. I reported on him some 15

John Hopkins ’76 and his granddaughter in Krakow, Poland.

years ago, and little has changed. January 2025 found him landscaping in Charleston, S.C., in a handsome Tacoma and hitting the occasional contra dance. Spring means a stop by my house on his way to the Dômes in France, where he hikes in the foothills of the Alps and helps out around the village. Fall, of course, means apples, and he’s in Vermont picking alongside an elite team of Jamaicans. David’s taste in literature and music is a lost treasure. For example, he even gave the new version of Linkin Park a chuckle. He’s my political sparring partner and not afraid to wade into my well-reasoned traps, but he could probably do without that. Well, that’s a couple of fine lads. I am looking forward to passing on everyone else’s stories and pictures.”

Allen Lister says: “I am retired and living in St. James, N.C.”

’78

James F. Clardy Jr. (C) 704-609-5570

jim.clardy@wellsfargo.com

Joint 50th Reunion with 1977: June 2028

The name “Shannonhouse” is derived from the Gaelic “Seanain,” meaning “God is gracious,” with the earliest recorded mention found in a 1066 medieval census commissioned by William the Conqueror. Thus, it’s fitting that my daughter Julia Shannonhouse Clardy ’25 left on Labor Day to travel not across the state, but the Atlantic Ocean to reengage with her roots in the British Isles at University of St Andrews as a “Fresher,” as first-year students are called.

While many parents drop off their anxious freshmen with heavy hearts, EHS alums — both parents and students — welcome the next chapter of their educational journey. The true value of Episcopal is not so much what you learn but who you become; the swim-or-sink ethos inherent to boarding school fostered Julia’s independent streak, preparing her for college abroad and wherever life takes her in the years ahead.

As we look ahead to our 50th reunion, my daughter leaves Episcopal much as we did — with the blessings of lifelong friends, wonderful memories, and shared experiences that have only grown stronger in the

nearly half-century since we left. God is gracious indeed.

’79

Bill L. Hughes (C) 203-252-1153

william.hughes@pb.com

Joint 50th Reunion with 1980: June 2030

I will be the first to admit it. I stink at communications, especially if I am tasked with the time-consuming chore of proactively reaching out, fishing, and extracting information. But it is not entirely my fault. You stink as well. You really should know that after nearly 40+ years of doing the Class Notes (Matt Hogans and Jason Bohrer gave it a run in the early days), that you need to reach out to me with your news, ongoing accomplishments, retirement plans, births of your grandbabies, or news of your second

and third marriages, and with that, the accidental new-ish and unplanned, or planned children. Do better, please. And I promise to try harder to uncover and write what Kevin Myer, Andy Woolman, David Jeffrey ’78, Steve MacMahon, Bennett Finney, Bill Cooper, Landon Hilliard, Brent Lister, among others, are up to. Until then, be thankful for Mike Ammons and Seward Totty ’81 for giving me something to publish.

Mike Ammons moved from Chicago, Ill., to Richmond, Va., three years ago and seems to be doing just fine. He remains one of the most thoughtful, authentic, and decent people I know. He took a picture with another EHS football great and outstanding human, Tim Hightower ’04, at the annual River City Roll, a college and pro-football festival held in Richmond.

Seward Totty ’81 is not only an accomplished college athlete; back in the day, he was on the UVA varsity baseball team, but

Left to right: Gus Barber ’78, Seward Totty ’81, Bailey Patrick ’79, and Martin Cornelson ’79 attend the USGA Senior Amateur Golf event in Chicago, Ill.

Julia Clardy ’25, daughter of Jim Clardy ’78.

Tim Hightower ’04 and Mike Ammons ’79 at the annual River City Roll, a college and profootball festival held in Richmond, Va.

he is also known as a gifted and natural writer, as well as a keen observer of the human condition. Rivaling Jim Clardy ’78 and Boota deButts ’76, Seward is notorious for his well-researched, no-holds-barred, and fantastical Class Notes that are consistently a masterclass. Recognizing that I had zero material for this edition of Class Notes, Seward bailed me out by serving up a photo from a recent USGA Senior Amateur event in Chicago. All are highly accomplished golfers and all-around good, decent people.

Ward Whitfield is alive and well and still practicing farming in Snow Hill, N.C. Farming is a hard profession, fraught with things you can’t control, but something Ward has mastered well. Robin, Ward’s better half, is a very successful dentist and entrepreneur.

Edwin Rasberry bought a condo in West Palm Beach, Fla., retired in June, and is now eyeing a second career as a gentleman farmer on his family’s big plot of land in Eastern North Carolina, complete with the renovation of an 1800s farmhouse.

Thanks again to Chip Craighill and Edward Brown for their steadfast leadership during the annual Roll Call. Not only did the Class of ’79 show well in the EHS 24/7 Challenge, but their efforts helped The High School reach the ambitious goal of the Courage Campaign, surpassing $150 million.

As for me, my wife Becky and I are back and forth between Vero Beach, Fla., and Greenwich, Conn. More importantly, daughter Chase ’12 and David Thalhimer are expecting their first child — and our first grandchild — in December.

I will do better next time. But only with your ongoing help, support, and communication. I am an email or phone call away.

’80

Staige D. Hoffman Sr. (C) 813-597-5059

staigehoffman1@aol.com

Bill J. Watt Jr. (C) 804-320-6525

chezwatt@gmail.com

Joint 45th Reunion with 1981: June 5-6, 2026

I ran into Duncan MacLeod at a James McMurtry show in Richmond, Va. Great show despite the artist’s choice of high school! I recently had lunch and had a great time catching up with Chris Rogers Jeffrey Flynn says: “Working remotely from Cape Cod this past summer for the second year in a row. In between Zoom calls, I’ve played a little golf, and Becca and I enjoy getting out on the boat for runs over to Martha’s Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands. Headed home to Baltimore at the end of September.”

’81

Seward Totty (C) 859-361-1568 seward.totty@gmail.com

Joint 45th Reunion with 1980: June 5-6, 2026

’82

Arthur Smith IV (C) 205-222-3054 wilchester@msn.com

Joint 45th Reunion with 1983: June 2028

Hello, Class of ’82, and hope this finds everyone safe and having had a great summer.

Not much news from the ’Ham other than both my body and my AC units are glad to see a break in the heat!

Notes from hither and yon:

Christopher Marston writes: “Looking forward to seeing you and our fellow Old Boys at Rendezvous ’82 at Royal Orchard! I visited Tom Garland ’80 this summer at his rustic home, Crosscreek Farm, in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains outside of Charlottesville, Va. Hopefully T-Bird will be able to make a cameo appearance at our reunion.”

Danny Miller reports that as of August of this year he is retiring from Aon after 29 years. He and his wife will be moving to Williamsburg, Va., in October and looking forward to seeing what the next chapter brings.

Rich Taylor says that he “moved to Spain last October — still figuring stuff out here. No house yet — real estate is a challenge (or maybe we just want more than we can afford). Give us a yell (email) if you’re visiting northern Spain.”

Mills Fleming writes that he attended the June 2025 wedding of John Dixon ’80 to Nichelle Morris in Winston-Salem, N.C. Parker Johnson reports: “My children Rebecca ’22 and Thomas ’22 are back on campus at UNC for their senior year. If

Mills Fleming ’82, King Smith ’80, John Dixon ’80, and Lucas Fleming ’80 in WinstonSalem, N.C., for John’s wedding.

Colin Dixon ’17, John Dixon Jr. ’15, Belle Dixon ’18, King Smith ’80, John Dixon ’80, Lucas Fleming ’80, Lucy Dixon ’21, Norman Dixon ’75, and Mills Fleming ’82.

Class Notes

you haven’t heard we have a new football coach on the sidelines in Chapel Hill, the GOAT Bill Belichick. If you have reason to be in town this season, please let us know! Same goes for the upcoming hoops season; I would love to see any fellow High Schoolers.”

I know everyone will be watching the sidelines to see Jordon Hudson, if the grumpy Lobsterman can bring his hoodie and pro-game to the ACC.

Hugh Tarbutton writes, “I recently got reconnected with my old roommate Keith Hart through a mutual friend that works with me at Arkadios Wealth. I also see Clay Taber ’84 on a regular basis. My stepson got married back in June at the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill bringing back some fond memories of visiting some of our old EHS classmates there early in my college years. His name is Jack Suddes, and he was recently hired by UNC to run their NIL collective. I am heading out to Scotland in two weeks to shoot grouse with my brothers, Benjie ’87 and Charles ’84, who are also EHS grads.”

James Ragsdale reports that “Son Marshall ’24 and I have been wreck diving off South Carolina this summer. Looking forward to diving off Roatan, Honduras, this coming spring break. Deer season is here and duck season is coming up. Looking forward to the ’82 Rendezvous with Bocock! Forgot to mention, I am enrolling in aircraft mechanic school in the spring, already full and a waiting list in the fall! Planning to restore an airplane when I retire from the FAA December 31, 2027, after 20 years!”

Thank you to everyone that contributed. Stay safe and cheers!

’83

John R. Sloan (C) 910-616-6375

jsloan14@ec.rr.com

Frank Vasquez

(C) 804-873-2212

rfvasquez1965@gmail.com

Joint 45th Reunion with 1982: June 2028

Christopher Marston ’82 and Tom Garland ’80 this summer at Tom’s rustic home, Crosscreek Farm, in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains outside of Charlottesville.

Ed Walker ’85, John Burress ’54, and Paul Barringer ’85 discuss Paul’s Congressional campaign, which he is launching in 2026 for the 13th district of North Carolina.

’85

Thorne Gregory Jr (C) 917-922-6250

thornegregoryjr@me.com

Joint 40th Reunion with 1986: June 5-6, 2026

’86

Art Taylor III (C) 703-774-5079

art@arttaylorwriter.com

Joint 40th Reunion with 1985: June 5-6, 2026

Career milestones and family moments are the theme of our Class Notes this round.

Mark Slack ’82, Greg Peete ’83, and Macon Baird ’82.

Briggs ’86 and his family on a 2024 Maine vacation.

triathlons, having completed the New York City Marathon, the Marine Corps Marathon, and the IRONMAN Florida triathlon.

Jack Redhead writes that he and his son John recently visited his son Charles in D.C., where Charles has started a new job. Jack recently celebrated 30 years with Bank of America and resides in Charlotte, N.C., with his wife Candice and new puppy Gracie.

I had a career milestone of my own this past spring: The Short Mystery Fiction Society announced me as this year’s recipient of the Edward D. Hoch Memorial Golden Derringer Award for Lifetime Achievement. (I do not feel old enough for a lifetime achievement award.)

’84

Samuel B. Froelich

(C) 336-402-3772

froelich@me.com

Joint 45th Reunion with 1985: June 2030

In March, Edson Briggs joined the law firm of Ballaga, Freedman & Atkins in Coral Gables, Fla., as a partner. The three named partners are former colleagues of his from a downtown Miami firm where they all worked for many years. The firm focuses on real estate transactions and title insurance litigation. Edson is joining the firm’s litigation practice. Off work, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons (one in college, one in high school). He also participates in marathons and

On the family front, this summer my wife Tara, our son Dash, and I traveled to Paris, Milan, and Venice — the biggest family trip we’ve ever taken — and this fall, as Dash starts eighth-grade Spanish classes, both Tara and I have signed on to learn the language too; I’m taking a course at George Mason University (free for faculty!) and Tara is trying out Duolingo. Same journey, but three different routes.

Looking forward to hearing from more classmates ahead!

Edson

’87

David S. Haddock II (C) 301-575-6750

davidhaddock@yahoo.com

Joint 40th Reunion with 1988: June 2028

James Conner had the most amazing summer! From June 10 to August 12, he rode his gravel bike the entirety of the coast of France, up through Switzerland, into Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. He has a big smile in each picture on his website tracking the journey, and it looks like he had some great food and met some interesting people along the way. James is pictured near Warlincourt-lès-Pas towards the beginning of his sojourn.

Stephen Shuford and Charles Haigler caught up by pure happenstance at an event in Montgomery, Ala., where they ran into Tom Grant ’86

I am now the proud parent of not one, but two EHS students. We were photographed at registration by the next family in line.

Tom Grant ’86, Stephen Shuford ’87, and Charles Haigler ’87.

Ken Hyde ’92, Chuck Baldecchi ’89, and Craig Stewart ’70 at a joint leadership team meeting from Charlotte Latin School and Porter-Gaud School in Charleston, S.C.

’88

Ned N. Durden (C) 704-576-5039

neddurden@gmail.com

Joint 40th Reunion with 1987: June 2028

’89

Croom M. Lawrence (C) 540-878-6754

croomlawrence@gmail.com

Joint 40th Reunion with 1990: June 2030

’90

Jason L. Acosta (C) 301-933-4690

JAcosta_JAh311@hotmail.com

Joint 35th Reunion with 1991: June 5-6, 2026

Jonathan Hackman caught up with Sam Drennen this summer to play some golf and reminisce. He states: “Well, we played golf. And it’s hotter than Hades in Georgia in July, as any proper Southern gentleman

Longtime EHS faculty member Whit Morgan played golf at High Hampton in Cashiers, N.C., with Bryan Bowers ’90 and Hal Berry ’95.

Jonathan Hackman ’90 caught up with Sam Drennen ’90 this summer to play some golf and reminisce.

knows.” Being a Southern gentleman myself, I know all too well. Here’s wishing everyone cooler weather!

’91

William M. Coxe Jr. (C) 864-313-9803

williecoxe@gmail.com

Joint 35th Reunion with 1990: June 5-6, 2026

Your Class Correspondent writes: “Greetings to the Class of 1991. Please save the date for June 5-6, 2026, on The Holy Hill. We will celebrate our 35th Reunion next summer, and the School is planning an eventful weekend, so please mark your calendars. Plan on coming up on Thursday, June 4, if you can make it. I will send out the Class of 1991 hotel of choice so you can begin to make your travel plans. Please feel free to contact me at williecoxe@gmail.com, or you can reach out to Margaret Waters at mrw@episcopalhighschool.org. Look forward to seeing all of you next summer.”

Alex ’28 and Adam ’29 Haddock with their dad, David Haddock ’87, at move-in day!

James Conner ’87 on his summer-long biking adventure.

Class Notes

’92

Fred C. Alexander (C) 704-641-4858

fcaiii@yahoo.com

Joint 35th Reunion with 1993: June 2028

Hello class,

I hope the world is treating you well. Our children are back in school, or if you are Murdoch Matheson, who started early, his grandchildren are back in school.

If you remember correctly, Cal Evans’s kids and Murdoch’s grandkids will crossover at Episcopal. If they cross-pollinate, will Mason Lampton officiate the wedding? T his could be ver y lucrative as perhaps Murdoch’s offspring come with one of the palaces he hocks in the greater Charlottesville, Va., area — some nice places.

Speaking of pollination, Steve Sztan retired from the Air Force over a decade ago. He is a pilot for Southwest Airlines. His side gig is crop dusting arid areas in Arizona that grow the rare but delicious prickly pear.

Speaking of crop dusting, Jim Sibley may crop dust by day, but by night, he’s making his much-anticipated return as master thespian in the long-awaited return to “Unto These Hills” just outside of Asheville, N.C. The weather will be nice and crisp as they retrace the trail of tears from the top of third Berkeley to second Dalrymple. Special guest directors will be Wayne McGruder and Brent Myers, directing the music ensemble.

All teasing aside here, I encourage you all to look up Erek Barron on Google. He’s got his own Wikipedia page. Guessing he may be the only one in our class to do so. His career is impressive. He was the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland from 2021 to February of this year. He’s gone into private practice now with the Mintz practice. Erek leads the firm’s crisis management and strategic response team.

Somehow, Wikipedia left off that he was one of the star backs on the undefeated 1991 football team.

I will say writing this inspired me to reach out to a couple of people. Our conversation was so good that I’ve left the details to ourselves. I encourage you to reach out to classmates and talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly. Makes you feel good.

John Robbins ’91 and Dexter Rumsey ’91 ran into Monte Burke ’90 in Nantucket this summer. They decided to take to the bar at The White Elephant for some overdue fellowship.

If you’d like to be recognized in this and have ¾ truths told about you, either drop me a line or get a Wikipedia page.

’93

Walker Lamond (C) 301-580-0761

walkerlamond@mac.com

Joint 35th Reunion with 1992: June 2028

When Jim Pattillo showed up at EHS, he already had the look of a journeyman major-leaguer from a bygone era. While we were all perfecting our short/long haircuts (behind the ears but above the collar), Jim was staunchly a crewcut man. But what you may not remember is that while baseball was Jim’s first love, he was also a stellar QB on Coach Joe Shelor’s junior football team, backing up Willy Clark ’92 like a young Johnny Unitas in waiting. And while Darius Gilbert ’92, Howdie Goodwin ’91, and Derek Fitzgerald ’91 we re wowing crowds in Hummel Bowl, that junior squad boasted up-and-coming stars like Rahmaan Streater, Patrick Scott, Chip Stever, Brian Barker, Bo Wulbern, and future U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek Barron ’92. After Episcopal, and presumably law school, Jim landed in Birmingham, Ala., where he is now a litigating partner at Christian & Small, LLP, which coincidentally is what Shelor’s scouting report had next to his name in 9th grade. Jim reports that he has four kids, with an oldest at Auburn and a youngest who loves baseball as much as his old man.

Jordan Monsour was one of several classmates who saw the light and attended Southern Methodist University before moving back to his hometown of Baton Rouge, La., for law school at LSU. Jordan was the only guy we knew who came to EHS with a hairdryer, but he must have known something because his hair looks as good today as it did 30 years ago. The dorm room Jordan shared with Steve Fasul on the new Hummel was so well equipped with a sectional couch, mini-fridge, and hidden TV that Coach Fred Brown once asked to swap rooms with him.

Chas Marsh, whom I’ll always picture in Vuarnets and a ski jacket with lift tickets still attached, is now the owner of Jackson Hole Still Works, a small-batch artisan distillery specializing in “grain to bottle” spirits. Stephen Bierman ’92 and I used to make artisanal grain alcohol at UVA, but we’d mix it with Kool-Aid and serve it from trash cans. Probably not the same thing.

Cary Goodwin and Victor Maddux both dropped daughters off at EHS this fall, and I hear Lee Vaughan’s son Clyde ’28 has been assigned as their bodyguard.

In the meantime, I’m off to meet fellow-Londoner Alex Mahler ’92 in Piccadilly to reminisce about 1st Dal and his stint as the bassist in the Episcopal’s greatest school band, the Skeletones. Here’s to stacking plates, holding doors, and knowing what boss is. IYKYK. Beat Woodberry!

’94

Emily Fletcher Breinig (C) 480-330-8017 fletchee@hotmail.com

Joint 35th Reunion with 1995: June 2030

Allison Priebe Montgomery joyfully married Colonel John Montgomery, USAF (Ret.), on March 15, 2025, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Alexandria, Va. The celebration was a charming blend of history and elegance — complete with a Scottish bagpipe processional through Old Town and a cherry blossom tea reception at a historic home on Cameron Street.

The couple was surrounded by loved ones, including their three children, among them McClain Brooks ’21 . A recent Sewanee graduate with a degree in neuroscience, McClain served as president of the

Jane Borden ’95

by

When Jane Borden ’95 arrived at Episcopal as a member of the School’s second year of coeducation, she never pictured herself as a writer. But in Rob Seals’s English class, she discovered the power of language to shift perspective.

“Mr. Seals really opened my eyes to literature and writing,” Borden said. He kept a quote from T.S. Eliot’s “Little Gidding” on the chalkboard all year that stuck with her: “We shall not cease from exploration / And the end of all our exploring / Will be to arrive where we started / And know the place for the first time.” Years later, Borden featured the line in her first memoir, “I Totally Meant to Do That,” about her twenties.

“It was about running away from home and realizing, with distance, how much you appreciate it.”

After Episcopal, Borden studied religious studies at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, drawn to questions of belief and identity. She planned to pursue academia, but a gap year in New

York changed everything. “I fell into the improv comedy scene and pinballed into a completely different direction,” she said. Performing sharpened her sense of rhythm and audience awareness, skills she later carried into journalism.

That career led her to “Vanity Fair” in 2017, just as the NXIVM cult was collapsing. “My editor asked me to dig in, and that’s how I really started on that beat,” Borden said. Reporting on NXIVM opened her eyes to larger questions about American identity. “Where does this obsession with purity come from? Why do we worship the wealthy? Why are we so divided? It took me all the way back to the Puritans.”

Her new book, “Cults Like Us: Why Doomsday Thinking Drives America,” argues that cult dynamics do not just live on the margins but pulse through American politics, pop culture, and history. She defines a cult as a group with three elements: a worshipped leader, undue

influence, and real harm (often exploitation).

“We’re taught so many wonderful things about America,” she said. “But what we often miss is the truth about control and greed. That doesn’t mean that’s who we are; it means we need to tell the whole story.”

Borden’s playful style makes her serious subject matter accessible. “The impulse to crack jokes is uncontainable, and the book is full of them,” she admitted. “It’s never humor at the expense of victims. It’s more me putting my arm around the reader and saying, ‘Look how silly we are. Let’s laugh and grow.’”

Now based in Los Angeles, Borden reaches wide audiences on social media and is developing a podcast she hopes will lead to her next book. Her advice to today’s students and young alumni is simple: “Start now. Five years from now, you’ll wish you had. Every time you put yourself out there, even if you face plant, you’re learning.”

Photo

Justin Chung

Student Government Association. Virginia Friedman ’21 and her mother Colleen also joined in the festivities.

Allison is the owner and creative force behind Queen Bee Designs, a long-standing and successful boutique jewelry firm. John, a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, is a retired F-16 pilot and former commander and retired from Northrop Grumman. Following a honeymoon in Switzerland and Italy, the couple is happily settled at home in Alexandria.

’95

Class Correspondents Needed

If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

Joint 30th Reunion with 1996: June 5-6, 2026

’96

Temple Forsyth Basham (C) 804-332-1517 templefbasham@gmail.com

Randy Shelley Jr. (C) 843-452-2244 randallshelley78@gmail.com

Luke J. Zehner (C) 571-338-1389 zehnerlj@gmail.com

Joint 30th Reunion with 1995: June 5-6, 2026

Greetings from southern Marin County. I have once again put this off until the very last minute. Some things never change, amiright, EHS faculty circa 1996? That said, I’m going to keep this short and sweet, much like my romantic relationships at EHS.

In the most profound “So THAT Just Happened” news, I just received word that Laura Morton Michau recently dropped off her oldest daughter Caper ’29 for her freshman year on North Quaker Lane. Holy Hoxton, how time flies. Same goes for Barbara Kennedy Harty, whose children James ’29 and Claire ’26 are also on The Holy Hill.Not to be outdone, Brian and Sarah Akridge Knutson , aka the first family of Episcopal, now have two old boys at The High School. Walker ’29 is a

Cynthia McClain Brooks ’21 served as maid of honor for her mother, Allison Louise Priebe Montgomery ’94. The ladies joined two of their most festive friends — Mrs. Colleen Friedman and Virginia Friedman ’21 of Winston-Salem, N.C.

Allison Priebe Montgomery ’94 and Colonel John Patrick Montgomery, USAF Ret., were married on March 15, 2025, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Old Town Alexandria.

freshman, and Jack ’26 is a senior living in one of Hummel’s coveted porch rooms. Let’s just hope they have their mom’s study habits and their father’s lax skillz. Although Sarah was no slouch on the ol’ lacrosse pitch. On second thought, let’s just hope they both take after their mom.

Earlier this spring, the advertising gods finally smiled upon Thomas Beckner and me as we collaborated on a campaign for the Skylight Family Calendar. Thomas directed. I wrote the words. #dreamteam. It was incredible seeing Thomas in action behind the camera. He’s a man of many talents with boundless energy, which is usually

and

annoying but perfect in that setting. The project ended with us sharing a hotel bed in Santa Monica, but that’s a story for another publication/chat room.

(BTW, you can see all my work at ZehnerNoBrainer.com. Sadly, I don’t think Thomas has a website because he hasn’t figured out the internet.)

Not to make this all about me, but honestly, I’ve done zero outreach, so that’s the hand we’ve been dealt, my fellow ’96ers. I had a nice hang in SF with Garland Lynn in June. He continues to do something important for a medical software company that I won’t pretend to understand. It does

Prather Smith Claghorn ’99

Lindsay Whittle Comstock ’99 atop Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park, Maine.

seem that he’s putting that big brain of his to good use. Otherwise, he’s busy boating, raising teenagers, and avoiding Kent Lowry in Charleston, S.C.

Speaking of Florence’s finest, Randy “The Poet” Shelley seems to be crushing it in academia and writing stuff. I accidentally deleted the text with all the details, but if I remember correctly, he’s teaching undergraduate writing in the Syracuse area while getting his doctorate AND writing a book. Quite the tweed-blazer wearing multitasker.

Last but not least, Temple Forsyth Basham is sending both of her boys to Virginia Episcopal — the one in some random part of Virginia. She either went to the wrong website for enrollment or has some serious explaining to do at the 30th Reunion.

That’s all I got. If you’re ever out in NorCal and want to grab a $9 latte or protest our country’s embarrassment of a president, please hit me up. I’ll write the signs.

’97

Class Correspondents Needed If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

Joint 30th Reunion with 1998: June 2028

’98

Katherine Moncure Stuart (C) 434-989-7054 katstu@gmail.com

Andrew B. Nielson, Sr. (C) 706-254-2277

Joint 30th Reunion with 1997: June 2028

’99

Margaret Ravenel Richardson (C) 843-422-7638 ravenelrichardson@gmail.com

Joint 30th Reunion with 2000: June 2030

Prather Smith Claghorn and Lindsay Whittle Comstock vacationed in Maine with their families in August ’ 25 and had a ball!

Reid Phillips has moved from Denver to Steamboat, Colo., where she has taken a position at the Steamboat Art Museum. Ravenel Richardson graduated from American University with her master’s degree in public administration and policy analysis. She enjoyed celebrating with Ashley and William Akridge while in D.C.

’00

Schuyler Williams Seifert (C) 703-304-9423 schuyler13@gmail.com

Zsolt Parkanyi (C) 0-049-176-8841 Ext 3393 zsolt.parkanyi@gmail.com

Joint 25th Reunion with 2001: June 5-6, 2026

Zsolt Parkanyi’s summer was mostly marked by the family’s relocation to Indonesia and the beginning of his explorations of the beautiful archipelago of 18,000+ islands. Work trips to Mongolia and Vanuatu have been the highlights so far, and returning to Beijing after 21 years. He hasn’t bumped into any EHS folks yet, but if anyone is in the region, please give him a shout; he is often in Singapore, Bangkok, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Dennis Clancey spent June in the Peruvian Amazon, leading LIDAR drone surveys of the Boiling River region, in concert with a team of geologists and other scientists. The expedition was sponsored by Rolex and The Explorers Club. He spent July back in Spain, running with bulls at his 18th(!) consecutive Pamplona fiesta, where he continues to mentor first-time runners. Scott Stearns celebrated six years at Brightway, his current employer. He joined the learning and development team and is very happy about that. He shared that he feels like a teacher now and has recently

Brittanny Wildman Meierling ’00 and Sarah Gamble Kars ’00 with kids in Montana.

Ravenel Richardson ’99 and her family celebrating her MPAP graduation from American University in Washington, D.C.

Will Blocker ’00 and James Barmore ’00 at a Robert Earl Keen concert.

Class Notes

done some remote work in Charlotte, N.C., with a new class for two months. His niece started high school.

Those of you who remember Scott’s dad and his hangout place, well, he finally retired and sold his home in Alexandria, Va., and moved to Florida. His mom retired as well, and they enjoy a stroll on the beach every once in a while.

Will Blocker shares that he got to see James Barmore and Kathryn in Fort Worth, Texas, for a Robert Earl Keen concert. They also managed to escape the heat for a bit in Colorado before Anne started pre-kindergarten. Now they are in the midst of peewee baseball and everything else fall has to offer. Exciting times ahead!

Brittanny Wildman Meierling took a trip to Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks this summer. While in Montana, they were able to get in a visit with Sarah Gamble Karls and her kids! Also, both of their boys went to the new summer camp at EHS in July and loved being on campus.

Schuyler Williams writes: “It’s been a year of traveling for this girl after a bit of a hiatus, which, as most of you know, is not like me! It kicked off with a family ski trip to Zermatt, making that town my favorite for skiing in Europe, and was followed by excursions to Montana for a wedding/hiking, Portugal for a yoga retreat, Jackson Hole, Wyo., for more hiking, live music, and time with old friends, and I sprinkled in some time in Southern California for work and seeing EHS and UVA friends who live out there (Maisie Cunningham Short)! I continue to see Lindsay Whittle Comstock ’99 here in Cville, as well as Will Nisbet ’01 and Brenton Hardee ’02 up in Middleburg and D.C., respectively. Now that I have THREE nieces and nephews at EHS, I am spending more time up there, too! Hedges Maddux ’27, Colton Maddux ’28, and Scarlett Maddux ’29. I am excited to hopefully see some of my EHS crew over the next few years during my visits to their games, and at Woodberry weekend this fall in Charlottesville. Please hit me up if any of you come down this way!”

Our deepest condolences, thoughts, and prayers go out to James Doswell, PX Head, and their families, as they grieve the loss of their fathers earlier this year. James William Doswell Jr. (May 5, 1949 - March 29, 2025)

Will Blocker ’00 and family in Colorado.

was buried at St. James Episcopal Church in Lothian, Md., on April 24, 2025. Paul Johnston Head (February 14, 1954 - June 21, 2025) was buried at All Souls Episcopal Church in Oklahoma City, Okla., on July 25, 2025.

’01

Beezie McLaughlin Sayers (C) 713-560-6210

beezie.sayers@gmail.com

Joint 25th Reunion with 2000: June 5-6, 2026

Emily Klim Schott and her family have moved home to Virginia from Houston, Texas. They are enjoying being closer to family and old friends in the Near West End

of Richmond. Local Virginia friends, please welcome her home!

Beezie McLaughlin Sayers, Lee McLaughlin III ’03, and Lee McLaughlin Jr. ’70 enjoyed seeing Emily Klim Schott, Betsy Watts Metcalf ’00, Harrison Keevil, Emily Glass Flannery ’04 , and Cole Flannery ’04, and Will Hershey (son of former headmaster Rob Hershey) when they dropped their sweet daughters off to Camp Lachlan again this summer!

Annie Johnston Dodd and her husband welcomed daughter Constance Peace “Coco” Dodd on December 15, 2024. They are absolutely over the moon watching her grow up with her big brother Bridger. This past October, Annie attended Liza Sarn Henson’s beautiful wedding to Breck

Schuyler Williams ’00 and Maisie Cunningham Short ’00 in downtown Los Angeles (with Schuyler’s UVA friends).

Scott Stearns ’00 with his niece, Mackenna Rae Stearns.

Coco Dodd, daughter of Annie Johnston Dodd ’01.

Beezie McLaughlin Sayers ’01, Emily Klim Schott ’01, Lacy Baldwin Noble ’01, and Bonnie Malone Fleming, a friend from UVA ’05, left to right, enjoyed dinner together at Taps in Lexington, Va., at the end of the summer. Old friends are the best friends!

Jonathan Lee ’01 and his family enjoyed an adventure-filled summer, including a trip to Santa Fe, N.M., to spend time with family.

A perfect sunny getaway from Seattle’s usual clouds!

Armstrong ’02 and son, Arthur, staying hydrated at the park.

Henson in Gastonia, N.C. The Dodds are currently living in South Carolina, but they still visit Los Angeles, Calif., for work and to see family, and they always make a point to catch up with Jack Halloran while there.

’02Andrew S. Farrar

(C) 919-616-6636

asfarrar@gmail.com

Artie L. Armstrong

(C) 805-341-5233

artiearmstrong@yahoo.com

Joint 25th Reunion with 2003: June 2028

Mock Suwannatat writes : “Hello, all! This is your friend from Thailand. I live in Chiang Mai, and am married with no kids

and one cat. What do people usually write here? I work for a university in Bangkok. My official title is “researcher,” but what I do is usually write textbooks for kids. You know, fun stuff. I’ve recently been back to Alexandria, but I picked the wrong country, so it was Alexandria, Egypt! I still miss our Alexandria in Virginia and Washington, D.C., very much. Hope to hear from you all.”

Tim Brown says: “Howdy, y’all! Tim Brown here, and it’s been a pretty huge year. For my birthday in November, I married the woman of my dreams, Jessica Bishop. We are living in Austin, Texas, where I’m working in tech. On February 13, 2025, she gave birth to our son, Caspian Wylder Brown. First kid for us and a bit later in life, so we are still very much learning the ropes, but over the moon in love with him! He’s growing up fast — six months old and nearly 22

pounds, just starting to crawl, swim, and eat solid foods. Future Class of 2043? Wow, that seems crazy. We are out in Hawaii (Big Island, Kona) for August to get away from the heat of Texas. We are planning a trip to New Zealand with the remainder of my paternity leave this winter. In other news, I’m helping bring a startup online with a Woodberry guy of all people. The app is called Clozure, which is focused on end-oflife planning.”

Your Class Correspondent here! I’m doing well out in sunny California. I just started my eighth year in the classroom and am already looking forward to summer vacation! The golf game has been “on par” lately, with an average score of 79, over the summer. Young Arthur continues to keep us on our toes, seemingly stuck in his “terrible twos” almost three years after the fact. Be

Artie

Massie Payne Cooper ’03 and M.R. Rowe Litman ’03 at Massie’s 40th birthday party in Richmond.

Blake Murphey ’04 and M.R. Rowe Litman ’03 attended the wedding of Reid Jamieson Brookover ’20.

Class Notes

sure to look us up if you’re ever in town for Coachella or Stagecoach.

’03

Alden Koste Corrigan (C) 443-783-4659

alden.k.corrigan@gmail.com

Joint 25th Reunion with 2002: June 2028

Tommy Clark says: “I accepted a teaching position at the Day Star School in Juticalpa, Olancho, Honduras, and will start at the end of July. I will teach 12th-grade world history, 11th-grade geography, and 10th-grade U.S. history. The town is pretty close to where I lived as a Peace Corps volunteer from 2008 to 2010. This is a one-year commitment, but most likely I’ll be down there for a longer period of time.”

Maggie Canby Adan loved catching up with so many familiar faces at our 20th Reunion last year. At the time, she had just moved from Nashville to Huntsville after earning her master of social work degree. She married Drew Adan on May 25, 2025. She said it was a joy to celebrate with her dad, Bill Canby ’67, and her EHS roommate, Katie Walls Kruger ’04. She is now working as a community mental health therapist and would love to connect with any EHS alumni in the Huntsville area!

Hannah Ellington is starting her sixth year teaching at EHS. After taking a group of kids on the Austrian exchange program this summer, she also finished her master’s in German pedagogy at Middlebury College. She is looking forward to a great year teaching and especially to vocal coaching this year’s musical, “Hadestown,” in the winter. Fun fact: Alex Mannix ’08 was part of the show’s original production team!

In May, M.R. Rowe Litman had a wonderful time celebrating Massie Payne Cooper’s 40th birthday in Richmond. M.R. reports that June was a busy month. She moved her trusts and estates practice to Litman PLLC, where she now practices with her husband Mike. She also had the opportunity to spend the week with Kate Leggett Mabry ’00, volunteering at Camp Alleghany’s Mini Camp. While she was there, she caught up with Rev. Zach Drennen ’88, who lives and works right across the street from her parents. Lastly, she attended Reid Jamieson Brookover’s ’20 wedding and

Lyle Farrar ’04 and his wife Loftin welcomed their second child, a little girl named Margaret “Fields” Farrar, on July 8, 2025.

had fun celebrating with her sister, Julia Rowe Wise ’06, and Blake Murphey ’04 Julia’s son MacNeil was the ring bearer.

In June, Daphne Clyburn was awarded the Finneran Faculty Scholar Award at her school, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Potomac, Md. The award, which is the highest recognition that the school grants to a teacher, recognizes a teacher annually who “embodies excellence and commitment to professional growth.” For some context, Daphne is in her ninth year at St. Andrew’s,

Maggie Canby Adan ’03 with her mother Kathe, father Bill Canby ’67, and husband Drew Adan, at their May wedding.

Daphne Clyburn ’03 with her husband Michael MacEwen and her sons Calvin (2) and Benjamin (6).

Maggie Canby Adan ’03 and Katie Walls Kruger ’04 celebrating Maggie’s wedding this summer.

M.R. Rowe Litman ’03 and Kate Leggett Mabry ’00 volunteering at Camp Alleghany’s Mini Camp.

Julia Cammack Truemper ’06 with husband, John, and twins, Martha “Mattie” Ward Truemper and William “Will” Bryles Truemper.

Barnes Fogartie, the newest addition to the family of Preston Kelly Fogartie ’06.

continues to teach Spanish, and serves as the language department head.

’04

Kalen Stuart Blackburn (C) 704-654-1855 kalee.blackburn@gmail.com

Hugo Vandeveer Gilbert (C) 703-402-6077

gilbert.hugo@gmail.com

Joint 25th Reunion with 2005: June 2030

’05

Peebles Squire (C) 434-594-4652

peebles.mobile@gmail.com

Joint 20th Reunion with 2006: June 5-6, 2026

’06

Molly E. Wheaton (C) 504-247-8674

mewheaton@gmail.com

Margaret von Werssowetz Waters (C) 843-607-5788

margaretvonw@gmail.com

Joint 20th Reunion with 2005: June 5-6, 2026

From Margaret: Hello friends! Another update from D.C./The Holy Hill. My daughter Goody just started first grade, and my son Charles is in preK-3 at The Butterfly House over at the Seminary. We’re almost at the one-year anniversary of his being in character as a pirate 24/7. EHS is beautiful and wonderful and a heartening place to work. Had the pleasure of spending a night

at Kingsley Trotter McNeil’s new house in Fort Mill, S.C., this summer (she says hi, and can’t wait for Reunion), going to Lake Summit with Frances deSaussure Murray, enjoying the odd picnic or get together with my neighbor Chris Williams, and spending time with fam.

To lead, we’ve got double trouble with two sets of twins! Julia Cammack Truemper writes, “Big updates from me this year. My husband John and I welcomed our twins, Martha “Mattie” Ward Truemper and William “Will” Bryles Truemper, at the end of March. Mattie is named for two of her aunts, Martha Cammack ’09 and Ward Cammack ’20. Of course, twin parenthood wasn’t enough for me, and I also decided to leave my position at Vanderbilt Law School to start a new job as a law school admissions consultant with Spivey Consulting Group in July. There’s never a dull moment around here!”

Cher Morris ’06 welcomed twins Dahlia Evelyn Morris-Hess and Artemis Guinevere Morris-Hess.

Julia Rowe Wise ’06 with her son MacNeil, who was the ring bearer at the wedding of Reid Jamieson Brookover ’20.

Lizzie MacPherson ’05 and Molly Wheaton ’06 in Cape Town, South Africa, in March. You can’t tell from this photo, but Lizzie’s boyfriend, Teun de Haas (aka “T”), is 6’10”. Molly’s boyfriend, Michael Wood, declined to comment when asked about his height.

Cher Morris shared: “Malcolm and I welcomed our twin daughters in June. On the left is Dahlia Evelyn Morris-Hess, and on the right is Artemis Guinevere MorrisHess. They just turned three months old.”

Cate Smythe Sobieszczyk writes: “Ada started first grade this year at Blessed Sacrament Catholic School, and Sofia is in the two’s at the day school in our neighborhood. I somehow have started my fourth year teaching tiny children Spanish in our state’s only Waldorf school, and that is wild to me. How did we end up here? I still feel like I can hop up on the trash cans in Blackford with no hands, and that chocolate chip cookies still should cost 25¢. Neither of those rings true anymore, in reality.”

Scout Douglas Osborne writes: “Russell and I are still living in Alexandria, about one mile from Mount Vernon. My three children, Maple, Sal, and Otis, attend the Waldorf school in Old Town. A classmate of Maple’s has an older brother who currently attends EHS, so it’s been fun to chat with his family and reminisce. GranDAD just started his 32nd year teaching (!) and loves to have his grandkids visit him in Ainslie Arts Center.”

Will Reavis reports: “We’re coming up on six years in St. Thomas with no plans to leave. We manage to get back stateside a few times a year. I made the most of our time on the East Coast this summer. Sarah and I spent a week with Sam Hess and his family while our kids were at Camp Kanata. We had lunch with Christian Broyhill and her husband on our way through Raleigh. While we were visiting my mom in Maryland, we met up with Zack Hoisington on the Eastern Shore to go crabbing. I hope all is well. Can’t wait to see everyone at Reunion!”

Preston Kelly Fogartie writes: “Wrapped up a great summer in Greensboro, N.C., and excited to start the new school year with our son Fulton (kindergarten), our daughter Douglass (3.5), and our newest addition, Barnes, who was born in early June. We loved introducing Barnes to Elizabeth Harrison Carrington this summer and can’t wait to see Harrison in October. I’m still working in admissions at Canterbury School and hope we’ll send some of our eighth-grade grads to EHS at the end of the school year!”

Finally, my Class Notes co-editor Molly Wheaton writes: “2025 has been eventful!

I got laid off in March, so I took advantage of a few months of unemployment. First, I went on safari with Lizzie MacPherson ’05, her mom, and our boyfriends. We did South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe — it was the best crew and a dream come true. Lizzie and I didn’t get enough time together, so I also went to visit her in Amsterdam in April. We made pit stops in San Sebastian and Paris, which were both lovely. In June, I got to visit family in Cabo, which was surprisingly lovely that time of the year. Most recently, I got to hang out with Sarah Montz Harcus ’06 and her cute kiddos in Lake Martin, Ala. All good times, but I just started a new job, so it’s back to reality for me! I’m still living in Austin, so if anyone finds themselves in the area, reach out!”

’07

Victoria Friedman Thevenot (C) 434-466-1525 victoria.m.friedman@gmail.com Joint 20th Reunion with 2008: June 2028

The Class of 2007 has had a great spring and summer with lots of new babies and big moves!

After three years in Charlotte, N.C., Sallie Madden Calder , her husband Stewart, and their two children (Dottie, 3.5 and Bruce, 2) moved to Winston-Salem, N.C., in 2024. They recently welcomed their third child, Gordon Douglas Calder, on July 23, 2025! The Calders are loving WinstonSalem, and Sallie has enjoyed getting to see

Reade Jacob ’06 with his daughters Annie and Betsy.

Zach Hoisington ’06 and Will Reavis ’06 with their families.

Will Reavis ’06 and Sam Hess ’06.

Charlie Barber Evans, son of Molly Barber Evans ’07 and Paul Evans.

Phil Newland ’08

When Phil Newland ’08 chose Episcopal over other boarding schools his parents suggested, the decision came down to people. His uncle, Chris Keesling ’77, had attended EHS, and Newland saw value in close faculty support and a campus where relationships mattered. “It wasn’t just the academics,” he said. “The teachers cared in a way that felt personal.”

At Episcopal, Newland found inspiration in English and history class. On the lacrosse field, coach Scott Conklin promoted him from the B team to varsity after only a year of learning the sport. “He took a chance on me,” Newland recalled. “That gave me the belief that trying new things could pay off.”

That confidence shaped Newland’s path to Indiana University, where he studied history, Spanish, and business. In Washington, D.C., he worked in public relations and helped the Republic of Fiji prepare for their Presidency of the 2017 United Nations climate conference, COP23. “That was my entry point into adaptation and resilience,” he said. “I realized communications

could help communities all over the world facing climate challenges.”

From there, Newland served as the head of marketing and communications at the American Flood Coalition (AFC), a bipartisan nonprofit that strengthens resilience against flooding and other hazards. He and his team connected local leaders with state and federal officials, tested innovative projects in flood-impacted communities, and scaled successful approaches into proactive policy. “We focused the conversation on how people are affected by disasters, which in turn brings people together and strengthens the conversation,” he explained. “We focused on solutions that work.”

The coalition’s efforts in Western North Carolina showed that approach in action. After Hurricane Helene devastated the region, AFC gathered local government officials to advocate with a unified voice for their communities. Their efforts secured $20 million in resilience grants that helped small towns start rebuilding — although Newland knows that the area still has a long road to recovery. ”There

are still so many ongoing needs, but it was a critical first step.”

Recently, Newland started a new position as the Vice President, Senior Communications Lead for the Americas with Swiss Re, a global provider of reinsurance and risk management tools to build resilience. The passion to mitigate the effects of disasters has translated into civil service on the local level. The comms expert now represents 2,000 residents of D.C. as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner, handling transportation, public safety, and development issues. “Seeing my name on a ballot was surreal,” he admitted. “But serving my neighborhood connects directly to the same values I practice every day at work.”

Looking ahead, Newland aims to raise public awareness about disaster challenges and risk management to shape policies that create meaningful change. “At Episcopal, I learned to value curiosity and service,” he reflected. “Those lessons shaped my path from the classroom to my career, and they continue to guide how I make a difference.”

Newland lives in Northwest D.C. with his wife, Becca, and two young children, Olivia and George.

Mary Hodgin Womble Burdick regularly in her new city!

Molly Barber Evans, her husband Paul, and big brother James welcomed Charlie Barbour Evans on June 7, 2025. In March, Molly, Paul, and James had a wonderful time visiting Ann Cowden Mayer and her family while on a road trip to Kentucky.

Franny Kupersmith van Os is living in Miami and has been for the past several years. She and her husband Piet have two kids as well as one rambunctious Portuguese water dog. They love boating and beaching all year round and being involved in the local sailing community.

’08Lucy Glaize Frey (C) 540-327-2267

lglaize@gmail.com

Joint 20th Reunion with 2007: June 2028

Hello from the Class of 2008! We have lots of exciting updates for this magazine, including new babies, weddings, and creative projects in the mix.

Marina Myers Britton welcomed her third baby, George Alan Britton, on June 8, 2025. Congrats, Marina and family!

Alex Hess married Valerie Trawinski (now Valerie Hess) on April 26, 2025, at Christ Church in New York City. Fathay Smith-Kiawu ’09 was a groomsman!

Spencer Graves acknowledged that it’s been a while since he’s contributed to the Class Notes, but he feels like getting engaged is the right occasion to write in. I couldn’t agree more! Spencer proposed to his fiancée by the Tidal Basin on the front porch of the Jefferson Memorial, and celebrated with friends and family afterwards in D.C. Spencer gives a special shout-out to our classmate Matt Hurley for co-conspiring on plans, including a cover story to get the happy couple down to the Memorial.

JB Reefer lives in Forest Hills, Queens, now, with his wife Erica, and their son Jack. JB and Erica are expecting a baby girl this fall. JB works as a senior engineering manager at Ro. He left Amazon about one year ago. He’d love to chat if anyone wants to talk shop or the tech industry!

Larry Owens recently met up with Shantell Bingham ’11 and her family in New York City for a performance of “Cabaret”

on Broadway. And, speaking of Broadway, Larry’s new show, “The American Football Musical,” is the recent recipient of the Hal Prince T. Fellowship Prize at Columbia University for lead theatrical producing! If that wasn’t exciting enough, the show is loosely inspired by The Game and athletic films like “Remember the Titans” and “The Waterboy.” I can’t wait to see this show!

John Richey and his family have been in Richmond, Va., for a year now, after moving back to the States from Singapore, where he finished his time in the Navy. John is working in investment banking, and his wife Emily works at Saint Christopher’s School. Emily and John welcomed their third son, Wolf, into the world on New Year’s Eve 2024. Teddy, their oldest son, who is now

five years old, and John recently hung out with Mason New (still feels like I should call him “Mr. New!”) on his boat over Labor Day Weekend. How fun!

As for me, my husband Tripp, our two sons, and I are still in East Grand Rapids, Mich., and I’m still a pediatric gastroenterology dietitian at the children’s hospital here. We spend our summers in Harbor Springs, Mich., where we see a decent number of EHS alum and families, which is very fun!

It’s always fun for all of us to see where everyone is and what you’re all up to. Keep the notes coming!

Sallie Madden Calder ’07 with her husband Stewart and their three children, Dottie, Bruce, and Gordon.

Forrest Taylor Robison Jr., son of Taylor ’07 and Kathryn Robison.

JB Reefer ’08 and his family enjoying all that Chuck E. Cheese has to offer!

John Richey ’08, his son Teddy, and Mason New boating over Labor Day Weekend 2025.

’09

Jeila M. Kershaw (C) 334-399-0386 jeilamartin@gmail.com

Haley Morgan Tenney (C) 703-509-3117 09hmorga@gmail.com

Joint 20th Reunion with 2010: June 2030

Hellooo, Class of 2009! Jeila Martin here and I am remembering to submit these Class Notes at the 11th hour, per usual. Let’s get into it!

Lloyd Firth responded to my email with quite the announcement: “This summer I traveled to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in

my official capacity with the Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The U.S. Ambassador accompanied me to finalize security agreements between our countries.” Okay, go Lloyd! Diplomacy is not dead!

Dave Block reports that he and his wife moved to Raleigh, N.C., in December and have a one-year-old son (Jack) with another due in March. He reminds you to not hesitate to reach out if you are living in the Triangle and want to get together!

Molly Seeley writes: “HELLOOO, my novel was published in the UK! Did I tell you about this? Comes out in the U.S. next spring/summer. So that’s fun. Also a cat followed me home on Saturday so I guess I have a cat now. I don’t think that needs

to go in the Class Notes, just thought you’d be tickled.” Well you’re wrong about that, Molly! You write it; I submit it. Remind me to follow up on the cat before the next issue.

Greg DiNardo, Justin Combs, Jordan Martinez, and their families got together for a long weekend in the Hamptons this summer. I love this!

Bess Trotter DuBose announced that she and Hill had a baby girl, Franny, and that she still only sees Bridgette Ewing Traywick . Also, Catherine Harrison Culp, Ginna Oates, and Bridge “are all having babies next month — just in case they don’t respond. :)” I guess that having a baby excuses you from my emails. Just this one time. Bess also says that she has run

Shantell Bingham ’11 and Larry Owens ’08 in New York City at a performance of “Cabaret” on Broadway.

Spencer Graves ’08 and his fiancée Lauren after their engagement at the Jefferson Memorial.

Spencer Graves ’08 and Matt Hurley ’08, after Matt helped Spencer execute a most excellent proposal.

The new Mr. and Mrs. Charles Gillock ’10.

Tom Gosnell ’10, Gene ’10 and Jordan Nulsen McCarthy ’10, Morgan Hensley ’10, Anthony Juker ’10, Mary Adams ’11, and Charlie Nulsen ’75 gather to celebrate the pending arrival of Carson Anne McCarthy.

Lucy Glaize Frey ’08

Lucy Glaize Frey ’08 was diagnosed with celiac disease just six months before starting her freshman year at Episcopal — long before anyone knew the now en-vogue term “gluten free.” Celiac is an autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks the lining of the small intestine when gluten is consumed and prevents the body from absorbing critical nutrients.

Fortunately, the diagnosis never deterred Frey or her parents from Episcopal. Coming to EHS was part of her family legacy, and she was excited to join her father Phil Glaize ’74 and her brothers Philip ’04 and David ’07 as an Episcopal student.

To envision what her life and diet would look like on campus, Frey and her parents met with Hazel Mines over the summer. The beloved Ms. Hazel, who worked

in Laird Dining Hall for 30 years, also had never heard of celiac, but she did everything possible to ensure Frey was well taken care of and well nourished. “The way Episcopal handled my diagnosis gave me so much confidence,” Frey said, “not just in managing it but in advocating for myself and realizing that while following the treatment is critical, living with celiac is not a big deal.”

The daughter of a fourth-generation apple farmer in Winchester, Va., Frey has always understood and deeply appreciated that real food is foundational to health and well-being. Her diagnosis proved that tenfold. Once she began a gluten-free diet, she rapidly gained back the weight she had lost and felt energy like never before. “It was life changing,” Frey remembered. “I didn’t understand how fatigued I was because that was

my baseline, so I became acutely aware of the power of food as nourishment.”

After Episcopal, Frey attended University of Vermont, where she continued to pursue her passion for nutrition. She received a bachelor of science in dietetics, and then went on to Oregon Health and Science University where she received a master’s of science in clinical nutrition. For the last 10 years, Frey has worked as a pediatric gastroenterology dietitian at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, where she helps children with gastrointestinal disorders much like her own. While in high school, she learned that celiac “is just one part of who I am. Navigating that during my teenage years really shaped me. Now, over a decade into my career, I still love what I do — and I can trace so much of that back to my time at Episcopal.”

into Frances Stone Edge a fair amount this summer. North Carolina runs deep!

Speaking of Frances, she and her husband Carl welcomed Audrey Martha Edge on May 30, 2025. Another girl for the Stone family! I tell ya, some people have all the luck.

Claire Channell reminded me that we traveled to NYC in June to attend the baby shower of Haley Morgan Tenney (Baby Ryan Seacrest Tenney en route!) along with our dear good pal Mary Spencer Morten We also met up with Sally Channell ’07 for a musical!

Earlier in the summer, I caught up with Caroline Moncure to live our teenage dreams and see Dead & Company at the Sphere in Vegas. I continue to see Hanes Dunn and Smith Marks often as we are blessed to live in a two-mile radius of each other, and I see Courtney Kershaw Taylor ’03 frequently as we have the same parents. It’s at this point that I have to reveal that Haley did not name her baby after Ryan Seacrest and that Clark Huot Tenney joined our party on August 30th! Call me, beep me, as usual. I love you!

’10

Whitt W. Clement Jr. (C) 804-477-5732

whitt.clement@gmail.com

Joint 15th Reunion with 2011: June 5-6, 2026

A couple of big updates from the Class of 2010…

I was excited to get an inbound update from Morgan Hensley who wrote, “For the first time in 15 years, I have something to share in the alumni magazine. On July 6, Jordan Nulsen McCarthy and Gene

The EHS crew at the wedding of Sara Wilder Bryant Sherrill ’16 and Andrew Sherrill ’16. Top row: Ryan McKernan ’16, Barrett Gess ’16, Jack Kim ’16, Alex Collie ’16, Jack Connor ’16, Andrew Sherrill ’16, Max Smith ’16, Preston Laws ’16, James Sutton ’15, Ben Fortson ’16, and Miles Bivins ’16; Bottom row: Hayley McGhee Hankamer ’16, Sara Wilder Bryant Sherrill ’16, and Emma Carville ’16.

McCarthy welcomed their first child, a beautiful, healthy baby girl, Carson Anne McCarthy! Before her arrival, the parents celebrated with family and friends, including many alumni from The Holy Hill. Tom Gosnell, Anthony Juker, Mary Adams ’11, the incredibly honored godfather, Morgan Hensley, and the absolutely ecstatic and proud grandparents, Charlie ’75 and JoAnn Nulsen!” Keep ’em coming, Morgan.

In other important celebratory news, Charles Gillock married Lily Applefield on May 10, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla. I can attest that it was a very happy celebration. The newlyweds are living in Nashville, Tenn., and enthusiastically welcome visitors. Congrats, Charles!

’11

Connor V. Gallegos (C) 703-919-4833

connorgallegos92@gmail.com

Joint 15th Reunion with 2010: June 5-6, 2026

’12

Celeste H. Jones (C) 434-414-4696

jonescelesteh@gmail.com

Joint 15th Reunion with 2013: June 2028

Ann Mason Phillips ’15 and Timmy Phillips ’15 celebrated their wedding with a large EHS crew in Palm Beach, Fla., on March 8, 2025.

Class Notes

’13

Somer G. Glubiak (C) 804-370-5886 sglubiak@gwu.edu

Joint 15th Reunion with 2012: June 2028

’14

Cici R. Sobin (C) 703-999-1277 cici.sobin@gmail.com

Joint 15th Reunion with 2015: June 2030

’15

Presley G. Goode (C) 804-441-2286 pgoode2@gmail.com

Tyler P. Hartmeyer (C) 516-474-9843 tyler.hartmeyer@gmail.com

Morgan A. Lineberry (C) 205-789-0447 morganlineberry12@gmail.com

Joint 10th Reunion with 2016: June 5-6, 2026

’16

Kelsey M. Anderson (C) 703-624-6968 kelseymanderson4@gmail.com

Andrew Karo II (C) 804-592-9640 andrew@andrewkaro.com

Priscilla B. Barton-Metcalfe (C) 727-410-8746 16bartop@gmail.com

Joint 10th Reunion with 2015: June 5-6, 2026

Johnny Adkins is getting married at the end of September — cowabunga!

Katie Bauer will be a ski instructor in Park City this winter. Come say hi on the slopes!

Sara Wilder Bryant and Andrew Sherrill got married this spring with several classmates in attendance.

Gaet Roux is currently in training to become a chef back home in Paris in a restaurant called Brigade du Tigre. John

Michael Grogan ’19, Grace Moog ’19, Mary Ives Giblin ’19, Parker Driscoll ’19, and Lilly Whitner ’19 in Washington, D.C., together this past summer.

Jack Streed ’17 and Olivia Tucker ’19 in Charleston, S.C., in August 2025.

Barrett Carney ’19, second from right, with her formation flight classmates after their soft winging ceremony in Pensacola, Fla., in August 2025.

Wickham paid him a visit for dinner one night while on a layover in Paris.

Kelsey Anderson completed her master’s in business analytics at UVA in July.

Isabelle Zabriskie is currently doing a secondment/working at the United Nations for the year.

Hayley McGhee Hankamer married Dane Hankamer last fall. They are expecting a baby boy in November.

Porter Geer launched Girl Math Capital, an alternative investing community for women, alongside cofounders Serena Ainslie (Deerfield ’16) and Emma Pratt (Middlesex ’16).

’17

Halle T. Hughes (C) 904-322-2828 hughes.halle@me.com

LizaBanks Campagna (C) 202-650-7687 lizabankscampagna@gmail.com Joint 10th Reunion with 2018: June 2028

William Wiltshire started Harvard Education Grad School.

Philip Brossy, CEO of ADAS Safe, and Keeling Pilaro, VP of Operations of ADAS Safe, are leading the automotive industry in recalibration of ADAS systems post-repair.

Members of the Class of 2019 gathered after a reading of “Blackbird: A Mother’s Reflections on Grief, Loss, and Life After Suicide” in April 2025. Back row from left to right: Paul Pivirotto, Carter Anderson, Will Smith, Michael Grogan, Parker Driscoll, Carson Arp, Bobby Hood. Front row from left to right: Lilly Whitner, Grace Moog, Olivia Tucker, and Olivia Morton.

Evan Lyerly is in year two of medical school at George Washington University.

LizaBanks Campagna is gaining loads of traction on social media from her comedy shows and New York City tour guide content.

Many graduates are engaged or married: Caroline Knutson, Clare Henderson, Duncan Trau, and Maddie Korkowski, to name a few!

’18

Lexi N. Weger (C) 571-721-8585 aweger@princeton.edu

Joint 10th Reunion with 2017: June 2028

’19

Olivia H. Tucker (C) 415-361-1561 olivia.tucker@yale.edu

Lilly F. Whitner (C) 904-504-5027 lfwhitner@gmail.com

Joint 10th Reunion with 2020: June 2030

Barrett Carney reports that she earned her wings from the Air Force this past summer and is moving to North Carolina in the spring to fly on the F-15E.

Kyndall Donalson reports that she graduated with her MS in systems medicine from Georgetown University this pas t spring and s tarted work at George Washington University Hospital in a patient

coordinator position in the cosmetic surgery department.

Bobby Hood reports that he moved to Denver this past summer and started a residency program teaching high school math.

In April, members of the classes of 2018, 2019, and 2020 gathered at The House at 1229 in Washington, D.C., for an event marking the publication of “Blackbird: A Mother’s Reflections on Grief, Loss, and Life After Suicide,” written by Betsy Stephenson, the mother of Charlie Stephenson Blackbird can be found on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and wherever books are sold.

’20

South Wallace III (C) 843-973-0626

csw3ve@virginia.edu

Joint 5th Reunion with 2021: June 5-6, 2026

’21

Class Correspondents Needed

If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

Joint 5th Reunion with 2020: June 5-6, 2026

’22

Hannah Boone (C) 703-869-3661

boone.hannah14@gmail.com

Joint 5th Reunion with 2023: June 2028

’23

Class Correspondents Needed

If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

Joint 5th Reunion with 2022: June 2028

Juliet Faris ’19 and Olivia Tucker ’19 on a sunrise hike in Denver, Colo., in June 2025.

Kyndall Donalson ’19 earned her MS from Georgetown University in May 2025.

’24

Amelia Hanson

amelia.hanson@tufts.edu (C) 843-696-9726

Joint 5th Reunion with 2025: June 2030

’25

Class Correspondents Needed

If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

Joint 5th Reunion with 2024: June 2030

Longtime arts faculty member Liz Vorlicek and Annie Thomas ’22 at the Penland School of Crafts. Annie visited Liz while she was completing a professional development workshop at the school.

Mary Preston Singletary ’20, Cooper Redd ’20, Grace Baldwin ’18, Didi Tyree ’19, McKenna Gribbon ’19, Sophie Singletary ’18, and South Wallace ’20 participated in the Annual Run For Charlie Stephenson ’19 to honor his memory three years after his tragic passing. They participated along with countless Episcopal alumni, TCU alumni, and friends and family of Charlie from all around the country.

Several members of the Class of 2024 ran with the bulls this summer: Thomas Wood, Alexander Brady, Josh Hwang, Ian Crews, and Emre Sensoy.

Logan Dearing ’25 was recently selected as one of 11 recipients of the “A Seat at the Table” Scholarship at Spelman College.

Births and New Arrivals

Email alumni@episcopalhighschool.org with news of births, adoptions, and other family additions.

Frederick Davis Poisson IV to Davis ’99 and Tate Poisson in February 2025

Constance “Coco” Peace Dodd to Annie Johnston Dodd ’01 and Andy Dodd on December 15, 2024

Caspian Wylder Brown to Tim Brown ’02 and Jessica Bishop on February 13, 2025

Margaret “Fields” Farrar to Lyle ’04 and Loftin Farrar on July 8, 2025

Malia Jones to Gabe Jones ’05 and Rene Herbert on February 22, 2025

Elizabeth “Betsy” Douglas Jacob to Reade ’06 and Claire Jacob on April 2, 2025

Susan “Lily” Sheridan Cobb to Susanna McElroy Cobb ’06 and John Cobb on February 14, 2025

Barnes Fogartie to Preston Kelly Fogartie ’06 and Douglass Fogartie in June 2025

Dahlia Evelyn Morris-Hess and Artemis Guinevere Morris-Hess to Cher Morris ’06 and Malcom Hess in June 2025

Martha “Mattie” Ward Truemper and William “Will” Bryles Truemper to Julia Cammack Truemper ’06 and John Truemper in March 2025

Gordon Douglas Calder to Sallie Madden Calder ’07 and Stewart Calder on July 23, 2025

Charlie Barbour Evans to Molly Barber Evans ’07 and Paul Evans on June 7, 2025

Paz Sophia Cannone to Caroline Kelso ’07 and Frankie Cannone on May 8, 2025

Walter James Leva to Jeb ’07 and Lauren Leva on May 23, 2025

George Alan Britton to Marina Myers Britton ’08 and Colin Britton on June 8, 2025

Wolf Richey to John ’08 and Emily Richey on December 31, 2024

Forrest Taylor Robison Jr. to Taylor ’07 and Kathryn Robison on February 6, 2025

Lucy Temple Barber to Sarah Chase Webber Barber ’09 and Doug Barber on May 24, 2025

Franny DuBose to Bess Trotter Dubose ’09 and Hill DuBose ’09 in May 2025

Audrey Martha Edge to Frances Stone Edge ’09 and Carl Edge on May 30, 2025

Clark Huot Tenney to Haley Morgan Tenney ’09 and Max Tenney on August 30, 2025

Carson Anne McCarthy to Jordan Nulsen McCarthy ’10 and Gene McCarthy ’10 on July 6, 2025

Sadiq Zain Abubakar III to Sadiq ’11 and Ashley Abubakar in June 2025

Marriages

Email alumni@episcopalhighschool.org with news of any and all matrimonial unions.

John Dixon ’80 to Nichelle Rizk on April 12, 2025

Allison Priebe Montgomery ’94 to Colonel John Patrick Montgomery on March 15, 2025

Liza Sarn Henson ’01 to Breck Henson on October 4, 2024

Tim Brown ’02 to Jessica Bishop in November 2024

Maggie Canby Adan ’03 to Drew Adan on May 25, 2025

Alex Hess ’08 to Valerie Trawinski on April 26, 2025

Charles Gillock ’10 to Lily Applefield on May 10, 2025

Quinn Lyerly ’15 to Clara Brown on September 6, 2025

Ann Mason Phillips ’15 to Timmy Phillips ’15 on March 8, 2025

Sara Wilder Bryant ’16 to Andrew Sherrill ’16 on May 3, 2025

Hayley McGhee Hankamer ’16 to Dane Hankamer on September 1, 2024

Reid Jamieson Brookover ’20 to Greg Brookover on June 7, 2025

In Memoriam

In Memoriam includes deceased alumni as reported to Episcopal High School on or before September 29, 2025.

We are proud to honor each departed member of our community and celebrate the contributions each made to Episcopal and their respective communities. Scan to read their full obituaries.

Mr. Bernard Manning ’43 of Columbia, S.C., on December 19, 2024

At Episcopal, Mr. Manning was a member of Stewart Advisory Committee and choir. He also ran fall and spring track.

Mr. Manning is survived by his four children, many nieces and nephews, including Richard Irvine Manning Jr. ’73, and cousins. He was predeceased by his brother Richard Irvine Manning ’39.

Mr. Robert Tupper Barrett Jr. ’46 of Philadelphia, Pa., on July 11, 2023

At Episcopal, Mr. Barrett was a member of Blackford Literary Society, Missionary Society, and dramatics. He also ran varsity track.

Mr. Barrett is survived by his daughter and two nieces. He is predeceased by his brother Robert South Barrett IV ’44

Dr. C. Conrad Johnston Jr. ’47 of Indianapolis, Ind., on January 22, 2024

At Episcopal, Dr. Johnston was a member of Missionary Society, Blackford Literary Society, and served as a Monitor. He played tennis, ran winter track, and was a member of B-Team football squad. He also received the Whittle Prize in 1945.

Dr. Johnston is survived by his wife Marjorie, two children, and two grandchildren.

Mr. John Reid Murchison II ’47 of Wilmington, N.C., on June 28, 2025

At Episcopal, Mr. Murchison was a member of S.A.E., Blackford Literary Society, Missionary Society, and The Chronicle. He ran track and played varsity tennis.

Mr. Murchison is survived by his son John Reid Murchison III ’72, four grandchildren, including Clare Murchison Powers ’04, eight great-grandchildren, three nephews, including Beverley P. Eggleston III ’62 , David Murchison Eggleston ’65 , and John Carrington Eggleston ’72, two cousins, Lillian Smith Teer ’00 and Eliza Smith Dunn ’02, six nieces, seven great-nieces, and eight great-nephews. He is predeceased by his cousin Lawrence Gray Sprunt ’45.

Mr. Charles Joseph “C.J.” Nager Jr. ’48 of Bradenton, Fla., on February 3, 2025

At Episcopal, Mr. Nager was a member of Stewart Advisory Committee. He also played 130 football, Centennial basketball, and Greenway baseball.

Mr. Nager is survived by his wife Kathleen, three sons, including Thomas Dwight Nager ’84, five grandchildren, and a great-grandson.

Mr. James Hardtner “Jim” Blake ’48 of Fullerton, Calif., on December 2, 2024

At Episcopal, Mr. Blake was a member of Missionary Society. He played Centennial basketball and spring tennis. He also served as a schoolroom keeper.

Mr. Blake is survived by his wife JoAnn, daughter, great-nieces and great-nephews, including Philip Lyman Faris ’13, Caroline Juliet Faris ’19, Annabel Rose Dinnerstein ’07, Blake Andrew Rose ’04, and Stephen Hardtner Faris ’16, and three grandchildren. He is predeceased by his brothers William Dows Blake ’51 and Henry Ernest Blake ’57

Mr. Richard Cocke ’48 of Richmond, Va., on January 23, 2025

At Episcopal, Mr. Cocke was a member of Blackford Literary Society. He played varsity basketball and Greenway baseball. He was also on the 1947 varsity football team that was inducted into the Hall of Fame in November 2009.

Mr. Cocke is survived by his wife Susan, two children, four grandchildren, two stepchildren, and four stepgrandchildren.

Mr. Austin Bartholomew Sayre Jr. ’48 of Garwood, N.J., on February 11, 2025

At Episcopal, Mr. Sayre was a member of Missionary Society and E Club. He played varsity football, ran spring track, and was on the Centennial basketball team.

Mr. Sayre is survived by four children, eleven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. He is predeceased by his brother F. Stuart Sayre ’45.

Mr. Henry Winston Holt III ’49 of Hanover, N.H., on May 8, 2025

At Episcopal, Mr. Holt was a member of Whispers, Missionary Society, and Grins & Grimaces. He ran varsity track and was on the B-squad football team.

Mr. Holt is survived by his son H. Winston Holt IV ’82, daughter, and five grandchildren, including Sophie Lee Holt ’15, Isabelle Caperton Holt ’18, and Virginia Neely Holt ’20 . He is predeceased by his father, H. Winston Holt Jr. 1913, and his uncle, Frank D. Williams ’33

Dr. John Sloan Warner ’49 of Nashville, Tenn., on May 13, 2025

At Episcopal, Dr. Warner was a member of Whispers, The Chronicle, Missionary Society, choir, Grins & Grimaces, and Blackford Literary Society, and also served as a manager for varsity basketball. He was co-alternate captain of 130 football team and played Centennial basketball and JV baseball.

Dr. Warner is survived by his three children and six grandchildren.

In Memoriam

Dr. Julian Dantzler Kelly Jr. ’51 of Savannah, Ga., on February 13, 2021

At Episcopal, Dr. Kelly was a member of The Chronicle, Whispers, dramatics, glee club, Missionary Society, rifle team, and served as a Monitor. He played JV football and soccer and ran varsity track. He also received the Whittle Prize in 1951 and English Composition medal in 1951.

Dr. Kelly is survived by his wife Carolyn, two sons, daughter, two grandchildren, two stepsons, and stepdaughter-in-law.

Mr. Minor Lee Marston ’51 of Severna Park, Md., on August 19, 2025

At Episcopal, Mr. Marston served as a Monitor and co-captain of squash. He was a member of Whispers, Missionary Society, Fairfax Literary Society, dramatics, Follies, Grins & Grimaces, and Wilmer Literary Society. Mr. Marston also played varsity football and tennis and was on the wrestling team.

Mr. Marston is survived by his wife Sylvia, son Christopher Haines Marston ’82, three daughters, and seven grandchildren. He is predeceased by his father Harvey Lee Marston 1925, brother John Haines Marston ’58, and uncle Oliver Jackson Marston ’30.

Mr. William Walker

“Bill” Dixon ’52 of Atlanta, Ga., on May 3, 2025

At Episcopal, Mr. Dixon was a member of the Honor Committee, Egypt, Missionary Society, E Club, and Blackford Literary Society. He ran track, played varsity football, and was on the wrestling team. He also served as a Monitor and a waiter. Mr. Dixon received the football trophy in 1952. Mr. Dixon is survived by his wife Mary, daughter, son-in-law, two grandsons, and two nephews. He is predeceased by his brother Thomas Hume Dixon Jr. ’55

Captain

Armand Tise Eyler Jr. ’52 of Peachtree City, Ga., on February 26, 2025

At Episcopal, Capt. Eyler served as a Head Monitor, vice president of choir, vice president and treasurer of Fairfax Literary Society, chairman of hop committee, Head of Post Office, and waiter. He was a member of the Honor Committee, E.H.S. News, Missionary Society, glee club, Follies, E Club, and Egypt. He ran varsity track, played varsity football, served as the captain of the soccer team, and co-captain of the rifle team. In 1952, he also received the W.A.R. Goodwin Jr. Memorial award.

Capt. Eyler is survived by his wife Devy and his family.

Mr. Edward Thomas “Ted” Merry Jr. ’52 of Coffeeville, Ala., on December 9, 2024

At Episcopal, Mr. Merry was a member of Whispers, Wilmer Literary Society, E Club, and glee club. He served as a Monitor, secretary of the rifle team, and schoolroom keeper. He also played varsity football, JV basketball, and ran track.

Mr. Merry is survived by his stepdaughter, sister, nephew, nieces, and ten great-nieces and great-nephews.

Mr. Malcolm Philemon “Mac” Woodward ’53 of Charlottesville, Va., on April 20, 2023

At Episcopal, Mr. Woodward was a member of Missionary Society, Whispers, Fairfax Literary Society, press club, Egypt, and served as a Monitor and manager for varsity football. He also played tennis.

Mr. Woodward is survived by his son, daughter, and two stepchildren.

Prof. John Gill Holland ’54 of Davidson, N.C., on February 24, 2025

At Episcopal, Prof. Holland was a member of E Club, Egypt, dramatics, press club, Whispers, and the 1953 Athletics Hall of Fame football team. He served as a Monitor, President and Vice-President of Fairfax Literary Society, and an usher. He played varsity football and tennis, and was on the wrestling team. Prof. Holland earned the Johns Prize in 1952, Whittle Prize in 1953 and 1954, Harvard Prize Book in 1953, J.C. Herbert Bryant Scholarship Medal in 1954, and the Chemistry prize. Prof. Holland was also the Valedictorian in 1954.

Prof. Holland is survived by his wife Siri, three children, including son John Gill Holland Jr. ’83, daughter-in-law Augusta Brown Holland ’94, and eleven grandchildren, including Lilla Brooke Holland ’28.

Mr. Robert Cameron Cooke ’55 of Greensboro, N.C., on May 11, 2025

At Episcopal, Mr. Cooke was a member of E Club, Whispers, glee club, choir, dramatics, Blackford Literary Society, Egypt, and served as the chairman of hop committee. He also played varsity football, ran track, and was on the wrestling team.

Mr. Cooke is survived by his wife Ann, three children, ten grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

Mr. Thomas Benbury “Tommy” Wood ’55 of Edenton, N.C., on May 28, 2025

At Episcopal, Mr. Wood was a member of glee club, choir, Egypt, and Fairfax Literary Society. He played basketball and tennis, ran track, and served as the alternate captain for JV football.

Mr. Wood is survived by his son Thomas Benbury Paxton Wood ’ 93 , daughter-in-law, daughter, son-inlaw, and six grandchildren, including Thomas Paxton Badham Wood ’24 , Adam Russell Wood ’26 , and Anne Blair Wood ’28

The Honorable Nelson Ticknor Durden ’56 of Charlotte, N.C., on March 19, 2025

At Episcopal, The Hon. Durden was a member of Whispers, The Chronicle, dramatics, and Blackford Literary Society. He played football, baseball, and was on the wrestling team. He also served as a Monitor and Head Cheerleader.

The Hon. Durden is survived by his daughter, son Edmund Nelson Durden ’88, four grandchildren, including Jane Randolph Durden ’20 and Suzanne Page Durden ’22. He is predeceased by his brother-in-law Owen Morris Jr. ’56.

Prof. Donald Curran Shoup ’56 of Los Angeles, Calif., on February 6, 2025

At Episcopal, Prof. Shoup played tennis. Prof. Shoup is survived by his wife Pat and brother Francis Elliott Shoup III ’51

In Memoriam

Dr. John Christopher Burch Jr. ’57 of Nashville, Tenn., on February 25, 2025

At Episcopal, Dr. Burch was a member of dramatics and served as treasurer for the rifle team. He also played JV football and ran winter and varsity track.

Dr. Burch is survived by his brother Lucius Edward Burch III ’59 , two daughters, and granddaughter.

Mr. Middleton Elliott Randolph Jr. ’61 of Baltimore, Md., on November 21, 2024

At Episcopal, Mr. Randolph was a member of the Honor Committee, hop committee, E Club, students committee, and Missionary Society. He served as a Senior Monitor, waiter, Head Cheerleader, and assistant coach for JV football. He ran winter and varsity track. He was also the president of choir and vice president of glee club.

Mr. Randolph is survived by his wife Nancy, son Middleton Elliott Randolph III ’93, daughter, sister, and four grandchildren. He is predeceased by his father Middleton Elliott Randolph 1925.

Mr. John Randolph “Randy” Williams Jr. ’62 of Chestnut Hill, Pa., on April 9, 2025

At Episcopal, Mr. Williams was a member of E Club, Missionary Society, Blackford Literary Society, and A.A. Shop. He played tennis, was on the varsity wrestling team, and ran varsity track. He also served as a waiter.

Mr. Williams is survived by his wife Nancy, son, daughter, three grandchildren, brother Daniel Wilkin Williams ’66 , niece Elizabeth Williams Gupton ’96, and nephew Christopher Rankin Williams ’06.

Dr. William Klipstein Harryman III ’66 of The Villages, Fla., on January 3, 2021

At Episcopal, Dr. Harryman was a member of Wilmer Literary Society, Missionary Society, Blackford Literary Society, E Club, Whispers, and The Chronicle. He played junior, JV, and varsity football, varsity lacrosse, winter track, and was on the varsity wrestling and Greenway baseball team. He also served as an usher. Dr. Harryman received the Boyd Taylor Cummings Medal for publications and the Thos. E Kilby III Medal for Chemistry.

Dr. Harryman is survived by his wife Susan and brothers Robert MacGregor Harryman ’73 and John Decker Harryman ’73 . He is predeceased by his father William Klipstein Harryman Jr. ’38

A

O God of grace and glory, we remember before you this day the departed members of our community.

We thank you for giving them to us, their family and friends, to know and to love as companions on our earthly pilgrimage.

In your boundless compassion, console all who mourn. Give us faith to see in death the gate of eternal life, so that in quiet confidence we may continue our course on Earth, until, by your call, we are reunited with those who have gone before; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Prayer from School Chaplain Rev. Betsy Carmody

Mr. Heth Tyler Thomas ’66 of Norfolk, Va., on March 18, 2023

At Episcopal, Mr. Thomas was a member of E Club, Grins & Grimaces, choir, glee club, lounge committee, Missionary Society, Blackford Literary Society, Wilmer Literary Society, The Chronicle, and served as a schoolroom keeper. He played JV football, varsity soccer, and varsity baseball.

Mr. Thomas is survived by his wife Elizabeth, three children, five grandchildren, two brothers-in-law, two sistersin-law, and many nieces and nephews, including Virginia Tyler Duerson ’12.

Mr. Charles Hunt Brown III ’75 of Madison, Ga., on July 18, 2025

At Episcopal, Mr. Brown was a member of stage crew, acolyte, chess club, and Whispers. He also played cake football, tennis, and was on the wrestling team.

Mr. Brown is survived by his two sisters, sister-in-law, three nephews, two nieces, and eight great-nieces and nephews.

Mr. Carlton Leon Johnson ’75 of Richmond, Va., on February 4, 2025

At Episcopal, Mr. Johnson was a member of choir, Daemon, E Club, Honor Commit tee, Student Curric ulum Committee, and Monitorial Review Board. He served as Editor-in-Chief of Whispers, co-head Cheerleader, and Monitor. He played junior football and ran varsity winter and spring track. He also received the 1975 Boyd Cummings Medal for Best Work on School Publications.

Mr. Johnson is survived by his wife Mihoko, father, brothers Wayne Leander Johnson ’80 and Danard Lee Johnson ’83, sons, and five grandchildren.

Mr. Sheldon Wells Turner ’03 of Charlotte, N.C., on April 8, 2025

At Episcopal, Mr. Turner played varsity football and was the captain of the varsity wrestling team.

Mr. Turner is survived by his parents, sister, three half-siblings, nephew, and many extended family members.

Mr. Thomas Stafford Graham ’07 of Glenwood Springs, Colo., on May 4, 2025

At Episcopal, Mr. Graham was a member of afternoon music. He also played fall tennis, junior bask e tball, junior lacrosse, ran cross country, and served as a track manager.

Mr. Graham is survived by his mother, cousin Susan Preston Kelly Fogartie ’06 , stepbrothers Gaillard Townsend Dotterer Jr. ’81 and William Moultrie Dotterer ’82, and stepnephew Gaillard Townsend Dotterer III ’11. He is predeceased by his stepfather Gaillard Townsend Dotterer ’54.

Mrs. Roberta Bryan “Berta” Bocock of Richmond, Va., on July 8, 2025

Mrs. Bocock served on the Board of Trustees from 1984 to 1990 and again from 1993 to 1999. She is survived by her four children, including sons John Holmes Bocock ’82 and Alexander Hamilton Bocock ’86. Mrs. Bocock was honored with Episcopal’s Distinguished Service Award in 1990. She is predeceased by her husband Frederic Scott Bocock ’50.

“whenthenextstorm hits...” “when the next storm hits...”

IN A CHAPEL TALK THIS FALL, AMY BRAINE ’26 REFLECTED ON THE DEVASTATION OF HURRICANE HELENE IN SEPTEMBER 2024. IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE NATURAL DISASTER, WITH NO SENSE OF WHEN HER SCHOOL WOULD REOPEN AGAIN, BRAINE TOOK MATTERS INTO HER OWN HANDS AND FOUND HOPE AGAIN AT EHS.

Nothing can prepare you for when the impossible happens. Suddenly, there is no sense of direction, no road forward, and you are simply lost. Just over a year ago, the unthinkable happened: a hurricane hit three hundred miles inland and two thousand feet above sea level. My home became a headline. Everything I was accustomed to in life changed overnight. In search of a path forward, I sat on the curb of a random hotel in downtown Asheville, N.C., as I desperately tried to get a signal. I could smell the sweat and grime radiating from the hundreds of people around me, and from myself.

A man sat beside me. The bags under his eyes were dark and prominent, and he had layers of dirt on his legs that matched mine. He began to talk to himself, announcing random little things around us, repeating over and over, “Praise the Lord.” Though we had never met before, I understood this stranger. Our matching smudges of dirt and greasy hair bonded us in ways unspoken. I gave him the rest of my water, and we shared what we’d experienced these past few days. He talked about what he’d seen down along the river. I told him about all I witnessed, and the little girl’s hot pink rain jacket up in a tree that my mind couldn’t shake. This had to have been a peculiar scene: hundreds of the most random people, all of whom live in the same small town yet hardly cross paths, pleading at their phones to work, all facing the hotel but none going in, none with suitcases, no tourists.

I stood there, praying for my phone to ring, just a chance for my call to go through. Word of mouth had told me I could

get WiFi for a moment here if I was lucky. Finally, I heard my brother’s voice. He has always been strong, but now his voice was shaking and quiet, something I’d never heard before. Normally, our conversations consisted of lightheartedly teasing each other, mostly me to him. This time was different. Our call consisted of escape routes, potable water, gasoline, and tears before I lost connection.

I hadn’t showered in a week. My meals had come down to cold refried beans and stale Honey Nut Cheerios. Despite this, much of my stress was consumed by my education, or rather, the lack of it. Schools were closed indefinitely with no timeline for reopening. I felt guilty for even thinking about this given that daily necessities were scarce, yet I couldn’t get it off my mind. On a singular bar of WiFi, I looked up Episcopal High School on my phone, and typed a jumble of likely incoherent words under “inquire.” The odds that my message would even go through were slim-to-none. But I was desperate. I didn’t dare tell anyone, not even my parents. I was too ashamed. I felt selfish worrying about school when we were all struggling to get so much as clean water.

Weeks had passed, and I was sitting on my Grandma’s porch in Georgia trying to make sense of my life, find some sort of certainty. Nothing made sense anymore. My mom walked in and, with a perplexed look, showed me an email from Mr. Conklin, my soon-to-be advisor. To say she was caught off guard would be an understatement (I’m sorry about that, Mom and Dad). Just a few days later, my whole world was packed away into her car as we drove into the future. I was terrified.

Somewhere along the way, this place — one that was once so foreign and so scary — became home.

Hurricane Helene was by far the hardest thing I’ve ever experienced, but much of that was in the aftermath. My first few months at Episcopal were a blur; I had no sense of familiarity and a deep, quiet loneliness that felt like it would never go away. I struggled just as hard in the classroom, especially in calculus. Math, my favorite subject, felt like a foreign language I could no longer grasp. I couldn’t seem to let myself be anything other than sad, it just felt wrong; my mind would always wander back home, back to that hot pink rain jacket up in the tree. I questioned every decision that had led me here. But, every day, I told myself, “If I can survive a hurricane, I can survive this.”

And so I did. It didn’t happen instantaneously, but slowly, I went from just barely getting by to actually living. Others believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. I especially want to thank Mr. Stubbs for his tough love and simultaneously having faith in me while always pushing me to do my best; Mr. Slack for being such an unwavering support system; Dr. Fryar for helping me to make sense of the unimaginable; and my mom and dad for all the love and opportunities they have given me. I began to realize I wasn’t so alone in this. Somewhere along the way, this place — one that was once so foreign and so scary — became home.

I know that this experience is something that will forever be a part of who I am. Every day, I think about what it was like to live through the hurricane, and I probably always will. Standing here now, though, I recognize that the hardest, scariest change of my life was also one of the best things to ever

happen to me. Now, this isn’t to say that I am grateful for a category four hurricane, but rather that I’m grateful for who I’ve become because of it. I have emerged stronger, braver, and more open to the unknown.

All of us will face moments when life feels like a hurricane: when you’re lost, when everything familiar is gone, when the future feels so uncertain. What I’ve learned, though, is that change isn’t always something to be afraid of. It may be the very thing you need.

Maybe you’re living in the aftermath of your storm right now. Maybe you’re sitting on that curb outside of a hotel, feeling hopeless and uncertain. Maybe your storm hasn’t come yet. No matter where you are or how you feel, I can say with full certainty that you are not alone, and it will not always feel like this. Change is hard; there’s no denying that. However, stagnation doesn’t get you anywhere. Growth comes from discomfort and starting over. The hardest moments in your life are often the most formative. There will be more things in my future that I have no control over and there will be in yours, too. I’m not so scared of this anymore though, because I know now that even in the middle of the flooding and wreckage, things will turn out okay.

When the next storm hits, whether it be loud or quiet, I hope you remember you are stronger than you know, and you will never be alone, especially in this community. What seems like the end of the world may just be the beginning of something wonderful, even life-changing.

Amy Braine ’26 (right) with Louise Williamson ’26

703-933-3000 1-877-EHS-1839

www.episcopalhighschool.org

Change Service Requested

Permit No. 105

Since 2020, Compline has become a treasured part of spiritual life at Episcopal. Run entirely by the Vestry, the 20-minute evening service takes place outside twice a week. According to Vestry members Ari Perry ’27 and Taylor Pulsifer ’26, Compline “promotes a sense of community through our faith and gives others an outlet at the end of long academic days to enjoy peace, reflection, and the company of their peers.” In October, the group partnered with the Alliance of Asian Cultures & Experiences to celebrate the Moon Festival on Front Drive.