Foxcroft Magazine (Spring/Summer 2022)

Spring/Summer 2022

Our 43 newest alumnae were accepted to 104 colleges and received more than $1.4 million in merit scholarships, a direct result of the strength of their Foxcroft education.

Oh, the places they will go!

In May, the Class of 2022 joined our worldwide network of more than 3000 #GreatWomenFXC. As they look ahead to their next endeavors, know that your gift to The Foxcroft Circle enabled us to give them a strong foundation for their future.

We invite you to help us prepare the next graduating class for their future by supporting The Foxcroft Circle with a gift that will directly impact each student’s Foxcroft journey.

Gifts can be made online at www.foxcroft.org/give or by contacting the Office of Institutional Advancement at 540.687.4510 or advancement@foxcroft.org.

#GreatWomenFXC

Table of Contents

MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2022

14 Special Features 14 Where Our Future Lies:

Tanya Hyatt Assistant Head of School

18 The Foundation for Our Future

Marion L. Couzens Executive Director of Institutional Advancement

Schoolhouse and Beyond

20 Music Building Sings

Once Again 26 Foxcroft’s Holistic Approach to Computer Science in the 21st Century

31 Foxcroft's Animal Science

Concentration Gains Speed

20 Music Building Sings Once Again

Catherine S. McGehee Head of School

Ken LaBate Director of Admission and Enrollment Bethany Stotler Director of Communications and Marketing Christine McCrehin Advancement Communications/ Engagement Coordinator

Whittney Preston Dean of Inclusive Excellence

Published twice a year by Foxcroft School Please address queries to:

2 From the Head of School

The Office of Institutional Advancement advancement@foxcroft.org, 540.687.4510, or Foxcroft School 22407 Foxhound Lane Middleburg, VA 20117

3 Notebook

Design by Raison

In Every Issue 52 Out & About

Cover Rendering by: Hord Coplan Macht

55 Gone Away

Cover Design by: Raison Brands

60 Milestones

Foxcroft School is accredited by the Virginia Association of Independent Schools.

Foxcroft School admits students of any race, color, religion, national, and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national, or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions, or financial aid policies, loan programs, athletics, and other school-administered programs.

This magazine is printed on FSC-certified 10% post-consumer waste recycled paper.

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS: Lauren Ackil, Callie Broaddus, Kristen Franklin, Abby Pheiffer, Ginny Riley, Molly Schlachter, Bethany Stotler, and Bob Updegrove.

Mission Statement Foxcroft’s mission is to help every girl explore her unique voice and to develop the skills, confidence, and courage to share it with the world.

Spring/Summer 2022 1

Dear Foxcroft Community, When I was a kid, I loved building with Lincoln Logs; big one-story log cabins, tall towers, and fenced-in yards. Decades later, our daughters spent countless hours creating all kinds of kingdoms with Legos. Today’s students design rooms or layout floor plans using computer-assisted design and then print 3-D prototypes. While the tools for building have changed with time, the essential urge to build, to create, and to innovate is timeless.

From the Head of School Catherine S. McGehee

During this April’s Reunion, Foxcroft celebrated the ribbon cutting and rededication of the Music Building and kicked off our campaign to renovate Schoolhouse and construct a new STEAM wing and performing arts center. The Building for Our Future campaign is cause for excitement because it shines a spotlight on the very purpose for Foxcroft’s existence — to be a lively and joyful center of learning.

The campaign highlights our exciting curriculum and the programs that prepare our students for THEIR futures. It envisions learning spaces that reflect how we are teaching students: with a research-based pedagogy centered on how girls learn best through interdisciplinary lessons, collaboration, and solving real-world problems. It reflects our programs that are student-centered, active, and connected with the community outside of our campus. It provides for the technology and tools that enhance learning, research, communication, and presentation.

Most of all, the Building for Our Future campaign hones in on Foxcroft’s central educational goals: to prepare our students to learn and lead in college and in life and to make sure they develop their intellect, voice, and character to make a difference in their professions, their communities, and the world.

This issue of our magazine is dedicated to sharing with you the exciting vision for the new buildings and renovated spaces we associate with Schoolhouse. More importantly, however, you will read about Foxcroft’s forward-thinking and engaging STEAM programs and how our students and faculty will benefit from this building project. For it is not the buildings themselves that matter, but rather the learning that takes place inside them and the students — present and future — who benefit from that learning.

When Miss Charlotte launched her first campaign in 1946 to raise funds to build Schoolhouse (completed in 1951), she wrote, “Give us the tools we need, and we will give the world fine women.” While the tools we need to educate our students have changed, just as the toys we built with as children have changed, the mission and foundation of Foxcroft are timeless and will unite us across the decades to make this vision become a reality.

With excitement for our future,

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Foxcroft Notebook

Foxcroft Notebook

they were all super nice. I learned that a lot of schools have a vet school that I didn't know about and I am super excited for the Fair next year, as I get closer to the college process.”

Dozens of the college admission reps shared that they were impressed with the quality of the conversations they had with students and that they look forward to attending the College Fair at Foxcroft again next year!

“I’m thrilled that we were able to bring so many of our college friends to Foxcroft for the College Fair,” proclaimed Director of College Counseling Barbara Conner. “Our girls had tremendous opportunities to meet and get to know the people who will be making their admission decisions!”

Foxcroft Hosts Its First Middleburg College Fair!

The School was delighted to welcome 100 college admission representatives from schools all over the country to the Mary Louise Leipheimer Gym of our Athletic/Student Center on Thursday, April 7, for the Middleburg College Fair. This year was the first of three that Foxcroft will host this event, which was previously at Middleburg Academy. Students from six high schools around the region joined our girls to meet and chat with the college admission officers.

The night before the event, our freshmen, sophomores, and juniors attended Assistant Director of College Counseling Laura Moan's engaging session “Preparing for a Successful College Fair,” where they were given a list of attending colleges and some tips on planning for the event to take full advantage of this opportunity — and they certainly hit the ground running at the Fair! It was great to see so many vibrant and robust discussions taking place.

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With a broad range of schools represented — from Virginia public and private universities to historically Black colleges and universities to top-notch R-1 Research flagship schools and several women's colleges — our students had the opportunity to learn about many different ways to attend college.

“I really enjoyed the event and thought it was a great opportunity to talk with admission officers from a lot of great schools,” offered SARAH FORD ’24. “At first, I was a little overwhelmed with all of the tables. But once I started talking to people, I found that

1. Foxcroft students, along with those from area schools, took full advantage of the opportunity to meet and speak with representatives of more than 100 colleges from across the country.

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Art to Inspire

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HELEN VENTIKOS ’23 is the first Foxcroft student in recent memory to receive a prestigious National Gold Medal in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for her photograph “Kafes” (see next page), which won a Gold Key at the regional competition in order to advance to the national level. Fewer than 900 of the 260,000 works submitted to the National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards received this national award honor.

In addition to being invited to a week-long national celebration in New York City (which includes a ceremony at Carnegie Hall), she is also eligible for scholarships of up to $10,000. Helen's artwork may also be featured in exhibitions in New York City, Washington, DC, and throughout the country, as well as highlighted alongside other award-winning student art and writing in print publications produced and distributed by Scholastic Awards.

Foxcroft had a strong showing in this year’s Scholastic competition, with four of our students’ 16 regionally recognized submissions receiving Gold Keys and advancing to the national competition. In addition to Helen’s “Kafes,” those Gold Key winners included “Self Portrait” by VASSILIKI MARGAS ’23 (ceramics), “Bird Reflections” by CLAIRE MUNOZ ’24 (photography), and “Faded” by JULIANA ROSE ’24 (photography).

VIRGINIA BONNIE ’22 collected three of the seven Silver Keys received by Foxcroft students, one each for her painting, printmaking, and poetry submissions. Silver Keys also went to LEXI HILL ’23 and Vassiliki (ceramics), RYNN COLE ’24 (photography), and CAROLINE DOYLE ’24 (mixed media).

Honorable Mentions were earned by Virginia (critical essay), Vassiliki (ceramics), LEYLA AKHUNDOVA ’23 (mixed media), and RYLEIGH BORROR ’23 (photography).

Among the artistic luminaries who have served as judges are Langston Hughes, Robert Frost, Edwidge Danticat, David Sedaris, Nikki Giovanni, and Roz Chast. The list of past winners is equally impressive with Andy Warhol, Truman Capote, Richard Avedon, Sylvia Plath, and filmmaker Ken Burns — as well as Foxcroft Fine Arts teacher Karin Thorndike — among the honored.

2. “Bird Reflections” Photography Regional Gold Key, by Claire Munoz ’24.

3. “Self Portrait” Ceramics Regional Gold Key, by Vassiliki Margas ’23.

4. “Faded” Photography Regional Gold Key, by Juliana Rose ’24.

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Foxcroft Notebook

Kafes Making a cup of coffee would not typically inspire an award-winning photograph steeped in culture and heritage. Yet “ /Coffee” or “Kafes” (Greek for coffee), the captivating piece above by Helen Ventikos '23, did just that. Greek coffee must be watched to prevent it from overflowing, which gave Helen the idea to capture the process from a bird's eye view. Fascinated by its symmetry, abstract vantage point, and varying textures, she chose to showcase the photograph in black and white, winning a National Gold Medal in the Scholastic Art and Writing contest.

“

Being Greek is a part of me.

It is really meaningful to share that throughout my work.

– Helen Ventikos ’23

”

5. Helen poses with Julie Fisher, Fine Arts Department Chair, and Dr. Hugh Roome, Chairman of the Board of the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers after receiving her National Gold Medal in June at the 2022 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Ceremony held at Carnegie Hall.

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Happy Retirement, Miss Penny!

After 33 years with Foxcroft, Penny Alderman, Director of the Emily Northcross Health Center, retired at the end of May. “Miss Penny,” as she is known to legions of students, has watched over thousands of girls with an open heart, ready ear, and warm smile. Whether administering care to bumps and bruises, or creating a safe harbor in the Health Center, her smile and genuine warmth have been daily reminders of how lucky we are that she chose to be a nurse with Foxcroft for so long.

6 6. Penny Alderman (center) poses with her memory box and fellow nurses Yvette McCarty and Jackie Ramirez Cortes.

A Thousand Words A “Fantastick” Return to FoxHound Stage The cast and crew of The Fantasticks brought the community together in April with the first in-person performing arts musical production on FoxHound stage since the beginning of the pandemic.

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As Head of School Cathy McGehee shared, “You have dispensed wisdom for life, and have truly assisted our students to gain independence … as learners, athletes, leaders and friends. These lessons will stick with them for their lives and help them live out our motto: mens sana in corpore sano. Further, you have offered genuine care for each girl, and have shown love and understanding without judgment. You will be greatly missed by our students who see you as a mom-away-from-home and by their parents who know that you care for their daughters as they themselves would. I know I speak for the entire community when I say you are Foxcroft’s 'Lady with a Lamp', a name used to describe Florence Nightingale.”

McGehee then surprised Alderman with a special memory box filled with notes of reflections, memories, and congratulations from students, faculty, staff, alumnae, and friends. Many thanks to all who sent well wishes to Miss Penny for a happy retirement!

Foxcroft Notebook

Marion Couzens and Karin Thorndike Recognized for Years of Service During Foxcroft’s annual end-of-year employee celebration, Head of School Cathy McGehee commended Executive Director of Institutional Advancement Marion Couzens and Fine Arts teacher Karin Thorndike for reaching the milestone of 25 years of service to Foxcroft. Each received a 25-year pin, a cash bonus, and a School chair.

Couzens started her journey with Foxcroft in 1997 in the role of Director of Major Gifts, two years into the Gateway campaign, the first of three in which she would play a central role. Since becoming Director of Development in 2006 and then Director of Institutional Advancement in 2011, the School has received total gifts for all purposes of approximately $123 million. This success would not have been possible without her expertise and ability to build relationships. McGehee said, “Marion has a gift for connecting constituents to the School and its mission and matching a donor’s interest with the institution's needs.” In addition to working in Advancement, Couzens has served many roles at Foxcroft such as senior class sponsor, advisor, and Administrative Duty Officer. “She always asks how she can help,” added McGehee, “and no job ever seems too small for her to pitch in and do.”

Thorndike’s service is evident in the many roles she has played at the School, from music, art, and theater teacher to dorm parent, summer program coordinator, and pool manager. In addition to enriching our drama program, she has built a strong tennis program, coaching year-round so that our students can grow as competent tennis players, giving them a lifelong skill. “You have been the keeper of important Foxcroft traditions such as the Christmas Pageant, the Octets and Afternoon Delights, and your work with the Freshman Class has made sure these traditions are passed down,” shared McGehee. “At the same time, you have been eager to learn and grow through ongoing professional development.”

For these reasons and so many more, thank you both for your service and congratulations on this important milestone in your careers at Foxcroft!

7. (l to r) Karin Thorndike, Cathy McGehee, and Marion Couzens pose with the 25-year chairs earned by Thorndike and Couzens.

7 Additional Recognitions

5 YEARS of service

Julie Fisher | Casey Gilligan | Julia Jackson Michael Lyons | Lauren Markwood Ginny Riley | Marett Rose

15 YEARS of service

Steve McCarty | Yvette McCarty Gary Lee

20 YEARS of service

Lynnette Saunders Spring/Summer 2022 7

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Engineered to Serve Engineering students closed out the school year with one final design review to share details about the projects they delivered to their respective community partners.

Four EPICS (Engineering Projects in Community Service) teams designed solutions to unique problems, both on- and off-campus.

Setting their sights on our neighboring schools, a team under the leadership of GABBY GARRISON ’23 designed and cut stencils to paint blacktop games that target literacy, numeracy, and locomotor skills. Seven colorful game designs have been applied at nearby Banneker Elementary School since planning first began last school year. They prompt students to leap, crawl, mirror, run, jump, balance, and hop. A partnership has been established with Aldie Elementary School to apply games on their blacktop in the future. (8) To serve our Foxcroft community, EVA BRET COZBY ’24 led her team with a mission to illuminate the dark pathways between dorms and further the School’s green initiative to reduce energy use. Their efforts resulted in a pair of hand-crafted solar lanterns consisting of wood and frosted acrylic panels that were laser cut and assembled in a unique octagonal form. (9) Another team taking on an environmental initiative for the School was led by HELEN VENTIKOS ’23. They also used the laser cutter to fabricate signage for our unmarked trails. Posts were mounted and adorned with trailheads, mile markers, blazes, and directional signs to ease navigation. These efforts have been underway since fall 2020 and will continue into the coming school year. (10) The other two EPICS teams created educational games for different age groups. The first targeted our Algebra students. MAEVE MAGNER ’22 led her team to develop a range of digital and physical game boards that reinforce mathematical concepts. A total of three games were designed, paying homage to well-known games such as Jeopardy, Monopoly, and Dungeons and Dragons. (11)

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Foxcroft Notebook

Sara Warmack ’25 Receives All-State Soccer Honor Varsity Soccer player SARA WARMACK ’25 was selected to the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA) Division I All-State Soccer Second Team, capping a phenomenal freshman season with Foxcroft. Posting 14 goals (four were game-winners) and three assists this year, she also received Greater Piedmont Athletic Conference (GPAC) Player of the Year honors.

“

Sara is a force to be reckoned with. She led our team in goals and shots on goal. She is fast, fearless, and utterly reliable. She's scored on almost every keeper in our conference and consistently finds holes in the opposing teams' defense. I'm so proud of all that she has accomplished in her first year on the team and can't wait to see how her game continues to evolve. Congratulations, Sara!

”

– Coach Zella Davis

Eight Seniors Graduate with Academic Concentration Distinction After making their final presentations to peers, teachers, and family in late May, eight members of the Class of 2022 received special recognition at Commencement on Friday, May 27, when their Academic Concentration designations were announced as they received their diplomas. Congratulations to this year’s Concentration graduates on their hard work!

Class of 2022 Concentration Graduates and Topics Animal Science

Global Studies

STEM

The Arts

Cecilia Mould ’22 Dolphin Conservation

Emma Carmichael ’22 Fashion and History

Catherine Jin ’22 Math and Computer Science

Marlow Buckner ’22 Videography

Lilia Sharp ’22 Treatment of Animal Osteoarthritis Ella Stainton ’22 Sustainable Fishing

Caroline McLaughlan ’22 Neuroscience of Dreams

Maeve Magner ’22 Photography

Spring/Summer 2022 9

Nine Students Elected to Foxcroft School Chapter of Cum Laude Society Class of 2022 graduates VIRGINIA BONNIE, EMMA CARMICHAEL, ERICA JOHNSON, CECILIA MOULD, and SELINA XU were recently inducted into the School’s Cum Laude Chapter, which is modeled on the collegiate Phi Beta Kappa. In addition, MOLLY CATLETT, LONDON HERSHEY, LUCY MOAN, and HELEN VENTIKOS from the Class of 2023 were given the special distinction of being selected during their junior year.

Inducted last year, CLAIRE AI, CATHERINE JIN, CAROLINE MCLAUGHLAN, and XINYI SHEN (all members of the Class of 2022) joined faculty members of the chapter to officially welcome the new members into the Society at the Cum Laude induction ceremony during Foxcroft’s annual Awards Assembly in May. Those faculty members are Head of School Cathy McGehee, Assistant Head of School Courtney Ulmer, STEM teacher and

12 12. Some of the newest members of the Foxcroft School Chapter of the Cum Laude Society (l-r):, Selina Xu ’22, Cecilia Mould ’22, London Hershey ’23, Molly Catlett ’23, Lucy Moan ’23, and Helen Ventikos ’23. Not pictured: Virginia Bonnie ’22, Emma Carmichael ’22, and Erica Johnson ’22.

Wellness Education Coordinator Meghen Tuttle, Ph.D. (Chapter President), Athletic Director Michelle Woodruff (Chapter Secretary), Director of The Innovation Lab and History Department Chair Alex Northrup, World Language Department Chair Anne Mueller, Ph.D., and English teacher and Global Studies Concentration Coordinator Lindsay O'Connor, Ph.D. The Cum Laude Society was founded in 1906 and has grown to include 382 chapters, the vast majority of which are located at independent schools in the United States. Foxcroft’s chapter was established in 1958.

Way to Go! Commendation

Adoration

A review of SZA's single "Good Days" written by ELLA SIEBENTRITT-CLARK ’22 received an Honorable Mention in the 7th Annual New York Times Student Review Contest. Submitted as part of her AP Literature class, Ella's work was one of just 49 finalists out of almost 4,000 entries from around the country!

For the second year in a row, Foxcroft topped the list of Northern Virginia's "K12 Independent Schools" in the annual Best of Virginia issue of Virginia Living magazine, taking first place among other premier schools in the area including Wakefield School (second place) and Flint Hill School (third). According to the magazine, this issue of their statewide guide is the largest ever with nearly 56,000 people voting in 103 categories.

Publication HELEN VENTIKOS ’23 and REBECCA CRAMER ’23 spent their Wintermission time as interns with the Goose Creek Association and subsequently wrote a wonderful article about the importance of preserving the Goose Creek watershed that was published in the Spring/Summer issue of Wander magazine (p. 32-34).

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Foxcroft welcomes three experienced and enthusiastic volunteers to the Foxcroft Board of Tr ustees.

Kimberley “Kim” Elting ’82 Elting is the President of Global Orthopedics at Orthofix Medical Inc., a medical device company that develops, manufactures, and sells innovative spine and orthopedic products. A graduate of Ithaca College, she earned her law degree from the University of Denver and an LL.M. in Health Law from Loyola University Chicago. A former partner with the Jones Day law firm and executive at St. Jude Medical and Trivascular Technologies, Inc., she lives in Dallas, TX. She is a member of the U.S. Rowing Foundation Board and spends her free time cheering on her two daughters who are college athletes in lacrosse and rowing.

Nicole “Niki” Hilley-Munoz P ’23, ’24 Hilley-Munoz is the Managing Vice President - Chief of Staff and Head of Enterprise Risk Management at Capital One. In addition, she takes an active leadership role in Capital One's Greater Washington area community investment efforts focused in the areas of the arts and support for underserved communities, as well as the Women's Business Resource group. She is an active member of the Foxcroft community, having served as Secretary of the Parents’ Association and as an Advisory Committee Member for the Reopening of School.

Dr. Andrea Ewing Reid ’80 Reid is Associate Dean for Student and Multicultural Affairs and Director of the Office of Recruitment and Multicultural Affairs (ORMA) at Harvard Medical School (HMS). She is also a hepatologist (liver specialist) and Director of Diversity and Faculty Development for Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Gastroenterology. She is a frequent lecturer on liver disease and medical education. Active in the Foxcroft community, Reid has been a Career Day Keynote Speaker and served on multiple Alumnae Association committees.

Thank You! The School also extends a heartfelt thank you to ELIZABETH HAZARD ’82 as she finishes her term on the Board. Your hard work and dedication are greatly appreciated and will impact our girls and School for years to come.

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Foxcroft Notebook

New to the Board

Sports Shorts While Foxcroft and other schools competing in the newly formed Greater Piedmont Athletic Conference (GPAC) once again faced somewhat irregular fall and spring season schedules due to the ongoing pandemic, the tenacity of a Foxcroft athlete should never be underestimated as our teams saw no shortage of accolades during their respective seasons. Some highlights include:

TENNIS Varsity Tennis saw five athletes receive honors including Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA) Division I All-State Second Team and All-GPAC Player of the Year VASSILIKI MARGAS ’23 along with All-GPAC Team selections CAROLINE CARPENTER ’24, RAY LUEBKE ’23, LEAH NGUYEN ’22, and ELIZABETH VINEY ’24.

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SOCCER Varsity Soccer also earned multiple recognitions including VISAA Division I All-State Second Team and All-GPAC Player of the Year SARA WARMACK ’25 and GPAC Coach of the Year Zella Davis. EMMA CARMICHAEL ’22 and GEORGIA REGAS ’22 received All-GPAC First Team honors, with Second Team honors going to CAROLINE MCLAUGHLAN ’22, ISABELLE MUNOZ ’23, and LILY MCCREHIN ’25.

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VOLLEYBALL Varsity Volleyball had six team members earn conference recognition including All-GPAC First Team for ELIZABETH STANLEY ’22, Second Team honors for ADAIR STANELY ’22 and KAT WAGNER ’23, and Honorable Mentions for EVA BRET COZBY ’24, MAYA KALFON ’24, and MIMI WALKER ’24.

FIELD HOCKEY

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Varsity Field Hockey also saw six team members receive All-GPAC Team recognition including NIA DOWLING ’22, CAROLINE MCLAUGHLAN ’22, LUCY MOAN ’23, OLIVIA WARR ’23, ELLIE WICHT ’23, and GRACE PUMPHREY ’24.

LACROSSE Varsity Lacrosse rounds out the Foxcroft teams receiving conference accolades with LONDON HERSHEY ’23, LUCY MOAN ’23, and OLIVIA WARR ’23 each earning All-GPAC First Team honors.

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16 13. VISAA Division I All-State Second Team and All-GPAC Player of the Year Vassiliki Margas ’23 returns a volley.

14. VISAA Division I All-State Second Team and All-GPAC Player of the Year Sara Warmack ’25 moves the ball forward as teammate Caroline McLaughlan ’22 (All-GPAC Second Team) holds the defensive line.

15. All-GPAC First Team honorees Lucy Moan ’23 (foreground) and Olivia Warr ’23 move in tandem.

16. Kat Wagner ’23 (on the right; All-GPAC Second Team) and teammate Amelia Fortsch ’22 jump to make the block.

17. Goalie Heidi Dodd ’23 and All-GPAC Players Lucy Moan ’23, Nia Dowling ’22, Ellie Wicht ’23, and Caroline McLaughlan ’22 defend their goal.

Consistent riding, good sportsmanship, and outstanding teamwork earned the Foxcroft Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) team a sixth-place finish at Zone 3 Finals out of a competitive field of 12 teams. Competing in March at the C-Line Stables in Townsend, DE, riders LILIA SHARP ’22 and LEXI HILL ’23 put Foxcroft on the board with two top-three finishes in their respective over fences classes and helped Foxcroft clinch a team ribbon for the day. Special shoutout to Lexi who won the extremely competitive Intermediate over fences class. “Zone 3 is one of the most competitive in the nation,” remarked Director of Riding Kate Worsham, “and I am very proud of the girls, the team, and the coaches for having such a successful season.”

At show rings across the country, Foxcroft had 13 talented riders use the Exceptional Proficiency (EP) program to spend time away from school, training and competing at a high level around the country while keeping up with their academic work. Among them, four event riders traveled to Aiken, SC, for various competitions where they participated in the three phases of eventing — dressage, stadium jumping, and cross country jumping; eight Hunter Jumper riders competed at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL; and one additional Hunter Jumper rider competed at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, FL.

Foxcroft Notebook

Hoofprints

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EP riders VIRGINIA BONNIE ’22 and WILHELMINA MCQUARRIE ’23 had particularly notable Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) successes. In February, Virginia and her U25 team took the $25,000 Hermès Under 25 Grand Prix Series Team Event title and she was champion in week four of the High Junior Jumpers with her new horse, Heldorado. Wilhelmina and two teammates competed in the Great Charity Challenge and helped raise $45,000 for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Talented showjumpers like Wilhelmina dress in costume in teams of three, with junior and amateur riders competing alongside top professionals and Olympians on a relay-race course.

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20 18. IEA riders Isabelle Munoz ’23, Lilia Sharp ’22, Lexi Hill ’23, Claire Munoz ’24, and Meredith Kepley ’23 pose with their team ribbon!

19. Riders Lexi Hill ’23 and Lilia Sharp ’22 were instrumental in Foxcroft's success at IEA Regionals and Zones this year.

20. Competing as the three little pigs, Wilhelmina McQuarrie ’23 and her teammates raised $45,000 for the Susan G. Komen breast cancer foundation.

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21. Virginia Bonnie ’22 and Heldorado make an impressive jump during the Under 25 Grand Prix Series Team Event at WEF. (Photo by: SportFot.)

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Creative Spaces to Learn, Lead, and Connect

By Marion L. Couzens, Executive Director of Institutional Advancement Schoolhouse. One building with so much history. What do you envision when you think of Schoolhouse? The wooden boards that list every graduate since 1914? The black and white tiled hallway on the first floor that students have tread since the building opened in 1951? The front doors that are often the first spot tagged during Fox/ Hound Banner Runnings? Perhaps your memories include being one of the first students in the new science wing built in 1979, leaning out a second-story window to test the laws of physics in an egg drop competition during Pi Day Celebrations, or acting on stage in FoxHound Auditorium for the first time.

As education has evolved, so have the uses for various spaces in Schoolhouse.

Not too long ago, the entire first floor was offices. Now, classrooms also occupy space as we have intentionally put learning front and center. During the pandemic, we reconfigured secondfloor spaces to accommodate physical distancing and larger classes. This work was in keeping with plans for the future, just accelerated to meet the needs of

the last two years. But no matter how we juggle space or adjust our class sizes, there is only so much that can be done to this aging building. Thus, it is time. Time to give Schoolhouse the makeover it needs and deserves as the heart of all things academic on our campus. Time to turn our attention to providing the best spaces for music, the arts and sciences, and math. Time to focus on Building for Our Future!

During Reunion Weekend this April, Kate Hastings ’78, Chair of the Board of Trustees, along with Kaye Durham ’81 and Elizabeth Lester Piotraschke ’88, Campaign Co-chairs, announced the public launch of the $65 million Building for Our Future Campaign to renovate Schoolhouse and the Music Building and to construct a performing arts center and STEAM wing (see photos on page 35). Speaking to the crowd gathered at Friday evening’s Welcome Reception, Kate stated, “This is where our future lies. As you look around you, imagine an updated Schoolhouse with rooms and areas that provide the resources, technology, and physical spaces to better

The vision for our campus is one of growth and progress. Today our curriculum is designed intentionally for how girls learn best: through context, collaboration, relationships, and solving real-world problems. Creating learning spaces that can support these instructional practices for girls is our top priority for this campaign.

Continued on page 16

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Building for Our Future

Schoolhouse and Beyond

The new FoxHound Auditorium in the Performing Arts Center.

Continued from page 15

reflect our pedagogy and curriculum; a Music Building brought back to its original purpose; a new performing arts center; and a STEAM wing that brings science, technology, engineering, art, and math front and center.”

The Building for our Future Campaign will advance Foxcroft’s commitment to its mission and allow for investment in the places and the purposes that help to educate, inspire, and empower women leaders. The campaign will span approximately ten years and is organized into four distinct phases.

Phase One: MUSIC BUILDING RESTORATION AND EXTENDED SITE WORK Now fully restored, the Music Building includes three practice rooms, faculty office space, and a recital hall with state-of-the-art technology for optimal sound and studio acoustics. Part of this phase will also include adapting the surrounding site or area for the

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construction to come by straightening the road and moving the parking lot to make way for the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) wing.

Phase Two: THE STEAM WING AND COMPLETION OF SITE WORK A new structure, the STEAM wing will bring Foxcroft into the future of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math with adaptive workspaces to include the Arts. State-of-the-art laboratory space and equipment will advance our competitive curriculum and help our students to gain skills and confidence with the latest technology and tools — items they will use in later studies or careers. This STEAM focus will help students develop into informed citizens and creative problem-solvers and provide our educators with the spaces and resources necessary for them to deliver a transformative education.

In addition to providing a forwardthinking learning environment, the

Scan this QR code to enjoy a ‘walk’ through Schoolhouse as it currently is and imagine the future possibilities.

STEAM wing will be a vital player in the overall infrastructure of this project by housing essential components such as the geothermal and heat pumps and a mechanical room that will serve as the centralized system for the overall complex. By incorporating these pieces into this section of the project, we can achieve modern necessity and sustainability while maintaining harmony with our historic building.

Acknowledging that the success of the Building for Our Future Campaign depends on all of us, Co-chairs Kaye Durham ’81 and Elizabeth Lester Piotraschke ’88 shared, “When we were students, earlier classes of alumnae supported the School to ensure that we could take advantage of all that Foxcroft had to offer. Now, it is our turn to be the shoulders upon which future generations of students will stand.

Phase Three: PERFORMING ARTS CENTER The Performing Arts Center will house a new FoxHound Auditorium which will provide a larger, more flexible performance space that includes theater support spaces, a black box practice space, a scenery construction shop, and a modern control room for lighting and sound. Additionally, new design and engineering spaces are included, along with gallery space for art exhibits.

learning and by providing girls with the state-of-the-art resources and cutting-edge technology necessary for the transformative education we offer.

The building will house newly created classrooms and support spaces of various sizes that focus on studentcentered learning and collaboration and incorporate technology enhancements. Faculty will have workspaces that allow them to design lessons and plan together, and the renovations will include a much-

Will Schoolhouse look the same when we are done? From the outside, yes, with perhaps a few adaptations such as dormer windows on the wings.

Preserving the historic beauty of the building is of the utmost importance.

On the inside, however, the renewal of Schoolhouse will breathe new life into spaces that are fundamental to fulfilling our educational mission and values. It will allow us to continue to graduate well-rounded leaders, address real-world problems, and make a positive impact on the world.

It will secure Foxcroft as a leader in educating girls while also ensuring that the fundamental spirit of the shared memories of each Foxcroft student continues for generations to come.

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We invite you to join us as we invest in the future of our students and the School. To learn more about the Building for Our Future Campaign, visit our website or contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at 540.687.4510 or campaign@foxcroft.org

Phase Four: SCHOOLHOUSE RENOVATION For seven decades, Schoolhouse has stood in the center of campus as the heart of learning at Foxcroft. Except for a few minor tweaks, Schoolhouse has remained much the same since it was built in 1951, even as research and technology have advanced and the context for learning has changed over time. This renovation will address future needs by providing the resources, technology, and physical spaces to better reflect our pedagogy of interdisciplinary and experiential

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Building for Our Future

needed elevator to provide access to all levels for community members.

Miss Charlotte's Mission and Vision:

The Foundation for Our Future

After the recent announcement of Foxcroft’s $65 million Building for Our Future capital campaign, we sat down with Head of School Cathy McGehee to talk about what that means for the School and our School community. Read more below about this extraordinary effort.

Q: As part of recent Reunion activities, the School announced a $65 million capital campaign, Building for Our Future, focused on the renovation of Schoolhouse and the Music Building and the construction of a STEAM wing and performing arts center. What impact will this have on our campus?

On our girls? On our faculty?

A: Over the past decade, we have constructed or renovated almost every other building on campus, as called for in the 2003 Campus Master Plan. Now the time has come to address the buildings at the core of our daily work with students.

Schoolhouse has stood at the center of campus as the place where our

18 Foxcroft Magazine

academic program comes to life for more than 70 years. During this time, research about best teaching practices, brain and cognitive studies, and technology tools to support our students’ learning have advanced; however, except for a few minor renovations, Schoolhouse and FoxHound Auditorium have remained mostly unchanged.

The classroom configuration no longer provides the physical space needed to support the type of teaching and learning of today and for the future.

What will this project mean for our students and faculty? Building a new STEAM wing and performing arts center and renovating Schoolhouse will provide the space to support student-centered

learning, which is active, project-based, collaborative, and interdisciplinary. These buildings will showcase the excellence of our academic and performing arts programs and the scholarship and creativity of our teachers and students.

Schoolhouse also lacks the mechanical infrastructure to support our needs. For example, we do not have environmentally sustainable heating and cooling systems, and we don’t have an elevator making accessibility difficult. The interior is quite dark, and one wing on the second floor doesn’t have windows.

While our top priority for the project is educational, we can’t ignore the real needs of the building itself.

A: Schoolhouse is an iconic building, and we want to maintain its architectural integrity while modernizing the mechanicals and learning spaces. Court is an elegant example of how we can marry the best of the past with present facility needs. The architects we are working with (Hord Coplan Macht) understand historic building projects, as well as Foxcroft’s aesthetics. We are also guided by our site and building analysis (2009), which underscores key aspects of the character of our campus buildings and landscape. For Schoolhouse, we are looking at creative ways to use the beautiful wood molding throughout the building and to display the class boards.

Those boards are very special to the School as they tell our history and unite graduates across the generations.

Q: Who is participating? Is the Building for Our Future campaign open to everyone?

A: Schoolhouse is a daily part of every student’s experience at Foxcroft. We hope this means we will have 100% participation from our School community over the ten-year Building for Our Future campaign. Currently, we are engaging lead donors to jump-start the first and second phases (Music Building, site work, STEAM Wing) and are excited that we have significant commitments thus far. Throughout the campaign, each member of the Foxcroft community will be asked to give. It is up to each of us who love and value Foxcroft to see these projects completed.

Q: How will the community be engaged?

A: We want to make sure that we are building spaces for our students’ use; however, we also want these spaces to be a resource to the surrounding area, much as our Athletic/Student Center and our turf fields are regional assets to outside sports programs. When not in use, we hope our performing arts center can be rented for community programs and performances. We hope our Innovation Lab (Foxcroft’s makerspace) can be a resource for local businesses and entrepreneurs. We hope area nonprofits can host programs for their clients in the new space. By bringing the community to campus to use these spaces, we get the word out about Foxcroft’s excellence, and we also provide greater opportunities for our students to participate and learn from these organizations and programs.

Q: How does this campaign connect with our mission?

A: I like to stress that Foxcroft isn’t a school with girls — it is a school for girls.

Cognitive and brain science, in addition to research on the effectiveness of girls’ schools, help inform our pedagogy, which supports how girls learn best — through context, connection, collaboration, and solving real-world problems. This translates into an interdisciplinary curriculum, project-based learning, team projects, and service-learning. It also means enhanced use of technology to support learning through research and design, virtual tools, and authentic assessments like electronic portfolios, capstone projects, and performances/ presentations. By creating learning spaces that facilitate this type of teaching and learning, we will continue to graduate students who are ready to lead and learn in college and in life.

Back when Miss Charlotte wrote the campus plan for building Schoolhouse, she asked for the tools needed to give the world fine women. Her mission and vision remain relevant today as we look to build on her foundation.

Q: What are you most excited about for Foxcroft’s future?

A: Our students and all they care about and do! My optimism is also part of Foxcroft’s legacy. In 1927, Miss Charlotte wrote, “I think the young women we are turning out into the world each year, upstanding, fearless, full of purpose, ready and willing to do their share of the world’s work, are the women who will make the world a finer and better place because they are in it.”

Generations change and our world faces great challenges. I remain hopeful and excited because of the young women I work with each day who use their voices for good and serve their community with respect, integrity, and kindness. Indeed, they will be the architects of a bright future!

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Spring/Summer 2022 19

Building for Our Future

Q: Will the historical elements of Schoolhouse be maintained? What about the class boards? These are so meaningful to all alumnae.

Music Building SINGS Once Again

By Christine McCrehin, Advancement Communications/Engagement Coordinator

“The music at Foxcroft has always been one of the School’s outstanding features and the need for physical facilities to equal its high standard is great. The girls, their parents, and the faculty recognize this.” — Excerpt from The Future Foxcroft campaign booklet, 1946

Completed in 1948, Miss Charlotte herself declared “...the separate Music House, simple and yet so right, is a joy...” Thus blessed, early generations of Foxcroft girls would come to know the Music Building as the space for which it was intended — the singing of songs and playing of instruments.

But like so many of the spaces and places on campus, the Music Building has lived many lives through the years. Later generations would know it as a home for the Business Office, mailroom, and school store, while those in more recent years knew it as the empty building watching over Miss Charlotte’s Garden, not necessarily forgotten but certainly underutilized.

Now, as a result of its renovation and state-of-the-art acoustic upgrades, Foxcroft girls will once again use and remember the Music Building for what it was always meant to be — a beautiful space for the exploration and creation of music.

Hitting All the Right Notes Foxcroft’s Music Coordinator and Voice Instructor Morgan Brower, Ph.D. is quite excited about the newly renovated space. “I was working with students in FoxHound Auditorium, sharing space with Latin instructor and piano teacher Eric Dombrowski and Fine Arts teacher and Musical Theater Director Karin

Thorndike. At one point, I was even teaching out of the Dean of Student’s office while she was on maternity leave,” mused Brower, who started at Foxcroft in spring 2021 and waited several months for the Music Building renovation to be completed that fall.

“The new space is so nice,” she continued, “especially the three separate practice rooms for that crucial one-on-one lesson time.

During Chorale, we're able to do a lot more than just rehearse as a big group. I can split the girls up and the spaces are soundproof so we can have multiple things going on at once and nobody's bothered.”

Not surprisingly, students are enjoying the space too, as Nova Schaffer ’23 affirms, "The Music Building is a place where students can have a quiet space to practice or play recreationally without having to worry about distracting friends that are studying, calling home, or trying to watch a movie in the lounge or in their room."

In addition to the soundproof practice rooms, there is a stunning recital hall with a dramatic two-story ceiling replete with ceiling-to-floor drapes

Elisabeth Wicht ’23

20 Foxcroft Magazine

Spring/Summer 2022 20

Strategic Plan

PHASE I BEGINS...

“It is so nice to have a space now that is dedicated to sound quality and performance,” explains Brower. “It’s the perfect space for spreading out our Chorale and making some big music, but it’s also intimate enough to hold recitals.”

Or, to host a masterclass like the one offered in February with guest speaker Elizabeth Holmes, Ph.D., Adjunct Assistant Professor at Shenandoah University. “It was a great experience for our performers as well as the other music students in attendance,” shares Brower. “Dr. Holmes addressed things like posture, breathing, and interpretation, and even had one of our girls dancing as she sang to better feel the flow of the melody. It was an invaluable experience for all!”

A Future in Harmony With 15 students enrolled in either voice or instrument lessons and about 10 in Chorale, Brower sees a bright and expansive future for the music program now that it once again has a dedicated space all its own. “The growth of the program, like so many of the unique things we offer at Foxcroft, is student motivated and led. Something new that was born out of students’ desire to be involved in music is a class that the Music and Art Departments are collaborating on called ‘Looking at Music, Listening to Art,’ which explores how the two arts have influenced each other throughout history. The nonperformance-based class will be the perfect elective for music lovers who may not be performance-driven. My hopes for future music classes include AP Music Theory, music appreciation, and a sight-reading/aural skills class.”

Elizabeth Holmes, Ph.D., Adjunct Assistant Professor at Shenandoah University, offered Foxcroft students a voice and performance masterclass in February.

Brower is also excited to continue her collaboration with Thorndike and the theater program. “We have already planned some changes to the typical fall semester events to allow the theater students to study technical theater on a deeper level by producing the fall concert. This collaboration will also allow the Continued on page 22

Recital Hall Completed Fall 2021 Spring/Summer 2022 21

Building Our Future Strategic for Plan

to shade (if needed) the beautiful natural light, as well as magnificent hardwood floors and built-in benches.

Continued from page 21

Chorale students to prepare a full concert program, as compared to the smaller performance opportunities they have throughout the school year.”

Instrumental music is also quite popular at Foxcroft. Before the pandemic, students were transported to their off-campus lessons. Currently, for instruments other than piano, Brower was able to establish a

collaboration with the Catoctin School of Music in Leesburg. During the pandemic, students attended virtual lessons and continue to do so — for now. “The goal,” confirms Brower, “would be to have Catoctin teachers come to campus. So, if we can get enough guitar students, for example, then we would bring a teacher here.”

Every song tells a story and the story of the Music Building and the School’s music program is not over — indeed it

is starting anew. “I am very optimistic for the future,” smiled Brower.

“What I’ve learned in my first year here is that Foxcroft’s priority is its students and how their educational experience can be enhanced. If we give students the opportunity to be involved by offering more music classes, they're going to jump at it. It's our students that are really creating and going to progress this program.”

Music has long been at the heart of Foxcroft, from the campfire songs with Miss Charlotte and hymns of our beloved Christmas Pageant to the clever twist of lyrics from the Soggie Cheerios, or beautiful melodies of the Octets and Afternoon Delights, and all the Fox/Hound cheers inbetween. As our School song implores, “Sing girls sing and let every girl sing, who’s old enough to lead and to follow.” Now, our girls have a dedicated space to do just that.

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To those who made gifts to the Music Building renovation, thank you for making this beautiful space ring once again with the voices and instruments for which it was always intended.

Beautiful Music in a Beautiful Space Watch Nova Schaffer ’23, Emma Leonard ’24, and Manabi Kono ’25 as they each perform in the stunning concert and recital hall of the now fully restored Music Building.

Nova Schaffer

Scan the QR code to listen!

Emma Leonard

22 Foxcroft Magazine

Manabi Kono

Music Building is the first step in Foxcroft’s Building for Our Future campaign. There are still opportunities to honor a person or memory of your time at Foxcroft by naming a space in the Music Building that perhaps you enjoyed as a student or a new space that reflects your favorite facet of creating music.

For more information on named giving opportunities or to give to the renovation of the Music Building, please call or email Executive Director of Institutional Advancement Marion Couzens at 540.687.4518 or marion.couzens@foxcroft.org.

Fun facts about the state-of-the-art technology and materials integrated throughout the Music Building.

A new humidification and dehumidification system keeps the relative humidity between 40-45% in the building, which is ideal for pianos and makes it a perfect home for the newly refurbished Steinway Grand Piano that once lived in FoxHound Auditorium.

A recessed ceiling projector and Bluetooth-enabled audio system in the recital hall can be used for academic classes or a special event.

The ceiling-to-floor acoustic drapes in the recital hall offer adaptable sound absorption and textured wall panels reduce the flutter effect that can occur with sound-reflective surfaces like wood.

Layers of horizontal and vertical insulation prevent sound and vibrations from traveling from one space to another through walls, floors, and ducts, including those coming from mechanical equipment.

In the practice rooms, soundabsorbing wall and ceiling panels and carpet, along with soundattenuating doors and seals, keep instrumental sound inside and prevent outside distractions from entering.

This photo is believed to be circa 1970-1980. Do you recognize yourself or anyone else? Help us identify the students and timeframe for this photo.

Email us at advancement@foxcroft.org if you know the timing or girls in this photo!

Spring/Summer 2022 23

Building for Our Future

Behind the Scenes

PHASE II

Continued Leadership in STEAM Education

24 Foxcroft Magazine

The new STEAM wing will provide the state-of-the-art resources, cutting-edge technology, and physical space necessary for our educators to continue delivering innovative and creative programs — like our award winning Computer Science curriculum and multifaceted Animal Science courses — to our students.

STEAM Space

Spring/Summer 2022 25

Building for Our Future

Scene Shop

3rd Floor Classroom – Schoolhouse

<h1>Foxcroft’s Holistic Approach to Computer Science in the 21st Century</h1>

By Bethany Stotler, Director of Communications and Marketing

Picture a quiet morning at home. You wake up to the scent of freshly brewed coffee, thanks to the impeccable timing of your coffee maker, sit down at your table and scroll through your phone.

You launch the iRobot app and start your Roomba vacuum, watching as it deftly maneuvers around chair legs and other obstacles. As you exist in this technologically advanced world, do you ever find yourself thinking about the science behind the conveniences at our literal fingertips?

26 Foxcroft Magazine

Alex Northrup and Sabrina Cai ’22 discuss a lesson during AP Computer Science A class.

Alex Northrup, Director of The Innovation Lab, History Department Chair, and AP Computer Science A teacher, hopes Foxcroft students will do exactly that.

“I was thinking about the theoretical underpinnings of why we're teaching computer programming. It's a little bit like why we teach biology or chemistry or even physics… When you're in the real world, you're not likely to look at a table and think, ‘Oh, I know the molecules that are in that table,’ right? But you need to understand how that table was made and how it fits together in the physical world.”

“So much of our world today is digital,” he continued, “that I think it's important for students to get a basic understanding of what's behind all of these things that really are governing our lives. Once you realize that it's a system that you can influence and control, then if the system is not working the way that you want it to, you can go in and change it.”

<h2>Hands-On: Working with Robots</h2> Xinyi Shen ’22 knows firsthand what it’s like to try and influence technology.

Participating in the FIRST Tech Challenge, which pushes students to

“Our imagination is quite different from reality,” Xinyi offered. “It took the whole season for me to figure out where everything is on the back end of the program.” But she thinks the effort is worth it. “After you know where everything is, you can make things work the way that you want because you understand how the whole program functions.”

foray into computer science began with a summer program hosted

by Harvard University, and may continue as she considers several different paths to pursue in college.

While her direction is still to be decided, what compels her toward the computer science field is clear.

“I love problem-solving,” she shares.

“I really enjoy the time I spend — a lot of time — solving one bug, and then all of a sudden, it works after several tries. Because of that time and what you invest into the problem, that makes the end results really satisfying.”

Continued on page 28

on, the team By the end of the season, h the addition was experimenting with of a robotic arm. They came up with a ting to utilize the concept — first attempting e laser cutter iin n 3D printer and then the e rrealizing eal aliz izin i g The Innovation Lab — before trong the materials would nott be sstrong enough. It’s all part of the ough; learning experience, though; “Next year, we’ll figure it as out.” The team clearly h has the drive to do so; they took it upon themselvess to apply for a grant e from Apple — and were awarded $1,500 to put towards their project.

Xinyi took Advanced Placement Computer g Science A online during her junior year and AP Computer Science Principles as a senior. Her

Xinyi Shen ’22

Spring/Summer 2022 27

Building for Our Future

“think like engineers” as they use Javabased programming to “design, build, and code robots” for competitions against other teams, she and teammates Rebecca Cramer ’23, Emili Rossman ’24, and Helen Ventikos ’23 conceptualized, built, and programmed a robot — from the very basic functions (like turning 90 degrees) to the more complex.

Additional Unique Learning Opportunities in Computer Science MAEVE MAGNER ’22 coded tiny Raspberry Pi computers within her historical display box series representing different decades to incorporate looped videos of I Love Lucy (representing the 1930s) and a playable Pong game (for the 1970s).

In a project spanning her AP Computer Science A and AP Human Geography with GIS courses that focuses on the United Nations Sustainable Development goal #5 (which strives to achieve gender equality and create opportunities for women around the world), ELIZABETH STANLEY ’22 used programming to display different infographics, statics, and images in a slideshow and to edit photos.

ELIZABETH VINEY ’24 is focusing her STEM Concentration on computer science, following in the footsteps of recent STEM concentration grads BETSY ALTENBURGER ’21 and CLAIR NEWTON ’19.

LYNN ZHANG ’23 is making a copy of the nervous system in Minecraft as part of her STEM concentration with a focus on anatomy.

In the Explorations in Engineering class, MAEVE MAGNER ’22, REBECCA CRAMER ’23, SNEHA KALYAN ’23, and SOPHIE MATTHEWS ’23 researched coding languages while working on a math game to make learning concepts engaging and fun, as part of an Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) project.

CyberPatriot team members MARY JOYCE ’23, EMMY QUEEN ’24, HELEN VENTIKOS ’23, and ELIZABETH VINEY ’24 participated in the CyberPatriot competition in October, acting as cybersecurity IT professionals securing a computer network in a simulation. They also hosted Sandra Joyce, EVP and Head of Global Intelligence at Mandiant, to speak about her career in cybersecurity.

28 Foxcroft Magazine

Continued from page 27

<h2>Engaging Teachers & Curriculum</h2> Our students are taught by an invested faculty who are developing an engaging program. New faculty member Thanh Chau “Jade” Do teaches AP Computer Science Principles, which is designed to highlight the basic concepts of how programming works so students come out of the class with a solid foundation.

Northrup is one of 25 teachers nationwide working with Code.org to pilot their curriculum for AP Computer Science A. Code.org is dedicated to “expanding access to computer science, and increasing participation by women and underrepresented minorities” with a vision that “every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science, just like biology, chemistry, or algebra.” Not only does Foxcroft have a faculty foot in the door with this important initiative, but two members of the Class of 2022 — Claire Ai and Sabrina Cai — sit on Code.org’s student advisory board.

Guided by the Code.org framework, the computer science courses at Foxcroft are taught with real-world applications in mind. Programming for good and social justice themes run throughout, with lesson scenarios often involving community events — be it a neighborhood gathering or an art exhibition — and the code needed to facilitate those. Elizabeth Stanley ’22 happened to be taking AP Computer Science A with Northrup while also taking his AP Human Geography course and carried her project focused on the United Nations Sustainable Development goals into both classes. When students are given the tools, encouragement, and a basic foundation, they become the architects of some pretty amazing things.

Alumna Betsy Altenburger '21 (right) took advantage of multiple computer science opportunities at Foxcroft before going on to study in that field at the University of Virginia. Here she works with classmate Hayden Eskew ’21 when they were students at Foxcroft.

That foundation is designed to serve students well beyond graduation. Recent graduate Betsy Altenburger ’21 first took advantage of Foxcroft’s curriculum when she attended the “Jump Into Game Design” coding event as a middle schooler and her love for STEM only grew over her time here. In addition to taking the computer science courses offered, she dove into C++, JavaScript, and Python programming languages during Wintermission sessions; spearheaded the introduction of CyberPatriot as a club offering; and received an Inspired Learning Summer Grant to develop and share a series of lessons on internet safety, plagiarism, and the basics of coding for elementary and middle school kids through a website that she coded herself from scratch. Betsy graduated in 2021 as a STEM Concentration student focused on computer science, and now studies computer science at the University of Virginia.

“The support I received at Foxcroft was really what made me so sure I would major in computer science,” shares Betsy. “Once you get to college, it is so much harder to get that support.

Coming into college, I had so much determination and passion for programming that there is no class or professor that could scare me away.

I attribute that attitude to Foxcroft!”

<h2>Planning for the Future</h2> Student interest is evident, and maintaining that engagement and excitement is key. “We are working on technology academic goal setting, part of which is to see where we're touching

Building for Our Future

<h2>Outstanding Outcomes</h2>

Jade Do, here with Madi Williams '25, teaches students the basic concepts of programming in AP Computer Science Principles.

Alex Northrup and his AP Computer Science A students work through an assignment during class in The Innovation Lab.

on certain technology concepts,” Northrup shares. “Programming is something that students should work on a number of times so they feel comfortable with it and so that they can, if they want to, go further — but also so they understand how things work behind the scenes as they live their lives in an increasingly digital and mediated world.”

You’re absolutely right, Northrup. It’s understanding the scientific magic happening in our physical world — the nitrogen, oxygen, a few other gasses, coding, networking, and artificial intelligence — that allows us to breathe, create, sip, swipe, live, and learn in the 21st century.

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“I think it’s important,” he offers. “It’s the air that we breathe. It's understanding how the air works, right?”

Spring/Summer 2022 29

OUR MI S S ION To help every girl explore her unique voice and to develop the skills, confidence, and courage to share it with the world.

A Foxcroft graduate is ready to

LEARN LEAD AND

I N C O L L E G E A N D B E YO N D P O R T R A I T

VOICE

O F

A

G R A D U AT E

I NT EL L ECT

CHA RACTER

· Recognizes her role and responsibility as a global citizen and works to effect positive change in her community and the world.

· Engages in and is curious about the world around her.

· Acts with integrity and responsibility and values these traits in others.

· Seeks out academic challenges and creates her own learning opportunities.

· Treats all with respect, kindness and an understanding heart.

· Stewards the environment for a sustainable future.

· Pursues knowledge and skills to better herself and her community.

· Acts with courage to do what is right.

· Effectively collaborates to achieve shared goals.

· Thinks critically, tackles complex problems with empathy, and uses logic and evidence to support her claims.

· Dedicates herself to serving others.

· Advocates for her needs academically, professionally, and personally. · Develops life-long practices that support a healthy mind in a healthy body.

· Utilizes scientific and quantitative reasoning skills. · Adopts ethical academic practices, evaluates sources, and properly credits information. · Expresses herself persuasively and creatively for a variety of purposes, using various modes: written, spoken, and visual.

3,000+

Lifetime Friendships and Connections

GLOBAL ALUMNAE

· Desires to learn from differences. · Exhibits persistence and resilience and adapts to changes and new situations.

Building for Our Future

FOXCROFT’S ANIMAL SCIENCE CONCENTRATION GAINS SPEED

By Katie Hergenreder, Animal Science Concentration Coordinator and STEM Department Chair The love and care of animals are deeply rooted in Foxcroft’s community values. Every day, I enjoy conversations with students about their wonderful experiences at the barn or the extra peppermints they sneak to the school ponies. My dog Khaki is overjoyed whenever a student takes a moment from her busy schedule to stop and pet him during our walks around campus. We often run into members of the Donkey Club, one of the School’s largest student clubs, as they care for and socialize

our two donkeys, Demi and Nod. Miss Charlotte herself would take students foxhunting, a tradition that we continue today with the Middleburg Hunt, and this year our students hosted multiple “Pet a Faculty Dog” events to destress around finals and during Wellness Weekend.

grow this passion as part of their educational experience at Foxcroft.

Grounded in experiential and handson learning, both the Concentration and classes have been driven by student excitement and choice in their learning.

Since its inaugural year in 2018, the Animal Science Concentration and its supporting Animal Science and Equine Science classes have provided a platform for students to nurture and

During our annual comparative anatomy unit, students investigate the unique adaptations of an animal of their choice and use The Innovation Lab to create a 3-D layered acrylic model of their work.

In choosing an animal to research, many students stay true to their Foxcroft roots and research horses, foxes, and hounds while others explore their passion for Marine Biology or even the African Safari.

Many of these projects incorporate reclaimed wood from historic campus buildings!

Katie Hergenreder answers an anatomy question posed by one of her Equine Science students.

Students start these projects in October when they learn about the skeletal and skin adaptations of their chosen animal and use this animal as an anchor to their learning for an entire semester, adding an acrylic layer to their 3-D projects as they learn about additional biological systems. We also incorporate fun class activities that help build an Continued on page 32

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Continued from page 31

understanding of the similarities and differences of various animals. In one such activity, we measure and compare the physical distance of each animal’s digestive tract. Lining up in front of Schoolhouse, students walk out this distance. The feline groups usually only walk a few feet, but the giraffe group traveled all the way to the Dining Hall (230 feet)!

While the adored lesson ponies down at the School's Jean DuPont McConnell Stables are excellent teachers for lessons

in lameness assessment and first aid, students have also gained valuable insight from a variety of guest speakers and local partnerships supporting the Animal Science Concentration and classes. We enjoyed a farrier workshop offered by renowned farrier and alumna Ada Gates Patton ’61 (the first female licensed racetrack farrier and member of the International Union of Journeyman Shoers in the United States and Canada, the official horseshoe inspector for the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade, and the official Farrier Liaison for the 1984 Olympic Games) in partnership

with Virginia Tech’s Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center, to see firsthand how trimming and shoeing can greatly benefit a horse’s comfort. In addition, Blue Ridge Wildlife Center presented to the community during Morning Meeting with the help of Education Ambassadors such as Blossom the Possum and Dopey the Screech Owl. On multiple occasions, Piedmont Equine Practice has generously hosted the Equine Science class to conduct a hoof and distal limb dissection with their associate veterinarians, allowing our students to develop a hands-on understanding of the anatomy

The Evolution of an Animal Science Student

By Lilia Sharp ’22, Animal Science Concentration graduate During my freshman year, the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center visited Foxcroft to educate our community on how they care for native wildlife. With the help of their education ambassadors, Dopey and Blossom, an eastern screech owl and an orphaned Virginia Opossum, we learned about the challenges that come with caring for wild animals and how to act in their best interest. Shortly after that presentation, I applied to become an Animal Science Concentration student. Through my Concentration, I was able to spend my sophomore year Wintermission week interning at the Center, where I helped with routine cleaning g and meal p preparation, p , observed surgeries, g and learned how to identify various issues on x-rays. was able to pursue my interest in animal science by Zooming into Even during the pandemic, I w seminars hosted by veterinarians from prestigious equine hospitals around the country. semi se mina nars rs h oste os ted db y vet eter erin in example, For exam ple, l I attended attend ded d a series of “Tuesday Talks” hosted by the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center (EMC). This year during Wintermission week, I interned at the EMC, where I spent time shadowing equine surgeons, nurse technicians, and one of the few equine computed tomography (CT) scan specialists in the country. After learning how to read x-rays at the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center and gaining a better understanding of equine anatomy through my Equine Science class, I was able to identify potential areas of concern on the scans taken by the CT machine. While there, I was c also able to observe how the surgical teams do emergency intake a exams to quickly assess the severity of a horse's condition and the ex best course of treatment. b These opportunities allowed me to narrow my interests to a final T project exploring the advancements in regenerative medicine for p osteoarthritis in horses for my Animal Science Concentration, a nice o culmination of the experience I gained through my participation in c Foxcroft’s Animal Science Concentration and classes.

F ox

32 Foxcroft Magazine

Lilia Sharp ’22

Foxcroft also partners with the National Sporting Library & Museum, which

Students conduct fecal floats, searching for parasites in fresh samples.

Chemistry Lab

hosted the Equine Science class in 2020 to view their rare books collection, specifically books related to Animal Science. In just one short afternoon, the students became fascinated with the books and diagrams, some of which were centuries old, carefully selected by the librarians. The library also has fossilized teeth from ancient equine ancestor Eohippus, who roamed the earth over 50 million years ago and was a particular favorite of the class during our Evolution and Domestication unit!

Open to all students as electives, Animal Science and Equine Science classes prepare them to engage in research projects and local internships, and ultimately the Animal Science Concentration, should they choose.

Animal Science is just one of four areas of study in Foxcroft’s Concentration program, the others being STEM, The Arts, and Global Studies. Through the Concentration program, students can pursue projects, internships, and more in an area of their interest with the

support of the School as part of their academic studies, ultimately earning a Concentration designation on their diploma upon graduation.

My hope for the Animal Science Concentration and supporting classes is to continue to grow involvement with the local community, allowing students to experience the true breadth of this expansive field of study. Some ideas are close to home, such as Baby Goat Yoga to blend wellness and study, although our campus horses and dogs might be loath to share the attention! Other ideas stretch a little further as our wonderful base of alumnae extends invitations to students to learn in all corners of the country. Near or far, the best part of my day will always be hearing students share their excitement as they pursue these wonderful, oncein-a-lifetime experiences.

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Spring/Summer 2022 33

Building for Our Future

of the leg and how the tendons and ligaments contribute to a horse’s motion.

Reunion 2022 April 21-23 saw close to 200 alumnae “Hurry Home” to campus for our first all-school reunion in years. The weekend was full of warm hugs, hearty laughter, and gorgeous weather. Lively events, from the Alumnae Association Dinner Thursday evening through Saturday’s Middleburg Spring Races tailgate and class dinners, offered myriad opportunities for alumnae to reconnect with each other. Thank you to everyone who made the journey home to campus; it was a joy to see you! For those who were unable to attend, know that you were truly missed and we hope to see you soon!

Reunion 2022 kicked off Thursday evening with the Alumnae Association Dinner. On behalf of Alumnae Council President Ginny Robbins ’91, who was unable to attend, incoming Alumnae Council President Tarin Heilman Horan ’93 welcomed the Class of 2022 into the Alumnae Association and recognized the newest class

34 Foxcroft Magazine

representatives, Natalie Chiao and Remy Patterson. Reunion Committee Chair Alden Denègre Moylan ’05 then announced Dorothy “DD” Alexander Matz ’81 as the recipient of the Distinguished Alumna Award (page 39) followed by the announcement of Sports Hall of Fame inductee Meredith “Dish” Harris ’10 by Sports

Hall of Fame Selection Committee Chair Cricket Bedford ’85 and Katie Kantz, Hall of Fame Committee Member and former Foxcroft Athletic Director (page 38). It was a lovely evening under the tent and a great way to start the weekend’s events.

Reunion 2022

Music Building Rededication

During a ceremony full of student performances, spirited Fox/Hound cheers, and remarks about its past and future, the Music Building was rededicated on Friday, April 22, as part of the first phase of the newly launched “Building for Our Future” campaign. In her remarks, Head of School Cathy McGehee quoted Foxcroft founder Charlotte Haxall Noland, whose words ring as true today as they did in 1946 at the launch of the School’s first building campaign: “Give us the tools we need and we will give the world fine women.” The renovated Music Building is now filled with the beautiful sounds of creative expression as our students hone their voices and talents.

Spring/Summer 2022 35

Career Day began with a moving address by AVERILL HOVEY ’97, Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Board Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC), followed by a morning of stimulating breakout sessions conducted by ten alumnae who graciously gave their time to share stories about their professional paths with students.

Representing classes ranging from 1987 to 2012, these women hailed from a variety of fields and included a pediatrician, environmental planner, accountant and financial advisor, horse trainer, interior designer/architect, investment services advisor, life coach, visual artist, magazine editor-in-chief, and director of professional learning.

A Keeper of Stories Career Day Keynote Speaker Averill Hovey ’97 “Through the stories and images that are often shared with me, I am gifted the opportunity to be let into other people's lives and experiences,” revealed AVERILL HOVEY ’97, on Friday, April 22, as she kicked off Foxcroft’s seventh annual Career Day. “And just as in a library like this, some of the stories are sad, some are scary, some are suspenseful, some are wild, impassioned, and even slow; to me, they're all valuable.”

Beginning with her own story, Hovey wove through the ups and downs she has experienced. Starting with elementary school, “I drew pictures all the time, which was considered nerdy,” — through her time here at Foxcroft, “I recall in my early years at Foxcroft grappling with both the expectations that were set for me and the expectations I set for myself. From the beginning of my four years to the end, I truly Michelangelo’d myself out of rock,” — and then college, “My battles with expectations returned. And throughout all this, I began navigating the reality of my sexuality. This was, of all the stages of my life, what I refer to as the toughest.” Her desire to create art also dried up during that time.

During her senior year of college, Hovey “finally found a major that felt

36 Foxcroft Magazine

right for me, and it forced me back into artmaking.” After graduating with a degree in mass communications, she eventually moved to the Denver area where she found some entrylevel editing jobs in television and also started coaching lacrosse. When the TV work started to feel mundane, a coaching colleague mentioned teacher training, “So I left production and headed towards education.”

After receiving her teaching license, Hovey ultimately found herself in a large public school working with first- through third-grade students. Not long after that, she learned about a program at Naropa University that offered a master's degree in clinical counseling with an option for an art therapy emphasis. “I began reading voraciously about art therapy. I got incredibly curious about the benefits of art and how it can be useful for expression and coping. I was fascinated by what materials were helpful for certain things and how they impacted emotional regulation. In the classroom with my students, I began instituting 15-minute drawing check-ins each morning.

They would draw and then have an opportunity to share with me how they were arriving at school that day. I was amazed at the material that emerged

from my students' images. What appeared to be just simple drawings elicited so much emotional material.”

She was hooked and decided to pursue a degree in counseling and art therapy.

Hovey also shared that during that time, “My artmaking was beginning to flourish and coincidentally my comfort in sharing my identity and even being more forthright about myself universally became more and more accessible.”

She currently works at Naropa University as a Visiting Instructor, sees private clients, and supervises young therapists looking to get their licenses.

In closing, Hovey offered this advice and encouragement, “In times of stress, it's easy to find a person to pick on or something or someone to blame.

See if there's space in you to find expression in other ways. Sometimes it will take being seen by another human, sometimes it will take working with a professional, or singing Billie Eilish’s 'Bad Guy' or Lizzo’s 'Good as Hell.' Scribble, make a mess with paints, dance, hug, cry, laugh. Your journey is valuable — all parts of it. The sculpture that emerges from your excavating will be beautiful in its own right."

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Reunion 2022

Foxcroft’s fourth Courageous Conversations with Foxcroft Women, with a theme of “Home Is Where the Heart Is: Bridging the Gap to Belonging,” was led by moderators Lisa Washington Baker ’84 and Tiffany Perry Goodman ’03, Assistant Head of School Courtney Ulmer, Dean of Inclusive Excellence Whittney Preston, Head of School Cathy McGehee, and Trustees Vicki Threlfall ’81 and Kassinda Usher ’93 who guided those in attendance through a thoughtful and informative conversation around the phases of a Foxcroft journey — from applicant to alumna.

Sandwiches with Students was a new and very well-received event, where alumnae and current juniors and seniors got to enjoy conversations over lunch, laughing as they reminisced about their experiences as Foxcroft students.

The sunshine set the perfect backdrop for alumnae in attendance during the Middleburg Spring Races. Under the tailgate tent, alumnae enjoyed refreshments and light bites as they cheered on the horses throughout the afternoon and reflected on all the fun that was had here on campus.

Spring/Summer 2022 37

Confident, Courageous, and Unselfish Meredith “Dish” Harris ’10 Inducted as 13th Member of the Foxcroft Sports Hall of Fame (l to r) Head of School Cathy McGehee, former Foxcroft Athletic Director Katie Kantz, Chair of Foxcroft’s Sports Hall of Fame Selection Committee Cricket Bedford ’85, and Dish are all smiles after the announcement of her induction.

Founded in 2014 as part of our Centennial Celebration, the Foxcroft Sports Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding athletes who graduated from Foxcroft at least ten years ago, were a varsity competitor, and distinguished themselves by their outstanding athletic achievements, including the athlete's college career or other achievements beyond the grounds of Foxcroft. Above all, Hall of Fame candidates must serve as examples of outstanding character, courage, and leadership, which Foxcroft seeks to develop in its athletic program. This year’s induction was held on Thursday, April 21, at the Alumnae Association Dinner during Reunion Weekend.

MEREDITH "DISH" HARRIS ’10 seemed to pick up any new sport she tried with ease from an early age. She started riding at the age of six and, shortly thereafter, started playing lacrosse. She competed competitively in hunter and jumper events and first gained notoriety for her standout skills playing club lacrosse in Upper Corner. While attending Foxcroft she played lacrosse, field hockey, and basketball. She was selected as Field Hockey Player of the Year in the Delaney Athletic Conference (DAC) and during her time at Foxcroft, she helped lead her team to DAC and Columbus Cup Field Hockey Championships, as well as to the Virginia Independent School Athletic Association (VISAA) Tournament for the first time since 2005.

On the lacrosse field, she led her team to a 10-2 record. Selected alongside a classmate as co-winners of Foxcroft’s Most Valuable Player award during her senior year, she was also named firstteam All-Loudoun by The Washington Post and All-DAC by the Delaney Conference coaches. She broke several

38 Foxcroft Magazine

single-season and career scoring records while playing at Foxcroft.

Known for her bright-colored socks and accessories every time she stepped on the field, Dish made a statement with her confidence. She represented the ultimate Foxcroft leader — courageous confident, and ready to showcase her skills. She was a special athlete, so talented at such a young age, and with the unselfishness to be a servant leader on the field. With her skills, she could have easily been the top scorer on the team but instead empowered others to shine and be their best.

Former Foxcroft Athletic Director, “Foxy Lady,” and Dish’s advisor and coach Katie Kantz, who sits on the Sports Hall of Fame selection committee, shared during her remarks, “Dish demonstrated such intensity but also sportsmanship as a leader and captain. At a time when sportsmanship can get out of hand, we need practices like the Fox/ Hound tradition and leaders like Dish to model the essence of ‘true friends ‘til the end’ even in the ultimate heat

of healthy competition.” This is why Division I coaches — Denver in particular — recruited her so heavily. She was the player a coach would want to help build their program as she did at Foxcroft and Denver. Her energy and love for all sports, including riding, were contagious.

Believed to be the second Foxcroft player ever to play Division 1 Lacrosse, Dish co-captained her team at the University of Denver, helping elevate their program to a top 10 ranking as they went to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament multiple times. She also was named to the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA)’s Academic Honor Roll list and, upon graduation, was ranked second on her University of Denver team in points. We are proud to induct Dish as the newest member of Foxcroft’s Sports Hall of Fame!

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Read more about Foxcroft's Sports Hall of Fame, past inductees, and how to nominate an alumna at www.foxcroft.org/programs/athletics/ sports-hall-of-fame.

Reunion 2022

Authentic, Inclusive, and Supportive Dorothy “DD” Alexander Matz ’81 Named 2022 Distinguished Alumna The Distinguished Alumna Award is given by the Alumnae Council to honor an alumna who embodies the School's core values of respect, integrity, kindness, and service and has honed a passion that she discovered while at Foxcroft and is sharing it with the world. An alumna can be nominated for her expertise and her accomplishment in her profession, or her contribution to positive, long-lasting change within her community. This year’s award was presented on April 21 at the Reunion Weekend Alumnae Association Dinner.

DOROTHY ALEXANDER MATZ ’81, or “DD” as she is called by family and friends, has worn many Foxcroft hats — alumna, parent of two alumnae (stepdaughter Michelle Matz Hyland ’00 and daughter Lucy Matz ’16), Trustee, and search committee member — to name just a few. Her devotion to Foxcroft is evident in the work she has done and continues to do for the School, whether it be in recruiting new students, leading the Board of Trustees in governance education or committee work, or as Secretary of the Board or philanthropically supporting many essential Foxcroft projects. Her family and Foxcroft share a connection that spans three generations.

When not focused on Foxcroft, DD is active in many other organizations close to her heart. She has served as President of the United States Equestrian Team Foundation (USET), Vice-President of the Board of Upland Country Day School, and Vice-Chairman of the Brandywine River Museum and Conservancy, a position she still holds today.

She has also managed her family farm, Buck and Doe, where she is able to fulfill

her passion for riding and racing and where she has raised her four children.

Competitive riding is in her blood as well as her husband’s and children’s and the family can often be seen at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington or other A-rated shows.

the radar. I can never thank that group of ladies enough, as they really helped shape the person I am today. In so many ways, we raised each other, and no one got away with too much bad acting!

Who knew you could get such great advice from your 16-year-old peers?

But to the Class of 1981, she is a beloved classmate who is authentic, inclusive, and supportive. In her acceptance remarks, delivered by dear friend Dell Hancock ’71 as DD was unable to attend the presentation in person, DD shared “I really enjoyed those marathon [Board of Trustees] meetings with so many other great Foxcroft ‘girls’ and a few good men sprinkled in; getting a chance to see what was happening at the School, learning more about education, and at the end of a long day, kicking up our heels a little was very satisfying work. We all were so passionate about Foxcroft; it was very fulfilling and hopefully, beneficial to the School.

I hope all of you getting ready to graduate soon will cherish and nurture the bonds that Foxcroft helped form.

Your friends are the pillars that give you the strength, integrity, and conviction you will need in life to accomplish your goals, whatever they may be. A life of purpose, a love of friends and the beauty in the world around us, service to others, and a lot of humor have provided me with a wonderful life. So much of that was rooted in my time at Foxcroft. I am humbled to be honored tonight. Thank you all and I miss you.”

The bonds that I have built among my Foxcroft family run very deep and I am humbled to be singled out amongst such a fabulous, incredibly bright, and capable group of women. My classmates all know I have pretty strong convictions, but I also prefer to fly under

For these and so many other reasons, we are thrilled to celebrate Dorothy “DD” Alexander Matz ’81 as our 2022 Distinguished Alumna.

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Read more about Foxcroft's Distinguished Alumnae Award, past honorees, and how to nominate an alumna at www.foxcroft.org/alumnae/ distinguished-alumna-award.

Spring/Summer 2022 39

2022 REUNION GIVING AWARDS WINNERS! We are proud to announce the winners of the 2022 Reunion Giving Awards! Classes with the highest participation in The Foxcroft Circle or other class initiatives in honor of their Reunion were eligible for either the 5th-20th Reunion Giving Award or the 25th-60th Reunion Giving Award.

Congratulations to the Class of 2011 (1) for winning the 5th-20th Reunion Giving Award with 17.8% participation and to the Class of 1976 (2) for winning the 25th-60th Reunion Giving Award with 28.1% participation!

We are appreciative of their incredible leadership and grateful to everyone who supports The Foxcroft Circle — thank you!

17%

1

Class of 2011 5 –20 Reunion Giving Award th

th

28%

2

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Class of 1976 25th–60th Reunion Giving Award

3 Devoted Leader and Steward Ellen MacNeille Charles ’55 Receives the Anne Kane McGuire ’52 Distinguished Service Award For her steady leadership, unfailing devotion, exceptional stewardship, and dedicated service to Foxcroft School, the Board of Trustees and Head of School Cathy McGehee honored Ellen MacNeille Charles ’55 by presenting her the Anne Kane McGuire ’52 Distinguished Service Award, Foxcroft’s highest award, at a special luncheon on April 22 during Reunion Weekend.

Established in 1984, this award is named for Anne Kane McGuire ’52, who served Foxcroft with loyalty and distinction for 13 years as a Trustee, including six years as Chair of the Board during a period of extraordinary difficulties for the School.

“Foxcroft women get it done!” exclaimed ELLEN MACNEILLE CHARLES ’55 when she received the phone call in the spring of 2018 that the Centennial Campaign, which she co-chaired, was completed two years early and $5 million over the goal. ‘Getting it done’ is what she is all about.

After Foxcroft, Ellen graduated from Mount Holyoke College, married, had three sons, and embarked on a new endeavor — raising dogs. Puppies and ponies were to become a theme in Ellen’s life as she went from dog

breeder to American Kennel Club judge, President of the AKC Museum of the Dog, and owner with winning distinctions at the Westminster Dog Show. In 2004, she purchased her first horse to race under her mother’s colors propelling Hillwood Stable to what it is today. With her horses and her dogs, she lives by her philosophy, “When you are involved in a sport, you need to give back too.”

And give back she has! Ellen has served on the boards of many organizations, including Foxcroft, Tudor Place,

and the Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens. At Hillwood, home of her grandmother Marjorie Merriweather Post, Ellen served as President of the Board for 25 years and brought it from a “wellkept secret to a shared treasure.”

As a member of Foxcroft’s Board of Trustees, she has served as co-chair of the Advancement Committee, where she now sits as an ex-officio member, and as co-chair of the Centennial Campaign, the largest capital fundraising effort in the School’s history. During her leadership, the extraordinary bequest from Ruth Bedford ’32, the largest gift ever given to an all-girls secondary school, was received. She was also a member of the Search Committee that brought Cathy McGehee to Foxcroft as the 10th Head of School. Ellen continues to host gatherings for the School in her beautiful home in Georgetown and attends as many events on campus as possible.

Perhaps Van S. Merle-Smith, Jr., Academic Head at the time who would go on to become Foxcroft’s second Head following Miss Charlotte, said it best when he wrote to Ellen’s mother in 1952, “I can only add that [Ellen] seems to be fitting in very nicely and I feel sure that as the years go by, she will contribute more and more to our life here at Foxcroft.” His words still ring true today, as she continues to give of her time, her talent, and her treasure — all of which have left an indelible mark on the School.

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Read more about Foxcroft's Anne Kane McGuire ’52 Distinguished Service Award, past honorees, and how to nominate someone at www.foxcroft.org/ support/distinguished-service.

Spring/Summer 2022 41

Reunion 2022

3. Ellen MacNeille Charles ’55 (third from the right) poses with her family after receiving the 2022 Anne Kane McGuire ’52 Distinguished Service Award.

Class Photos

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Reunion 2022 Spring/Summer 2022 43

The Great Perhaps The Class of 2022 Shines at Foxcroft’s 108th Commencement For the first time in many years, weather conditions forced graduation into the Engelhard Gymnasium of the Athletic/Student Center on May 27. Yet not even a National Weather Service Tornado Watch could dampen the spirits of the 43 members of the Class of 2022 as they pushed through their disappointment at not being in Miss Charlotte’s Garden to graduate with all of the cheers, laughter, and tears of a typical Foxcroft Commencement.

And even though the venue was different, the ceremony was much the same, including inspirational speeches from two special speakers.

Senior Class Speaker Amelia Fortsch, who would later receive the highest honor presented to a graduating senior, the Charlotte Haxall Noland Award, spoke about her search for the “Great Perhaps,” and how she — just like the main character in John Green's Looking for Alaska who goes to a boarding

44 Foxcroft Magazine

1

1. Chosen by her classmates, Senior Class Speaker Amelia Fortsch shared stories about her class and their tight bonds, noting that they are the only current class to experience a non-Covid year at Foxcroft.

Asked by the class to be the Commencement Speaker, Assistant Head of School Courtney Ulmer, who is also moving on from Foxcroft after 16 years, encouraged the seniors to give things their all and believe in themselves. She also shared a list of lessons learned such as the importance of making your bed and the unfortunate realization that she will probably never have a panda of her own. “You may have come up with your own list while I have been speaking,” she concluded, “but for each of us, the lessons we learned at Foxcroft will be interwoven into the next phases of our lives. Like a true friend, some lessons will be with us day in and day out, and others will re-emerge again when we need to draw from them the most. Use these lessons well as you graduate from Foxcroft.”

In many ways, the graduates have already employed some of Ulmer’s

2. Commencement Speaker Assistant Head of School Courtney Ulmer offers lessons and advice to the Class of 2022.

3

Commencement 2022

school in search of his “Great Perhaps” — hoped to find hers at Foxcroft.

She shared stories about her class coming together as freshmen only to be separated by the pandemic at the end of sophomore year and finally coming together once again to finish out their time at Foxcroft. “Our class is so special and our experience here has been so unique," she reflected. "As the only current class to experience a non-Covid year, we had a lot of expectations for what our time at Foxcroft would be like, and even though it didn’t turn out how we expected, we made it work. We lifted each other up and guided the underclassmen through this past year. It’s been hard, but we can walk away from our time at Foxcroft knowing that we have found at least a part of the Great Perhaps, meaningful human connections and a love of learning will follow each of us as we leave this school.”

3. Classmates celebrate with Remy Patterson ’22 as she walks up to receive her diploma.

2 advice. By giving things their all and believing in themselves, the members of the Class of 2022 have collectively received 148 offers of admission from 104 colleges and universities, with ten students receiving 28 merit scholarships totaling $1,431,800. Members of the class will attend Carnegie Mellon University, The Culinary Institute of America, Cornell University, Gettysburg College, Louisiana State University, Loyola Marymount University, New York University, Syracuse University, The College of William and Mary, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Kentucky, and University of Virginia, among others. The Class of 2022 has eight members who completed the requirements to earn an Academic Concentration designation on their diploma: three in Animal Science, one in Global Studies, two in STEM, and two in The Arts. Eight are AP Scholars, two are AP Scholars with Honor, two are National Merit Commended Scholars,

and nine are members of the Cum Laude Society. Three members of the class were inducted into the International Thespian Society for achievements in performing arts, and eight have won regional awards in the prestigious Scholastic Art and Writing competition.

Congratulations to the Class of 2022 on your graduation! Go forth and share your unique voice with the world — but know that, as Amelia said in the closing lines of her speech, “we can always come back to this place and come together just like we have during our time at Foxcroft. What brings me comfort is the knowledge that we’ll always have a life in old Virginia and country roads leading us back.”

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Watch the Speeches from Commencement 2022 at https://www.foxcroft.org/ commencement-2022

Spring/Summer 2022 45

1. Lilly Robinson and parents Amy Krenytzky ’89 and Whitson W. Robinson (right) share graduation day with family.

2. Remy Patterson and her mother Lisa Hubbard Patterson ’89 share smiles prior to graduation.

3. Laura Rhodes Fortsch ’87 has two ITs in the family: Amelia ’22 and Lily ’19.

4. Virginia Bonnie, granddaughter of Cornelia Winthrop Bonnie ’52 and great-granddaughter of Theodora Ayer Randolph ’24 (neither pictured), celebrates graduation with family, including her cousin Lilly Bonnie ’14 (second from right).

1 Relatively Speaking Parents all become part of the Foxcroft family when their daughters matriculate — unless they are already connected through work, other children, or having attended the School themselves. When the first daughters of alumnae came to Foxcroft, our beloved founder Charlotte Haxall Noland (aka Miss Charlotte) created a special name for them: ITs, which stands for Ideals and Traditions.

At Commencement, we captured the four Class of 2022 IT girls with their proud families.

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2 3 4

Students and faculty are honored during the end-of-year celebrations, including the Awards Assembly on Thursday, May 26, and Commencement on Friday, May 27.

MEGHEN TUTTLE AND STEVE MCCARTY NAMED TO ENDOWED CHAIRS Two faculty members were named to endowed chairs — Meghen Tuttle, Ph.D., to the Eleanor B. Stevens Chair for Science and Steven W. McCarty to the H. Laurence Achilles Chair for English.

A true scholar and lifelong learner with a broad knowledge and genuine love for science, Tuttle teaches her classes to be active, collaborative, and interdisciplinary with realworld applications. In the last weeks of school, her Biology students incubated and hatched baby chicks, quite the unique experience, ultimately rehoming them to a nearby farm.

“Each day in Dr. Tuttle’s biology classes,” observed Head of School Cathy McGehee in her remarks, “she helps our students think like scientists by providing case studies and applying the scientific method as they conduct labs and write up their reports. Her students learn critical reasoning skills and gain confidence that they can become scientists themselves. Her passion for science and research is evident in all she does.”

Tuttle is a STEAM teacher and Wellness Education Coordinator at Foxcroft and holds a Ph.D. in neuroscience and a B.A. in vocal studies, both from the University of Southern California.

A master teacher who "walks the walk" with his students, McCarty has expanded opportunities for students to experience the written and spoken word at the Paul K. Bergan Poetry Festival and live readings in Washington, DC. He regularly encourages them to share their voices by submitting to present and publish their works, too. “Mr.

Commencement 2022

Awards and Accolades

1 1. STEAM teacher and Wellness Education Coordinator Meghen Tuttle, Ph.D., celebrates with husband Jay and son Jack after being named to the Eleanor B. Stevens Chair for Science.

2. English Department Chair Steve McCarty tries out his chair after receiving the H. Laurence Achilles Chair for English.

McCarty is an innovative teacher,” noted McGehee, “using the most current research and tools available to enhance instruction. As Chair of the English Department, he has led the way in integrating Mastery Learning into the pedagogy and curriculum, overhauling the entire English program.

He holds high expectations for his students and colleagues, but he asks nothing less of himself.” McCarty has taught in Foxcroft's English and History departments for 15 years and holds an M.A. from the University of South Carolina and a B.A. from West Virginia University. His work has been published in several literary journals, including The Thomas Hardy Review, The Piedmont Virginian, and Poet Lore.

Tuttle is the fourth person to hold the Stevens Chair, established in 1997 through the generosity of the Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation. McCarty is the fourth holder of the Achilles Chair, named for a master teacher, scholar, mentor, and friend who led the English Department until his retirement in 1977.

Continued on page 48

"He holds high expectations for his students and colleagues, but he asks nothing less of himself."

- Head of School Cathy McGehee

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Spring/Summer 2022 47

A Selection of Student Awards* Pillsbury Award/ Valedictorian

JINGYANG CLAIRE AI ’22

Salutatorian XINYI SHEN ’22

Josie Betner Mallace Prize NIA ELIZABETH DOWLING ’22

Ida Applegate Award CHELSIE JAYNE EKHELAR ’22

Dudley Prize ZHIYU CATHERINE JIN ’22

Charlotte Haxall Noland Award AMELIA BRUCE FORTSCH ’22

Head’s Prize MARLOW DANIEL BUCKNER ’22 (3)

Junior Award For Scholarship

Teresa E. Shook Award (Athletics & Sportsmanship)

HELEN ELEKTRA VENTIKOS '23

ELIZABETH MADISON STANLEY '22

Elebash Award

*A complete list of awards may be found at www.foxcroft.org/awards-assembly-2022

MADISON A. WILLIAMS ’25

Becky Award EMILY GRACE QUEEN ’24

Mildred Greble Davis Award LUCY ANNE MOAN ’23

National Merit Scholarship Commended Students ERICA ELIZABETH JOHNSON ’22 CAROLINE KELLY MCLAUGHLAN ’22

Miss Charlotte's Trophy (Best Rider) VIRGINIA AYER BONNER '22

3

Continued from page 47

JULIE FISHER RECEIVES LEIPHEIMER TEACHING AWARD Julie Fisher, whose leadership as Fine Arts Department Chair has elevated the arts program at Foxcroft, received the 2022 Mary Louise Leipheimer Excellence in Teaching Award.

“A quiet but transformative educator, Julie has expanded and raised the bar for our arts program through her vision, leadership, and hard work,” shared McGehee. “From building our digital arts program and our STEAM design courses to submitting student work to a variety of juried shows, she has found ways to showcase our students' voices through a variety of mediums.

Nowhere is this more evident than

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during Arts Week, a herculean effort to celebrate the creativity, expression, and talent of our student artists.”

Fisher’s innovative and collaborative approach to learning has helped her students connect with other schools and organizations in the surrounding community by curating student art shows at the Artists in Middleburg gallery and completing Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) projects benefitting Banneker Elementary, Aldie Mill, and the Goose Creek Association. She collaborates across departments at Foxcroft, working with her colleagues in the STEM Department to add the “A” (for arts) to a growing STEAM curriculum. Fisher teaches photography, engineering, and

graphic design while also serving as the Tally-ho! Yearbook advisor and mentor to students pursuing their academic concentration in The Arts.

McGehee shared reflections from Fisher’s colleagues collected in their nomination forms. One wrote, “She teaches several different classes that force students to think outside of the classroom setting and think about the larger community. Her classes create meaningful projects that benefit others.” Another offered, “she meets her students where they are, then supports their growth, challenges them appropriately, and holds them to the high standards she believes they are capable of.”

DANNY BORROR RECEIVES JANE LOCKHART SERVICE AWARD Recognizing his dedication and outstanding service to Foxcroft School for the past decade, Facilities Manager Danny Borror was awarded the 2022 Jane Lockhart Service Award.

“Each and every day, Mr. Borror’s work to keep our buildings and grounds safe, beautiful, and functioning helps create a welcoming campus for our students, their families, and their teachers,” remarked McGehee. “Over the past two years, the pandemic has provided us with many extra challenges. You and the team have gone above and beyond to make sure our community is safe.

Now that we are back to normal, you help us set up for events and programs, sometimes with little notice — and then there are all the other challenges faced by a 108-year-old, 500-acre campus with 50 buildings, from the electrical work to plumbing, and so much more.”

Borror joined Foxcroft’s Maintenance team in 2011 and became Facilities Manager in 2016. In addition to keeping campus running and supporting the daily needs of the School, Borror has co-taught courses during Wintermission and helps the engineering classes as they use heavy-duty equipment. He and the entire Maintenance staff also transform the School’s spaces with imaginative and impressive set designs for each performing arts production. His work to support our students’ experience at Foxcroft is especially meaningful to him as his daughter Ryleigh is a member of the Class of 2023.

Commencement 2022

The Mary Louise Leipheimer Excellence in Teaching Award was established in 2014 by Foxcroft’s Board of Trustees to honor the retiring Head of School who spent 40+ years at the School as a teacher and administrator.

4 No matter the task, Borror is there with a smile, perhaps a joke, and a helping hand. “You are ready to serve 24/7, and you do so with concern, care, and humor,” said McGehee. “You help create a positive climate for everyone who works with you. You take care of us all through random alarms, fireplace smoke, squirrels, snakes, and other crazy, wild things! Thank you for leading by example and for caring for Foxcroft.”

The Jane Lockhart Service Award was established in 2012 and is given to a distinguished member of Foxcroft's staff or faculty who "exemplifies a personal commitment to and understanding of all of our students.”

•

4. Facilities Manager Danny Borror and his wife Mollie are all smiles as he becomes the 11th recipient of the Jane Lockhart Service Award.

5. Julie Fisher (center), the eighth recipient of the Mary Louise Leipheimer Excellence in Teaching Award, collaborated with students to curate artworks for a showing at a local gallery.

5

"She meets her students where they are, then supports their growth, challenges them appropriately, and holds them to the high standards she believes they are capable of."

- Head of School Cathy McGehee Spring/Summer 2022 49

FROM THE…

Alumnae Council

By Tarin Heilman Horan ’93

THANK YOU GINNY! As I step into the role of President of the Alumnae Association this month, I do so with great admiration and gratitude for the work of our outgoing president, Ginny Robbins ’91.

She leaves a an impressive legacy for me to continue to build upon and a strong, effective Council to serve the alumnae and the School. During her term, Ginny faced outside challenges that none of us could have expected.

Leading virtually through a pandemic is no easy task, yet she did so with an optimistic and can-do attitude in creative ways that kept the mission and goals of the Association at the forefront of all Alumnae Council activities and encouraged alumnae participation and connection.

Her leadership reflected her love of the School, as did her work.

Throughout her time as President, Ginny worked to revise the Articles of Association and adopt a Memorandum of Understanding that clarifies the relationship between the Board of Trustees and the Association. She revamped the committee structure on the Council and opened the door for additional alumnae to serve as nonvoting committee members. Clarity of communication was important to her,

50 Foxcroft Magazine

(l to r) Wendy Xiu ’19, Jordan Walker ’19, Head of School Cathy McGehee, Ginny Robbins ’91, Kate Domanski ’96, and Sarah Elhilow ’19.

as was supporting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) goals through alumnae affinity groups and programs. Her support of each committee and council member ensured that everyone had a voice and was heard. The impact of this work in addition to other changes she brought to the Council, will carry us forward for years to come.

As I look to the future and build on Ginny’s work, my goals include creating opportunities for alumnae to network together and enhance their professional ties. With more than 3,000 alumnae, we are blessed with a depth and breadth of skills, careers, and interests to share with and guide the younger generations. We will continue to streamline the structure of the Council to better reflect and meet the needs of the Association, engage and communicate with our alumnae and share through digital media and print the work that we do. We will also seek to increase participation in regional and

international events and gatherings.

I look forward to sharing more information as we welcome new Council members and define our goals for the coming year.

I am honored to have this opportunity to serve my fellow alumnae and the School, and I look forward to working with you. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions, suggestions, ideas, or thoughts. I am excited about our year ahead.

FROM THE…

Parents’ Association President

By Erin Hershey (London ’23) After nearly two years of strictly virtual events, the 2021-22 academic year afforded the Parents’ Association (PA) opportunities for parents to come together — both on campus and off — to further its mission of community building among parents, families, staff, and our girls.

Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities (VCIC) in partnership with the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Parent Affinity Group, recognized faculty and staff through a week of gratitude during Teacher Appreciation Week, and generally worked to support the transition back to a more normal school year.

This year, the PA held its annual Auction and Raffle and hosted Family Fest during Family Weekend in October.

Families gathered together after attending classes and meeting with teachers and advisors for fellowship and a great deal of fun. A “Taste of Middleburg” cocktail hour was hosted at Covert by Head of School Cathy McGehee and her husband Read. The Family Fest followed, with a fabulous meal served al fresco in the Sally B. Courtyard of the Athletic/Student Center and was enjoyed by students and families alike. This year’s event raised over $20,000, a portion of which was used to purchase picnic tables, adirondack chairs, and additional seating for the Turf Field area. Thank you to Mary Catlett (Molly ’23), Lisa Hubbard Patterson ’89 (Remy ’22), and Suyen Michlowitz (Jordan ’22) for their efforts to make Family Fest and the Auction a tremendous success.

In the coming academic year, the PA is excited to continue many of its longstanding traditions, while incorporating new initiatives to further engage families. We will offer virtual meetings for parents who are unable to join on campus, work closely with our BIPOC Parent Affinity Group, offer on- and offcampus social events for parents that coincide with times families are typically coming to Foxcroft, and increase awareness and access to the wealth of knowledge and resources provided by the Parents Council of Washington.

Additionally, the PA provided support and funding for each of the three Sports Banquets in celebration of Foxcroft athletes, hosted a webinar with the

Some of our goals and newer projects include potentially revisiting and refreshing the Auction to help us support the School as best we can, growing our international family programming and opportunities for involvement, and finding new ways to connect parents with each other and the School.

Before welcoming our new PA officers for the 2022-23 year, I want to thank our outgoing leaders. Their tireless support of the PA and the entire Foxcroft community has not gone unnoticed.

President Nathalie Mould (Cecilia ’22), Class Representative Ann Thomas (Clare ’22), the founder and inaugural chair of the BIPOC Parent Affinity Group Cori Daniel (Marlow ’22), and Lisa Hubbard Patterson ’89 and Suyen Michlowitz who have served as co-Chairs of the Auction for three incredible years!

I am thrilled to be working closely with Lorina Leonard (Emma ’24), incoming Vice President, and the entire panel of PA Officers, Chairs, Liaisons, and Foxcroft Circle Representatives as we continue to build upon the great foundation of our PA. We look forward to getting to know each of our families better and will continue to serve as a resource for all.

2022-23 Parents’ Association Leadership PRESIDENT Erin Hershey (London '23) VICE PRESIDENT Lorina Leonard (Emma '24) SECRETARY Christine Boehm (Irene '24) TREASURER Brian Ford (Sarah '24)

Spring/Summer 2022 51

Jingle & Mingle (Alumnae Association Event)

Out & About Gatherings around the country — whether

The day was filled with laughter and reminiscing of Foxcroft days at the Jingle & Mingle event hosted by the Alumnae Council Social Committee. Foxcroft alumnae went ice skating at The Washington Harbour Ice Rink and had holiday cocktails at Pinstripes.

official Foxcroft events attended by Head of School Cathy McGehee or informal outings organized locally — celebrate the shared experience of Foxcroft. We are thrilled to be on the road again and grateful to all who give of their time to host us.

Visit www.foxcroft.org/alumnae to see if there are any upcoming events near you!

3. (l to r): Catherine Kushan '10, Allie Mackey '14, and Tess Mackey '11.

Philadelphia, PA Many thanks to Victoria Mars ’74 for hosting Foxcroft alumnae at the Philadelphia Flyers game in November 2021. Cathy was also able to visit with Liz Hanbidge ’00, Rose Johnson Randall '43, DD Alexander Matz '81, and Evie Davis Dutton '82 while in Philadelphia.

4 Richmond, VA

1

Foxcroft alumnae Maria Saffer Cobb and Reeves McReynolds McCune from the Class of 1987 hosted a lively evening cocktail gathering at The Jasper in Richmond, VA, in March 2022.

1. (l to r): Angela Johnson Culbreath '80, Cathy McGehee, Natalie James Wiltshire '95, Gretchen Hall Archibald '98, Laine Reddish Whitaker '97, Dalia El-Ramly Mattison '94, Victoria Mars '74, Bernadette Schuetz Russell '03, Emily Buckland Keleher '04, and Tonita Austin '83.

4. (l to r): Dee Dee Anderson '82, Megan Bathon O'Neill '86, Whitney Hansen '02, Maria Saffer Cobb '87, Cathy McGehee, Stephanie Ford (P '24), Reeves McReynolds McCune '87.

2. (l to r): Cathy McGehee and Liz Hanbidge '00.

52 Foxcroft Magazine

2

3

6 Denver, CO

5 Savannah, GA Sheldon Gerry Withers ’61 hosted Cathy and Foxcroft alumnae at Belford's Seafood & Steaks restaurant in Savannah, GA. 5. (l to r): Ellie Titus '78, Patti Sifton-Munro '76, Betty Sayler Youles '81, Beverley Cann Reynolds '76, Sheldon Gerry Withers '61, Cathy McGehee, and Eleanor Rhangos '87.

Executive Director of the Office of Institutional Advancement Marion Couzens and Director of Annual Giving Marett Rose, were so very happy to visit with alumnae Nan Stuart ’71 and Lee Clark Breeden ’00 while attending a conference in Denver, CO, early April 2022.

6. (l to r): Marett Rose, Lee Clark Breeden '00, and Marion Couzens.

Leesburg, VA The Alumnae Council Social Committee hosted a wine tasting at Fleetwood Farm Winery in Leesburg, VA in May 2022. Cathy and Read McGehee joined Foxcroft alumnae while they enjoyed the views and shared Foxcroft stories.

7. (l to r): Andeulazia Hughes-Murdock '14, Amy Edgemond '14, Allie Mackey '14, and Kelly Buckland '14.

7

Charlottesville, VA Anita Vere Nicoll ’81 hosted a lovely luncheon at her family farm in Charlottesville, VA, with Cathy and fellow Foxcroft alumnae.

8. (l to r): Cathy McGehee, Anita Vere Nicoll '81, and Flavia Ruffner '88.

8

Spring/Summer 2022 53

Why I Give Tonya Butler-Truesdale ’82 Profession: Municipal Government Regulatory Attorney, Washington, DC MY PATH TO FOXCROFT: After graduating from an Oblate Sisters of Providence grade school in Washington, DC, I was well prepared for academic excellence.

Very early in my first year of high school, I realized that I had not selected a setting compatible with my learning style, academic aspirations, or social needs. I began searching for a new school almost

immediately and found nirvana one fall weekend in 1979 at Foxcroft School. As an animal lover, I was sold on Foxcroft the minute I smelled the horse stables.

The pastoral equestrian setting, Miss Charlotte's Garden, and the library all captured my heart. The trees — so many beautiful trees — and the pottery kiln sealed the deal. I knew I was home.

At the time of my decision, I had no way of knowing that the sisterhood would be my greatest treasure.

FAVORITE FOXCROFT MEMORY: I have too many fond memories to select one as a favorite. There was so much laughter, and even when there was strife the sense of community was fervent.

WHY I DECIDED TO INCLUDE FOXCROFT IN MY ESTATE PLANS: In my experience, planned giving just feels really damn good. It makes me work harder, smarter, and stand my ground with my back straight and my head held high. I highly

54 Foxcroft Magazine

recommend it, especially for those of us who aspire to prosperity, peace, and productivity. Our life's purpose can be no greater than our concept of legacy.

The Greek root of philanthropy translates to “for the love of humanity.” I firmly believe that the bonds of kinship formed by alumnae of diverse single-sex schools can save humanity. Alumnae of single-sex schools are uniquely positioned to show the world how to bond through civil discourse, respect, and scholarship. Approximately ten years out from retirement, I recognize that my lifetime earnings will not approach generational wealth and it is entirely possible that I may not have an opportunity to retire in a traditional sense. But, that does not obviate my responsibility to support the institutions that nurtured my affinity for scholarship and my aspiration for good character.

The benefits I have received from Foxcroft must be recognized and preserved for those who come behind me and will need the same opportunity. If I were to espouse the thought that the school should survive solely off of the generational wealth of others, I would be compromising my dignity, betraying the wisdom of our ancestors, and surrendering my right to constructively opine as to the future direction of my alma mater.

Know a future Foxcroft Girl?

We’d love to meet her!

If you know a girl who you think would be a great fit for Foxcroft, we invite you to visit www.foxcroft.org/admission/inquire or contact the Office of Admission at 540.687.4340 or admission@foxcroft.org.

3,000+ Foxcroft Alumnae

Countless Memories and Lifelong Friends

www.foxcroft.org | admission@foxcroft.org | 540.687.4340

100+

Years of Great Women

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2022-23 ADMISSION OPEN HOUSES October 7 • December 2 • April 28 FOXCROFT.ORG/ADMISSION/VISIT

UPCOMING EVENTS FALL 2022 August 31 • Classes Begin October 7 • Admission Open House October 21-22 • Family Weekend November 19 • Fox/Hound Field Hockey November 19 • Thanksgiving Break Begins December 2 • Admission Open House December 4 • Christmas Pageant December 20 • Winter Break Begins

Please note that these dates are tentative and subject to change.