The Bridge Fall 2023

Bridge the

Fall 2023

IN THIS ISSUE:

Severn School The Bridge Magazine Fall 2023

Build Community Take a Stand

IN THIS ISSUE TAKE A STAND

BUILD COMMUNITY pg

16

The Place Where Everybody Knows Your Name

pg

24

Preserving Severn’s History

Cameron Christie ’23 (L) and Lizzie Sullivan ’23 (R) celebrating their June 2 graduation from Severn School.

THE BRIDGE is published for alumni, parents, and friends by Severn School’s Communications Office. We encourage all of our readers to respond with comments, questions, and information.

Reach us at: 201 Water Street, Severna Park, MD 21146 or info@ severnschool.com or 410.647.7700.

ONLINE ACCESS: All issues of The Bridge can be found on Severn’s website for easy online reading.

To access this and other past issues, visit https://www.severnschool.com/ alumni/the-bridge-magazine ©2023 Severn School. All Rights Reserved. Severn School does not discriminate against any person in admission, employment, or otherwise because of race, creed, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or age. Severn School is accredited by the Association of Independent Maryland and DC Schools (AIMS) and is approved by the Maryland State Board of Education.

pg

36

Core Value Continuum

pg

44

Change the Subject, Change the Perspective

MISSION STATEMENT: Severn School challenges its students to pursue excellence in character, conduct, and scholarship, to marshal the courage to lead, and to contribute to the world around them. We believe this is best realized in a community where adults model these qualities, where a culture of belonging is fostered, and where each student is known and valued.

Douglas Lagarde, Head of School Jon Mahan, Board of Trustees Chair Shannon Howell, Director of Development Kelley Wallace and Jayme Alfano, Editors Carolyn Campion, Director of Alumni Relations and Alumni Giving

ON THE COVER: Sterling ’36 and Doug Schwartz ’24 spend time together after

Jessica Popham McDermott ’97,

Convocation in September. As is tradition, the younger students are seated with

Alumni Association President

current seniors for this opening assembly, and then they visit the library to read a book together afterward. Photo Credit: Steve Ruark /ruarkphoto.com

Designed by Contrast & Company

HEAD OF SCHOOL DOUG LAGARDE’S

COMMENCEMENT REMARKS It is my distinct honor and privilege to stand before you today as you prepare to embark on the next chapter of your lives and offer my heartfelt congratulations on this momentous occasion.

As the Head of this esteemed institution, I have had the pleasure of watching you grow and develop, and as you move forward into the world, I want to take a moment to talk about something crucial to your success beyond these walls—personal branding.

In today’s highly competitive world, personal branding is more important than ever, and it involves creating a strong online presence through social media, blogs, and websites so that you can establish yourselves as thought leaders and gain visibility.

Ok.

I did not write that introduction. And my hope is that anyone who has heard me speak before recognized that it was not my voice.

I used Chat GPT to generate a graduation speech introduction. As with most things generated by artificial intelligence, it’s filled with empty platitudes and lacks depth and feeling. The idea of personal branding is performative, an outcome void of substance, and seeks validation from others. And while the concept of thought leadership has become trendy as of late, I’m not sure what it is other than pretentious, self-congratulatory nonsense.

By using AI to craft an intro, I skipped the most important part—the process, the work. The process of thinking, of writing and rewriting, of crafting something authentic; something with feeling, something with a human core.

By embracing process, whatever it’s for – a new skill, a relationship, or generating an idea – you are doing the hard work of accomplishing something, of creating real value – value laden with confidence, resilience, and joy. Too often today, we fall for the Instagram version of confidence, emphasizing the projection of belief instead of working on the substance underneath.

In his book Do Hard Things, Steve Magness writes that by bypassing the process, “We’ve fallen for the appearance without the substance. One that is

4

THE B RIDGE FALL 2023

‘Let’s Actually Go’ embodies hope, and in a world where cynicism abounds, the optimism inherent in the senior class is both needed and inspiring.

staged, distorted, and dependent on choosing to live in a fantasy instead of embracing reality and acknowledging the struggles, the failure, the doubts, the insecurity and making sense of and finding meaning in that struggle.”

adaptive challenge for the school year.

An adaptive challenge seeks to have the community change for the better by inspiring positive action. The adaptive challenge for the ’22-’23 school year was: “Let’s Actually Go.”

The Class of 2023 has done hard things—maybe not always by choice— but they are better and more confident because of it. My guess is that none of you in the fall of 2019 would have signed up for the high school experience you had, knowing what you know now. Freshman year spring completely shut down; sophomore year hybrid in A and B groups for threefourths of the year; junior year still in masks through February; and a senior year, while not directly impacted by it, COVID lingered in both tangible and intangible ways.

When faced with a challenge, one can either shrink and hide in the shallow, performative world of social media, or one can dig in, invest in oneself and accomplish something by actually going. Accomplishments and achievements are often used interchangeably as a sign of growth, though there is a subtle yet significant distinction between the two.

Achievement is most often a personal result and benefits, primarily, the individual. An accomplishment, on the other hand, often benefits others and the community. It is a more selfless measure of success.

If you think about it, approximately 30% of your educational career thus far has been spent dealing with COVID in some form. And it’s been hard.

Too often, though, I hear people speak with grief about the past four years, lamenting how much was lost. In fact, I would argue that you gained something – something extremely crucial to your success in college and adulthood – a renewed appreciation for community, cooperation, and sacrifice; for what it is to be authentic, to be human.

Every August, Severn conducts a leadership retreat for students in grades 10 through 12, and the primary purpose of the two-day event, attended by more than 100 students, is to decide on an

The class of 2023 has certainly achieved a lot and should be congratulated for those achievements; however, they have accomplished much, much more. “Let’s Actually Go” has purpose, depth, and feeling. It’s a human action, and by embracing the challenge of uncertainty inherent in actually leading our community, they found their voice.

“Let’s Actually Go” embodies hope, and in a world where cynicism abounds, the optimism inherent in the senior class is both needed and inspiring.

Now, their optimism is not unrealistic, with a naïve trust that everything will work out. It is not Pollyannaish or based on denial. It’s a confident posture that leads them to examine the present

positively, to seek to remake it, and to feel ready to shape the future— which I trust they actually will.

Seniors: In the world you will meet many people who are really smart and have great ideas. However, what will be in short supply will be the resolve—the simple act of will—to get stuff done, to actually go. The Artificial Intelligence you have at your disposal today will be the weakest and most rudimentary you will experience in your lifetime— think about that. So, yes, use AI to help facilitate aspects of your lives, but make sure it does not replace the purpose of why we live – to experience the depth and joy of living an authentic life, not an artificial one.

You have proven here you understand that struggling through the process of becoming is not a sign of weakness, but in fact, it is what makes us grow; it is what brings accomplishment and feeling to our lives; it is what makes us human. And I am grateful for all the hopeful human qualities you brought to our community over the past four or seven or 12 or, for a couple of you, 15 years. And I encourage you to do the same in the communities in which you will be a part in the future.

Thank you, and good luck.

Doug Lagarde, Head of School

5

D

ear Severn Alumni Family, I hope this letter finds you well and that 2023 has been good to you and your family.

In case you missed my letter in the spring issue of The Bridge, my name is Jessica Popham McDermott. I have been lucky enough to serve

as President of the Severn Alumni Association for the past five years. In this role, I have worked to involve new Severn graduates in the alumni community, highlight alumni excellence, and promote alumni engagement. The aim of this letter is to accomplish all three, as I was recently

I want to thank the following alums for volunteering their time and expertise to the Severn Seniors:

Zach Schneider ’00, Pediatrics, partnered with Chloe Cabot ’23 and Ellis Davis ’23

Schuyler Sutton Gavula ’03,

Fashion, partnered with Mia Groff ’23 and Emma Trippett ’23

Jamie Wooddell ’06, Woody Wooddell ’73, Dentistry, partnered with Muhammad Hummad ’23

Cathie Herrick ’86, Ashley Templeton ’05, Evan Washburn ’03,

given a wonderful opportunity on campus.

Interviews with Successful People, partnered with KJ Lloyd ’23

In May, I had the opportunity to meet and welcome the newest members of our alum family: the Class of 2023. What an incredible group of students! At that time, the seniors were just wrapping up their ISPs (Innovative Senior Projects). The Severn ISP program partners students with mentors that work in an industry of the student’s interest. Students complete micro-internships during the month of May of their senior year and present details of their experiences to the class and faculty just before graduation. It’s an incredible program and one I am excited to feature, as many of the volunteer mentors for the Class of 2023 are Severn Alumni.

Zach Mills ’98, Culinary Arts, partnered with Melissa Mazuranic ’23 and Madi Vernon ’23

Scott MacMullan ’00,

Law, partnered with Emma O’Leary ’23

Laure Fisher ’96, Bob Graw ’85, Women in STEM, partnered with Emma Ripley ’23

Alec Green ’13,

Music, partnered with Henry Salinas ’23

6

THE B RIDGE FALL 2023

At the core of any strong group is connection.

The connection of the alumni network to Severn School and the current student body will help make the Severn Alumni Family thrive and grow into an even more powerful group that can impact the community for generations to come. Seeing Admiral alums volunteer their time and energy to educate future alums is a great example of this connection’s power.

It is my hope to see even more of these connections in the coming year. If you want to learn more ways to get involved directly at Severn, please visit this URL: severnschool.com/alumni/mentoring If these opportunities aren’t feasible, but you are willing and eager to reconnect with Severn School in some way, please reach out. We want to hear from you!

Please tell us what you are up to and what is important in your life. We want to celebrate and rally around all Severn Admirals and continue to support each other and the school.

I hope the year ahead brings us many more opportunities to connect.

Best, Jessica Popham McDermott ’97 jessiemcdermott@gmail.com

2023 Graduates Attending Service Academies Severn School has a proud tradition of military service, going back to the school’s 1914 founding as a preparatory school for the United States Naval Academy. While Severn has evolved into a co-educational K-12 community, we are proud to recognize the 2023 graduates who are attending service academies or entering service programs.

Pictured L-R they are: Will Toomey Purdue University, Navy ROTC

Davis Cawlfield Yale University, Navy ROTC

Anna Erskine Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Air Force ROTC

Kyle Reinecke United States Naval Academy Foundation School

Sophia Amplo United States Naval Academy

Louis Lentz United States Naval Academy

Jamison Wildt United States Coast Guard Academy

Will Perez United States Naval Academy Preparatory School

7

Snapsh ts of Severn Plane and Simple This past spring, the class of 2032 enjoyed a special trip to Mr. Lagarde’s woodworking shop. Students learned about the process and different types of wood, and enjoyed a wood-turning demonstration.

They later moved inside Daiger House, where many of Lagarde’s finished pieces were on display, including a wooden hat that the students had fun modeling.

Cooper ’32 (L) tries on the hat while Landon ’32 (center) and Isla ’32 (R) look on.

Growing the Alumni Community In May, the Alumni Association hosted a “Welcome to the Alumni Association” lunch for the 113 members of the Class of 2023 on the Alumni House lawn. Every senior signed the Alumni Membership book, ate a Chipotle lunch, listened to a few words from current Alumni President Jessica McDermott ’97, and wrote themselves a letter that will be returned to them at their 5-year reunion.

(L-R) Caitlyn Given ’23, Lilly Baker ’23 and Polly Hill ’23 enjoy the lunch hosted by the Alumni Association.

Severn’s 2027 families pull off the Same Shirt Prank at the eighth-grade promotion ceremony.

8

THE B RIDGE FALL 2023

Aloha from the Class of ’27 Families The class of 2027 families brought some Same Shirt Prank fun to Teel Campus for the eighth-grade promotion ceremony. To the crowd’s delight, about 70 dads, grandfathers, uncles, and brothers showed up to the event wearing identical maroon flower-print shirts.

Bridging the Generational Gap Grandfriends Day returned to the Lower School in April. To kick off the special event, each grade took the stage for a musical performance for the standing-room-only crowd. Following that, grandfriends joined students in their classrooms, where they worked together on puzzles, math problems, and other fun activities. Students also walked their guests around the school, showing them where they have specials, recess, and lunch.

Cece ’32 and Faye Patton work on a project together during Grandfriends Day.

Student Takeover For one day last school year, Isabelle ’30 enjoyed a new title: Lower School Head. Head for the Day is a Lower School tradition that is both fun and meaningful. The student who serves as Head also chooses a theme and visits each classroom to promote a cause that they care about. Isabelle selected 4Ocean, and the theme for this dress down day was Our Oceans.

Isabelle ’30 sits at Ms. North’s desk while serving as Head for the Day.

Aww Shucks!

While teaching his Junior/Senior seminar “Literature of the Chesapeake,” Mr. Zmuda found out that most of his students had never tasted an oyster before. Therefore, to fully immerse them in the curriculum, he held an oyster tasting. While the results were somewhat mixed for first-time tasters, all had fun with this unique and memorable hands-on learning.

Richard Zmuda, Drew Hayden ’23, Doug Lagarde, Fionn Kinsella ’23, Davis Cawlfield ’23 and Paul Summers ’23 at the oyster tasting event Mr. Zmuda organized for his Literature of the Chesapeake seminar.

An Art and Coffee Blend Twice a year, the Middle School hosts a special Coffeehouse where students are invited to perform or share their writings and artwork with their peers.

Eva ’29 shares during the spring Middle School Coffeehouse.

Prefects Defined One of the first official duties for newly named Prefects is a visit to the Lower School at the end of May, where they participate in the culminating third-grade leadership project.

(L-R) Keon ’32, Jack Read ’24, Daniel McNair ’24 and Cooper ’32 take a break from working on the third grade leadership project, an annual event for rising Senior Prefects.

9

ADMIRAL ACHIEVEMENTS Congratulations to the Admirals recognized for the following achievements in the Spring 2023 season.

Will Perez ’23

Boys Lacrosse ` Trey Dring ’23 – 2nd Team All-County Capital Gazette ` Will Perez ’23 – 2nd Team All-County Capital Gazette ` Chase Hallam ’24 – 2nd Team All-County Capital Gazette

Jack Stamato ’24

` Jacob Todd ’23 – MIAA All-Conference “A” Conference; 2nd Team All-Metro Baltimore Sun; 1st Team All-County Capital Gazette ` Andrew Beard ’24 – MIAA All-Conference “A” Conference; 1st Team All-County Capital Gazette ` Nick Sotiropolous ’23 – 1st Team All-County Capital Gazette ` Davis Cawlfield ’23 – MIAA All-Academic Honors

Helena English ’24 and Robby Meek ’23

Baseball ` Caden Blanck ’25 – MIAA All-Conference “B” Honors; 2nd Team All-County Capital Gazette

Girls Lacrosse ` Giselle Torain ’24 – 2nd Team All-County Capital Gazette ` Zoee Stencil ’23 – IAAM All-Conference “A”; US Lacrosse All-American; 1st Team All-County Capital Gazette ` Sage Whiteside ’23 – US Lacrosse All-Academic Team

Giselle Torain ’24

10 THE B RIDGE

FALL 2023

Track & Field ` Emma Patrick ’26 – IAAM All-Conference Honors; Emma also represented Severn at the New Balance Outdoor T&F Nationals at UPenn. She finished 13th out of 50 in the Girls’ Freshman 1-mile.

Golf ` Jack Stamato ’24 – MIAA All-Conference “B” Conference ` Casey O’Donnell ’23 - MIAA All-Conference “B” Conference

Sailing Congratulations to the Severn Sailing Team for an outstanding spring season. ` Named National HS Sailing Team of the Year Award for 2022-2023 ` Won the Baker National Championship ` Finished 2nd at the Mallory National Championship ` 2023 District Champions - Severn has won 6 straight district championships. ` Won 2 ACC Championships ` Finished 2nd at the Keelboat Nationals

SEVERN-AT-A-GLANCE Severn School students are challenged to pursue excellence in character, conduct, and scholarship; to marshal the courage to lead, and to contribute to the world around them.

100

%

Matriculation Rate:

The goal is to ensure that all Severn students become informed and empowered applicants to the colleges that provide the academic and community setting best suited for their success.

140

Newly Welcomed Students in 2023

45

Lower School

35

Middle School

60

Upper School

894 13 Students

Average Class Size

10:1 68

%

Student-Teacher Ratio

$

Faculty with Advanced Degree

3.2M 43

Financial Aid Awarded

ZIP Codes Represented

11

Severn School Celebrates the Class of 2023 with the

109 COMMENCEMENT

th

On a warm and sunny spring day, Severn School celebrated the 113 graduating seniors from the Class of 2023 with its 109th Commencement exercises.

The June 2 outdoor ceremony included all the pomp and circumstance that traditionally surrounds this milestone event for graduating seniors.

Severn has a 100% matriculation rate, with students attending a wide variety of colleges and universities across the country. To view the full 2023 matriculation list, visit severnschool.com/academics/college-counseling

12 THE B RIDGE

FALL 2023

Family and friends filled the spectator seating areas on the Alumni House lawn, cheering enthusiastically for the graduates throughout the event. There were performances by two different Severn vocal groups, awards, speeches, the formal presentation of each graduate as they received their diplomas, the turning of the tassel to mark the transition from student to alum, and finally, the traditional group cap toss that took place on the school’s athletic field.

Having earned the highest overall GPA, Anna Erskine ’23 was named the Valedictorian of the Class of 2023 and received the Scholarship Award. As the 2023 recipient, her name will be added to a perpetual shield presented to Severn by the Class of 1924. Erskine, now attending MIT, also delivered the valedictory address.

The senior class selected Konner Smith ’23 to deliver the student address, and the graduating students invited longtime Severn Upper School faculty member

Irene (Renie) Sotiropoulos to give the commencement address. Other speakers included Christopher Fan ’23, Student Council President, and Douglas Lagarde, Head of School.

A number of graduation awards were presented as well, including the Rolland M. Teel Award, given in memory of Severn’s founder and the highest award given by Severn School at graduation.

This honor is bestowed upon a student for their distinct contributions to Severn through participation in, and attitude toward, the school, its people, and its spirit.

The 2023 recipient of this prestigious award was Christopher Fan ’23.

The Dawson Leadership Award, another high-profile award, was presented to Aiden Gilroy ’23.

This award is presented annually to the member of the senior class who has exhibited outstanding school citizenship. It was established in 1947 by the late D. Clifton Dawson, known and respected for his support of and service to his community.

2023 Award Recipients Jonah Halsted Activities Award presented to

Megan Murphy Jack Giardina Athletic Award presented to

Jacob Todd Zoee Stencil Benjamin Louck Memorial Award presented to

Ryan Stewart

(selected by the senior class)

Paul J. Kesmodel Severn Award presented to

Cameron Christie G. Parker Lindsay Memorial Award presented to

Jamison Wildt Eller Citizenship Award presented to

Grace Curtis Louis Lentz

A total of 21 Severn students from the Class of 2023 are continuing their athletic careers in college as well, competing for Navy, Princeton, RIT, Notre Dame, Stanford, Dartmouth, Franklin & Marshall, Bryant and Harvard, among others.

13

OUR VALUES.

DISCOVER WHAT MATTERS

TAKE A STAND

BUILD COMMUNITY

BE WELL, LIVE WELL

EVERYONE BELONGS

BUILD COMMUNITY We are capable of extraordinary

things as individuals, but together,

we can reach even greater heights.

Keeping community at the center

gives us the energy and enthusiasm to explore ideas and try new things.

Read on for stories that demonstrate this value in action.

15

Severn is more than just a place where

THE PLACE WHERE EVERYBODY KNOWS YOUR

students learn. It’s a place where they are celebrated, consoled, supported, challenged, and encouraged. It’s a place where lifelong friendships are born. It’s a place where the entire family is known and valued, not just the student. There

Name How Severn Facilitates the Start of New Chapters for Students.

is undoubtedly robust and challenging learning, but there is so much more – joy, triumph, connection – that happens at Severn precisely because it is so much more than just a physical location where students learn.

And that is because Severn is more than just a place of learning. It’s a community.

The philosopher and theologian Jean Vanier was quoted as saying, “One of the marvelous things about community is that it enables us to welcome and help people in a way we couldn’t as individuals.”

There may be no better example within Severn of the power of community in helping and welcoming others than in how those all-important transitions are marked and managed. Whether it’s a new student coming into Severn, current students who are making the exciting – and potentially anxiety-inducing – change from one division to the next, or seniors graduating and leaving Severn to start a new chapter, these transitions are thoughtfully considered, planned for, acknowledged, and celebrated in ways that only a true community could.

16 THE B RIDGE

FALL 2023

Henry MacDonald ’28 leads a group of fifth-graders on a tour of Teel Campus.

Ben ’32, Timmy ’32, Landon ’32 and Liam ’32

You’re an admiral now.

For new students, the Severn introduction begins well before they experience their first day of school. Once a new student is accepted and enrolled, the family is invited to their respective campus in the spring for a welcome event. On the Chesapeake Campus, this means a fun outdoor picnic where new families can interact with Lower School teachers and one another. On the Teel Campus, Severn hosts two separate welcome events, one for new ninth-graders – typically the largest group of new students – and one for all new middle school students, including the rising sixth-graders coming up from the Lower School. It’s an evening event where students are encouraged to get to know one another through various games and ice-breaker activities. Current Severn upperclassmen lead many of the activities. Before the night is over,

Severn’s new parent event was a wonderful opportunity to begin our family’s journey as Admirals.

–Liz Mescher P’27 students who had been strangers just a few hours before are invariably posing together in photos, following each other on social media, and exchanging numbers so they can keep in touch. And their parents are doing the same thing, albeit with fewer selfies and more carpool conversations.

Anna Mescher ’27, a new ninth-grader who attended the welcome event, enjoyed the experience. “My favorite part was meeting other incoming ninth-grade students and connecting with them through social media,” she said.

“The current Severn students leading my group also helped make me feel welcomed.”

At both events, new family members had the opportunity to mingle while the students were engaged in games and activities on another part of campus. “From the very start of the admission process, we make a point to convey the strength of the Severn community to prospective families,” said Kim Slade, Director of Enrollment Management and Outreach.

“Once they enroll, we want them to know that they’re all Admirals now.” (See New Family Experience on Page 19.)

once they become sixth-graders. The Middle School leadership and faculty recognize their responsibility to develop and deliver learning experiences that address the developmental needs of this age group. Their charge is essential—to deliver a school program that meets the needs of incoming sixth-graders and effectively guides them into seventh and eighth grade with the intellectual skills, strong character, and overall wellness required to succeed.

T ransition to Teel— in Two Parts

“Incoming sixth-graders step onto Teel Campus with an influx of new classmates, a newfound independence, and high academic expectations, all while managing the dramatic physical and emotional changes of adolescence,” said Dan Keller, Head of Severn’s Middle School. “The best thing to do is acknowledge all of this and help them to get comfortable and develop the skills they need to manage the spirited growth that happens at this age.”

Another significant adjustment for current students is when they are promoted to the sixth grade and move up to Severn’s Teel Campus.

This is why, long before that occurs, fifth graders are gradually introduced to their new learning environment. Part one of the exposure to the Upper School begins during the first week of school, as groups of fifth-graders are toured around campus immediately following Convocation, the first all-school assembly.

Early in the fall, each fifth-grader also has the opportunity to do a class visit to the Middle School, while parents of fifth-graders are invited on a student-led tour. For many, this visit is the first one to Severn’s Teel Campus.

Fifth-graders conclude their year with a field trip to the Zimmerman Library each spring, where they are introduced to the expanded resources available to them once they are in Middle School.

The intentionality around supporting this particular group of young learners continues

Our solution: Transition to Teel, a purposeful set of sixth-grade enrichment courses designed to support the growth of students. The curriculum includes study skills, health and wellness, design thinking, and grammar and composition. Every sixth-grade student rotates between these enrichment courses throughout the school year.

“Through Transition to Teel, I learned important study skills,” said Janie Salinas ’28.

“This was especially helpful in studying for tests, and I felt less stressed. I also learned how to send an email to an adult, which made communicating with my teachers much easier.”

Transition to Teel was a great way to help adjust to Middle School. There were different classes every few weeks — how to stay organized, how to use proper grammar, and how to develop better study skills. Because we have a lot more independence in sixth grade, Transition to Teel helped me understand the importance of using my time wisely.

–Lily Habashi ’28

17

M iddle Schoolers No More Becoming a high schooler is another milestone for students, and even though grades 6-12 are on the same campus, this is still a significant change. To aid in this transition, students entering ninth grade must participate in a Freshman Retreat that happens just before the start of the school year. This two-day event is designed to help students acclimatize to the Upper School. It includes outdoor team building, get-to-know-you activities, and a group dinner. These activities are followed by Orientation on campus the next day. Prefects are paired with advisories, and together with the advisors, they lead their groups on campus tours, share more about the Upper School culture, and help incoming ninth-grade students get comfortable with their new daily

routines and responsibilities. Prefects then continue to support the advisories throughout the rest of the year. Their role is important, as they can offer ninth-graders a peer-based perspective on navigating student life in high school.

The two-day event is designed to help students acclimatize to the Upper School.

For Upper School students new to Severn, there is one more step as well. They are invited to a family meeting with Steve Soden, Upper School Head; Marc Buckley, Assistant Upper School Head and Dean of Students; or Sidra Smith, Director of Studies.

During this session, the new students’ academic and extracurricular interests are reviewed, and preliminary class schedules are discussed. Mostly, though, it affords new Severn families dedicated time with the Upper School administration, allowing them to ask questions, share concerns, and learn more about what to expect as the new school year approaches.

K nown and Valued

In addition to all of these thoughtfully designed programs, initiatives, and events, there is yet another layer of activity taking the well-being of each student into consideration.

Behind the scenes, the Division Heads meet each spring to talk about how to best assist the incoming class— both as a group and as individuals.

These meetings help ensure that students are placed in the advisory that is the best fit and that they are supported appropriately in the new division.

is a Severn student no matter what division they are in, which means that what the faculty and administration know and value about each student comes with them to their new environment.

Students new to Severn benefit from these internal reviews as well, only this time, it’s the Admission Counselors who meet with the Division team. They can offer insights that inform advisory placement based on their meaningful interactions with each student during the admission process. Investing time to architect advisories with complementary interests and skill sets is another way that the Severn community provides the warmest welcome possible and sets each student up for success.

F rom Students to Alums As exciting and celebratory as high school graduation is, it can be bittersweet as it marks the end of an era for graduates, which is why the Office of Alumni Affairs has developed a way to honor this final transition for students. Days before the seniors take that final walk across the stage as students, they are invited to a lunch hosted by the Admiral Alumni Association. There, they are officially welcomed into the ranks of Admiral alums.

On the way in, they sign a special alumni book, marking in ink the end of one phase and the beginning of their new identity as Admiral alums. Students at this lunch are also encouraged to write a letter to themselves that will be returned at their five-year reunion.

All alums also have access to a professional networking tool (Severn Connect) and are invited to meet up with fellow alums at social events in a variety of locations or to get involved in any number of mentoring opportunities.

A Severn student is a Severn student no matter what division they are in.

Simply put, transitioning into the sixth or ninth grades at Severn doesn’t feel like entering a new school. A Severn student

Prefect Jack Read ’24 holds up a sign for his advisory during Freshmen Orientation.

18 THE B RIDGE

FALL 2023

In a place of learning where the population is everchanging, culture becomes the defining feature. And Severn’s abiding values, longstanding traditions, and thoughtful transitions that extend from early school to the twelfth grade have created – to borrow from Vanier – a marvelous community that is helping and welcoming people in ways that no single individual could ever do alone.

We’re All Admirals Now! THE NEW FAMILY EXPERIENCE

The Dixon Family (Robyn, Corey ’27, Carter and Juan) stop for a photo at the Welcome Event.

W

ith schedules set, advisory groups and homerooms introduced, and new friendships forming, it takes little time for new-to-Severn students to acclimate to daily routines and feel at home in their new surroundings.

And while transitioning new students into Severn naturally takes center stage, there is another group that is just as important when it comes to integration into the Admiral community—families. Severn’s New Parent program is just as thoughtfully designed. It takes a multi-tiered approach, ensuring the parent community is equally engaged and as full of Admiral pride as the students are.

One of the earliest interactions with Severn’s strong parent community occurs right after the student commits to Severn. That spring, the Admirals Parents’ Association (APA) hosts a welcome reception that coincides with a special introductory event for new students.

Staffed with seasoned parents who are at the ready to answer questions and make connections, new parents immediately see the strength of the Severn community.

Each new family is then carefully assigned an ambassador family over the summer, who reaches out directly, establishing a personal connection. “We remember what it is like to be new and have those kinds of questions about daily life at Severn that you are not quite sure who to ask,” says Marci Monaldo, APA President, Teel Campus.

“The program connects you to another family in your grade or someone who has already been through the grade and lends the opportunity to ask anything, from where to buy books and uniforms to parking, how to be involved, and more.”

To further reinforce that pride in Severn, a new parent welcome kit – chock full of everything maroon – is presented to new parents by the Development office during the first few weeks of school.

Once the school year is in full swing, the APA offers another opportunity to connect at the

Kate and Bennett ’30 Hilgartner

Welcome Back Bash, a favorite event held the Thursday after Labor Day on the Daiger House lawn. While all parents are invited to the event, the APA makes a special effort to welcome new families with a New Parent Welcome Tent, where they can gather and meet staff and other new parents, APA representatives, and even their ambassador family from over the summer.

Walking into a party of 400-plus people early in the school year can be daunting, and we want to make sure that our newest parents feel comfortable joining in by connecting them with others from the start,” says Deb Smith, Director of Stewardship and Campaigns.

With up-front efforts complete, new parents are fully integrated into the community and join other parents in grade-level socials, meetings, coffees, volunteer opportunities, and events through fall and winter.

There is even a winter check-in from their ambassador.

Finally, with the all-school APA Admiral Auction scheduled for March, new parents are once again invited to a special VIP hour before the general start of the event. “Having the new parents or anyone new to the auction come to preview the room and items, meet other parents, and feel even more comfortable at this event is so helpful and continues to build our community,” adds Kristi Painter, APA President, Chesapeake Campus.

Ultimately this initiative becomes a cycle of its own.

As new parents transition into returning parents, many enjoy the opportunity to return the favor, becoming an ambassador the following year or taking on other volunteer roles and reminiscing on what it was like to “be new” while continuing to make lasting Severn connections.

Ryan ’30 and Patrick Nunes

19

SENIOR TRADITIONS One of Severn’s many cherished traditions is College T-Shirt Day. One day in late May, every Severn senior wears a t-shirt bearing the name of the college or university they plan to attend in the fall. Congratulations to the Class of 2023!

20 THE B RIDGE

FALL 2023

21

TRANSITIONS

MILESTONE MOMENTS While commencement is the ultimate milestone celebration for Severn students – one that marks the transition from student to alum – other notable moments are commemorated along the way.

The most significant are those that occur at the end of each school year and mark the students’ promotion into the next phase of their academic journey.

The highlights this spring included:

C L AS S O F 2 0 2 7

Eighth Grade Promotion Ceremony C L AS S O F 2 0 3 0

Fifth Grade Promotion Ceremony C L AS S O F 2 0 3 7

Kindergarten Celebration During the final week of school, 30 kindergarten students were celebrated in a special ceremony that marked their promotion to the first grade. Parents, siblings, grandparents, and more were in attendance as each student was announced and presented with a commemorative certificate.

22 THE B RIDGE

FALL 2023

The end of fifth grade marked a significant change for 36 Severn students this spring as they ended their time on the Chesapeake Campus. The fifth-grade promotion ceremony was held on Teel Campus, and following tradition, each student from the Class of 2030 gave a short speech as family and friends cheered them on. Each student also received a promotion certificate from Doug Lagarde, Head of School, to commemorate this milestone.

At the end of the 2022–23 school year, 68 students were promoted from eighth grade into Severn’s Upper School.

Each member of the Class of 2027 was announced individually and received a promotion certificate. Rowan Ward ’27 delivered the class address, and a number of academic and other achievement awards were handed out. At the end of the ceremony, students came through the traditional Hug Line, allowing them to thank and say goodbye to their Middle School teachers.

A new twist was added this year, as the dads (and some grandfathers, brothers, uncles, and more) brought a little humor to the event by arriving wearing identical maroon-print Hawaiian shirts. Well done, Class of 2027 families!

A

A FROM THE ARCHIVES:

On Friendships and Community

After reflecting on his own decades-long

friendship with fellow alum Fred Weiss ’61,

who passed away in July 2022,

I attribute this curious pause in my thinking

Dave Secrest ’61 wanted to share

directly to the treatise concerning Friendship

these words of wisdom with today’s students.

written by Severn’s Founder and Headmaster, Mr. Rolland Teel. His extraordinarily poignant words are captured in the plaque mounted on the righthand pillar of our Alumni Walkway. As an old Navy guy with tenure, I can affirm, without question, that what Mr. Teel describes really

happens. Shifting to the vernacular, “He nailed it.”

My unsolicited advice is for you to make the extra effort to realize the value of the friends you make at Severn. You have a very special environment

for doing so. Go the extra mile to maintain contact with those friends. It will be a difficult task due to fast-changing locations, work demands, social

media, changing e-mails and phone numbers, and competing priorities. If you are parents, please proactively support your children’s friendships

and emphasize that the importance of friendships looms ever larger in the distant future. Please do not accede to any assumptions and remember the words by Mr. Teel—they are prescient.

Dave Secrest ’61

Dave Secrest ’61 (L) and Fred Weiss ’61 (R) in a photo taken at Secrest’s final change of command in 1993.

23

MEET THE ARCHIVISTS:

PRESERVING SEVERN’S HISTORY From its founding in 1914 to now, Severn has been known for many things: a Naval Academy prep school, a co-ed day school, and a rigorous college prep school. It is also the largest and oldest independent school in Anne Arundel County.

While the buildings and the layout of the campus may have changed over the years, the core values of the school have not. Severn has always been a vibrant place where students are encouraged to discover what matters, take a stand, build community, and continue to build upon the legacy of those who have come before them.

It is also a place where community matters and where the contributions and experiences of Admirals from every decade are honored and celebrated. Take just one step into Severn’s impressive Teel Campus entryway – the Rotunda – and all 109 years of the school’s past immediately greet you.

The name of every Severn School graduate since the school’s single graduate in 1914 is etched into the walls, stretching from floor to ceiling. While those names are just one small piece of Severn’s storied history, they might be the best representation of it, save for the diligence and resolve of two enthusiastic volunteers.

Now officially recognized as Severn’s volunteer archivists, former Severn teacher Carol Duncan and Severn alum Nina Paradiso ’98 dedicate time each week to gathering, organizing, and cataloging Severn’s rich history. They are occasionally joined by other retired teachers as well.

This effort initially started with Duncan in 1999 in the school’s basement and, mostly due to her persistence, has evolved into a dedicated archive situated on the top floor of the Alumni House. “Things were scattered all over the campus,” said Duncan, referring to her early days building the collection. “From garages of some of the school’s houses or way down in the basement, I would find things all over.”

After deciding that she would take up this cause, Duncan started small, asking for just one room and some shelves to begin organizing this growing collection related to Severn’s history. Because she was doing this part-time initially – she was still working as an art teacher then – Duncan rallied some additional support to start cataloging and organizing the sheer volume of items. “Students sometimes took it on as their senior project, and the administration for a time offered one hour of paid time a day so other faculty members would come down there to help for an hour here or there,” she said.

24 THE B RIDGE

FALL 2023

“I’m just so impressed with the Teel family,” added Duncan. “To think, this couple in their 20’s started this school!

I feel like I’m doing this for them.”

Duncan retired in 2008 and stepped away from the archives for about five years. But the lure of the past and excitement around the preparations for the 100th anniversary eventually pulled her back in. In 2013 she took on a more active role with the archives. “There was a really big push 10 years ago because we were getting ready for Severn’s Centennial celebration,” said Duncan. “I went down there to look for something for a play they were doing for the celebration, and I got absolutely hooked on being in there with all that history.”

Eventually, she found that she needed to install a better system to organize the many items she found or that were brought to her. They had time and volunteers, but no real plan. To solve that, Duncan arranged to speak with an archivist from the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. and learned the secret to organizing and maintaining an archive. “He told us the trick of how to build an archive.

He said whatever you have needs to fit into three categories, and that’s it,” said Duncan. “It is up to you to decide those categories, but everything must be able to fit into one of those categories.”

She began speaking with other members of the Severn community who had volunteered with her previously or had an interest in the archives to help determine those three specific categories. After careful consideration, Duncan had her three categories: community, programs, and governance. “Community, because that is who we are,” said Duncan. “The students, the parents, the faculty, alumni—there’s a connection that stays with you at Severn.”

Photos and yearbooks comprise a significant amount of the community category, going back several decades. These are often on display in the glass-fronted cases at the reception area on Teel Campus, which Duncan and Paradiso update several times a year. This past spring, they highlighted old theater productions in conjunction with the Upper School spring musical, The Little Shop of Horrors. They found old photos, props, programs, and memorabilia from several plays and musicals over the years, which were a big hit for theater alums who came back for a special reception before watching the musical.

Programs include anything related to academics, theater, and athletics. “Mr. and Mrs. Teel really believed that we had to have a balance between academics and athletics and other programs,” said Duncan. “We’ve kept that balance for students to be well-rounded since 1914.” Items in the

programs category include old faculty résumés and relics from teaching before technology. They also have Severn athletics memorabilia from years past.

“We have an old Severn cheerleading uniform,” said Paradiso, referring to the now-defunct Severn cheerleading program. “We also have a few old blankets that students used to huddle under to watch football games on the old fields.”

meeting with alums who come back to campus and tell us their Severn story.” Both Duncan and Paradiso emphasize how much they enjoy meeting with Severn alums who are on campus for a meeting or special occasion or who simply drop by the Alumni House for a visit. “We always welcome visitors, current and past,” said Duncan. “We love just talking to people about their stories and their time at Severn. You never know what The students, the parents, you will learn about Severn that you didn’t know before.”

The third category, governance, relates to the running of Severn the faculty, alumni – School and previous headmasters, board of trustees, buildings and there’s a connection that They also encourage Severn grounds, and more. Duncan and students to come by, especially Paradiso admit that this is the stays with you at Severn. those who are interested in hardest one to file things under, history. They find that there is a as they only have a few items that certain percentage of the student typically fall under this category. However, they still body that really enjoys looking back into the past look forward to categorizing every item they come and encourage them to make use of the archive. “We across. “We’ll never be through [organizing],” said are absolutely a resource for current students,” said Paradiso, admitting that for her that is part of the fun.

Paradiso. “We really want to be there for the kids.”

Paradiso, a former student of Duncan’s, jumped at the chance to return and work with her in the archives— something she’s been doing since 2016. “Every day is different working where we do,” said Paradiso.

“We may be looking through old photographs or

After going through extensive renovations over the summer, the Alumni House and the Archives are open to all members of the Severn community.

Carol Duncan (L) and Nina Paradiso ’98 (R) work together on the archives, located in the top floor of the Alumni House.

25

A SOUTHWEST

ADOPT-A-PILOT

Program Takes Flight Again at Severn School

fter a three-year hiatus, the Southwest Adopt-A-Pilot (AAP) Program touched down at Severn School once again, giving fifth-graders a pilot’s-eye view of how the subjects they are learning relate to aviation. Severn School is one of 1,500 schools nationally to participate in this innovative mentoring program, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

The AAP programming generally spans four to six weeks and follows a standard curriculum developed by Southwest. Using the classroom-ready materials provided, visiting pilots drop in about once a week and take students through interactive lessons that get them thinking about how an airplane works. The curriculum is designed to relate what students are learning in the classroom to aviation—specifically demonstrating how math, science, and geography are critical to a pilot’s job.

Severn first signed on as an AAP school in 2015 after Southwest Pilot Jeff Erskine P’23,’25 approached the Lower School Head, Cathy North.

Erskine had been involved with the program at another school previously.

When his daughter Anna ’23 enrolled at Severn, he was eager to get back into the classroom and engage with the students on the topic of aviation.

“One important piece of this program is to get students thinking about their future and what career options exist,” said Erskine, who has flown

26 THE B RIDGE

FALL 2023

for Southwest for 28 years.

“Even as fifth-graders, that future is nearer than they might think, and I enjoyed introducing flying as a career they could consider.”

Erskine filled the role of the adopted pilot at Severn for five years, stopping only when the program was grounded due to the pandemic. The program became airborne again during the 2022-23 school year, with Southwest Pilot and current Severn parent Tyson Sarina P ’28,’30 stepping in as the school’s adopted pilot.

“I really enjoyed coming in each week to teach the lessons laid out in Southwest’s syllabus,” said firsttime Adopt-A-Pilot Sarina, whose son is now a sixth-grader at Severn.

Because Sarina knew he wanted to be a pilot from a very young age and considered that to be a north star of sorts when it came to school and other activities, he enjoyed talking to the students about what they wanted to do later in life. “I was surprised by the

Nolan ’30 and Tyson Sarina P’28,’30 take a photo together at the conclusion of the AAP curriculum.

vocations some students already had in mind! They ranged from dentists to engineers to teachers and even a herpetologist,” he said.

This program is popular among Severn students and teachers alike, and the fifth-graders’ feedback was that they learned so much that they never knew before and especially liked that it was presented in such a fun and engaging

way. Fifth-grade teacher Jennifer Hayman gives the AAP program high marks, too, and she especially appreciates how the connection is made between the classroom and the real world.

“It’s always great when we have the opportunity to hear directly from professionals about how their education gets used in the field,” she said.

“When students can see the link between the lesson and the application of it in the real world, they fully engage with the material and generally have more fun with it.”

For the spring 2023 programming, Sarina demonstrated the four forces of flight—lift, drag, thrust, and weight.

Experiments were used to demonstrate these lessons, such as using ping pong balls to study wind and drag. They also built balsa wood airplanes together in class to help identify the different parts of the plane. To wrap up the unit, Sarina held a Jeopardy-style competition to review the material they had covered.

The winners of the game each received Southwest pilot wings.

While the Southwest curriculum is preset, pilots do have the flexibility to vary the lessons, adding their personal flavor and experiences. Erskine considered himself the “geography guy” and would focus extra on this subject. He even created a “Where in the World Is Your Pilot?” activity. For this, he shared his schedule with students so they could follow him over the coming week, using the 3-letter airport codes to look up his location.

Another favorite of Erskine’s was to run them through the type of math problems that pilots always face.

That might mean asking students to calculate how many miles he would be traveling over a multi-stop trip or something more complex, like if he was

About the Southwest Adopt-A-Pilot Program Adopt-A-Pilot, which began in 1997, brings Southwest® Pilots into classrooms to engage students in interactive, aviation-related lessons that help define future successes and sparks interest in aviation careers.

Each school year, students in more than 1,500 classrooms across the country adopt Southwest Pilots, giving them the opportunity to mentor students at the fifth-grade level.

Students will research careers and develop

traveling at an altitude of 37,000 feet and had to be at 31,000 feet 40 miles outside of Baltimore, when should he start his descent?

I always liked to get out ahead of the ultimate question: ‘When am I ever going to use this?’ — I had a lot of fun with it!

–Jeff Erskine Another popular component of the AAP program is the custom ties that participating Southwest pilots are permitted to wear. The AAP kit that Southwest provides to each school

life skills, while Pilots underscore the importance of staying in school. The AdoptA-Pilot curriculum is a supplementary way to educate students through aviation-themed activities related to science, geography, math, writing, and other core subjects.

Since the program launched in 1997, nearly 14,000 pilots and an estimated 556,000 fifth-grade students have participated. In celebration of the program’s 25th anniversary, Southwest unveiled an aircraft adorned with an Adopt-A-Pilot nose decal and fuselage artwork.

includes a drawing of a tie and information about the contest. Students are encouraged to work together to create and submit a design for that year’s custom tie. Southwest selects the winning design, and each pilot in the program receives one. Pilots are approved to wear this unique tie as part of their flight uniform.

At the conclusion of the program, each student receives a certificate confirming that they completed the Adopt-A-Pilot curriculum with flying colors.

“I believe the value in this program is to get young students to start thinking about what they can be, even if it’s not a pilot,” said Sarina. “But I also wanted every one of those kids to know that they could be a pilot or anything else they choose to be, as long as they were motivated and put in the work.”

27

Senior Fellows Showcase Impressive Array of Projects T

hrough the Van Eney ’09 Fellows Program, seniors at Severn have the opportunity to pursue a year-long passion project that reflects their growing personal and intellectual interests. Fellows are selected through an application process and work on their projects throughout their senior year.

The Fellows project represents learning for learning’s sake, as students explore new ideas and interests for the purest reasons—gaining knowledge and experience. Through the process, seniors are supported by mentors from within Severn and outside the community. They work towards key milestones, and adapting the project in response to challenges is as essential to the learning as the final product. At the school year’s end, this scholarship commitment is celebrated when final projects are shared with the Severn community.

28 THE B RIDGE

FALL 2023

This intensive academic pursuit demonstrates the skills, knowledge, and abilities of Severn students, and the projects are increasingly impressive and complex. This past class of Fellows was no exception, with projects ranging from sourcing sustainable fashion to an hour-long lacrosse documentary, to education around bat preservation, and more. Each Fellow creates a website dedicated to their specific project, and documents their process throughout the year through journal entries and photos. Upper School students and faculty are invited to the Fellows Fair at the end of the school year, where each Fellow presents their project to their peers and faculty.

Grace Knipe’s 2022-23 project was titled Exploring Human Anatomy Through Fashion. To better understand human anatomy, she hand-crafted several articles of clothing that reflected different parts of the anatomy, such as the skeleton or the human heart. For her presentation, she wore a flowing

Louis Lentz ’23 (far left) presents his Fellows project to Upper School students during the Fellows Fair in May.

2023 Fellows Project: Humans of Severn In this project, Cameron Christie ’23 and Lizzie Sullivan ’23 set out to discover more about the people of Severn by creating biographies of a random sampling of individuals within the community. The result is a collection of 15 portraits and biographies. By learning and telling their stories this way, the Humans of Severn project helped students learn more about the people around them and feel more connected to the larger community.

“Through the process of creating this book and interviewing students and faculty, we’ve learned so much about all of these individuals, seeing the similarities and differences between them and how they each have a unique role at Severn. Our goal was to highlight one of the most important parts of Severn, the support and love one will always receive as a member of the community.”

Grace Knipe ’23 poses with a dress from her Fellows project, Exploring Human Anatomy Through Fashion

About the Van Eney ’09 Fellows Program

“My motivation comes from a passion for science and seeing people shy away from biology and medicine because they seem too intimidating,” said Knipe. “This independent project combined my greatest passions: fashion and anatomy.”

The Van Eney ′09 Fellows Program at Severn School is based on the pillars of individual passion, scholarship, and inquiry that enable Severn School seniors to transcend the traditional academic program with a year-long intellectual pursuit that reflects their growing interests and passions. The selected fellows are provided an opportunity to pursue their passions for the experience and the intangible rewards of learning for learning’s sake and personal growth.

In one of the most interactive presentations, Louis Lentz ’23 invited attendees outside on one of the athletic fields. Students crowded around to see his model plane—a 1/3 scale functional piper warrior he constructed for his Aeronautical Study project. He built the 6-foot model using various wood, metal, plastic, and foam materials.

“I have always been fascinated with flight. Since Middle School, I have been designing, building, flying, crashing, and redesigning model planes on an increasingly complex scale,” said Lentz. “My project is all about taking the hypothetical concepts of aeronautical engineering and applying them to the real world.”

The Fellows program honors Van Eney ’09, who died in a tragic accident in June 2011. In his short life, Van made an impression on all those whose paths he crossed. His quiet reserve masked a carefree, fun-loving guy who brought great humor, joy, and love to his family and friends. He was a devoted son and brother and a loyal, generous friend who exhibited kindness and consideration to all. An avid football and lacrosse competitor, his selflessness showed in his concern for his team and teammates’ success over any individual accolades. With these traits in mind, the Severn Fellows Program was named in Van’s memory as a testament to who he was and how he lived his life.

coat she had made, and several of her other creations were also on display.

29

ADMIRAL ONCE AN

SEVERN ALUMS SERVE AS MENTORS ON SENIOR PROJECTS

Special thanks to the alums who spent time on campus this past spring.

Their contributions to the Admiral community are both invaluable and inspiring.

3/10

Adam Gottlieb ’97 came to campus to talk to the AP Government students about his experience as the Senior Assistant Journal Clerk at the US Senate. Adam has spent 20 years on the Senate floor and had many stories to share from his “front row seat to history.”

4/6

David Astle Memorial Lecture Series speaker Andy Dehart ’91 came to campus in April to speak to Upper School students, Middle School students, and fourthand fifth-grade students about his career in marine conservation.

After his school-wide presentation, “Live Every Week Like It’s Shark Week,” Mr. Dehart chatted over lunch with students interested in marine biology. He also met with students in Upper School science classes in the afternoon. (See full story on Page 32)

4/7

Students in Dr. Baugh’s American Public Address class had the opportunity to conduct a Zoom interview with two international business leaders – alumnus Joe Taussig ’62 and his wife Françoise Birnholz – both of whom currently live in Switzerland.

Students learned about the role of public speaking in international business and gained valuable knowledge about effective ways to pitch business ideas, the importance of learning a second language, and the current challenges facing start-ups.

4/10

Severn Parent Kami Garcia came in to talk with Dr. Baugh’s Short Stories seminars about the life and work of a published author. Ms. Garcia is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author and graphic novel writer, whose best-known works include the Beautiful Creatures series, Teen Titans series, and the DC Black Label comic Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity, among many others.

4/12

Torey Cole ’11 came to campus as the keynote speaker for the “Transition to College” program for the Class of 2023.

Torey is currently living in NYC—her day job is in marketing for Lexus, and her night gig is stand-up comedy. Torey’s interactive presentation was a funny yet poignant look at life after Severn.

30 THE B RIDGE

FALL 2023

A

BECOME A SEVERN MENTOR Do you remember the Severn Mentor who made the biggest impact on your life?

Members of the Class of 2023 had the opportunity to work with mentors on two different senior projects—the Van Eney ’09 Fellows Projects and the Innovative Senior Projects.

Special thanks to the following alums for offering guidance, direction, and support on these meaningful initiatives.

2023 Innovative Senior Project Alumni Mentors Schuyler Sutton Gavula ’03 / Fashion / Mia Groff ’23 and Emma Trippett ’23 Zach Schneider ’00 / Pediatrics / Chloe Chabot ’23 and Ellie Davis ’23 Scott MacMullan ’00 / Law / Emma O’Leary ’23 Laure Fisher ’96 and Bob Graw ’85 / Technology Emma Ripley ’23 Cathie Herrick ’86, Ashley Templeton ’05, and Evan Washburn ’03 / KJ Lloyd ’23

Whether it was a teacher, coach, or advisor, they helped you become who you are today. Alumni House is always in search of professionals to work with students and young alumni so that today’s students benefit from meaningful mentorship. There are a variety of ways – both in-person and virtual – that you can become a Severn Mentor and keep this strong tradition going. To get involved, email alumni@ severnschool.com.

Alec Green ’13 / Music / Henry Salinas ’23 Zack Mills ’98 / Culinary Arts / Melissa Mazuranic ’23 and Madi Vernon ’23

Jamie Wooddell ’06 and Woody Wooddell ’73 Dentistry / Muhammad Hummad ’23

2023 Van Eney ’09 Fellows Alumni Mentors Cole Bowden ’15 Aiden Gilroy ’23: “Digital Privacy Legal Study”

Katharine Coldiron Mason ’99 Cameron Christie ’23 and Lizzie Sullivan ’23 “The Humans of Severn”

Brian Kelly ’01 Jeffrey Huang ’23 “Computer Operating System Development”

Schuyler Sutton Gavula ’03 Avery Poindexter ’23 and Jess Smith ’23 “Upcycle Fashion– Thrifted Threads”

ADMIRAL ALWAYS AN

31

Astle Lecture Series Speaker Andy Dehart ’91, a dedicated marine conservationist and President and CEO of Loggerhead Marinelife Center, was the featured speaker for the 2023 David Astle Memorial Lecture Series. Dehart, who previously served as a Shark Advisor for the Discovery Channel, spoke to Severn students from the Middle and Upper Schools, sharing a presentation titled “Live Every Week Like It’s Shark Week.” The David Astle Memorial Lecture Series is an annual event through which knowledgeable and inspirational speakers are invited to share their expertise, experiences, and messages with the community.

‘Most Likely to Be Eaten by a Shark’

Andy Dehart ’91 delivered the 2023 David Astle Memorial Lecture, giving a presentation titled “Live Every Week Like It’s Shark Week.”

Top photo L-R: Hadley Nicole ’26, Cameron Christie ’23, Andy Dehart ’91 and Natalie King ’25.

32 THE B RIDGE

FALL 2023

The title for Dehart’s presentation was fitting since – as he shared to kick off his talk – his 20year prediction in the Severn yearbook was: Most Likely to Be Eaten by a Shark!

Throughout his lively and often humorous address to students, Dehart doled out career and life advice, illustrating his points with interesting personal anecdotes that marked inflection points in his life. Examples of his advice included: Don’t burn bridges, do the jobs nobody else wants to do, get out of your comfort zone, and never say never.

To underscore his advice to do the jobs nobody else wants to do, Dehart shared with the audience how accepting a job to work with the aquarium rebuild project in Washington, D.C. – at the time, regarded as one of the worst aquariums in the country – accelerated his career. Not only did he get invaluable hands-on experience from rebuilding 58 of the 60 exhibits, but that particular project is what caught the attention of the Discovery Channel team and led to him getting hired as a Shark Advisor for the network.

Another story he shared was about doing the show “Sharks After Dark” for the Discovery Channel, which aimed to film shark behaviors at night. They’d work between 2 and 6 a.m. in the pitch-black. “Was I scared?” he asked. “Heck, yeah! But was I going to sit that one out? No!” Getting out of his comfort zone on that trip turned out to be another trajectory in his career.

Dehart also implored students to apply themselves and listen to advice from the trusted people around them. His career started in high school, when – with the help of a Severn teacher, Mrs. Pearsall – he landed a summer internship at the Baltimore Aquarium. While he admits to being an average student in the classroom, this particular teacher recognized his passion for marine life and helped to get him into the program. Dehart would later return to Baltimore to run the aquarium’s collection program (don’t burn bridges), marking another period of career growth for him.

Throughout his talk, Dehart sought to educate the audience about sharks, even sharing a touching story about Roxanne, a tiger shark they brought into the aquarium he helped build in Nebraska (again, do the jobs nobody else wants to do). They developed a routine where Dehart would get into the water, and Roxanne would swim down to him and hit him in the forehead with her pectoral fin. She only reacted that way with him; they tried to re-create this with other people wearing his gear and wetsuit, but Roxanne reserved this greeting solely for Dehart. They had developed a special connection, and this was yet another life-changing experience.

At present, Dehart is the President and CEO of the Loggerhead Marinelife Center, a worldclass facility in Juno Beach, FL, that promotes the conservation of ocean ecosystems with a special focus on threatened and endangered sea turtles. Ironically, sea turtles are the preferred meal for tiger sharks, the species that initially ignited Dehart’s passion for marine life. But after achieving his career goals before he turned 40, he realized that what he wanted next was to build a culture inside an organization that would help him encourage more people to care about the ocean. “It’s important that you find where you fit and the right culture for you,” he said.

About The David Astle Memorial Lecture Series John and Jayne Astle established an endowment fund in 1998 after the tragic accidental death of their son David Sheridan Astle. A 1992 Severn School alumnus, David was an active member of the school community during his seven years as a student and a well-liked member of the alumni body. He told his mother shortly before his death that he felt he had developed lifelong friends while at Severn School. He realized Severn taught him more than the basics of education; Severn School helped develop his character by encouraging his own innate sense of integrity, responsibility, honor, and commitment.

The David Astle Memorial Endowment funds the annual lecture series through which knowledgeable and/or inspirational speakers are invited to share their expertise, experiences, and messages with the community. To learn more about the lecture series and the endowment fund, visit severnschool.com/support/welcome.

Ted Triebel ’60 Exemplifies Service Above Self Captain Theodore W. Triebel ’60 USN (Ret.) was inducted into the North Carolina Military Hall of Firsts (NCMHOF), part of the inaugural class of six inductees installed in June 2022. As stated by the organization, honorees to the North Carolina Military Hall of Firsts are to be persons who, “by the excellence of their military career in or connection to civic service, have brought substantial honor, recognition, and esteem to themselves, their families, and to the Great State of North Carolina.”

Triebel’s exemplary career, experiences, and dedicated service to his country and fellow man speak volumes and clearly demonstrate his fitness for this recognition.

Triebel entered the United States Naval Academy in July 1960 and was commissioned as an Ensign in the US Navy in June 1964. He then began flight training and was designated a Naval Aviator in 1966. During his early career, Triebel was deployed multiple times. He flew combat missions in Southeast Asia from December 1966 to May 1967 and again from December 1967 to May 1968. From August 1968 to August 1970, he was on deployments to West Germany in support of contingency plans. He was then deployed aboard the aircraft carrier USS Midway from May to October 1971 and again from May 1972 until he was forced to eject over North Vietnam and was taken as a Prisoner of War (POW) on August 27, 1972. After spending 215 days in captivity, LCDR Triebel and nearly 600 others were released during Operation Homecoming on March 29, 1973.

After returning home and recovering from his injuries, Triebel continued his service to the United States Navy. Over the next 20 years, he honorably served in various posts, ascending through the ranks to become the Commanding Officer first at the Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia, then at the Naval ROTC program at both Duke University and the University of North Carolina. The final assignment of Triebel’s successful career was as Chief of Staff of the United States Naval Academy, a position he held from June 1992 until he retired from the Navy on August 1, 1993.

Triebel’s nomination to the NCMHOF was submitted by Dave Everett, a longtime friend and, even more notably, his co-pilot on August 27, 1972. They were both POWs at the Hanoi Hilton. Everett’s nomination spoke of how Triebel’s encouragement contributed to his recovery (with no medical treatment and while in captivity) from substantial injuries and how together they sought a silver lining in their predicament.

Ted Triebel ’60 in North Vietnam, August 1972

Excerpted from Dave Everett’s nomination: Ted embodied the essence of camaraderie, loyalty, and friendship. He had placed my welfare before his own. Perhaps I lacked sufficient life exposure to fully appreciate that such uncommon virtues course through the veins of just an occasional few. This observation has no bearing on rank or stick and rudder skills, but rather everything to do with intrinsic courage, dependability, integrity, and resolve under extreme duress. Early on, I took from him that sometimes life's lessons are found in basic, unselfish actions, and those can occur in the unlikeliest of places. I always tried to emulate his example in my subsequent civilian career, hopefully to the advantage of those I was to lead in tight situations.

In May 2023, Triebel was again honored, this time at the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Homecoming of America’s POWs from Vietnam. This anniversary celebration commemorated the dinner that President and Mrs. Nixon hosted on May 24, 1973, in honor of the nearly 600 POWs who came home to their families. To this day, it remains the largest dinner in White House history.

To mark that historic event, the Richard Nixon Foundation hosted a three-day celebration for nearly 200 POWs and their families, including a dinner that was a re-creation of the original event. It was held in the Nixon Library's White House East Room replica; the same items were on the menu, and even the centerpieces were the same. In addition to the dinner, the former POWs were in attendance for the grand opening of “Captured: Shot Down in Vietnam,” a special exhibition about their experiences.

The celebration also included a community parade through Yorba Linda, recognition and honors from the United States Military, and an opportunity to hear their reflections and stories on stage.

Ted Triebel ’60 and his wife, Cara, attending the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Homecoming of America’s POWs from Vietnam.

33

OUR VALUES.

DISCOVER WHAT MATTERS

TAKE A STAND

BUILD COMMUNITY

BE WELL, LIVE WELL

EVERYONE BELONGS

We are proud to learn and work alongside many talented, caring, and unique individuals. We show appreciation, support, and respect for one another not just through our words, but through our actions. At Severn, we take a stand by embracing honesty, integrity,

TAKE A STAND and consideration for others in every interaction, big and small.

David Livingston ’25

35

CORE VALUE

CONTINUUM: Alums Continue to Live Out the Severn Values

I

t’s easy to find examples of Severn’s values in action among students, where they are both highly encouraged and widely celebrated. Perhaps, then, a truer measure of the strength of those convictions is if they are still being lived out loud by alums who left Teel Campus years or even decades ago. And as it turns out, they are. The same Severn spirit, integrity, and sense of community that

is demonstrated within Severn’s walls remains equally active out in the world. The following are just a few examples of alums who continue to live out the Severn mission in their personal and/or professional lives.

36 THE B RIDGE

FALL 2023

Janessa (Del Sesto) DiMenna ’05 recently co-founded the Chesapeake Chapter of The Sunday Kids, an organization dedicated to providing volunteer opportunities to children of all ages and to promoting volunteering as a way of life from an early age. While this group officially got its start in May of this year, it was DiMenna’s experience with service-learning while at Severn that paved the way for this endeavor.

Some of DiMenna’s fondest memories from her days as a Severn student involve the volunteer activities she participated in as an Upper School student. To graduate, all Admirals must complete a specific number of service hours.

“Yes, it was a requirement, but as a result, volunteering became an important part of my life,” she said. “Before Severn, that just wasn’t part of my family’s routine. Being exposed to those experiences at Severn is really what opened that up for me, and ever since I’ve been striving to serve my community as much as possible.”

Fast-forward to present day, and DiMenna, now a parent of a young child, found herself searching for volunteer activities that her son could participate in and coming up empty. She discovered that most organizations require volunteers to be at least 16 years old. “I kept hitting roadblocks in finding ways for my 6-year-old son to get involved with hands-on volunteering, and I really wanted him to have the same experience that I had at Severn, just at an earlier age,” she said.

Finally, DiMenna took a stand and decided that if it wasn’t out there, then she would just have to create it herself.

She was aware that a friend of hers who lives in Pennsylvania was involved in an organization called The Sunday Kids. She reached out and asked what it would take to open a local chapter. That was in January, and by April, she had officially founded the Chesapeake Chapter, now a branch of the East Coast division of the organization.

They hold one volunteer activity each month and run one collection or donation drive.

LISA

(DEL SESTO) DIMENNA

There is no age limit, nor do they require volunteers to put in a specific amount of time.

The age of their volunteers generally ranges from 2-9, and they rely on the parents – who are required to attend – to know their limits and direct and guide them accordingly.

Their first event – a cleanup of Jonas Green Park in Annapolis – was held in May and was very well-received. They partnered with the Arundel River Federation and picked up litter, pulled weeds, and made seed bombs. Each activity also has an educational component, and at this inaugural event the volunteers learned about water clarity. They also collected used books to either recycle or donate.

They also helped to organize and package diapers that will be distributed to families in need, and hosted a large lemonade stand to benefit Alex’s Lemonade Stand, the Foundation for Childhood Cancer. Over the next few months, they plan to make cards for firefighters, help plant

river grasses, and visit an assisted living facility.

One perk for the volunteers is the free T-shirt that everyone receives, and that is thanks to one of DiMenna’s Severn classmates, Lesley (Alexander) Sutherland ’05. Her new practice, Dockside Dermatology, became the chapter’s first official sponsor. “I’m really excited for Janessa and wanted to help,” said Sutherland. “I love the idea, as it’s a great way to get kids involved in the community early and in a fun way.”

“I’m really happy with the feedback so far, and my son counts down the days until the next event,” said DiMenna. “I think the community is getting more out of it than I anticipated.”

’19

O’FIESH

Lisa O’Fiesh ’19 is taking a stand for the environment. After earning a BS in Environmental Politics and Policy from the University of Maryland in 2022, O’Fiesh went on to complete an internship with Solar Energy Industries Association, an advocacy firm that acts as a bridge between solar companies and legislators on Capitol Hill, advocating for energy policies.

JANESSA

’05

As a Congressional Affairs intern, Lisa provided support to frontline advocates by doing research to support bill writing, helping to prepare speeches for those testifying in front of Congress, and setting meetings with legislative offices.

She recently entered Harvard’s master’s program in Corporate Sustainability, where she will learn how to incorporate sustainability practices into the private business sector. She expects to complete that program by 2025. Following that, she plans to establish herself as a

Sustainability Consultant, helping companies to redefine their business model in ways that will help combat climate change.

“These businesses know what it takes to be profitable, and they are experts in their particular field,” explained O’Fiesh. “What I want to do is help the leaders of these companies align their goals and practices with what our planet and climate really need.”

Her experience at Severn helped to shape her path after high school and her current career goals. “At Severn, I was able to really explore my love for the environment in meaningful ways,” she said. She took AP Environmental Science and was also an active member of the

Eco Club. “Both Ms. Blanck and Dr. Martin were great influences, encouraging me to cultivate my interests into a career.”

For O’Fiesh, there is empowerment in working towards such an important objective. “I have always had a passion for environmental science, and it’s rewarding to know that I can apply my knowledge and leadership skills to something I care about so deeply,” she added. “In everything I do, my goal is to have a positive impact on the planet.”

37

C O R E VA L U E C O N T I N U U M

DARREN

’05

SMITH

Darren Smith ’05 didn’t leave Severn School knowing exactly what he wanted to do with the rest of his life, but he always knew that he wanted to earn a living by helping people. “I can’t say I always knew what that looked like, but I wanted to make a difference and help others,” said Smith, who attended Severn’s Upper School from ninth to twelfth grade.

After graduating from Severn, Smith earned his undergraduate degree from Howard University in 2009 and a master’s in social work from the University of Connecticut School of Social Work in 2013. While he wasn’t set on earning a living as a social worker, he recognized that the field was broad enough to present

38 THE B RIDGE

FALL 2023

many opportunities, and that this type of meaningful work aligned best with his values.

At present, Smith is putting his education and passion for helping others to work at the Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) in Washington, D.C., where he works as a Performance Monitor.

The primary focus of his job is quality assurance of the group homes and foster families that have contracts with D.C. He does a little of everything, including site visits, staff interviews, youth interviews, license checks, and background clearances.

“It’s about ensuring these young people are getting the best experience they can,” said Smith. “No one wants to be in this situation. But I can help

make sure that the setting they are in is as positive as possible, so they can maximize their time there while they are waiting for reunification or adoption.”

Before joining CFSA seven years ago, Smith spent three years with the Maryland State Department of Education, working with the Division of Rehab Services (DORS). His job there included working with young people with disabilities who were about to transition out of high school. Smith provided job education and training, helping to prepare the students to enter the workforce.

While Smith feels that he has always had a “helper” mindset, he appreciates the many ways that his Severn experience validated and highlighted his own beliefs. “Severn pointed out that we all have a responsibility to each other—to help each other out along the way,” he said. “There is a tradition of service at Severn.

I’ve always loved that about the school. Severn instilled in its students this duty to help our fellow man.”

Outside of his service in a professional capacity, Smith found another, less conventional way to help others when he wrote and published a detailed account of his brief time as an inmate at the Jennifer Road Detention Center. Smith spent 30 days there on a DUI conviction

in 2019—what he considers the most difficult period of his life.

Not only did he publish this very personal account about being in uncharted territory, but Smith continues to do some limited speaking engagements on the topic. This past spring, he spoke with Dr. Jackie Baugh’s Creative Writing students, sharing with them the experiences that led to writing his book—30 for 30: The Writings Behind the Wall – and about his time at Severn.

Smith has taken a stand around sharing one’s truth – which for him means sharing the details of this painful experience – believing that doing so is a gift to those around you. “When you

Severn pointed out that we all have a responsibility to each other—to help each other out along the way. do this, you encourage others to share theirs and not allow themselves to be defined by their worst moments.

“We are all greater than the worst things we’ve done,” he added. “My message is this: Don’t let one moment define you. Learn from it and find that silver lining.

You have a story of survival to tell others, and you’ll be surprised at the number of people with similar experiences.”

As the first-ever Director of State Government Relations (US) for the Michael J. Fox Foundation, Julia Pitcher ’98 is bringing a voice to the Parkinson’s community, advocating for greater awareness and support at the state level. While this specific role is relatively new for Pitcher, it feels almost like the inevitable culmination of her passion and experiences, dating back to her days as a Severn student.

Julia’s primary focus is encouraging states to increase funding for Parkinson’s patients at the state level. She represents The Michael J. Fox Foundation before legislators, regulators, and other state government policymakers on policy issues related to access to care for Parkinson’s patients and caretakers. “I’m passionate about nerdy things like changing laws and bringing people to tell their stories to state lawmakers,” said Pitcher.

where they are. “It’s important for me to know what patients are willing to do and are comfortable with. Maybe that’s writing a letter, attending a Town Hall meeting, or testifying at a legislative hearing.”

“When you give people the tools and confidence to use their voice, you can change many things,” she added.

‘It’s wild how I got here!’

Given her professional success in a role that demands confidence, poise, and a forthright manner, it’s hard to imagine her as a shy, insecure teenager. But when Pitcher arrived at Severn as a seventhgrader in 1992, that’s exactly how she felt. “I was turning 12 and scared to death,” she said. “But I found my way, and by the end of that year, I had made friends and found my niche.”

Her niche turned out to be in the performing arts. She joined the choir, performed in the fall and spring productions, and eventually set her sights on pursuing a career in theater. She went to Syracuse University after graduating from Severn, intent on this path, but recognized quickly that there were many talented people with the same dreams and that she might not be famous after all. “I realized the starving artist lifestyle wasn’t for me,” she said with a laugh.

She subsequently changed her major to Music Business, which was the start of her communicating on behalf of other people—in this case, she was advocating for the artists.

She took a law class and learned

I was part of a community of people advocating for someone who was going to change Maryland.

As much as possible, bringing that voice quite literally means bringing people affected by Parkinson’s to the table to share their stories directly. But Parkinson’s patients all have a progressive chronic disease, and how that disease impacts them varies from person to person.

As such, Pitcher meets them

JULIA

’98

PITCHER

about contracts and negotiations, gaining insight into how artists end up with bad deals. After graduating from Syracuse in 2001 – when jobs were scarce – she ended up waiting tables while trying to get into the music business. Then her father – a lawyer who ran his own lobbying firm – gave her an idea. “He said, ‘Why don’t you volunteer for a political campaign.’ So I walked into the headquarters for Bob Ehrlich’s campaign and offered to help.”

She became the girl who took flyers to the fair or delivered water to volunteers. “I loved it!” she said. “I was part of a community of people advocating for someone who was going to change Maryland.”

Ehrlich won, and she landed a job with his administration, working in Child Welfare. This marked her first experience doing policy work, legislation, and advocacy at the state level. “That job was really what cemented my passion for bringing people’s voices to the table,” she said.

“Nobody else was out there campaigning for change within the child welfare system, so I took that on.”

When Ehrlich didn’t return to the Governor’s mansion, she joined her father’s firm, eventually making partner and taking over an entire portfolio.

She worked there for 12 years, during which time she earned a law degree from the University of Baltimore by taking classes at night. She also started a family.

She eventually left the firm and went to work for Pharma for several years, where she worked at the national level for the first

time. And then, in October 2021, she stepped into this newly created position with The Michael J. Fox Foundation, which she considers the culmination of her advocacy career. She had some big wins in her first year, convincing five states to establish registries for patient data—a move that will significantly aid ongoing research initiatives.

“I’m so energized by our community­—I expect that I will always do this,” she said.

That’s no surprise to her, though, because when she looks back now, she realizes that she’s been doing this since her Severn days. As part of Severn’s service requirement, she volunteered at the Crofton Convalescent Center, playing games with the residents and delivering lunches. “There was one woman in particular that I vividly remember,” she explained. “She couldn’t speak; she just wanted to walk and hold my hand. I realized even then that human connection is so critical.”

“I didn’t know it then, but looking back, I think about this experience and realize that it’s likely what got me started on this path toward becoming a voice for others,” she added.

“I just love being the voice of the community.”

39

C O R E VA L U E C O N T I N U U M

BROOKS TUCKER

Brooks Tucker ’83 didn’t set out to become an advocate for veterans’ issues. But the strong and constant pull to the military that initially led him to serve with the United States Marine Corps (USMC), together with a lifelong interest in politics and policy, formed the foundation of a rewarding and impactful career that created his present opportunity to dedicate himself to advocacy.

After graduating from Severn in 1983, Tucker attended the University of Maryland. He had always considered joining the military—an interest that ultimately led him to become part of the Marine Corps Officer Candidate Program while he was an undergraduate at Maryland.

He subsequently spent backto-back summers in Quantico before graduating from college and getting commissioned to the USMC in 1987.

Tucker spent four years on active duty with the USMC, during which time he was deployed twice. Returning home, he left the military and accepted an apprentice position at Merrill Lynch. This turned into a 10-year career with Deutsche Bank, where he worked as a Financial Advisor. “I enjoyed the money but not the work,” said Tucker. “I always had this bug to want to get into politics and policy. Not as a

40 THE B RIDGE

FALL 2023

politician, but working on policy, national security and defense issues, veterans’ concerns, and that sort of thing.”

He was still a Marine Corps reservist at that time and was deployed once more in 2007.

When he returned from Iraq, he applied for the USMC’s Congressional Fellowship Program. Only ten people are selected a year for this competitive fellowship, and they serve a year of active duty on Capitol Hill. Tucker was interviewed and selected. “This was a great problem to have,” he said, explaining that he had a job he didn’t like, and was now being offered the chance to reinvent himself. “I figured if I took the year and this calculated risk, then I could probably make it into something.” He accepted and went to work for a Senator.

Through this fellowship, he first got involved with a veteran’s issue—Camp Lejeune water contamination. “They said, ‘Hey, you’re the Marine; we want you to work on this.’ So I worked on that for the full year I was there and then returned as a reservist when they offered me a full-time position.” Tucker held that position for over five years, marking the beginning of his advocacy on behalf of veterans.

Eventually, his knowledge, experience, and connections led to an appointment as the Assistant Secretary of the VA in the Trump administration.

He was later named Chief of Staff, advising the Secretary of the VA on a range of issues

’83 and topics. With the change in administration, his appointment ended, but in other ways, his work was just beginning. “I wasn’t sure what would happen at the end of that four years, but I realized that I had time now to devote to things that I really wanted to be involved with,” said Tucker. “Service has run throughout my career, but now it’s voluntary and not compulsory.”

While he is involved with several initiatives, he is most proud of his work with Our Community Salutes (OCS), an organization dedicated to supporting and celebrating young men and women enlisting in the armed services after high school.

“I’m putting a lot of effort into this work because OCS is tapping into this idea of where we are as a society with military service,” said Tucker. “Young people today are not as inclined to enlist as they were even five to 10 years ago.

Our focus isn’t on solving that problem; instead, for the small percentage of people volunteering to serve, it’s about finding a way to honor them so that they feel appreciated.” Tucker sits on the organization’s board, which was founded in 2009.

To accomplish its mission, OCS holds honor ceremonies throughout the country. They invite all the enlistees from the local area and their families, and the military recruiters from the area. The ceremony speakers generally include senior military officers, local government, and school leaders. They have one simple goal—to celebrate those who have enlisted.

“The families maybe think they’re not measuring up because

they’re not sending a child to fill-in-the-blank college, so these events inspire them because now they see their kids getting these accolades,” said Tucker. “This is emotional. The recruits often come in with trepidation, and parents are unsure about this. But when they leave, the parents and young people are on cloud nine, feeling like they’ve received VIP treatment.” OCS holds about 50 ceremonies yearly, with plans to grow that number by at least 10.

Beyond the honor ceremonies, OCS is also working to build community connections, having parents serve as ambassadors so that they can support other parents who go through this experience after them. “We want to build a sustainable web of engagement,” he said.

Tucker believes that the honor ceremonies OCS hosts are precisely the kind of initiative that those in Congress should support, and puts his experience and connections to work by raising awareness on Capitol Hill.

OCS isn’t asking for funding – their budget comes from private donations – only for support and help getting senior speakers to attend or sending band members for musical accompaniment.

Sometimes Tucker’s request is to write a letter to the Department of Defense, encouraging them to respond to requests for participation. “This effort is homegrown, and we aren’t asking for anything,” he said.

“It’s contributing, not subtracting, and pointing that out is a big part of what I do.”

“It’s all good news and a good program to be involved with,” he added.

What Julia Granitto ’17 found in her short time at Severn had – and still has – a profound impact on her career path and chosen fields of study. Not only did she feel prepared for college and life after college, but it was at Severn that she was initially exposed to the very ideas that she continues to explore and pursue today – namely, making the world a better and more equitable place.

Unlike many of her peers, Granitto enrolled at Severn as a junior after her family relocated to Annapolis in 2015. “Here I was, coming from public school, new to the community, and wearing a uniform! I had no idea what was going on,” she recalled with a laugh.

But she felt welcomed immediately and quickly found her place within the tight-knit community. And thanks to the International Relations class she took with Mrs. Kline, Granitto just as quickly connected with the topic of women’s health, gender equality, and equity.

“I had never been exposed to these ideas before, and it was all so interesting that it lit a fire in me,” she said. “I knew then that I wanted to know more about it. My education at Severn encouraged me to look out into the world in a way I had never been challenged to do before.”

After Severn, she went to Georgetown University, earning a degree in political science. But because she remained interested in that intersection of politics and healthcare, she also added a minor in public health. “That intersection can create or take away equity,” she said. “It’s about access.”

JULIA

’17

GRANITTO

While at Georgetown, Granitto worked for Girls Health Ed, a global non-profit based in D.C. that focuses on health education for girls and young women in underserved areas.

“Health education has the power to change people’s lives,” said Granitto. “Knowledge absolutely is power, especially for young women—that information is how we can reach our fullest potential.”

After graduating from college in 2021 – when jobs were harder to come by due to the pandemic – she accepted a position with Teach for America. This national organization recruits recent college graduations and gives them a crash course in teaching before placing them in schools in underserved communities.

“I had an amazing education, and I’m so grateful for that, but not everyone has the same opportunity,” she said.

can, but you’re working within a broken system. It was the hardest job I’m probably ever going to have, and I am so grateful for that experience.”

It was that teaching experience that inspired her to pursue a master’s in public health. She enrolled in a program offered by UNC at Chapel Hill and, as of summer 2023, was about 2/3 of the way through.

“Equity and equality in women’s health is such an important topic in this country right now—it’s a big reason why I decided to move back into this field,” she said.

Granitto is currently working on the research side of healthcare at Mass General in Boston, MA, learning and absorbing

My education at Severn encouraged me to look out into the world in a way I had never been challenged to do before.

Granitto was placed in a school in Charlotte, NC, as a seventhgrade teacher. “It was wildly eye-opening to see for myself the disparities in education, especially compared to what I had experienced,” she said. “You end up just trying to do the best you

everything she can about this new aspect of healthcare. Ultimately she does plan to move back into health education, though she is still determining what form that will take. “There are many avenues—policy work, nonprofit work, political advocacy, or even the possibility of pursuing medicine directly in the future,” she said. “Public Health is a really cool field, and there are new developments all the time and so much innovation. It’s also so important in our everyday lives, so I will go with it and see where it leads.

“It really is all about making the world a better place,” she added.

41

Before the end of their eighth-grade year, every Severn student will stand in front of the entire Middle School and deliver a speech. The topic could be almost anything—as long as it’s personal.

Change the Subject, Change the Perspective 42 THE B RIDGE

FALL 2023

T

his public speaking initiative has been part of the eighth-grade curriculum for some time, but under Lauren Paul’s leadership, it has shifted to the current personalization model. In previous years, students presented research-based papers. Paul, who serves as the Middle School English Department Chair, recalls that when she began teaching at Severn five years ago, presentations covered generic subjects like the Chesapeake Bay or how to stay hydrated.

“These just weren’t topics that resonated with an audience of all middle school students,” she said. Fortunately, she had experience with this type of activity at another school where the speeches were personal, and had seen how meaningful that could be.

Believing that changing the subject would significantly enhance the unit, Paul took her stand and revised the program. At the beginning of her second year, she had students select a personal experience, story, or belief to share with their peers. “It’s still wide open, but this shift encourages students to be vulnerable, which is too often seen as weakness at this age. I want them to understand that it is a sign of strength,” she said.

“Encouraging students to talk about who they are is really important for this age group in particular,” she added. “They can be quick to conform and lose themselves to become part of a group. But everyone should be able to stand up and say, ‘This is who I am.’”

And the results have been remarkable. “Some of these speeches are just beyond brave and vulnerable,” she enthused. “Students have shared about losing siblings, dealing with disease, struggling with mental health, and more. I had one student stand up and tell everyone about her struggles with ADHD—something nobody knew about her.

Lauren Paul speaks with one of her eighth-grade classes about the speech project.

“It’s really brave to get up in this setting and say, ‘These are my challenges.’

And I’ve witnessed the new connections that it creates. If your relative had cancer, and so did mine, well, now we have something in common that we didn’t know about before.”

In fact, students have embraced the idea so fully that every year she has a student or two who will come to her privately and say, ‘Nothing bad has happened to me, so what do I talk about?’ In those cases, she reassures students that the point isn’t only to share a hardship but to share who they are. She encourages them to talk about a particular sport, hobby, or family member’s impact on their lives.

“The goal here is simply to speak from the heart,” she said. “It really connects to the Severn mission of being known and valued. I want students to tell their peers who they really are, to give them the opportunity to know and value one another.”

The speech project is introduced very early in the year, and students generally have a first draft done by midSeptember and the final version in early October. By the middle of October, the presentations begin. Typically they are delivered three times per week at Morning Meeting. The speeches wrap up before Spring Break.

The initial reactions to this project vary widely. “Some kids are so excited about it, and others are terrified.

Fear of public speaking is real, and overcoming that is part of the lesson,” said Paul. One former student, now in the Upper School, had such an intense fear of public speaking that she couldn’t even stand up in front of the class without breaking down. Over the year, she worked through that fear and eventually overcame it.

43

Change the Subject, Change the Perspective

‘Courage will get you through’ One year before Sally Reed ’25 gave her speech, her brother – a Severn alum – passed away. While most of the Severn community knew about the tragic loss, there was no question that this was the story that Reed would tell. She had been sharing it individually with many people already, and the eighth-grade speech – with the theme “Tell a Story That You Learned From” – allowed her to say it all out loud to everyone. But she had another, better reason as well. “It’s a story that is an important part of who I am, so not telling it would have meant not being true to myself,” said Reed.

In her speech, Reed shared not only the details of what happened but also what she learned and how she felt through it all. The response from her peers was so positive that it marked a significant turning point in her sense of belonging at Severn. “I had a difficult transition to Severn in sixth grade,” she explained, “but after I shared my story, everything changed. I got like 50 texts from my classmates, girls and boys. Looking back, it meant so much to get that support, and it helped to cement some of my closest friendships.”

Knowing I can do something like that at a younger age really changed my perspective. ­—Sally Reed ’25

She also feels that the overall experience of listening to everyone else’s speeches helped her to gain a deeper sense of empathy. “Maybe someone else didn’t experience the same kind of loss my family did, but just listening helped me to understand that other people are going through tough things, too,” said Reed. She also thinks it helps to know that people are listening—it makes you feel less alone.

In keeping with the theme of the speeches that year, Reed feels that sharing her story of loss and

44 THE B RIDGE

FALL 2023

what she learned from it ended up teaching her something else. “I learned that in tough situations, courage will get you through,” she said.

Speak Your Truth While students are indeed learning academic skills through this project – formal writing, sentence flow, proper grammar, logical structure of a speech, and more – Paul is much more focused on teaching them how to write about something personal. “I want them to get up there and speak their truth,” she said.

They also focus on the presentation: Are students confident in their delivery? Does the speech match the emotion they’re portraying? Paul teaches her students these skills as well, pointing out that talking about a serious topic with a big smile can make the audience uncomfortable. And these are skills that translate to the classroom. Paul has found that students generally have a much easier time getting up in front of classmates for a smaller presentation after going through this experience.

“I gained confidence from this speech,” said Reed. “Knowing I can do something like that at a younger age really changed my perspective.

So when I’m faced with presenting a chemistry project to 10 people, it feels really easy because I have that experience of sharing a personal story with 250 people.”

Grant Lonergan ’25 had trouble with public speaking all his life, which is why his eighth-grade speech was so impactful. The topic of his speech was his father’s fight with cancer, something that most of his classmates didn’t even know about.

Because the subject was so personal, it actually helped him to break through and gain a comfort level with public speaking.

“It was something I wanted to tell people about,” he explained. “It was hard to talk about but obviously really meaningful. That made me forget about the audience because I was so focused on telling my family’s story.”

As it happened, Lonergan’s eighth-grade year coincided with the virtual learning environment created by COVID, and most of his peers delivered their speeches over Zoom. He was one of only a handful of students who presented in person.

Abby Cooke ’28 practices her public speaking skills in Ms. Paul’s class.

“It made me realize, wow, I really can do this,” he added. “It was powerful for me.”

“That definitely gave me more anxiety, but I was also glad I did it in person because it made it much more meaningful,” he said.

One particularly memorable moment in the speech was a mistake.

Lonergan pronounced empathetic incorrectly as emphatic. “That is the kind of thing that usually would have caused me to start stuttering and derail me,” he said. “But this time, I could just get past the stumble and keep going.

“At the end of the year, there are always students who thank me, but they did the work,” said Paul.

“They hand me gold; I just help them to polish it up. They embrace this idea and run with it. And I couldn’t be prouder because I’m asking them to do something so scary—to be vulnerable in front of their community.

“I hope the buzz out there is that kids are getting real and that it’s a success,” she added.

What I Know For Sure In 2022-23, the topic was “What I Know For Sure,” and students were encouraged to talk about a significant value or moral they held true. These are a few examples of the powerful topics covered by the Class of 2027:

ELLA ’27

ALEXIS ’27

KATHARINE ’27

Ella talked about body positivity and how the concept of beauty can damage one’s self-esteem— particularly if it’s based on what gets portrayed on social media. “I began to think that something was wrong me, that I was doing something wrong,” she shared. “It got to the point where I couldn’t look at myself and be satisfied… I thought that I would be judged for having imperfections, even though they are natural, and on everyone. We all have these things for different reasons, and they make us who we are.”

Alexis shared that she was diagnosed with dyslexia. She spoke about her struggles, embarrassment, and frustration at school before her diagnosis and how she felt like a burden. “I felt like I wasn’t good enough because I was struggling with things other people found easy,” she said. “Now that I am diagnosed, I understand why reading and spelling were so hard for me.”

Katharine shared that in experiencing loss, she gained the knowledge that she should act in the moment. She spoke about the huge role her grandmother played in her life, and how, when she passed away when Katharine was 8, she experienced a tremendous amount of grief. It was the first such loss in her young life. “At first, I thought of all the negatives that could happen and not the time I spent with her, but the time I will miss,” said Katharine.

“I always thought of the future and what I did not do. I have realized that in that moment I should have thought about some of the best eight years instead of what she has missed.”

She pointed out that “we are taught to treat people differently depending on how they look” and that “doing that only causes harm.” She admitted that she continues to struggle with insecurities but has found ways to stop listening to the negative voices and instead live her life without worrying about being judged.

While it has gotten easier thanks to great teachers and the accommodations available to her, she shared with her peers that she worries about getting less support in college and eventually in the workforce. She concluded by sharing that her own experience has taught her that “everyone deserves to be treated kindly and to never judge someone for something out of their control.”

“I’ve learned to take chances and to do what I think is best in the moment. I do not overthink but go with my gut because I might regret not taking the chances later.”

45

THE SEVERN RESPECTFUL DIALOGUE STATEMENT As an extension of Severn’s Strategic Plan, a representative committee composed of trustees, faculty, administration, and staff thoughtfully crafted this Respectful Dialogue statement. It was adopted by the Board of Trustees as an expression of our foundational values and helps ensure our community understands and appreciates the assumptions that sustain respectful dialogue at Severn.

Severn is a community guided by its mission and values; a community committed to cultivating an environment where we approach the world with questions rather than answers, engage in the healthy expression of diverse ideas, explore a wide range of viewpoints, and thoughtfully assess and reassess what we think. The purpose of this statement is to establish guidelines for engaging in respectful dialogue.

At Severn, we strive to create a climate where we can engage in conversation around complex issues in good faith, especially online, where the norms of civility often fall away. At times, we may strongly disagree with one another, yet we do so in an environment where mutual trust and goodwill undergird our shared membership in the Severn community. It is important to recognize that different conclusions arrived at by different people are not a result of character flaws, but, more likely, the result of diverse experiences, and those differences merit respect rather than ridicule.

46 THE B RIDGE

FALL 2023

Severn encourages a robust exchange of ideas; however, language that deliberately demeans or threatens others is not aligned with our mission and values and will not be condoned or tolerated. To foster a culture of productive disagreement, we encourage community members to enter conversations, whether in person or online, with the goals of closely listening to and carefully evaluating the arguments and ideas of others. This kind of open-minded critical thinking will enable us to recognize the complexity and nuance of the issues we confront, to reconsider our positions when counter-evidence is presented, and to respect everyone’s right to have their own ideas.

Respectful conversation at Severn requires courage, empathy, and humility as we – together – seek to know and value all members of our community.

Our Statement in Action…

To kick off the school year, the entire eighth grade participated in a two-day workshop led by the faculty. The focus was leadership and team building, and the goal was for students to come away not only prepared to lead, but also to understand how they are presenting themselves. They also set their intentions for what kind of year they wanted to have.

The workshop challenged the eighth-graders in many ways, asking them to explore themes around identity and how they are known to others. To foster an environment where students felt comfortable being open and honest, the workshop organizers spelled out the conversational norms – the eighth-grade equivalent of the respectful dialogue statement – at the beginning of day one. They are:

• Be fully present.

• Be responsible for yourself and challenge yourself.

• B e respectful of people, property, and places as well as contributions and the confidentiality of them.

• U nderstand that mistakes happen; no one is perfect, but we are all working on it. Suspend judgment of self and others.

• T hink before you speak (ask yourself: Is it true, is it necessary, is it kind, is it the appropriate time?)

• Stay open-minded.

“Authentically engaging with this content required the students to be vulnerable and put themselves out there, which they were willing to do,” said JoAnna Josey, Eighth-Grade Science Teacher and one of the architects of this programming. “But it also required participants to be respectful of everyone else, and they took that part just as seriously.”

The feedback from students has been overwhelmingly positive, with requests for more days like these throughout the school year.

CODE LIVE BY

For the Students, by the Students:

A

TO

M

uch like how the mission of Severn School is evident in every classroom, hallway, and playing field, Severn’s

honor code goes well beyond words on paper. It is foundational to how students embrace their role in abiding by and demonstrating the school’s culture. And it anchors the community to a common understanding, creating a code to live by.

48 THE B RIDGE

FALL 2023

The current honor code – developed about three years ago – directly reflects this spirit of ownership, leadership, and accountability. But understanding how the honor code came to hold such a prominent position at Severn in the first place requires a look back about two decades, to the start of Doug Lagarde’s tenure as Head of School. At that time, there was no established honor code, nor was there a formal, documented process for resolving conduct issues.

Only a short time after taking the helm, Lagarde rewrote the school’s mission statement to better reflect the school’s legacy and core beliefs. That strategic look at Severn’s culture and values naturally evolved into creating the honor code and an honor court to adjudicate any alleged violations.

“The idea of an honor code has always been a part of the ethos of Severn School, but that only gets you so far,” said Lagarde. “It was important to re-establish and articulate expectations, because students cannot be expected to understand the consequences of violating an unwritten code.”

Cole Morris ’25 signs the honor code during the Upper School Honor Code Ceremony in September.

Only, Lagarde wanted to do things a little differently. Taking his stand, he insisted that the process should be student-led. “We – the adults – can create these things all we want, but if the students don’t see the honor code as theirs, then they won’t follow it,” he said. “They are the ones who should want to keep it alive.”

honor code represented them, it resonated with others. Buckley agreed, noting that the current version had lost its relevance and impact.

“It wasn’t being lived; therefore, it became obsolete,” he said. Together, they decided that it was a cause worth pursuing.

integrity. They wanted something that was aspirational, not reactionary.”

Once the language was finalized and approved, it was rolled out to the Severn community, and it continues to play a prominent role in the daily lives of the student body.

“My junior year, we went full swing on it,” said Signage bearing the honor code can be found “The foundation for all of this was the idea Babalola. “We wanted to generate as much buythroughout Teel Campus, and at the start of of students taking ownership,” added Marc in from the community as possible by getting as every new school year, there is an honor code Buckley, Assistant much feedback as possible.”

Ceremony where incoming freshmen, transfer Upper School Head and To kick things off, Babalola students, and new faculty sign it and agree to ACADEMIC CODE Dean of Students, who gave a passionate speech act in accordance with this code. “That first assisted in developing to the Upper School. “He signing ceremony after the code was revised both the original honor essentially said to his fellow was really meaningful to students because code and the current students, ‘You need to get they realized that it was something they had version. “It was this behind this,’” said Buckley. created,” said Buckley. great opportunity to Then, they put together give students ownership Babalola found it especially rewarding to have a survey that would help of the honor code a hand in the process from start to finish, as he assess how students felt and responsibility to was part of the rollout his senior year. “It was about the current honor adjudicate it.” actually surprising to me that there was such code, how they lived it a connection to the honor code and that there Establishing the honor in their own lives, what was a chance to change it,” said Babalola. “I code led to the formal they valued about Severn, appreciated the level of interest and buy-in from creation of Severn’s and what they wished the community.

Honor Court. This body it could be. Several was – and remains today extended advisories “I hope that in the end, it was something – comprised of six students and one faculty were also dedicated to the topic, allowing that closely reflected what the student body advisor. And it is student-led. That one faculty students to discuss what was important to believed to be right—something that resonates member serves in an advisory capacity only them and what they valued about their school with everyone and that students want to and has no vote. When conduct issues arise, community. From there, live by,” he added. and students are brought before the Honor the Student Council As the Severn community Court, the student leaders are the ones who leaders and the Prefects COMMUNITY CODE continues to grow and vote and decide if there has been a violation sifted through all that innovate, so too will the of the academic code. They also suggest feedback and extracted the honor code. The idea is to disciplinary consequences. recurring themes. examine it closely every “We tell them that we want them to lead, so “We gathered insights that few years to ensure it’s this is us putting our money where our mouth really hit the post of what still relevant. What won’t is,” said Buckley. “The philosophy hands the the school was interested change is its significance kids the responsibility of holding their peers in,” said Babalola, to the community, accountable. It goes hand in hand with some who was instrumental something that Lagarde of the language from the previous honor in synthesizing the set in motion nearly code, which read ‘for the students, by the community feedback into 20 years ago. “What students,’” he said. the final written version.

Mr. Lagarde did was to “It was a meticulous ground the culture of the process—we went school in something that sentence by sentence, mattered,” said Buckley. breaking down the general “I’ve never been in any After that early iteration went unchanged for ideas that were generated,” other school that lives the over a decade, revising the honor code surfaced he said. “The writing was very intentional. mission the way we do here. There’s a sense that again around 2020. This time around, it was a We might spend an entire hour on one sentence.” this place is special, and there is an underlying trio of student leaders who advanced the idea: faith that we have in the students’ ownership Daniel Babalola ’21, Chase O’Malley ’22 After months and months of work and and leadership of the school.” and JP Meyer ’22. countless Zoom sessions by the student leaders,

As a Severn student, I pledge to value the genuine academic achievement of my peers and of myself, to be accountable for my actions, and preserve the integrity of our academic system.

‘It Wasn’t Being Lived’

Babalola, currently a junior at the University of Pennsylvania, recalls that the seed was first planted at the end of 2019 when Student Council candidates were giving speeches. When a student mentioned that they didn’t feel the

We, the members of the Severn community, value respect, empathy, and trust.

To uphold these virtues we strive to regard others with civility, foster an environment of belonging, and exhibit character of unquestionable integrity.

this effort resulted in two codes: one specific to academics and one focused on community.

“This two-part code was the students’ idea,” said Buckley. “They wanted the code to speak to a more inclusive community, as well as academic

“All language should periodically get fresh eyes and conversation, and for the honor code, the best place to start that is with the students,” said Lagarde. “It has become theirs, and that is what is most important.”

49

THANK YOU To all contributors to the Admiral Fund,

876 Donors

1670 Total Gifts

329

First-Time Donors

The Admiral spirit shone through in record ways during Severn’s most recent fiscal year, with contributions totaling over $1 million.

These generous donations help to support every Severn Admiral on their journey of self-discovery, leadership, and knowledge.

1,129,313

$

Total Raised

Oliver ’35 and Clair McNitt ’24

50 THE B RIDGE

FALL 2023

THE BIG PICTURE Sometimes the biggest picture is reflected in the smallest moment.

Our community of caring transcends generations and helps us all rise.

Jess Wilson ’24 and Clare ’36 share an emotional moment during Convocation.

Out of This World!

T H E 2 0 2 3 A PA A U C T I O N WAS

The Admiral Auction, an annual Severn event, is a fundraiser that brings together the Severn community of parents, teachers, staff, and alums to support the APA and programs that enrich and expand every Admiral’s experience.

While Severn teachers strive to offer the best academic experience, the APA works to create the family that is Severn.

I

n 2023, after several years off due to the pandemic, the in-person auction made its triumphant return.

With the theme “Out of This World,” the March event featured futuristic details such as the Galaxy Bar, which served up the evening’s signature drink, the Flying Saucer.

Guests enjoyed music at the Star Dust Stage, chatted with friends in the Lunar Landing Lounge, grabbed a brew from the Neil & Buzz Beer Garden, and enjoyed plenty of great eats in the Comet Café.

Deb Smith, Director of Stewardship & Campaigns, knew how much it meant to the Severn community to be back in person for this signature APA event. “While we were thankful for all of the support for our last two virtual auctions, we were so excited about being back in person this year, about all the fun we had with our ‘Out of This World’ theme, and of course, about having the opportunity to enjoy a wonderful evening together,” said Smith.

The APA is hard at work planning the 2024 auction.

Stay tuned for more details.

52 THE B RIDGE

FALL 2023

Severn families enjoyed an evening of dinner, drinks, and dancing, with music

by Radio City.

ROTUNDA ROUNDUP 1972

1982

Back in early May, Mike Wales and his daughter met up with John Norton for breakfast at

54 THE B RIDGE

FALL 2023

a main street restaurant in St. Michaels, Maryland. John was just a week away from moving out to California, so Mike’s visit was timed just right. The two had not seen each other in person since their graduation 51 years ago. Mike wrote: “We spent several hours catching each other up on our lives post-Severn.

The attached picture was taken by my daughter and shows clearly just how much hair two old guys can lose in 51 years!”

Arthur Egeli and his wife Heather just finished producing Art Thief, a feature film inspired by the 1990 art heist of the Isabella Gardner Museum in Boston. The movie will be out winter 2024—be sure to check it out. Arthur wrote: “I am happy to report that the creative life doesn’t end at age 59, and I am still drawing on the classic stories we studied in Severn School English classes.”

Arthur and Heather Egeli with the “prisoners” on the set of Art Thief.

1983

White House Rose Garden ceremony during Brooks’ tenure at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Read more about Brooks on Page 40.

Brooks Tucker reports: “I am still living in the Annapolis area, but now being in almost ‘empty nest’ territory, my wife and I are having a home built in Beaufort, South Carolina, and hope to move down there early in 2024. Since 2021, following four years of federal service as a Senate Confirmed Presidential Appointee, I’ve been working in government relations, advocating for improvements in health care for post-9/11 veterans, and finding time to volunteer. I’m on the Board of

Directors of a national nonprofit that honors new military enlistees out of high school, “Our Community Salutes,” and I serve as a Commissioner on the Anne Arundel County Veterans Affairs Commission. Our most recent success was working with the county’s public library board of trustees to formalize a partnership where all the county library branches will develop community programs to publicly honor veterans and our military every May and November.”

1998 Julia Pitcher was named a finalist for the Professional Women in Advocacy “Excellence in Advocacy” for State Campaigns in her role as Head of US Government Relations for The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Julia leads advocacy and legislative initiatives across the country and enjoys adding photos of state capitol buildings to her photo collection when traveling on behalf of the foundation. She is a regular guest on the MJFF and Women in Government Relations podcasts and is a member of the Presidents Circle for the Maryland Government Relations Association.

Julia and her sons, Colt (7.5), and Oliver (6), spend a lot of time outside biking the trails in Piney Orchard where they reside. Read more about Julia on Page 39.

Congratulations to Commander Matt Wright, US Navy, for winning First Prize in the CNO Naval History Rising Historian Essay Contest for his piece, “Just-in-Time Production.” This essay was published in a recent edition of Proceedings from the U.S. Naval Institute.

You can read the full article here: https://www.

usni.org/magazines/ proceedings/2023/january/ just-time-production.

Matt is currently a Commander at the Navy Staffing Headquarters in Memphis.

Matt’s proud parents credit two of his Severn teachers for this recent success—English teacher Dr. Baugh for helping him develop his writing skills and history teacher Mrs. Gray for inspiring his love of military history.

55

ROTUNDA ROUNDUP

2003 Dr. Julia Schechter and her husband, Ben Michelman, live with their kids, Charlie (age 6) and Sammy (age 3) in Durham, North Carolina. Julia is a clinical psychologist and assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Duke University School of Medicine. In 2021, Julia helped to establish the Duke Center for Girls & Women with ADHD, the nation’s first program housed within an academic institution focused specifically on ADHD

in girls and women. As the Center’s CoDirector, Julia leads the Center’s education, outreach, and research initiatives. She was interviewed for the May 2023 feature article in Time Magazine titled “What’s Driving the Demand for ADHD Drugs Like Adderall.”

More information about the Duke Center for Girls & Women with ADHD can be found at adhdgirlsandwomen.org and on social media (@ADHDGirlsDuke).

2004 Congratulations to couple Chase Bourdelaise and

Keri Houser Bourdelaise ’06 on the birth of their son Cruz Harting Bourdelaise on May 19, 2023. “He is a dream and we are forever grateful for the life he has given us!”

Congratulations to Marc DeLeonibus and his wife Jamie on welcoming their son Leo Allan DeLeonibus on February 24, 2023, at 8:42am. Leo enjoys boat rides on the Severn River and lots of milk!

2005 Janessa (Del Sesto) DiMenna recently started a volunteer group for local kids of all ages called The Sunday Kids – Chesapeake.

The Sunday Kids – Chesapeake aims to provide monthly volunteer events for kids of all ages and their parents around the Annapolis area.

Previous events have included a park cleanup, diaper drive, and lemonade stand to raise funds for childhood cancer. Reach out to

thesundaykidschesapeake@gmail.com

or find them on Instagram! Read more about Janessa on Page 37.

56 THE B RIDGE

FALL 2023

Congratulations to Jamal Jones and wife Shannon Crowner-Jones on their beautiful wedding in Las Vegas this April. The ceremony was a small, intimate gathering with just parents, siblings, and close family members/friends, including three other Severn Alums: Jamal’s brother Darnell Jones ’03, his wife Jessica Jones ’07, and classmate and best friend of Jamal’s, Darren Smith.

2007 Noah and Benjamin Shoemaker were born prematurely on January 5, 2023 to parents Kate Shoemaker and Heather Shoemaker. After a brave fight for his life, Noah passed away in his parents’ arms. Benjamin endured 100 days in the NICU and is now happy to be experiencing life at home with big brother James (3).

Russell Cramer and his wife Sarah Cramer welcomed their daughter Ava in March 2023. They currently reside in Atlanta, GA, with their yellow lab Calhoun and are excited to move into their new house in Annapolis in 2024.

2008

2009

Andrew Horgan, CFA

Congratulations to Molly (Laufman) O’Donnell and her husband on the birth of their son Nell Lawrence O’Donnell this past March. The couple is still living in Brooklyn Heights while Molly works for her company, BentoBox. Molly and her husband spent some time this summer with her best friend and fellow Severn alum Sam

has been promoted to US Corporate Strategy Lead (TD Bank US) and will lead the Corporate Strategy team. In this role, Andrew will lead the overall strategy efforts for US Retail as well as oversee the Line of Business strategies in collaboration with each business strategy lead.

Andrew started with TD in 2011 and has held several positions of increasing responsibility within United States Finance during that time.

Katherine Riddle’s professional photo (Photo Credit: Photographer Michael Kushner) and a backstage photo (Photo Credit: Adelina Mitchell)

(Wooten) Burnham and her kids.

Katherine Riddle has begun her second production with Signature Theatre, a Tony Award®-winning professional theater in Arlington, VA. Katherine will star in the ensemble while understudying for the role of Johanna in the company’s production of Sweeney Todd.

57

ROTUNDA ROUNDUP

2011 Katie Carroll Lyon and her husband Phil welcomed their son Beau Mark Lyon on June 20, 2023.

They are happily living in Cerritos, CA.

After a beautiful farm wedding in October 2020,

Kaleigh (Werner) Scharff and her husband

Adam were thrilled to welcome the third member of their family on March 16, 2023, daughter Eloise Judith Scharff, weighing 6 pounds and 3 ounces. Kaleigh says “Eloise has been the best addition to our family!”

2012

2019

Chase Brown and Cami Whiteford ’13 were married on

On Friday, May 26, The Capital Gazette snapped a picture of newly commissioned Henry Rentz as he walked off stage with his United States Naval Academy diploma.

Congrats, Henry!

May 20, 2023 in Sherwood Forest, Maryland. Severn alums in attendance included: Jamie Brown ’81 (father of the groom) and Kate (Hoffman) Brown ’81 (mother of the groom), Rick Hoffman ’80, Allie Foard ’12, Kelly Reese ’13, Blake Wood ’12, and Nick Manis ’12. Lydia Whiteford ’11, Mimi Brown ’08, Bridget Brown ’10, Meredith Brown ’14, and Cole Bailey ’11 were part of the wedding party. The couple reside in Charleston, SC and visit Maryland quite frequently.

Photo Credit: Paul W. Gillespie/Capital Gazette

2020 What started as a senior project to safely keep in touch with friends during the pandemic has become a full-blown business. For his senior project, Matthew Beagan created a business model to market and sell his “perfect” burger.

Encouraged by a well-received trial run and overwhelming amounts of community support via a successful Kickstarter campaign, Matthew took his backyard business on wheels, creating Smash Up Burgers, a local food truck dedicated to serving burgers, fries, and soft drinks to the greater Annapolis area. Support Smash Up Burger’s third year running @smashupburgers.

58 THE B RIDGE

FALL 2023

2021 Madeleine Toomey has dedicated her summer to a rewarding research and hospital internship at Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, FL, where she works alongside CEO and fellow Severn alumnus Andy Dehart ’91.

Her days consist of looking after loggerhead, green, and leatherback turtles by safeguarding nesting sites, administering daily medical care to the center’s residents, and responding to stranded turtle calls.

2022 Alex Brenia received the U.S. Naval Institute Plebe Naval History award for writing the best paper on naval or maritime history in the American Naval History course. His paper was titled: “The Development of the Combat Information Center in the Second World War.” Every Plebe takes the course, which means he wrote the best essay of over 1,000 submissions! Congrats, Alex!

Damien (Kelz) Kelly recently turned a hobby into a career, inspired in part by fellow alum and videographer

Joe Kantowski ’20. Damien opted not to continue his

enrollment with Liberty University and instead pursuing a career in videography and editing. He landed a job with Fivestar and in his words is “living the dream I’ve had since the start.” He’s doing something that doesn’t feel like work and can’t wait to see what’s ahead.

Submit Your Class Notes We love to hear from our alumni and their lives after Severn. Keep us up-to-date on recent trips, internships, research projects, stories with classmates, graduations, new jobs, new homes, weddings, and babies.

Email Carolyn Campion at c.campion@severnschool.com or drop us a note through our alumni social media pages.

Severn School Alumni Severn School Alumni SevernSchoolAlums

59

IN MEMORIAM Capt. Howard S. Crosby ’44 USN (Ret.)

Nicholas Goldsborough ’52 US Army

Born in San Francisco into a Navy family in 1926, Howard led a full and active life until his peaceful passing on April 16th.

He is survived by Phyllis, his wife of 68 years; four children; seven grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

An Annapolis resident most of his life, Nick passed away on June 22, 2023. He graduated from Severn School in 1953, the University of Virginia in 1959, and the George Washington University Law School in 1964. He served in the US Army and was honorably discharged in 1958. He married Florence Ridgely in 1958 and had three sons. In 1970 he married Kathleen Martin (Chris) and welcomed her two children into the family. Nick was a successful attorney, farmer (the Sodfather), and real estate developer. He was also a prolific fundraiser for the Anne Arundel Cancer Society, Severn School, UVA Alumni Association, and the Ginger Cove Foundation. He served on several non-profit boards.

Nick was Commodore of the Sailing Club of the Chesapeake, President of the Maryland UVA Alumni Association, and a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary. In 2002, Nick was honored as a Rolland M. Teel Distinguished Alum by Severn.

After completing a post-graduate year at Severn in 1943-44, Howard went on to the US Naval Academy, where he graduated in 1948. He spent the next 32 years defending our country. He wore his submariner dolphins proudly and distinguished himself not only at sea as captain of the USS Bashaw and USS LaSalle, but also as a key member of several collaborative domestic and international land-side staffs.

Upon retirement from the Navy as Chief of Staff for NATO’s submarine fleet to New Castle, New Hampshire, and the same property where he and Phyllis first met, he became very active in numerous civic and volunteer activities including town planning, colonial archaeology, environmental conservation, and oceanographic education. Among other things, he and Phyllis became marine docents teaching children across the state about the wonders of New Hampshire’s Rocky Shore. When not traveling the world, the Science Center at Odiorne Point State Park and Strawbery Banke became second homes.

His legacy left the world a bit of a better place.

60 THE B RIDGE

FALL 2023

Capt. William (Bill) W. Hargrave Jr. ’50 USN (Ret.) On January 26, 2023, Captain William (Bill) W. Hargrave Jr. USN (retired), beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed peacefully in Virginia Beach, VA, at the age of 91 years. He was born on November 16, 1931, and raised by the late Dr. William W. Hargrave, Commodore (USN Medical Corp 1913-1949) and Harriett Whaley Hargrave. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Cheron Black Hargrave.

While at Severn, Bill was a member of the Varsity Lacrosse team and was inducted into the Severn Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001.

He was also honored in 2013 as a Rolland M. Teel Distinguished Alumnus, along with all Severn School Veterans. Bill attended the Naval Academy (USNA) from 1951 to 1954. At the Academy, he

continued his outstanding lacrosse play and was named an All-American selection in 1954, and he is included in the Naval Academy’s Hall of Fame for Athletics. After graduation from the US Naval Academy and completing flight training at Pensacola, FL, he was designated a naval aviator in 1955.

In 1956, he married Cheron Black, from Coronado, California, also a Navy junior, who was familiar with the challenges of raising a Navy family. For the last five years at Atlantic Shores Retirement Community, they had time to reflect on life’s journey and the many experiences and blessings life provided them and their children.

Lynald E. “Sils” Silsbee (former Assistant Head of School) Lynald E. Silsbee (“Sils”), 80, of Wescosville, PA, passed away Friday, May 19, 2023, at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest.

He was born in 1942 in Williamsport, PA, the son of the late Edward and Louise (Kimble) Silsbee. He was the husband of the late Danielle (Conner) Silsbee, until her passing in 2020.

matters as the school adjusted to its new status as a day school.

In 1981 he moved to Allentown, PA, where he served as Headmaster of The Swain School for 25 years, retiring in 2006 following a tenure that fundamentally altered the trajectory of the school.

Lynald earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Bloomsburg University and later earned his PhD at the University of Maryland.

He came to Severn in January 1965, teaching history, coaching wrestling, and assuming dormitory weekend duties. He completed his master’s degree in 1968 and became principal of the Junior School. In 1973, he became Senior School Principal and Assistant Head of School, and was responsible for all daily administrative

Lynald had significant involvement in the community, as he was a longtime member and former president of the Rotary Club of Allentown and the Lehigh Valley Hospital Board of Associates, and served as a member of both the Muhlenberg College and Cedar Crest College Boards of Associates. He enjoyed golfing (though he struggled to find the fairway), traveling, and he had an insatiable appetite for history.

HEY ALUMS, LET’S

CELEBRATE The Next Alumni Social Will Be in Annapolis, MD Thanksgiving Eve Alumni Social November 22, 2023 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Forward Brewing | 418 Fourth Street, Annapolis, MD All alumni must pre-register for this event. Scan the QR code below to register.

More Upcoming Dates & Locations Washington, DC December 1 Scan the code for a current list of upcoming events.

Austin, TX January 20-23 New York, NY February 2024 San Francisco, CA May 2024

Keep up to date on all things Severn

Severn School

62 THE B RIDGE

FALL 2023

Severn School

SevernSchool

Ask us about the

SEVERN

1914 SOCIETY Make a difference through the act of giving.

Gift planning can help you reach your charitable goals and also help Severn fulfill its mission.

Contact Shannon Howell at s.howell@severnschool.com or 410.647.7701 x2315

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID 201 Water Street, Severna Park, MD 21146 www.severnschool.com | 410.847.7700

PERMIT #81 MILLERSVILLE, MD

Change Service Requested

Hope Doerschner ’29 and Sophia Buckler ’29