Spirit of the Dragon Magazine (Summer 2023)

MISSION

Glenelg Country School cultivates a COMMUNITY that stimulates our students to realize their highest potential. Outstanding academic and enrichment opportunities nurture a PASSION for lifelong learning, personal INTEGRITY , and RESPECT for others.

By embracing DIVERSITY of background, culture, and thought, our students are prepared to become RESPONSIBLE and CONTRIBUTING members of our GLOBAL society.

ACCREDITATION

Glenelg Country School is accredited, age two through twelfth grade, by the Association of Independent Maryland & DC Schools (AIMS) and by the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges (MSA).

The School is affiliated with the Association of Independent Maryland & DC Schools (AIMS), the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), and the Educational Records Bureau (ERB).

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Matt Walsh

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Danielle Peterson

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Jess Dolan, Lindsay Frost-Bhasin, Danielle Peterson, and Joseph Sierzega

PHOTOGRAPHY

Memi Pluznik and Classic Photography

© 2023 Glenelg Country School

Please direct questions and comments to communications@glenelg.org.

12793 Folly Quarter Road Ellicott City, Maryland 21042 glenelg.org

410.531.8600

Cover: Thirteen lifers—students that have attended only Glenelg Country School— pose outside of Dragon Commons behind the Upper School.

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Our summer edition of Spirit of the Dragon always quite rightly features our graduating seniors. An added layer in this issue is the interesting overlap between the class of 2023 and the departing faculty recipients of honorary diplomas this year. One of the great GCS traditions is the conferring of honorary diplomas to long-serving faculty or staff who have made unique and powerful contributions to the life of the School. Our recipients this year were Kevin Macaluso, Paige Walton, and David Weeks.

Among many other striking insights in her senior reflection at graduation, Claudia Davis noted, “In our wonderfully diverse and inclusive community, we have learned to respect, value, and celebrate our human differences. And, through our community service, we have realized the importance of volunteering and helping others.” No one has ever played a bigger role at GCS than David Weeks in promulgating the everlasting value of community service in engendering mutual respect and in bringing together people of different backgrounds and perspectives.

In his senior reflection, Peter Seelman writes that “we didn’t just learn equations, facts, and ideas. We learned about ourselves, each other, and the world in which we thrived.” The introduction of Kevin Macaluso as an honorary diploma recipient written by Brandon Neblett contains this line: “A fixture at GCS for 25 years, Kevin has seized every opportunity to get to know his students and share with them experiences that will help them to get to know the world and themselves better.” The serendipitous alignment of Peter’s observation and Mr. Neblett’s description of “Mr. Mac’s” work here was quite poignant and meaningful.

In the introduction she wrote for Paige Walton, Hilary McCarthy noted that “Paige is an excellent communicator and has incredible positive energy.” These qualities made Paige an outstanding teacher and coach at GCS for the past 24 years. In addition to her amazing work in the classroom, Paige’s outstanding accomplishments as a coach are no doubt reflected in this issue’s NCAA student athletes section where nine of the 12 highlighted seniors headed on to college sports were girls lacrosse players under Paige’s tutelage.

These three faculty “graduates” typify the ineffably valuable impact that our faculty and staff have on our students’ lives and development, and I’m immeasurably grateful for the work that all of them do every day. I hope that you enjoy this edition of the Spirt of the Dragon as much as we enjoy the opportunity its creation always gives us to reflect on the GCS experience and all who contribute to making our School such a special place.

Matt Walsh

MATT WALSH

THE CLASS OF 2023

COLLEGE BOUND

Alabama A&M University

Albany State University

American University

Arizona State University

Babson College

Bennett College

Binghamton University

Boston University

Bridgewater College

Bucknell University

California College of the Arts

California State University, Long Beach

Cardiff University

Carleton University

Case Western Reserve University

Chatham University

Clark Atlanta University

Clemson University

Coastal Carolina University

College of Charleston

Colorado School of Mines

Colorado State University

Fort Collin

Connecticut College

Culinary Institute of America

Drexel University

Duke University

Eckerd College

Edward Waters University

Emmanuel College

Emory University

Fashion Institute of Technology

Fayetteville State University

Flagler College

Florida International University

Florida Memorial University

Fordham University

Fort Valley State University

Franklin & Marshall College

Frostburg State University

Genesee Community College

George Mason University

The George Washington University

Georgetown University

Georgia Institute of Technology

Goucher College

Hampton University

High Point University

Hollins University

Howard University

Indiana University

Bloomington

James Madison University

Johns Hopkins University

Johnson & Wales University

Providence

Johnson & Wales University

Charlotte

LaSalle University

Lehigh University

Lindenwood University

Louisiana State University

Loyola University Maryland

Marymount University

McDaniel College

McGill University

McMaster University

Miami University

Moore College of Art and Design

Morgan State University

New Jersey Institute of Technology

New York University

North Carolina Central University

Northeastern University

Notre Dame of Maryland University

Ohio University

Pace University

Palm Beach Atlantic University

Penn State University

Pfeiffer University

Portland State University

Princeton University

Providence College

Queen’s University

Radford University

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Roanoke College

Roger Williams University

Rutgers UniversityNew Brunswick

Saint Michael’s College

Salisbury University

San Diego State University

Savannah College of Art and Design

Shaw University

Shepherd University

Smith College

Spelman College

St Mary’s College of Maryland

St Mary’s University

Stevenson University

Suffolk University

Susquehanna University

Syracuse University

Temple University

Tennessee State University

The College of William and Mary

CLASS OF 2023 COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES

The Ohio State University

The University of Alabama

University of Cincinnati

University of Colorado

Boulder

University of Colorado

Denver

University of Connecticut

University of Dayton

University of Delaware

University of Florida

University of Miami

University of New Hampshire

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

University of Ottawa

University of Pittsburgh

Johnstown

University of Pittsburgh

University of Rhode Island

University of Richmond

University of Rochester

University of South Carolina

University of St Andrews

University of Vermont

University of Washington

University of Wisconsin

University of York

Virginia Commonwealth

University

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State

University

Virginia State University

Wagner College

Washington College

Wesleyan University

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

The University of Edinburgh

The University of Tampa

The University of Tennessee

Towson University

Trinity University

Tufts University

Tulane University

University of Arizona

University of British Columbia

University of Calgary

University of California, Davis

University of California, Irvine

University of Central Florida

University of Illinois at Chicago

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

University of Kentucky

University of Lynchburg

University of Maryland, Baltimore County

University of Maryland, College Park

University of Massachusetts Amherst

University of Massachusetts Boston

University of Memphis

West Liberty University

West Virginia University

Wheaton College

Wilkes University

THE CLASS OF 2023

FOURTH ANNUAL CAR PARADE

CLAUDIA DAVIS

On athletic teams, from soccer to basketball to lacrosse, our coaches have improved our skills, championed our competitiveness, and taught us to be team players and good sports.

On stages, from the Mulitz to Hershey Park to Carnegie Hall, our arts and music teachers have cultivated our creativity and spotlighted our talents.

In our wonderfully diverse and inclusive community, we have learned to respect, value, and celebrate our human differences.

And, through our community service, we have realized the importance of volunteering and helping others.

Good morning, Dragons. My name is Claudia Davis and I am proud to be a GCS Lifer, which means that I have attended GCS since kindergarten. I have spent 13 years of my life in a hunter green plaid uniform traveling up and down GCS’s long, tree-lined driveway, spending time in each division along the way. I have gone from Scooter City to Senior Field Placement, addition to AP Calculus, and the alphabet to Integrative. To put it simply, I have grown up at GCS and it has had a profound effect on my development as a human being.

So, I wanted to give this Commencement speech today because I understand and would like to share with all of you how GCS changes students’ lives. Every graduate on this stage, whether they came to GCS in Pre-K or Twelfth Grade, has been positively changed by being here.

In classrooms, from building roller coasters with Mrs. Lieberman to reading Romeo and Juliet with Mrs. Stewart to studying the Constitution with Mr. Mac, our dedicated teachers have inspired our intellectual curiosity and taught us to think critically. This was especially true during the COVID pandemic when they taught us digitally. Through screens, our teachers put in extra time and tremendous effort under difficult circumstances to keep us engaged and learning. For example, Mr. Conroy taught the Iliad epically dressed as a Greek wearing a bedsheet as a toga, Mrs. Kelly taught Biology with her newborn baby on her lap, and Mrs. Haack helped us perform Chemistry labs in our kitchens. Our teachers are truly our heroes.

We were told to work hard and play hard, and we did. We also had a lot of fun, too. We have sledded down the hill behind the Manor House when it snowed, had our faces painted and jumped in bounce houses at Family Days, competed Glens versus Elgs at Field Days (go Glens!), battled in intense games of musical chairs in Forum, danced our shoes off at proms, and paraded in costumes along GCS’s driveway every Halloween.

So, that brings me back to where I started both my time at GCS and this speech – traveling up and down GCS’s long, tree-lined driveway. There is a video on the GCS website of Mr. Gould, our founder, telling the story of the first time he drove down that driveway and knew that he had discovered something special. He was right. Every graduate on this stage is a better person for having traveled GCS’s driveway to this special place.

Therefore, on behalf of my fellow graduates, I want to thank our parents, teachers, administrators, staff, and coaches for giving us the gift of a GCS education. It has changed us. We are smarter, stronger, and kinder because of it. Now it is our turn to make change. We will make you proud by using the GCS education you have given us to go and change the world for the better. And, while the world and our generation face great challenges, we will be able to overcome them because we are, and always will be, GCS Dragons. Thank you for listening to my speech and have a great Dragon day!

PETER SEELMAN

my peers during online chemistry labs, student council meetings, or band classes, I felt like a valued member of the community. And life continued, as it always does, resilient and undeterred.

On the first day of my junior year, when I stepped foot inside the building for the first time since that fateful email, there seemed to be a world of possibilities ahead of me. The return to in-person learning brought about a renewed energy that was palpable in every hallway, every classroom, and every conversation.

On my first day of high school, I ate lunch alone at a seemingly forsaken table in the cafeteria. As I looked around at other tables teeming with people laughing with the energy of the new school year, I could not help but think that my situation was so comically depressing that it belonged in a movie. And there I sat, with an everincreasing feeling of dread for what the next four years had to bring.

Despite my misfortune on the first day, the beginning of high school wasn’t entirely doom and gloom. Within the first week, I was sitting in Mr. Neblett’s office fervently advocating for creating a video game club and a GCS E-Sports team. While that didn’t pan out as intended, it was the beginning of a passion for leadership that would tremendously impact my life trajectory. I started building a group of friends, loving the social learning environment in classes like Dr. Sinkinson’s Honors Algebra II and Mr. Conroy’s Ancient Studies. I began adjusting to life as a high schooler. And then, just as my peers and I were settling into our new reality, we got an email announcing that Spring Break would start early to prepare faculty for possible online instruction due to COVID-19.

What started as an exciting extension of Spring Break turned into a monotonous and isolating slog during what was supposed to be one of the most exciting social times of my life. Yet, due to the herculean effort of the faculty and staff of Glenelg Country School, I always had something to look forward to. Whether it was collaborating with

I was back in a world of buzzing minds, diverse perspectives, and creative ideas. It was a world where I could both learn and teach, both listen and speak, both follow and lead. Gone was the monotony and isolation of the pandemic. In its stead, countless treasured interactions, from things as grandiose as discussing the fundamental nature of our universe to things as seemingly minor as a spontaneous piano duet wherein more was communicated than hours of talking ever could.

I began my high school journey alone at a lunch table, filled with uncertainty and dread. Because of Glenelg Country School, I stand before you today, no longer alone, but part of an extraordinary community. This transformation is a testament to our time here. We’ve not just survived historic times, we’ve thrived, and in doing so, we’ve evolved into versions of ourselves we could have hardly imagined on our first day of high school.

Now, as we each embark on our paths as our better selves, we carry with us the lessons, the resilience, and the spirit of community we’ve fostered here. We’ve learned to adapt, innovate, and stand tall amidst uncertainty. Let’s take these with us as we step into the future and become the pioneers, the changemakers, and the leaders the world needs.

And lastly, let us never forget that the power of the Glenelg Country School community will always be with us, wherever we go, whatever we do. It has shaped us, and it’s part of who we are. Here’s to our future and all that it holds. May it be as unpredictable, rewarding, and transformative as our time at Glenelg Country School. Thank you.

UPPER SCHOOL AWARDS

ALWAYS A DRAGON AWARD

Zachary Schulman

CHAPMAN DISTINCTION IN HISTORY AWARD

Zachary Schulman

COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION AWARD

Brogan Graham

Alex Pereira

Tyler Schrott

COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT AWARD

GRADE 9

Nicole Adesioye

Arshiya Antil

GRADE 10

Avery Fox

Ayla Walsh

GRADE 11

Riya Madaan

Kyla Mendez

Ava Nicholas

EXCEPTIONAL GROWTH AWARD

GRADE 9

Kennedy Cummins

Amelia Henry

Joi Makell

GRADE 10

Layaan Abbasi

Jalen Baker

Sherron Stanard

GRADE 11

Brenna Baim

Jayden Cihlar

Giovanna Gomes Baggio de Araujo

GRADE 12

Celeste Holmes

Austin Ridgely

Andrew Roth

FACULTY PRIZE

Zachary Schulman

FLIGHT OF DRAGONS AWARD

Ashley Dyer

Cate O’Ferrall

Jackson Pacylowski

GOLD DRAGON AWARD

Jackson Pacylowski

HUMANITARIAN SERVICE AWARD

Lilly Fox

THE JANI FAMILY SERVICE AWARD

Jordan Molin

LAURIE AGUERA-ARCAS AESTHETIC APPRECIATION

Brogan Graham

MOXLEY SCHOLAR ATHLETE

Ashley Dyer

Zachary Schulman

SEAL OF BILITERACY

Julia Gondek

Chimeeremamara Ejiogu

Kyla Mendez

SPECIAL COMMENDATION FOR DISTINCTION IN BIOLOGY— CAROLYN CRADLER AWARD

Alex Pereira

SPECIAL COMMENDATION FOR DISTINCTION IN BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS

Zachary Schulman

SPECIAL COMMENDATION FOR DISTINCTION IN CHEMISTRY

Ethan Arterburn

SPECIAL COMMENDATION FOR DISTINCTION IN ENGINEERING

Claudia Davis

SPECIAL COMMENDATION FOR DISTINCTION IN FRENCH

Ian Noble

SPECIAL COMMENDATION FOR DISTINCTION IN HUMANITIES

Eliza Macaluso

Margaret Mantzaris

SPECIAL COMMENDATION FOR DISTINCTION IN LATIN

Margaret Mantzaris

SPECIAL COMMENDATION FOR DISTINCTION IN MATH

Alex Pereira

SPECIAL COMMENDATION FOR DISTINCTION IN THE PERFORMING ARTS

THEATER

Stephen Robinson

VOCAL MUSIC

Brogan Graham

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

Peter Seelman

MARGARET WESLEY MUSIC AWARD

Peter Seelman

TECHNICAL THEATER DESIGN

Morgan Eisenberg

Rebecca Mello

SPECIAL COMMENDATION FOR DISTINCTION IN PHYSICS

Peter Seelman

SPECIAL COMMENDATION FOR DISTINCTION IN SPANISH

Peter Seelman

SPECIAL COMMENDATION FOR DISTINCTION IN TECHNOLOGY

Alex Pereira

Peter Seelman

SPECIAL COMMENDATION FOR DISTINCTION IN THE VISUAL ARTS

STUDIO ART

Anjali Shah

SCULPTURE

Cate O’Ferrall

VIDEO PRODUCTION

Connor Wilson

TIMOTHY C. CALLARD

INTEGRAL AWARENESS

Claudia Davis

Holger Nissen only drops one game in route to the MIAA C Conference Championship.

Holger Nissen ’26 finished off a dominating year in boys tennis and ended the season ranked the top singles player in the conference. Nissen finished the regular season undefeated, never dropping more than one game in any set, culminating in the number one overall seed in the MIAA C conference tennis tournament and a first-round bye.

In the semifinals, Nissen took on the fourth-seed, Key School’s Luke Holmes. Nissen did not let an early bye slow down his momentum, as he cruised to a 6-0, 6-0 victory earning a spot in the finals.

The conference championship pitted the conference’s top two finishers against each other. Nissen faced two seed George Julias of St. John’s Catholic Prep. Once again, Nissen continued where he left off in the regular season, only dropping one game en route to a 6-0, 6-1 victory.

Holger Nissen became the 2023 MIAA C Conference #1 singles champion in dominant fashion.

Despite this season being his first coaching Nissen, Dan White knew he had the makings of a champion. “Holger embodies outstanding characteristics such as hard work, leadership, understanding, and determination. He worked hard on and off the court, attending extra practice sessions, and offering strategies to help his team. It is truly something special to see him play.”

Nissen wasn’t the only Dragon representing GCS in the finals. Nathan Wang ’25 earned the second seed in the MIAA C Conference #2 singles tournament and a first-round bye. Wang defeated St. John’s Prep’s third-seeded Chloe West 6-3, 6-2 in the semifinals. Wang finished second, falling to top-seeded Ryan Hart of Key School in the finals 6-1, 6-0.

Congratulations to Nissen and Wang for earning MIAA All-C Conference honors and Nissen for earning the MIAA C Conference Player of the Year award!

Holger Nissen with his coach, Dan White.

Nathan Wang

THE CLASS OF 2023

NCAA STUDENT-ATHLETES

The athletic department recognizes the following Class of 2023 student-athletes who have committed to play college athletics next year.

BLAIR BYRNE

Clemson University

Division I

Women’s Lacrosse

LENA DOREEN

Duke University Division I

Women’s Lacrosse

AVA KEENAN

Princeton University Division I

Women’s Lacrosse

LYNDSEY NEWSOME

Babson College Division III

Women’s Lacrosse

REGAN BYRNE

Clemson University

Division I

Women’s Lacrosse

JULIA DUSTIN

High Point University Division I

Women’s Lacrosse

ANNA MASON

Radford University

Division I

Women’s Lacrosse

CATE O’FERRALL

Rutgers University Division I

Women’s Lacrosse

JACK DEMERS

Bridgewater College

Division III

Men’s Soccer

ASHLEY DYER

University of Florida

Division I

Women’s Lacrosse

DYLAN MELTON

University of Maryland Baltimore County Division I

Men’s Baseball

JACKSON PUGH

Notre Dame of Maryland University

Division III

Men’s Basketball

Congratulations to these student-athletes!

An Annual Tradition Returns

Prom wasn’t just for seniors and juniors this year! Beginning a new tradition, GCS’s annual spring auction returned as an in-person gala event—the DragonProm! On April 29, dedicated GCS and Parents & Friends Association volunteers transformed the Upper School gym into a masqueradethemed prom for adults. Over 200 parents, faculty, staff, and friends enjoyed dancing the night away, with beverages from local GCSconnected purveyors Liquidity Aleworks and Wisher Vodka. More importantly, silent and live auctions raised over $40,000 for the school’s endowment. DragonProm is expected to become an annual event, so mark your calendars for next year’s event on Saturday, April 20, 2024.

See more photos at glenelg.org/ community/media-hub

Dragons Choose

For our 2023 Dragons Give Green effort on All-School Relay day, Dragons were again able to choose how to support Glenelg Country School. Once again, faculty, administrators, staff, and students identified a various projects representing all divisions and areas of the school. This year’s effort raised

over $25,000 and funded some amazing projects, from 3D printers for the Manor House to a costume storage system for our performing arts program.

Thanks to all who supported these amazing projects!

FIELD DAY 2023

FROM THE ALUMNI OFFICE

Dear Alumni,

Another year at GCS has ended, students and faculty are enjoying a well-deserved summer vacation, and the Dragon alumni community is delighted to welcome 67 new and outstanding members from the Class of 2023! We will miss their presence next fall, but are excited to watch them make their unique mark on the world.

The 2022–2023 school year finally saw a return to a full schedule of alumni gatherings, kicking off with a Nationals vs. Orioles game in June, and including the induction of the new class into the GCS Athletic Hall of Fame in October. In the winter, alumni flocked to campus to attend Alumni Basketball Night, Cracker Barrel, and to see the fantastic Upper School musical performance of Hairspray.

Connecting with alumni is always a favorite pastime of our faculty and staff here at GCS, culminating in May at the annual Spring Alumni Reunion. This year, over 150 alumni, families, and past faculty gathered in the Manor House for an afternoon of great food, beverages, music, and laughs. We also honored David Weeks, celebrating his retirement after over 40 years of dedication to the GCS and the surrounding community. Thank you, Mr. Weeks!

We continue to explore new opportunities for our alumni to engage with GCS, especially connecting with current Dragons. Keep up with GCS happenings through our Alumni E-News and social media, and know that you are always welcome back at any campus event. We would love to see you!

Always a Dragon!

Aaron Tolentino ’03 Alumni Coordinator

AARON TOLENTINO ’03

A Fond Farewell to an Impactful Presence

This spring, David Weeks retired from Glenelg Country School after 40 years of service. Over 140 Dragon alumni, families, colleagues, and friends attended the Spring Alumni Reunion on May 13, where Weeks was honored as special guest and feted by Walter Mattson, Greg Ventre, and others. Community members were also invited to share memories of Weeks, which were collected in a special photo album and compiled in a video that was presented at the Upper School’s final Forum of the year.

See more photos at glenelg.org/community/ media-hub

ALUMNI EVENTS 2023