The Shield Magazine - Winter 2022

Volume XVII, Issue I – Winter 2022

THE

GRATITUDE EDITION

A PUBLICATION OF SAINT MARY’S HALL

A Message The Gratitude Edition from the Head of School

Table of Contents

Dear Saint Mary’s Hall,

This issue of The Shield lands during a time of transition as we close out 2022 and look forward to a new year.

The stories in these pages cover a time of academic transition as they celebrate the end of the 2021-2022 school year and the Class of 2022. We also highlight the 2022 spring semester and celebrate the beginning of this 2022-2023 school year.

Special Notes – p. 2

Featured Stories – p. 14

Around the Hall – p. 30

Alumni – p. 36

As we reflect on all of these transitions, we at Saint Mary’s Hall are filled with a deep sense of gratitude. These last few years have not been the easiest for the world, our nation, or our School. And yet these pages are filled with smiles, hugs, hope, and immense gratitude.

Head of School Len Miller

The Saint Mary’s Hall community is a strong one. I am so grateful for everything our students, teachers, and alumni have accomplished, the way we have supported each other, and the resilience we have built together as a community.

With Gratitude,

Len Miller Head of School

About The Shield The Shield is a publication of Saint Mary’s Hall in San Antonio, Texas, and is published annually for parents, alumni, and friends of the school. We would like to thank parents, students, faculty, and staff for contributing information and photography used throughout the magazine. If you have any questions or comments about The Shield, or if you would like to submit an idea or information for a future issue, please contact us at editor@smhall.org.

On the cover: Sophia Nelson ’25 and Genevieve Seeligson ’25 celebrate during a Women’s Varsity Soccer game.

Editor Angela Rabke Graphic Design Robot Creative Photography Kemp Davis Kimberly Flores Alexis Fuetsch Robin Gerstad Mauricio Ortega-Rios Angela Rabke Martin Waddy J Wilkinson Co. …and many others

Saint Mary’s Hall is a private, coeducational, college preparatory school and admits students of any race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, or national/ethnic origin.

Special Notes

New Trustees for 2022-2023

2022-2023 Board of Trustees

We welcomed four new members to our Board of Trustees, who began their terms at the beginning of the 2022-23 School year.

Ricardo R. Reyna

Jason Glast is a licensed attorney and accomplished realtor.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

We are grateful to the Saint Mary’s Hall Board of Trustees for their tireless dedication to supporting the mission of our school, and we are proud to pay tribute to our new and retiring members.

Retiring Trustees

Whitney Solcher Miller ’97 retires after seven years of service on the Board of Trustees. Whitney

began her service in 2015. During her time on the Board, she served as Assistant Secretary and a Community Engagement Committee Member. Whitney has served for numerous years as our Investment Committee Chair, using her deep professional knowledge to guide our endowment philosophy. She served on the I AM Saint Mary’s Hall Campaign Leadership Committee and has been an active member of the alumni community, serving as the Saint Mary’s Hall Alumni Council President. Whitney is a Partner & Chief Investment Officer at Ulrich Investment Consultants in San Antonio. She and her husband, Joe, are the parents of two SMH alumni, Lauren Miller ’09 and Caroline Miller ’14. Whitney’s legacy began with her grandmother, Edith Cochran Sethness ’36, and her two sisters, Courtney Solcher Marcus ’91 and Ashley Solcher Hixon ’94.

Jeff Vance retires after six years of service on the Board of Trustees. Jeff was appointed in 2016 and served

as a key member of the Building and Grounds Committee during that time. Jeff and his wife Michele cochaired Passport 2012, one of the most successful events in the history of Saint Mary’s Hall, and served as active members of the SMH parent community. Jeff served as Executive Vice President of United Way of San Antonio and is an investor and entrepreneur in San Antonio. Jeff and Michele are the parents of three SMH alumni, Kathryn ’16, Hayden ’19, and Meredith ’21.

Curtis Vaughan was appointed to the Saint Mary’s Hall Board in 2015 and has been a key leader in

our community for the past seven years. He served as a valuable member of every committee of the Board and as Chair of the Community Engagement Committee from 2017 to 2019. Curtis and his wife Karen played an integral role on the I AM Saint Mary’s Hall Campaign Leadership Committee and have supported the Ben McMurray Golf Classic. Most recently, Curtis served as Chair of the Board from 2019-2021 and provided invaluable leadership as the School navigated leadership changes and a global pandemic. Curtis and his wife Karen are the parents of three SMH alumni Morgan ’06, Mikey ’09, and Melanie ’16. He is the Chairman & CEO of Vaughan & Sons, Inc.

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Saint Mary’s Hall

In 2020, he founded Jason Glast Group, now a top sales team within the premier real estate brokerage in the greater San Antonio area, Phyllis Browning Co. Prior to real estate, Jason had a successful career in marketing and sports management.

Jason received his Bachelor of Arts in History and Juris Doctorate from The University of Texas at Austin and his Master of Sports Administration from Ohio University. Jason and his wife, Kathryn, are active volunteers in the Saint Mary’s Hall parent community and are the proud parents of Alex ’22 and Sasha ’24.

Fabiola Kaase has been a leader and volunteer in the SMH community for the past decade. She served as Chair of Passport in 2019, Co-Chair of The SMH Fund in 2019-2020, Chair of The SMH Fund in 2020-2021, and she currently serves as President of the Parents’ Circle. Fabiola has played an instrumental role in reimagining the Parent’s Circle, our parent volunteer organization, and in creating a structure that supports students, faculty, and the parent community. She is a former Information Technology and Services Professional. Fabiola and her husband Kevin are the proud parents of Teagan ’25 and William ’30.

Dr. Melissa Garcia is the Founder of Bluebonnet

Pediatrics and a pediatric specialist in New Braunfels, TX. She received her Bachelor’s from Our Lady of The Lake University in San Antonio, her M.D. from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, and her residency in San Antonio at the University of Texas Health Science Center. Melissa has been a parent and active member of the Saint Mary’s Hall community since 2009. She played a critical role in our Health & Safety Taskforce guiding our school through the global pandemic.

Melissa and her husband Ronnie are the proud parents of Matthew ’21, Julie ’23, and Luke ’26.

Nikisha Baker is the President and CEO of SAMMinistries in San Antonio, TX. She has an extensive background in nonprofit management, strategic planning, fundraising, marketing, and education, and she has held key leadership roles at The Winston School of San Antonio and St. Mary’s University, to name a couple. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from the University of Florida and her Master of Arts in Mass Communications from the University of Central Florida. Nikisha has served as an active Form Leader and volunteer since joining SMH as a parent in 2017. She and her husband Larry are the proud parents of Rodney ’21, Ainsley ’23, Avery, and Landon.

Chair

Elise R. Boyan Vice Chair

Edward H. Austin, Jr. Trustee Emeritus

Nikisha J. Baker Muralidhar Beeram, M.D. Kenneth N. Bethune ’01 ex officio, Alumni Advisory Council President

Carla Alvarez Brozovich ’01 At Large Officer

Paige N. Cheatham ’14 A.B. Cruz III Katherine E. David ’96 Yashika T. Dooley, M.D. Houston K. Frost, Ph.D. ’99 Melissa A. Garcia, M.D. Samuel Jason Glast James A. Greenwood Treasurer

Ronald J. Herrmann Trustee Emeritus

Karen J. Hixon Trustee Emeritus

Emily M. Jones At Large Officer

Fabiola R. Kaase Claudia R. Kypuros, Ph.D. Connie McCombs McNab Trustee Emeritus

Soad L. Michelsen, M.D. Emilie H. Petty ’01 Benjamin E. Tubb, M.D. Karen Lee Zachry Secretary

The Shield | 3

Special Notes

Two Retire, Leaving Mark as Legacy Society Members

SAINT MARY’S HALL WELCOMES

NEW FACULTY & STAFF

As we close the chapter on 2022, we would like to recognize our new faculty and staff for their dedication and contributions to our Saint Mary’s Hall community. Our new team members have come from far and wide to inspire, teach, support, and uplift our students and community. Each new team member brings enthusiasm, innovative ideas, and a wealth of knowledge that has already made a tremendous impact in the lives of our students.

Thank you Patrick and Edith.

Tiffanie N. Barta

Kerry M. Clark

Tammy G. Flores

Lauryn O. Lewis

Paola Munguia

Emily R. Robbins

David A. Waterland

Basketball Coach

Health and Wellness Educator

US Mathematics Teacher

Soccer Coach

Cheer Coach

US English Teacher

Jahrrend Arnold

Julianne I. Batchelor

US Field Hockey Assistant Coach

Corey Lohr

Rosanna A. Neveu

Erik A. Robinson

P.E. Teacher & Head Varsity Men’s Basketball Coach

Piano Instructor

Carrie M. Edelmann Avery

Fernando A. Gomes

MS/US Vocal and Instrumental Music Teacher

Latin Teacher

Stephanie Alvarado

Megan L. Boneta

Counselor - Middle/ Upper School

Accountant

Gilbert A. Gomez

Makayla D. Mabry

Jesus Ontiveros

Brea L. Rodriguez

MS/US Theater & Drama Teacher

Fine Arts Department Coordinator

Asst. Dir. of Coll. Counseling and Testing Coord.

Woman’s Varsity Basketball Assistant Coach

Teacher - Robotics/ Computer Science

LS Form 3 Teacher

US Science Teacher - Biology

Mauricio Ortega Rios

LS Form 5 Teacher

Robert A. Anderson

Mary Burch

Soccer Coach

Director of Annual Fund

Christina Baker

John A. Cain

English Department Chair

Director of School Safety and Security

Kelly L. Baker Wiese MS/US Counselor

Alejandro Chavarria Soccer Coach

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Ms. Strey served in the Business Office as an Administrative Assistant beginning in 1991. Both worked tirelessly behind the scenes to keep our institution running smoothly for a combined 58 years, and we couldn’t be more grateful.

Joe A. Aldrete

Form 2 Teacher

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On May 9, 2022, Saint Mary’s Hall celebrated Patrick Cunningham and Edith Strey, who joined the ranks of faculty and staff members who have served Saint Mary’s Hall for 25+ years, and retired in May of 2022.

Mr. Cunningham served as our Theater Manager, Scenic Designer, and Technical Theater Director for over 25 years.

Saint Mary’s Hall

Frank Evans Custodian Supervisor/Bus Driver

Ellen Deitrich Assistant Head of School for Academics/Dean of CC

Kimberly S. Flores Communications Coordinator

Jennifer J. Growcock Teacher - Form 3

Bennett Gunning Assistant Technical Director

Luisa A. Jimenez Custodian

Marie L. Marks

Kimberly Scott

MS Spanish Teacher

Communications Coordinator

Hannah P. Mazurek

Tunette M. Powell

MS Mathematics Teacher

Director of Belonging

P.E. Teacher/Head Varsity Women’s Volleyball Coach

Ronessa D. McDonald

Jonathan C. Rexroat

James R. Stewart

US English Teacher

LS/MS Soccer Coach

Amanda A. Sinfronio Silva

Elizabeth C. Werkowitch LS Form 3 Teacher

Julian L. Williams MS Basketball Coach

Kevin D. Williams MS Football Coach

Christopher J. Zeitz MS Soccer Coach

Basketball Coach

The Shield | 5

CLASS OF 2022

Special Notes

School Awards

Medal Recipients Presented to students who have excelled in the following areas:

141st Saint Mary’s Hall Commencement

MATHEMATICS Matthew Averyt

May 20, 2022

ENGLISH Kathleen Benson SCIENCE Lauren Strauch

FINE ARTS Bella Munoz Visual Arts Kathleen Benson Performing Arts Berzhia Mizani Media Arts

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National Merit Finalists

BISHOPS’ CHRISTIAN

HISTORY AND SOCIAL SCIENCES Nicholas Campos

MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Ethan Doehler

WORLD LANGUAGES AND CULTURES Sofia Mauri

FEMALE FEMALEATHLETE ATHLETE OF OF THE THEYEAR YEAR Kristen Schlortt

Class of 2022 by the Numbers

National Hispanic Scholars

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“Through acceptance and inclusivity, we will build a culture that positively impacts students by valuing hard work, leadership, and communal relationships.”

National Merit Commended Scholars

Dr. Elizabeth Stockdale Head of Upper School Ricardo R. Reyna Chair, Board of Trustees

Our trip has not gone exactly according to plan, but despite all the obstacles we faced, we persevered: each of us finding our own path and turning us into the people we are today.

Instill some of that perseverance into each community you touch for the rest of your life 6 | Saint Mary’s Hall and that will make the world a better place.

— Emily Harris, Class President

Dr. Susan Douglas Guest Chaplain Emily Harris Senior Class President

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Zip Codes

78 Graduates

Valero Alamo Bowl Scholars

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2022 President’s Volunteer Service Awards

Attended 46 different universities in 21 different states, and 4 different countries outside of the US

Commencement Speakers Len Miller Head of School

BENNETT AWARD JAMIE ARMSTRONG Teri Marshall BENNETT AWARD Teri Marshall

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CLASS MISSION

CITIZENSHIP CUP BISHOPS’ CHRISTIAN Katherine Drawert CITIZENSHIP CUP Katherine Drawert JAMIE ARMSTRONG

Longevity Recognition Affectionately known as “Lifers,” this recognition is presented each year to students who have attended Saint Mary’s Hall for 12 or more years:

15 YEARS

Camila Alvarez Gabe Chbeir George Peter Cortez Emily Harris Patience Locke Nicole Mays Blake Miller Ashley Mitchell Marinna Nicoll Kirsten Schlortt Leo Schoenbrun Camille Serot Austin Soltis Lauren Strauch Remy White Rudy Zarate

14 YEARS

Nicholas Campos Ally Carter Jack Hall

13 YEARS

Matthew Averyt Juliana Cavazos Alejandro Delgado Shaili Ganeshappa Emi Kosterlitzky Bella Muñoz Abbie Zeller

12 YEARS

Isabella Presutti Payton Wood

The Shield | 7

8 | Willamette University

University of Puget Sound

International

Savannah College of Art & Design University of Georgia

Clemson University

Duke University (3) Trinity College of Arts & Sciences Wake Forest University

University of Virginia (2)

American University

Franklin University Switzerland The American University of Paris University of St. Andrews, Scotland (2)

University of Kentucky

Rhodes College University of Tennessee Vanderbilt University

University of Mississippi

Harvard University Northeastern University (3) Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Fordham University

New York University (2) Skidmore College Vassar College Wagner College

Villanova University

University of Michigan (2)

University of Chicago

Louisiana State University Tulane University

Kansas State University

Washington University in St. Louis

Colleges & Universities

CLASS OF 2022

SAINT MARY’S HALL

University of Oklahoma

Baylor University Honors College Prairie View A&M University Southern Methodist University (4) Southwestern University Texas A&M University (6) Texas A&M University at Galveston Texas Christian University (2) The University of Texas at Austin (11) The University of Texas at San Antonio Trinity University (5)

Loyola Marymount University San Diego State University University of California, San Diego

Saint Mary’s Hall Special Notes

The Shield | 9

Where Do Our SMH Graduates Go?

Special Notes

2018-2022 College Matriculation

European Colleges

Hawaiian Colleges

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Saint Mary’s Hall

The Shield | 11

Special Notes

Gratitude for the Game Barons athletes from every division and every team played their hearts out, and excelled both on and off of the field.

Here are just a few athletics highlights from the 2021-2022 school year.

2021-2022 Upper School Sports Post Season Awards FALL

VARSITY LACROSSE

WOMEN

WOMEN

MEN

Chris Chan

Coaches Award

MVP

Genevieve Seeligson

Coaches Award

Emily Harris

Peyton Randolph

VARSITY VOLLEYBALL Penny Luna

Grace Ogden

Hustle Award

Sportsmanship Award

Remy White

Coaches Award

VARSITY FOOTBALL Andrew Fisher

Rudy Zarate

MVP

Sportsmanship Award

Austin Soltis

Coaches Award

Grit Award

Valeria Ramos Prado

Rudy Zarate MVP

Aaron Escobedo Coaches Award

Bardia Mizani

Larkin Crow Award [1]

Rookie of the Year

Donovan Bowley MVP

Johnnie Thienpont

WOMEN

Emily Harris MVP

Pinky Gomez

Coaches Award

Nicole Mays

Bailen Ganeshappa

Offensive MVP

MVP

Hunter Hoelscher Team MVP

Lara Weissmann

Cailan Baker Miguel Vildosola MIP

Justus Kleberg Coaches Award

Baylan Memorial Award

[1] The Larkin Crow Award is presented annually to the varsity lacrosse team member whose performance consistently displayed heart and passion for the game of lacrosse.

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Saint Mary’s Hall

Newcomer Award

SWIMMING

George “Cuatro” Morrill Newcomer Award

VARSITY GOLF WOMEN

MEN

MVP

Coaches Award

VARSITY TENNIS

MEN

Vassar College

Coaches Award

Coaches Award

Chris Chan

WOMEN

Defensive MVP

Madison Winston

Hunter Hoelscher ’22

Nico Zavala

MVP

VARSITY SOCCER

Georgia Kemmett

Coaches Award

Christopher Chan

Julia Garcia

Coaches Award

Greer Kemmett

Remy White Ria Mehta

MEN

Cailan Baker ’22

Newcomer Award

MVP

VARSITY BASKETBALL

New York University

SOCCER

MIP

MVP

WINTER

Wagner College

Aiden Contreras

MEN

Newcomer Award

Rudy Zarate ’22

VARSITY BASEBALL

WOMEN

Outstanding Teammate

Southwestern University

Coaches Award

Hunter Hoelscher Gabby Afsous

Will Hirsch ’22

Lara Weissmann

VARSITY TRACK & FIELD

Coaches Award

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MVP

MEN

CHEERLEADING Ryleigh Vance

LACROSSE

SPRING

VARSITY CROSS COUNTRY Camila Navas-Hahn

College Athletes

Jackson White

WOMEN

MEN

Co-MVP

Co-MVP

Nitya Patel Ali Rose Davis Co-MVP

Avani Gunuganti MIP

Aarya Shah

Coaches Award

Gaige Lipscomb Brian Berman

Kirsten Schlortt ’22

Ethan Doehler ’22

The University of Texas at Austin

TRACK AND FIELD

Co-MVP

Remy White ’22 was selected as a recipient of the annual Texas Track & Field Coaches Association (TTFCA) Moss-Eaddy Scholarship. Remy was awarded this honor at the annual Track & Field Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Great Wolf Lodge in January 2022.

Ash Menick MIP

Richard Cage Coaches Award

William Azevedo Passion Award [2]

[2] The Passion Award is presented anually to the varsity tennis team member whose performance consistently displayed a genuine passion for the game of tennis and is given in memory of Victor Juarez.

Southern Methodist University

Remy White ’22 The Shield | 13

Featured Stories

GRATITUDE FOR THE SIMPLE THINGS ‘Tis the gift to be simple, ‘Tis the gift to be free, ‘Tis the gift to come down where I ought to be; And when we find ourselves in the place just right, ‘Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

—Shaker Hymn

T

here is a bit of uncertainty in the singing

voices at first, but with a little encouragement from Mr. Waterland, our students finish the hymn at a joyful volume before heading off to lunch.

2022 was a year of returning to many SMH traditions that waited in the wings during the pandemic, and with every one of those moments came a renewed sense of gratitude for the simple things that define our community. As we celebrate some of the tremendous accomplishments of our students, teachers, and alumni in these pages, we are equally delighted to be able to fully return to the natural peace of these 66 acres, and for the simple gifts of singing side by side in chapel, of sitting together in the dining hall to break bread and catch up, of joyful hugs, and of the thrill of a spirited crowd on a Friday night at Lewis Field.

“Teach us delight in simple things.”

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THE SHIELD | 15

Featured Stories

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4

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4

TOGETHER AGAIN

M

4

3

4

any of our most beloved SMH

traditions were held remotely, modified, or put on hold during the pandemic, but the Spring and Fall of 2022 brought many opportunities to celebrate and reconnect in person, with the return of events like Passport [1], chaired by Emily EmiliePettie Petty ’01 [2] [2] andand ’00 Carla Carla Brozovich Brozovich ’01, ’00, Bishop’s Bishop’s DayDay , held , held in April in [3] [3] (Elliotts April (Elliotts won!),won!), GrandGrand Day Day , and ,aand full ahost full of host Blue of [4] [4] Blue Tie events Tie events in August. in August.

3 4

2

3

2 2

4

3 3

2

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THE SHIELD | 17

11

11

11

22

22

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Featured Stories

LOWER SCHOOL STUDENTS

COMPLETE 2-YEAR INTERDISCIPLINARY PROJECT Written by Kellen Stanley

I

n Spring 2022, Form 4 and Form 5

students created Walk In Their Shoes, a twoyear interdisciplinary art project through the McNay Museum. The artwork officially debuted at The McNay’s Spotlight Exhibition on May 19, 2022.

This annual venture at The McNay featured artist Willie Cole’s Sole Sitter and was visited by Forms 4 and 5 on the beautiful grounds of the museum.

After studying the artist and artwork, students responded with video, stop-motion animation, cyanotype photographs, sound design, poetry, and artwork focused on high heel shoes. SMH families, faculty, and staff generously donated high heels for this art project, and as a special service project, they were donated to Dress for Success. The culminating artwork made in 20202022 came together as a playful film produced

by Ms. Kellen Stanley. Walk In Their Shoes was available to view at The McNay alongside other city-wide K-12 artists from October 26, 2022 to January 22, 2023.

Fun in Port Aransas and Camp Buckner

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IN MIDDLE SCHOOL Form 4 students LOVED visiting the McNay

The artist we studied, Willie Cole, has a saying— “I don’t plan; I play.” As the Lower School Art Teacher, I thought this was a wonderful motto for fourth grade artists to sink their teeth in.

We started with a pile of donated high heels when the Class of ’29 were in fourth grade, back in the day when hybrid Art class was on a cart. Class of ’30 picked up the thread in their fourth grade year, going down multiple rabbit holes to experiment in Willie Cole’s mindset. The group-generated artwork was finished as a short film, showcasing the artists’ creative explorations and writing voices with the simple prompt to walk in other folks’ shoes.

I

n the Spring of 2022, Middle School

students once again embarked on overnight experiential education trips. Forms 7 and 8 traveled to Port Aransas and Form 6 traveled north to Camp Buckner. These experiences are integral to the development of our Middle School students, and help build the skills necessary for life: looking beyond their community, making real-world connections, working with others/ collaborating, challenging themselves, building self-confidence, providing insight into their own interests and passions, seeing the strengths in

others, and developing leadership. Not only do these trips help build skills for success in life, but they also speak to our core values of courage, respect, and responsibility.

Every day, night and day, students had to navigate living with others beyond their nuclear family. They worked together, played together, ate together, and slept with many people in the same room. And as they returned to school, they began to reflect on their trips and the memories that they built together!

Experiential learning in Port Aransas

Shoe contributions were donated to Dress for Success

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THE SHIELD | 19

Featured Stories

As is tradition, students from each Division addressed the School community with their own stirring calls to action for the year. Saanvi Goyal ’30, Charlotte Holmgreen ’27, and Patrick Lang ’23 called upon classmates to demonstrate empathy, gratitude, and courageous leadership.

The Saint Mary’s Hall Alma Mater has never sounded better than it did as performed by Assistant Band Director David Waterland, and Jackson White ’23 gave a beautiful benediction.

Barons wrapped up the week with an exuberant Blue Tie parade celebrating the Class of 2023, followed by the traditional Blue Tie Ceremony.

Each Senior received their blue tie, joining the long blue line of SMH Seniors before them.

Students running to class on the first day of the 2022-2023 school year

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

T

he first week of our 144th year at the

Hall was one of celebration and tradition as students returned to campus. Mariachis welcomed our community at the gate and joyful reunions were marked with high-fives, hugs, fistbumps, and smiles.

The second day marked our Opening Convocation, where we officially welcomed the entire Saint Mary’s Hall community back to school. The room was packed as Chaplain Fredricc Brock gave the opening invocation, and Head of School Len Miller and Board of Trustees Chair Rick Reyna both shared words of inspiration.

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SAINT MARY’S HALL

As Mr. Miller said in his opening letter to the community: “The first day of school is a really big day, a milestone, and the moments that are most important underscore the meaning behind our School motto - “teach us delight in simple things.” The joy of seeing each other again, the satisfaction of opening a new book, the wonder of learning something new, and the shared experience of beginning again.

“EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU BELONGS HERE! It’s going to be a great year.”

— LEN MILLER

It occurred to me during lunch in the Dining Hall that this is the first time since I have been here that I have been able to see all of our students in that space, sitting safely together at full tables, enjoying lunch and relishing their days.

I am so glad that we begin this year together, face-to-face, with a sense of closeness and camaraderie. We have been prepping for this day for three months, and it was well worth the wait.

As Dr. Brock would remind us, “Today was a great day.”

Library time with Lower School Librarian Linda Wells

Addressing the students, Mr. Miller began the year with a request. “There is one main thing I want to ask of our students. Students, we need you to look out for each other. When someone asks for directions on how to get to a class, don’t point, walk them to their destination. Look around at the lunch tables to make sure that no one is eating alone, even if it means sitting apart from your closest friends. If you don’t know someone, introduce yourself. Ask how their day is going. Be present for one another. Our goal is always to help, and for everyone to feel like they truly belong to this community. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU BELONGS HERE! It’s going to be a great year.”

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Featured Stories

LEWIS FIELD// HOMECOMING

I

t was a beautiful evening as the Baron

community gathered at the newly renovated Lewis Stadium to rededicate the stadium.

The Lewis family was present as our Chaplain, Dr. Brock, opened the evening with a blessing, and as Head of School Len Miller made comments to the buzzing crowd.

In the fall of 2021, Kim Lewis, Rod Lewis, and their family pledged $1.66 million to enhance and upgrade the facilities. Through their generosity, Saint Mary’s Hall replaced the track and field surfaces, the stadium lighting, and the scoreboard. Originally built and dedicated in 2012, Lewis Stadium is a cornerstone of campus life and the centerpiece of our athletics facilities at SMH. Today, through the SMH physical education and athletic programs, every Baron from Montessori to Form 12 learns and practices ways to promote lifelong health and fitness.

Each year, the stadium hosts thousands of student-athletes for three seasons, nine varsity teams and seven middle school teams at competitions, practices, and events for the school community and our city.

From star parties to track meets, from pep rallies to Founders’ Day, Lewis Stadium hosts some of our most pivotal traditions and events throughout the school year. Each week, every Baron has the opportunity to enter this facility for PE, athletics, or another event core to their student experience.

Head of School Len Miller stated, “We are deeply grateful to the Lewis family for their ongoing generosity and tireless support of Saint Mary’s Hall. This gift represents a tremendous investment in our students, coaches, programs, and student experience. Lewis Stadium is a hub of campus life at Saint Mary’s Hall, where we come together to connect and compete.”

Researched and vetted by our coaching staff and facilities team, the new state-of-the-art track and field surfaces include technologies to enhance the athlete experience.

The field incorporates new padding and a thicker surface to improve gameplay and reduce surface temperatures by 10-20 degrees, increasing player stamina and reducing the risk of injury. The track has a new, thicker,

Members of the Lewis Family joins Mr. Miller and Dr. Brock on field for a blessing

Lewis Stadium Lewis Stadium

and cooler surface that improves “bounce” and increases protection for our runners. Our renovated lighting system increases visibility on the field using LED lights. And finally, the new, entirely LED digital display replaces our current scoreboard, allowing for a more customized game experience for each sport and season.

The new display gives students a chance to create videos for our teams and showcase their cinematic abilities, and allows us to host community events and movie nights in new and fun ways.

“We are deeply grateful to the Lewis family for their ongoing generosity and tireless support of Saint Mary’s Hall.”

— LEN MILLER

For nearly three decades, the Lewis family has been a part of the Saint Mary’s Hall community.

Kim and Rod Lewis first joined the SMH Community in 1995 as parents of three Barons, Jessica Lewis Worth ’00, former Trustee Nicole Lewis Pace ’00, and Amanda Lewis Adkisson ’05.

Jessica and her husband, Clint Worth, are deeply involved as volunteers on campus and the proud parents of three Lower School Barons.

Left to Right: Dr. Fred Brock, members of the Lewis Family, and Head of School Len Miller THE SHIELD

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Featured Stories

YOU BELONG AT THE HALL

I

Dr. Tunette Powell

n the Spring of 2021, the SMH DEI Task

Force made an important recommendation that Saint Mary’s Hall create a leadership position for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts on campus.

The Director of Belonging position was created, and after a national search, Dr. Tunette Powell became the School’s first Director of Belonging in August of 2022.

An author, public speaker, and DEI expert, Dr. Dr. Powell Powell waswas born born andand raised raised in San in San Antonio.

Antonio.

She She received received her Bachelor’s her Bachelor’s fromfrom the University the University of of Nebraska, Nebraska, Omaha, Omaha, andand herher PhD PhD in Education in Education from the University of California, Los Angeles, one of the leading programs in the nation, before serving as the Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Community for Mirman School in Los Angeles.

In her role at Saint Mary’s Hall, Dr. Powell is actively working with students, faculty and staff, and other stakeholders to prioritize and realize a culture of belonging.

“Belonging is what happens when you successfully combine diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts” — DR. TUNETTE POWELL

“Every student should feel a deep sense of belonging at the Hall, but we know that belonging doesn’t happen overnight. It is what happens when you successfully combine diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. I am excited to lean into the DEI initiatives that will ultimately create a stronger and healthier community here,” said Dr. Powell.

Dr. Powell works with Upper School students

BIG CHANGES FOR COLLEGE COUNSELING

E

llen O’Neill Deitrich, Assistant Head

of School for Academics and Dean of College Counseling, hit the ground running before she even arrived at Saint Mary’s Hall.

“As a college-preparatory school, it’s vital that we lead the way when it comes to college counseling and academics,” said Head of School Len Miller.

“Ellen’s experience in this arena is unparalleled and she has already made a significant impact on our college counseling program.”

Ellen comes to Saint Mary’s Hall with years of experience at some of the nation’s top independent schools, and is an engaged leader in the college counseling field, serving on the Advisory Boards of numerous universities, the College Board, and the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC).

Over the summer, the school brought college counseling to the forefront by creating a brand new, student-centered college counseling suite adjacent to the Upper School Library. It has emerged as a lively “college headquarters” for students focusing on college exploration and

Advisory provides an opportunity to support students in a relaxed environment

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SAINT MARY’S HALL

Ellen O’Neill Deitrich

application. Under Ellen’s leadership, the size of the college counseling staff has doubled from 2 toto 2 4.4.

And And toto ensure ensure that that students students are are supported supported through the summer and the school year, counselors are now 12-month employees, where previously they were 10-month employees. New programming includes programs for parents of lower form-level form-leAvelstudents studentsand anddedicated dedicatedcourse course counseling hours for Form 8 families, and Case Studies program for juniors and parents.

Finally, Saint Mary’s Hall made a shift in weighted GPA. AP courses will now have a 1.0 weight instead of .3, and Honors courses will have a .5 weight .5 weight added added to to thethe GPA. GPA. Calculus Calculus III will III will carry carry the weight of an AP course.

Ellen shares, “I look forward to celebrating great choices with the Class of 2023. Our students are engaged and we are thrilled to provide them with the tools they need to identify the right fit for their college experience, and have a fulfilling experience once they are there.”

DON’T MISS IT! Rob Franek, Editor-in-Chief of The Princeton Review, will join us this spring to share insight and data relative to the test-optional admissions and the future of standardized testing.

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Featured Stories

“…my experience interning at the McNay through the Arts Mentorship Project was the first time that I really experienced what working in the arts could actually look like.”

— ALEX RIEBE

ARTS MENTORSHIP PROGRAM CELEBRATES

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS & EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING THROUGH THE ARTS he timing couldn’t have been

better for rising senior Madison Feik ’23.

She was on her way to Artpace San Antonio for their Teen Night event when she got the call. She had been selected as a finalist for the new Arts Mentorship Program (AMP) at Saint Mary’s Hall and would undergo an interview with a panel of SMH teachers that included Upper School Fine Arts Department Chair, Logan Blanco; 3D Art Teacher, Nate Cassie; and Photography Teacher, Kyle Petersen.

26 | SAINT MARY’S HALL

Madison Feik ’23

ArtPace San Antonio

Miley Hamilton ’23 Ruiz-Healy Gallery

Alex Riebe ’23

McNay Art Museum

2022 art mentees

T

2022 ART MENTORSHIP PROGRAM STUDENTS

“I was ecstatic to be chosen as a finalist but also super nervous about the rest of the interview process I had to complete to receive the mentorship,” Feik says. “After a conversation [with my teachers] about my interests, I realized they just wanted to figure out which place would be the best fit for me,” Feik continues, “I later received an email informing me I got paired to work at Artpace in the studio department and would have one final interview at Artpace before finally receiving the mentorship.”

Designed to provide dedicated visual and media arts students with sustained and realworld experience in the arts, AMP relies on an application process to place students with leading art professionals at local art museums and galleries during the summer. The goal: to deepen students’ knowledge about careers in the art world and to provide them with the skills necessary for professional success. In exchange for their six-week commitment, students receive a stipend and/or community service credit.

After a successful interview at Artpace San Antonio, Fiek was officially offered a mentorship.

Because Artpace houses resident and renowned artists from around the world, she had an extraordinary hands-on experience that enabled her to learn directly from not only staff members, but also the artists themselves. “The best part of this mentorship was the people I met,” Fiek says. “Since I was working in the resident artist studios, I spoke with all the artists. I watched their studios go from blank rooms to amazing works of art.”

Alex Riebe’s ’23 experience at The McNay Art Museum was so rewarding that he asked to extend his work after his initial 6-week commitment was over and, perhaps most importantly, it crystalized a path forward in his college process.

Ethan Walsh ’23

San Antonio Museum of Art

“I have been around different art spaces my entire High School career,” Riebe says, “but my experience interning at the McNay through the Arts Mentorship Project was the first time that I really experienced what working in the arts could actually look like.”

Ethan Walsh ’23 also earned a placement in the Education Department at the San Antonio Museum of Art. His introduction to the museum was similarly broad, as he helped to plan and coordinate events while also assisting with the Tony Parker Heroes and Villains exhibition by giving tours and digitizing visitor responses. “I came “I came toto realize realize that that the the education education department department was indeed the most essential group at SAMA as they were the engine that powered the museum,” he relays. “My time at the San Antonio Museum of Art was truly magical, my perspective on education as a whole was drastically changed, and the lessons I learned will be invaluable to my success in college and beyond.”

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Featured Stories

SCIENCE RESEARCH SCHOLARS T

he Saint Mary’s Hall Science

Research Scholar Program continues to serve as a signature experience for our young scientists. Piloted in 2020, the program is thriving, providing students with a unique opportunity to work side-by-side with scientists and researchers as they learn about the human endeavor of scientific research, foundational laboratory skills, how to evaluate results using statistical analysis, and how to plan, implement, perform, and communicate research findings.

Essentially, students benefit from early exposure to research, and an understanding of what a career in scientific research feels like.

The areas of study are often highly specialized, allowing students to experience science through a lens usually reserved for college-level students.

“The Research Science Scholars Program has given me a better understanding of how real

“The opportunity for our scholars to learn from professionals of this caliber is exceptional, and the scientists we work with come away equally impressed by the caliber of our students.”

— JUSTINA VIDAL science is conducted and of the importance of collaboration between researchers with diverse skill sets. I have learned that ‘scientist’ is a broad term for thousands of interesting professions, and I am excited to keep learning about all of them,” said Jonathan Tubb ’23, during his presentation to the Saint Mary’s Hall Board of of Trustees.

Trustees.

Open to rising juniors and seniors, the application process requires teacher recommendations, an essay, and pre-requisite coursework.

“It is a joy to watch our students grow through this program,” shared Upper School Science Department Head Justina Vidal. “The opportunity for our scholars to learn from professionals of this caliber is exceptional, and the scientists we work with come away equally impressed by the caliber of our students.”

Science Research Scholars at the White Coat Ceremony

RESEARCH SCHOLAR INTERNSHIPS AND MENTORS William Bankler ’24 Saint Mary’s University Department of Engineering, Mr. Miguel Cortina Ponton and Dr. Juan D. Ocampo

Catherine Mao ’23 Dr. Jia Nie, UT Health Science Center, Quantification of biological age from metabolic clinical data sets (bioinformatics)

Ben Cruz ’23 UT Health Science Center

Elissa Mason-Bizzell ’24 UT Health Science Center

Christopher Chan ’24 Dr. Kristo Nuutila, Qscar Lab, Data analysisTopical application of Immunomodulators via platform wound device in a porcine (sus scrofa domestica) deep partial - thickness burn wound model

Grace Ogden ’23 Dr. Jonathan Gelfond, UT Health Science Center, Bioinformatics

Aly Khanmohamed ’24 Dr. Aditya Raghunandan Assistant Professor, Spine and Sports Medicine, UT Health Science Center

Aarya Shah ’24 Dr. Kelly Berg, UT Health Science Center, KOR agonist functional selectivity in peripheral sensory neurons Kate Whittington ’24 Dr. Brett Ginsberg, UT Health Science Center, Animal Psychology

Leonora Leykum ’24 Dr. Carie Boychuck, UT Health Science Center, Immunohistochemistry 28

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Around the Hall

Around the Hall

Big Wins for Speech and Debate The 2021-2022 Speech and Debate team racked up accolades in 21 tournaments and hundreds of competitions, including at the prestigious 2021 Longhorn Classic hosted by the University of Texas at Austin.

There were over 100 schools competing from 13 different states. Total entries for the tournament were over 1,000 with almost 300 judges.

EYES WIDE EYES EYES WIDE OPEN WIDE OPEN OPEN Saint Mary’s Hall The Walrus, Vol. 56 2021-2022

SMH had a fantastic showing and brought home 1st place in the Speech, Congress, and Individual Events category, and 4th Overall in Speech & Debate!

Saint y’s Saint Mar Mar y’s Hall Hall The alrus, ol.

The W W alrus, V V ol. 56 56 2021-2022 2021-2022

Partial results are listed below:

The Walrus Wins Multiple National Awards The Walrus, our Upper School literary magazine, won multiple national awards during the 2021-2022 school year. First, from the National Council of Teachers of English program Recognizing Excellence in Art and Literary Magazines, The Walrus was awarded a Superior ranking. From the American Scholastic Press Association, The Walrus received a First Place Ranking with Special Merit. And from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, The Walrus received two awards: For the individual merit written critique from CSPA, The Walrus received a Gold Medal with All-Columbian Honors for Essentials, Verbal, and Visual.

At the national competition level, the Columbia Press Association Crown Awards honor top student publications chosen from CSPA’s members. Crowns are selected for overall excellence in a head-to-head comparison with other publications. During Crown consideration, publications are judged on their excellence, as shown by their design, photography, concept, coverage, and writing. The Walrus was one of only 20 magazines awarded a Gold Crown at the national level.

Finalists

Semifinalists

Kathleen Benson ’22 Oral Interpretation – 1st Place (Tournament Champion!)

Jonathan Tubb ’23 Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking – 4th Place

Lara Weissmann ’22 / Abbie Zeller ’22 Duo Interpretation

Jack Rykert ’23 Informative Speaking – 2nd Place

Anish Beeram ’23 Student Congress – 6th Place (out of 102 entries)

Adele Davidson ’23 Program Oral Interpretation, Oral Interpretation

Lara Weissmann ’22 Informative Speaking – 6th Place

Jonathan Tubb ’23 Informative Speaking, Foreign Extemporaneous Speaking

Lara Weissmann ’22 Original Oratory – 3rd Place Kathleen Benson ’22 / Jack Rykert ’23 Duo Interpretation – 3rd Place Abbie Zeller ’22 Informative Speaking – 4th Place

Jack Rykert ’23 Dramatic Interpretation – 6th Place

Sophie Holder ’24 Program Oral Interpretation Campbell Cage ’24 Oral Interpretation

Congratulations to our talented writers, artists, editors, and Lit Mag sponsor, Mrs. Williams-Eddy.

The Walrus editors would also like to acknowledge Mr. Cunningham, who “builds our community both literally and figuratively. He is known for his love of SMH, his students, and his co-workers. We want to thank him for starting every day with his eyes open and his heart full. Thank you, Mr. Cunningham.”

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Around the Hall

Women’s Lacrosse Makes History

SMH Mentor, Lisa Westergard, Receives Global Award

It was a historic year for athletics at Saint Mary’s Hall, with the introduction of Women’s Lacrosse. Together with Coach Valerie Lohr, the team started their season by developing a mission statement and creating goals for what they hope to achieve during their first year, in addition to working hard on the field to build their skill set. The first goals scored in program history were scored by Genevieve Seeligson ’25, Chloe Serot ’24, and Katherine Drawert ’22, and although there weren’t wins in the first season, the team had an excellent season building camaraderie, skills, and spirit.

Service is a hallmark of Saint Mary’s Hall (SMH) and a critical component of the student experience. SMH mentors help to provide students with enrichment opportunities to guide them in their journey as civic-minded leaders and inspire them to make a positive impact on the issues important to them. Recently, an SMH mentor, Enrichment Program Coordinator Lisa Westergard, was globally recognized for her contributions to SMH students.

Coach Lohr shared, “My philosophy was the ‘Positive Pursuit of Excellence,’ and our athletes worked hard to ‘own their awesome’ on and off the field.

During the season, every single athlete contributed whether they were injured, sick, or at 100%. The game itself is just a small piece of the culmination of the hours and hours that have contributed to making school history.”

16 SMH Students Named National Merit Semifinalist and Commended Scholars Sixteen Saint Mary’s Hall seniors were recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation for their outstanding performance on the Preliminary SAT (PSAT) taken during their junior year at Saint Mary’s Hall.

Six of those students were named National Merit Scholarship Finalists and join a nationwide pool of semifinalists who are eligible to compete for the National Merit Scholarship Award. The semifinalist includes Leo Cheong, Bailen Ganeshappa, Grace Ogden, Jack Rykert, Parker Thill, and Jonathan Tubb.

Ten students were recognized as Commended Scholars for their outstanding academic promise. Although Commended Students do not continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships, some of these students do become candidates for Special Scholarships sponsored by corporations and businesses. Our Commended Scholars include Anna Albrecht, Alison Dunn, Allyson Gibbs, Aly Khanmohamed, Jonathan Largoza, Catherine Mao, Alex Riebe, Dylan Rybacki, Elliot Strauch, and Henry Zachry.

“We are excited, proud, and honored to celebrate the achievement of these students on the PSAT. National Merit recognition is a rare and impressive feat in standardized testing, and these students have worked very hard to achieve these scores, scores,”“says says Head of Upper School, Liz Stockdale. “This National recognition, coupled with many benchmarks of academic mastery and understanding, speaks to Saint Mary’s Hall tremendous dedication to scholarship and student support. We are so proud!”

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Saint Mary’s Hall

In November 2021, Westergard was officially selected as one of the 100 Award Leaders, honored by the International Award Foundation, for inspiring participants to reach their infinite potential. The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award USA nominated Westergard for the global celebration of 100100 of inspirational inspirational leaders leaders throughout throughout thethe world. world.

SheShe serves serves as SMH’s as SMH’s Duke of Edinburgh Duke of Edinburgh International International Award Leader, Awardcoordinating Leader, coordinating the program the program for student for participation. student participation.

“Leading and cultivating a program as distinguished as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a mighty and lofty task. Mrs. Westergard exemplifies the patience, compassion, vulnerability, and integrity required to support students as they encounter the world beyond Saint Mary’s Hall and discover their passions,” said HeadHead said of Upper of Upper School School Liz Stockdale.

Liz Stockdale.

Though there are many exceptional Award Leaders in the United States, the program’s team chose Westergard as their sole nomination for the United States, officially selecting her as an Award Leader on December 5 (International Volunteer Day). Westergard will receive a commemorative coin, celebrating the life and legacy of The Duke of Edinburgh from The Royal Mint, and a recognition certificate from HRH The Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.

“I am honored to receive this award and proud to represent Saint Mary’s Hall and its participants,” said Westergard. “This incredible opportunity has brought tremendous growth to our students.”

Of the nominations from 130 countries, the International Award Foundation selected only 100 leaders. The award The award recognizes recognizes Westergard’s Westergard’s dedication dedication to students to students on their on their Award Award journeys journeys and for andgoing for going above above and beyond and during COVID-19 beyond during COVID-19 to ensuretothey ensure continued they continued to maketoprogress make progress in the program. in the program.

“Lisa is a dedicated mentor to these young scholars. Her leadership has inspired our students to test themselves and look for even more ways to positively impact our community,” shared Head of School Len Miller.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is a global award that allows young people to determine what they are passionate about, regardless of their background, culture or access to resources. More than 130 countries and territories offer the program as part of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation.

Award Foundation.

Saint Mary’s Hall is proud to be the first Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS) school and one of only six organizations in Texas to offer this prestigious international development opportunity for our students. Since the program was introduced at SMH in 2018, a total of 42 students have participated with 14 completed levels (bronze, silver, and gold).

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Around the Hall

Barons Leading with Service In 2003, the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation founded the President’s Volunteer Service Award to recognize the important role of volunteers in America’s strength and national identity. This award honors individuals and clubs whose service positively impacts communities in every corner of the nation and inspires those around them to take action, too.

The PVSA has continued under each presidential administration, honoring the volunteers who are using their time and talents to solve some of the toughest challenges facing our nation.

The PVSA allows Saint Mary’s Hall to recognize some of our most exceptional volunteers.

Lights, Camera, Action!

Cinema Students Shine at Top Film Festivals Year after year, our Barons continue to astonish with their remarkable work in cinema, and this year is no different. SMH cinema took center stage at three top film festivals with multiple shorts being featured on the big screen.

At the 2022 SXSW Film Festival, three student films were screened as part of their Texas High School Shorts Program. These films included Football (Audience Football (Audience Award Best Award FilmBest Winner) Film Winner) and Soles and by William Soles

by William Herff ’22Herff and Waiting ’22 andfor Waiting Divinefor Intervention Diving

by Bella Muñoz Intervention

by Bella ’22. Munoz ’22.

The San Antonio Film Festival screened six student films as part of their High School Shorts Screening.

These films included Soles Soles by byWilliam WilliamHerff Herff’22, ’22, Waiting for Waiting forDivine DivineIntervention InterventionbybyBella BellaMuñoz Muñoz’22, ’22, Plunder! by Plunder!

by Matthew Matthew Medellin Medellin’24, ’24,The TheHydrologic Hydrologic Cycle

by InesbyWallisch Cycle Ines Wallisch ’24, Replaceable ’24, Replaceable

by Kateby Whittington Kate ’24 and Here for Whittington ’24aand Long Here Time forbya Maggie Long Time Leavitt by ’21.

Maggie Leavitt ’21.

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“Every one of these great films was assisted in some way by a team of people making it all happen. I am so happy to see these hard-working filmmakers receive such prestigious accolades for their efforts.”

— Will Underwood,

Hours by Award

Bronze

Silver

Gold

Kids

26-49

50-74

75+

50-74

75-99

100+

100-174 175-249

250+

ages 5-10

Teens

ages 11-15

Young Adults ages 16-25

Cinema Teacher/Director of Video Production

Six more student films made their way to the big screen at the All American High School Film Festival.

These films included Twisted Twisted Fantasies, Fantasies,by byMatthew Matthew Medellin ’24, Soles SolesbybyWilliam WilliamHerff Herff’22, ’22,The TheSick Sick Egg by EggAnalia

by Analia Rivera Rivera ’24, Burnout ’24, Burnout,

by Alexander

by Alexander Glast Glast ’22, Up and ’22, Up Down and Down

by Christopher

by Christopher ChanChan ’24, and ’24, and La La Llegada Llegada by by Ana Ana Testas Testas ’24.’24.

“It’s incredible to see how dedicated these students are to the craft of movie making and to each other. Most people don’t understand the many hours of work that go into these projects,” says Will Underwood, Cinema Teacher/Director of Video Production. “Every one of these great films was assisted in some way by a team of people making it all happen. I am so happy to see these hard-working filmmakers receive such prestigious accolades for their efforts.”

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Hudson Moore

Ephraim Cho

Tanzeel Ali

Cypress Rabke

Preston Thill

Chloe Serot

Sabrina Esmail

Walker Kruger

Sophia Nelson

Nandini Cheruku

Parker Thill

Isabella Mauri

Genevieve Seeligson

Kate Van Zandt

Bailen Ganeshappa

Elisa Masson-Bizzell

Peyton Soltis

Ethan Walsh

Helena Hanor

Ava Greenberg

Emily Ton

Ferzine Sanajana

Payton Wood

Grace Ogden

William Ogle

Anish Beeram

Elliot Strauch

Eleanor Jones

Aly Khanmohamed

Jonathan Tubb

Ian Garza

Jonathan Largoza

Javier Barrera

Aarya Shan

Henry Zachry

Rene Reyna

Jason Cade Jones

Nicholas Campos

Lauren Strauch

Ria Mehta

Penelope Luna

Lauren Vegas

Sophie Holder

Patience Locke

Jack Archer

Ines Wallisch

Camille Serot

Remy White

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Alumni

Alumni Gatherings Welcome Back Barons Luncheon and Head of School Roundtable On January 5, 2022, SMH invited Young Alumni from the Classes of 2018-2021 back to campus to reconnect with each other and their teachers. Faculty, staff, and alumni enjoyed catching up over Mexican food in the Peggy Pitman Mays Dining Hall. After lunch, Head of School Len Miller hosted the first annual Head of School Roundtable, where Young Alumni were given the opportunity to discuss the SMH student experience, their preparation for college, and educational trends they see at the next level that will help inform our programming initiatives across the school.

College Alumni Panel During Upper School Advisory on January 11, 2022, Form 12 attended the 2022 College Alumni Panel.

SMH Alumni Panelists provided insight into many aspects of the transition from Saint Mary’s Hall to college and university life such as balancing the demands of being a college athlete and a student, finding a small community within a large institution, time management, the importance of networking for internships and job opportunities, ways to get involved on campus, and how to navigate moving out of Texas. The panelists reassured the senior class that they would indeed be well prepared to succeed in college because of the strong foundation they received from their time as students at SMH.They SMH. They also also encouraged encouraged the the students students to to challenge challenge themselves themselves before graduation so they will have the necessary tools to excel at the next level.

College Alumni Panelists Included:

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Mary Corinne Archer ’18: ‘18: The University of Texas at Austin

•

Mafer Benavides ’20: Tulane University

•

Weston Bohne ’20: Texas A&M University

•

Daisy Bousquet ’18: Texas A&M University

•

Brian Garrett ’19: Davidson College

•

Matt Leonard ’19: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

•

Max Rosenbloom ’21: The University of Texas at Austin

Saint Mary’s Hall

2022 Alumni Reunion Weekend Last spring, we celebrated Alumni Reunion Weekend with over 200 alumni, guests, and current and former faculty members! Alumni traveled internationally from England, Guatemala, and Mexico, and across the United States from California, Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah to visit campus. The weekend was filled with reconnection, reminiscing, laughter, and new memories made between alumni and their former teachers.

On May 13, we hosted the Alumni Reunion Party in the Peggy Pitman Mays Dining Hall, where alumni reconnected with each other and former teachers over an assortment of hors d’oeuvres and beverages.

Throughout the evening, alumni became students again and joined Upper School Science Teacher Brian Kaestner for an O’Neil Ford Architectural Tour of campus. Mr. Kaestner led alumni and guests around the Upper School and discussed Ford’s mid-century modern architectural style and signature, the use and functional intent of our campus building spaces, and the ways architecture influences learning environments.

On May 14, we hosted the 50th+ Reunion Celebration for alumni celebrating 50 years or more of graduation from Saint Mary’s Hall. Chaplain Dr. Fredricc Brock began the morning by leading an Alumni Remembrance Service. Those who were present at the service participated in a candle lighting ceremony to honor the legacy and memory of our community members who have passed. The service was followed by a campus tour led by Head of School Len Miller.

The tour concluded at the Teach Us Delight In Simple Things steps where alumni received a red rose and took class photos.

Our Alumni Reunion Weekend festivities concluded with a special brunch in the Peggy Pitman Mays Dining Hall, where we toasted the legacy of Saint Mary’s Hall and our vibrant alumni community.

SAVE THE DATE

for Alumni Reunion Weekend 2023!

We look forward to celebrating the following Reunion Honor Classes on campus on May 12 and 13, 2023: 2018, 2013, 2008, 2003, 1998, 1993, 1988, 1983, 1978, 1973, 1968, 1963, 1958, 1953, 1948, and 1943.

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Alumni

Alumni Gatherings

Blue Tie Parade and Ceremony We began the school year by celebrating the Class of 2023 at the 82nd annual Blue Tie Parade and Ceremony on on August August 19.19.

Students, Students, teachers, teachers, alumni, alumni, parents, parents, grandparents, grandparents, siblings, siblings, andand special special friends friends gathered gathered in the in the Upper Upper School School Circle to Circle cheertoon cheer the on Class theofClass 2023ofas2023 they as hurled they hurled water balloons water balloons at theiratfavorite their favorite teachersteachers and theand the student student bodybody fromfrom trailers, trailers, boats, boats, and and other other vehicles. vehicles.

Following the parade, we commenced the Blue Tie Ceremony in the Ancira Events Center. Our Alumni Speaker Brooke Benson ’88 imparted wisdom to the Class of 2023 as she reflected on her own time as a student at Saint Mary’s Hall and shared advice on what our seniors should focus on this year:

“Where you are right now is the very beginning of where you start making your own choices…This is the moment in your lives where you get to decide what happens with your future.

What do you want to map out for your own future?”.

Many alumni continued the tradition of bestowing a Blue Tie on their family member(s) during the Blue Tie Ceremony. It was wonderful to have the following alumni connect the Class of 2023 to the long blue line of alumni who have gone before them: Juju Irvin Robinson ’75

Jose Ruiz ’16

Caroline Largoza ’20

Maggie Leavitt ’21

Ruth Storrie ’91

Andrea Sala ’16

Shane Rybacki ’20

Luke Phillips ’21

Adriana Chapa Stromberg ’93

Scarlett Gransee ’18

Isabella Sala ’20

Ricky Reyna ’21

Victoria Lozano ’18

Darian Stewart ’20

Karl Sanjana ’21

Emily Averyt ’19

Raj Talukdar ’20

Sofia Vildosola ’21

Jacqueline Leavitt ’19

Quentin Adolphe ’21

Olivia Zachry ’21

Luis Medina ’19

Charles Danysh ’21

Matthew Averyt ’22

Catalina Barrera ’20

Matthew Garcia ’21

Shaili Ganeshappa ’22

Claudia Danysh ’20

Rodney Hunter ’21

Lauren Strauch ’22

Tara Gill ’99 Maya Naim ’00 Genevieve Gill ’02 Suzanne Negley ’06 Trey Remington ’14

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Saint Mary’s Hall

Alumni from Regional Travel Program Visited Austin, Dallas, and New York City The connections alumni have to Saint Mary’s Hall, their teachers, and their classmates remain strong long after walking the Commencement stage.

Because of these important bonds, we created a Regional Travel Program to provide opportunities for alumni to gather with each other, meet current administrators, connect with former and current faculty members, and continue fostering relationships that were formed at Saint Mary’s Hall.

The next day, we continued our journey north to Dallas, TX, where Natalie Musgrave Dossett ’82 graciously hosted over 20 alumni in her home. On October 12, we made our way up to New York City, where we hosted nearly 40 alumni, current and former Board of Trustees members, our Alumni Association President Kenneth Bethune ’01, and Upper School Faculty Member Mark Remington at the Penn Club of New York.

We launched our Regional Travel Program by driving up the I-35 corridor early this fall. On September 13, we made our first stop in Austin, TX, where Head of School Len Miller, Assistant Head of School for Advancement Jim Bob Womack, and Director of Alumni Relations Nancy Lee Archer ’16 enjoyed hosting over 20 alumni; former coach, faculty member, and dorm parents Tommy and Bonnie Clemons; and 41-year Upper School faculty member and coach Brian Kaestner at The Grove—Downtown.

We enjoyed the opportunity to meet, visit, and connect with our alumni living across the country this fall. As we gathered several generations of alumni together over the last few months, we heard many stories about the friendships formed as students, the love of learning imparted to students by world class faculty members, the joys of a bus ride to sporting events off campus, and so much more. We look forward to expanding our Regional Travel Program in the coming years and meeting more alumni across the country.

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Alumni

Alumni Awards

2022 Distinguished Alumni and Momentum Awards

Alumni, Did You Know?

It is our distinct honor and privilege to recognize the 2022 Alumni Award recipients Malou Flato ’71 and Cosmo Guido ’04.

Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Malou Flato ’71 The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented to alumni who have made significant contributions to the community or have or have achieved achieved professional professional success success that that setssets a standard a standard of excellence of excellence worthy worthy of recognition of recognition by by Saint Saint Mary’s Mary’s Hall.

Hall. The The Distinguished Distinguished Alumni Alumni Award Award has been has been bestowed bestowed sincesince 1979.

1979.

Malou Flato ’71 is a renowned Texas artist whose work includes watercolors, oils, acrylics, tile murals, etchings, sculptures, and digital prints. As a landscape painter, she paints the natural forms she encounters on her travels.

Malou is a fifth-generation native Texan whose paintings affirm a deep attachment to the natural world. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1975 from Middlebury College, where she majored in theater, specializing in costume design. Immediately following graduation, she spent several years spearheading costume shops for theater companies, among them the Vermont Shakespeare Festival. Malou may be recognized for her paintings, as her work is in numerous corporate and private collections; however, it is her mosaic public art murals in cities including San Antonio, Seattle, Houston, Boston, Dallas, and Austin that remain her most widely familiar work.

Perhaps her most notable work in San Antonio is the San Antonio Mission scenes on the Houston Street bridge.

Throughout her career, she’s been a visiting scholar at the American Academy in Rome and is featured in many museum exhibits. Malou’s work can be seen at many venues across the country. To view Malou’s work, please visit www.malouflato.com.

Momentum Award Recipient: Cosmo Guido ’04 The Momentum Award is presented to alumni who have not yet celebrated their 20th reunion and whose professional achievements in their chosen field show a promise for future success and set a standard of excellence worthy of recognition by Saint Mary’s Hall. The first Momentum Award was presented in 2007.

Cosmo Guido is the Vice President of Preconstruction at Guido Construction in San Antonio, Texas. Cosmo played on the volleyball team and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Finance from the University of Richmond in 2008. Additionally, Cosmo earned his Master of Architecture from The University of Texas at San Antonio in 2010. Carrying on the family legacy of building, restoring, and enhancing community spaces in San Antonio, Cosmo began working at Guido Construction in 2008 as a Senior Project Manager. In recent years and under Cosmo’s leadership, Guido Construction has been part of the renovation, restoration, and construction of San Antonio landmarks such as The San Antonio Children’s Museum, The Witte Museum, the San Antonio Zoo, Saint Mary’s Hall, the Alameda Theater, and Southerleigh Fine Food and Brewery to name a few. In addition to his educational degrees, Cosmo is a LEED Green Associate, which designates him as having a current understanding of green building principles and practices and received the Designated Design-Build Professional Certification. Cosmo also serves on the Board of Directors for the San Antonio Zoo and on the Development Board for the University of the Incarnate Word.

On May 11, we honored Malou Flato ’71 and Cosmo Guido ’04 with a luncheon celebration where we commemorated the vibrant talents and accomplishments of Saint Mary’s Hall alumni with several of our previous Distinguished Alumni Award recipients.

Do you know alumni who deserve to be recognized for their professional achievements or significant contributions to the community?

To nominate alumni for these prestigious awards, please contact Director of Alumni Relations Nancy Lee Archer ’16 at narcher@smhall.org or 210-483-9196.

La Reata: Its Meaning and Storied History During the 1927-1928 school year, the Saint Mary’s Hall Class of 1928 sponsored the first yearbook in Saint Mary’s Hall history. The Senior Class compiled photos, stories, and messages from members of the SMH community to celebrate all they had accomplished that year. Careful attention was paid to capture portraits, class photos, information, and stories about academics, sports, dorm life, and social events that occurred throughout the year. These books were truly a labor of love as the La Reata staff handdrew images to introduce the different sections and carefully cut out photos to paste in precise locations.

By the end of the school year, a single copy of the beautifully handcrafted La Reata was presented and placed on a shelf in the library for all to read.

In 1940, students sat around a bridge table, halfheartedly passing cards to each other. Their minds a bit preoccupied by other thoughts, the students slowly passed the time until someone put into words that which had been on all of their minds: “We should and could have individual annuals this year, and I wish we would!” (La Reata 1941).

The idea was born and students began brainstorming a plan to present to Miss Katharine Lee, Headmistress of Saint Mary’s Hall. Students acknowledged the importance of keeping the annual in a nicely bound book in the library for future generations to enjoy, but they wished they could have their own copy to share with their grandchildren someday. Without hesitation, Miss Lee gave her official approval for printing individual copies of the yearbook. She instructed the students to bring in sales from advertisements and sell at least 100 copies of the yearbook to make their idea come to fruition.

The La Reata staff tied red strings around the fingers of their classmates who forgot to bring $3.50 for their copy of the yearbook. Then, the group of students went into the

San Antonio community to give local businesses “the privilege of advertising” in their publication. To their dismay, they were able to secure enough ads and sell enough copies of the yearbook to make their dreams come true.

Editor-in-Chief Gloria Galt ’41 led the La Reata staff in the production of this annual along with Patricia Head Locke ’41, Mazi Eskridge Kearny ’41, Mildred McCall Fike ’43, Rosemary Howell ’41, Joan Harris Kelso ’41, Ruth Smith Pilger ’41, Sally Ann Judd Harrison ’41, Gertrude Otto McGowan ’41, and Mollie Hart Clemens ’41. After all these students went through to create the first mass-produced yearbook, the La Reata staff “solemnly vows vengeance upon anyone who flippantly glances through these pages and does not carefully study every word!”.

Translated from Spanish to English, la reata means “the rope”. To encompass their purpose for creating such a book, the La Reata staff of 1928 chose the motto “Non sibi sed “Non sibi aliis”, sed meaning aliis”, meaning “not for “not selffor butself forbut all”. forFrom all”. its inception, From its inception, the yearbook the yearbook portrays portrays more than morejust than a just acollection collectionofofphotos photosand andstories. stories.ItItrepresents representsa amoment moment in time that is forever woven into the fabric of our school’s storied history.

Top Row (Left to Right): Len Miller (Head of School), Margaret King Stanley ’48, Zelime Gillespie Matthews ’64, Toby McClelland Tate ’62, and Margaret Corning Boldrick ’52 Bottom Row (Left to Right): Bonnie Sue Dilworth Jacobs ’50 and Malou Flato ’71 Not Pictured: Carolyn Holland Labatt ’72

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Alumni Spotlight: Arianna Munoz Arianna Munoz ’19 is chasing her passion for the theater arts across the pond at the University of Cambridge.

Arianna is a third-year student who is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature/ Letters. An avid reader, writer, and multifaceted artist, Arianna translates her enthusiasm toward Romantic literature analysis into the production and directorial expertise of theatrical productions across the world.

As a student at Saint Mary’s Hall, Arianna spent countless hours in the dance studios and on the stage performing in numerous Kaleidoscope and ballet productions. Additionally, she got behind the film camera in the Digital Cinema class, where she gained valuable insight into the art of film production. During the summer of 2018, Arianna launched El Bailarín Project, an Instagram film series that aims to dispel stereotypes associated with male ballet dancers and provide insight into the complex world of ballet. Arianna interviewed male ballet dancers from ballet companies across the world who shared their stories, experiences, sacrifices, and passion for ballet.

After graduating from Saint Mary’s Hall, Arianna took her studies to the next level as she began her collegiate career at New York University Tisch as a Film and Television major where she produced an animated short that was selected for screening at the NYU Film/TV First Year Showcase.

After her first year at NYU, Arianna transferred to the University of Cambridge where she continues to further her education and extracurricular involvement in literature, film, and the theater. Arianna quickly found fellow film aficionados and became a contributing writer and Social Media Officer for the Cambridge Creatives, a student run creative film collective that hosts conversations with professionals in film, TV, and theatre in addition to writing film reviews and running film screenings. Arianna reviewed Singin’ in the Rain in January 2021 as “not only one of the greatest movie musicals, but also one of the most accessible” and To To or Be BeNot or Not To Be To in Be November in November 2020 2020 as “one as “one of the of the most most daring, provocative, and oddly hilarious films in Western cinema”. Continuing her work as a film writer and columnist, Arianna writes for Varsity Publications Ltd, the award-winning student newspaper for the University University of Cambridge. of Cambridge.

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Alumni Class Notes Arianna recently became increasingly involved in the theater scene at the University of Cambridge, directing, producing, and even acting in multiple plays. This past summer, Arianna was the producer of the Cambridge Footlights International Tour Show, a sketch comedy show that tours the United Kingdom, the Edinburgh Fringe, and the United States. The Cambridge Footlights is a world-famous student-led comedy society that has a reputation for producing members who have gone on to win Oscars, BAFTAs, and other prestigious entertainment and media awards. Additionally, Arianna has directed 5 full-length plays and multiple readthroughs, all of which have been well-attended and well-reviewed by peers and critics. Working alongside co-director Dan Dan Periera, Periera, she co-directed she co-directed Christopher Christopher Marlowe’s Marlowe’s Edward Edward II and expertly II and expertly staged this staged production this production in the quaint in the quaint setting setting of Christ’s of Christ’s CollegeCollege ChapelChapel at the University at the University of of Cambridge.

Cambridge.

Her Her most most recent recent work work as director as director of Vanity of Vanity Fair by Kate Hamill at the ADC Theatre received 5 stars from Varsity Publications and was a resounding success as audience members laughed their way through the production. the production.

Taking on the roles of producer, director, and actor in a variety of productions has led Arianna to gain valuable experience and insight into the effervescent world of theater arts. As Arianna completes her final year at the University of Cambridge, she hopes to pursue her passion for directing theater productions after graduation.

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1980s

Toby McClelland Tate ’62 is the proud great-grandmother of Cuatro LaScalla. Toby’s grandson Tate Seeligson ’21 graduated from SMH in May 2021 and is now a sophomore at Texas Christian University. Her granddaughter Lyle Seeligson ’17 recently graduated from Harvard and another granddaughter Genevieve Seeligson ’25 is a sophomore at SMH. With six granddaughters, one grandson, and one great-grandson, Toby and her husband John consider themselves very lucky!

Under the editorial direction of Editor and Owner Editor and Owner FrancieFrancie BillupsBillups Mannix ’81, The Scout Mannix ’81, The Guide ScoutSan Guide Antonio San released Volume Antonio released9Volume of the city 9 ofguide the this guide city fall. this fall.

Wandita Ford Turner ’64 shared her wisdom and knowledge of her father O’Neil Ford’s impact on the architecture of Saint Mary’s Hall and Trinity University with Upper School students in Upper School 3D Art Teacher Nate Cassie’s AP Art History class last fall. Wandita was joined

by Trinity University Professor Dr. Kathryn O’Rourke and Anna-Brooke Gutzler ’08. [1] As part of Trinity University’s Food for Thought Spring 2022 Lecture Series in February 2022, Wandita and Dr. O’Rourke hosted a conversation at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens about the ways with which Mexico influenced O’Neill Ford’s work and how he then shaped San Antonio architecture.

1970s Malou Flato ’71 is the recipient of the 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award, which is presented to alumni who have made significant contributions to the community or have achieved professional success that sets a standard of excellence worthy of recognition by Saint Mary’s Hall.

Malou is a renowned Texas artist whose work includes watercolors, oils, acrylics, tile murals, etchings, sculpture, and digital prints.[2]

1990s Annie Montgomery Labatt ’97, the Associate Professor of Visual Studies and Director of Galleries and Museums at Sweet Briar College in Virginia, wrote a book on art history entitled Art History 101 without the Exams: Looking Closely at Objects from the History of Art, which was published in April 2022. In this text, Annie takes the reader through twenty lessons built around a single piece that is considered a masterpiece from its time.

Annie earned an undergraduate degree at Columbia University’s Barnard College, a masters at the University of Glasgow, and a doctorate in Byzantine Art History from Yale University.

Annie received the Momentum Award in 2009.

Greg Bice ’99 was inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame on September 9, 2022. Bice is the sixth men’s lacrosse player to be inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame. While at Saint Mary’s Hall, Defenseman Greg Bice was a four-year starter; All-State in 1997, 1998, and 1999 for Varsity Lacrosse; a member of the 1999 Boys Division I SPC Basketball team and Team MVP; Member of two All-State Championships in 1998 and 1999; State Runner-Up in 1997; Final Four MVP in 1998; High School All-American in 1999; SMH Varsity Lacrosse Co-Captain in 1999; and the first Texas Lacrosse player to receive an athletic scholarship in lacrosse in 1999. Following graduation from SMH, Bice went on to be a two-time All-American defenseman and team

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captain for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 2001-2004. Additionally, Bice played lacrosse professionally for 13 seasons, was a four-time Major League Lacrosse All-Star, and was a two-time Major League Lacrosse New Balance Sportsman of the Year. Currently, Bice is the Founder of Resolute Lacrosse, the leader in lacrosse training and athlete development based in Columbus, Ohio.

Brian Villalobos ’99 starred as Bales in the Netflix film Apollo 10 ½ : A Space Age Childhood (2022). Set in the summer of 1969, this coming-of-age story takes place in the suburbs of Houston, TX and is centered around the Apollo 11 moon landing.

2000s In March 2021, Ben Liff ’02, Keith Villano ’02, Melissa Vanover ’02, and Dominique Bauer ’02 founded Experiential Learning Resources, a 501c3 nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to providing resources, funding, and information related to experiential learning to students, families, and educators worldwide. Saint Mary’s Hall’s dedication to experiential learning was hugely influential in Ben, Keith, Melissa, and Dominique’s lives. Twenty years after graduating, they are excited to reach back out to the community that brought them together.

To learn more, visit their website at experientiallearningresources.org.

Cosmo Guido ’04 is the recipient of the 2022 Momentum Award, which is presented to alumni who have not yet celebrated their 20th reunion and whose professional achievements in their chosen field show a promise for future success and set a standard of excellence worthy of recognition by Saint Mary’s Hall.[3] Cosmo is the Vice President of Preconstruction at Guido Construction in San Antonio, TX.

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William Russell ’02 competed in the Texas Water Safari: The World’s Toughest Canoe Race on June 11, 2022. William’s team rose to the challenge and came in 2nd place overall in the race.

2022, Rea matched into a residency training program in pediatrics at UT Health San Antonio.

Peter Holt ’05 spoke with Upper School students last fall about his career journey, the many lessons you learn when owning and running a business, and the importance of building strong relationships and work ethic.[4] Peter is the Chairman of Spurs Sports & Entertainment and the CEO and General Manager of HOLT CAT. Peter concluded his message to the Upper School with advice from his grandmother: “The best is yet to come.”

Nicole Smith Langston ’07 and Erich Langston ’07 celebrated the birth of their daughter, Harper Emory Langston, in November 2021.[5] Tony Manzur ’00 lives with his wife Liee and sons Tony III (8) and Santi (7) in Houston, TX. [6] Tony loves mentoring and catching up with SMH alumni! If you are in Houston, please reach out to Tony on LinkedIn. Carlos Rosende ’08 and his wife Mary celebrated the birth of their second child, James, in August. Mary, Carlos, and the kids are living in Massachusetts, where Carlos is in his final year at Harvard Law School.

2010s

Victoand Government.

Camilla Morrison Block ’10 married Travis Jackson Block on November 20, 2021.

Rea Cleland ’12 graduated in December 2021 with an MD from the University of Queensland-Ochsner Clinical School.[7] Through this program, Rea completed her first two years of medical training in Brisbane, Australia and the final two years in New Orleans, Louisiana. In March of

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Bryn Blanks Lewis ’12 is working at Procore Technologies in Los Angeles as the Global Outreach and Partnership Manager for Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging. Last fall, Bryn spoke with the Student Equity Collective about her career path, current job position, and student experience at SMH. When asked about strategies to use for identifying a problem and making effective change in your community, Bryn instructed the students to include many voices and backgrounds in the conversation in an effort to broaden the horizon for longstanding solutions.

Francisco Pergola ’12 spoke with Upper School students in Upper School Faculty Member Shakira Flores’s Entrepreneurship Class last fall about the journey he and Tomas Pergola ’13 took to launch their company Cheddies. Francisco touched on many aspects of running a business such as analyzing market trends, the importance of learning to become a decision maker to execute the best ideas, the influence mentors can have in your success, the balance between quality and price of your product, and the need for strong marketing and social media presence. He also encouraged the students to dream big and pursue what they believe in.[8] John Boyan ’13 is a Broker Relations Lead with Teamshares and the President of Sam’s Italian Foods, a fast-casual restaurant with 13 locations in Maine. Earlier this year, Teamshares purchased Sam’s Italian Foods with the goal of keeping the legacy and culture of the restaurant chain intact as they transition to employee ownership. John indicated they are “selling the American dream and making it a reality”.

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Eden Llamas ’14 married Alejandro Restrepo ’14 on December 21, 2021.

Alejandro and Eden have been together since they started dating when they were students at SMH. The Restrepo’s moved to Austin, Texas where Alejandro is working at Tesla and where Eden is finishing her Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy.

Joe Alcido ’15 married Macy Bayern Alcido ’14 on October 2, 2021 in San San Antonio, Antonio, TexasTexas surrounded surrounded by family by [9] family and friends. and friends.

They[9]began They began datingdating in 2013 during Joe’s junior year and Macy’s senior year at Saint Mary’s Hall.

After graduating from the University of Delaware in May 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, Aristos Brandt ’17 is now in graduate school at The University of Texas at Austin studying for a Masters in Energy and Earth Resources.

Lyle Seeligson ’17 earned the designation of John Harvard Scholar at Harvard University. This designation is given to students of the sophomore, junior, and senior classes in the top 5% of their respective class.

Mary Corinne Archer ’18 graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with honors and as a Liberal Arts Distinguished Scholar in May 2022.

She double majored in history and government and is currently attending SMU Dedman School of Law. [10] Michael Casey ’18 graduated as one of 21 Valedictorians from the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, MO. [11] Thomas Feuillet ’19 visited with Honors and Senior Studio Sculpture and Design students last spring to discuss his educational trajectory and work in the Industrial Design (ID) program at University of Houston.

Thomas discussed his own projects from ideation to realization as well as the mechanics of the ID program

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from applications and portfolios to classes and studio time. He also shared general college advice from his experiences over the last 3 years from personal organization tricks to challenging yourself and your ideas.

Upper School Sculpture & Design Teacher Nate Cassie reflected on Thomas’s visit: “Thomas’s talk was extremely relatable and packed with helpful ideas for any college journey as well as the shift from SMH into university-level programs”.

Ben Zeller ’19 served as the Executive Director of the North American Invitational Model United Nations (NAIMUN) conference in Washington D.C. on February 17-18, 2022. NAIMUN is the largest student-run Model UN conference where the very best MUN delegates from around the world come to exercise their skills in diplomacy and problem-solving. As Executive Director, Ben was in charge of logistics for the conference.

SMH Upper School students attended the NAIMUN conference and worked at a very high level to address issues ranging from refugee crises and energy sustainability to solving historical crises such as Rome’s war with the Seleucid Empire. At the conference, Sophia Nelson ’25 received the “Honorable Delegate” award for her role as Bijan Namdar Zangeneh in dede-escalating escalating regional regional conflict conflict among among the the Gulf Gulf States.

States.

Nandini Nandini Cheruku Cheruku ’24 was recognized in the TopTop 10%10% ’24 was recognized in the of delegates at the conference and received a verbal commendation for diplomacy and coalition-building in her role as Beyoncé Knowles in solving the Texas Power Crisis. In front of more than 2,500 students and teachers from across 21 countries, Ben gave a “Go Barons” shoutout during the closing ceremonies. Ben is a student at Georgetown University, majoring in Global Business

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and minoring in Spanish and International Development.

Breanna-Lynn Montalvo ’13 has recently moved to Dallas, TX and has been promoted to Corporate Operations Manager at JLL. In her new role, she works as a consultant on a Fortune 500 financial institution account and helps to oversee the implementation of processes and procedures for her 40+ member construction project management team.

Rachel Brown ’15 was featured in Volume 9 of The Scout Guide San Antonio. Rachel is an Art Dealer and Consultant at Lenoir and Associates, Inc., a Fine Art Gallery and Art Consultancy. She has great fun in her role and loves meeting more artists and art dealers in the industry.

Alicia Amberson ’16 and Margaret Amberson ’16 were featured as Young Ones to Watch in Volume 9 of The Scout Guide San Antonio. Sisters Alicia and Margaret co-created Estancia Clothing, a refined ranchwear clothing brand for women.

2020s Grace Boyan ’20 is a Junior at Barnard College majoring in Political Science and History. Currently, Grace is a member of the Columbia Undergraduate Law Review team as a Lead Team Member working on podcasts. Grace is also a member of the Undergraduate Liberal Leaders and is interested in attending law school in the future. In addition, she is a member of Raw Elementz, a student-run Hip Hop dance group at Columbia University that was established in 2001. While Grace was While Grace a student was a student at SMH, at SMH, she danced she danced fromfrom the age the age of three of three yearsyears old till she walked across the stage at Commencement.

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Olivia Zachry ’21 served as Community Engagement Coordinator & Researcher at Planned Parenthood South Texas during the summer of 2022, where she planned events and conducted research and data analysis.

Olivia previously served as a research intern at Planned Parenthood South Texas, working mostly on data analysis. These positions have provided her with valuable learning experience at the intersection of healthcare, public policy, and community outreach and service. Olivia is currently attending George Washington University as a public policy major with an intended minor in public health.

Juliana Cavazos ’22 and Remy White ’22 were featured as KSAT’s Great Graduates 2022. Juliana is attending Baylor University in the fall where she will be a student in the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core and on the Pre-Law track. Remy is attending the University of Oklahoma in the fall and plans to major in Global Energy, Environment, and Resources. Remy wants to become a helicopter pilot for the Coast Guard after graduation.

Alumni, have you heard from us lately?

Do you have great news to share with your fellow SMH alumni? Maybe you landed your dream job, got married, had a baby, or have another exciting story to share. Tell us about it!

Visit www.smhall.org/alumniclassnotes and fill out the online form to update your contact information and tell us about your life updates.

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In Memoriam Alumni Delmar (Del) David Baker, Jr. Class of 1957 March 21, 2022

Laura Tobin Barber nee Laura T. Newton Class of 1962 October 27, 2021

Elizabeth (Libba) Barnes nee Elizabeth Anne McClelland Class of 1956 June 1, 2022

Lawrence Alan Beck Class of 1969 March 14, 2022

Suejeudi (Sue) Buehler Class of 1980 October 22, 2022

Margaret (Peggy) Calvert nee Margaret Aiken Doane Class of 1950 December 29, 2021

Joan Devine nee Joan Cahill Steves Class of 1952 October 24, 2022

Jewell Garwood nee Jewell Francis Kincaid Class of 1952 July 8, 2022

Ruby Anita Gaston nee Ruby Anita McCurdy Class of 1955 November 25, 2022

Gretchen Eileen Glasscock Class of 1958 August 25, 2022

Helen Groves nee Helen King Kleberg Class of 1945 May 6, 2022

Elaine Hinds nee Elaine Seidel

Community Members Joan Kelleher nee Joan Negley Class of 1950 December 1, 2021

Mary Martha McNeel nee Mary Martha Luke Class of 1966 October 11, 2021

Nancy Moeller nee Nancy Peel Towler Class of 1946 November 24, 2021

Chadwick Gandy Neely Class of 1992 March 7, 2022

Nancy Negley nee Nancy Nelson Brown Class of 1946 July 16, 2022

Althea Parks nee Althea Sayward Class of 1949 October 16, 2021

Eleanor Robberson nee Eleanor Katherine Morgan Class of 1958 January 2, 2022 Class of 1949 October 8, 2022

Catherine (Tinka) Tarver nee Catherine Cocke Class of 1949 February 26, 2022

Drusilla (Lanie) Williams nee Drusilla Lanier Yoder Class of 1958 April 16, 2022

Rosine Wilson nee Rosine McFaddin Class of 1945 October 19, 2022

*This list contains information received from September 16, 2021 to December 12, 2022.

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September 18, 2021 Grandfather of Christine G. Hinchey ’99

Jarrett C. Aiken

March 11, 2022 Father of Ebony Aiken ’15, Jabari Aiken ’18, Jonathan Aiken ’24, and Joshua Aiken ’24

Arthur P. Allison, Jr.

January 24, 2022 Father of Frederick Arthur Allison ’91

Edward Eugene Anderson, Jr.

February 12, 2022 Grandfather of Edward (Chip) Ratcliffe Anderson IV ’24 and Elizabeth (Eva) Vaughn Anderson ’26

Marvin Wolf Barenblat

March 9, 2022 Father of Rachel Evelyne Barenblat ’92

Dr. James Quincy Barnes, Sr.

March 3, 2022 Grandfather of Mamie Kathryne BarnesHorton ’11, James Bailey ( JB) Marshall ’17, Vivian ’17, Vivian Elizabeth Elizabeth Hartz Hartz ’20, ’20, and and JohnJohn Ransone Hartz ’23

Charlotte Woodley Bauerle

September 14, 2022 Mother of Nancy Bauerle Campbell ’71 and Janet Bauerle Anderson ’77

Jocelyn (Joci) Straus nee Jocelyn Levi

Class of 1943 November 13, 2022

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Max Henry Acosta

Carlee (Corky) Gladwin Benson

November 29, 2022 Grandmother of Claire Catherine Benson ’18, Curtis Dean Benson ’21, and Kathleen Margaret Benson ’22

Jack A. Berridge

January 28, 2022 Grandfather of James ( Jimmie) Grant Gillum II ’10, Jeffrey Alexander Gillum ’11, Christopher (Chris) Andrew Berridge ’14, Matthew Herrmann Berridge ’16, John ( Jack) Berridge Gillum ’18, Samuel (Sam) Joseph Berridge ’19, Luke Carroll Berridge ’19, Caroline Rene Berridge ’21, George McNulty (Mac) Berridge ’28, John Warbritton (Britton) Berridge ’27, and Emile Elise Berridge ’30

Albert M. Biedenharn III June 22, 2022 Father of Albert “Berton” Biedenharn IV ’05

Dr. Kenneth Roland Bloom November 3, 2022 Father of Robert George Bloom ’90

Kathryn Lucille Baldwin Bondurant

October 3, 2021 Mother of Carol B. Rowland ’69 and Linda B. Burgtorf ’74 ’74

Albert Garza Bustamante

Faculty & Staff Nora Gill Nora 27, October Gill2022 October 27, 2022

Dr. Phillip L. Hadley Dr. Phillip December 7, 2022 L. Hadley Head of School 1993-1998 December 7, 2022 Head of School 1993-1998

Anne O’Connor Hutchins Anne May 16,O’Connor 2022 Hutchins May 16, 2022

Gloria Palacios Gloria Palacios November 21, 2021 November 21, 2021

Michael Steven Seiferth Michael March 8, 2022 Steven Seiferth

English March 8,Teacher 2022 and Residents Hall Advisor English Teacher and Residents Hall Advisor

November 30, 2021 Father of Albert Anthony Bustamante ’90, Celina Bustamante Emery ’96 and Grandfather of Alberto Andres (Andrew) Bustamante ’20, Carolina Sofia (Sofia) Bustamante ’21, and Charles (Charlie) Francis Emery ’23

Joe Erwin Carmack May 22, 2022 Grandfather of Kim Carmack Muckleroy ’78

Norborne (Norb) Page Cole, Jr.

October 19, 2022 Father of Ruth Campbell Hathaway Storrie ’91 and Grandfather of Hannah Dianne Storrie ’23 and Sara Ruth Port Storrie ’31

Aaron Kyle Conlee

April 9, 2022 Father of Abigail Conlee ’29 and Henry Conlee ’31

Lawrence Alan Conn

April 25, 2022 Husband of Laura Herlocker Conn ’89 and Father of Madison Elizabeth Conn ’22

Charles (Chad) George Dan III

January 16, 2022 Husband of Nicole (Nikki) Love Dan ’78

Karl Dorr

August 10, 2022 Father of Kristi Ellen Dorr ’98 and Scott Douglas Dorr ’01

Thomas A. Drawert

November 15, 2021 Grandfather of Katherine Anne Drawert ’22

James R. Dublin

February 22, 2022 Grandfather of Celia Luna Guerra ’18 and Max Javier Guerra ’20

Ray F. Federico

September 28, 2022 Grandfather of Elizabeth Rice Schur ’80, David Kevin Rice ’85, William Eric (Eric) Rice II ’18, Sarah Elizabeth Rice ’20, and Rachel Ann Rice ’22

Mckenney (Mac) Raba Gentis

January 17, 2022 Brother of Vivienne (Vivi) Elizabeth Gentis ’30

Robert Gossett

October 30, 2022 Husband of Pauline Gillespie Gossett ’61

Miriam Siegel Hyman Grossman

June 1, 2022 Grandmother of Brandon Elliot Grossman ’96, Stacey Lauren Sanchez ’00, and Christopher Sanchez Grossman ’03

Harry Hause

October 20, 2022 Father of Sarah Hause Steves ’77 and Grandfather of Sarah Elizabeth Steves ’00, Sam Bell (Tres) Steves III ’03, and Lida Steves Plummer ’09

Jean Heins

July 31, 2022 Grandmother of Madeleine (Madi) Anne Huffstickler ’12 and Mitchell Lee Huffstickler ’14

Robert Franklin Hetrick

Maria Isabel Fernandez

November 4, 2022 Father of Katherine Hetrick Buzzini ’86

Patricia Maxine (Mickey) Walther Ferrell

October 10, 2022 Grandmother of Lauren Heydenreich Prehn ’07 and Julia Heydenreich ’10

February 26, 2022 Mother of Maria Amelia Siguario Fernandez ’03

Patricia Maishak Heydenreich

November 14, 2021 Grandmother of Elly C. Ferrell ’07, Georgeann F. Ferrell ’09, and Hallianne (Hallie) H. Moore ’16

Joan Powell Jackson

November 28, 2022 Father of Elizabeth Flavin Crawford ’90

February 26, 2022 Grandmother of Branden James Kaestner ’13

Henry Meade Flavin Vernon Charles Friesenhahn

February 7, 2022 Father of Jessica Kathleen Friesenhahn ’95

Patricia Holden Frost

March 1, 2022 Grandmother of Houston Korth Frost ’99, Josephine Houston Frost ’15, and Julia Clary Frost ’16

January 11, 2022 Grandmother of Becky Ann Galentine ’05 and Chadburn Powell Galentine ’07

Mary Lou Whited Kaestner

Robert Alan Robert Alan Keahey Keahey

June 28, 2022 Father of Hilary Gilchrist Keahey ’87

Lena Mairee Kelley

January 29, 2022 Mother of Toyja E. Kelley, Sr. ’94

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In Memoriam continued Community Members James Harlan (Hal) Kelly

November 27, 2021 Husband of Alice Shankle Kelly ’56 and Father of Leslie Dawson Brown ’79

John Conrad Klahn, M.D.

July 23, 2022 Grandfather of Haley Michael Riordan ’13 and Patrick John Riordan ’17

Randolph (Rudy) Lambaria

August 5, 2022 Grandfather of Noah Scott Lambaria ’19

Kathryn Barragan LeFlore

February 24, 2022 Grandmother of Byron Louis LeFlore III ’18 and Kaitlyn Elizabeth LeFlore ’21

Ruth Levinson Lerner February 5, 2022 Grandmother of Bradley Stephen Belasco ’09

Bessie Liedtke

February 8, 2022 Grandmother of John Deaver (Deaver) Alexander III ’08, Cadell Liedtke Alexander ’11, and Roberto (Berto) Kleberg Alexander ’14

William (Bill) Allen Lloyd September 28, 2022 Father of Jonathan ( Jon) Lloyd ’18

Jeanette Elaine Herrmann Jaffe Longoria

November 26, 2022 Mother of Jana Stadler Jaffe ’74, Jeanette F. Longoria ’90, Beatriz Pasquel Jaffe ’94, Natasha Jaffe ’96 and Grandmother of Morris Douglas Jaffe IV ’98, Justin Phillip Jaffe ’99, Jenifer Jeanette Jaffe ’08, and Jeffrey Phillip Jaffe ’10

John Herbert MacNaughton

February 28, 2022 Grandfather of Ainslee Kellogg MacNaughton ’10 and Taylor Ivy MacNaughton ’10

Lester Lowry Mays

September 12, 2022 Father of Kathryn Mays Johnson ’78 and Linda Mays McCaul ’80 and Grandfather of Sharon Grace (Grace) ’14, Lowry Thomas Mays ’16, Margot Yvonne Mays ’17, and Nicole Randall Mays ’22

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Thomas Elkin McGaughy, Sr.

June 8, 2022 Husband of Barbara Crossette McGaughy ’48

Albert Maverick McNeel, Jr.

March 31, 2022 Father of Shelby Maverick McNeel Miller ’78

Louise A. Straus

January 23, 2022 Grandmother of Natalie Straus ’03 and Rene Straus ’03

Dr. Stuart Allen Terry

November 9, 2021 Grandfather of Cooper Yale Terry ’20 and Max Michael Terry ’20

Arthur (Art) Thompson

Elsie (Mae) Wheeler McTee

July 12, 2022 Father of Deborah Thompson Gordon ’95

Herman (Buddy) A. Meyer, Jr.

November 11, 2022 Father of Lindsey Threlkeld Welch ’97 and Ashley Threlkeld Julig ’95

November 2, 2021 Grandmother of Michaela E. McTee ’19 February 4, 2022 Grandfather of William David Bankler ’24 and Benjamin Aaron Bankler ’22

Joe D. Nava

January 28, 2022 Grandfather of Isabella (Isa) Emma Nava ’24

James Robeson “Coach Jim” Potter, Jr. June 9, 2022 Grandfather of Matthew James Scannell ’20

Oscar E. Ramirez, M.D.

June 24, 2022 Father of Sebastian Enrico Ramirez ’90 and Karla Geraldine Ramirez ’93

Linda Falvey Rowland

October 2, 2022 Mother of Linda Rowland Blount ’83 and Grandmother of Sophie Aliece Hollis ’16

Edward (Butch) Alfred Sagebiel, Jr.

May 21, 2022 Husband of Ruth Sagebiel (Frmr Fac/ Staff ) and Father of Micah Stephen Sagebiel ’97 and Laurel Elizabeth Sagebiel ’99

Lal Duncan Threlkeld III

Melissa Strock Thurmond March 23, 2022 Grandmother of Lacey Marguerite Thurmond ’11

Renee Fischer Tynan

November 8, 2021 Grandmother of Martha S. Doss ’06 and Johanna S. Rochelle ’05

Janie Valadez

November 13, 2021 Mother of Austin Valadez ’10

John Hansford (Hans) White III

October 11, 2022 Father of John IV White ’19 and Remy Chittim White ’22

SAVE THE DATE

Grand Day

THURSDAY, APRIL 6, 2023 Grand Day is a special time for our lower school students from Montessori to Form 5 to host their Grands on campus! We invite you to join us for a casual breakfast, visit classrooms, and be professionally photographed with your young Barons.

Learn more at: www.smhall.org/grandday

Dr. William Chisholm Winter, Jr.

November 10, 2021 Grandfather of Nikki S. Winter ’21 and Abby E. Winter ’24

James Wallace (JW) Womack

January 1, 2022 Great grandfather of Robert (Bo) Womack ’28, Layne Womack ’31, and Sloane Womack ’33

Rita R. Serna

February 16, 2022 Grandmother of Alejandra Carina Serna ’16, Baltazar Serna III ’20, and Cesar Andres Serna ’27

Alan H. Sheppard

August 23, 2022 Father of John Alan Sheppard ’93 and Samantha Day Zelezen ’99

The Shield | 49

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Saint Mary’s Hall

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P.O. Box 33430 San Antonio, Texas 78265-3430 www.smhall.org

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ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Saint Mary’s Hall has a large reserve of historical photos. In each issue of The Shield, we will include an unidentified photo and ask for your help in identifying the individuals in the photo and what they’re doing. If you know any of these people or have any information about the occasion, please write us at editor@smhall.org or at 9401 Starcrest Drive, San Antonio, TX 78217. Thank you for helping us archive a part of SMH history!

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Saint Mary’s Hall