MAGAZINE SUMMER 2020
“TOGETHER, WE THRIVE…”
HONORING THE CLASS OF 2020 IN AN UNPRECEDENTED YEAR
BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2020–2021
Miss Lucia Anna Trigiani, Chair Mr. Michael P. Corkery, Vice Chair Mr. Gary D. Rappaport, Treasurer Mr. John M. Thomas, Secretary Ms. Alexandra L. Bettius ‘03 Mr. Taylor O. Chess Mr. Harry E. Dean III Mrs. Shawn W. Fraser Ms. Amelia Hay Mrs. Linnie M. Haynesworth Mrs. Miki Toliver King Mrs. Lisa R. Lisker Mr. Michael W. Mendler Mr. David W. Middleton Mr. Richard P. Moxley Mr. Terry A. Nelson Mr. Terry Y. Pao Mr. Prem J. Pillai Mrs. Liza Wright Renner Mr. Timothy R. Rupli Dr. Richard A. Stone Mr. Hugh E. Taylor Mr. John M. Wasson Dr. Howard-John Wesley Mr. David S. Wiley
TRUSTEES EMERITI
Mr. John T. Hazel Jr., Founding Chair Emeritus Sister Martha Carpenter, O.S.F. Mr. Edward R. Carr Mr. Otis D. Coston Jr. Mr. John M. Dowd The Honorable Johanna L. Fitzpatrick Mr. Richard J. Hendrix Mr. Paul C. Kincheloe Jr. Mr. Michael C. McCarey Mr. William N. Melton Mr. Norris E. Mitchell The late Reverend Edwin M. Ward
CONTENTS 2 A Socially-Distanced Commencement Week 4 “Together, we thrive …” Honoring the Class of 2020 in an Unprecedented Year 8 College Athletic Commitments 10 Voices of the Class of 2020 16 Essential in a Momentous Time 22 Quarantined Abroad
EDITOR
Angela Brown, ambrown@flinthill.org
STAFF CONTRIBUTOR
Jackie Viteri, jviteri@flinthill.org
STUDENT CONTRIBUTOR
Megan Johnson ’20
MAGAZINE DESIGNER
Eve Shade, eshade@flinthill.org
ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
Meredith Cook VanDuyne, mvanduyne@flinthill.org
DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS
Maria Graceffa Taylor, mtaylor@flinthill.org
PHOTO CONTRIBUTORS
FREED Spirit Photography
3320 Jermantown Road, Oakton, VA 22124 flinthill.org
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LETTER FROM THE HEADMASTER Dear Flint Hill School Community, This has been the most incredible year on so many levels. From great successes in the classroom all year long — even virtually — to incredible student-artists sharing their talents on a daily basis and continued athletic prowess, this year began seemingly normally and predictably. Then Spring Break hit and we learned how severe the coronavirus pandemic was going to be. We had to re-group and shift into distance learning. There also was a focused effort on helping the members of our Senior Class feel celebrated at a time when all of the traditional spring milestones that mark senior year were stripped away. In this issue of the magazine, in an article written by this year’s SCA President Megan Johnson, you will hear from some of those seniors as they reflect on their experiences graduating from high school in quarantine. You will also read about some of our reimagined events for this year, including a virtual Senior-Alumni Move-Up Day and a socially-distanced Diploma Awarding Ceremony. We have also witnessed national and global upheaval as a result of COVID-19, and our hearts are broken as so many people continue to be impacted by the pandemic. Among them are Flint Hill alumni living abroad or working on the front lines — we will share some of their stories with you too. These interviews were conducted during the spring and early summer, and are a testament to how quickly “COVID time” passes and the significant changes that can occur. Some of our alumni living abroad shared their reflections about international cities reopening and life returning to “normal.” And yet, today, we are hearing more and more about cases rising and cities around the world scaling back their plans. We are truly living in unprecedented times. One thing that is clear is that our core values aren’t just words, but actions. And as Huskies, we are a team. We are motivated to do our best and committed to being persistent and resilient and doing what is right. And all of that happens with the “Driving Spirit” I have always admired as part of our school experience. I hope that during this summer you have all been able to get some rest, stay safe and stay well. No matter what is going on in the world around us, Flint Hill continues to move forward and our graduates are continuing to go out into the world and make a difference. Best wishes to you! Sincerely,
John M. Thomas Headmaster Flint Hill Magazine
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A SOCIALLY-DISTANCED COMMENCEMENT WEEK What should have been Commencement Week looked and felt very different this year, with a series of virtual events and a car parade scheduled to honor this historic class.
SENIOR-ALUMNI MOVE-UP DAY
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On Monday, June 8, we hosted a virtual Senior-Alumni Move-up Day. Usually followed by the Headmaster’s Senior Dinner, this event is one tradition sponsored by the Alumni Office to welcome seniors into the Flint Hill alumni community.
The second session, “Budgeting in the Real World,” was led by Flint Hill faculty members Doug Schoemer and Desmond Frost. During this event, seniors learned how to write a check, the ins and outs of using credit cards, and advice for setting up a budget for college and beyond.
Designed to help prepare seniors for life beyond Flint Hill, the program included two workshops. The first, “LinkedIn 101,” was led by Zane Homsi ’15, who works as a strategy & analytics program analyst for LinkedIn and is the founder of Students+, “the go-to place for students navigating the job search amidst the Coronavirus pandemic.” During the session, seniors learned best practices for using LinkedIn, including setting up their profiles and optimizing them for online networking. Homsi emphasized that the Flint Hill alumni community is tightknit, and alumni are always available to support new Flint Hill grads with securing internships, job searches and networking.
Although the seniors couldn’t gather together in person for the Headmaster’s Dinner that evening, Mr. Thomas addressed the class virtually to let them know how incredibly proud he was of their perseverance, positive attitudes and grit.
Flint Hill School
GRADUATES RECOGNITION CEREMONY AND CAR PARADE On Friday, June 12, our originally-scheduled Commencement day, Headmaster John Thomas and Director of the Upper School Rico Reed hosted our first-ever virtual Graduates Recognition Ceremony. During the event, Mr. Thomas made remarks and officially declared our seniors to be graduates of Flint Hill School. Seniors were invited to wear their cap, gown and tassel and enjoy the tassel switching moment with their families while they watched the livestream.
After the brief ceremony, each senior’s photo and college choice was displayed on screen. That afternoon, with permission from the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Department, Flint Hill hosted a special car parade for the Senior Class to allow them to return to campus to see one another, their teachers and friends in the other Upper School grades before officially starting the summer.
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“TOGETHER, WE THRIVE …”
HONORING THE CLASS OF 2020 IN AN UNPRECEDENTED YEAR
A GLOBAL HEALTH CRISIS. Civil unrest. And
renewed demand for equality and justice. These themes were the backdrop for the end of the Class of 2020’s senior year, and were highlighted in the speeches, delivered virtually, by Valedictorian C.J. Nkenchor and Salutatorians Julianne Cuevo and Simon Van Der Weide on July 28. In the weeks following the death of George Floyd, the Black Lives Matter movement regained national and international attention as millions took to the streets to protest police brutality. With the complicated history of race in America under ongoing scrutiny, Nkenchor, who will attend Harvard University, passionately
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shared that members of this Class of 2020 are uniquely positioned to bring about critical change. “At the center of this unprecedented storm, we have been chosen as its necessary calm. Class of 2020, we have been chosen for such a time as this … I find it fateful, not coincidental that both the [discomfort] of this pandemic and protests have been sent to us as a package. I believe this is a test. We are to provide the care to this package … This time we are in evokes a profound allusion to Martin Luther King Jr.’s words that ‘injustice anywhere is a threat to justice anywhere.’ And with sincere belief, I add that a threat to injustice anywhere is hope for justice everywhere.”
CUEVO, who will attend Vassar College, cited examples
of the activism led by members of the Senior Class within our halls. “Just like the oft-invoked ‘real world,’ Flint Hill struggles with issues of injustice. Members of this class not only recognized it but took a stand. We analyzed and called out systems of inequality in a place that has traditionally been a bastion of privilege. Senior girls led a large-scale demonstration against misogyny, and I think there were more conversations about systemic racism in [Upper School English Teacher] Ms. Peterson’s classroom this year than many people have in their entire lifetimes. There is still so much work to do. It is my greatest hope that both this class and those who come after us may fight ever more tirelessly for a future where all are free.”
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VAN DER WEIDE, who will attend Yale
University, shared his classmates’ sentiments about the impact their class can have in the future, emphasizing the importance of celebrating our differences. “... as Maya Angelou writes in her poem, ‘Human Family,’ we are more alike than we are unalike. While we may speak different languages, have differences on the surface, or hold different beliefs, we are all one species. Together, we thrive; together, we will accomplish the impossible, never-before-dreamed things of tomorrow.”
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On July 29, beneath a cloudless sky, members of the Senior Class participated in our first-ever outdoor Diploma Awarding Ceremony. With social distancing measures in place — including seniors arriving and participating in “mini-ceremonies” by advisory — families parked drive-in movie style to watch their graduates collect their diplomas from Headmaster John Thomas and Director of the Upper School Rico Reed. After this extraordinary year, we can’t wait to see what they do next.
FLINT HILL'S CLASS OF 2020 BY THE NUMBERS
1121 college applications submitted to 269 schools
Highlights from a class who graduated during a year like no other.
3 National Merit Finalists 142 students completed their senior year online
12 National Merit Commended Students
29 students self-designed their Senior Projects
1 valedictorian featured on the TODAY Show’s #VirtualPlaza Flint Hill Magazine
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COLLEGE ATHLETIC COMMITMENTS
BRENDAN ALBRITTAIN Baseball, Radford University, Division I SOPHIA BISHOP Soccer, Babson College, Division III MAX BLOOM Soccer, Christopher Newport University, Division III NOEL BROWN Basketball, George Washington University, Division I LOGAN COPELAND Football, Frostburg State University, Division II GINA D’ANGELO Lacrosse, Elon University, Division I
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JUSTICE ELLISON Football, Wake Forest University, Division I ZACH GARCIA Football, Delaware State University, Division I JAYLIN HERTZ Football, Bridgewater College, Division III PAUL KARCH Soccer, Belmont University, Division I ERICKA LINK Volleyball, Elon University, Division I CALVIN LUCIDO Cross Country, Track & Field, Bowdoin College, Division III LUCY JANE MAGRUDER Lacrosse, Whitman College, Division III
CHARLIE MILLER Lacrosse, Stevenson University, Division III OLIVER MILLS Diving, University of Virginia, Division I MOLLY PAULSEN Field Hockey, Franklin & Marshall College, Division III DENVER PUGH Volleyball, California State University, Bakersfield, Division I SYDNEY REED Volleyball, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Division I LAUREN SALEWSKI Volleyball, Roanoke College, Division III DANNY STONE Lacrosse, Grove City College, Division III JOEY THOMAS Baseball, Washington University in St. Louis, Division III ELIJAH WASSON Football, Wingate University, Division II
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VOICES OF THE CLASS OF 2020 By Megan Johnson ’20
When I was a freshman in high school I always looked up to the seniors. I thought that one day I would be in their shoes going to prom, saying goodbye to underclassmen at the Closing Ceremony, celebrating graduation, and getting ready to go to college. I believed that 2020 was the best graduating year. Something about having all even numbers and it being the start of a new decade was very satisfying to me. My parents told me when I was growing up that “2020 is such a cool year to graduate.” Now that a global pandemic has struck, some would say it is the worst year to graduate. We didn’t get a prom, we didn’t get a Senior Day, and what I think we missed the most was a sense of closure. Although this is a crazy time to be a graduate, I would not go as far as to say that 2020 is the worst year to graduate. The way I like to see it is that we are historic. Our senior year, like our Senior Class, was unconventional and unique. It represented us well. Our class was made up of strong and fierce leaders who were not afraid to break boundaries. We had real change-makers, creative innovators, thoughtful artists, and courageous athletes. We truly had it all. Our Senior Class will leave a lasting impact on Flint Hill just like this pandemic will have a lasting impact on the world around us. As a senior, at the end of the year, I wanted to talk to five of my classmates to see what their experience in quarantine was like and how they were feeling. I was not surprised to see our senior Huskies taking this experience with stride and making the most of this unusual time.
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MOLLY PAULSON
M
olly came to Flint Hill in seventh grade. She played Varsity Field Hockey for all four years of high school, was on the swim team for three years, and was a student ambassador. She was a tremendous leader in school and on the field and so many underclassmen looked up to her for her kindness and willingness to help others. Molly will be playing field hockey at Franklin & Marshall College in the fall. What makes Flint Hill special is our strong community. As our high school experience was coming to close many seniors were excited to celebrate all of our hard work together with our friends and classmates. Molly said, “The hardest part about being in quarantine was not being able to see my friends and celebrate our large accomplishment together.” A group of amazing senior leaders, including Molly, worked closely with Flint Hill’s administration to have the American sexual assault activist, Katie Koestner, come and speak at Flint Hill. She was scheduled to come to Flint Hill in April; however, her visit was postponed due to the current crisis. She will come and speak at Flint Hill next year, but we seniors will be missing out on that opportunity we worked hard to create. Molly says that she hopes that Flint Hill does not forget about the seniors that paved the way for Ms. Koestner’s visit. Although she was sad to miss out on the second semester of our senior year, Molly shared one good thing that happened due to the pandemic was the opportunity to spend time with her two sisters, who are both in college. In fact, Molly said that she and her sisters were only going to have two days to spend together throughout the entire summer. Instead, she has been able to spend several months with her whole family. Although she is thankful for the extra time with her loved ones, she is concerned that it will make the transition to college a little tougher. One thing that Molly has learned from being in quarantine is the importance of balance. Molly said that before this crisis she would wish for a day where she could do nothing but relax. Now, that is all she has to do. Molly noted, “I think it will be important to find balance in my life when this all goes back to normal” and to slow down every once in a while when she’s feeling overwhelmed. Flint Hill Magazine
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BEN EPHRAIM
VOICES OF THE CLASS OF 2020
B
en became a Husky at the start of his freshman year of high school. He was the captain of the Varsity Boys’ Climbing team and led them to win two state championships during his four years at Flint Hill. He is a talented filmmaker and artist who is both brilliant and creative. Ben used his amazing talents to create numerous videos for Flint Hill throughout his time at the School and will be attending the University of Southern California’s film school in the fall. Ben has been using this time in quarantine to focus on picking up old and new hobbies that he never had time to do before. He has been skateboarding almost every day, learning how to play the guitar, and staying creative by working on film projects. Ben said, “having all of this extra time to put into these hobbies brings me so much joy and it almost feels like I’m 12 again, which is something very comforting at a time like this.” Ben also noted that it is extremely important for him to feels like he accomplished something each day and that having online classes at the end of the school year really helped him keep to a schedule. Ben shared “having deadlines helped me feel more normal” and prevented each day from blending into the next. Although he was sad to see his senior year get cut short, Ben said, “I am just thankful that I have had the privilege to stay home and stay safe.” This experience has been extremely humbling and Ben believes that this is our chance to look at the world around us and think about issues like climate change. He hopes that we use this time to reflect on the state of our country and make drastic changes in the future for our planet and for the people who have been impacted the most by this pandemic. Ben says that this experience should remind people that no one person is invincible, especially not to the effects of this pandemic.
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CADENCE HINNANT
C
adence joined Flint Hill in kindergarten and has been an amazing teammate, friend and student. He was a part of the Climbing Team throughout high school and will be attending Belmont University in the fall. Although this pandemic has been devastating, Cadence has chosen to focus on some of the good things that may come from this time. For one, Cadence thinks that when things return to normal, many people will spend less time on their computers because they will crave more human interaction. Cadence also thinks that this time has given everyone, including himself, time to go outside and enjoy the nature around us. Cadence has started to go fishing a lot which has even become a great socially-distanced activity to do with his friends. As a member of the Flint Hill community for 13 years, Cadence was always excited to graduate and celebrate the end of his high school experience in the community he has known almost his entire life. Although our celebrations have looked a bit different during this pandemic, Cadence is still excited to find new ways to celebrate and create more memories with his friends in unique ways. Still, it is hard to find closure during this time. Because of this, Cadence still doesn’t quite feel like his time at Flint Hill is over, saying, “It’s crazy to think I am never going back to Flint Hill as a student and that I’m never going to take an in-person class at Flint Hill ever again.”
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BRIGID RADTKE
VOICES OF THE CLASS OF 2020
B
rigid began attending Flint Hill at the start of her freshman year. She is a tri-varsity athlete having played girls’ soccer, winter track, and girls’ lacrosse during her time here. She was also a student ambassador for all four years in the Upper School. She is a thoughtful and caring leader both in and outside the classroom and will be attending Virginia Tech this fall. Brigid says that all of this extra time during this crisis has given her the opportunity to self reflect, learn and grow. While Brigid is enjoying the immense amount of time she gets to spend with her family and a new puppy, she really misses her extended family members and hopes to see them as soon as she can. One thing that has been bringing Brigid a lot of joy is having her younger cousin FaceTime her every day — sometimes up to three times! — to exercise to the “Frozen” soundtrack. Little moments like these are what Brigid wants to remember from her time in quarantine. At the beginning of the quarantine, it was extremely difficult to stay connected with classmates and other friends. We were all used to spending every day with each other and all of a sudden, we were stuck at home with no way to see one another. Brigid shared that she has been making an effort to reach out to more of her friends. She added that this experience has taught her about the importance of making an effort to stay connected with the people she loves. Brigid also noted that this experience has been good practice for finding ways to remain connected with her high school friends next year when they spread out across the United States to attend college. Brigid is also setting a good example for others during the pandemic and is frustrated by others who haven’t taken it seriously. She stated, “It’s frustrating to see some of my friends not take this quarantine seriously by hanging out with [a lot of] other people and posting it on social media.” Brigid adds that it is really easy to ignore the seriousness of this pandemic if you are not personally affected by it. However, Brigid wants to remind her peers that their actions can potentially affect many other people, especially those who are at a higher risk. Although Brigid wanted to see her friends, go to prom, and have a traditional graduation at the end of this year, she has remained adamant about the importance of doing your part to prevent the spread of the virus, stating, “Even if it’s not your fight, we all have to fight it.”
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JONATHAN BREEN
J
onathan started attending Flint Hill as a freshman. He played on the Boys’ Varsity Soccer team and served as a peer counselor. Jonathan will attend Clemson University this fall. Jonathan shared that at first, he was sad to hear the news that we were not going back to school last spring. But he quickly came to terms with it as he reminded himself of all the amazing experiences he already had during his time in high school. Jonathan said that he felt very lucky to have had his final soccer season in the fall and he felt bad for the seniors who missed out on the last season of their spring sports. What Jonathan missed most about being in school were his classmates and teachers. Jonathan said, “The teachers at Flint Hill definitely care about their students.” Jonathan added that he received multiple emails from his teachers just to check in to see how he was doing during quarantine. Jonathan also noted that the transition to online school was very easy because of how amazing and flexible our teachers were. Jonathan has spent most of his time in quarantine outside with his family. They have been playing volleyball and pickleball together to stay active and have fun. From spending so much time outside, he has also been able to talk and to catch up with his neighbors — at a healthy distance of course! He used to be really close to his neighbors but hadn’t been able to stay connected recently because of his busy schedule. Now that things have slowed down, he has appreciated having time to connect with old friends. His biggest advice to the underclassmen is to not take the time you have in high school for granted.
“
Our senior year, like our Senior Class, was unconventional and unique … Our class was made up of strong and fierce leaders who were not afraid to break boundaries. We had real change-makers, creative innovators, thoughtful artists, and courageous athletes. We truly had it all. —Megan Johnson ’20
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ESSENTIAL IN A MOMENTOUS TIME
Flint Hill alumni are ready, willing and mobile
Facing the uncertainty and challenges from COVID-19, Flint Hill alumni used their skills and talents to lend a hand to others. They stepped forward with compassion to offer essential services — from providing medical care to assisting with food supply to helping job seekers. Undauntedly, they initiated groundbreaking programs, volunteered in their communities, and implemented new technologies to provide immediate solutions.
THE DOCTOR IS IN AND ONLINE he technology to provide remote health care services to patients was in place at precisely the right time, as the coronavirus began to quickly spread, and Dr. Megan Whitman ’11, a high-risk pregnancy management fellow with the University of Virginia’s Health System, was ready to put it to use. “I work on
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teams that have been more frequently incorporating telehealth options to best care for our patients and limit face-to-face interactions to limit exposures to the virus. Pregnancy can already be a vulnerable time for many women, and I’m glad I’ve been able to help guide women through this time with safety and the best possible health outcomes at the forefront of our minds.”
In addition to the virtual component, Whitman continued seeing patients in person as needed, including some who contracted COVID-19 during their pregnancies. “It’s been very meaningful to me to be by my patients’ sides during times that can be scary and far from normal, particularly when having their partner in the room for clinic visits or ultrasounds are limited to prevent the spread of disease. The time that most stands out to me is helping a particular patient through a very challenging diagnosis and pregnancy decision while her partner and mother, who traveled with her for hours to be seen, could not be in the room. Being able to be there for her, be her advocate, and help her feel at peace with her care during such an uncertain time was so rewarding.” Whitman was also involved with generating medical guidelines for the hospital’s neonatology and maternal-fetal medicine teams, with regard to the management of pregnant patients affected by COVID-19. She detailed some of the necessary extra precautions that were established. “I’m masked and using PPE [personal protective equipment] in all patient-facing activities,” and “we have also been optimizing prenatal care visits and schedules to try to limit the amount of visits a patient is scheduled for, as a way to prevent exposure opportunities.” Even outside of work, while still in training, she took additional preventative steps, by living apart from her spouse and family. As patient-care protocol systems evolve in the future, Whitman envisions that online visits are here to stay, along with in-clinic appointments. “We will likely see more and more telehealth now that we know it is a reasonable option to help our
patients, particularly those who live in more rural communities. While I love to see my patients in person, sometimes the travel involved is a burden, or some patients want more frequent contact without the barriers of waiting in a busy waiting room, while others want more ownership over their health management and have begun to use at-home blood pressure monitors and to email their blood glucose results. I think these experiences really empower our patients and may be something we incorporate into patient-care long-term. There is no doubt that in-person visits will still be required for many health issues; rather I see telehealth becoming a more frequent adjunct to prenatal care.”
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ESSENTIAL IN A MOMENTOUS TIME
NOURISHMENT TO GO he economic impact of COVID-19 on the hospitality industry caused many businesses to make significant changes to their operations — some reinventing their business models, others scaling back, and others having to close. As a chef, Matt Pellerito ’01 experienced the effects at Restaurant Associates (RA), his employer, which specializes as an on-site dining management company that serves corporate workplaces, cultural and entertainment centers, professional schools, and catered events in New York, Washington, Boston, and Atlanta. Through RA, Pellerito works as a contractor at a café that serves employees of Amazon Web Services, where adaptations were promptly made to operate on a limited basis and provide graband-go options. Pellerito also got creative with making online cooking demonstration videos for the employees. “So much has changed for us,” he reflected, “and we do not entirely know what the future holds. I am currently working with some of our upper management to develop a plan to
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re-open our operation, as Amazon slowly repopulates their office buildings around the country. Our program will look much different than before, and many of the details have yet to be determined or understood.” While adjusting to the changes at his workplace and in his own life — juggling time with his fiveyear-old son — Pellerito also was aware of the
needs in the greater community and empathetic to the obstacles his industry colleagues had to overcome. Compelled to help, he volunteered with World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit organization founded by chef José Andrés to provide food relief during disasters and emergency situations. “I cannot express how grateful I am to assist with such monumental efforts, such as what World Central Kitchen is doing during this crisis,” he said. “COVID-19 has touched so many lives across the country and around the world. My part may be small, but it is part of a larger goal and that is to continue to offer nourishment and healthy meals to those who struggle to put food on the table or for those who barely have a moment to eat, as they continue to work around the clock to keep communities safe and care for those affected.” Pellerito described the consequences of the pandemic on his industry as long-term and widespread. “The initial closure of businesses within the hospitality industry and subsequent phased re-opening and limited service capability has had
a massive trickle-down effect on other industries. We in hospitality depend greatly on our suppliers and vendors. Once we ceased to order anything on a regular basis, that began to financially impact farmers, manufacturers, fisheries, butchers, equipment suppliers, repair companies, delivery companies, etc. Not just small ones, even the large suppliers have been crushed by the impact of COVID-19.” Still, his knowledge of what makes the industry special and necessary, and his dedication to it, keeps him grounded in hope. “I am confident that we will move forward in a positive direction, and my industry, specifically, will thrive again. It may look different, it may feel different, but human interaction, celebration, intimacy, creating memories are aspects of human life we will always hold in high value. Hospitality is how we provide the setting and service for people to create those lasting moments. With time, we will see a brighter future, but, for now, we must remain patient and diligent.”
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ESSENTIAL IN A MOMENTOUS TIME
EMPLOYING AN INITIATIVE FOR JOB SEEKERS hen the calendar turned to January 2020, college seniors had reason to be optimistic about the job market ahead. By late February, some had already accepted positions to begin after graduation and felt secure about having a strong start to their careers. Then suddenly, by the end of March, with stay-at-home orders and quarantines, a new unemployment pattern — job losses, furloughs, and rescinded offers — emerged in a multitude of industries. Relatively new to the workforce himself, Zane Homsi ’15, knew what it felt like to be excited about life after college. A year prior, he completed his studies at the University of Virginia (UVA), moved to San Francisco, and started a new job as a strategy analyst at LinkedIn. Thinking about how dramatically different the situation would be for 2020 graduates, he came up with an idea to help. “Students+ [originally College vs. COVID],” he explained, “is an initiative I started within the LinkedIn community to do two things: connect
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students with expert career guidance and deliver key recruiting resources. COVID hit home for me when my alma mater, UVA, closed campus. At that point, I felt that there were students that were incredibly qualified and capable that now had the odds stacked against them.” Connecting others to a network of opportunities has been rewarding for Homsi, who understood the essential role that LinkedIn could play during the crisis. “The company’s mission (creating economic opportunity for a global workforce) has come to life during the pandemic in ways I never could have expected,” he said. “Through the content we create and ways we engage with our students, the Students+ team has been so lucky to watch these students reclaim the period of time as one to focus inward and make it such that, when restrictions are lifted, they come out more prepared, rested and motivated than ever. Our biggest successes have come from students expressing how the resources and advice we share have impacted their journey — in the best cases, that they were able to land a job with the help of our work.”
Not one to sit on the sidelines, Homsi encourages the Flint Hill students to be prepared when opportunities arise and to feel comforted by the supportive community that surrounds them. To the graduates of this and next year, he suggests, “While it might not be obvious now, governments, corporations, NGOs, schools, and communities around the world are working around the clock to figure out how to help you. As a member of the class of 2020 or 2021, you’ll forever be able to carry with you a story that will compel anyone to extend their hand to help you. What an opportunity! … Do your part, so that when life extends you an opportunity, you’re able and ready to grab onto it with both hands.” And his message to the rest of the student body: “The world is changing rapidly and people will be spending more time trying to piece together what life might look like. What does this mean? It means that our community members will have less and less time to get a read on how you might be doing. If you are having a rough day or need help, raise your hand and let someone know — being your own lifeline is one of the greatest signs of strength. If you are having a great day, awesome — share the joy! Happiness is precious. What I’d love to see is a group of
students that have spent time exercising their self-awareness muscle such that no pandemic or loss to Potomac can shake us too much!”
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Quarantined Abroad Earlier this summer, alumni from around the world shared their experiences with COVID-19 and how they have differed from what many of us have seen in the U.S. with Director of Alumni Relations Maria Taylor. Here are some of their stories.
Rick Wasfy ’00
CALGARY, WESTERN CANADA
H
ere in Western Canada, we have been quite safe compared to central Canada and so many other countries. Calgary, where we live, was the hardest hit in the province but case numbers never got that high, and with 1,000 ICU beds available we never got over 20-30 in use. My wife Amber and I “moved” to our lake house on March 13, when we thought we were just coming down for the weekend, and other than two trips to Calgary for supplies and to check on that house we have stayed here. My first day back at the office will be on June 16. We usually have 15 people in our office and we are moving forward with a 6-person limit so I will be in the office 2-3 days a week and spending the rest of the work week working from the lake house. The toughest part has been living in a country with a locked border with my mom on the other side. She has made the decision during this pandemic that she does not like that
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feeling and she is going to move to Calgary when borders open and she can be sponsored for a visa. My family has started a Saturday Zoom call. My aunts, cousins, and their kids in England and Switzerland plus my mom in Virginia, and Amber and me all join up and spend an hour talking about what is going on in our lives, seeing each other, and waving our arms off as people pop in and out of the meeting as their schedules fit. It is something that I hope lasts long after the pandemic is over as I have never felt closer to my family.
Canadians are very similar to Americans. There were shortages of toilet paper at stores but also people standing outside giving some away for free. What people had extra of they
shared, and what they needed they were given. It was the same way during the floods in Calgary five years ago, just really good, giving, helpful people.
Terrence Chu H’11 HONG KONG
D
ue to Hong Kong’s early response to the situation, there wasn’t a complete lockdown as compared to the U.S. and some European countries. We were allowed to gather in [groups of] a maximum of four people with public health measures (e.g., temperature screening) and social distancing measures at restaurants. Other than restaurants, public facilities and movie theaters were all closed. It did last quite a while, but things are easing up now as the party size is increased to eight as we haven’t had any new local cases in a while. In 2003, Hong Kong had been through SARS, a much deadlier pandemic, so the
community was acutely aware of the need to improve personal hygiene and maintain physical distancing. I think the experiences [in the U.S. and Hong Kong] were quite similar in the beginning. We went through the panic buying, work from home arrangements, shortage of surgical masks, etc. The difference was that we did it months before and that people were more willing to abide by social distancing measures and wear surgical masks. I think life has pretty much returned to normal in Hong Kong, but everyone is seen wearing masks on a daily basis even in the hot and humid summers!
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QUARANTINED ABROAD
Melody Edemen ’17 SPAIN
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here was a very strict lockdown procedure put in place by the Spanish government, which was enforced by the Spanish military and police. We have been in lockdown since the middle of March, and have only started to open the economy (properly) at the beginning of June. The Spanish community responded in a very understanding yet extremely concerned manner. When the news broke that the Coronavirus had been very rapidly and negatively affecting Italy, everyone in Spain started anxiously wondering when it would officially hit our country. Once we got the alert that it was spreading, especially in the capital of Madrid, we called a meeting with my school and my job to create a plan for studying and working in the walls of my apartment in Barcelona. Grocery stores emptied out in the blink of an eye. From the first day of quarantine, the citizens of Barcelona came together every single evening at 8 p.m. to chant and clap and sing for the courageous medical community for all their hard work and bravery … it was beautiful. Watching everyone’s homes light up, and the people coming out to their balconies. It gave us a sense that we will fight through this together! The experience in Spain was very different from what I saw and heard for the U.S. Our lockdown was strictly patrolled by the police
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and military. If we needed to go outside, we had to be alone, wearing masks and wearing gloves. If you needed to go to your job or school, you needed an official/signed document by your boss or administration to present to the police if you were stopped. And if you were out for reasons other than official job/school reasons, medical reasons, or for groceries, you could be fined anywhere between 250-3,000 euros. We were not allowed to travel — for the first time in my life, holding an American passport did me no good. I attempted to come back to the United States twice and was denied the first time, and only made it the second time through a very extensive period of speaking to airport, airline, government, and embassy officials.
I find it very funny (and tremendously interesting) just how different the cultures are in the U.S. and Spain … even with a topic as random as hygiene, there are huge discrepancies between the Americans and the Spanish in regards to their hygienic habits. In America, most people use an excess amount of toilet paper, whereas in Spain, you use less toilet paper and a bidet … so toilet paper was definitely not an issue! However, finding any form of meat, pasta, or rice was very difficult (and of course face masks, gloves, and hand sanitizers were almost impossible to acquire). During quarantine, I decided to take advantage and make the best of the situation and circumstances! Since I live by myself, I knew it would be very lonely and difficult to feel in control and optimistic about my day. I woke up early every morning and stuck to my morning routine, and also incorporated yoga and meditation. I spent my days reading books (on my iPad as bookstores were closed), doing work for my internship and school, exercising vigorously towards the end of the day (through YouTube tutorials), being extra vigilant about my nutrition and self-care routines, reading the news throughout the day, and staying in contact with all my loved ones. I also decided to take a certification course with Cornell University, as I saw this was a great opportunity to expand my mind further my knowledge without any interruptions! As bizarre as it was to not enjoy the outdoors or get to see my friends and family, I personally loved the way I utilized my time at home. This was a chance for me to really push myself with my discipline, and also to focus more on what I love and wanted to do … so I did it!
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QUARANTINED ABROAD
Carolina Mello Reis ’07 BRAZIL
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ight now Brazil is under an on-going lockdown. A few stores are open, but with reduced working hours and restrictions regarding how many people can be inside. Some restaurants have opened again with the same restrictions, and shopping malls remain closed. I live in Porto Alegre City, which is the capital of the largest state further south of Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul. So we border Uruguay and Argentina; we are in the region where the Gaucho culture exists. People down here are more used to cooler weather and familiar with intense seasonal changes, which is different from the other regions in Brazil, such as the north which is the Amazon Rainforest region where people do not experience major temperature changes from summer to winter. Keep in mind this is the Southern Hemisphere, so the lockdown began at the end of summer for us and now we are entering a very cold winter that will last until September. Because folks down here know how severe the weather can become and how viruses can easily spread, and how vulnerable people, animals, living beings in general can become in harsh winters, people took the lockdown very seriously. The state capital and suburban area has around 4.5 million people, and since mid-March the streets have been quiet and very empty. Everything has slowed down and the vast majority of the population has stayed at home. If you leave home now, everyone is using masks. You cannot enter stores or use public parks without masks on. There have been recent attempts to re-open some services, such as the ones involved in the tourism sector, but recently many services/ locations closed again. So right now, things are mostly closed. At first, we had a major shortage of hand sanitizer, so we used more soap and water. At the beginning people rushed to stock food and cleaning products, but nothing got out of hand. Major industries such as beverage and cleaning product
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brands allowed their factories to produce gel hand sanitizer and some states passed laws to encourage production so the hand sanitizer scarcity ended in less than a month. During March and April, I reached out to close friends in the U.S. to find how if they were doing well and they were. We talked about the lockdown situation — some friends are spending more time at home with their children, others work in the medical field and get to experience the situation more upfront, which is very tough. I appreciate their courage and immense effort, and feel extremely proud of them. Our experiences seem very alike. Those of us that were able to work from home, were sent home and began working; we were all focusing on obeying the lockdown and only leaving home for essentials such as groceries and pharmacies. Thankfully I am able to work from home. I am the sales executive at a startup company that connects people with social projects around the world for volunteer exchange programs. Besides my job, I have used this opportunity to connect more with family and friends; I FaceTime more with the people who are dear in my life. I make sure I talk with my parents and my aunt a couple of times a week, just to check in on how they are doing. Everyone is bored after months of lockdown, so it is important to connect and ease the burden a bit. With close friends around once a month we plan Zoom chats and gather in larger groups, which is fun. Whenever someone is having a birthday we start to share delivery for birthday presents such as breakfast baskets or
cakes or balloons. These actions are tiny but they can cheer up someone’s day and these are times that we need to focus on finding creative solutions to bring warmth to those who are important to us. Other than connecting with people, I find a lot of happiness watching nature and observing it; it’s my personal anti-stress activity. I am lucky that I had pets before all of this started, so right now I have three guinea pigs: Luna, Illi and Flocke. They bring me a lot of joy on a daily basis. Guinea pigs demand attention and care, and ask for food a lot, so they help me take my mind off the major worries and focus more on the present. Mr. Atwood would love them!!!
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QUARANTINED ABROAD
Diego Fildes-Torrijos ’04 CZECH REPUBLIC
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hese months have been rather eventful and odd for me as a music producer, DJ, and event manager at a local club in Brno called Vibe Club. There was an immediate lockdown restriction here in the Czech Republic starting before virtually every other European country at the very beginning of March when the first cases in Italy were reported. Borders here were closed and Czech citizens who had the misfortune of being abroad at that time had to be quarantined for two weeks in complete isolation upon their return. The general quarantine for all of us here who were not abroad lasted throughout April, and the city of Brno where we live was like a ghost town. Wearing masks outdoors and indoors was required from early March all the way through June 15. Now we no longer have to wear masks outside, but there are measures still in place for offices and businesses, especially clubs, bars and restaurants. The community responded diligently and proactively. Two things that Czech people value apart from hockey, beer, and spas, are comfort and safety, therefore not abiding by laws and regulations was simply not an option, and it was what spared us the worst of this pandemic, thankfully. Our experience here was extremely different from the U.S. People did not take the quarantine period lightly and by not being at social gatherings early on we incurred very
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few deaths and incidents, comparatively. Within approximately two months’ time we more or less returned to our normal routines here without suffering any notable threat to our health. During the quarantine I spent loads of quality time with my wife and baby, and worked long hours in my music studio on new songs and albums that I am currently publishing under the moniker James D. I also managed to get many financial tasks completed since living abroad also comes with the need to abide by U.S. tax requirements. Thankfully, we received extensions on our tax deadlines and COVID returns. I am grateful that the U.S. continues to consider its citizens living abroad and assists us wherever possible. I have been living in Europe for 10 years now and homesickness begins to settle in every now and again. My wife, baby, and I were meant to travel back to Washington in 2020, but alas, these plans did not go through because of COVID-19. We only hope next year to have the chance to return, enjoy some time for me back home, and see friends and family.
Brian Lainoff ’07 LONDON, UK
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ockdown officially started on March 23. In my local area, it seemed like most people stayed inside or left for the countryside. In the UK as whole, there were some pretty cool stories about clapping for carers every Thursday at 8 p.m. — this made international news. I live in a flat on a garden square with my wife, Daisy, and the local real estate agent held a social distance concert on the square for VE Day, which was a nice way to lift spirits in the middle of lockdown. It seems both the U.S. and U.K. have had similar responses to the pandemic. The U.K. has been slower to re-open, which is for the best, but that doesn’t erase the fact that the U.K. was the last country in Europe to close its borders and enter lockdown. I don’t think the U.K. experienced the toilet paper craze as much as the U.S. We were more focused on ensuring everyone had access to food. There was a funny story about lasagna pasta being the only type of pasta on shelves because no one wanted it. During quarantine, I’ve spent my time house cleaning, doing family Zoom sessions and pub quizzes, building a massive Lego Harry Potter Castle and the Millennium Falcon, and drinking wine! But for the most part I’ve been focused on work. Now retail stores have opened and there are definitely more people out and about. I coach baseball in the U.K. and some of our players are meeting up to train at safe social distances. I don’t think we will see the true impact from the pandemic for a while though. These stories have been edited for length and clarity, and reflect first-person testimonials as shared during the months of May and June of 2020.
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DON’T MISS A THING. Follow Flint Hill Alumni on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and the Flint Hill Alumni App to connect with other alumni and get real-time updates from the Alumni Office.
SEARCH FLINT HILL ALUMNI TO CONNECT NOW! ALUMNI APP
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REUNION WEEKEND 2021 A very special Reunion Weekend is planned for April 2021 - due to the postponement of Reunion 2020, classes ending in 0s, 1s, 5s, and 6s will all celebrate their Reunions in April 2021. We are excited for alumni to celebrate with the classes above and below theirs. 2020 Reunion Classes of 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015
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2021 Reunion Classes of 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016
ABOUT THE FR IEN DS A ND F A C U LT Y.
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ALL S ’ IT
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a w e a k a T downlk m e mory lane
TWO DAYS OF REUNIONS, RECEPTIONS AND ACTIVITIES Falcons and Huskies return to Flint Hill for Alumni Reunion Weekend 2021. Whether you are celebrating your 50th reunion or your 5th — or are somewhere in between — come to campus to reconnect with old friends and to make new ones. If you would like to help plan your Reunion, please contact Director of Alumni Relations Maria Taylor at mtaylor@flinthill.org or 703.584.2350. Flint Hill Magazine
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THANK YOU TO PRESIDENT NICOLE RICARD P’25, ’28 AND THE 2019–2020 PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION BOARD
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At Flint Hill, we stay true to our values and the power of our innovative spirit. During an unprecedented time, our students and teachers continued to find ways to blaze their own trails.
You have given us the resources needed to keep the learning going, no matter what. Thank you for making the Flint Hill Annual Fund a priority, so we can continue to put what matters most — our students and teachers — at the center of all that we do.
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Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage
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CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2020!
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Permit No. 643 Merrifield, VA