Pantherbeat Fall/Winter 2025-26 by Parish Episcopal School

PARISH ABROAD: JAPAN

Travel with Junior Mira Mukundan as she reflects on her Parish Abroad experience, touring through Japan.

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Special Guests on Campus

Both campuses welcomed an adorable lineup of pets for this year’s Blessing of the Animals.

https://shorturl.at/AtB0f

Innovation on the Move @scaddotedu brought their 3D-printed car to campus and our students got to see it race against our Rover!

https://shorturl.at/g1NzR

New Addition:

Learning Took New Heights!

Our Upper School drone engineering elective explored campus via drone cameras.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DOb3Oa0kRiv

Senior Traditions Begin!

The Class of 2026 kicked off a year of senior traditions with Senior Sunrise.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DO6RqD8Efl3

On the Mic at Midway

Midway students stepped up to share what they are learning in class right now.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DQHbioRDmIK

Go Panthers Go

The Great Hall was full of Panther pride as students cheered, waved pom-poms, and sent our cheerleaders and football team to state.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DR2oIMXkQPu

That's a Wrap!

Our students gave unforgettable performances in both the US Fall Play and MS Musical.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BsXEbmurq

Catherine Sentell Primer Endowed Fund, named in honor of beloved teacher

Members of the Parish community gathered on Thursday, November 19, 2025 to celebrate the growth of the Primer program and recognize its first teacher, Catherine Sentell. The Primer program, which began in 2015, has special meaning to students and parents who have been part of it since its inception, many of whom attended the dedication. A tree was planted on the Hillcrest campus in honor of Primer and was prayed over by Rebecca Gingles, Hillcrest Chaplain. Father Casey Shobe and Isabelle "Izzy" Shobe '28, parent and student of the first Primer cohort, spoke about the impact Primer and Mrs. Sentell had on their family.

"As I think about the future, I can’t help but reflect on my past and the things that have made me who I am," said Izzy. "If I am thoughtful, if I am kind, if I am compassionate, if I am joyful, if I am curious - it is in large part because of the family I had in Primer and my wonderful teacher Mrs. Sentell."

Dr. Matt Rush, Allen Meyer Family Head of School, announced that thanks to an anonymous $550,000 gift an endowment was established to support the Primer program. The endowment will be named the Catherine Sentell Primer Endowed Fund, and will allow the program's legacy to live on for generations to come.

The School hopes to fully endow the Primer program with a $750,000 endowment, providing yearly funds for the position and the program. To learn more about this special endowment fund, scan the QR code or visit https://parish.org/support/endowment.

Mrs. Sentell, who retired in May 2025 after serving Parish for 15 years, surprised those in attendance by sharing that she had donated 11 trees (one for each year of the Primer program) to be planted somewhere in the world in need of reforestation. Like Parish's Primer students, these trees will grow and become a beautiful part of our community and the world!

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Parish Abroad: A whole new world of STEM

By Mira Mukudan '27

Did you know that Tokyo is the capital and the most populated megacity in the world, estimated at over 38 million people in its metropolitan area. This past summer, through Parish Abroad, a group of nine Parish students and four chaperones had the opportunity to experience Tokyo as well as many other sights during a STEM trip to Japan. The world of STEM is rapidly evolving, and we were lucky enough to not only encounter newly developed technology throughout the trip, but we had the pleasure of using it and immersing ourselves in it. In addition to seeing this new world and taking part in several STEM tours, the group also visited Japanese shrines and temples, and had the joy of going to the heights of Mount Fuji all the way to the exotic, fascinating cities of Tokyo and Kyoto. All of the many facets of this trip enhanced our knowledge of the culture.

A glimpse into our travel journal

Starting our journey at the Asakusa Senso-ji temple, one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Japan, we learned a lot about the culture and one major religion of the country. Another interesting place on our itinerary was the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, known as Miraikan, where we tested a robot suit arm, learning how the technology assists in rehabilitation for people who have been in accidents or have a disability. As we dug further into our STEM destinations, we were very fortunate to go behind the scenes on many tours and learn firsthand from actual employees about the different facilities we visited. At the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, known by its Japanese acronym KEK, we were able to meet one of the scientists who taught us what kind of research they do. While these brief recollections only scratch the surface of all we were exposed to, being able to learn about these places and to experience them in this way was transformative.

stops: the sights of Tokyo and Kyoto were like none other. Part of what makes Japan so unique is its diverse culture and native traditions. We saw and did things that we would never be able to do in America, like going to fascinating places such as Nakami street, Tokyo’s oldest shopping center, and stocking up with many souvenirs. We also went to Kashiya Yokocho also known as Candy Alley, where we enjoyed many sweets. Another thing very unique to Japan is their tea ceremonies which we had the privilege of attending, getting to see how it was made and even had the pleasure of tasting it. Continuing on, we took time out for karaoke which was an incredible experience. Even though there’s karaoke in America it feels different to do it in Japan where it's a more common activity.

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Parish Feature Story

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All aboard! Japan heavily relies on trains to get around. We were able to ride on the bullet train, known as the Shinkansen, which is incredibly fast, reaching up to 320km/h - that’s nearly 200 mph! We took the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto where we continued our journey. The two cities are very similar but each has a distinct atmosphere from the other. Kyoto is more traditional and its ancient preservations are more prevalent, whereas Tokyo is all about the bright lights and futuristic vibe.

Combined with our unique STEM programming itinerary, traveling to more than just one place in Japan gave our group a broadened perspective and allowed us to enhance our knowledge of Japan and its culture, both through technology and the country’s traditions. A fellow traveler shared that she was amazed by Japan’s way of living compared to America. “It was interesting to see the level of organization and standards Japan holds,” she said. The experience allowed her to expand her horizons of knowledge as the trip unfolded.

Overall, through Parish Abroad, we were able to have the experience of a lifetime and made memories we will never forget.

Where will Parish Abroad take you?

Trips for the 2026/27 school year and 2027 summer will be announced later this spring. To keep up to date and snag your spot to experience these travel opportunities, both for students and families, follow us on Instagram for the destinations reveal!

https://instagram.com/parishabroad

Ask Pete – How does Parish’s Endowment work?

2025-26 Endowment Board

Biegel Macaraeg, Chair Mark Kirkpatrick, Secretary/Treasurer (Chief Financial Officer) Cullen Crombie ‘13

Bill Durham Tim Eller Tim Gross Leslie Gunawan Tom Leppert Katie Robbins Gary Walsh

Dr. Matt Rush, ex-officio (Allen Meyer Family Head of School) Carrie Burton, ex-officio (Director of Development)

Independent school endowments are established by generous donors who desire to invest in the long-term financial stability of a school, ensuring a school's mission for future generations, even long after their own families have graduated from the school.

What does Parish’s endowment look like today?

At Parish, we feel it’s the most enduring investment in support of our students, faculty, staff, programs and facilities.

While endowments vary from school to school due to a myriad of factors – years of existence, prioritized areas of support, mix of cash vs. assets (stock, real estate), etc. – the mechanics of endowments are the same. It is NOT one single account that can be used at will as a “rainy day” fund. Rather, a school’s endowment is made up of many donor-restricted and unrestricted funds.

The Parish Endowment Fund provides annual support to the School to offset expenses. At the same time, the School invests in a mix of assets that are expected to grow, increasing the size of future support. Overseen by the School’s Endowment Board, an investing strategy is selected in collaboration with an outsourced investment firm who are experts in the field. The goal is to realize an expected percentage rate of return on investments that exceed the percent of the fund that is distributed to the School, a distribution formula that allows the School to budget accordingly year over year. Further, the majority of the return is generally reinvested into our existing endowment, allowing for more growth and safeguarding its longevity for the School and the students who fill its halls decades and generations later.

Parish’s endowment was established February 17, 1983, with an initial endowment board comprised of three members. Up until the start of our 2012 endowment campaign, approximately $400,000 permanent gifts were given to the endowment, with nearly $1.6 million of unrestricted board designated funds. After launching our 2012-2013 endowment campaign, the fund grew to $20 million, including a land donation in front of the School between Sigma and Midway Roads. While the land is part of the endowment portfolio, it does not earn a return; however, it does provide space for current use (e.g. the front soccer field) and opportunity for future expansion of the Midway campus. Since 2012-13, due to additional generous donors and average annual returns on investments of 6.8 percent, the endowment has grown to its current value of nearly $24.3 million (not including nearly $3.3 million land asset), supporting the School in restricted and unrestricted ways. Additionally, the School has been afforded annual distributions totaling $6.2 million over the past 13 years.

Parish truly couldn’t accomplish all that we do – day in and day out, year after year – without the incredible generosity of our donors. Your support makes every milestone possible, not just for today, but for the future of our community for years to come. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for believing in our mission and the importance of a healthy endowment for our students!

27.6M

($24.3 + $3.3 land value)

Current Endowment (As of June 30, 2025)

6.8%

Average Annual Return (Parish withdraws approximately 4% annually, compared to average 4-5% of other independent schools)

Current Endowment Funds (As of January 2026 with focuses on financial assistance, faculty/staff positions, professional development, program developments)

Interested in learning more about the Parish Endowment Fund and how you can get involved in the future success of the School? Contact Carrie Burton, Director of Development, at cburton@parish.org or visit parish.org/support/endowment to get started.

Celebrating roots: Parish Founders’ Day meets Legacy tradition

In September 2025, Parish hosted its first Legacy event honoring Founders’ Day. This special day brought together students from 1st–12th grade, faculty, alumni, Wall of Service members, Decade Club, the Alumni Board President and distinguished guests, to celebrate the spirit of Parish together.

Founders’ Day is a time to honor the visionaries who established Parish more than 50 years ago, celebrate our vibrant present and reaffirm the values that guide our future. What better way to mark this occasion than through Legacy, a cherished tradition where students gather in one of 54 “Wisdom, Honor and Service” Legacy families for fellowship, service and fun.

Guests kicked off the day with a special breakfast to honor newly inducted Decade Club members (families who have been a part of the School for 10 plus years), followed by an all-school Founders’ Day assembly where Service Award recipients were recognized (see page 7) by Tucker Davison ’13, Alumni Board President. Concluding the day’s events, Legacy families convened at the Athletic complex to form new bonds and unite in the shared values of the School.

Alumni Family Picnic Milestone Reunions for Classes of 2011 and 2016

2025 Alumni Service Award: Byron Hameline '15

Established in 2024, the Alumni Service Award is designated for alumni who have distinguished themselves by their exceptional service and dedication to Parish Episcopal School.

For the past decade, and since his time at University of North Texas, Byron Hameline ’15 has consistently served Parish students. He has served as a Parish Bridge mentor, guiding students through their required internships and providing experiences at the American Machinery Group, where he is a design engineer. He also volunteers many hours as a professional consultant to Parish's Rover team, of which he was a founding member. Per David Cribbs, US STEM and Rover Assistant Coach, Byron takes his own time to review plans and student work, as well as offer feedback and guidance from the perspective of a professional engineer. He doesn't hold back on the students but rather provides real professional input that pushes them to learn, grow and improve their performance.

Join us in thanking Byron for his dedication to our school, students and community.

Distinguished Alumni Award: Christina Mantzuranis Helwig PDS '94

Established in 2012, the Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes graduates of Parish Episcopal School or Parish Day School who have distinguished themselves in their personal and professional lives, and remain engaged and supportive of Parish.

This year’s recipient, Christina Mantzuranis Helwig PDS ’94, serves as an outstanding role model for our current and future Parish students, Alumni and community. After graduating from University of Texas, early in her career, Christina served in various roles at the Dallas Cowboys and Legends Hospitality. More recently, after serving 11 years across several divisions of the health and wellness company AdvoCare International, including in the role of Chief Marketing Officer, she was promoted to Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Recognized among Dallas Business Journal’s 2024 C-Suite Leaders, the publication specifically notes “As AdvoCare’s first female CEO, [Christina] stands among an elite group of executives recognized for their exceptional leadership, community contributions and impact on the North Texas business landscape.”

Over the course of her career, Christina has developed an effective balance between being data driven and growth-focused while also being recognized for her authenticity and empathy. As a mom of three, she also has an infectious way of making everyone feel special.

Congratulation to Christina in all that she has accomplished; we are thankful for her support of the School and for being a prime example of what many Parish students aspire to become.