Bond of Brothers Year in Review 2011

Bond Brothers OF

®

Year in Review, 2010–2011

The official magazine for San Antonio Academy of Texas

San Antonio Academy Celebrates

Editor Becky Shimek, Director of Communications

Co-editor Virginia Beeler, Associate Head of School/Academics

Contributors Ruth Berg Natalie Bock, Wildcat Sports Brendan Moore Mary Shrader Frank Stanage John Webster

Photography Natalie Bock Mary Candee Becky Shimek Michael J. Smith

Board of Trustees Mrs. Claire Alexander, Secretary Mrs. Dianne Azar Mr. George Bodden ’84, Development Committee Co-Chair Mrs. Sandra Ford, Ex-Officio Mrs. Celinda Guerra Mr. Marty Heaner, Treasurer Mrs. Robin Howard Mrs. Lisa Kelleher Mr. Leon McNeil Mr. Hamlet Newsom, Chairman Mrs. Beth Plummer Mr. Cameron Powell Mr. Javier Rocha ’91, Ex-Officio Dr. Jeff Rosenbloom Mr. Greg Seay Mr. Brian Steward ’79 Mrs. Marti Taylor, Vice-Chairman Mr. Wayne Wagner Mr. John Webster, Ex-Officio Mr. Hans White, Ex-Officio Mrs. Amy White, Ex-Officio Mrs. Laurie White Mrs. Shannon Wingrove, Development Committee Chair Mr. Greg Wright Mrs. Tina York Mr. Josh Zeller

San Antonio Academy of Texas 117 East French Place San Antonio, Texas 78212-5899 (210) 733-7331 voice (210) 734-0711 fax www.sa-academy.org

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San Antonio Academy of Texas

Bond OF Brothers

®

In this issue From the Head of School 125th day at saa Curriculum The Play’s the Thing Community Outreach In the classroom Celebrating Years of Service Athletics Making Cents enrichment Alumni Commencement

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Be honest. Be kind.

Be the best you can be.® San Antonio Academy of Texas offers prekindergarten through eighth grade boys an exceptional academic program that features small classes, a family-like atmosphere, the development of a positive self-image and a foundation for life based upon the love of God and country, integrity and respect for each other.

San Antonio Academy admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin.

Year in Review, 2010–2011

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From the head of school

Happy 125th, San Antonio Academy!

During the summer of 1886, Dr. W. B. Seeley a Princeton University Scholar, stepped off the Boerne stagecoach onto the dusty streets of San Antonio, where civic leaders exhorted him to open a school that would prepare young men for success in the nation’s top universities. In September 1886 Dr. Seeley’s school opened its doors with an enrollment of thirty-three boys, some of whom came to school toting rifles.

On the first day of class, during lunch break, a number of Academy boys strolled to nearby Travis Park, where they shot squirrels from the trees. It is said that the squirrel population of Travis Park declined precipitously and that, before too long, Dr. Seeley outlawed firearms from his school.

In those days graduates presented letters of recommendation to universities and were accepted, based on the endorsement of Dr. Seeley. Accordingly, in September 1898, Col. T.C. Frost, the Texas Ranger who founded the bank that bore his family’s name, wrote to his wife: “Dear Mama, I have not written to you for a few days for the reason I have been giving to the boys all the time I was able to stand trying to get them well situated here and prepared for work. So far as I can judge no one is more favorably situated nor introduced than our sons. I can tell you of our trip more satisfactorily when I get home. We called at Dr. Woodrow Wilson’s last night and the boys presented their letter from Dr. Seeley.”

In the 1890’s and early 1900’s Academy grads distinguished themselves at schools such as Harvard, Penn, Princeton and the University of Virginia, where they were often recognized for their integrity, scholarship and leadership. Now, 125 years later, Academy grads are often known for those same qualities.

Through the years The Academy has remained faithful to its traditions and values: All Boys God and Country •• Character and Leadership •• Academic Rigor •• ••

As a result, today San Antonio Academy continues in a position of strength: Enrollment trends are strong Student outcomes are impressive •• SAA’s financial foundation is solid •• ••

Most important, San Antonio Academy is respected because our school has maintained its focus on character, leadership and academic achievement.

Through the years, a host of teachers and school leaders have worked hard to ensure that The Academy would continue to prepare young men for success in life. Every time I hear parents of current and former students tell me how important The Academy has been in their sons’ lives, I think of Dr. Seeley, the Bondurant family, Prof. Giambruno and Coach Burke and all the teachers who have dedicated their lives to the young men in their care. That’s a labor of love.

As Col. W.T. Bondurant Jr. said, “The joy is watching these little guys come in kinder and then, years later, watching them walk across the stage and graduate…and just knowing that you were a part of it. Great teaching is love. ‘Love is that which gaineth love.’”

It is a joy and a privilege to be part of our great school. Happy 125th birthday, San Antonio Academy!

—John Webster, Head of School 4

San Antonio Academy of Texas

Twenty-four Academy 7th graders took the SAT, the college entrance test, under the aegis of the Duke TIPS program. Our boys, as a group, scored 154 points higher than the national average for the 36,000 select 7th graders who took the test.

College selections for the Class of 2007 include Dartmouth, Duke, Loyola University, Texas A&M, TCU, The US Military Academy at West Point, The University of Texas in Austin (5 boys), Vanderbilt (2 boys), and Washington University in St. Louis.

In the Alamo Regional Science and Engineering Fair five Academy boys won awards, with Dustin Brownlow taking 1st Grand Prize in Show. Tom Kellogg, Marshall Webb, Lowry Mays and Karthik Reddy were also award winners.

SAA’s MATHCOUNTS team defeated 40 schools in a thirteen-county region to win first place in the Regional Championship and to qualify for the state meet. The Academy’s team members—Roshan Nair, Amaan Virani, Brendan Tibbetts and Dominic Grazioli—finished 1st, 6th, 8th and 11th out of 240 competitors.

Eight SAA seniors—William Barrett, Dustin Brownlow, Armando Martinez, Roshan Nair, Alex Pfirrmann, Brendan Tibbetts, Amaan Virani and Dillon Wagner—won major merit scholarships to local and out-ofstate prep schools. That means that 20% of our 8th graders won merit scholarships totaling over $375,000.

Seventeen SAA 7th graders—almost 50% of the class—are State-Recognized on the SAT, and two students, Dominic Grazioli and Dustin Smith, are NationallyRecognized. Top aggregate scores (quantitative + verbal) are: 1380, 1260, 1210, 1200, 1150, 1120 and 1110.

Thirty-nine Academy boys competed in a ten-school speech tournament hosted by the University of the Incarnate Word. Thirteen of our guys earned 17 Finals positions, some competing in multiple events; e.g., Sam Rosenbloom made it to the finals in three events. Academy students took the top seven places in Impromptu Speaking, with Marshall Webb finishing in 1st place.

At the end of their first year of high school, last year’s grads, the Class of 2010, turned in a strong performance, as 86% of their high school grades were A’s and B’s.

Roshan Nair placed 5th in the citywide Spelling Bee. During the past eight years, 32 Academy grads have been recognized as Eagle Scouts.

SAA’s Art Show featured 180 framed paintings, drawings, and photographs submitted by 140 boys/40% of the student body. That’s a lot of Academy boys who love art and produce top-notch work!

This year 97% of our boys participated in SAA’s after-school athletic program, filling almost 800 positions.

SAA’s varsity athletic teams have posted an aggregate 38-7 record, winning more than 84% of their games.

Fifteen 7th and 8th graders placed in the top 5%, nationally, on the National Spanish Exam.

SAA’s Choir, 47 boys strong, wowed the crowd when it sang the National Anthem at the March 31st Spurs-Celtics game.

During the past eleven years 76 Academy boys have been elected to or appointed to more than 100 leadership positions/designations at their schools.

Several recent graduates have been elected to positions of leadership in their high schools: Brandon Clingman ‘07, Student Body President at SACS; Michael Bloom’07 Battalion Commander at Central Catholic; Alex Bathie’05, Junior Class Secretary at AHHS; and Parker Brown’10, Freshman Council at McCallie.

The Tex Hill Scholarship Winners San Antonio Academy proudly announces this year’s winners of the The Tex Hill Scholarship: Matthew Pisano and Isaac Goldstone.

In 2007, San Antonio Academy announced The Tex Hill Scholarship Program, which provides tuition, fees, textbooks and uniforms to two fifth grade boys attending San Antonio Academy during their 6th, 7th and 8th grade years. The threeyear Tex Hill Scholarship is valued at more than $50,000.

The purpose of the program is to seek outstanding young men who have demonstrated excellence in scholarship, citizenship and participation in activities and who demonstrate the potential to become leaders in the school community.

Applications were accepted from students new to The Academy and also from boys currently enrolled at SAA. The final decisions were made by the Tex Hill Scholarship Committee which consisted of members of the school community who do not work at SAA or have a child enrolled at The Academy.

Year in Review, 2010–2011

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Leadership Positions at High Schools

During the past 11 years 76 Academy boys have been elected or appointed to more than 100 leadership positions at their high schools: James Payne ’00 Sean Sandoloski ’00 Paul Smith ’00 A.J. Gutierrez ’01 Grayson Hamilton ’01 Joey Lenox ’01 Quincy Seal ’01

Student Body VP at Saint Mary’s Hall (SMH) Student Body President at SMH Class President at Alamo Heights High School (AHHS) Class Vice President at Texas Military Institute (TMI) Class Vice President at SMH Battalion Commander at TMI Class President at TMI

Burleson Smith ’01

Class President at Middlesex (CT)

Justin Gonzales ’02

Freshman Class President at Central Catholic; Senior Class President at Central Catholic

Joe Johnson ’02 Matt Silva ’02 Wright Smith ’02 Michael Spencer ’02* Matthew Berler ’03 Rowe Blount ’03

Judicial Council Class Representative at SMH; President of the Texas Junior State of America Freshman Class President at Northside’s Communications Arts High School Residence Proctor at Andover Sophomore Class President at SMH Battalion Commander at TMI Diversity Council at SMH Senior Class President at AHHS

Teddy Cross ’03

Student Council Representative at SMH; President of National Honor Society at SMH

Ricky Leeper ’03

Student Council Representative at SMH

Jeff Minard ’03 Preston Munster ’03

Student Council, Sergeant at Arms; Spanish Honor Society President at Reagan HS National Honor Society at AHHS

Jacob Oppenheimer ’03

Freshman Class VP at SMH; Sophomore Class President at SMH; Student Body President at SMH

Zach Van Vellhuizen ’03

President of FCA at MacArthur High School

Jason Williams ’03 David Akright ’04 Tucker Biedenharn ’04 Nick Cormier ’04 Ricky Johnson ’04 Matt Jones ’04 Lincoln O’Brien ’04 Jonathan Schneider ’04 John Amini ’05

Senior Class VP at Central Catholic Captain of Varsity Soccer at Churchill High School Company Commander at TMI Junior Class Parliamentarian at Central Catholic; VP SA Citywide Chapter, National Society of Black Engineers Sophomore Class President at SMH Company Commander at TMI Junior Class Secretary at Central Catholic Student Council at AHHS Freshmen and Sophomore Class VP at TMI; National Honor Society; Captain of Varsity Baseball Team; Eagle Scout, National Honor Society VP; Company Commander

Ben Barenblat ’05

Battalion Commander at Lee HS ROTC

Rob Cavender ’05

Student Council Representative at AHHS

Vincent Dawson ’05

Student Council Representative at AHHS

Micah Graf ’05 Ash Hollis ’05 Patrick Joyce ’05

Sophomore Board; Captain of Golf Team at International School of the Americas Freshman Class Treasurer at Berkshire (CT) Captain of the Football Team at Central Catholic *attended SAA PreK through 5th grades

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San Antonio Academy of Texas

AJ Lewis ’05

Student Council Representative at AHHS

Joseph Shields ’05

Sophomore Class Vice President at SMH; Student Body President at SMH

Andrew Simms ’05

Honor Council Representative at SMH

Ross Studer ’05

Student Council Representative at AHHS

Lex Stewart ’05

Class Representative; National Honor Society; Varsity Basketball Captain at TMI

Paul Terracina ’05

Student Council Representative at AHHS

Curtis Vaughan ’05

Student Council Representative at AHHS

Beau Watson ’05

Student Council Representative at AHHS

Johnny West ’05

Student Council Representative at AHHS

Will Yancy ’05

Student Council Representative at AHHS

Jerry Harris '06 Hank Leeper ’06 Joe Montemayor '06 Tyler Richard ’06

Senior Class Parliamentarian at Churchill HS President of Senior Class at SMH; Senior Leadership Honorary; Freshman Representative to Upper School Head Search; Captain of Freshman Basketball team at SMH National Honor Society at Central Catholic Class Representative, Honor Senate, 9th grade & 10th grades; Resident Advisor in Freshman Dorm, Membership to TRP Woods Leadership; Honorary Society at The McCallie School; Valedictorian

Marlow Taylor ’06

Vice President Sophomore Class at Keystone; National Honor Society at Keystone

Michael Blume '07

Battalion Commander at Central Catholic

Brandon Clingman '07 Wesley Gonzalez '07 Henry Guerra ’07 Tom Holshouser '07 Coley Kellogg '07 Andrew Matalon ‘07

President of Student Body at SACS Class Representative, Community Service Council at SMH; President, Spanish Club Battalion SGM for TMI’s Corps of Cadets; US Army Recruiting Commandant Award; National Honor Society, Company Commander, President, Spanish Club Class Representative, Community Service Council at SMH Class Representative, Sports Council at SMH Track Team Captain

David Rochelle '07

President, Sports Council at SMH

Spencer Romo ’07

Superior Cadet Award for TMI’s Corps of Cadets, Company Commander

George Shaw '07 Taylor Thornton '07 Alex Bathie ’08 Timothy Brown ‘08

National Honor Society at AHHS Class Representative, Fine Arts Council at SMH Sophomore Class Secretary at AHHS; Student Council Executive Board Resident Assistant in Freshman Dorm at McCallie

Jace Canty '08

Student Council Representative at AHHS

Nick Prete '08

Class Representative, Student Council at SMH

Thomas Rochelle '08

Class Representative, Sports Council at SMH

Jim Bugg '09

Secretary, Young Conservatives Club at SMH

Anthony Kayruz '09 Austen McDonough '09 Garrett Notzon '09 Landes Rangel ‘09

Student Council Representative at SMH President Freshman Class at Boerne Champion Honor Council Representative; Guidon Bearer at TMI New Student Ambassador at St. Mary’s High School in Colorado Springs

Griffin Rubin ‘09

Selected by Texas Junior Statesmen of America as one of five students from Texas to attend a leadership summit in California.

Parker Brown ‘10

Freshman Council; Ambassador for Incoming Students at McCallie

Steven Constantin ‘10 Jeremy Heath ‘10

Guidon Bearer at TMI Student Council at Hotchkiss in Connecticut

Year in Review, 2010–2011

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2010–2011 SAA Leadership Positions

Identifying Traits of Leadership

by George “Frank” Stanage IV, Commandant Have you ever Googled, “Leadership”? Try it, and you’ll wind up with over 400 million web page results. Take one step further and think of a leader whom you admire.

I Googled John F. Kennedy and, bingo, the results narrowed to 72 million. David Petraeus garnered four million results, while Vince Lombardi reeled in a “mere” three million. It’s telling that so much information exists on a topic so elusive and difficult to define.

I think most people, young and old, can recognize a good leader. It’s not as easy, however, to identify traits that are vital to influencing others. Last March, our fiftheighth grade boys took a first step in formally approaching the subject of leadership by attending classes on six basic leadership traits: integrity, loyalty, commitment, energy, decisiveness and selflessness.

Integrity is dedication to the highest personal and professional standards. A leader with integrity is honest and fair. Closely related is loyalty; which is best described as faithfulness. Gen. George S. Patton considered a leader’s loyalty to his troops as more vital than the soldiers’ loyalty to their leader. Commitment often inspires loyalty and team unity because it’s contagious. A leader with commitment is dedicated to his duty and his team.

When things get tough, it’s energy that carries a leader through adversity. Energy is having drive and enthusiasm to take the initiative. Leaders also must have selfconfidence and be willing to act; otherwise known as decisiveness. Selflessness permits a leader to subordinate his personal needs and wants for the good of his team or his duties. A major component of selflessness is courage.

The study of these six basic traits, which coincide with our school motto, Be honest, Be kind, Be the best you can be, allows us to delve further into leadership and followership. During the coming school year, we will approach the topics of Leadership Styles and Situational Leadership.

In the meantime, I’ll continue to read the barometer of society; otherwise known as the search engine. George Stanage brought in 300,000 (I’m famous!), but then I discover that Justin Bieber registers 218,000,000. Maybe it’s the hair.

Battalion Staff

Color Guard

Commander Dalton Banks Executive Officer Armando Martinez Adjutant Nathan Azar Aide De Camp Ford Douglass Inspector General William Barrett Operations Officer Larkin Dobson Logistics Officer Roshan Nair Public Relations Officer Bennett Word

Commander Sam Rosenbloom Executive Officer Antonio Aguilar Grant Sechler Spencer Shaw Zachry Word

Drum Corps Commander Jacob Miller Executive Officer Harrison Richter Nolan Ellis

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San Antonio Academy of Texas

Company A Commander Caleb Snow Executive Officer Dillon Wagner Plt. Ldr. Llewellyn Fambles Plt. Ldr. Zach Ford Squad Leader Will Hunter Squad Leader Isaac Moody Robert Allison George Anderson Thomas Anderson Tom Bugg Kyle Cantu Gage Casey Ben Chapman Jack Chapman Braden Coleman Cole Conlin Joshua Cross Stephen Duffy Donny Duggan Saad Ehsan Ben Feinstein Gabriel Fernandez Eddie Garcia Daniel Guerra Ben Gulley Alexander Hancock Thomas Hart Jamie Johnson Tom Kellogg John Kellum Griffin Kelly Andrew Lemke Daniel Lemke Victor Lopez III Isaac Miller Stefan Newell Joey Nolan Ross Nunns Will Nunns Jack Osterhage Karthik Reddy Jax Roberts Osaias Sanchez Emory Scott Reed Sechler Henry Snow Wendall Snow Austin Tibbetts William York Ammar Zafar

Company C

Company D

Commander Dustin Brownlow Commander Ben Rindler Executive Officer Lorenzo Arce Executive Officer Sebastian Bathie Plt. Ldr. Jonathan Gottsman Plt. Ldr. Ben Peeler Plt. Ldr. Robert Schenken Plt. Ldr. Brendan Tibbetts Crawford Banks Squad Leader Conoly Koontz Sam Berryman Squad Leader John Wagner G. W. Bodden Henry Barrett Troy Cervantes Marshall Beldon Cameron Dudley Jake Bentley Luke Dunn Ben Burkholder Zachary Easley Taylor Burkholder Campbell Erwin Courtlandt Buzzini Miles Erwin Walt Buzzini Don Flannery Hunter Campbell Will Flannery Billy Conn James Forgason Daniel Covert Russell Freed Jack Covert Garrett Freiling Hasan Ehsan Ethan Grant Jaden Gabriel Sam Harper Dominic Grazioli Andrew Hieger Mohan Iyengar Chase Holley Michael Kelleher Joseph Irvin Pablo Martinez Tano Kleberg Santiago Martinez Mateo Leos Stanley Mason Brent Malone Lowry Mays John Luke Mannix Joe McGrath J. B. Marshall Jacob McLendon Jack Matlock Dillon McManus Jonathon Medina Lee Charles McNeil Bryce Menchaca Sam Metersky Michael Nicholas James Minerve, Jr. Varun Patamalla Graves Peeler Luke Peeler Justin Pisano Forrest Powell Matthew Pisano Simon Powell Luke Powers Zachery Powell Razik Rehman Nathaniel Prete Seth Rodriguez Jay Roberts Nathan Romo Jacob Roos Shane Rybacki Jackson Ross Hunter Schenk Browning Shemwell Evan Shimek David Shetler Dustin Smith Reece Traylor Harrison Stuart Marshall Webb Sam Turner Jay Welder Cole Wagner Emory Word Ben Weis Colton Wingrove Garrett Wingrove Michael Wood

Commander Bart Zachry Executive Officer Alexander Pfirrmann Plt. Ldr. Amaan Virani Plt. Ldr. Joshua Zabihian Squad Leader Dan Meyer Squad Leader Marshall Thurmond Raul Aguilar Argyle Amberson Tucker Azar Alex Barshop Michael Blaess Ells Boone IV Peterson Cooper Ruben de Leon Cameron Diamond Mikey Galo Davis Guglielmo Curtis Gunn John Howard Hassmann Jack Heydenreich Alexander Johnson Jack Larkin Bo Lee Hunter Lee Charles Leeper Ike Livingston John Miller Frates Newsom Cooper Noble Joseph Notzon Vincent Notzon, Jr. Shiv Patel James Pfirrmann Jose Manuel Ruiz Miguel Ruiz Umer Salman Campbell Seay John Ben Shepperd Michael Shriner Drew Stewart James Taylor Subhash Venigalla Harry Ware David White John White Jack Wright Joe Zachry Will Zachry Benjamin Zeller

Company B

Year in Review, 2010–2011

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March 22 marked the 125th day of the 125th year of school, and to celebrate the milestone moment SAA threw a schoolwide party complete with a big birthday cake, balloons, and a local TV weatherman, Sean Stevens of KABB Channel 29, who visited the campus to televise all the fun.

Cameras were rolling during the morning festivities in Chapel, where the three essay contest winners of “What San Antonio Academy Means to Me”—2nd grader Jonathan Duperier; 3rd grader Jaden Gabriel; and 6th grader James Taylor—stood shoulder-to-shoulder to cut the first piece of the 125th birthday cake while the Student Body sang Happy Birthday.

The morning concluded with live interviews from SAA faculty and staff members, Alumni Council and school trustees who eloquently shared their heartfelt comments about our school. The TV spotlight added much excitement to the historic celebration, but at the end of it all, Academy boys were looking forward to lunch time, when they could enjoy their own pieces of the giant blue-colored birthday cake!

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San Antonio Academy of Texas

125th Day at San Antonio Academy

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A 125th Commemorative Book was created to celebrate the mission, traditions, people and the vision of San Antonio Academy. To view online, visit www.sa-academy.org

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Year in Review, 2010–2011

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Curriculum 2011 SAA MATHCOUNTS Team Takes First at Regional Championship

Math Creates Problem Solvers

The San Antonio Academy Math Team proved that its favorite number is “one” when it defeated more than 50 teams to win the 27th annual Regional MATHCOUNTS Championship, held at St. Mary’s University on Saturday, February 5. The win marks the first time that a San Antonio Academy team has placed first in this challenging competition.

Mission: Mathematics

The SAA Math Team, led by Math Coach Mike Hansen, was made up of eighth graders Roshan Nair, Brendan Tibbetts and Amaan Virani, along with seventh-grade student Dominic Grazioli. SAA’s mathletes competed against teams from 25 area middle schools, including 240 sixth, seventh, and eighth graders in four different rounds of mathematical problem solving, to emerge victorious. The competition was developed with the mission of increasing enthusiasm for and enhancing achievement in middle school mathematics throughout the country. In addition to the team win, the contestants took home individual honors. Roshan took 2nd in the Individual Round and 1st in the Countdown Round. Amaan placed 6th, Brendan placed 8th, and Dominic took 11th place.

education at San Antonio Academy provides a challenging and stimulating environment which emphasizes mathematics as a language, producing competent thinkers and effective learners with lifelong problem-solving capabilities.

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San Antonio Academy of Texas

The 2011 SAA mathletes included: 7th Graders Alex Barshop Dominic Grazioli Jonathon Medina Karthik Reddy Seth Rodriguez Umer Salman Subhash Venigalla Marshall Webb

8th Graders Lorenzo Arce Armando Martinez Jacob Miller Roshan Nair Brendan Tibbetts Amaan Virani Bart Zachry

6th Graders Sam Berryman Varun Patamalla

MATHCOUNTS Team Goes on to State

SAA Boys Endorse

Roshan Nair, Dominic Grazioli, Brendan Tibbetts and Amaan Virani, as winners of their regional meets, competed against 300 other mathletes representing over 70 schools from around Texas in Austin for the state competition. Dominic placed in the top 25% of all competitors and Roshan Nair was awarded a laptop.

Online Games

Academy Students Excel in PREP Course

“shout out” to a Mangahigh

Seven Academy boys chose to take the six-week PreFreshman Engineering Program at UTSA during the summer of 2010, and they all turned in strong performances. PREP students included: Mohan Iyengar, Jonathon Medina, Roshan Nair, Varun Patamalla, Seth Rodriguez, Subhash Venigalla and Amaan Virani. Roshan scored an overall average of 99.2, and Amaan registered a 94.41. PREP, a mathematics-based academic enrichment program, offered over the course of three summers, enrolls over 1300 students each year.

“Dawn Patrol” Geometry Class Opens Doors of Opportunity Fourteen eighth graders took advantage of the opportunity to compete in a high school level geometry course instructed by Mike Hansen. Students who score A’s in the class often receive high school credit. This elective class met weekly, Monday through Thursday mornings from 7:00-7:50. The intrepid geometers were: Lorenzo Arce Llewelyn Fambles Armando Martinez Jacob Miller Roshan Nair Kristian Newell Alexander Pfirrmann

Ben Rindler Spencer Shaw Caleb Snow Brendan Tibbetts Amaan Virani Dillon Wagner Joshua Zabihan

Katherine Eversberg’s third grade math students gave a representative who traveled to various schools around the country recording feedback from students who play their online math games. After researching and investigating programs for math enrichment, reinforcement and remediation, the SAA Math Department selected the Mangahigh software. The program also allows Academy boys to compete with other schools.

Year in Review, 2010–2011

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Curriculum

English Department Encourages Writing Mission: The Department’s goal is to provide students with the skills to enable them to become proficient communicators in regards to writing and speaking with clarity and precision.

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San Antonio Academy of Texas

Academy Students Excel in Speech Tournament Thirty-nine SAA students competed in a variety of events at the Incarnate Word High School Invitational Speech Tournament. Thirteen of the boys earned seventeen finals positions, some competing in multiple events. Finalists included: Nathan Azar, Walt Buzzini, Mohan Iyengar, Jack Larkin, Armando Martinez, Jacob Miller, Roshan Nair, Cooper Noble, Forrest Powell, Ben Rindler, Sam Rosenbloom, Dustin Smith and Marshall Webb. Sam Rosenbloom made it to the finals in three events.

Academy boys performed very well in Public Speaking, earning four of the eight finals slots and winning second (Jack Larkin), third (Marshall Webb), fifth (Ben Rindler), and seventh (Mohan Iyengar). Given that Nathan Azar and Armando Martinez had only two weeks of preparation time for duet acting, their seventh in the finals was commendable.

Seven of the eight finalists in the Impromptu Speaking event were Academy boys, and they finished in places 1 through 7, with Marshall Webb in first place, sixth grader Walt Buzzini in second place, and Sam Rosenbloom in third. Jacob Miller, Dustin Smith, Cooper Noble, and Forrest Powell took fourth through seventh respectively.

Seventh Graders Model Published Writers Priscilla Power provided her seventh graders with opportunities to use the works of writers as models for their own creations. When modeling Irene Hunt’s Across Five Aprils, the students were asked to inject the plot with images and word-pictures to develop characters, setting, action, mood and conflict.

I methodically peered down at a tuft of thick coffee fur whose owner was an enormous blubbery beast. It had been nearly four hours of my staring him down before he flashed a glimpse upward and spotted me eyeing him with a twelve gauge shotgun. As our eyes met, I had only one choice, to pull the trigger. Once the barrage of bullets hit him, the nine hundred pound savage of raw power and strength had become nothing more than the bloody, chunky remains of the king of the woods, a grizzly bear. — Charles Leeper Another Writing Workout required the seventh graders to use Holling C. Holling’s description of turtle embryos within their shelled environment in his MINN of the Mississippi as a model when using figurative language to create vivid imagery in their descriptive writing.

The king salmon swim up the Kenai River, their shiny silver skin flashing like mirrors in the sunlight. Frantically they follow their instincts like moths to a flame, trying desperately to reach the ultimate destination, the perfect pool of pure water where they will deposit the slippery sack of eggs. It is here that I will be the eagle, swift and silent, trying my best to pluck my prize from the rolling water. I draw back my arm and sweep the rod forward sending the fuzzy fly out into the depths. The lure dances over the top of the water like a twirling ballerina as I yank the line from side to side. The hungry fish cannot resist the temptation of this tantalizing treat, and like a silver bullet explodes from the water swallowing the deadly device. The fish pulls against me like a stubborn mule, fighting, flipping and flinging himself from side to side, but it is too late, the prize is mine. — G.W.Bodden

Humanitarian Essay Wins Recognition Each year when SAA’s Alumni Council sponsors the Col. W.T. Bondurant Oratorical Contest, four seventh and eighth graders present their essays to members of the Council.

The students are instructed to write about a person who has had a major impact on their lives, how they learned an important lesson or what The Academy means to them.

This year’s finalists were seventh graders Mojan Iyengar and Dustin Smith and eighth graders Brendan Tibbetts and Dustin Brownlow.

The 2011 Humanitarian Award Essay Winner was eighth grader Dustin Brownlow, whose essay was inspired during a hunting trip with his dad near the Texas/Mexico border.

Dustin explained how a chance encounter with people outside his usual circumstances gave him a broader perspective of the world and a deeper understanding of the issue of immigration, while strengthening his view of other people in general.

Year in Review, 2010–2011

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Curriculum Fifth Graders Leave Their Print

Fourth Graders Inspired by Nature Linda Harst’s English classes were inspired to write poems about seemingly ordinary objects and experiences observed in nature. By looking and listening carefully and using a variety of styles and techniques, the boys created poems with unique perspectives.

Clouds Drifting cotton balls sewed to the sky Now a dinosaur.

Huge scoops of ice cream.

Floating, morphing white creatures relaxing midday.

— Austin Tibbetts Gloomy Day Dark, gloomy night sky Leaves twirl, silent tornado Flowers cry with woe.

— Reece Traylor Dirt Dirt, happily lies beneath the grass, minding its business quietly.

— Jack Chapman Quartz Crystal Like a city on the side of a plateau, Crystal plants sprouting out of granite soil, a mangled root from the bottom.

All the crystals are the same shape.

Is the reason an assembly line? No, of course not, every crystal is different.

The skyscrapers are smooth, and the ground is rough.

The city has a sharp, earthy smell, the smell of minerals, precious and worthless.

The city sounds of its creation, tumbling, grinding, crashing, bubbling, the sounds of the center of the earth.

The crystals make me feel lucky, that I never have to endure so much.

The results couldn’t be more beautiful.

— Jack Covert 16

San Antonio Academy of Texas

Spearheaded by SAA parent, Bonny Osterhage, the Paw Print, in its second year, took on a new even more professional look midway in the year, as the publication was circulated in the classrooms of SAA and delivered to parents via email. The twenty news reporters and two Junior Editors covered an array of topics, from everyday classroom and school activities to recognition of students for noteworthy accomplishments, to movie and book reviews. As a special feature, also included were articles about leaders and leadership written by the Public Relations Officer, Cadet Captain, Bennett Word. The new staff met weekly after school to produce seven news-packed issues, which included articles and photos. The following boys comprised the Paw Print staff: Henry Barrett Braden Coleman Cole Conlin Miles Erwin Will Flannery Daniel Guerra Sam Harper Daniel Lemke

Stanley Mason Sam Metersky Frates Newsom Vincent Notzon James Pfirrmann Jax Roberts Nathan Romo Jacob Roos

Miguel Ruiz Reed Sechler Evan Shimek Michael Shriner Junior Editors Robert Allison Cooper Noble

Yearbook Recognized for Excellence Congratulations to the SAA Bluebonnet Yearbook staff, under the direction of co-sponsors Priscilla Power and Natalie Bock, for being recognized by publisher, Balfour Yearbooks, for excellence in design and coverage in its 2010 Yearbook.

The theme, “Making of a Superhero” was inspired by the students and people of San Antonio Academy, who “help shape and influence others by bringing out their inner hero,” says Natalie Bock, adding that “the theme’s message was reinforced through design of digitallyaltered photos made to look like retro comics, reminiscent of the graphic novels popular among boys.” Balfour evaluated the 2010 yearbooks in the following areas: theme development, layout design, photo content and cover design. For its outstanding achievement, the Bluebonnet is featured in the 25th edition of Yearbook Yearbook, an accolade shared with only three percent of all Balfour yearbook staffs.

Editors of the Superhero Yearbook included: Eighth Graders Steven Constantin Clark Finney Lane Kirsten Pavan Patamalla

Seventh Grade Apprentices William Barrett Larkin Dobson Jonathan Gottsman Harrison Richter Dillon Wagner

SAA Celebrates 125th Anniversary

Eighth Grader

By Expressing What San Antonio Academy Means to Me

Ten students qualified to

SAA held an essay contest “What San Antonio Academy Means to Me” to spotlight the 125th day of the 125th year of the school. The winning essays were written by second grader Jonathon Duperier; third grader Jaden Gabriel; and sixth grader James Taylor. The boys earned the opportunity to cut the first piece of a giant 125th birthday cake in Chapel while the student body sang Happy Birthday. Here are their essays:

Wins Spelling Bee participate in the schoolwide Spelling Bee. They included: Saad Ehsan, Campbell Erwin,

This school is the world’s capital for education. We have friendly students, teachers and a helping staff. The lunches have incredible food you won’t believe! Field day and the Fall Family Fair are fun. You’ll learn a lot of new interesting facts. Here you’ll be the happiest boy alive! It’s been 125 years of sports, learning and fun! — Jonathan Duperier, 2nd Grade

Mikey Galo, Dominic Grazioli,

The Academy is a special place where I feel respected and loved. The students make me feel like they are my brothers so I don’t end up alone without friends.

They trust you here so you learn to be faithful. The teachers push you in learning so you do well in high school. At The Academy, they discipline you so that later on in life you don’t make mistakes and end up unhappy. In Chapel, Mr. Webster teaches all of us about character so we know how to make good decisions. The Academy means a lot to me. — Jaden Gabriel, 3rd Grade

Marshall Webb, and Ben Zeller.

Eight years ago, I drove up the school’s driveway and jumped out of my mom’s old Volvo and I remember actually being ecstatic. I met brand-new friends that I would come to know on a daily basis. My teachers vary in personality, which is something I like about The Academy so that each subject is different and fun. Now I realize that The Academy means everlasting friendship, and at least in the primary years, a care-free sanctuary where every day is a new and exciting day. But even as I became a cadet in the upper school, I still treasure my friends in my heart. Even after I leave SAA, I will still remember these days because it will always be a home to me in my soul. This over a century year-old school means to me memories of past good times and a bright and shining day ahead of me every week. — James Taylor, 6th Grade

By Collecting Character-Building Quotes Priscilla Power’s sixth grade English classes collected and discussed 125 characterbuilding quotes. They analyzed their sentence structure, parts of speech and other grammar mechanics. The boys ended the year each with their own sets of the 125 quotes, another way to focus on The Academy’s theme of building character.

By Creating a Word Ladder With great teamwork and perseverance, the second graders in Anne Trevathan’s and Julie Smith’s classes built a “Word Ladder” by connecting 125 index cards. The first card contained the words San Antonio Academy. The next card had to begin with a word that began with the letter “y” or the last letter in the word or phrase of the previous card. Since the theme was “All Things Academy,” all words had to relate to SAA.

Roshan Nair, Shiv Patel, Nathan Romo, Amaan Virani, During competition in front of the Student Body, Dominic Grazioli was runner-up, and Roshan Nair won the SAA Championship. Roshan also placed 5th in the citywide Spelling Bee. SAA Students Recognized as Pegasus Poetry Winners Seven Academy boys’ poems will appear in the 84th edition of the Young Pegasus Poetry Anthology published by the San Antonio Public Library. Over 2400 poems were submitted to the competition and 73 entries from 64 young poets were selected. Congratulations

By Writing on an Event or Topic Occurring in 1886

are extended to Dalton Banks,

Barry Bradley asked his eighth graders to write an essay on a topic or event that occurred between 1886, the year SAA was founded, and 1901 (the 125th anniversary of U.S. independence). Students wrote about topics including “The Haymarket Square Riot,” “The Invention of the Automobile,” and “The Creation of Basketball,” events which all affected the United States in some way.

G.W. Bodden, Campbell Erwin, Gabriel Fernandez, Thomas Hart, Henry Snow and Marshall Webb.

Year in Review, 2010–2011

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Reading Program Bucks National Trend Mission: SAA’s reading program provides skills that enable boys to become proficient, critical and enthusiastic readers. The Academy instills purpose and meaning to reading through a variety of genres, texts, and cross-curricular connections. A love for reading is fostered in each child, creating a culture of lifelong readers.

Third Graders Tell It Their Way SAA Library Director, Elizabeth Snow, encouraged boys to “tell stories” in the new after-school class she offered to third graders. Students in the Storytelling Club chose a short story that they learned and developed using their own style, and then told it to their audience of peers. The boys started with stories from Aesop’s Fables, later practicing with myths told to an audience of second graders. The members developed poise and self-confidence, while improving expressive language skills.

Fourth Graders Hook their Readers Maree Longoria asked her reading students to demonstrate to each other how to effectively “hook” their audiences, much like authors do when pulling their readers into the story. Her students wrote personal narratives giving the reader a glimpse into their lives. In “hooking” their readers into a deer blind or onto the ladder alongside the writer, the fourth graders effectively used dialogue, vivid verbs, sensory words and figurative language.

Performance Deepens Understanding of Civil Rights Movement In response to Priscilla Power’s classroom study of the novel, The Watson’s Go to Birmingham (1963), sixth graders performed “Warriors Don’t Cry,” a play adapted from the true story of one of the “Little Rock Nine,” who integrated Central High School in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement. Complete with angry protestors and frightened students, SAA boys gained a deeper understanding of the struggles faced

by Americans during this turbulent period.

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Preparing for Debate After reading the book On My Honor, Maree Longoria’s fifth graders were asked to write a thesis about which person in the story they believed was responsible for the death of Tony Zabrinski’s character. In support of their theory, students were required to include three persuading points and incorporate a quote from the book. Once the theses were compiled and compared, the groups who chose similar arguments debated against those with conflicting theses while Mrs. Longoria served as moderator.

Fourth and Fifth Graders Compete in a Battle of the Books Maree Longoria’s fourth and fifth graders competed in a Battle of the Books schoolwide competition. Two teams in each grade level competed against each other, determining which team answered the most questions about the selected books the boys had read. Each question begins with, “In which book is…” The participating teams consisted of: 4A Team Captain Ben Zeller Co-captain Jack Covert Will Nunns John IV White Alternate Austin Tibbetts 5A Team Captain Hunter Schenk Co-captain Matthew Pisano Thomas Anderson Campbell Erwin Alternate Ethan Grant

VS

4B Team—WINNERS Captain Emory Scott Co-captain Ben Feinstein Michael Wood Santiago Martinez Alternate Luke Peeler

VS

5B Team—WINNERS Captain Henry Barrett Co-captain Will Flannery James Pfirrmann Frates Newsom Alternate Luke Powers

Bonding through Books and Boxes Throughout the year upper school boys are given opportunities to get to know and work with the “little guys.” Seventh graders enjoyed reading their favorite “little guy” books aloud to PreK boys. Fifth graders also helped the PreK boys decorate their shoebox Fiesta floats which were then paraded for all to see during chapel.

Book Trailers Drive Students Toward Bluebonnet Books Maree Longoria’s fifth graders enthusiastically took their assignment and went after it! The boys were asked to create their own Book Trailers using Bluebonnet books. They used Microsoft Photo Story, Soundzabound, and PB Works in their endeavors. Mood, setting and an introduced, but not completely revealed plot, were elements of the book trailer. The pictures and sound bytes chosen were to be interesting, relevant and appropriate. The classes chose their favorite five after viewing the presentations. Upon receiving the trailers that Maree sent to the Texas Bluebonnet Committee, the group raved about what an innovative, useful media they were for students to enjoy while learning about the Bluebonnet books.

Year in Review, 2010–2011

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History Comes Alive!

Mission: SAA’s Social Studies/History Department provides students with the skills that enable them to understand how the past affects the present and how to make informed decisions to participate in a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world.

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SAA History Flows at San Pedro Park Since this year’s theme for Geography Awareness Week was fresh water, Laura Douglass’ fifth graders decided to focus on the natural springs located in San Antonio’s historic San Pedro Park. The visit doubled as a history lesson due to the park’s significant role as a drill field, playground, and swimming hole for SAA boys during 1886 to 1968, when the school was originally located across the street. Prior to the San Pedro Park tour, the fifth graders researched the early days of The Academy and prepared a historical timeline. They shared what they knew while standing at a historic marker commemorating the Camino Real or King’s Highway. They were especially excited to see both the Grotto built in the 1800s as a summer house and the acequia. SAA history guru, Drew Kennedy, accompanied the boys to serve as tour guide while imparting his knowledge of the history of the school at the North Flores location.

Enrichment Activities Bring History to Life Cathy Cummins, Enrichment Director, makes history come alive for so many Academy boys. Using a variety of activities and instructional strategies, Cathy has enriched classroom studies on the Vikings, Woodland Indians, Jamestown, Ancient Egypt, South Korea, Benjamin Franklin, the Gold Rush, Squanto, knights and castles, and Lewis’ and Clark’s explorations, to name a few. Her festivals and fairs include the PreK Australian Festival, kinder’s South American Festival, the first grade Ellis Island/European Festival, second grade’s Greek and Asian Festivals, and the fourth grade Colonial Fair. What a valuable resource Cathy is!

Geography Bee Winners

SAA Seventh Grader Recognized in Essay Contest This year San Antonio Academy boys again entered the Battle of Flowers Essay Contest. The competition was introduced in 1995 for seventh graders to encourage area students to enrich their knowledge of Texas history and to develop their research and writing skills. This year’s topic was “Oil That Is, Black Gold, Texas Tea: Famous Texas Wildcatters.” Seventh grader Tom Bugg received an Honorable Mention for his essay on Pattillo Higgins.

Students who qualified for the School Championship Round of the Geography Bee were William Barrett, Hunter Campbell, Jack Covert, Russell Freed, Dominic Grazioli, Daniel Guerra, John Howard Hassmann, Lowry Mays, Joe McGrath, Dan Meyer, Alexander Pfirrmann, Luke Power, Robert Schenken and Cole Wagner. After a series of qualifying rounds, the co-champions were sixth grader Cole Wagner and eighth grader William Barrett. William qualified to compete at the State level and out of the 100 contestants competing, he finished among the top 20%.

Fifth Graders Write from Perspective of a Civil War Soldier After concluding their study of the Civil War, fifth graders in Laura Douglass’ social studies class each composed letters to loved ones at home, writing from the perspective of a soldier involved in the Battle of Gettysburg. One soldier wrote to his wife, “I am so lucky that I have not been shot or have gotten an infection, for they have no medicine….

Please write back once a week, for I am getting ever so lonely.” In order to share the project with parents, the boys were audio taped while each read his letter aloud. The recording was then placed on the Social Studies Wiki page, where parents could access a picture of a Civil War soldier in uniform, while listening to their son’s letter.

Year in Review, 2010–2011

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Second Graders Welcome the Return of Flat Stanley To enhance their geography unit, second graders sent Flat Stanley on a variety of adventures around the globe.

Upon Stanley’s return, the boys read a report about his travels to the class. Using Google Earth, the atlas and maps, the class located Flat Stanley’s destinations. As a tie-in to their science unit, the boys discussed the weather and climate of the area. The boys really enjoyed sharing in the excitement and fun of Stanley’s many travels.

First Graders Broaden their Horizons Sue Plaunt and Kathy Bolner asked their classes to write a short biography about a famous person no longer living, and create a poster that represented four important accomplishments in that individual’s life. The person chosen had to have lived outside of the United States. Selections included Santa Anna, Jacques Cousteau, Enzo Ferrari and Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter.

Sixth Graders Portray Africa During their study of Africa, Barry Bradley’s sixth grade World Cultures classes wrote acrostic poems and created dioramas to help illustrate the continent’s rich diversity and landscape. Here are two examples: A land of diversity is one I’d like to see.

From the plains of the Sahara through the jungles to the sea.

Right now I must mention all the animals galore.

Introduce me to the lions, zebras, antelopes, and more.

Can I take you on a safari to see the cultures there?

Africa is calling me with exotic adventures to share!

— Alexander Hancock Architecture in South Africa ranges from the dome shaped huts in the countryside to the tall skyscrapers in the large cities.

Faith is practiced in many different ways in South Africa from Christianity to Islam.

Resources in South Africa are abundant such as coal and gold.

Integration of the races is the greatest victory for South Africa.

Colonies of the Dutch that conquered the native people.

Art in South Africa is some of the most beautiful art on the Earth from ancient rock art to modern music.

— Bo Lee

After touring the Alamo, watching a video about the battle, and listening to a docent retell the events of that fateful day in March, third graders gained a deeper understanding and appreciation for the sacrifices of the brave men at the Alamo.

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Sixth Graders Visit the Holocaust Memorial Museum Several SAA sixth graders said that the field trip to the Holocaust Memorial Museum here in San Antonio was the most memorable ever. Not only did they learn from photographs, artifacts and videos, but the students heard a Holocaust survivor recount some of the tragedies she endured during that time. Rose Williams, an 81 year old San Antonio resident who survived the horrors of Auschwitz and other Nazi concentration camps, spoke of her experiences—separation from her family, beatings and starvation, and the brutal conditions to which she was subjected. She said that the hope that kept her going became reality when she was reunited with her sister and brother. The boys showed their love and appreciation to Mrs. Williams for the lessons she taught them about the value and dignity of every human life and the consequences of bigotry and racism.

Students Show 125 Ways to Go Green As part of our continued focus on environmental issues, SAA celebrated Earth Day this year with a 125th anniversary twist resulting in “125 Ways to Get Your Green On at SAA.” Cathy Baumgardner’s science classes compiled a list of simple eco-tips that were placed on faux leaves and assembled onto a wall-sized tree constructed in Taylor Hall. The leaves provided a canopy of useful tips such as: reduce paper waste by using both sides; be safe and protect our water from oil spills; donate unwanted toys and other items to a charity; and take a reusable lunch box on your trips or to summer camp. Mini trees with the go green message also took root in the cafeteria, and “Get Your Green On” binder tags were given to students, faculty and staff as a fun reminder of how simple acts can make a difference.

Scientists Investigate Their World Mission: The SAA Science Department uses a handson approach to teach students to think critically, communicate effectively, problem solve and use the scientific method to investigate the world around them.

Year in Review, 2010–2011

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Curriculum

Young Astronauts Tinker with Space Station The Young Astronauts, under the direction of Drew Kennedy, used Tinker Toys to build a model of the International Space Station. Five teams of ten were each given 200 parts to build a section of the Station. Students in grades 1-8 were required to work as a team to produce their section. To simulate a real-work environment, the “astronauts” wore gloves to maneuver the bulky hardware. At times, they could only use one hand, so that it was necessary for two team members to accomplish the task. After using all of the parts at their disposal, the team had to move their module from one table to a longer countertop so that the complete station could be connected.

The finished ISS measured 14 feet with a robotic arm.

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SAA Science Fair Participants Advance to Regionals All seventh graders participated in a Science Fair, sponsored by SAA science teacher, Kim Stanage. The projects involved researching, implementing a procedure to solve the problem chosen, writing an introduction, conclusion, bibliography and abstract. The students recorded observations in a data table and constructed a graph demonstrating their results. A 3-D display which incorporated the data was presented to the judges.

First place winner was Karthik Reddy with the project “Which drinks alter bone density?” Second place winners were Lowry Mays and Marshall Webb with “How do goldfish affect the growth of an Elodea plant?” and “How does temperature affect a magnet’s power?” respectively. Tom Kellogg’s, “How do different types of music affect plant growth?” earned him third place. Fourth place winner was Alex Barshop with “How do disinfectants affect bacteria found on a keyboard?”

Each earned the right to participate in the Alamo Regional Science and Engineering Fair, where Tom Kellogg and Marshall Webb qualified for the Broadcam Masters, a national science competition for middle school science students.

Tom also placed second in the Botany Category, which qualified him for the State Science Fair. Marshall received a $2,000 renewable scholarship to University of the Incarnate Word and won fifth Grand Prize in the Physics Category, qualifying him for State. Karthik Reddy placed second in the Health and Medicine Category at the Junior Academy of Science.

Eighth grader Dustin Brownlow placed second and received $75 in a special award from the Air and Waste Management Association. Dustin also qualified for the Broadcam Masters, received the $2000 scholarship to UIW and qualified for State by receiving first Grand Prize in the Environmental Science Category. At State Dustin finished fifth in his division.

The People’s Choice Award was added this year and was voted on by students in grades 4–8.

The winner of that award was Colton Wingrove for his experiment titled, “How long does it take different types of paper to burn using a magnifying lens?”

SAA Counseling Department Expands Services This past year, the SAA Counseling Department reorganized its services. Lindsey Harvey, After-School Director, is also lead counselor for the primary grades. Linda Harst, fourth grade English teacher, also serves as Learning Specialist, tracking the boys academically to identify stumbling blocks to their academic performance. She then crafts individual strategies for teachers and students to facilitate academic success. Theresa Moore is lead counselor and focuses on the Upper School and on emotional, family and parenting issues. With the reorganization, the counselors are able to do more to support teachers, students, and families efficiently and effectively.

This past year they have taught the boys how to cope with conflict, friendship, teasing and bullying, compassion and forgiveness. In addition, Theresa conducted two Parent Forums for each grade level.

Drug and Alcohol Awareness Fair Well-Received San Antonio Police Officers’ participation in SAA’s Alcohol and Drug Awareness program was eye-opening. As a component of the presentation, the officers brought the DWI simulator in the half-taxi, half-police car. They also had, on campus, a vehicle involved in an alcohol-related accident. The officers adapted their presentation to make it ageappropriate for upper school boys. The emphasis for eighth graders was on being aware of the dangers that high school brings if one jumps into cars with “friends” after a party or after being around drugs and alcohol as a minor, even though you are not using illegal substances. The boys also had an opportunity to hear from a former drug user, and they learned how substance abuse adversely affected his life.

Bruce and Buddy Inspire Primary Boys Former Spurs player and Academy dad, Bruce Bowen, teamed up with the H.E.B. Buddy to inspire the primary boys to stay fit and eat healthy. He talked to them about leadership and what it takes to be your best. In addition to emphasizing the need to eat healthy, to drink water and to stay in shape, Bruce led the boys in stretching exercises.

Dimensions of Wellness Mission: The purpose of the Dimensions of Wellness program is to give SAA boys a more comprehensive perspective of who they are in mind, body and spirit while striving to teach them to live a healthy life. Topics include self-esteem and decision-making, safety, drug abuse and prevention, nutrition, physical fitness, sex education, first aid and CPR training.

SAA Students Experience Healthy Fun As a component of The Academy’s Wellness program, under the direction of Lindsey Harvey, Wellness Coordinator, H.E.B. hosted a Health Fair demonstrating that getting healthy is fun and easy. Boys from second grade through eighth grade rotated through interactive stations, learning how to eat healthy and how to become and stay physically fit. The boys encountered a “Plinko” game from modeled after The Price is Right at one of the stations. After dropping their tokens, the boys watched them bounce to the bottom, revealing which of the three food prizes they received—an apple, banana, or orange. H.E.B. employees gave cooking demos, and the boys learned how to make a delicious pineapple smoothie.

YMCA trainers engaged the boys in exercises designed to raise heart rate, tone muscles and burn calories.

H.E.B. brought a massive blow up obstacle course so the boys could race each other, and volunteers passed out bottled water as the competitors finished.

Academy moms handed out H.E.B. backpacks, T-shirts, and snacks to take home. Free Spurs tickets were also raffled off to four lucky winners in each grade.

Year in Review, 2010–2011

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Curriculum

Technology Integrated Into Every Classroom Mission: The Technology Department prepares students to become lifelong learners and contributing members of an ever-changing, information-based society through an integrated computer curriculum that builds key technology skills.

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SAA Teaches Social Networking in Safe Environment San Antonio Academy implemented “The Social Wall,” a Facebook-like program that allows fourth through eighth grade students to test the social networking waters in a safe and controlled environment. The new program was launched in June 2010 by Gaggle, which is used by The Academy to provide students with a safe and filtered email. When introducing the module, the school’s usage guidelines were covered, along with recommendations that their profile pictures to exclude images of the students, their friends, or family. The new program is another facet in learning how to use technology in an appropriate and safe manner.

Students Use EduGlogster Effectively Students in Barry Bradley’s and Kathryn Dehlinger’s World Cultures classes used EduGlogster to create their fresh water presentations in keeping with the Geography Awareness theme. The students connected Middle Eastern, South American and African countries to their water sources in poster form, offering solutions to the challenges of having an ample supply of the resource. Luisa Bolen had her seventh graders complete a Family Tree, while her eighth graders advertised a house for sale using the software.

Primary Students Interact with SmartBoards SmartBoards are used consistently in the primary classrooms in a variety of ways.

The Weather Watcher in kindergarten might access www.ksat.com to check the weather, while the PreK students use www.weather.com. Teachers create PowerPoint presentations and use Discovery Education to support and extend topics, especially in social studies and science. Using the interactive whiteboards, teachers are able to effectively reinforce and extend mathematical concepts, teach and model handwriting, use recorded music to sing about curricular topics, create class graphs for voting, and engage students in activities that offer online games for reinforcement (Education City, Everyday Math, Spelling City, Phonogrampage.com, Onemorestory.com, quia.com)

Well Worth Recording With a grant from the Nancy Jean Newman Memorial Music Endowment, primary boys cut their own CDs. The students enthusiastically sang songs they had mastered during the year and at the end of the recording session, they individually recited their names on the CD. Linda Gielen helped each grade level create its master CD, which was professionally duplicated and given to each boy for summer listening.

Pre-K Boys Engage Interactively PreK went high tech thanks to their new Brightlink System, which made integrating technology into the curriculum fun and easy.

The engaging lessons included creating graphs using farm animals, food and modes of transportation. The tool was also used for matching objects and numbers, uncovering hidden pictures and creating patterns. The teachers enjoyed creating new lessons while watching the boys’ faces light up with each new discovery.

Year in Review, 2010–2011

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The

Play’s the Thing

by Brendan Moore English Department Chair

Academy Boys Take the Stage Mission: At San Antonio Academy boys learn to demonstrate poise and confidence and express themselves clearly and expressively as a result of the numerous opportunities they have to perform in front of an audience.

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One of the unique aspects of San Antonio Academy’s approach to teaching Shakespeare is the fact that stage performance of his work is an integral component of the eighth grade language arts curriculum. In other schools, if The Bard’s plays are produced, they are usually sponsored by drama clubs, theatre classes, or fine arts electives, a methodology that inevitably attracts only those students who have theatrical talent (or at least those who are drawn to the performance arts). At SAA the eighth grade Shakespeare unit encompasses every student in the graduating class, a fact that frequently leads to boys who initially had little or no interest in drama or Shakespeare actually thriving in the play, as they discover talents they had not known they possessed. Even more significant, as a curricular unit, the annual Shakespeare production provides an invaluable instructional tool for unlocking the relevancy of classic work, through a combination of classroom study and a great deal of kinetic activity: a perfect educational approach for middle school boys.

Indeed, it is the startling trajectory from read-through to stage that serves to communicate most forcefully the idea that classic works of literature are rarely as stale and uninteresting as they may sometimes first appear.

When I came to the school twenty years ago, The Academy had no formal drama component in its curriculum, and I had as one of my goals the idea of trying to show the students in a clear and vibrant way how vitally alive literature can be in their lives. I began with a spring 1991 production of Macbeth. That first year was definitely a journey into the unknown, a voyage fraught with some noteworthy challenges, not least of which was the lack of an auditorium and the fact that The Academy was an all-boys school—devoid of genderaccurate Ophelias and Lady Macbeths.

As it transpired, I shouldn’t have worried.

Somehow, with paper, curtains, bits of lumber and an assortment of cardboard boxes we managed to transform the old Taylor Hall study hall into a viable theatre. Secondly, I discovered that most eighth grade boys were not at all reticent about playing female roles, especially when they figured out that those roles were often some of the most important in the play and that our troupe of actors was exactly following the modus operandi of Elizabethan theater in which there were “no girls allowed.” (Furthermore, I have often thought how the logistics of trying to run a core-curricular Shakespeare unit in conjunction with another co-educational or girls school would make the production well nigh impossible to pull off, at least in its current and potent form.) Macbeth that year was a resounding success, and the curricular mold for Shakespeare at San Antonio Academy was cast.

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Curriculum In subsequent seasons the schedule for the play quickly evolved into a pattern that has become consistent over the course of the last decade.

In December each year the boys try out for the play by learning and performing three to four long soliloquies or monologues from a variety of Shakespeare’s work. The initial speech—often Marc Anthony’s “Friends, Romans, countrymen” oration— is difficult and stressful for the prospective actors, as learning lengthy pieces by rote is no longer a common aspect of educational pedagogy. However, the students quickly grasp what is required of them and recognize that the task is not only manageable but also satisfying. (Many boys return to the school years after graduation still proud that they can recall these speeches verbatim.) Each presentation is scored on a rubric that includes both memorization and expression, with a progressive shift in emphasis from the former to the latter. Based on results of these tryouts, the play is cast, and the boys go home for Christmas vacation with a script in hand.

Academy Award Winners Announced Director Brendan Moore gave those who saw the eighth grade performances of A Midsummer Night’s Dream an opportunity to vote on the best actors. Winners in each performance included: Best Actor: Ben Rindler and Sam Rosenbloom Best Actor Playing a Female Role: Dalton Banks and Sebastian Bathie Best Comic Actor: Kristian Newell and Sam Rosenbloom Best Voice (projection, pitch and clarity): Armando Martinez and Dustin Brownlow 30

San Antonio Academy of Texas

All directors will readily admit that the initial read-through of a work is almost always a dry and fitful affair, with readers stumbling over strange words and phrases and uttering lines with a flatness of delivery rooted in uncertainty about character and context. Gradually, though, the boys begin moving on stage, learning the assigned blocking and seeing for themselves how the play has a vibrancy that grows with each passing rehearsal. Indeed, it is the startling trajectory from read-through to stage that serves to communicate most forcefully the idea that classic works of literature are rarely as stale and uninteresting as they may sometimes first appear.

The students then have five and a half weeks to get from page to show time, and five and a half weeks to bring the play alive in a way that at least equals the efforts of the previous year’s eighth grade class (yes, boys are competitive!). During that period, the students are still responsible for their full course load in other classes, and in language arts they must also keep up with their SSR reading, complete a number of essays and take careful lecture notes on Shakespeare and the Elizabethan age (for a final exam that takes place right after the performances).

Thus in January and early February, the eighth graders will be deeply immersed in some or all of the following: learning lines; becoming familiar with blocking—and possibly sword fighting, always a favorite; constructing sets; locating or making costumes; finding or building stage properties; learning to operate sound equipment and lights boards; working on enunciation and generally becoming proficient with the nuances of Shakespeare’s language. After five weeks, two dress rehearsals are immediately followed by the actual performances in Ellison Hall before an audience of peers, family, visitors and sometimes alumni students. Though there are always two showings, each Academy eighth grader actually struts the boards just once. That’s because there are two complete casts (composed of the respective class sections), an approach that allows for built-in provision of understudies if needed. (Interestingly, in twenty years, no understudy has been called into action.)

Each year we make a concerted effort to enhance in some way the overall production, often with new skills sets. For example this past year for A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the students were able to take a Saturday morning class (taught by Begoña DeUbieta) on not only painting a canvas for the play’s backdrop but also on stage management and costuming.

A core lesson of every production is the value of teamwork and community.

Often parents volunteer their assistance, and many times they make or rent costumes, provide lanterns, flowers, dry ice or even furniture, and invariably they work with their sons on lines and delivery. If professional videotaping of the plays takes place, this is something arranged for and coordinated by the parents of the eighth grade class.

Also, teachers in other disciplines pitch in with musical, language or artistic assistance. Though the time never seems as if it will be sufficient, with the support of administration, parents and teachers, the students always succeed in surprising me with the excellence of their performances.

In turn, the boys are always surprised to be so thoroughly enjoying the work of a master playwright who composed his plays over four hundred years before they were born. For that reason the annual Shakespeare play continues to flourish as a vibrant educational experience in the life of the school.

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Fifth Graders Command the Stage and the Language Natalie Bock’s fifth grade drama presentations featured four separate performances in which myths and legends from Latin America’s ancient and colonial periods were brought to life. The plays included humor, suspense, love, jealousy, battles, deception, erupting volcanoes, mystery and dark, scary nights. The titles were: El Sol y La Luna, Ixy y Popo, El Misterio de la Calle de Olmedo, and Pobre Inocente. Englishspeaking narrators were added to each story for the benefit of the audience. The boys delivered their lines almost flawlessly in Spanish without scripts or notes.

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Ban Homework? Eighth Graders Debate the Topic Ten of Brendan Moore’s eighth graders earned the right to engage in a war of words by debating the issue, “Homework Should Be Banned.” The five proposing team members outlined the reasons and research that backed their argument to ban homework, while the opposing team members made a strong case that homework is necessary, much to the dismay of the students in the audience. In the end, the spirited debate went to the proposing team, who convinced judges, Barry Bradley, Karl Graf, and James Pellman, that homework is better left at school. Mr. Webster congratulated the winning team and announced that SAA was not about to ban homework.

Members of the debate teams were: For William Barrett Dustin Brownlow Sam Rosenbloom Amaan Virani Bart Zachry

Against Armando Martinez Jacob Miller Roshan Nair Ben Rindler Bennett Word

Voted best debater was Sam Rosenbloom, and public speaking awards went to Roshan Nair and Dustin Brownlow.

Second Graders Give Stellar Performance Iliana Hieger’s second graders demonstrated enthusiasm and confidence when performing four separate plays in front of an audience of parents in the Bondurant Library on El Cinco de Mayo. The plays were entitled: Viva la Fiesta! Viva la Primavera, Somos tu Comunidad, and Vecinos en el Espacio. Bravo to Sra. Hieger’s second graders!

Emphasis on Communication Skills Mission: The Spanish Department generates enthusiasm for and a love of the language and its culture by providing students with the skills to use Spanish on a daily basis in everyday situations.

Spanish National Honor Society Inducts New Members The SAA Circulo Hispánico Chapter, established to promote the study of the Spanish language and its culture and to offer friendship to Hispanic countries, inducted twelve members this year. To be inducted into the Spanish National Honor Society, students must be eighth graders, maintain an average of 95% or higher in Spanish, maintain a 90 overall average in all classes, take the National Spanish Exam, and participate in a school project to benefit an Hispanic country. The 2011 inductees were: Dalton Banks William Barrett Armando Martinez Roshan Nair

Alexander Pfirrmann Ben Rindler Caleb Snow Brendan Tibbetts

Amaan Virani Patrick Wheeler Bennett Word Joshua Zabihian

SAA Students Excel on Spanish National Exam The following Academy boys were Medalla de Oro winners, having received nationwide recognition with a score at or above the 95th percentile, nationally: 8th Graders William Barrett Larkin Dobson Armando Martinez Isaac Moody Roshan Nair Kristian Newell

Alexander Pfirrmann Ben Rindler Brendan Tibbetts Bennett Word Joshua Zabihian

7th Graders Dominic Grazioli Jose Ruiz David Shetler Osais Sanchez

Those students who were Premio de Plata winners, designating a score at the 90th percentile nationally, included: 8th Graders Dalton Banks Llewellyn Fambles Jacob Miller Amaan Virani Patrick Wheeler

7th Graders G.W. Bodden Tom Bugg Saad Ehsan Russell Freed Victor Lopez

Lowry Mays Seth Rodriguez Marshall Webb Jack Wright Tom Kellogg

Third Graders Try Their Hand at Waiting Natalie Bock’s third graders became “busy waiters” in a mock restaurant, while taking orders strictly in Spanish. The boys implemented their Spanish skills further by writing the orders, filling them in la cocina and rushing the food back to the hungry patrons. Prior to the restaurant’s opening, the boys paired up to design authentic Spanish-style menus, complete with pricing in pesos instead of dollars. A musical backdrop of Maná helped set the mood for a festive dining experience.

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Curriculum

Notes from the Music Department Mission: SAA’s Music Program develops each boy’s abilities, enjoyment and appreciation of music complemented by an understanding of musical concepts, styles, vocabulary, symbols, instruments and computers.

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Musical Mondays Showcase SAA’s Talent After an audition, students were invited by the Music Department to share their talents during the time of silence after the blessing in the lunch room. Using a keyboard donated by kindergartener James Hawes and his family, Frates Newsom and Varun Patamalla kicked off the series. They were later joined by more than thirty performers: Sammy Barr Lance Berryman Jeb Brysacz Tom Bugg Will Flannery Chase Holley James Jacob J.B. Marshall T.J. McFarland Bryce Menchaca Ben Metersky

Roshan Nair Stefan Newell Cooper Noble Luke Powers Jay Roberts Gus Robison Henry Robison Sam Rosenbloom Lorenzo Ruiz Dylan Rybacki Shane Rybacki

Emory Scott Garrett Scott Andrew Seay Campbell Seay Reed Shemwell Harrison Stuart Trey Sullivan Parker Thill Sam Turner Clark Webb Marshall Webb

Primary Boys Perform Throughout the Year In November, the Grandparents’ & Grandfriends’ Day production began with echoing drums. Extended family, thankfulness and a delicious turkey dinner were the subjects of the Primary Boys’ Concert. With second graders playing instrumental parts, narrating and singing solos, each primary boy delighted his special guest with songs such as My Aunt Came Back, William He Had Seven Sons, Five Little Ducks, and Mother’s Knives and Forks. The boys concluded with I’m Thankful, showing their gratitude for their country, military men and women, their families and San Antonio Academy.

If ever there was a doubt that John Webster is a “master entertainer,” it was dispelled during the December Primary Holiday Program entitled “Let It Snow.” After singing traditional songs and carols such as The First Noel, Let It Snow, Hanukkah and Song of the Shepherds, our youngest SAA singers, along with Mr. Webster, presented the audience with a real treat. As second grade leaders brought forth Santa boots, long red pants, a red jacket, black belt and cap, a shiny nose and beard, a bag full of gifts and even an eager fleet of second grade reindeer, Mr. Webster donned each Santa addition as it was mentioned in the song Must be Santa. What a sight and delight for all gathered in Ellison Hall! The program ended with all joining in the celebration by singing Feliz Navidad.

SAA Choir in Spotlight at Spurs Game In the midst of a completely sold-out crowd of basketball fans, the SAA Choir, 47 boys strong, proudly marched single file onto center court at the AT&T Center on March 31st with a focus and intensity NBA coaches would envy. With great poise and glaring spotlights and distractions on and off the court, the choir members sang a stellar rendition of The Star Spangled Banner that energized the crowd of nearly 19,000.

Looking sharp in their drill blues, choir members sang with impressive confidence and proficiency, proudly reflecting the tradition of excellence San Antonio Academy has enjoyed for the past 125 years.

And the Caroling Continues!

Upper school boys entertained family and friends with their show, A-Caroling We Go. Sixth grade narrators dressed in holiday hats moved from singing about caroling to actually caroling! Songs included A-Caroling We Go, The First Nowell, Child of Peace, (sung by the SAA Choir) and Hanukah Song.

Most songs were accompanied by sixth grade handbell and handchime players or percussion and Orff instrumentalists. After select sixth graders performed a clever dance routine choreographed by Rosalyn Jones to Let it Snow, Ellison Hall echoed with the happy sounds of Feliz Navidad, complete with maracas, guitars and sombreros.

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Curriculum

2010–2011 Show Choir Raul Aguilar Ells Boone James Minerve Roshan Nair Varun Patamalla Razik Rehman Jax Roberts Harrison Stuart Marshall Webb

Celebrating 125 Years in Song Primary boys presented a concert entitled “What in the World is SAA?” for their Mother’s Day Concert. Narrators led the audience around the world as they sought to discover just what SAA means. Singing a traditional native folk song at each stop, the quest included looking in Morocco for Special African Antelopes, finding the Spanish Armada Association in Spain and even Sand, Artichokes and Active volcanoes in Hawaii!

But pirates pointed them to San Antonio, where everyone discovered that SAA really stood for our very own San Antonio Academy—deep in the heart of Texas!

Upper school students were led by sixth grade narrators through SAA’s 125 year history, singing songs popular around the time of important SAA happenings. Show Choir members opened with a choreographed medley of Four Seasons’ songs, popular during SAA’s move to French Place. Fifth graders followed, singing a traditional 1880’s railroad song, complete with swinging work axes, movement and instrumental accompaniments. The final two verses about Academy happenings were composed by the boys themselves. Third graders, donning country hats, demonstrated two spirited dances reminiscent of country barn celebrations while fourth graders “hamboned” their way through solo and group verses, accompanied by complex hambone movement patterns. After the SAA Concert Choir‘s version of Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, sixth graders performed a routine with flags from over forty different countries to We are the World. But the highlight was an unforgettable finale! Led by amazing vocalist Roshan Nair who was joined by Jacob Miller on tambourine, Sam Turner on drums and Tom Bugg on guitar, Ellison Hall exploded when everyone present joined in We Are Family!

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San Antonio Academy of Texas

King of Instruments Amazes Primary Boys In an encore performance, renowned San Antonio organist Madolyn Fallis, demonstrated the wonders of the organ to eager first and second grade classes. With a script read and sung by bus driver Ed Crump, Mrs. Fallis pushed and pulled stops and pedals to reveal the amazing variety of sounds the “King of Instruments” can project.

Several weeks later, second graders were treated to a true symphony of sounds as they experienced one of the San Antonio Symphony’s Young People’s Concerts.

Concert Choir Members Give of Themselves Following the Valentine’s Day tradition of giving, the SAA Concert Choir presented family and friends with an amazing gift of song during their Spring Concert at Christ Episcopal Church. Folk melodies, patriotic favorites, and songs of the sea were enjoyed by singers and the audience alike. Congratulations to: 3rd Grade Spence Baldwin Ells Boone Courtlandt Buzzini Gage Casey Troy Cervantes Billy Conn Peterson Cooper Josh Cross Donny Duggan James Forgason Chase Holley Jamie Johnson Isaac Miller Joey Nolan Jack Osterhage Razik Rehman Shane Rybacki Campbell Seay Jay Welder

4th Grade Daniel Covert Jack Covert Andrew Hieger John Howard Hassmann Lee Charles McNeil Bryce Menchaca Will Nunns Emory Scott Harrison Stuart Reece Traylor Ben Zeller

5th Grade Campbell Erwin Miles Erwin Garrett Freiling Daniel Guerra Daniel Lemke Stanley Mason Jax Roberts James Minerve Nathan Romo Miguel Ruiz Michael Shriner David White

6th Grade Hunter Campbell Cameron Diamond Alexander Hancock J.B. Marshall Cooper Noble Varun Patamalla Harry Ware

7th Grade Raul Aguilar Mohan Iyengar Jonathon Medina Osaias Sanchez Dustin Smith Marshall Webb

8th Grade Jacob Miller Roshan Nair

Choir Sings at Pearl Stables for Avatars of Peace The SAA Choir’s year began in September, 2010, when the members participated in a fund-raising event entitled “Shanti: Avatars of Peace.”

The choir helped raise funds for free clinics in India and the USA, including one right here in San Antonio. Many attendees commented on how beautifully the boys sang, and they were thanked for participating in this international community service projected sponsored by the Association of Indian Doctors.

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Curriculum

Art Encourages Creativity Mission: The Art Program opens the eyes of our students to the influence and power of imagination and creativity in the world. SAA art students learn the fundamental skills and concepts of art, in addition to art history and the lives of famous artists. The students are encouraged to develop personal technique and style, while expressing themselves in a variety of media.

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SAA Art Show Draws a Crowd Photography as Art Photographs taken by students in Natalie Bock’s Photojournalism elective were also showcased at the Art Show. Featured photographers were eighth graders Llewellyn Fambles, Joshua Zabihian, William Barrett and Harrison Richter. The titles, “Burnt Bell Bottoms, “Chlorophyll Tranquility” and “Sun Ray Brushes” (pictured) might hint at the fact that the photos were taken on their trip to the Japanese Tea Gardens.

Mask-Making Project In conjunction with their Spanish, World Cultures and Art elective classes, the seventh graders visited the San Antonio Museum of Art where they took a guided tour of Latin American Art Through the Ages, an exhibit exploring the depth and breadth of Latin American cultures in the pre-Columbian, Spanish Colonial, folk art and contemporary galleries. The tour concluded with a hands-on, mask-making project.

The SAA Art Show was spectacular! The show displayed 180 framed paintings, drawings, and photographs, which were the selected works of 140 boys. That represented almost 50% participation in grades one through eight. Lots of Academy boys love art and produce top-notch work.

Year in Review, 2010–2011

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Community Outreach

Making a Difference Mission: To provide San Antonio Academy students and teachers with opportunities to serve others in their local community and abroad.

Holiday Service Projects The 2010 holiday season was filled with the spirit of giving, as our boys spread goodwill throughout our community and around the world. Students were encouraged to earn money or use a portion of their allowance when contributing to a project.

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In December Sonny Melendrez made his cherished annual stop to the PreK cottage to collect toys for the Community Center, which assists the area’s underserved children.

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Kindergarten students collected items for the San Antonio Children’s Shelter.

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First and second graders gathered items for residents of Salado Creek Center, a nursing home for Medicare and Medicaid seniors.

Pitching In Last winter, Carol Beckwith’s and Jan Fry’s Third Graders volunteered their time at the San Antonio Food Bank where they formed an assembly line to help sort, pack and then move boxes of canned goods into place for distribution.

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Third graders collected new and gently-used books for children utilizing the services of the Children’s Bereavement Center.

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Fourth graders collected food for Stafford Elementary (Edgewood ISD) to ensure that students had enough to eat over the two-week holiday break.

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Fifth graders gathered toys for CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital.

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Sixth grade boys collected new socks and underwear and new or gently used coats to benefit the homeless served by the San Antonio Catholic Worker House.

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Seventh graders collected money to buy hygienic items and school supplies to help families in Nuevo Progresso, Mexico. The Los Niños de la Calle project was initiated by Cathy Cummins ten years ago.

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Eighth graders collected items for male and female teens who reside at Boysville.

Schoolwide Drives Annual Food Drive This year San Antonio Academy conducted its annual Food Drive from December 6 to December 16. Academy boys brought canned goods and non-perishable food items to school as donations to the San Antonio Food Bank. Our boys collected 2,191 pounds of food.

End-of-Year School Supplies Drive Working through AVANCE-San Antonio, SAA faculty and staff once again donated school supplies to support this non-profit organization. The supplies are used to assist staff in their parenting and early childhood classes and classrooms. Special thanks go to Yulanee McKnight, Summer At The Academy Registrar, for coordinating these efforts.

Intergenerational Programs Primary Boys Perform for Residents at Chandler Tanya Weis’ and Connie Haiduk’s students performed their PreK plays for the residents at Chandler Nursing Home after their debut performance for parents and students in Ellison Hall. The Kinder boys, dressed in Indian costumes, sang songs for the residents and distributed Thanksgiving cards.

Living Legacy Program Initiated by Cathy Cummins and now in its twenty-third year, the Living Legacy program at the Chandler Nursing Home continues to impact the lives of Academy boys and their senior friends. Once a month, twenty-one Academy 6th, 7th, and 8th graders visit and interview a senior “buddy.” The boys write acrostic poems about their residents, highlighting qualities and details of their lives. Framed copies of the “living legacies” are read and presented to the senior participants at a May evening celebration. Thanks go to the sponsor, Virginia Beeler, and to this year’s participants.

6th Graders Robert Allison Sam Berryman Marshall Beldon Joe Irvin Alexander Johnson Michael Kelleher Jack Larkin J.B. Marshall Joe McGrath Cooper Noble Cole Wagner William York

7th Graders Tom Bugg Saad Ehsan Russell Freed Graves Peeler

8th Graders Sebastian Bathie Armando Martinez Ben Rindler Sam Rosenbloom Patrick Wheeler

SAA Boys and Living Legacy Residents Reconnect The Express News article on February 14th announcing the upcoming marriage of Chandler residents, nonagenarians Holmann Massey and Jewel Etter, grabbed the attention of five Academy boys.

Lowry Mays, Ben Rindler and Caleb Snow knew Mr. Massey quite well, while G.W. Bodden and Joe Zachry had connected a year earlier with Jewel Etter, all participants in the Living Legacy program. The boys went together to visit the newlyweds, eager to offer them congratulatory wishes and present a wedding gift.

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in the classroom

Parents and Academy Family Bring Expertise into the Classroom On Australia Saundra Kirby, Becketts’ mother, visited the PreK cottage and shared stories and pictures about her adventures in Australia. With family in Australia, Saundra makes frequent trips, sometimes having Beckett and Jaden accompany her. The slide show she presented on the SmartBoard was informative, enriching the boys’ study of the continent down under. Our guys especially enjoyed the boomerang and coloring book she gave to each of them.

On Nutrition

Special Events and Guest Leadership Speakers Author and artist, Alex Beard, introduced his book, Monkey See, Monkey Draw, to kinder, first and third graders. Having traveled throughout Africa, the author/ artist first told the boys stories of his own adventures there, which provided the setting for the book.

He discussed the animals that inhabit the continent and the qualities that make them unique. After reading aloud to the boys, he led them in art activities teaching them to make illustrations of their favorite animals from their own hands and footprints, like those in his book.

Margaret Read MacDonald, noted by the School Library Journal as the “grand dame of storytelling,” demonstrated her talents to several Academy classes. Dr. MacDonald has written over sixty books about folktales and storytellers and performed all over the world. The author/storyteller chose to read to her audience Tunjur! Tunjur! Tunjur!, a Palestinian folk tale.

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Josh Davis, an Olympic Gold Medalist in swimming, visited his nephew Connor’s class, showing his medals to the boys and allowing them to try them on. He talked about good nutrition and reminded them that their bodies need fuel so that then they can always do their best. When asked, “How do you swim so fast?” Josh said that lots of practice and good nutrition are important to his success.

On Weather Meteorologist, Mike Osterhage, gave a presentation on weather to Kristin Railsback’s and Janet Weatherston’s kindergarten classes. He showed the boys a weather balloon and invited them to come to KSAT 12 Weather Lab. The boys took him up on his invitation and agreed it was one of the best field trips ever!

On Reed Sharpening 101 Before heading back to school in January, Jennifer Berg, daughter of music teacher Ruth Berg, demonstrated the art of shaping simple hollow cane into intricate oboe reeds to fifth and sixth grade music classes. Having performed for Chapel, Jennifer, a Masters of Oboe Performance student from the New England Conservatory of Music, enchanted the boys with her collection of knives, staples, razor blades and diamond stones, relating the purpose of each in forming a perfectly shaped reed for playing this most important instrument of the orchestra. At the conclusion of the demonstration, fifth grade boys matched pitch on their recorders with the oboe, playing a simple song together.

On Leadership Major James O’Brien III, son of music teacher, Beth O’Brien, spoke to The Academy boys about his experiences flying C-130s in tense situations when others relied on his expertise, and calm manner and decisive leadership. His first mission as an aircraft commander supported evacuation and rescue operations in response to the devastation left by Hurricane Katrina. James has served four tours of duty in Iraq and one tour in Afghanistan. He reminded the boys of the importance of teamwork in group endeavors, advising them to remember that “it’s not all about me.”

SAA Faculty and Staff Shine Last year English Department Chair, Brendan Moore, had four short stories either accepted for publication or published.

Those included “Shelter,” published in The First Line, a Dallas magazine, (Jan. 2010); “Poison” in The View from Here, a literary magazine based in the UK (published Mar. 2010); “Jacob’s Bees” in Blue Moon Literary in California (published Dec. 2010); “Nails” in Conceit Magazine, also out of California (published in Dec./Jan) SAA Music teacher, Dr. Owen Duggan’s release “Elephant Song” has qualified for Certification as an “International Top Ten” by the International Association of Independent Recording Artists (IAIRA).

SAA nurse Terry Romo and her son, Spencer (Class of 2007) took part in the SAGE/HELPs mission, a local program that provides medical care and community development to the people of rural Guatemala. During the week long initiative Terry and Spencer, along with other volunteers, treated 1,300 patients, performed 85 surgeries, extracted decayed teeth from 120 patients, fitted many with glasses and provided care they would have otherwise never received. The experience had such a positive impact on Terry and Spencer that they decided to return the following summer.

Last October, Spanish teacher Natalie Bock, participated in the Columbia “Muddy Buddy,” a competitive six mile bike/trail team competition. She and her teammate finished third out of 35 teams in their age division.

MATHCOUNTS coach, Mike Hansen, who has fielded a team for 26 years, has led SAA to three “top three” finishes in the past four years.

He also holds the distinction of being the only liaison teacher on the Texas Society of Professional Engineers Bexar Chapter MATHCOUNTS Committee.

New Faces and New Roles Kristin Railsback’s enthusiasm and creative energy made her a good fit for SAA’s kindergarten class, where she joined Janet Weatherston. Kristin has a B.S. degree in Child Development from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Arts in Counseling from UTSA. Katherine Eversberg moved from serving as an Academy kindergarten teacher to the third grade, where she teaches math.

Katherine continued the Everyday Math program, which she had effectively implemented with her class the previous year.

Tyna Powers joined The Academy faculty as the fourth grade Social Studies teacher. Tyna was a familiar face to many, having been a substitute here for many years. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Education and over sixteen years of teaching experience.

Linda Harst’s expertise and experience made her the perfect person to assume the half-day role of Learning Specialist. Linda holds a Masters of Arts degree in Special Education/Learning Disabilities, and over twenty-five years teaching experience, including a year at the Winston School. Linda has continued to teach fourth grade English while also addressing learning styles at all grade levels.

Lindsey Harvey, SAA’s After-School Director, assumed the additional role of Primary Counselor. She has a Bachelor of Psychology in Child Development from the University of Texas San Antonio.

Mike McClintock, an alumnus of the University of Wisconsin, came to SAA with twenty years of coaching and teaching experience. Mike teaches P.E. and coaches.

Craig Jex Hawker, the new varsity soccer coach, made his presence known in the upper school soccer program by leading the undefeated Wildcats to victory at the 2011 ISAL Soccer Championship. Craig is a graduate of the University of the Incarnate Word, where he played varsity soccer, and he has thirteen years of teaching experience.

Steve Marshall continued part-time, assisting in P.E. and the military. He also served this year as SAA’s licensed Athletic Trainer.

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Math Teacher Drew began his Academy career as the new math teacher in 1971, when soon after, he garnered the moniker “Prof.

Kennedy”—a nickname alumni continue to call him.

Associate Head of School, Administrative Dean

Basketball Coach For over 35 years, Drew coached or assisted the Wildcats’ basketball team to many victories.

Young Astronauts Program Drew’s enthusiasm and knowledge of our galaxy proved the perfect fit to run the SAA Pete Conrad/John Blaha Young Astronauts program, where today, he inspires boys to reach for the stars.

40 YEARS Drew Kennedy Associate Head of School Administrative Dean

Celebrating Years of Service Each year, faculty and staff are recognized for their years of service at San Antonio Academy. Thank you for your dedication!

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San Antonio Academy of Texas

25 Years 1 Molly Aguilar Teachers Assistant

20 Years 1

2

2

John Arredondo Maintenance

3

Karl Graf Math Department Chair; 7th & 8th Grade Algebra

4

Jane Kernaghan Coordinator Library Books; 4th, 5th, 6th Grade Reading (Ret. 2004)

5

Brendan Moore English Department Chair; 8th Grade English & Literature

3

15 Years 6

4

5

6

Terri McWilliams Admissions Assistant

10 Years 7 Cathy Baumgardner 3rd & 4th Grade Science 8

Jan Fry 3rd Grade English, Reading, Social Studies

9 Alan Gielen Tech Curriculum Director; PK–6th Grade Computer 10 James Pellman 6th Grade Science

7

8

9

11 Priscilla Power 6th Grade English & Reading; Yearbook Editor 12 Becky Shimek Director of Communications 13 Tanya Weis Prekindergarten

5 Years 14 Patrick Atkerson 4th & 5th Grade Math; Assistant Commandant 15 Freddie Cedillo Maintenance

10

11

12

16 Katherine Eversburg 3rd Grade Math 17 Adam Harvey 4th–8th Grade P.E., Football, Lacrosse 18 Lindsey Harvey Director of Afterschool Care; Primary Counselor 19 Kim Stanage 5th & 7th Grade Science

Special recognition 13

14

15

16

17

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20 Maria Perez Kitchen Staff, semi-retired after 20 years

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Year in Review, 2010–2011

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45

Wildcat Sports

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San Antonio Academy of Texas

Wildcat Football Savors the Taste of Victory On October 7, 2010, one of the first cool evenings of autumn, a sea of blue blanketed the parking lot behind the stadium at the University of the Incarnate Word as Wildcat football supporters cooked out and tailgated in anticipation of the biggest face-off of the season.

“That night against San Antonio Christian School was the season’s biggest moment,” recalled Offensive Guard/Defensive Tackle Victor Lopez, one of the few seventh graders the coaches selected to play up on the varsity squad. “Having grown together as a team from the beginning of the season, we brought it all together in one emotional game,” he recalled.

“Defeating a formidable foe like SACS in our second year of existence says a lot about what we’re accomplishing,” added Head Coach Mike Heineman. In fact, the only loss suffered by either of The Academy’s teams was to St. Stephen’s School—a powerhouse program in Austin—and the loss was by one point.

“The expectations are as high as ever. That tells us we’re doing something right. But we’ll always keep pushing.”

— Coach Mike Heineman

The coaching staff included Mike Heineman (Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator), Adam Harvey (Defensive Coordinator), Mike McClintock (Offensive/Defensive Lines), Assistant Coach John Peters, and Secondary Coach Leon McNeil. Their knack for driving home the basics of the game and for developing physical players has already helped make a name for Wildcat football across the city.

“Our team plays a physical game and is very fundamentally prepared. The offense is unpredictable, and our defensive tacklers get their job done,” Coach Heineman remarked.

“Academy football brings lots of energy and enthusiasm,” Coach Harvey added. “The 2010 team liked to have fun, but when it was time to get serious, they were outstanding.

They played very well together as a team.”

“Everyone consistently did the job he was called to do,” Harvey said, pointing out key playmakers including Lopez, Quarterback/ Linebacker Dalton Banks, Running Back/Defensive Back Zach Ford, and Slot Receiver/ Safety Marshall Thurmond.

Clad for the 2011 season in brand new crisp white uniforms, the Wildcats expect to bring to the field their same aggressive, unpredictable style as they face their toughest schedule yet. With more public school and out-of-town opponents, SAA football will have its limits tested once again.

Next season will certainly be interesting as the team seeks to continue the level of energy and excitement it’s already built. “The expectations are as high as ever,” Coach Heineman said. “That tells us we’re doing something right. But we’ll always keep pushing.”

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athletics

New Coach Takes Us All the Way to the Top SAA’s 2010 Varsity soccer team, under Coach Craig Hawker’s guidance, took no prisoners while winning the League Championship to finish out a perfect, undefeated season. Few will soon forget the nail-biting final moments of the scoreless championship game when, finally, eighth grader Zach Ford blasted a shot past the St. George goalie, resulting in a 1-0 win and the jubilant, impromptu team dog-pile that ensued.

“Coach Hawker made it clear that there was a time for work and a time for play. Practice was a time for work. That really helped us prepare physically and mentally for the game.”

— Seth Rodriguez

“Finishing the season undefeated was a great way to start my time at SAA,” said Coach Hawker. “It has set the standard for future SAA varsity teams. I would very much like to defend our league and playoff titles this next fall.” Speaking of future SAA varsity teams, it’s fair to say the outlook is bright. A few highly talented sixth and seventh graders were selected to play on the varsity squad in ’10 and are expected to form the core of what’s anticipated to be a competitive team in 2011.

One of those talented youngsters, 7th grade midfielder Seth Rodriguez, recalled that his new coach’s no-nonsense approach to practice was key to the team’s success on the field. “Coach Hawker made it clear that there was a time for work and a time for play,” Seth said. “Practice was a time for work. That really helped us prepare physically and mentally for the game.”

Seth also attributed the Wildcats’ victories to the team’s speed. SAA forwards would catch defenders off guard, he said, speeding past them to score. Likewise, the quick-footed Wildcat defense seldom allowed its opponents a clear view of the goal.

With a strong crop of incoming underclassmen, many of whom have been honing their skills on the developmental team, the 2011 soccer squad will likely boast a talented, albeit young, roster.

SAA’s success with league teams, coupled with the hugely popular intramural program that begins in PreK, has Coach Hawker excited about the potential for Wildcat soccer in the coming years. “By the time the young guys are 6th, 7th, and 8th graders, they could be the strongest varsity groups we’ve had at The Academy,” he predicted. “Only time will tell.”

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Cross-Country Runs Through the Finish Never underestimate the power of a 4’8”, sixty-five pound eleven-year-old when it comes to sheer guts and endurance. That’s one big lesson Coach Natalie Bock has learned in her six years of coaching Cross-Country at San Antonio Academy.

In 2010, the seven-man varsity line up changed with each meet, as runners competed against each other to earn the right to represent The Academy. And while the very head of the pack typically consisted of upperclassman, the depth of the varsity squad reflected the talents of some of the sport’s youngest runners.

Having the versatility to run 5th and 6th graders up on the varsity squad is a major advantage for SAA,” said Coach Bock. “Our youngest runners are sometimes among the most talented. They’re very enthusiastic about cross-country and eager for their first opportunity to represent The Academy in interscholastic sports.”

With top spots up for grabs each week, all runners put their best foot forward at every meet, hoping to make it to the varsity team. This competitive attitude helped the Wildcats earn a third-place finish or better at all but one of the six invitationals of their fall 2010 season, including a third place finish in the 11-team League Championship meet.

”…it’s our unique depth that enables us as a team to be such a consistent contender at each event.”

— Coach Natalie Bock

One dedicated young runner was sixth-grader Alexander Johnson, who in the two years he’s participated in cross-country, has made the varsity cut for several meets. He got there, he said, by going the proverbial extra mile and committing to the sport all season long, and longer. “If you really want to be on the varsity, you have to take the athome workouts and summer training seriously,” he said.

Other top performers in the 2010 season included Marshall Beldon, John Luke Mannix, Ben Rindler, Vincent Notzon, Matthew Pisano, and Brendan Tibbetts.

Cross-country is unique in that it is a team and an individual sport. All skill levels contribute to the team’s success. And what the 2010 team may have lacked in stature, it made up for in quantity, with over two dozen Academy boys competing at any given meet. “In fact,” said Coach Bock, “just seeing 25 blue jerseys spread out across the starting line probably grabbed the attention of other schools!”

With a host of returning runners and a crop of new young athletes, the 2011 season should be as lively as its predecessor. “I know that from our ranks will emerge those several dedicated guys who will be leading the pack.” said Coach Bock. ”But it’s our unique depth that enables us as a team to be such a consistent contender at each event.”

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athletics

“When you’re having fun, you don’t get nervous. You don’t get scared, and you play well. Winning takes care of itself when you focus on the fundamentals.”

— Coach Mike Heineman

Basketball Takes the Fun Road to Victory “It was as fun a year as I’ve ever had.” That’s how Coach Mike Heineman remembers the 2010-2011 Wildcat basketball season. And with just about 50% of SAA’s 6th-8th graders shooting hoops as part of an Academy basketball team, it’s clear a lot of other guys have discovered a great opportunity.

All upper-school teams turned in a strong showing in their respective leagues. The greatest victories came to the undefeated 7th grade team, and to Coach James Pellman’s 6th grade squad, which both won their league tournaments.

The talented eighth grade team suffered one defeat during the regular season, but found their time at the tournament cut short when Concordia Lutheran School defeated them in the semifinals. Seniors Zach Ford, Bart Zachry, and Dalton Banks were among the starters who represented SAA on its varsity squad.

“Though losses hurt,” said Coach Heineman, “the scoreboard is always secondary to the growth opportunities basketball provides SAA’s young athletes. We had a really great time all year. Especially that eighth grade team,“ Heineman recalled with a laugh. “This year’s focus was as much on teaching, having fun, and developing players, as it was on winning,” he said.

Seventh-grade starting point guard Raul Aguilar credits early training for at least part of his team’s undefeated season. “The coaches do a good job with the intramural programs preparing younger players to be ready to represent SAA against other schools,” he said.

As he and his teammates look forward to their eighth grade year, Aguilar anticipates that they’ll focus on precision in passing, gaining speed up and down the court, and studying Coach Heineman’s great offensive and defensive plays. And, of course, having a really good time. “When you’re having fun,” Coach Heineman agreed, “you don’t get nervous. You don’t get scared, and you play well. Winning takes care of itself when you focus on the fundamentals.”

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Tennis Clenches Top Ranks in the League San Antonio Academy coaches like to win. But, more important, they enjoy helping young people learn to overcome adversity and develop their character. If you ask Coach Zander, he’d tell you few endeavors offer such a deep opportunity for personal growth as tennis.

“SAA tennis players were often complimented on their conduct, effort and character.”

— Coach Zander

This year he helped guide thirteen athletes of widely varying abilities through a rigorous season, ending with SAA taking home the gold in both the doubles bracket and singles bracket at the championship tournament. Overall, the Wildcats finished third in the league.

The formidable twosome of Jonathan Gottsman (8th grade) and John Luke Mannix (7th grade), advanced to the championship match, where they defeated one final pair of opponents to win the doubles division of the ISAL tournament.

In similar fashion, fifth-grader Campbell Erwin faced a much older opponent in the singles championship round.

His challenger was up four sets to two and Campbell realized he was about to lose his chance for the gold. “I needed another tactic, to find where he was weak, because what I was doing obviously wasn’t working. So I sneaked up to the net a lot and tried to get him to panic,” Campbell recalled. After he won the next four straight games and accepted his first place trophy, it was evident his new tactic worked well.

Campbell is now ranked, in at least one poll, as one of the top 6th grade tennis players in Texas.

While happy with the team’s success on the court, Coach Zander is proudest of his players’ sportsmanship. With no referee on the court, each player must make the calls on his own side of the court fairly, perhaps even to the advantage of his opponent. “SAA tennis players were often complimented on their conduct, effort and character,” Zander said, and that is the tradition of which he’s most proud.

Year in Review, 2010–2011

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athletics

“Since The Academy is small in number and small in size, other schools might have underestimated us.”

— Garrett Wingrove

3, 2, 1, Blast Off! The Wildcats, as they are known to do in the…well…wild, didn’t make much of a peep as they stealthily sneaked up on their adversaries during the spring 2011 track season. A quiet third place finish at the SACS invitational, followed by a noticeable 2nd place finish at the FEAST meet, and then…POUNCE! The fifth and sixth grade Wildcats dominated the League Championship meet, defeating 11 other schools and bringing home the championship trophy.

Since the team was split in two at each meet (5/6 grade and 7/8 grade), most track athletes found themselves enjoying the chance to dabble in competitive events across the board during the brief three-meet season. Under the instruction of coaches Natalie Bock and Tony Aguilar, any given athlete at any given meet might be trying his hand at events ranging from the triple jump, to the discus, to a distance-medley relay, or even the hurdles. While the greatest team victories were awarded to the more robust younger squad, the 7th and 8th grade team also made very respectable performances, finishing 6th out of 14 teams in the league meet.

Perhaps because of its rich history, some consider track to be the ultimate expression of athleticism, said Coach Bock. “But, it’s also one in which all skill levels can participate without intimidation,” she said. “Our program provides ample training ground for the serious competitor who will go on to run in high school track and beyond.

Track also serves the equal and perhaps greater purpose of exposing some boys, who don’t yet perceive themselves to be athletic, to a new sport which many are surprised to find they not only enjoy, but at which they happen to be pretty good!”

Sixth grader Garrett Wingrove, who represented SAA in field events, sprint relays, and the 400 meter run, felt that his squad was poised to win the league meet “Since The Academy is small in number and small in size, other schools might have underestimated us.” The Wildcats’ secret, he said, was “knowing that technique is just as important as speed.” So the boys practiced their relay handoffs, triple jump steps, and discus rotation until they could do them in their sleep, and by meet day, the Wildcats had technique down to a science.

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Lacrosse Stays on Top of the City Again You never know how, when, or where your team’s talent will emerge. After losing several star players from the 2010 season—you know, the kind who eat, breathe, and sleep the sport—the Wildcat lacrosse team anticipated a possible rebuilding year in 2011.

Well, the rebuilding didn’t take long. With a crop of over three dozen promising athletes, the “A” team went 7-1 for an outstanding season, and the “B” team, which finished the season 1-2, served as a solid training ground as well.

“It’s always interesting to see who your emerging stars will be,” said Coach Harvey. The 2011 team, as it turned out, was full of stars, including 7th grader G.W. Bodden, and seniors Ben Rindler, Conoly Koontz, Bart Zachry, and Caleb Snow, among a host of others.

The keys to success: relationships and teamwork, according to Zachry, who stood out in both the midfield and as a goalie. “Other schools weren’t expecting us to be great,” he said, recalling the beginning of the 2011 season. “Our coaches worked hard to build strong relationships with all the athletes, and we bonded really well together as a team.”

That atmosphere paved the way to a season just as strong as the previous two, when SAA emerged ranked as the top middle school lacrosse program in the city. Most everyone would agree that the 2011 highlight was coming back to beat previouslyundefeated TMI in the final match-up of the season. Earlier in the season the Panthers beat the Wildcats in a painful 6-5 loss. But SAA settled the score, said Head Coach Adam Harvey, with a satisfying 3-2 victory in the last game of the year.

As he gears his squad up for the 2012 spring season, Coach Harvey, along with his new assistant, Coach McClintock, plans to focus on tactics to gain and keep ball possession, and to continue to earn SAA’s reputation as a physical team that plays with focus and precision. “Other schools know they are going to have to play mistakefree lacrosse, because The Academy is known for capitalizing on mistakes,” he said.

“Our coaches worked hard to build strong relationships with all the athletes, and we bonded really well together as a team.”

— Bart Zachry

Year in Review, 2010–2011

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Making Cents

Annual Fund Reaches School Record—Again!

Thanks to Parents, Trustees, Faculty & Staff for Supporting SAA Boys 100%!

Fall Family Fair

The 2010 Fall Family Fair, “Building Character for 125 Years,” was a historical success! Guests enjoyed old favorites such as the obstacle course, eighth grade haunted house, karaoke, silent auction, caterpillar crawl, fajitas, pizza and gorditas. New this year, a photo booth was added to catch memories of the fun; the flautas and cotton candy were also a huge hit. In addition to the great food from The Academy kitchen and the SAA “Grill Kings,” DoubleDave’s PizzaWorks, Lisa’s Mexican Restaurant, HEB, Sweet Designs, Pepsi Co., Freddy’s Frozen Custard, Silver Eagle Distributors, Lily’s Cookies, Los Barrios, Paloma Blanca, Panchito’s and La Fonda on Main, contributed to the feast.

Led by chairs Anne and Greg Seay and co-chairs Jodi and Michael Wood, the Fall Family Fair Committee included over 60 parent leaders and committee members.

Over 250 in-kind donors contributed auction items, materials and supplies, and the contributions of 50 underwriters helped offset the cost of the event. Over 130 parents worked one-hour shifts in the booths and many others invested their time over the last nine months in planning each aspect of the Fair, which was attended by over 1,300 Academy family members, friends and neighbors. Congratulations to everyone on a job very well done!

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Spring Thing 2011 Thanks for joining us during the 125th Anniversary party! 275 parents, grandparents, alumni, faculty and staff and Academy friends reminisced and reconnected at the 15th Annual Spring Thing held at the San Antonio Country Club.

Over 130 businesses and individuals contributed auction items to the event. Academy alumni Peter Howard, Allen Treviño, Max and Sam Woldenberg with their band The June Junes, and Academy faculty member Karl Graf, entertained the guests with their exceptional musical abilities. Everyone enjoyed live and silent auctions and a special evening of fun in celebration of the school’s quasquicentennial.

A team of parents, led by Celinda Guerra, created a mini museum, which showcased photos, awards, yearbooks, vintage uniforms and the original register of students from the opening day of classes in 1886.

Local television weather celebrity, Mike Osterhage, emceed the event and Joey Tomlinson kept the bidders in stitches while raising money in the live auction. Tina and Dom Grazioli walked away with a memorable souvenir: a free tuition credit!

Thanks go to event Chairmen Jennifer and Bob Shemwell and Co-Chairmen Sarah and Cameron Powell and their hard-working committee for putting together a fabulous event.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR Spring Thing 2012 Saturday, March 31 Blue Star Contemporary Art Center Chairs: Jenny & Jeff Schoebelen Co-chairs: Vanessa & Jim Casey

Parents’ Club Raises Money for Smart Boards Thanks to the commitment of Parents’ Club officers, class representatives and committee chairmen, along with the many volunteers who generously gave of their time throughout the year, the Parents’ Club raised $12,000 toward the purchase of three portable Smart Boards.

Grandparents’ Day On November 19, Academy Grandparents and Trustees were treated to a special luncheon hosted

by Mrs. Helen Groves and Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Traylor at Club Giraud. During the annual luncheon, the concert choir delighted those in attendance with songs of the season. Later in the day, more than 500 grandparents, grandfriends and parents attended events on campus, including a choral performance by the primary school and a Pass-InReview, performed by the upper school on Frost Field. Grandparents and grandsons enjoyed spending the picture-perfect afternoon touring the campus and meeting with teachers.

Year in Review, 2010–2011

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enrichment

Parenting Lectures are Free Resource to City In addition to instructing her Enrichment Classes and teaching children to love books through her Early Bird Reading Programs, Cathy Cummins is on a mission to help inspire and educate parents in the community by presenting free parenting lectures, which focus on timely and popular topics by authors in the education field. Cathy navigates through best sellers such as, The Excellent 11, by the 2001 “Teacher of the Year” author Ron Clark, a book which examines the qualities that teachers and parents should demonstrate in order to motivate and educate children. Other topics such as “Dumbing Down our Kids” and “The Organized Student” addresses how parents can monitor and manage children so that they achieve their maximum potential. As part of her free presentations, Cathy provides complimentary handouts, planners and other resources so that parents have the tools to help reinforce their new-found knowledge.

To view the class schedule, please visit sa-academy.org, and click on the Enrichment menu tab found on the homepage.

The Enrichment Program/ Reading Institute offers extraordinary enrichment classes to San Antonio Academy students and boys and girls, ages 4-14, from South Texas. The hands-on enrichment classes include instruction in Orton-based phonics, reading and language arts, math, science, social studies, art and more.

SAA Reading Institute For decades, Cathy Cummins’ Early Bird Reading Program has taught thousands of children learn how to read and has served as a learning model for community instructors who teach Orton Phonics. The program’s success has continued to flourish with the addition of Reading Masters, designed to build upon the reading skills acquired through Early Bird. The two programs have proven so popular that there is often a steady wait list, enrolling over 140 children on a weekly basis, and reaching boys and girls from SAA’s private and public sectors to children from cities as far as Eagle Pass, Laredo and McAllen.

Summer At The Academy The reputation of SAA’s summer enrichment classes continues to extend well beyond French Place, enrolling over 1,800 students, who came from across the U.S.—including Colorado, Utah, Connecticut, New York, Virginia and Florida—to beyond international borders from as far away as Russia, Columbia, Korea and Mexico. Much of the program’s success can be attributed to the many talented instructors who offer a diverse array of over 390 classes, and also to the support of the summer staff: Brendan Moore, James Pellman and Yulanee McKnight, who with the help of a dedicated group of counselors, were once again able to produce a fun and memorable program.

Among the summer highlights, renowned card mechanic, Richard Turner, placed Summer At The Academy in the media spotlight as the San Antonio Express-News covered the instructor’s popular card class, celebrating its ninth year at The Academy. And the month of July went out with a bang, as Kathy TorralvaVilla’s Rocket Launch class caught the attention of WOAI TV, which aired footage of students firing-off mini-rockets to coincide with the final NASA space shuttle launch.

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Alumni

Homecoming Weekend In honor of SAA’s 125th anniversary, alumni and former students were invited back to campus to celebrate “Homecoming Weekend” on October 15 and 16.

Festivities began on October 15 with Alumni Day serving as the kickoff event for the special weekend, as Mr. John E. Newman Class of 1961, was recognized as this year’s Col. W. T. Bondurant, Jr. Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient. Mr. Newman shared wisdom from his fond experiences at SAA with the boys during Chapel. Over 40 alumni were present for the Alumni Muster, including SAA’s oldest alumnus, Dr. Light T. Cummings, from the Class of 1929.

The Homecoming Weekend concluded on October 16 with a gathering at the Alumni Pavilion during the Fall Family Fair. Over 60 SAA alumni reconnected with former classmates and faculty members (past and present) including: Lucha Bolen, Barry Bradley, Drew Kennedy, Natalie Bock, Molly Aguilar, John Webster, Dixie Clark, Dan Young, Shirley and James Berdecio, Susan Smith Johnson and Trish Kreger.

A highlight of the evening was an alumni memory wall, which served as a great conversation piece, showcasing photos and other memorabilia from SAA’s past.

Blue Bonnet Legacy Families Inducted On March 7, the first four families were inaugurated into the Blue Bonnet Legacy Society—a group consisting of families who have sent four or more generations of boys to San Antonio Academy. The Academy’s 125th anniversary celebration year was the perfect opportunity to recognize these families.

The inductees were the Altgelt, the Frost, the Steves and the White (pictured) families. To learn more about the families, please visit the San Antonio Academy Museum, where memorabilia is on display. In the following years we anticipate celebrating the legacy of additional members to the Blue Bonnet Legacy Society. As The Academy moves forward, it is important that we remember our heritage and the families who are a unique part of the school’s history.

Ranchers’ Reunion In honor of our 125th anniversary, Jim Donnell ’50 and Charles Noble ’43 created a reunion for Alumni who share the common bond of being from a ranching family. On April 8, The Academy hosted a “Ranchers’ Reunion” on campus. Attendees joined the boys for lunch and afterwards were treated to special student performances including a reprise of Dustin Brownlow‘s ’11 winning speech in the Col. W. T. Bondurant Jr., Oratorical Contest. A special drill team closed the program with a military salute as the alumni prepared to depart.

In Memoriam Monsignor Joseph H. Crosthwait ’36 Justin Graham Gill ’99 Sam Hay Harper, Jr. (attended ‘41–’44) Darrell “Moose” Muzquiz ’85 Porter Loring, Jr. ’42 George Michael O’Leary ’39

Year in Review, 2010–2011

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alumni

Spotlight: Class of 2006 Max and Sam Woldenberg, aka The June Junes While attending San Antonio Academy—half a decade ago— twins Max and Sam Woldenberg left a lasting impression on everyone they met, including SAA faculty member Alan Gielen who recalls, “Sam starting taking guitar lessons from me when he was in the fifth grade and by sixth grade, he began to create his own songs. Max also joined the guitar club so he could learn how to play. I knew Max and Sam both wanted to be performers.”

Spring Thing event March 2011 Sam (on guitar) and Max Woldenberg take time out from promoting their Los Angeles band, The June Junes, to give back to San Antonio Academy by performing during the annual Spring Thing fundraiser.

After graduating from SAA in 2006, Max and Sam relocated to Los Angeles in pursuit of ‘the different music opportunities’ L.A. had to offer. It wasn’t long until the teenage brothers found their voice and began writing songs and producing music they label “alternative pop rock.”

Fast forward to the present, where today, the charismatic duo is now striving to leave an imprint in the music industry as The June Junes. The band’s debut release last spring, “She’s the Latest One,” has already scored promotional deals with companies including Guess, Kohl’s, Champs Sports and Foot Locker—all showcasing the video in its stores. In addition to their video exposure, The June Junes had two of their songs featured in an indie film, “When Harry Tries to Marry,” and the two were also highlighted in the August 2011 issue of Billboard magazine.

The pair’s hard work and focus has helped them to achieve the success the band enjoys today. But they also attribute their accomplishments, in part, to the foundation The Academy gave them. “SAA has impacted my life in many ways…the most substantial influence is its emphasis on social values and character,” says Max, adding “…by teaching us to treat others with respect and to maintain our dignity, I have grown to become a better person and a better man.” Sam relates that “SAA instilled a desire for me to strive for excellence…molding me into the person I am today.”

No matter where their musical endeavors might take them, it’s certain that Max and Sam will leave a little imprint of SAA behind wherever they may go.

Passing out gummy worms as the CoHeadmasters for a Day, April 2003: “A true view about what it was like being a ‘Guapo’ (aka Mr. Webster), for a Day.” — Sam Woldenberg recalling one of his favorite SAA memories.

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For videos, updates and tour schedules, please visit thejunejunes.com.

Class Notes Last spring Lieutenant Brett Joiner ’84, accompanied by his crew of five officers from Fire Station #17, stopped by The Academy to teach the primary boys about fire safety and also to host a mini tour of their fire engine, much to the delight of the students.

Chris McKnight ’88 made his debut exhibition at the Three Walls gallery with his series of comedic photographs “No Country For Old Tippi,” which chronicles his cross-country travels photographing a Tippi Hedren Barbie (from Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds) over the course of a year.

Last year Thomas Cummins ’89 was a Resident Fellow at Yaddo, a renowned artist community in Saratoga Springs, New York. Recently, Thomas took part in an exhibition called “Space,” which focused on the use of empty space and architecture. For information about upcoming shows please visit: thomascummins.com.

Congratulations to Chris Galvan ’90 and his wife, Emily Hibberd, who were married on March 19, 2011. Twin brother, Steve Galvan ’90, served as Chris’ Best Man.

Congratulations to Brian Steward ’79 and his wife, Hannah Williams, who were married on November 19, 2010. SAA alumni in attendance including (pictured above): Javier Rocha ’91, Corbin Snow ’77, Caleb Snow ’11, George Bodden ’84, Asa Crow ’09, Nicholas Prete ’08, Eric Duxstad ’79, Brian Steward ’79, Alex Bathie ’08, Hank Leeper ’06, Travis Mellard ’76, Sam Noble ’79, Richard Rowland ’79 and Head of School, John Webster.

Year in Review, 2010–2011

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alumni

Join SAA Alumni Association on Facebook

In February Javier Rocha ’91, Alumni Council President, presented a Chapel talk about the experiences he enjoyed at San Antonio Academy. During his speech he mentioned that during his time at SAA Barry Bradley’s lunch table had the reputation of requiring students to try each dish…including the vegetables.

His emphatic warnings about Mr. Bradley’s love of vegetables inspired Alex Pfirrmann ’11 to draw this cartoon (pictured).

Audrey and Javier Rocha ’91 (pictured), are the proud parents of Christian Carlos Rocha, born April 11, 2011.

G.J. Groos ’93 was named Head of Operations at 24 Hour Fitness.

Members of The Academy’s Class of 1995 reunited last June for an engagement party for Jason Conley ‘95 and his fiancée held at the San Antonio home of Weisie and John Steen, Jr. ‘63. Pictured from left to right: Justin Jaffe, Mike Yates, Houston Frost, Jason Conley, Tom Turner, Headmaster John Webster and John Steen III. Jason and the former Jamelle Royster were married July 9, 2011, in Washington, D.C. Jason, who plays professionally in the European Basketball League, remains in the record books as the only freshman to ever lead NCAA Division I in scoring.

Tom Turner ’95 married Elizabeth Anne Lloyd on February 12, 2011 in Dripping Springs, Texas. Fellow SAA alums in the wedding party included Best Man, Houston Frost ‘95, John T. Steen ‘95 and Michael Yates ‘95. In attendance were SAA graduates Don Frost ’72, John T. Steen Jr. ’61 and Michael Ford ’61.

Benjamin Norris Samples, II ’97 (pictured) received his juris doctorate degree at Southern University. He was officially administered the “Oath and Swearing In” during a ceremony in Austin, Texas last November.

Since his studies abroad in Iraq and Afghanistan have provided keen insight into U.S. Military involvement there, Travis DeArman ’99 (pictured) was invited to Barry Bradley’s 8th grade history class, where he was asked to testify as an expert witness before committees of the 8th Grade Mock Congress. The “Representatives and Senators” stated that the information they acquired, especially pertaining to the effectiveness of Operation Desert Storm, gave them a greater appreciation of bills they would like to introduce in their respective legislative bodies.

After receiving a note that his artwork would be displayed on the San Antonio Academy Memory Wall, Mike Wagner ’01 and former classmate David Medina ’04, came to SAA in search of his long lost 4th grade art project. Mike was happily reunited with his “masterpiece” and was pleasantly surprised to learn it had been on display for years in the Franklin House.

Reggie Hargrove ’05 completed his second year at the United States Air Force Academy.

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Nick Capote ’03 graduated last spring from Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in the pharmaceutical sciences. He has been accepted to the University of Tennessee’s College of Pharmacy where this fall he started on a Doctor of Pharmacy degree.

Eric Molina ‘03 is a senior at Stanford, where he is majoring in pre-med.

Phillip Hargrove ’06 completed his first year at Stanford.

Jerry Harris ’06 is enrolled in the Honors Program at Santa Monica College and has been hard at work producing his first CD. As part of the entertainment lineup, Allen Treviño ’06 (pictured) played piano for guests attending the Spring Thing 2011 event at the San Antonio Country Club.

Allen is a graduate of Churchhill High School and has completed his freshman year at Stanford University, where he is a pre-med human biology major.

Over the past two summers, Allen has worked at UTHSCSA assisting with cardiology research. He plans to continue studying piano and organ at Stanford next year and play in more recitals and competitions.

Henry Guerra ’07 began his studies this fall at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. During his senior year at TMI, he was named a Semi Finalist in the National Merit Scholarship program and a National Hispanic Scholar.

Spencer Romo ’07 began his studies this fall at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. During his senior year at TMI, Spencer was named a National Merit Scholarship Finalist and a National Hispanic Scholar.

Wesley Miller ’09 is a member of the varsity basketball team at Alamo Heights, where last April, he took part in a tournament benefitting a fellow team mate who had been injured during the school year. (Pictured: Wesley takes a break during the benefit game to hang out with a few young fans).

A new non-profit founded

by Doreè and Bart Koontz, “AugustHeart” is a communitywide program dedicated to providing free heart screenings to Bexar County student athletes, ages 14 to 18. The program was created to honor August Koontz ‘05, whose life was cut short due to an undiagnosed heart condition called Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), which is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes.

The first screening, held last August, was a great success as over 300 athletes participated.

The program involved the Bexar County hospital systems, a team of pediatric cardiologists, nurses, echocardiogram technicians, area high school athletic programs, coaches, parents, sponsors and an army of volunteers. For more information please visit Augustheart.org Year in Review, 2010–2011

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commencement

125 Reasons to Celebrate On May 27, 40 young Academy men passed through the Bondurant Gate. From the Salutatory Address by Ben Rindler to Roshan Nair’s Valedictory Address, to closing comments from Honorary Scholar Alexander Pfirrmann, the 125th Commencement marked the conclusion to an historic 125th school year.

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San Antonio Academy of Texas

Men in Blue

Get your Wildcat on

at the Cat Shack Spirit Store!

Browse online www.sa-academy.org Visit the store Open Wednesday, 2:45–5 pm on the ground floor of Taylor Hall

Year in Review, 2010–2011

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Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage PAID San Antonio, TX Permit No. 3054

San Antonio Academy of Texas 117 East French Place San Antonio, Texas 78212-5899 Address Service Requested

8th Grade Class Gift SAA boys have a new place to sit and gather thanks to the graduating Class of 2011, who raised money throughout the year to purchase the benches as a gift to The Academy.

Special thanks go to the Parents’ Club Eighth Grade Committee, and to Deborah Miller, who spearheaded the effort.

Tex Hill Scholarship Program Now Accepting Applications October 3, 2011–January 6, 2012 San Antonio Academy proudly announces the Tex Hill Scholarship Program which provides tuition, fees, textbooks and uniforms to two fifth grade boys who will attend San Antonio Academy during their 6th, 7th and 8th grade years.

Visit www.sa-academy.org OR call 210.733.7331 for application details.

San Antonio Academy admits students of all race, color, and national or ethnic origin. Accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest. Member of the National Association of Independent Schools.