13 minute read
Around the Hall
Upper School Students Create Projects for National History Day
The Saint Mary’s Hall Social Studies Department was extremely proud as every SMH National History Day project made it to the awards podium at the San Antonio regional competition. Several projects received special awards in STEM and Military History. Christopher Chan ’24 received the top prize - Outstanding Regional Entry, for his documentary, The Reinvention of Storytelling.
Other Winners:
Isabella Nava ’24 and Analia Rivera ’24 1st Place Group Website
Grace Alcott ’24
2nd Place Individual Website and STEM in History Award
Megan Liu ’24 and Matthew Medellin ’24 2nd Place Group Website
Sofia Bishop ’24
2nd Place Individual Exhibit Noah Shamieh ’24 and Sani Karkar ’24 2nd Place Group Exhibit
Sophie Holder ’24 and Phoebe Kopplin ’24 2nd Place Group Documentary
Will Carter ’24
3rd Place Individual Website and Military History Award
Ria Mehta ’24, Campbell Cage ’24, and Ines Wallisch ’24 3rd Place Group Documentary
SMH Shines Through Winter Storm
This February was challenging due to Winter Storm Uri, which caused power and water outages and weather-related complications, including limited internet service, for many students, faculty, staff, and families. Despite the difficulties faced, a warm light of hope, support, and care shone through the fray as the community came together in a time of need.
Though many faculty and staff shared the same challenges as families, this did not stop teachers and administrators from reaching out to students and their families to check in on them to make sure they were safe and to help if needed. In fact, students from all Form levels were provided a way to reconnect with their teachers and friends, and share stories of their snow day experiences over Zoom and other software. Art offerings were also available to students.
Some students took the opportunity to help those in need in the San Antonio community. From distributing blankets and coats to the homeless, to sharing water and power with neighbors, families helped one another and the broader community. Even if it was as simple as a warm shower or hot meal, the SMH community banded together and persevered during a time of tremendous challenge.
However, in the midst of the hardships, SMH families found a way to spend quality time and enjoy the snow by building snowmen, making snow angels, and sledding down hills. Students even showed their Baron Pride by taking photos with their SMH Proud signs in the snow.
Last Spring, the Middle School Community Service Council organized a “Souper Bowl” Canned-Food Drive. The goal was 550 cans, but by joining up with the Middle School Sports Council, the two organizations collected more than 750 cans for the San Antonio Food Bank. To assist in the drive, the Sports Council made flyers to publicize the collection and awarded intramural points to the Bennetts or Baileys teams who participated. After the drive was over, Sports Council sponsors and Middle School Social Science Teachers Brian Fleming and Joe Karpman delivered the donation to the food bank. The competition was extremely close, and there were only three points separating the teams, but the Bennetts ultimately won. This food drive is just another example of Barons giving back to the San Antonio community through service.
Saint Mary’s Hall Welcomes New Coaches
Saint Mary’s Hall is excited to welcome new coaches to the Athletics Department. Here’s some info about these talented new hires:
Hector Cano joined SMH as a Physical Education Coach, Director of Sports Performance & Athletic Mindset, and Director of Soccer and Head Coach of Varsity Women’s Soccer. Cano returns to SMH from Ysleta High School in El Paso. Previously at SMH, Cano served as Director of Soccer and Head Coach of Varsity Women’s Soccer and Sports Performance Coordinator. He holds more than 12 years of coaching experience, coaching at the U. S. Air Force Academy, club levels in Texas and Colorado, and at the semi-professional level in Europe. Cano retired from the Air Force as a Master Sergeant after 20 years of honorable service. He has a Bachelor of Science in Business Management & Exercise Science from Wayland Baptist University and a Master of Science in Sports Management & Administration from University of the Incarnate Word.
Valerie Lohr joined SMH as Coordinator of Student Well-Being and Head Coach of Varsity Field Hockey. Lohr hails from Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania. For USA Hockey, she was a Regional Head Coach & Selector and Futures/Nexus National Tournament Head Coach. Lohr earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History from Lehigh University and a Juris Doctorate from Penn State’s Dickinson School of Law. Playing field hockey and lacrosse at Lehigh, she spent four years at Dickinson College as an assistant for the Red Devils’ field hockey and women’s lacrosse programs. She was named to the Dickinson College Hall of Fame. Lohr also teaches Upper School Health and Wellness.
Mark McNeill joined SMH as Director of Admission Outreach and Varsity Head Lacrosse Coach. McNeill hails from Magothy River Middle School, where he taught 6th grade math. He is a professional lacrosse midfielder for the Archers LC (Premier Lacrosse League). McNeill graduated from St. Mary’s High School of Annapolis and was a 2010 Under Armour AllAmerica selection. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and Management & Society from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), where he played lacrosse and football. Since graduating from UNC, McNeill has spent the last seven years coaching various age groups.
Middle School Last Blast
The annual Middle School end-of-year celebration, known as Last Blast, returned this spring after being cancelled in the 2019-2020 school year due to COVID-19. The Form 8 council leaders and their sponsors, with the help of the Athletics Department, planned and supervised an afternoon full of fun.
Middle School Barons started their celebration with a pizza picnic lunch on the Kelleher Family Pavillion. Afterwards, students enjoyed the company of their classmates as they played a variety of games such as nuke’em, four square, kickball, and a PE game called “biads.” Virtual students participated in online trivia games. The celebration also included a photo booth where students could safely gather with friends to capture some fun memories. The event concluded with an ice cream social. After a year of virtual learning and social distancing, the Middle School Last Blast was a great way to provide Barons with the togetherness that is so crucial to the SMH experience.
Saint Mary’s Hall Builds New Lacrosse Wall
Thanks to donations from the SMH community, a new lacrosse wall was added to the School’s alreadyimpressive athletic facilities. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held in May, celebrating the completion of the wall. The lacrosse wall is located near the SMH softball field behind the Lower School and will be available for multiple sports to use for practice purposes.
Baron Athletes: Spring College Signing
This Spring, the Athletics Department honored six student-athletes who have made the decision to play sports at the collegiate level, including four basketball players, one field hockey player, and one soccer player. These student-athletes include:
Hunter Darling ’21 — basketball at Covenant College, Lookout Mountain, Georgia
David Flores ’21 — soccer at Anna Maria College, Paxton, Massachusetts
Rodney Hunter ’21 — basketball at Schreiner University, Kerrville, Texas
Lindsay Martin ’21 — lacrosse at Occidental College, Los Angeles, California
Luke Phillips ’21 — basketball at Haverford College, Haverford, Pennsylvania
Gavin Walker ’21 — basketball at Florida Memorial University, Miami, Florida
During a Signing Day Ceremony on Lewis Field, these outstanding student-athletes celebrated their college-sport careers with their families and the SMH coaches who guided them along the way. A total of 14 members of the Class of 2021 went on to play college athletics.
Form 5 Presents Channel 1 News
In March, all Lower School students were treated to this year’s Form 5 Original Drama Production, Channel 1 News. The show was a unique endeavor that catered to the hybrid learning format, ensuring both on-campus and virtual learners were able to take part in the production. Students worked together to create, write, and perform the show during Drama class. Their final scenes were filmed at home in front of green screens and were recorded on Zoom. Then, they edited with backgrounds, sounds, and special effects to complete the video. It was a unique production for a unique time, created from start to finish by Saint Mary’s Hall students.
Class of 2021 Participates in “Adulting Workshops”
Seniors had the opportunity to participate in “adulting workshops” in the Spring, where they learned valuable life skills as they enter their adulthood. At one such workshop, Upper School Science Teacher Dr. Jamie Holbrook hosted a cheese making and charcuterie session. Izzy Castillo ’21 won the “Charcuterie Award” for her homemade mozzarella cheese and most visually appealing charcuterie board arrangement. At another workshop, former Form 7 Math Teacher Steve Hudson and Educational Technology Coordinator Matt Montez taught a lesson on “Starting Your Own Business,” based on their experience with their small-batch coffee roasting business. Drawing from his experience in technology, Montez concentrated on the numbers and equipment side of starting a business, while Hudson was able to talk about the marketing and mission side of owning a small business. These workshops are yet another example of how Saint Mary’s Hall is preparing students for fulfillment in life!
SMH Alumni Artists Inspire Students
The Fine Arts Department is proud of the many successes of alumni in the arts since their graduation, and the school often invites them back to speak to current students. This year’s alumni artists ranged from recent graduates in college, to Speech & Debate students who returned to SMH as coaches, to an artist who graduated in the 1960s and whose son is now a successful artist in his own right. Here are some of the artists who visited campus: SMH alumnae Margaret ’16 and Alicia ’16 Amberson visited Sculpture and Design Seniors via Zoom. They shared their creative and educational journeys as well as information about their company, Sorella Clothing Co. The company is a fashionforward elevated shooting sports/ranch-wear line in women’s and children’s clothing. Micaela Hogan ’17 spoke to Upper School 3D and Art History Instructor Nate Cassie’s class about her college experience and journey discovering her passion for art history. She shared some of the skills she has gained in taking art history classes, studying abroad, and participating in internships where she found a passion for her current field. Artist Bettie Ward ’65 joined Senior Studio Practice Sculpture and Design students on a Zoom to discuss her artwork and her journey as an artist. Additionally, she talked about her son Pendleton Ward’s work as an animator, screenwriter, producer, and voice actor who is the creator of the Emmy Award-winning animated series Adventure Time. Additional alumni guest artists included Alexia Salingaros ’16, who held a mini residency where she instructed students on professional coloring techniques, and guest Speech & Debate coaches Dyana Martinez ’16, Alex Jimenez ’19, Marshall Webb ’16, and Shilpa Gunuganti ’20.
Innovative Teacher Named Science Education Award Winner
Whether it’s making s’mores with Bunsen burners, hot air balloon projects for gas laws, or teaching the colligative property of freezing-point lowering by turning milk and cream into ice cream, Upper School Chemistry Teacher Kenny Hoang’s engaging lessons resonate with his students. Recently, the Texas Biomedical Forum and the V.H. McNutt Memorial Foundation recognized Hoang for his innovative teaching with the Science Education Award. Hoang was awarded $2,000 for the submission of his project, Environmental Chemistry and the Sustainability of Aquaponic Systems as a Viable Alternative/Solution to World Hunger and Earth Sustainability. Aquaponics serves as a viable alternative to grow both animals and plants for food Photo courtesy of Super Q Photography. in a sustainable way, while also decreasing humans’ carbon footprint in an effort to prevent the depletion of Earth’s natural resources. The method uses less space and resources, produces crops faster and at higher yields, and eliminates the need for chemical fertilizers and additives by utilizing the symbiotic relationship between fish and plants. The project is taking place during the 2021-2022 academic year in SMH Chemistry I classes.
SMH Celebrates Coffee Shop Opening
Last Spring, Saint Mary’s Hall opened its very own retail coffee shop! It offers drinks, pastries, and snacks to students, faculty, and staff. The opening of the shop was spearheaded by SMH Chief Financial Officer Vicky Bates, who worked with SAGE Dining Services® to get the brand-new community resource up and running. Students had the fun opportunity to officially name the coffee shop. The winning name, which was Baronista, was announced during a grand opening/ribbon cutting ceremony held in the CoatesSeeligson Theater/Chapel. The shop now operates out of the concession stand at the McCombs Family Athletic Complex.
Fine Arts Performances Return to Campus
While the Tobin School of Fine Arts at Saint Mary’s Hall is very happy to have allowed students to continue to showcase their performances digitally, it was no replacement for live, in-person shows. Towards the end of the school year, as COVID-19 cases began to drop and restrictions decreased, the Fine Arts Department was able to host a number of small, physically-distanced performances on campus. The first on-campus event came in April, when the Dance faculty invited a limited number of Form 5 Dance parents to a showcase of the Form 5 Dance Solos from the Lower School Dance Production, The Magic Toy Box. In addition, selections from the Middle/Upper School production of Swan Lake were showcased to a limited number of family members. In May, a live concert version of The Last Five Years, a musical by Jason Robert Brown, was performed in the outdoor Zeller Theater. The production starred Callie Tibbetts ’21 and Clark Webb ’21, with musical direction by Middle and Upper School Vocal Music Teacher and Assistant Band Director Jaime Ramirez. Also in May, Middle and Upper School musicians had the opportunity to perform live on campus for an optional music concert. The first night of performances featured the Middle School Strings Ensemble, Middle School Chorus Club, Upper School Vocal Ensemble (Vocal Integration Project), and the Upper School Chamber Orchestra at the Zeller Theater. The second night of performances saw the Middle and Upper School Bands perform on Lewis Field for an invited audience. As with the dance performances, all productions were held outdoors and with physical distancing.
Poetry Slam Hybrid Style
With Saint Mary’s Hall committing to hybrid education for the safety of students and community during the COVID-19 pandemic, Lower School Language Arts Teacher Jane Viccellio, who now teaches Form 5, had to get creative with her Form 3 annual Poetry Slam. Students performed their memorized and original pieces on campus and from home for their parents. With all of the challenges of the last year, faculty were creative and resilient, finding ways to keep traditions alive and engage their students with fun activities.
