The Highlander: Spring/Summer 2019

SPRING/SUMMER 2019

SAVE the DATE Saturday APRIL 18, 2020

The Sky's the Limit for St. Andrew's!

CONTENTS 12

WE ARE ATHLETES

28 GROWING THE PARK W/ THE PROS

31 32

6 8 12

14

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Most Likely to Succeed Wonder. Discover.

Science.

Growing The PARK with the Pro’s Counseling Excellence

NINE MILE GAP

34 WISH UPON A STAR

37

WE ARE SERVANTS FRIENDS OF JACLYN

34 36 37

When You Wish Upon a Star Hunger Takes a Holiday Friends of Jaclyn

38

WE ARE SCHOLARS

COUNSELING EXCELLENCE

18

18 22

Frontiers of Drug Discovery Research Medals & Smiles at PSIA

WE ARE ARTISTS

24 27 FRONTIERS OF DRUG DISCOVERY RESEARCH

Bridging the Nine Mile Gap Preparing for the Next Level SAS Packs the House

28

“Newsies” Tony Awards Honor Garcia

38 40 42 52

Record-Breaking $1M Raised for St. Andrew’s Students The Class of 2023 Commencement The Class of 2019 Graduation Alumni News

RECORD-BREAKING $1M RAISED AT GALA

42 CLASS OF 2019 GRADUATION

St. Andrew’s parents and faculty joined

together to discuss the evolution of educational practices on March 28, providing them a unique opportunity to share personal experiences and opinions in an engaging format. To provide some context for the discussion, LS Director of Curriculum Geoff Harrison asked attendees to read the book “Most Likely to Succeed: Preparing Our Kids for the Innovation Era” by Tony Wagner and Ted Dintersmith.

Harrison explained, “The book addresses our present educational situation and the possibilities of where we can head in the future. Attendees that did not see the documentary or read the book were still able to actively engage in the discussion groups.”

“What I appreciated about this event was the opportunity to learn more about the philosophy and reasoning behind the teaching model that St. Andrew’s strives to emulate,” said Amanda Seats, parent of Isla ‘28 and August ‘31.

“Attending this event solidified my belief that our faculty, teachers, and parents can join together and thoughtfully discuss how we are educating our children today while contemplating a better way to prepare them for tomorrow,” said Michelle Strauss, parent of Aidan ‘27, Owen ‘30, and Andrew ‘32.

LS Spanish teacher Rebecca Jobe remarked how Harrison’s careful planning “ensured that we had a chance to connect with a variety of attendees in a small-group discussion format.

It was a valuable experience and made me appreciate the wonderful learning community that we are a part of.”

Most Likely to Succeed When you think back on your school experiences, what had the biggest impact on you? If you could change one aspect of kids’ educational journey today, what would it be?

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Reflecting on the success of this gathering, Harrison said, “The goal moving forward is to build on this first gathering of 45 attendees and have more participants in the future.” He added, “It is exciting to know that we are considering different pedagogical practices to meet the needs of our students.”

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BY BROOKE VAN ZANDT PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRYAN DUNN

OH

Science, at its heart, is about the thrill of discovery. Fueled by the wonder of why’s and how’s, scientific thinking brings amazement and alters human history. Our Episcopal values offers the focus specifically to prepare the next generation of discovers to bring not only progress but also compassion and empathy to a world of social and technological complexity. For the Science Research Symposium’s inaugural year, we celebrated the richness of emotion that leads us to unravel and grapple with questions that has us continuing to ask the why’s and how’s.

Science, at its heart, is about the thrill of discovery.

Fueled by the wonder of whys and hows, scientific thinking brings amazement and alters human history.

At St. Andrew’s, our Episcopal values inspire us to prepare the next generation of discoverers to bring not only progress but also compassion and empathy to a world of social and technological complexity.

For the Science Research Symposium’s inaugural year, we celebrated the rich complexity of discovery that drives us to ask “Why? How?”

Wonder. Discover. Science.

WONDER. DISCOVER. SCIENCE.

“Too often do students engage exclusively with the The event intended to be a celebration of science across theories and laws of science, not the process,” said the two campuses, with representation and Bryan Dunn, steering committee chair of St. Andrew’s participation from students in the lower, middle and Research Symposium. Dan Latrille, Chair of the upper schools. “An important part of the symposium “Too Science often students engage exclusively with the “An important part of the symposium was proving Upper School Science Department echoes the word’s of was proving that all types of people can pursue Dunn, “At St. Andrew’s we believe in engaging students science,” said Samuel Zapalac ‘20, of a member of can the pursue science,” said theories and laws of science, but not the process,” that all types people in the process and thinking as scientists. This is seen in steering committee, “and learning to immerse oneself the curriculum acrosschair subjectof areas the modelingScience said Bryan Dunn, St.from Andrew’s in the process ofSamuel science.” Zapalac ‘20, a member of the steering approach to physics to inquiry based labs in chemistry Research committee, “and learning and muchSymposium’s more in between.” steering committee.Next year the Science Research Symposium will return to immerse oneself in but with a new 2-day format, giving people more time Dan Latreille, chair of the Upper School Science the process of science.”

On January 30, 2019 students, faculty, staff, parents, to engage and more opportunities for others to take and guests were welcome to wander through the lobby“At St. part in celebrating the exciting work and importance department echoes the words of Dunn, of the Dell Performing Arts Center stumbling on that science has in our world that is being done at St. Andrew’s believe in engaging students inAndrew’s. the MarkNext year the Science Symposium will wonderswe of science where St. Andrew’s hosted its your calendar for January 29-30Research for inaugural Science Research Symposium. The feelings the 2020 Science Research Symposium. process and thinking asdoing scientists.

This return, but with a two-day format, giving people evoked in the process of science were theis seen FROM TOP LEFT (CLOCKWISE): (1) The winning submission for the periodic table contest was revealed at the symposium; (2) Guests of the symposium were able to for this across year’s theme, “Wonder.

Discover. special thanks to this year’s presenting to sponsor, in theinspiration curriculum subject areas from Athe more opportunities celebrate our students’ contribute to an interactive display sharing ideas that they have wondered about by posting to the “wonder wall”; (3) research posters were on display throughout the Science.”

PerkinElmer for their support to St. Andrew’s science day for guests modeling approach in physics to inquiry-based work.

Mark your calendar for to check out some of the science research happening on campus; (4) some Upper School and Middle School students presented their research findings to research program and to the many other businesses for January 29-30 guests during oral presentations; (5) 7th grade students minds were sparked with cool chemistry demonstrations by Upper School chemistry teacher Katie Osiecki; (6) that helped to make this a special event. st

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labs in chemistry and much more in between.”

original art work from the 1 the 2020 Science Research Symposium.

Students, faculty, staff, parents, and guests gathered in the lobby of the Dell Fine Arts Center on January 30 to experience St. Andrew’s inaugural Science Research Symposium. The feelings evoked during scientific discovery were the inspiration for this year’s theme, “Wonder.

Discover. Science.” The event was a celebration of science across campuses, with participation from students in the Lower, Middle and Upper Schools.

To learn more about the annual Science Research Symposium visit www.sasaustin.org/srs.

A special thanks to this year’s presenting sponsor, PerkinElmer, and HalfPricedBanners for their support to St. Andrew’s science research program and to the many other businesses that helped to make this a special event.

graders were on displayed which incorporated the principles of light and waves.

FROM TOP LEFT (CLOCKWISE): (1) The winning submission for the periodic table contest was revealed at the symposium; (2) Guests of the symposium were able to contribute to an interactive display sharing their “wonders” by posting to the “wonder wall”; (3) research posters were on display throughout the day for guests to check out the science research happening on campus; (4) some Upper School and Middle School students presented their research findings to guests during oral presentations; (5) Sixth grade students minds were sparked with some cool chemistry demonstrations by Upper School chemistry teacher Katie Osiecki; (6) original artwork from the first-graders were on display which incorporated the principles of light and waves.

St. Andrew’s Episcopal School // sasaustin.org // 9

Our Researchers In addition to upper-level science electives, St. Andrew’s offers students the opportunity to perform independent research on a topic of choice. Beyond showcasing their work at St. Andrew’s Science Research Symposium, students exhibited their work at the Austin Regional Science Festival this spring—one of the largest of its kind with over 800 projects represented.

Meet some of the St. Andrew’s researchers who pursued their passion for science this year:

Dorothy Thompson ‘19

Conductivity of Water after Light Exposure to Polyethylene Terephthalate Thompson’s interest in environmental studies has a long history at St. Andrew’s. During her time at the Upper School she was known for her involvement and passion with the Coalition for the Environment. From attending a Green Schools National Conference to serving on Sustainability Council to taking AP Environmental Science, Thompson has been an active member of campus life around sustainability initiatives. During the spring of her junior year, she spent a semester abroad at The Island School in the Bahamas where she practiced place-based environmental learning. Her passion for the environment has also overlapped with her passion for the arts. “As an artist, I try to find things that I can reuse and bring new meaning to for others,” said Thompson. One of her final projects before graduating was using the Easter service bulletins to weave them together into the shape of a heart beat rhythm. “It represents the pulse of a community that I’ve called home for many years,” said Thompson.

Wanting to engage more deeply in plastic pollution and areas that she was introduced to at The Island School, she selected a research project investigating the effects of plastic bottles on our water supply. There is prior research to support the leaching of metals such as antimony from PET plastics due to sun exposure in bodies of water. Thompson investigated correlations with leaching and temperature changes to see if conductivity could be a way to more quickly and cost-efficiently detect metal leaching. Thompson was recognized by the Austin Geological Society at the Austin Regional Science Festival for her work in this area and received 4th place in the Earth & Environmental Sciences category. This fall Thompson is headed to Johns Hopkins University to study environmental engineering.

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Hannah Bray ‘19

The Effect of Temperature on the pH of Water Under Carbon Dioxide Bray was introduced to the work of coral conservation during her Junior Experience trip to the Dominican Republic. The role coral plays in the ocean environment and the lack of attention it gets in ocean conservation caught her interest. “I was morally drawn to the issue because coral reefs are animals that are dying due to human actions and they do not have a voice to fight back for themselves, so I wanted to be an advocate for them,” said Bray. Beyond starting and serving as president of the Coral Conservation student organization, she took the opportunity to do research and learn more on this issue.

Bray’s research focused on measuring pH changes of water samples that resulted from different controlled temperature environments while the water was under a constant carbon dioxide environment. This phenomenon is related to the “bleaching” effect on coral reefs, which is having a greater impact on their health today. Bray’s research was a twist on what we are already seeing. Bray measured the changes in water quality based on deliberately changing the temperature of the water/carbon dioxide environment studied. Bray also shared her research with a ninth grade biology class later in the school year as they were starting to learn about the fundamental concepts Bray was working with. This fall, Bray will matriculate to Tufts University.

Liam Santa Cruz ‘19

Alpha and Gamma Emissions of Disturbed and Undisturbed Town Mountain Granite Fascinated by physics, Santa Cruz has absorbed all the physics coursework possible at St. Andrew’s, from the core physics class as a sophomore to AP Physics to all of the elective classes that explored advanced topics such as optics and thermodynamics.

Wanting more, Santa Cruz selected an area of study related to physics—radioactivity— to learn more for his research, but combined it with a less familiar field: geology. His research embraced the unique local Austin geological landscape, specifically granite found in the western Austin area—the same granite used to build some of the buildings making up the Austin skyline, such as the State Capitol. Although the levels of radiation given off from granite in kitchen countertops are well documented to be above the thresholds for safety, Santa Cruz investigated if the amount of radiation varied at all between active quarries where granite is mined compared to buildings of the same granite that have been standing for the past 10 years. Santa Cruz was recognized with a special award by the Austin Geological Society for his research at the Austin Regional Science Festival. Following his love for physics, he is headed to Columbia University in the fall where he anticipates majoring in physics.

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As spring began to blossom at The PARK,

Growing the PARK With the Pros

Director of Outdoor Education Greg Mele invited the fourth grade to research native plants, shrubs and trees as part of the school’s new partnership with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (LBJWC). Mele explained, “The LBJWC’s ecologist and land steward Michelle Bertelsen is helping us develop a student-led land management plan for The PARK. Her work is being funded by a City of Austin ‘Bright Green Future’ grant I received this past winter.”

Four Upper Schoolers—Maddie Binford-Wiggins ‘20, Aaron Day ‘22, Grace Moreland ‘20, and Cameron Wilkinson ‘19—collaborated with the LBJWC this spring to perform the review phase, which included gathering site data like infiltration/permeability, erosion and invasive species mapping, and impervious cover, among many others.

This fall the team plans to move into the site analysis phase to learn how this information informs site design and management.

The students will produce a summary of their findings and preliminary analysis, and the LBJWC will provide feedback on further information needs.

The overall goal of their work is to enhance the health of The PARK along with its educational and experiential offerings, and it seems the possibilities are endless with the LBJWC, as Mele notes, “The LBJWC is owned by the University of Texas, which brings so many resources to the table. I love that we get to work with such an amazing organization that has a national reputation.”

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Counseling Excellence This year some highly publicized college admissions

scandals had many schools in the U.S. wondering what secrets were lurking behind their own closed doors. At St. Andrew’s, there is no doubt that we maintain the utmost integrity in the college admissions process—in fact our College Counseling program continues to serve as a leading example of best practices.

St. Andrew’s Director of College Counseling, Elizabeth Guice, was honored in March by the Texas Association of College Admission Counseling (TACAC) with their William W. Fleming Award—”in grateful recognition of unquestioned excellence in counseling young people in the transition from high school to college”—at a dinner in Addison, Texas during their annual conference.

The award honors a TACAC member who has been “assessed by colleagues as meeting high standards of honesty, decency and commitment to a good match between student and college.” Elaborating on Guice’s leadership, they wrote: Elizabeth’s presence creates calm and confidence in the ever-changing climate of college counseling. As curriculum chair for ACCI, she shared her expertise in working with students and set high standards for us all in how we work with our students regardless of which side of the desk we are on. As one of her nominator’s states, she has had a direct impact on hundreds of new professionals and in turn the students they serve.

With gratitude for such an honor, Guice remarked that she is part of an entire team of college counselors at St. Andrew’s, all of whom bring unquestioned excellence to their work. With a smile, Guice said, “It was an honor to represent the work that the St. Andrew’s College Counseling team does in this field. I’m grateful for the opportunities SAS has given to me to grow more fully into this work.”

Dan Latreille

Jennie Luongo

David Guidi

College Counselor / Science Teacher

College Counselor / Latin Teacher

College Counselor / Music Teacher

What are some aspects of your role that parents or students might not know about?

What are some misconceptions about St. Andrew’s College Counseling program you’d like to dispel?

What do we do well to help our students decide on their next step (college or job)?

Each of us engages in professional activities to develop important tools of our trade. This includes visiting colleges for tours and programs specifically designed for high school college counselors. We also attend conferences for our profession offered by NACAC. We guide students through the entire application process, and we follow-up with colleges to check completed applications. In addition, we all have extensive experience in reading and editing essays — for me, I have read over 100 personal statement essays and well over 200 supplemental essays. We continue to be the student’s advisor, and we assist in coping with stress, talking over decisions, comforting through rejections, and celebrating exciting news.

I think people don't realize that we are fully trained counselors who are well-versed in the college admissions process.

All members of our counseling staff attend professional development annually. Our students can go to any of us for help or advice. Our counseling staff handles everything from coaching students through the testing process, to building college lists, to brainstorming ideas for essays, to proofreading all essays and application materials. We even offer the exact same diagnostic testing that AIMS offers to gauge student interests and strengths as part of our college counseling process, but at no extra cost to our families.

One of the best aspects of our work is to provide a venue for students to reflect on the experiences they have had and to plan for what they envision for their future. When a student is able to think about the impact of an academic subject, athletic or fine arts organization, parttime job, internship, volunteer experience, or simply a passion, they can then start to imagine and plan for what it might be like to make that interest central to who they are.

Our College Counseling team gave us some insights to their recipe for success and took the chance to dispel some common misconceptions about their work: 14

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Linh Tran

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College Counselor / History Teacher

College Counselor / English Teacher

Amy Skinner

Grace Ortman College Counselor / Religious Studies Teacher

College Counselor / English Teacher

College Counselor / History Teacher

Describe a time you felt proud or happy to be a college counselor.

Does your role as a college counselor influence your approach to teaching?

A single moment doesn’t come to mind when I ponder this question. A collection of images and experiences come up all at once — the evenings spent writing recommendation letters, the moments when I’m talking through an anxious moment with a student or parent, the short and long conversations about maintaining grades, self-care, etc. Like so many things that are meaningful, it’s a tapestry of highs and lows. The one thing I try to never forget is that I’m working with young people. They are not quite fully formed adults but are so ready to be adults. It’s in this gray space that I really enjoy working with seniors as a college counselor.

Yes, definitely. It allows me to engage with admissions professionals and other college counselors. Through these interactions I encounter the learning environments our students will eventually join and consider the skills we can build to prepare them for the application process and, more importantly, college itself. I have been able to create more meaningful assignments for my students, the type of assessments that allow them to find their passions and articulate who they are more clearly.

If 18-year-old you walked into the room today for college counseling advice, what would you say?

What was your own college application process like as a student? How do those memories shape your approach to counseling students now?

Is there a college or program out there that you wish more folks knew about or would consider more seriously?

If I were at the beginning of the application process, I would share the following advice left behind by my 2019 advisees for the incoming 2020 group: “Start early. Stop stressing and just do it. There will be disappointments, but that’s okay. You’re not alone.

Don’t compare your process to others. Do lots of research and go on campus visits. Don’t be afraid to shoot high and make sure your safety schools are institutions you’d actually want to attend.”

Matt Kelly

My application process? More like lack of a process! I think I met with a counselor once, and only for a few minutes. Fortunately an important mentor, one of my English teachers, encouraged me to look into Rice and I am still grateful for that teacher. I realize how profoundly the application process has changed since the time I was in high school, and I recognize the importance of good counseling for our students.

I want to give them all the tools that they need to navigate the complicated terrain of the admissions process. I am proud of the work we do.

John Fitzsimons

I would love to see our students open up their ideas of what the college experience should be by considering schools outside of our typical American college scene. I visited the University of Edinburgh in February and the University of Glasgow last year. Both schools have wonderful humanities and sciences offerings, degrees in international affairs, and are affordable too, often less expensive than U.S. schools.

I think the education they would receive in the classroom would be excellent, but the education they would get outside of the university walls would make for more wellrounded world citizens.

“Our counseling staff handles everything from coaching students through the testing process, to building college lists, to brainstorming ideas for essays, to proofreading all essays and application materials.

We even offer the exact same diagnostic testing that AIMS offers to gauge student interests and strengths as part of our college counseling process, but at no extra cost to our families.”

Jennie Luongo

College Counselor / Latin Teacher

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Frontiers of Drug Discovery Research Music can be heard faintly playing in the background as an organic molecule precursor to a possible Parkinson’s disease drug treatment is being synthesized. A few minds are intently focused, reviewing their notes on the techniques discussed last class, while one consults another, helping to suggest next steps in the synthesis. On the other side of the room, someone is at the chemical hood measuring out an organic solvent to prepare her chromatography chamber. She is monitoring the progress of her reaction with thin layer chromatography under a short-wave ultraviolet light, hoping her reaction worked as planned. Intently drawn into their work, faces flash to surprise as teacher Bryan Dunn announces, “Five minutes until class ends, start cleaning up.” This is not your average high school science laboratory.

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WE ARE SCHOLARS

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from topics that ranged from geology to plant science to chemistry and beyond.

In the second half of the course students collaborated with a research group from UT, a tier-one research university. St. Andrew's students worked with the bioactive molecules (BAM) group which assists in the investigation of the design and synthesis of small organic molecules that have the potential to bind tightly and selectively to biologically significant proteins. In layman’s terms, drug discovery.

directly with UT faculty who support the curriculum and work being done. Dr. Elizabeth Ilardi, who oversees the BAM lab at UT, visited the classroom on occasion to check in and work with the students. She even spent time guest teaching a class introducing infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. These are common techniques used in organic research to characterize and confirm that the target compounds have been successfully made.

The group recently published work identifying the structure of the sigma-2 receptor which has been linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The entire drug discovery process can be easily a decade if not longer from discovery to market and can cost from 500 million to 1 billion dollars in total.

From creating or isolating compounds, screening for possible biological activity, efficacy and toxicity testing, to clinical trials, FDA testing, and then marketing, it is a process that takes hundreds of people and contributions.

This academic year St. Andrew’s introduced a new collaboration with the University of Texas–Austin’s (UT) High School Research Initiative (HRI). As a capstone science experience, students had the opportunity to get an in-depth introduction into science research by enrolling in one of two sections of Scientific Research and Design. It is a dual enrollment course, where students have the opportunity to also get college course credit from UT. “It is my favorite class this year,” said Max Grogono ‘19, one of the 16 seniors enrolled, “I’ve learned way more this year than I would have thought.”

The course is a pilot program funded by the National Science Foundation to bring university research into high school science classrooms. Students begin the school year with open inquiry independent research where each student designs his or her own experiment while layering in all of the skills and considerations that goes into the process; from considering ethical implications to finding and reviewing related scientific literature to using inferential statistics to interpret results and draw conclusions. “The development of skills that appear in real research is emphasized. However I believe that you can’t do that next level of high skill development unless you have a high level of content knowledge to work with,” said Dunn, “that is why this course can present challenge and intensity to students.” Students selected projects that aligned with passions and interests or just curiosity 20

WE ARE SCHOLARS

Students in the class had an intimate view and first-hand experience in an organic chemist’s role in the process.

These chemists focus to create a library of large, complex

“Expectations are high, but double.

This is what students that want the next level of challenge can handle and deserve.”

Bryan Dunn

Scientific Research & Design Teacher

molecules as efficiently as possible. Organic reactions can take hours and sometimes days to complete. Most compounds take a series of a reactions in order to make them. These reactions are not from a manual, but theorized from organic principles and research. Beyond the expertise of designing these reactions and choosing the chemicals to use, simply performing the techniques require a high level of knowledge and understanding to do. This was where St. Andrew’s students entered the process.

Bryan Dunn, who teaches AP Chemistry at St. Andrew’s, is the lead teacher for the course. In addition to his own background and education as a chemist, he works

The experiences given to students are similar to those of undergraduates taking organic chemistry. “The opportunity for exposure to these concepts now will be invaluable, especially to those who eventually go on to take college level chemistry classes,” stated Dunn.

“Organic chemistry electives are not that common in high school classrooms, but even fewer offer the type of organic laboratory experience that we can offer at St. Andrew’s.” Unlike Advanced Placement courses, students automatically receive a physical transcript from UT at the end of the school year giving college credit.

“Although senior year was filled with college applications, it was interesting to feel part of a college class already; that pushed and challenged me every step of the way,” noted Grogono.

Esha Gupta ‘19, another senior that took the course, is planning to major in a science field as she matriculates to college in the fall. “It takes time,” said Gupta, “to get familiar working in a laboratory.” Last summer Gupta interned at MD Anderson before enrolling in the St. Andrew’s Scientific Research and Design course. ”The opportunities given in this class have been more engaging and helpful to understand a real research experience,” she said, adding, “Although I am grateful for my experiences last summer, there is a difference in doing research on my own time compared to having

a class that is centered on this collaborative research project.” Exact details of the research are still under the intellectual property of UT since nothing has been published to date.

Regardless if Grogono, Gupta, or their peers continue to study chemistry as they enter college in the fall, they walk away with new skills that will certainly transfer to their future endeavors. St. Andrew’s Upper School Science department is excited to pioneer this new experience complementing the passions and expertise of our faculty.

Dr. Gwendolyn Stovall, director and principal investigator of the HRI program from UT notes, “Seeing high school students do authentic research with my colleagues at the university reinvigorates my love of science that comes with discovery and persistence.” Skills of discipline, collaboration, and grit are among the qualities that students face as they engage in Scientific Research and Design.

This capstone science course intends to build from the experiences students have gathered up to their senior year. The program is certainly St. Andrew’s own.

“The flexibility to craft a class in many ways unique to St. Andrew’s despite being part of a larger program has been a grateful experience,” said Dunn. Each part of

“This class is the sort of experience that will stick with me for a long time.”

Esha Gupta Student ‘19

the UT program is unique with the connecting thread of promoting inquiry, research and science. “Expectations are high, but doable. This is what students that want the next level of challenge can handle and deserve,” he continued.

This research relationship with UT and its faculty will hopefully inspire other models in high schools across the country in the future. As a new class of seniors starts the course in the fall, Gupta and her peers will matriculate to colleges across the U.S. and world. However, as Gupta puts it, “This class is the sort of experience that will stick with me for a long time.”

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Medals & Smiles at PSIA “We are particularly proud that these students took a risk and tried something that was new for many of them.”

Amy Zimmerman

Lower School Teacher and Parent

Thirty-two Lower and Middle School students represented St. Andrew’s with flying colors at the Private Schools Interscholastic Association (PSIA) competition on March 9. For several months they worked hard after school and during weekends and holidays to prepare for a variety of academic events with the help of faculty and parent volunteers. Fifteen students placed in the Top 10 of their respective competitive categories. After placing first or second in the District 8AA meet, seven students headed to the State competition at TCU in April.

St. Andrew’s parent and teacher Amy Zimmerman, who coordinates the annual participation in PSIA, described the day of the meet as, “A great community builder where the children encouraged their peers and celebrated their wins together.” She added, “Preparing for these meets requires self-discipline, dedication and perseverance. This experience reminds me of one of my favorite verses from the Bible, Hebrews 21:1, ‘Surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses...let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.’”

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WE ARE SCHOLARS

PSIA State Final Results Abigail Gormin ‘26

Prose Interpretation (6th)

James Graham ‘26

Vocabulary (1st); Information Skills

Ava Hanners ‘25

Vocabulary; On-Site Drawing (10th)

Olivia Korman ‘26

Vocabulary (4th); Ready Writing (1st)

Sally Queen ‘29 Storytelling

Aidan Strauss ‘27

Maps Graphs and Charts

Anna Wayne ‘24 Vocabulary (4th)

Fifth-grader Olivia Korman placed 1st in Ready Writing and 4th in Vocabulary at the State PSIA competition.

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“ Newsies” Largest Musical for Middle School

“This was probably one of the biggest musicals we've done in the Middle School,” said Jason Kruger, MS Theater Director.

This year’s spring musical had a massive cast of 40 Middle Schoolers, 12 Upper Schoolers and eight faculty, including Head of School Sean Murphy, Head of Middle School Alice Nezzer and Head of Lower School Kama Bruce. “We couldn't have done this show without the strong class of eighth-grade performers like Oliver Mann, Kate Tully, Mark Greenberg, Anthony Tassone, and Jacob Burrows, just to name a few!”

Photos by parent volunteer photographer Peggy Keelan

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WE ARE ARTISTS

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Tony Awards Honor Garcia "I am so grateful for how much Rick has given me, and there is no one more deserving of this award.”

Olivia Bast Student ‘17

workshops for juniors and seniors getting ready to apply to colleges to help them get into the best college programs possible. He also teaches teachers, having written a textbook for theater teachers that is used nationally through his Maestro Theatre company. He also holds teacher workshops year round, especially targeting rural teachers, because he is the proud product of a little country school himself. Garcia’s influence is felt far and wide.

The size of the cast was only part of the challenge.

Kruger noted, “Technically, it was also a huge undertaking in that it was probably the largest Middle School set I've ever designed and built. The three 16-feet-tall, three-story platforms all moved 360 degrees and took several weeks to build and paint.”

Anyone who has seen the 1992 movie or the Tonywinning 2012 Broadway production knows it’s a physically and vocally demanding show. Though previous

Middle School musicals like “Mary Poppins” and “Bring It On” have challenged his students, Kruger said, “This was a show that really felt like 14 years in the making. What I mean is that we've continued to grow as a program and what we've been able to do on stage.”

Debating whether to rent the movie or catch the next production on tour? Kruger admitted, “Personally, I think the Broadway show is much better than the movie, but don't tell my wife, [the movie] is her favorite.”

Selfie Caption: Jason Kruger couldn’t resist a Newsies selfie with his faculty performers before the curtain went up! Pictured are (left-right) front row: Head of School Sean Murphy, Jason Kruger, Head of MS Alice Nezzer; back row: MS Dean of Students Tim Moore, Head of LS Kama Bruce, MS vocal teacher Annie Blancken, Dean of MS Student Services Annie Sykes, MS Spanish teacher and alumna Sarah Marks ‘07, and Academic Dean Tim McGhee.

Rick Garcia has been inspiring St. Andrew's students since 2003.

This spring, St. Andrew’s Upper School theater director Rick Garcia received a 2019 Tony Award Honorable Mention for Excellence in Theatre Education. The Tony Awards, along with Carnegie Mellon University, annually recognize theater educators who have demonstrated monumental impact on the lives of students. This year more than 700 entries were submitted and Garcia received one of 25 honorable mentions. He will be listed in the Tony Awards playbill along with St. Andrew’s Episcopal School.

Garcia indeed has had a monumental impact on the lives of his students: not only current students performing in dramas and musicals, but also alumni, many of whom have gone on to careers in the arts. Ellen Wroe ‘06 and Nathan Parsons ‘06 have successful careers in film and TV. Before coming to St. Andrew’s, Garcia taught at other high schools throughout Texas for two decades.

Former students include Jim Parsons (TV, Broadway), Marco Slavonic (documentary films) and Charlie Pollock (Broadway).

St. Andrew’s parent and volunteer extraordinaire, Peggy Keelan, nominated Garcia. She said, “I’ve worked with Rick for over 10 years and I’ve witnessed the impact he has on students, alumni, parents and other teachers.”

She jumped at the chance to nominate Garcia when she received a letter asking for nominations.

As part of the nomination process, Keelan obtained letters of recommendation from alumni Olivia Bast ‘17 and Stone Mountain ‘18, and teacher Marsha Russell.

Olivia Bast wrote, “The greatest thing I learned from Rick is that no matter how much experience you have, there is still so much you can learn from the people and the world around you if you simply look and listen. I am so grateful for how much Rick has given me, and there is no one more deserving of this award.”

Congratulations, Rick! We are so proud and grateful you are a part of the St. Andrew’s community.

Besides teaching at St. Andrew’s, Garcia mentors students in University Interscholastic League competitions throughout Texas. He holds college audition

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Bridging the Nine Mile Gap

By Kristen Benjamin | Associate Athletic Director

With nine miles between the two St. Andrew’s campuses, it is crucial for the Athletics department to help Middle School athletes envision their lives at the Upper School to make the transition to high school sports as smooth as possible.

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■ T he Middle and Upper School Girls Volleyball programs participated together in the Dig Pink night and enjoyed the buddy system.

■ T he entire Girls Basketball program was invited to a Texas Women’s Basketball game in the winter.

Preparing for the Next Level

By Josh Blumenthal | Associate Athletic Director

■ T he Middle School Track team practiced solely at the Upper School this spring alongside the varsity athletes.

■ T he Varsity Lacrosse team hosted a clinic at the 31st Street campus this spring for aspiring lacrosse athletes.

Any time the Middle Schoolers can spend talking with the older athletes will help our younger students get more prepared for the transition to high school.

With the exception of a few sports, our varsity sports are offered to students starting in the fifth grade at St. Andrew’s. For every sport there is a program coordinator who coaches the varsity team and oversees the entire program. The idea is to have a cohesive program, where athletes are learning the same skills and using the same language within their respective sports.

We are constantly looking for opportunities for the Middle and Upper School athletes and coaches to get together, whether on the playing fields or attending events together. This helps the younger athletes get to know the Upper School athletes and coaches and create more community within each program.

A student Athletic Council subcommittee connects the Upper and Middle School athletes too. The current high school students remember what it was like being in middle school and looking up to the older athletes, and they want to make those connections happen even more next year. Here are a couple examples from this year’s program-wide activities:

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The summer prior to high school also presents various opportunities for incoming ninth-graders to prepare for the next level. St. Andrew’s offers Strength & Conditioning (S&C) classes all summer for our students.

The head S&C coach, Taylor Stewart, works with all ages and levels of athletes and is able to help students prepare for Upper School sports. Not only is this a great way for athletes to improve physically, it allows the younger students yet another opportunity to meet older students. Aside from S&C, there are various sports camps and open gyms throughout the summer at St. Andrew’s Upper School as well.

While the nine-mile stretch on Mopac can certainly present challenges, the Highlander athletes and coaches use the distance to seek opportunities to develop camaraderie and community.

In the nearly 20-year history of the St. Andrew’s Upper School, almost every class has graduated at least one student bound for collegiate-level athletics.

The list dates back to Barbara Breckinridge ’02, who continued her athletic career as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 3 field hockey and lacrosse programs at Haverford College.

The list grows each year and includes Vanderbilt University swimming, University of Texas at Austin soccer, and tennis at the Air Force Academy.

While much of the credit for these accomplishments belongs to the student-athlete, the Athletics department continues to do their part to support student goals beyond graduation.

Each September, for the past three years, the College Counseling and Athletics departments co-host the panel style event ‘Prospective Collegiate Athletic Night.’ Current NCAA coaches, former players, alumni, admissions counselors, and recruiting specialists all discuss the

process, and share their wisdom in a question and answer session.

In addition, the school continues its long-standing partnership with the Krossover Corporation, an advanced film editing software with which players can easily create their own sport highlight film to share with their colleges of interest.

Last September, the school purchased a membership to Captain U, a software that provides easier connections with college coaches through a database program which includes access to over 2,000 coaches.

Finally, and perhaps the biggest piece of the puzzle, is the strong College Counseling program, one that matches students with our experienced counselors whose support and guidance continue to be second to none for our athletes.

St. Andrew’s Episcopal School // sasaustin.org // 31

We went to a Highlander sporting event and a party broke out— well, sort of.

Austin Police Department’s Operation Blue Santa.

Nearly 100 Teddy Bears were tossed onto the court and subsequently donated to those in need during the holiday season.

While SAS sporting events are all fun to watch, sometimes adding that little bit of extra electricity into the stands can be just what is needed to gain the needed edge.

Silent Night was once again on the slate as it saw a fullcapacity crowd on hand for the yearly event that adds some holiday spirit to the sport of basketball.

With this in mind, the Athletics Department unveiled their ‘Pack the House Events’ for this past school year.

These 18 events provided an opportunity for the SAS community to come together in celebration of our student-athletes, while adding some exciting twists.

Cole Morehead ’20 best summed up the events when he said that “The Pack the House events bring the entire St. Andrew’s community together to support our sports teams.”

SAS Packs the House

By Josh Blumenthal | Associate Athletic Director

One of the first events was a K-12 Athletics Kick-Off Pep Rally. As part of the evening, a school-wide barbecue was held that included an introduction of each athletic team and coaches, along with some trivia, prizes, and rock band performances.

Other events included the third annual Dig Pink Volleyball Night, where breast cancer awareness and research was at the forefront of everyone’s mind. This annual event was once again spearheaded by Kyla Thompson ’20, Natalie Youngblood ’19, and sisters Clara and Hasie Sherman, both members of the Class of 2019.

New to the fold this year was the first-ever Teddy Bear Toss, an event that saw the school partner with the

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WE ARE ATHLETES

“Silent Night really brought the school together to get excited for the big game,” Tyler Guttell ’19 explained.

“I think that the support of good and rowdy fans really improves the team because they feel like they have to win it for the fans,” he added.

The fun didn’t stop there as the school continued to give back to the community with its Pups at the Pitch Soccer event. Fans in attendance for the Varsity Soccer contests were asked to bring pets supplies which were donated to the Austin Pets Alive organization.

Our 31st Street campus got in on the fun when they hosted a girls volleyball tournament that saw teams from across the greater Austin area spend two days on the campus.

“Pack the House events—bursting with energy and excitement—are a great way to come together as a community and support our athletic programs,” Grace Evans ’19 shared.

Beach Day (softball), Re-Lax Day (lacrosse), and #FloDay (baseball), were among those to help round out a successful year of Pack the House events.

St. Andrew’s Episcopal School // sasaustin.org // 33

When you Wish Upon a Star Like a bolt out of the blue Fate steps in and sees you through When you wish upon a star Your dreams come true Excerpt from “When You Wish Upon A Star”

by Leigh Harline and Ned Washington

In early January, Anna Wayne ‘24 competed in the Disney World RunDisney event and placed first in her age group (10-13 years old) in the 10K race. As part of her participation in the event, she raised funds for the Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF), which supports research for children's cancer.

Wayne’s race time put her as the 34th fastest woman out of 7,048 women and 231st out of 11,940 total competitors (men and women combined). As thrilling as getting such a great race result was, Wayne, whose goal is to become a doctor, was most excited to be able to make a contribution to the ALSF. Wayne has had a passion for running and service from a young age. She has competed on the cross-country and track and field teams at St. Andrew’s, and has medaled at local events such as the Komen Race for the Cure. She has also volunteered as a counselor-intraining at Camp Amigas, a bilingual summer camp for girls. When Anna learned about the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend 2019, an opportunity to compete and raise funds for charity, she knew she had to sign up and participate. With her dad, Matt Wayne, by her side, she raced her best time at one of her favorite places on earth. Congrats, Anna!.

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Friends of Jaclyn

By Josh Blumenthal | Associate Athletic Director

For nearly two years now, the Athletics department has teamed up with the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation (FOJ)—an organization that connects kids living with cancer with high school and collegiate sports teams.

Ben Hofer '23 accepts the Kay Hart Award for Exceptional Service from Dean of MS Student Services Annie Sykes at the Four Pillars Banquet.

The first match between St. Andrew’s and FOJ occurred in August 2017 when brothers DJ and Jaxen Mojica joined the Varsity Boys Lacrosse team. The matching recently continued with the Varsity Softball family and sisters Haley and Emily Beatty. The Varsity Cheerleading squad is set to welcome in their new teammate this August, with a draft ceremony to take place prior to the season.

"I am so excited about our burgeoning relationship with the Friends of Jaclyn organization,” said Head of Upper School Todd Stephenson. “This is becoming a true St. Andrew's tradition that highlights just how much our kids value deep connections with the community."

“Friends of Jaclyn is amazingly grateful for everything St. Andrew's, their teams, and their staff have done and continue to do for FOJ children,” said FOJ Adoption and Outreach Director Alicia Greenstone. “With two adoptions completed and one to come, we have seen incredible character in the student athletes. St. Andrew’s has been welcoming, kind, compassionate, and wonderfully giving.”

Hunger takes a Holiday Eighth-grader Ben Hofer has

found himself in the national spotlight (CNN, NPR) after launching a plan to tackle some of the Austin Independent School District's student lunch debt.

Hofer said, “I didn't realize public school students had to pay every day a certain amount of money to get lunch.”

After consulting with an AISD representative to understand which schools had the most lunch debt, Hofer launched his fundraising efforts for Akins High School, Paredes Middle School, and Blazier Elementary.

By the end of May, Hofer raised $10,000 to clear the debt for all three schools. He was invited to stop by Blazier Elementary in southeast Austin to personally hand over the check. Blazier principal Leti Pena explained,

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WE ARE SERVANTS

"We're excited to know that families are going to get a letter saying their funds are at zero balance, that they don't owe that money," she said. "I get lots of emails every day, and I have to say that one was the most exciting email that I've ever received."

Hofer is among many other St. Andrew’s eighth-graders who tackled issues of local and national importance as part of their Project Citizen work, which culminated in the Middle School’s annual Civics Fair in May. Middle School Dean of Students, Tim Moore, remarked, “It’s been a blast to watch Ben and so many of his peers engage in meaningful work. They are learning at a young age that they can have an impact on their community and issues that they care about.”

St. Andrew’s Episcopal School // sasaustin.org // 37

Record-Breaking $1M Raised for St. Andrew’s Students St. Andrew’s parents, faculty, and friends tapped into their generous spirits to raise over $1 million at the Spring Gala for Financial Aid on April 13. The Sheth family made a matching gift for the third year in a row, but this year’s pledge was an extraordinary $500,000 match challenge, which the other St. Andrew’s families answered loud and proud.

The Reverend Whitney Kirby offered a blessing of gratitude for the giving hearts in attendance, and Head of School Sean Murphy reiterated that gratitude, saying, “We want to ensure that all bright, motivated, and talented students have access to a St. Andrew’s education no matter their financial situation or personal difficulties. Thank you for helping us make that possible tonight.”

This year’s Gala co-chairs, St. Andrew’s parents Shana Anderson, Sarah Queen, and Lisa Tully coordinated a parent volunteer committee to create the memorable event, sponsored by Navidar, at The JW Marriott hotel in downtown Austin. “We are so grateful to our volunteer committee, St. Andrew’s faculty and staff, and our sponsors who are so committed to this cause,” said co-chair Sarah Queen. “We are thrilled this was such a successful event for our school and our students.”

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Thank You

Top Sponsors!

Adria and Brian Sheth Susan Mays and Stephen Day Anonymous (2) Anna and Jason Near Colleen and Todd Preheim Jennifer and Mark Stratton Heather and Patrick Nichols Robin and Gene Shepherd Pamela Neal-Suter and Don Suter Edie Rogat and Cotter Cunningham Jessica and Greg Weaver Julie and Garrett Hall

Kerry and Temp Keller Joyce Mullen and Todd Stephenson Lisa and John Tully Laurel and Dudley Simmons Michelle and Robert Strauss Katie and Jack Blaha Jazz and Francois Du Pasquier Isabella and Arturo Garcia Lady and David Huffstutler Ghadeer Okayli and Anthony Masaryk Kay and Eric Moreland Sarah and Thomas Queen

St. Andrew’s Episcopal School // sasaustin.org // 39

The Class of 2023 Commencement Congratulations to our eighth grade graduates, who held their May commencement in McGill Chapel followed by the time-honored boat party celebration.

Five eighth-graders were honored at commencement: congratulations to

Costas Award winners Mary Louisa Donoghue and Morgan Harrison, Grooms Award winner William Sykes, and Faculty Award winners Ella Hall and TJ Jobe.

Our other outstanding Middle School scholars, artists, athletes, and servants were honored at the Middle School’s Four Pillars Banquet. The Kay Hart Award for Exceptional Service went to Ben Hofer, whose project to wipe-out AISD lunch debt drew local and national attention (most recently on NPR’s Here and Now). Our Middle School Athletes of the Year were also honored for their exceptional sportsmanship and talent: William Dunaway, Will Magids, and Ella Townsend. The Wilson House defended their title as House Cup champions, accumulating the most points through team competitions and community service during the school year.

The Class of 2023 Charlotte Alberti Gabriela Artaza Ryan Averill Millicent Barnstone Grace Bernard William Berry Thomas Bullion Jacob Burrows Calum Chhikara Hayden Cox Jaime De la Garza Montfort Zachary DeBalko Mary Donoghue William Dunaway Miles Eclarinal Luke Edwards Andrew Farmer Matthew Farmer Phillip Ferguson Isabella Gomez Jacob Gooch Mark Greenberg 40

Martin Grogono Ella Hall Harrison Hanson Marshall Harrell Morgan Harrison Jackson Harshbarger Benjamin Hofer Isabel Horne John Houston Nadia Hsu Sawyer Hudgeons Juliette Huggins Fiona Ing Zoie Jaimes Theodore Jobe Hudson Kalmans Emma Kim Alana Kramer Gomez Kareena Kumar Avery Lee Thomas Lyman William Magids

Oliver Mann Solomon Marshall Madison Matthews Sarah Merritt Margot Metschan Cooper Payne John Schlitt Sophia Singh Haven Sirizzotti Samuel Suter William Sykes Anthony Tassone Kara Thomas Katelyn Thompson Ella Townsend Kathryn Tully William Vandergriff Henry Villareal John Wallingford Allyssa Weiss Camden Werner Ann Zimmerman St. Andrew’s Episcopal School // sasaustin.org // 41

The Class of 2019 G

St. Andrew’s Episcopal School

graduated 91 students on June 1, 2019, and they are a class full of promising talent. After applying to 198 different colleges and universities around the world, these students are heading to 36 states, including Washington, D.C., as well as Canada, England, and Scotland. As of May, fifty-four percent of these graduates have reported receiving a scholarship to at least one school.

Six student-athletes are taking their talents to the next level. Jett Hampton will play tennis at Babson College, Nathan Lietzke will play volleyball at Stanford University, Isabella Nikolaidis will row on the crew team at Wellesley College, Grace

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Northway will dance at Wake Forest, Michael Thomas will play football at Rhodes College, and Emma Tuhabonye will run on the cross-country and track teams at Wesleyan University. Additionally, graduate Robert MacDougall is heading to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point; he is the sixth St. Andrew’s student to receive a military academy appointment.

At the Graduation Exercises, class-nominated senior speaker Claudia Whittlesey remarked to her classmates, “We may leave St. Andrew’s, but St. Andrew’s will never leave us. Remember how every adult here learned our names and got to know us on a personal level. This is unlike any

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community I’ve ever been a part of.” She left her classmates some parting words of wisdom: “Accept your mistakes and make yourself heard.”

Class-nominated faculty speaker, Director of Social Emotional Learning Scott Zimmerman, echoed Whittlesey’s sentiments of a lasting community: “Remember St. Andrew’s is always home. You’ll come back one day and perhaps not recognize all the faculty or facilities, but you’ll know these people in this room love you—we are your home.” Looking into the future, he added, “Remember to get away from the busyness of everyday life to hear the whispers of your heart, and find the courage to follow it.”

Robert MacDougall accepted his West Point appointment from Captain Chris Thornton during a school chapel service on April 24, 2019.

The Class of 2019 athletes heading to collegiate programs (left-to-right): Emma Tuhabonye, Michael Thomas, Nathan Lietzke, Isabella Nikolaidis, and Jett Hampton. Not pictured: Grace Northway

St. Andrew’s Episcopal School // sasaustin.org // 43

PILLAR AWARDS

MISSION AWARDS The Hilary H. Carlson Award The Scholar Award Liam Santa Cruz

This award is given to a senior for outstanding academic achievement, passion for learning, and pursuit of excellence.

Grace Evans

By charting a path of dramatic growth throughout their individual high school journey, this senior exemplifies the tenacity and composure of the founder of the Upper School.

The Lucy Collins Nazro Award Carson Kurad

The Artist Award Kevin Keelan

Living life creatively and pursuing a fine art with passion, this student has shown the tremendous growth and intention required for following an artistic path.

Created to honor the former head of school, in recognition of her love of this school and her ability to unite and inspire others, this award goes to that remarkable senior who contributes in thoughtful ways to improve the life of the St. Andrew’s community.

The Cornerstone Award Dorothy Thompson

Established to commemorate the pioneering Class of 2002, this award recognizes that outstanding senior whose principled audacity and original thinking push the school to be a better version of itself.

The Saint Andrew Award The Athlete Award Nathan Lietzke and Emma Tuhabonye

This award is given to that senior whose dramatic impact on the Athletics program and model sportsmanship has inspired their teammates and fans.

Jonathan Lim

St. Andrew's fosters a sense of each person's belovedness and the desire to “strive for justice and peace among all people, and to respect the dignity of every human being.” The winner of this award embodies the spirit of our school’s foundation.

The Faculty Prize Alyssa Castillo

The Scott Field Bailey Servant Award Cailan Kelly

This honor, named in memory of one of St. Andrew’s founders, is reserved for that senior whose dedication, selflessness, and deep concern for others best exemplify the St. Andrew’s ideal that its students lead productive and responsible lives in their community.

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This award is given to that student whose curiosity, positive energy, and supportive attitude consistently improve the classroom experience for fellow students and for teachers, regardless of discipline.

The Compass Award The Reverend Whitney Kirby

This award—given from the graduating class to a faculty member— recognizes someone who goes above and beyond to serve as a mentor to students and shows a profound respect for them as independent young adults.

St. Andrew’s Episcopal School // sasaustin.org // 45

DEPARTMENT AWARDS English

Isabella Nikolaidis & Coby Sheehan

Math

Héctor Cantú Bueno & Emma Tuhabonye

Science

Liam Santa Cruz & Dorothy Thompson

History

Qinru Jiang & Grace Ozor

Religious Studies

Stefan Bentzin & Grace Northway

Mandarin

Jonathan Lim

Spanish

Grace Ozor

Latin

Christian Zhao

Visual Art

James Castro

Vocal

Kevin Keelan

Instrumental Qinru Jiang

Drama

Robin Carsner

Tech Theater Tristram Coffin

Filmmaking Ethan Huie

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2019 GRADUATION

The Class of 2019 Seth Abramowitz

Samantha Flores

Rebecca Nezzer

Adrian Almy

Maximilian Grogono

Isabella Nikolaidis

Kathryn Anderson

Esha Gupta

Grace Northway

Andrew Aronoff

Tyler Guttell

Mary Oden

Stefan Bentzin

Jett Hampton

Grace Ozor

Anna Booth

Taylor Harrison

Gabrielle Parrish

Olivia Bowness

Katherine Huffstutler

Harrison Reed

Parker Brandt

Ethan Huie

Matthew Roche

Hannah Brannon

Mikayla Hyde

Auveed Rokhsaz

Hannah Bray

Audrey Ilan

Liam Santa Cruz

Emma Buechler

Qinru Jiang

Katherine Sarahan

Héctor Cantú Bueno

Caroline Johnson

William Sarahan

Robin Carsner

Taylor Josey

Coby Sheehan

Alyssa Castillo

Haley Jústiz

Benjamin Shepherd

James Castro

Kevin Keelan

Ann Sherman

Clarisse Chiang

Cailan Kelly

Clara Sherman

Eleanor Clark

Carson Kurad

Elizabeth Sunshine

Mallory Clifton

Kevin Latreille

Alex Swearingen

Tristram Coffin

Alexandra Lee

Michael Thomas

Sophia Crawford

Nathan Lietzke

Dorothy Thompson

Ivan Crowson

Jonathan Lim

Emma Tuhabonye

Joelle Dahboul

Robert MacDougall

Anna Villarreal-Levy

Caroline Daniel

Elias Mann

Marisa Washington

Sienna DelConte

Cordell Mazzetti

Claudia Whittlesey

Avery Duncan

Samuel McCarthy-Potter

Cameron Wilkinson

Finn Eagen

Audrey McClanahan

Emma Williams

Megann Ehrlich

Julian Mirran

Jack Williams

Emma Erben

Hannah Mitchel-Gevirtz

Natalie Youngblood

Grace Evans

Lukas Molak

Christian Zhao

Anson Feist

Kyle Naples

Paulina Ferguson

Morgan Nascone St. Andrew’s Episcopal School // sasaustin.org // 47

Class of 2019

College Acceptances & Choices

Abilene Christian University

DePaul University

McGill University

of Chicago

The University of Texas,

University of San Francisco

and Health Sciences

Duke University

College of Pharmacy &

Sewanee: The University

Trinity University (4)

University of Southern

Albany College of Pharmacy American University

ArtCenter College of Design Auburn University Babson College Bard College

Baylor University

Belmont University Boston College

Boston University

Brandeis University Butler University

California Institute of Technology

California Institute of the Arts California Northstate

University College of Health Sciences

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Carleton College

Carnegie Mellon University Case Western Reserve University

Chapman University (2) Clemson University (2) Colby College

College of Charleston

Colorado School of Mines Colorado State University

Columbia College Chicago Columbia University Dartmouth College

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2019 GRADUATION

Drexel University Eckerd College Elon University

Emory University

Fordham University

Georgetown University Georgia Institute

of Technology (2)

Hamilton College - NY Harvard College

High Point University Hofstra University

Indiana University at Bloomington

Ithaca College

Johns Hopkins University

Johnson & Wales University Kenyon College

Lafayette College Lehigh University

Lewis & Clark College

Long Island University, Brooklyn

Louisiana State University

Loyola Marymount University Loyola University Chicago Macalester College

Make-up DesignoryLos Angeles

Maryland Institute College of Art (2)

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MCPHS - Massachusetts Health Sciences

Miami University, Oxford

Michigan State University Middlebury College

Missouri University of Science and Technology

New York University

North Carolina State University Northeastern University

Northern Arizona University Oberlin College

Oregon State University

Otis College of Art and Design Oxford College of Emory University

Pace University, New York City Pepperdine University Purdue University

Regent’s University London Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rhodes College (2) Rice University

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Saint Mary's College of California

Santa Clara University

Sarah Lawrence College

Savannah College of Art and Design

School of the Art Institute

Seattle University of the South

Skidmore College Smith College

Southern Methodist University (3)

Southwestern University St. Edward's University

St. Lawrence University Stanford University

Syracuse University (2) Temple University

Texas A&M University

Texas Christian University Texas State University Texas Tech University

The George Washington University

The New School All Divisions

(Parsons School of Design) The University of Alabama The University of Arizona

The University of Edinburgh The University of Iowa

The University of Montana, Missoula

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The University of Oklahoma The State University of New York at Buffalo

Austin (15)

Tufts University

University of South Carolina California

Tulane University

United States Military Academy - Army

University of Arkansas University of Bristol

University of British Columbia University of California, Berkeley

University of California, Los Angeles

University of California, San Diego

University of California, Santa Barbara

University of California, Santa Cruz

University of Colorado, Boulder (2)

University of Delaware University of Denver

University of Georgia (3) University of Glasgow University of Houston

University of Kansas University of Miami

University of Mississippi

University of St Andrews

University of Tennessee, Knoxville

University of the Sciences in Philadelphia

University of Tulsa

University of Virginia (3)

University of Washington Vanderbilt University (2) Vassar College

Villanova University

Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Tech

Wake Forest University Washington and Lee University

Washington University in St. Louis

Wellesley College

Wesleyan University Whittier College

Williams College * Blue schools indicate final choice of at least one student

University of Missouri University of Oregon

University of Pittsburgh University of Redlands

University of San Diego

St. Andrew’s Episcopal School // sasaustin.org // 49

Class of 2019 “Lifers” Reunite with First Grade Teacher When the class of 2019 entered first grade in 2007 life seemed much simpler. Eighteen sweet 6-yearolds entered their first grade classroom to find an angel, Mrs. Katie Iverson, waiting for them.

Iverson left St. Andrew’s in 2012 to raise her own three children. In planning graduation gatherings, Kaye Knox had the great idea of getting all of Iverson’s students back together for a graduation party.

She had not seen the kids in several years and it was amazing for her to see what adults they had matured into. She wrote each one a personal note, which will be treasured by the students.

They even recreated their class photo!

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Look at them now!

St. Andrew’s Episcopal School // sasaustin.org // 51

ALUMNI NEWS ST. ANDREW'S EPISCOPAL

SUMMER 2019

Fun 90's Alumni Reunion from the

Charles Jenkins ‘80 was in Austin for

Easter and stopped by the SAS Lower School to show his twin daughters around. They ran into Alice Nazro Nezzer '81 at the Middle School. Also seen while in town, Jennifer Stayton '79 and Scott Francis '78.

kindergarten PE Open House this spring! They all had Coach Costas when they were students on 31st Street. Trey Jackson '91, Coach Tom Costas, Charles Granger '89 (daughter Greer '31 in front); Andrew & Erin Stephens '95, Evan Dial '95, Lisa Mobely Miller '96 and her daughter.

Will Weaver ‘02 left his coaching job with Ann-Tyler Konradi ‘86 writes,

“My husband and I have opened a glamping business in the Texas Hill Country called Yurtopia Wimberley. We welcome all SAS alums to come check out our beautiful, Mongolian yurts for some serious unplugging and relaxation. Hot tub + firepit + sweeping views = a perfect state of Yurtopia! www.yurtopiawimberley.com”

Margaret Miller Pierce and Marianna Hawley Brewster (both from the sixth grade class of ’66) next to their first place winning Horticulture Design “Get Me to the Church on Time” during the recent Florescence Flower Show at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. Margaret and Marianna are members of The Garden Club of Houston and have been friends since first grade at St. Andrew’s.

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ALUMNI NEWS

Andrea McWilliams ‘86 was named

2019 Texas Businesswoman of the Year by the Women’s Chamber of Commerce of Texas! As a lobbyist, political fundraiser and national political commentator, Andrea has been in the spotlight for some time in Austin, and has served on many boards for nonprofit organizations around the city.

the Brooklyn Nets to accept a head coaching position with the Sydney Kings, and will be making a big move to Australia.

It’s been a busy year for Callie Speer '02 and her restaurant, Holy Roller. After being featured on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives show on the Food Network, Callie was on the front cover of The Austin Chronicle with Texas Piano Man, Robert Ellis. She was one of the Hot Luck Festival’s headlining chefs, and teamed up with fellow alum Jack Wilson ‘02 at the 5th anniversary party for his establishment, Radio Coffee & Beer.

Congratulations to Ezra Levin ’03, who was named one of Time’s Top 100 Most Influential People of 2019!

In 2016, Ezra and his wife, Leah, founded Indivisible, a political activism organization created to empower and organize people with a desire to become civically engaged. The concept came to life during Thanksgiving of 2016, when Ezra and Leah were in Austin celebrating the holidays. Political conversation with a friend led them to begin laying the foundation for what would later become Indivisible. Ezra and Leah, who are both former congressional staffers and actually met on Capitol Hill, took their experiences working in government and combined it with the energy of their friends to create a political how-to Google Doc. “We wrote it to tell people they have power. When people discover they have power, that’s what keeps them going,” Ezra said. The document was tweeted out, shared on Facebook and sent around by email, and ended up going viral by the end of the day. Though the intent was not to start a national organization, Indivisible quickly became a grassroots movement, mobilizing volunteers all over the country to support progressive policies. Ezra says the group is nonpartisan, and it is made up of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. He credits his wife for the name Indivisible, which came from the Pledge of Allegiance. As soon as Leah said it, “An electric shock went through me,” Ezra said. Indivisible is now a 501(c)(4), and is continuing to encourage and inform citizens how to contact their representatives, understand the issues at hand, and join together in local groups to make democracy work. Ezra is also coming out with a book this fall. As for today’s St. Andrew’s students, Ezra advises to get involved in whatever you’re passionate about. “Raise your hand and be a part of the solution!”

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Courtney Wiener ‘04, MD is returning home to Austin this August. She will be practicing Obstetrics and Gynecology with Gynics Associates, an Ob/Gyn group in central Austin.

Greg Hutton ‘07 writes: Currently finishing my 4th season with the Denver Nuggets and 2nd as Manager of Membership Services. Welcomed Cash Frederick Hutton, our first child, on February 8th, 2019.

Emma Hine ‘09 received

Sarabande Books’ Kathryn A. Morton Prize for her poetry collection, Stay Safe, and will be published by late 2020, or early 2021.

Addie Rodriguez ‘10 and Manuel Villanueva ‘10 recently got married on Cinco de Mayo.

Aaron Heath ‘03 welcomed son Arthur Luis Heath in May, weighing in at 6lbs and 3oz.

Taylor Ford ‘11 “Last May, I completed my master's

Kyle Quick ‘10 recently got engaged to his girlfriend, Brittany, of 6 years.

degree in rehabilitation counseling from the University of Kentucky and then received my Texas Licensed Professional Counselor (Intern) credentials. I am now building a therapy practice in Westlake (taylorfordtherapy.com).”

Kelly Wynne (White) Ferguson ‘05 writes, “My husband Walt and I just had our first baby girl, Neely Wynne on July 30, 2018. On the same day Nordstrom launched with Kelly Wynne bags on their website. Needless to say, it was one of the most surreal moments for my family! This month, Kelly Wynne was named Business of the Year through the Austin Woman's Magazine Woman's Way Business Awards, winning this award with over 300 applicants.

Ava Cole ‘07 got married

to her long-time girlfriend, Erin Resso, in October 2018. In attendance were many family and friends, including Elliot Cole ‘03 and Kent Cole ‘64.

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2019 has been an exciting year so far for Sarah Miller-Fellows ‘06. In January, she successfully defended her PhD in Anthropology at Case Western Reserve University. Her dissertation is titled "Making Medicine Amish" and she graduated in May 2019. She was also accepted as a 2019 Fellow with New Leaders Council Austin, a progressive leadership training program. In March, Sarah joined Girls Empowerment Network Austin as their Program Evaluator.

She currently lives in north Austin with her husband, Spenser, and children, Oliver and Charlotte.

Max Frost '11 made a stop in his hometown of

Austin on April 4 while on tour promoting his album, Gold Rush. Alumni, faculty and current students all came out to see Max play at the Historic Scoot Inn, and took a photo with him after the show! Max also headlined Blues on the Green in June!

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Susannah Haddad '11 writes, "I am currently working as a freelance consultant and visual artist based here in Austin but am an avid traveler. As a visual artist, I feel most inspired when I get a surge of new colors, culture, and people. Art to me is as much about the process as the result. At its core art is a universal language that shouldn't have boundaries. There is no language like art. It speaks to people in an indefinite number of ways and I want to bring that to as many people as I can through my work. This year, I have tasked myself to expand the accessibility of my art. Moving from small scale collections to the public art realm. I am constantly writing and submitting proposals for public art projects, murals, and public exhibition space. Art is made for the people, and I want to bring art to the people.

As a consultant, I work with business owners, small and large to pinpoint weaknesses and areas of opportunity and build strategies for growth and expansion. This could be digital marketing practices, implementing operational systems, building a brand identity, etc. While on paper these two practices seem contrary to each other, I thrive being able to use both the left and right sides of my brain on a daily basis. I am grateful for that and the opportunity to create something new every day."

Preston Hughes ‘12 just graduated from SMU Law School Cum Laude.

Daniel Martens ‘12 will be graduating law school on May 25th, 2019 from the University of Texas School of Law. Daniel will be practicing trademark and copyright law with the firm Pirkey Barber in Austin, Texas.

to Palo Alto, California this fall to pursue a Master's degree in Physician Assistant Studies at Stanford University.

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David Gurasich ‘15 writes, “I

am graduating in May from TCU with a BS in Biochemistry with plans to go to graduate school to earn a doctorate.”

Camille Hudson ‘15 writes, “Hi! I graduated early, in December, from Rhodes College majoring in Spanish and minoring in International Studies. I have moved back to Austin and started working for Trinity Episcopal School as a Lower School Teaching Fellow.”

Jackson Hughes ‘15 just graduated from SMU,

double majoring in Political Science and Philosophy, and double minoring in Law and Legal Reasonings and Chinese. He also served as President of the SAE chapter his senior year. Jackson was the recipient of the Kenneth Pye Outstanding Leadership Award given at the Hilltop Excellence Awards Banquet and he will be attending Law School in the fall.

Madeleine Mele ‘15 (University of Texas

Women’s Lacrosse) was named a Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association (WCLA) All-American in her final season for the Longhorns.

a winner in the TEDxTAMU art contest, and her work was displayed in a gallery at the TEDxTAMU conference in April.

Noelle Brimble ‘15 recently graduated from The School Of Cinematic Arts at The University of Southern California. In May, her senior thesis project entitled “Centerfold Syndrome” was presented. “Centerfold Syndrome” is a series of lenticular images analyzing the similarities between paintings of women during the Renaissance and modern women in advertisements and how the same techniques of oversexualization haven’t changed for hundreds of years. This project directly stems from Noelle’s love of art history, taught to her by Ms. Russell and Ms. Elliott during her time at St. Andrew’s.

writes, “I finished my double major in Film and Advertising early, so I jumped right into my school's (SMU) graduate program to get my Masters in Advertising. I loved my time at St. Andrews and am so proud to see the school doing well.”

Allie Novess '15, a student at Texas A&M, was

Class of 2012 girls reunion weekend in Willamette Valley!

Julia Josowitz '14, is moving

Alex Gurasich ‘15

Andrew McInvale ‘15 has had a

great pitching season in his junior year on the Liberty University baseball team in Lynchburg, VA. The Liberty Flames won the 2019 Atlantic Sun Conference Championship, and Andrew was named on the All-Tournament team. In early June, Andrew was selected on the final day of the 2019 MLB First Year Player Draft to play for the Toronto Blue Jays!

Max Bartee ‘16 was

History teacher Courtney Elliott ran into Parker Davis '14 at a show during SXSW this year!

selected as the Corps Staff Career Readiness Officer for 2019-2020.

He is honored to help lead approximately 2,500 men and women in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M University his senior year.

Cameron Pepe ‘15 received the

Academic Award for the highest GPA in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Georgia Tech—for the second time!

Cameron plans on getting his Masters in Computer Engineering and will be interning back home in Austin this summer.

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Ellie Rudy ‘17 has joined the Texas 4000,

Scott Politz ‘15

finished up a strong baseball season at Yale this year, tying the University’s record for career wins set in 1948.

He was also picked in the 29th round of the MLB draft to play for the St. Louis Cardinals!

Robbie Li ‘16

will graduating from UC Berkeley this coming December.

Isaac Segura ‘17 and Hana Arriaga ‘17 are

studying abroad this summer in Barcelona. They are both taking 6 hours of college credit hours all in Spanish. During their time off from school, they spend the weekends with students from all over the world travelling through Spain and taking in the culture.

Austin Alumni Event Our annual Austin Alumni

and is getting ready to bike from Austin to Anchorage, Alaska in 2020 to raise money for cancer research and care! Though she only began her 18 month training in November of 2018, Ellie has been familiar with the Texas 4000 for years. Her brother-in-law completed the ride back in 2006, and she was waiting at the finish line when her boyfriend, Seamus, finished in 2018.

The Texas 4000 is the longest distance annual charity bike ride in the world, and hundreds of students apply each year.

Roughly 75-90 students are accepted, and dedication to the mission and community service are a higher priority than physical fitness or even knowing how to ride a bike.

Ellie was just fitted for her bike, and is ready to start her training.

Event in May was a big success! Our Alumni enjoyed a beautiful evening at The Grove Wine Bar + Kitchen, Downtown, joined by faculty members Dan Latreille, Malia Aycock and Elizabeth Guice!

Stone Mountain ‘18 just completed

Billy Clarke ‘18 and the

Rhodes track team won their conference and Billy got 3rd in the conference meet for the 400 with a 49.50 coming back from a hamstring pull mid season and decided to run the final conference race! Came back swinging!

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ALUMNI NEWS

Alumni at Latin Convention The Texas State Junior

Classical League (TSJCL) Convention this year was held at Anderson High School here in Austin in April, and many Alumni came to help out! Walton Schmidt ‘17 spoke about the city of Venice, while Katherine Salinas ‘17 spoke about ancient and modern ideas of friendship. Matthew Tobias ‘18, Ali Campion ‘12 and Jade Ross ‘12 helped run the basketball and volleyball tournaments, and William McKinnerney ‘17 handled online registration. Finally, Andrew Rist ‘05 ran the Certamen tourney!

his first year at Cincinnati Conservatory of Music where he made the Dean’s list both semesters. After returning to Austin in May, Stone was selected to perform with Broadway and film actor, songwriter and Tony Award winner, Ben Platt. The event took place at Austin Country Club on Friday, May 17th. Stone sang 2 solos; “Out in the Storm” from DogFight and “Bad Habit” from Ben Pratt’s newly released solo album, Choose Me Instead and a Dear Evan Hansen medley. Following the performance, Stone attended Ben’s sold out concert at ACL and was treated to a backstage tour. Several SAS alumni attended both events including

Alumni Baseball Game The hot weather

didn’t deter these alums from playing in our annual Alumni Baseball Game this June! This has become a treasured event for St. Andrew’s Alumni and families.

A special thanks to Brett Schwab (father of Katrina ‘15 and Luke ‘17) for grilling all the delicious food! Save the date for next year: May 31, 2020!

Christian Erben ‘17, Jill Pewett ‘18, Lana Soileau ‘18, Brendan Bowyer ‘16, Aimee Williams ‘17 and Robin Casner ‘19.

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St. Andrew’s Episcopal School 1112 West 31st Street Austin, Texas 78705

Reunion WEEKEND 2019 SAVEthe DATE

NOV 1-2, 2019 We can’t wait to see our Alumni back on campus for Reunion Weekend 2019, especially our milestone classes of 2004, 2009, and 2014!

Email alumni@sasaustin.org to get involved with planning!

FRIDAY HOMECOMING TAILGATE • ALUMNI DINNER • VISIT W/ FORMER TEACHERS • AND MORE!