2017 Landon Admissions Viewbook

WELCOME. Welcome to Landon, a school that since its founding in 1929 has stood apart from other schools in the greater Washington, D.C., area.

Landon is a place where we encourage boys to strive, to reach, to endeavor toward becoming their best selves. It is a place with a highly challenging and dynamic academic program that prepares them for the finest colleges and universities in the country. And it is a place with a robust co-curricular program that helps them to live fully into their potential and become accomplished in myriad ways, from the arts to athletics to service to leadership. Indeed, it is not uncommon to see a Landon boy running across campus from an English class to a football practice toting a cello on his back. This is how Landon boys live.

Our goals at Landon are high, for we are seeking to prepare boys for more than the next class, test, game, or performance; we are, instead, preparing them to lead lives well lived. It is hard work. It is good work. And we would not want it any other way.

On the following pages, you will learn more about Landon and our alumni who lead lives well lived.

Best regards,

Jim Neill, Headmaster

KAI KIGHT

Musician and motivational speaker Class of 2010 When he graduated from Stanford University in 2014, Kai launched an enterprise that combines original violin music with personal storytelling to create one inspiring experience.

He has since performed for thousands, including the Seattle Seahawks and Walt Disney Company’s creative team. At Landon, Kai played with the Strings Ensemble, served as Student Council president, and helped the varsity basketball team win back-to-back conference championships in 2009 and 2010.

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Landon features student music ensembles, including Handbells, Jazz Band and a cappella groups. If you love studio art, your work could be featured in a show in our very own Landow Gallery.

Something really important that I took away from Landon was the ability to do different things and still be me — to not categorize myself as one thing.

— Kai Kight ’10

MARK MHLEY

Naval flight officer and college professor Class of 1992 A science standout at Landon, Mark graduated from the United States Naval Academy and became a Naval fight officer. He provided air support to ground forces during deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and helped Navy SEALs plan and execute missions. Mark has risen to the rank of commander and is now a teacher, flight instructor and triathlon coach at the Naval Academy.

78% of the Class of 2017 scored a 4 or 5 on their

Advanced Placement (AP) exams. The 16 students who took the AP Chemistry exam in 2015 passed with an average score of 4.65 out of a possible 5, more than 2 points above the national average.

I was a big science geek, and I dug all things space- and aviation-related.

[My science teacher Larry Fullerton] really engaged me on that and really got me interested in thinking about the Navy as a career. — Mark Mhley ’92

TEDDY SEARS

Television and movie actor Class of 1995

After a decade of guest spots on shows such as Mad Men and Big Love, Teddy has graduated to starring roles in the CW’s superhero hit The Flash and FOX’s 24 reboot 24: Legacy. During his 10 years at Landon, Teddy was a strong student, a football and ice hockey standout, and a member of the Student Council — but he never acted.

Even so, he says math teacher Steve Sorkin indirectly steered him toward his eventual path: “He was very much in favor of the world being a big place and exploring it to find yourself. That inspired me.”

Landon offers 45 arts and athletic programs to find your passions: from handbells and hockey to ceramics and swimming. Students participate in sports every day, and arts are required through 10th grade.

What makes Landon great is this emphasis on the well-rounded individual. That starts in the classroom and continues with disciplines in other areas, be it athletics or the arts. — Teddy Sears ’95

ANTHONY MARRA Award-winning author Class of 2003 Ten years after graduating from Landon, Anthony’s debut novel A Constellation of Vital Phenomena was named a finalist for the 2013 National Book Award for Fiction and won the National Book Critics Circle’s award for best first book. At Landon, Anthony was the editor in chief of Prometheus Unbound, the school’s student-run literary magazine.

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Landon offers clubs, including our studentrun magazine. If you love technology, build and race remote-controlled underwater robots as part of the SeaPerch Club. Our improv group and debate team are perennial favorites among students.

I was bit by the writing bug [in Fred Mora’s creative writing elective]. It was the first class I’d taken where it didn’t feel like school, where I really felt like: I have a knack for this… Here I could just sit at my desk and make up things, invent these little imaginary people, and other people would take it seriously.

— Anthony Marra ’03

CHRISTIAN WEBSTER Division I college basketball coach Class of 2009 As a basketball player, Christian led Landon to the 2009 IAC championship and Harvard University to three Ivy League championships. He served as a captain for both teams. As an assistant coach with Harvard, he helped the Crimson win two more Ivy titles. He then coached for a year at the University of Central Florida and is now an assistant coach at Virginia Tech.

Landon has produced 59 college athletes in the last three years and 189 conference championships throughout the school’s history.

It’s amazing how Landon instills discipline, character, honor and hard work in you, all things that have helped me to be successful on and off the court…I wouldn’t be where I am today if I had not gone to Landon. I truly believe that.

— Christian Webster ’09

SCOTT HARRIS

Clerk of the Supreme Court of the United States Class of 1984

An attorney, Scott served as legal counsel to the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) from 2002–13. In 2013, he became only the 20th person in history to assume the prestigious position of clerk of SCOTUS, which requires him to act as the conduit between justices and those litigating in the Court. At Landon, Scott — who says personal attention from his Landon teachers pushed him to excel — played varsity golf, served as a newspaper editor, and was a member of the Student Council.

Landon’s average class size is 13 students and our student-to-teacher ratio is 6:1. Every student in the Middle and Upper School has an advisor, guidance counselor and academic dean for 1-on-1 support.

I had teachers who were always challenging me to do better. If someone sensed that you were not… pushing yourself as much as you could, they would make sure it was brought to your attention.

— Scott Harris ’84

MOHSIN “MO” MOHI-UD-DIN

Human rights activist and musician Class of 2003 Mo used his 2009 Fulbright Scholarship to create an arts project for Moroccan youth and in 2014 launched “Me/We Syria” to teach communications skills to Syrian refugee children living in a camp in Jordan. At Landon, he organized service projects, played basketball, and was a member of the jazz band. He received an award for the graduating senior who displays “the highest spirit of fearlessness and tenacity of purpose.”

Landon provided community service to 39 organizations last year, including Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross, Special Olympics and DC Central Kitchen.

I want to give back in some way, and all the tools I got to do that are from my teachers and my mentors at Landon. — Mo Mohi-Ud-Din ’03

TOM SCOTT

Entrepreneur and innovator Class of 1985

Tom co-founded the multimillion-dollar juice brand Nantucket Nectars after college, then transitioned to a career as an awardwinning film producer. He now runs The Nantucket Project (TNP) — an annual ideas conference that promotes the exchange of potentially groundbreaking ideas by bringing together experts in the fields of business, arts, technology and more. Tom, along with his best friend and classmate Neil Phillips, returned to Landon in the spring of 2016 to bring a version of TNP to a sold-out crowd.

Landon has more than 3,900 alumni living in 44 states and 20 countries. Our active alumni association last year organized 31 events including a behind-the-scenes tour of the U.S. Supreme Court, a hockey game with New York alumni, and professional networking opportunities around the country.

With Landon being all boys, the whole tenor of my relationships changed. Because you show off for the girls at a coed school. I know I did.

And then you get here, and there is no one to show off to.

It was different...

My best friends are still Landon guys. — Tom Scott ’85

VISIT. Visit Landon today and see how our students lead lives well lived.

To schedule an appointment, please call the Admissions Office at 301-320-1067 or email us at admissions@landon.net.

To learn more about Landon’s academics, arts, athletics and character education programs, please visit landon.net or find us on social media!

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Our mission: Landon School prepares talented boys for productive lives as accomplished, responsible and caring men, whose actions are guided by the principles of perseverance, teamwork, honor and fair play.