SSSAS 2021 Spring Magazine

St. Stephen’s St. Agnes School SPRING MAGAZINE 2021

MIDDLE SCHOOL MINI-COURSES Not willing to let COVID-19 completely eliminate the much loved Middle School Mini-Courses, which usually happen in March, they were rescheduled to May and the delay paid off! Middle School students were able to embark on exciting threeday adventures, choosing from a variety of fun, focused, and in-depth courses that combine hands-on field trips and classroom discussions. The courses give students the opportunity to delve deep and learn about their topic in a unique, unforgettable way. A tradition that began more than 25 years ago, the MiniCourses have evolved each year to mirror current trends and student interests.

Teachers offer something for everyone, reflecting their own skills and interests in art, technology, global cultures, music, science, the outdoors, sustainability, service learning, and writing.

This year there was an amazing array to choose from, including: A Very Special Olympics: Helping those with disabilities in this most challenging time; Who's Housed How? Gentrification in the DMV; National Mall Tour; Happy Trails/Canoeing/ Joy of Service; STEM challenges, Doctor for a Day; Diving into Deaf Culture; Puzzles and Ponder; Africa is a Continent; Outdoor nature drawing, and more!

WHAT'S INSIDE

F E AT U R E S

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A Continuum of Support Our Trio of Counselors

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The Middle School Merit Team

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Making the Most of Every Day

Class of 1995 friends Bobby Augst and Dave

Warshauer still share a love of adventure

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Catching Up with Jessica Edwards '17

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Not Just Any Pup

Senior Julianna Swygert talks about raising a service

dog for a veteran

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The Process of Being Seen and Seeing

Ourselves

The Asian-American and Pacific Islander Experience

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Bridging the Gulf Between Man and Man

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D E PA RT M E N TS 6 Headliner

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Saints in Action

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Saints Athletics

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Class Notes

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Milestones & In Memoriam

THE MAGAZINE

T H E C O V E R S T O RY: F R O M T H E E D I T O R AN EGGS-CITING EXPERIENCE Kindergarten Teacher Michelle Bruch grew up with lots of animals and wanted her class to gain the sense of empathy and responsibility that comes with raising them.

She decided to participate in an embryology program run by the 4-H youth development education program in Fairfax County and picked the eggs up on April 4.

The Embryology Program provides an exceptional curriculum enrichment program that is designed to help students obtain a better understanding of life and embryonic development. The program teaches students a respect for life and the value of all living organisms through a hands-on experience with a live animal, while learning about developmental processes and stages of growth.

Michelle said the process was “nothing short of magic” for her class and all the other Lower School classes who all came to visit the chicks. Throughout the incubation period, they regularly “candled” the eggs. “When you candle the eggs in a dark room with a flashlight, it is possible to see a tiny, baby chick moving within the egg,” Michelle explained. “You can see its blood vessels, even its eye as a dark spot. When we candled the eggs on day 7 and saw definite evidence of development, this was a very magical moment.” She felt especially lucky that students were able to watch some of the chicks hatch from their eggs. “That moment when they go from unzipping the egg shell to hatching out is another miracle,” Michelle said. “They watched as I taught the baby chicks to drink water, they took their first steps, and learned to eat chick food.”

During what has been a unique year for everyone, the process of hatching baby chicks gave the students and the teachers something really special to remember. “I am certain that one of the major lessons of the pandemic is that learning is messy, at times very loud and a little chaotic, and fully engages all of our senses and emotion,” Michelle said. “When we were talking about the chicks and exploring them during their first days of life, I kept thinking to myself, 'This is what teaching and learning should feel like.'”

SPRING 2021 sssas.org/magazine Head of School Kirsten Prettyman Adams Director of Communications Jen Desautels Editor Director of Design & Production Melissa Ulsaker Maas '76 Design Melissa Ulsaker Maas '76 Assistant Director of Communications, Digital Media and Marketing Mandi Sapp Communications & Admissions Associate Marcia Mallett Alumni News Advancement Office Photographers Jameson Bloom '13 Melissa Ulsaker Maas '76 Marcia Mallett Our Extraordinary Faculty Freelance Writers Jessica Yarmosky Susie Zimmermann Questions/Comments Melissa Ulsaker Maas '76 mmaas@sssas.org

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Published by SSSAS for alumni, current parents, friends, and other regularly supportive members of the school community. © 2021

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St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School admits students of any race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.

HEADLINER

Dear Saints, A colleague recently shared how last spring his mother-in-law found colorful vintage postcards in various second-hand shops and antique stores around her town, and sent them to friends and family across the country. She would mark them sometimes with an “X” and sometimes, if the front of the postcard had a photo or message reminiscent of a novel or movie, she would sign as a character from the story. She even managed to send them with postmarks from towns other than her own; something even now her family doesn't know how she managed. When received the postcards brought joy and laughter, and a funny bit of confusion when trying to figure out who the sender was. The mystery went to Facebook and friends and family compared notes and photos of their cards, sharing stories and commenting on the wittiness of the messages. They connected.

I write notes as well, finding that the act of putting pen to paper, without the convenience of a delete button or spell check, slows my hand. I look up, I pause, thinking of the right words. I think of how when my note is received, someone will read it and know with certainty that for those moments, they were the only one on my mind. They will know that I am with them.

The last few months have brought this community together in so many ways. We have found strength and comfort in one another. We have cried together, found joy together, and connected in ways we never had considered before: virtual gatherings, reunions, cooking classes, magic shows, birthday parties, game nights, livestreamed weddings and funerals, and concerts. And as our communities began to return to a more normal time and the need for such virtual communications seems to dwindle, I wondered if the seemingly impenetrable cord that connected us this last year would weaken. Yet it hasn't taken long to realize that isn't the case. In fact, the strength of our community which sustained us this last year, continues to be that which pushes us forward, keeps us motivated to stay the course, to continue with our diligent care for the community. We are still in this together, we are still with one another, and that has made all the difference.

One of my friends lost her father in the fall, and she told me how the notes she received in the mail from people who live a mile away and from those who lived across the country, touched her soul, and kept her grounded. She carries a couple of them with her every day as a reminder of the love and care people truly have for one another. I do the same, carrying with me those moments that have etched themselves into my heart and will be what I remember when this pandemic has faded from our view, I will carry the sounds of students and faculty greeting one another and checking in on each other, both virtually and while in the hallway together.

I have no doubt that our community will continue to find ways to connect with one another, assuring each other that we are on this journey together and we are never alone.

Warmly,

Kirsten Adams Head of School

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Spring 2021 | 7

Together for 17 years at SSSAS, a trio of counselors provides the entire community with the care, nurturing, and strength to grow and succeed through any challenge

A CONTINUUM of SUPPORT

BY SUSIE ZIMMERMANN

Every school morning, Director of Counseling and Lower School Counselor Susan DeLaurentis—or Ms. D as the children call her—stands on the corner

by Lloyd House directing traffic and greeting Saints: parents, children, and dogs.

An animal lover, Susan lines her pockets with dog treats so she can connect with each of her canine customers, as they walk past her carpool post.

“I have about 18 customers who come every morning for treats,” explains Susan. “It's helped me to have a closer connection with parents and gives me a lot of joy, which has been especially great this year. And I know that I better not run out before Clyde shows up!”

Susan has greeted nearly three generations of Saints at SSSAS. For more than half of that time, she has worked alongside the school's two other mental health counselors, Karen Kunz in the Middle School and Susannah Harrison in the Upper School, to support the wellbeing and development of the entire community.

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Susannah Harrison (Upper School), Susan DeLaurentis (Lower School), Karen Kunz (Middle School) Counseling one-on-one as well as delivering a variety of programs throughout the year, Susan, Karen, and Susannah work with every Saint to ensure that their emotional growth is as strong as their academic progress.

Their longevity as a group has made them the longest-serving counseling trio at any independent school in the area. They attribute this success to their camaraderie and respect as a team and the unique affection and skill each brings to their assigned division.

Lunch Bunch, Dog Treats, and Walks Around Campus Reflecting on the last year, Susan has nothing but praise for how the Lower School students and faculty have handled every challenge that's come their way. “Everyone's been amazing. With classes in tents and P.E., snack, and lunch outside, the kids have been so adaptable. Teachers have been schlepping supplies outside and staying out there all day while finding ways to make class time

engaging and enriching. Everyone has done what they had to do, and I have the utmost respect for them,” she says.

When the students first returned to campus, that transition was a challenge.

“Simply being in school all day was a tiring change for these kids after months at home,” she recalls. And yet, Susan credits the children and faculty with quickly and flexibly adapting: not complaining, demonstrating self-reliance, looking for ways to make things better, trying new things, and dealing with disappointments. “COVID has given children a real opportunity to show their resilience and adaptability,” she says.

Perhaps they've also learned about a positive attitude from Ms. D herself. “The biggest lesson is that we can manage.”

One unfortunate change due to the pandemic is the pause of her popular Lunch Bunch program with students in grades 3-5. Usually held in the basement of Lloyd House, these small informal groups form at the beginning of the school year to help new students adjust to the school culture, and over the course of the year students may come in and out of Lunch Bunch or join another group.

Years after they leave the Lower School, older students often reminisce with Ms. D about Lunch Bunch.

Susan earned an undergraduate degree in early childhood education and taught pre-K before returning to school for a master's in counseling. “I wanted to help students and parents go beyond identifying a problem and work with them to address it,” she says. She came to SSSAS in 1993 in a part-time role, and became a full-time counselor just a few months later.

After nearly three decades of counseling, Susan has noted the different challenges that parents have faced over the years.

She thinks the greatest issue for children today is increasing anxiety from exposure to too much information and news.

“Kids are growing up a lot faster,” she says. “They start with cell phones at such a young age now. It's easy for them to make mistakes and not use good judgment, especially with social media, and those missteps stay with a kid far longer than anyone would like.

Things you post can remain accessible forever.” She reminds parents to set strict boundaries at home when children are young and willing, usually, to comply.

At school, Susan believes in the importance of being visible, approachable, and accessible. “It's how I do most of my work,” she says. “I'm rarely sitting in my office unless I'm meeting with someone.”

Along with her work with children, Susan provides support to the Lower School faculty, for whom she has the highest admiration for how they have managed every challenge they have faced during the pandemic. From overcoming the one-dimensional limitations of online teaching that can dilute teacher personality and student attention to having parents in their classes, teachers also lost the opportunity to check-in individually with students during class time. “Our teachers are so good at that, walking up to a desk and quietly touching someone's shoulder to see if they need a bit of one-on-one help” Susan says.

As students returned to campus, teachers faced other challenges reestablishing norms and regaining student attention while adhering to social distancing requirements, but Susan applauds their ability for maintaining excellent teaching standards.

In terms of immediate impacts, Susan equates the COVID pandemic to the shock and disruption of September 11, but notes that the duration of the pandemic has made it more wearing.

Still, the resiliency of young children heartens her and she credits it with fueling the faculty and administration to move forward.

Susan also appreciates the school's Episcopal foundation for valuing emotional well-being alongside academics. “There's always been a focus on justice, compassion, and goodness in our mission statement,” she says, “and placing equal importance on goodness as well as knowledge.”

Lower School Director Jalene Spain Thomas credits Susan for making the division “whole each day with her nurturing presence, supporting each community members' needs and offering her undivided attention. Students light up in her presence because of the authenticity she brings to each interaction, from the sincere enthusiasm for a child who has lost a tooth to the unwavering care she gives to a child grieving the loss of a pet. Colleagues and parents relish her insight and wisdom on topics big and small. She is a tireless Spring 2021 | 9

so incredibly resilient,” says Karen. Perhaps the greater challenge was navigating an online social experience in which students were in cohorts of small groups and could not see all of their friends.

Once everyone was back on campus, even with the ongoing social distancing, Karen is proud of how everyone has taken it in stride. “And now we can see the light at the end of the tunnel,” she says. “I'm looking forward to hopefully having some normalcy in the fall.”

Karen traces her path to counseling to her parents who both worked in pediatric healthcare. “Dinner table conversations often revolved around the health issues they were handling each day,” Karen recalls. “I didn't think I could regularly process such serious physical illnesses, so I gravitated toward mental health.” A psychology major in college, Karen first worked in Brookline, Mass., in a residential center for children with traumatic brain injuries and mental health needs. She returned to school to earn her master's in counseling and came to SSSAS in 2004.

Middle School Counselor Karen Kunz

advocate for the preservation of childhood and respecting student agency and voice.”

With both of her own children now grown, Susan spends her free time taking long walks with her dog, reading, and puttering around the house and garden. “I like to be outside, and I love the Lower School campus,” she says.

The Glory of Adolescence For every comment about the challenges of the Middle School years, Counselor Karen Kunz sees a positive. “Middle Schoolers have the highest highs and the lowest lows,” she explains. “Their impulsive natures lead to amazing ideas. They think outside the box and are really creative. When they say 'that's not fair!' they demonstrate a beautiful commitment to social justice.”

Karen loves watching her students' dramatic growth in the three years from sixth to eighth grade. “By the time they head to the Upper School, they've developed so much, and are capable, smart, and managing complicated thoughts. They have learned to navigate many firsts, and experienced the feeling of something terrible happening in a day and realizing that everything passes.

They gain insight and grow from it, and we give them space to do that and to feel safe taking risks.”

While some children may have had a difficult transition returning to campus during the pandemic, Karen believes most were ready and happy to return. “Just when this age group is supposed to begin separating from their parents,” she explains, “they were instead required to stay at home more than ever. That wasn't easy for them, or their parents.”

Add to that the challenge of distance learning and a schedule shift to longer-than-usual 75-minute classes, the students faced tests of patience and focus. Teachers have to keep students motivated, and students with learning and executive functions faced even greater hurdles. “Overall, everyone managed and was 10 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

Over the years, Karen has watched with trepidation the rise in social media. Citing some strengths of it—“Obviously with COVID it's provided a critical way for kids to stay connected”—but the access it provides coupled with the undeveloped adolescent brain trying to process everything can be a very tough combination and often lead to anxiety and depression.

Karen wonders if the growth in adolescent anxiety and depression symbolizes more actual cases, greater skill among professionals in diagnosing, or heightened awareness and comfort in this age group to talk about it.

Whatever the source, when intervention can happen at these younger ages the long-term success rate for treatment increases, and often before “it counts” with more serious life situations. Across the divisions, Karen and her colleagues feel more knowledgeable and adept at handling these issues. “I'm proud of how we're making space for kids to be healthy physically, emotionally, and academically.”

Karen shares her love for Middle Schoolers with the entire Middle School faculty, with whom she appreciates an easy camaraderie. Her door is open to informal chats and popins from teachers and students. “Sixth graders typically will come talk to me more readily than seventh and eighth graders. Word of mouth helps, as kids tell other kids that this is a safe place to come and talk.”

“Karen is the person to whom we turn for care and counsel, compassion and courage,” says Director of Middle School Quincey Grieve. “Her laugh lights up the building in moments of joy, and she is our rock when we face hardship.

She knows and adores all of our students, and she is there for them, and their families, always. She wades through mud, literally, on overnight bonding trips; she teaches our children the power of self-restraint, as they learn to take one, just one, impeccable piece of candy from her on Fridays. Our health and well-being is Karen's highest priority, and for that we are deeply grateful.”

After 17 years, Karen still enjoys the variability of every day.

“The unpredictability is interesting and makes the days zoom by. There are always new and interesting things to talk about and new people to connect with.”

Juggling Independence, Pressure, and Looming Adulthood Students in the Upper School were the last group to return to campus full time from the pandemic, and Upper School Counselor Susannah Harrison could not have been happier to see them. She acknowledges, however, that for some students the return was a difficult transition. “The extroverts are thrilled to be back in any capacity,” she says, but for others who thrived in the online learning program and did not miss the social aspects, it's been a bit harder.”

Susannah describes some of her Upper School Saints before COVID as overscheduled and often pressured to do everything they can to get into their college of choice. COVID offered an unexpected and welcome break. “It forced many of these kids to slow down a bit,” she says. “It was good for them to be able to assess what's important, relax and read, and even practice mindfulness, which they typically don't have time for.” As the students returned to a more normal life of classes and activities, they had a new appreciation for school and their friends, even while having to be patient with the ongoing COVID restrictions. Susannah joins the students in looking forward to a return to all of the school traditions, like Homecoming and the Sleepy Thompson Basketball Tournament in the fall.

Susannah's interest in counseling was sparked while growing up in Atlanta. “I admired my sixth grade teacher who decided to go back to school and became my Upper School counselor,” she recalls. She earned

COUNSELOR WISDOM Don't Watch the News

Decades ago, Americans gathered virtually every evening to watch TV news programs and catch up on the world's events of the day.

Today, the news cycle is continuous and the number of channels and avenues are seemingly infinite and available through our phones and computers anytime. Given this access and the pace and depth of news, the best prescription to lessen anxiety is to turn it off. “Don't watch the news,” advises Susan DeLaurentis, Director of Counseling and Lower School Counselor. “It's just too much” for adults and for children of all ages.

Their Job is to Separate and Pull Away

Parents of adolescents and teens often mourn the behavior of their children defying their authority and trying out their independence, but Middle School Counselor Karen Kunz reminds parents that this is all very normal. “It's their job to separate from their parents.” So, while it can be maddening and difficult, it's not usually representative of any bigger problem.

Look for Signs of Depression

Whether we are better at diagnosing depression or more open to accepting it, cases of depression and anxiety are increasing among adolescents and teens. Fortunately, the stigma is lessened as well, and kids are more comfortable talking about it.

Sometimes, though, symptoms can be confusing. Karen reminds parents that angst and irritability is a common behavior among adolescents and teens, but can also be signs of depression, so she urges parents to not discount such behavior if it lasts longer than usual. To drive home this message, Karen is talking to her students at younger ages about the signs of depression and how to address mental health.

Connect Screen Time with Lack of Sleep

Managing screen time for kids and adults may be one of the most universal challenges in our society today. The lure of connection and news of any kind, available at our fingertips 24/7, is both too tempting to avoid and yet can compound stress, anxiety, and exhaustion among everyone. Our Upper School Counselor knows that managing screen time, or setting limits for children, is easy to say and hard to do.

Instead, she suggests that parents connect lack of sleep with too much screen time. Teenagers need more sleep than they get, and helping them to see the value in limiting screen time at night to get more sleep may be a logic that teens can follow.

Many Paths to Get Where you Want to Go

Upper School students face a tremendous amount of pressure as they gear up for college. Juggling schedules full of academics and activities, sports and friends, and more, is a well-known recipe for stress and anxiety as they seek to get to that dream school or career. Susannah reminds families that there are many paths to get where you want to go. “It might not be the obvious path,” she says. “Maybe you can transfer into your dream school if you can't get in straight from high school. Maybe you need to take a few detours along the way. But if you want to get there, you can. Just be patient and open your eyes to forging other paths.”

Upper School Counselor Susannah Harrison Spring 2021 | 11

When the average length of tenure for employees at any job is less than five years, to what do our counselors attribute their 17 years together at SSSAS? “We have very different styles, are different ages and in different stages of our lives, but we just click,” says Susan. “There's a generosity among the three of us. We're always willing to help each other.” Susannah and Karen agree, and both value the mentorship Susan has provided them. “Susan and Karen are like my family,” says Susannah. “They give me what I need to weather any storm.”

“I've married and had both of my children during my time here,” says Karen, “covering all the major milestones of my adult life so far, with Susan and Susannah by my side.”

Each counselor is well-suited to the ages and divisions they support. “We are all in the place where we feel most comfortable, most knowledgeable, and do the best work,” says Susan. Karen agrees, saying “Susan is an expert in the Lower School, Susannah is amazing in the Upper School, and we complement each other and are each just where we should be.”

As a counseling team, the trio provides a continuum of care for students, and the institutional knowledge of the kids as they advance through the divisions and grow.

“Susan really primes them in Lower School with lunch bunch and counselor check-ins,” says Karen. “She's normalized interactions with the kids so when they get to me they know what I do and are comfortable coming to talk with me.”

And even when students move on to the next division, the counselors have no ego about who students talk to if they need support. “If a student would rather talk to Susan or Susannah, I don't take it personally,” says Karen. “It's more important that every student feels cared for, has someone they are comfortable to talk with, and gets what they need as early as possible. We all want them to stay on a successful trajectory.”

The trio leans inward to help each other out, express concerns, and seek help. “Ours is a 100% supportive relationship where we can be easily vulnerable and share and grow together,” says Karen. “It's always a highlight of my week to get together with Susannah and Susan to decompress, work through challenges we face, and just enjoy their friendship.”

The counselors also credit the School administration for their success. With no added responsibilities to their roles—such as teaching or coaching or scheduling—the counselors are able to focus on their work.

The team has also been working with an outside psychologist, Dr. David Flohr, for nearly the entire time they have been together. They meet with him weekly—in person, ideally, or during COVID by Zoom—to discuss difficult cases and how to best handle them. “It's been a great gift for him to supervise us,” says Susan. The group looks forward to being able to resume their weekly car rides to Dr. Flohr's office, valuable time together offcampus to be together.

Finally, the women appreciate the sense of community at SSSAS, for the support it provides the students and the culture it creates for everyone to work within. Each counselor emphasizes with their students the importance of getting to know each other, appreciating differences, and treating each other with kindness. “Plus, the students see how much the adults on campus like working here and like each other,” says Karen. “That adds to the warmth we all experience.”

Each of the counselors dedicates time to get to know students individually. As Susannah explains, “we want students to feel heard and appreciate that this is their school and they have a place here.”

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a master's in school counseling at Boston College—in the same program that Karen attended two years later—and returned to Atlanta to serve as a counselor in an independent school before moving to the D.C. area for her husband's job. She started at SSSAS in 2004, very soon after Karen arrived.

Like her colleagues, Susannah has noted an increase in the level of anxiety, depression, and stress in her students over the years.

At the Upper School level, she attributes this both to social media and technology as well as a rise in expectations for students.

The pressure to get into the college of their choice is intense for students, who find themselves competing for grades, filling their schedules with activities, and driven to excel at it all. Susannah reminds students that there are many paths to get where you want to go, and encourages them to consider the less obvious paths as a means of lessening the pressure.

Couple this pressure with the “living out loud” demands of social media, and teenagers have immense challenges. “It's hard enough to develop and maintain relationships during the Upper School years,” she says, “and even harder when there are so many ways for people to be unkind. Will someone make fun of you for a post, will you put something up and no one will like it, will you be left out of a group chat?” Social media compounds the potential to feel isolated and anxious about the social experience, yet few kids will just opt out of it.

Rather than arguing about the merits of technology overall, Susannah encourages students to set time limits late at night for their use of technology so they can get more sleep. Reasoning like that is one of the things she likes best about working with Upper School students, “even if I don't always succeed,” she says with a laugh.

One aspect of school that has not changed during Susannah's tenure is high school social

dynamics. “Figuring out who you are, who your people are, and how you're going to make decisions about things like relationships and substances—this can be all-consuming at a time when the students are facing heightened academic pressure.” Susannah places a high priority on being available and ready to talk to students whenever they need it. “We also work hard to encourage kids to speak from 'my' perspective and to be kind rather than judgmental.”

That effort comes in partnership with “the stellar faculty, whom I love working with,” says Susannah. The school's focus on community and making every student feel seen and known reinforces her work every day. “No institution is perfect and this may not be the school for everyone, but so many kids are genuinely happy to be here.”

Topics of diversity, equity, and inclusion have long been at the forefront, but the events of the past year have enabled Susannah and the faculty to approach them more assertively than ever before.

Advisory periods provide extended time to delve further into these issues. “I think the kids have enjoyed having a space to talk about it,” she says.

When asked how she manages her own stress, Susannah laughed. Between the pandemic, recent spinal surgery, and raising three teenagers at home, her days are hardly relaxing. The return to campus after working from home was a welcome change. “I appreciate that there are some advantages of working at home, but I prefer a separation between my work and home lives,” she says.

Upper School Director Michael Mallett applauds Susannah's commitment to her charges and how she supports everyone in the community. “From the one-on-ones with each new student in the fall, to the Peer Leadership program, and the local and national experts she recruits to speak to our community on adolescent and teen mental health topics,” he says, “we are, indeed, lucky to have Susannah on our team.”

Looking Ahead Susan, Karen, and Susannah are all breathing sighs of relief as the end of the school year approaches. Everyone eagerly anticipates the end of each schoolyear, but this year has been particularly challenging and remarkable. Still, the counselors have nothing but praise for how the entire community has handled every challenge and lessons of strength, resiliency, caring, and patience abound.

The counselors will next look ahead to the fall and, hopefully, a return of the pre-pandemic cycles, traditions, and hurdles of Saints life. From lunch bunches resuming in the basement of Lloyd House, to “normal” complaints about social life and over-the-top prom or Homecoming proposals, and even more serious mental health issues, we can all be grateful for the steady, calming influence and wisdom of these remarkable counselors…and know that when the next serious crisis comes along, the Saints community will be ready and able to handle it with the strength of this team supporting them.

SAINTS SUPPORT PROGRAMMING A day in the life of each of our counselors is a busy one, and the breakdown will vary day to day, from one counselor to the next. But each juggles a full load of one-on-one meetings with students and faculty, drop-ins and hallway chats, planning and preparation, administrative and faculty team meetings, and parent conversations.

In addition, Susan, Karen, and Susannah coordinate group events and programming for students and parents throughout the year, including:

Lower School Susan's lunch bunch is an SSSAS tradition that has successfully connected the youngest Saints for decades. Some groups are single gender and some are co-ed, and all begin at the start of the year to help students adjust to school life and then continue throughout the year.

Susan facilitates easy conversation during lunch bunch, checking-in with students, asking them to rate their day or week, and engaging in a wide variety of conversational topics.

While lunch bunch didn't meet this

year due to COVID, Susan looks forward to being back together in the fall.

Middle School Karen also manages lunch bunch groups, open to all students who choose to participate for informal conversation.

While she's held a few lunch bunch sessions over Zoom this year, most kids prefer to meet in person so she hopes to have them resume in the fall.

In addition, Karen organizes the weekly Saints Advisory Program that covers topics such as empathy, inclusion, and belonging and digital citizenship. For parents, Karen offers parent education programs throughout the year, including on Zoom this year.

Upper School Susannah manages a full slate of programming. Seniors in Peer Leadership provide orientation and mentoring to freshmen throughout the school year. Other activities address the wide array of topics of import to students, including the One Love workshop, a college transition workshop, and a monthly senior girls' lunch.

Susan's office is filled with mementos, toys, books, photos, and sticks. The sticks have been collected from some playground adventurers who thought they made great weapons, all in good fun, of course.

The two photos were presented to her by one of her lunch bunch groups, made up of 10 boys from the Class of 2016.

They gave her the photo on the left when they moved on to Middle School.

It is signed by them all and says, “Mrs. D. Survived—Big 10.” Susan looks at the photo with a smile and says, “They were high spirited...really high spirited!”

The photo on the right is of the Big 10 having a reunion just before graduation, lunch bunch friends for life.

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Alicia Blowers David Hunsicker Julie Riedy Andy Carr Alex Mooskin

There is a special team of people working behind the scenes at the Middle School. They are the unsung tech wizards who help support the Middle School's technology curriculum integration program. They are...

The MERIT Team

Making Education Relevant and Interactive with Technology.

BY MELISSA MAAS

Top row: Alicia Blowers, David Hunsicker, Julie Riedy; Bottom row: Andy Carr, Alex Mooskin 14 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

As St. Stephen's and St. Agnes prepared to implement a 1:1 technology program in 2015, Middle School Technology Education Coordinator David Hunsicker wondered how he would manage adding nearly 300 laptops to the list of devices already maintained by the technology team – including the faculty laptops, loaner laptop carts, and lots of iPads. As the smallest division with around 40 faculty and staff and just under 300 students, David was spending half his time working with a full-time tech support staff member to handle all the technology needs in the Middle School. Anticipating the demands of going 1:1, they put their heads together to figure out how they could make the tech education side a little more robust.

The answer came through a session David attended at the 2015 National Association of Independent Schools Conference in Boston. “The Hun School of Princeton had already gone 1:1 and hosted a session on their process, “'How to Simplify Managing Your School's IT in the Age of 1:1,'” David said. “They outlined a model I thought would work well for us, offering a stipend to four tech savvy teachers who would be interested in helping us transition to a 1:1 program in the fall of 2016, and then continue serving as tech support for the faculty.” Once the idea had been discussed and formalized, David emailed the faculty looking for teachers with a love of technology and bringing new technology projects into the curriculum—and the MERIT team was born. The current team led by David is Julie Riedy (math teacher), Andy Carr (history teacher), Alicia Blowers (librarian), and Alex Mooskin (science teacher). Julie and Alicia have been on the team since its inception and it's the first year on board for Andy and Alex.

Serving as Faculty Technology Liaisons One of the most valuable aspects of the role of the MERIT team is their support of the ed tech program and participation in planning discussions with the administration and the Information Technology department. The MERIT team meets on a bi-weekly basis with Associate Director of the Middle School Josh Bauman, Information Technology Director Colleen McNeil, Associate Director of Information Technology David Nadelhoffer, and Director of Teaching and Learning Lana Shea. Julie believes that the most important role she plays as a MERIT team member is offering her perspective as a teacher. “The MERIT Team helps with policy, like a tech think tank,” Julie said. “As policies are formed, professional development is created, and ideas are discussed, I feel it's important to have all viewpoints represented, including an administrator, the IT director, and the teachers who put everything into practice.”

Another key function of the MERIT team is to evaluate new technologies that have been requested by faculty members, to ensure that the school is making the wisest investment of time and resources. “We want to protect our students and give them safe resources,” Julie said. “So, before a teacher can use a new program, it has to be requested. The team evaluates it for safety, ease of use, and to make sure we're not using multiple platforms that do the same thing.” If a teacher requests a program, but if the MERIT team thinks there is a comparable one that is more universal, they

encourage the teacher to try it and give them the training and support they need to learn and use it.”

MERIT members also help to pilot new programs, plan implementation, and develop training materials to share with faculty. They foster new tech projects for the curriculum and make sure they meet the International Standards for Technology Education (ISTE). They actively participate in their own professional development, attending (and presenting at) technology conferences, as well as researching new advances in the field of ed tech in order to bring the best tools to the teachers. They also help the students take ownership of their digital lives, by curating a digital citizenship curriculum taught during advisory.

Digital Citizenship Program: Helping Students Navigate Digital Media and the Internet Digital citizenship is about so much more than just being safe online. It's about using technology in responsible and constructive ways—to make our community better, to engage respectfully online with people who have different perspectives, and to connect with communities beyond the classroom.

As the Middle School librarian, Alicia Blowers was inspired to join the MERIT Team, “I studied educational technology as part of my graduate degree—school library and school technology kind of go hand in hand,” Alicia said. “Since I teach research and website and resource evaluation, being a team member gives me an extra impetus to stay up on the latest trends, it just naturally comes together.”

Alicia heads up the Digital Citizenship Program for the team.

“There's all this technology all around us and the kids have so much access,” Alicia said. “It's our job to figure out how to take advantage of it, how much to restrict it, and how to make it purposeful.”

Using a curriculum produced by Common Sense Media (CSM)—a non-profit dedicated to helping children thrive in a world of media and technology—she and the team develop a curriculum and a series of lessons that all Middle School students participate in with their advisors. “One of my main roles on the MERIT Team is to preview the 45-minute lessons provided by CSM, looking at the key things we want to get out of it and paring it down to work within the 30-minute time allotted for advisory.” Alicia explained. “The advisors teach the lessons.”

Spring 2021 | 15

Curriculum Development

MERIT TEAM DUTIES Digital Citizenship Program

Professional Development

Foster New Tech Projects

Conference Presenters

Showcase New Tech Tools

Create Instructional Videos

Team Meetings Research and Evaluate New Software

CSM breaks the lessons down into six categories: media balance and well-being; privacy and security; digital footprint and identity; relationships and communication; cyberbullying, digital drama, and hate speech; and news and media literacy. In age-appropriate formats, the individual lessons teach students everything from how companies use their data and phishing scams to thinking about who they are online and how social media affects our relationships. The lessons also cover how to respond to online hate, sexting, and relationships and the power of digital footprints and finding credible news on the Internet.

The MERIT team crafts videos, slides, lesson plans, and follow-up surveys to ensure that our students are prepared to be successful in our increasingly complex digital world. The Middle School digital citizenship curriculum includes an annual parent evening session, where families experience some of the highlights and can learn about best practices for raising teens on technology.

Battle Stations: Meeting the Challenges of Going Virtual The primary focus of the MERIT team is faculty professional development, with the goal of helping to support the Middle School's technology curriculum integration program. MERIT team members help host faculty workshops on topics like Zoom, Google Apps, Class Pages (on the SSSAS website), Screencasting, and other technology related topics and tools, to help enrich the curriculum. The pandemic brought an explosion

16 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

ISTE Standards

in the use of technology, and the MERIT team has been essential in getting the Middle School faculty up to speed on tools that can help facilitate teaching and learning in the many different scenarios and phases of our distance learning plan.

Not only did the MERIT team jump into action when it became clear the school could shut down, but they had already been key players in the successful transition to distance learning by preparing and encouraging teachers to explore and learn about these technologies over the course of the last four years.

When COVID hit, the team locked themselves in a small room to reflect and brainstorm a set of guidelines and create a unified approach for communicating with students and families for the Middle School faculty. “Every day on our internal website for students and parents, the teachers post what they're going to be doing in class, what materials the student needs, and what the homework is on their individual online 'Bulletin Boards,'” Julie said. “The communications are very clear and the same for every teacher.”

The MERIT team also created a plan for providing the faculty with the necessary tools and professional development to hit the ground running. “We put together a learning experience for the faculty members that allowed them to see new teaching tools, practice with those tools, and make some strong strides in being confident with them,” Andy recalled. “It was a professional development experience in which the teachers became the students—learning, exploring, and using new tools they had never seen before. It was a powerful experience and a great reminder of what it is like to be a student in the classroom.”

WHEN COVID HIT...

“We put together a learning experience for the faculty members that allowed them to see new teaching tools, practice with those tools, and make some strong strides in being confident with them.” ~ Andy Carr

A critical piece of the distance learning puzzle was choosing a meeting platform to use. Since the school uses the Google programs, they started with Google Meet thinking it was the most expedient way to go. “We quickly ran into some problems, but pivoted well to using Zoom,” David said. “It wasn't that different to go to Zoom and it offers some things that Google Meet doesn't, like the breakout rooms for smaller group discussions.” Another challenge was the sheer number of users on the Internet at one time, which overpowered the bandwidth.

Distance learning required some immediate research into finding a versatile format for sharing and assessing assignments and projects. “We found a new platform called Go Formative, an online resource where teachers can have students take assessments; give them immediate feedback; use pre-existing worksheets and see students interacting with them in real time; and track student progress,” Julie said. “The teacher's comments can be typed or audio. It's an incredible platform for distance learning that may continue to be very useful.”

When the school shifted from distance learning to hybrid learning, the MERIT team stepped up to the plate again, ready for action. “I think that our biggest contributions by far over the last year have been preparing the faculty for distance learning and then for hybrid learning,” David said. “We had to search for the best possible platforms and programs, create instruction videos and slideshows, prepare cohesive and consistent guidelines, and then deal with all the challenges involved with setting up the classrooms for hybrid learning, whether they were indoors or outdoors, making sure it would work for the students at home as well as the students in the classroom.”

Now the team is gathering information about what has worked well for teachers this year and the areas in which they may need help or new strategies and technology tools moving forward.

“Our goal is to use that feedback to help individuals enhance their classes this spring and also put together some strong professional development opportunities for the summer,” Andy said.

Alicia has been talking with the English teachers about their current and future needs and discovered the pandemic brought them a silver lining. “The English department relies heavily on technology, particularly when they're annotating the books, poems, and short stories the students are reading,” Alicia

said. “But they also give lots of instructive and constructive feedback to students, and technology has really helped them to do it more efficiently.” Since everything went virtual last year, they have discovered the ease of commenting and grading papers through Google docs, instead of asking the students to hand in printed copies. “The students turn in their rough draft for comments and then turn in a final paper in a separate document,” Alicia explained. “This allows the teachers to look back at the comments on the rough draft and see how the student's developed their papers. It's a big bonus that all their work is readily available and digitally archived.”

Alex is working on creating a workflow/best practices resource related to tech use and responsibilities for new and existing faculty members. Although in her first year on the team, she has spent the past five years or so creating curriculum to introduce and train sixth graders on how to use their computers effectively. “There are so many things that take the students much longer than they need to,” Alex said.

“Anything that we can do to build their confidence with technology gets a gold star in my book!”

Julie is talking to the math and religion teachers about their needs, but she also continues to work on a favorite project she launched in the fall of 2019, the bi-weekly Saints Celebration Newsreel. She wanted to create something that would highlight what our students and faculty are doing on all three campuses and spread some joy within the community. As the Middle School leaders, eighth graders can volunteer to be newscasters while student editors from all three grades compile the news. The newsreel is shown at the Lower School right after their weekly podcast, and Middle and Upper School families can find it on the school's passwordprotected Resource Board. “The project continues to expand with more community involvement,” Julie said. “The sixth graders are very enthusiastic about participating and next year we're hoping to involve some Upper School freshmen and sophomores. We're encouraging students to create the background music. There are lots of student touches in each production and now that the faculty are aware of it, they send us media from all three divisions. Watching the Newsreel evolve and grow is very rewarding.”

One Thing is Certain for the Future…

The MERIT Team model has been a great success and MERIT Teams now exist on the Lower and Upper School campuses. Technology will continue to change, evolve, and impact the way we teach and learn. Making sure our Saints are fully prepared will require the school to continue to grow and transform along with the inevitable new innovations the future will bring…and the MERIT teams will be there to meet any and all challenges head on and positively utilize whatever technological advances come their way.

They will continue to work quietly and effectively without fanfare, because helping is satisfying and meaningful to them. “I think the most important role of a MERIT team member is just being a true support system for the entire faculty,” Andy said. “Technology is often tricky, so having goto people on campus to help is a valuable thing. Being able to support other faculty members in their efforts to enhance the classroom experience for the students is rewarding.”

Spring 2021 | 17

MAKING

THE MOST OF EVERY DAY

Dave Warshauer '95 filming the remake of “Point Break.”

BY JESSICA YARMOSKY

Bobby Augst '95 skiing in Alaska Photo By J.Q. McCarty

18 | St. Stephen's Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

Best friends since preschool, Bobby Augst '95 and Dave Warshauer '95 still share a love of adventure.

Early on a Friday morning, Bobby Augst logs into his computer from his home office in Golden, Colorado. His mission?

See what his customers have bought recently. He scrolls through a list of recent customer orders on the screen. A chance to drive on the Autobahn Country Club Speedway. A flying lesson. A hot air balloon tour.

company's core mission to give people gifts they'll never forget still informs everything he does, every day.

A few hours later, and a thousand miles west in Los Angeles, Dave Warshauer likely has a camera in hand.

As a cinematographer who makes commercials, every day looks a little differently: he could be shooting footage

show “Lost,” and then a salaried position at a production company that shot all of Quiksilver's North American media.

Then he decided to strike out on his own as a freelancer.

“That was tough, because you never know what you're going to do month to month,” he says. But ultimately, “the phone kept on ringing.”

Bobby isn't in the business of selling stuff— he sells experiences. Specifically, he helps people think outside the box when it comes to giving gifts. Instead of gifting an aunt yet another Christmas sweater, why not send her on a wine tasting? Give your cousin a golf lesson?

Send your sister on a helicopter tour?

“The coolest part about my job is that for every single item we sell,” Bobby says, “you're sending somebody out on a really cool, oncein-a-lifetime experience.”

For more than a decade, Bobby has worked at 9 Living, which was started by his older brother, John, in 2005. In March of this year, Cloud 9 became Virgin Experience Gifts after a merger with Virgin Experience Days out of the U.K., and Bobby's day-to-day is starting to look a little different. Before the sale, Cloud 9 was a bona fide small business, which meant a scrappy group of employees hustling around the clock: “I was doing product management, business development, managing employees, doing a little bit of legal work,” Bobby says.

Now that Cloud 9 is part of a bigger network, Bobby says he's able to hone in on one task specifically—growing. He's working on building a roster of corporate clients who want to share the experiences with colleagues and employees. But the

Bobby and Dave in California in December 2020

for Fender guitars, or in a helicopter filming the Hawaiian coast.

“One day you're doing something very corporate, and the next day, you're shooting for Ferrari in Big Sur, racing down a closed Highway One in a Lamborghini. It's an eclectic bunch of work coming through,” he says, in perhaps the understatement of the century.

Dave's career officially started in Oahu, Hawaii, when he began filming surfers post-college. That led to a gig shooting surfing films for clothing brand Quiksilver, a stint on the set of the hit TV

Bobby and Dave may be miles apart, in different time zones and occupations, but they never let too much time go by without checking in on each other.

They're buoyed by a friendship that started when they were toddlers, was solidified at SSSAS in the Lower School, and has taken them to Colorado, British Columbia, Hawaii, Alaska, and beyond.

It all started with Joe Theismann. At the Montessori preschool they attended, Bobby and Dave discovered they both had Theismann jerseys—and a bond was born. “We both would wear our Theissman jerseys, and then we were like,

Spring 2021 | 19

game on,” Bobby remembers.” Dave says they would coordinate the days they both wore the jerseys so they could match.

Dave started at St. Stephen's in second grade, and Bobby joined him in third. Since then, neither remembers a year where they didn't have at least one class together. Both have especially fond memories of their time at the Upper School—when asked to pick a significant memory from those four years, it doesn't take long for Dave to respond: senior pranks.

“I was the Student Council Association president our senior year, and I helped orchestrate some excellent senior pranks,” Dave explains. And while they won't share exact details so as not to inspire others to mischief, both Dave and Bobby confirmed that one prank involved deceased cats from an AP Bio lab. “[The school] actually banned senior pranks after our class because we went so big,” Dave says, grinning.

But it wasn't all fun and games, of course.

Both Dave and Bobby say they worked hard in classes, and that the challenge ultimately benefited them both—even if, as Bobby admits, he didn't love the “school” part of school at the time. “I found [SSSAS] really hard academically,” he says, “but it taught me the value of hard work.” Dave says he felt adequately prepared for college because his classes at SSSAS were academically rigorous, even more so than some of his college classes.

Bobby and Dave at Matt Warshauer's '96 wedding in October 2016.

Dave (left) shooting a music video with Mike Tyson Bobby

Both say the relationships they built with fellow students deeply impacted their time as a Saint. “I had a super great close knit group of friends, that I still

Dave (left) shooting for Ferrari in Big Sur.

cherish to this day,” Bobby says.

Dave agrees: as they progressed from grade to grade, “everyone was kind of into what everyone else was doing.”

Outside of the classroom, Bobby played varsity lacrosse for all four years of high school, while Dave partook in track, golf, and French club. And both were founding members and co-presidents of the Ski Club.

Skiing means a lot to both Dave and Bobby—it's influenced their lives so much that it's almost like the third member of their friend group.

Both Dave and Bobby grew up skiing and would travel out west with their families to ski as

20 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

Co-presidents Dave and Bobby (center) with the 1994-1995 SSSAS Ski Club.

Bobby prepared for a legal career and took a job as the Deputy District Attorney for San Diego County after law school graduation. But three years in, he was feeling burnt out and a chance arose to join his brother's start-up company in Colorado. He remembers thinking, “This seems like a good opportunity, and would just be a more enjoyable way to spend my days.” So he quit his job, left San Diego, and joined his brother at Cloud 9 Living.

Chat with Dave and Bobby for even five minutes and it's clear that they care deeply about making the most of every day. A shared passion for adventure has taken them heli-skiing in Alaska and found them on the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Dave filming while Bobby held onto his belt so he didn't fly out the back of the car.

When asked what advice they would give to seniors at SSSAS who are just figuring out their life path, both emphasize quality over quantity.

“Follow your passion, don't follow the money,” Dave suggests. “Life is too short to follow the money.” And another piece of advice? “Work really hard,” he says. “Do what you Bobby skiing in Alaska Photo By J.Q. McCarty

love, and work really hard at it.”

Bobby seconds that notion.

often as possible. They founded the Ski Club to share their love of it with classmates, and were particularly drawn to one aspect of the sport: ski movies, in which professional freeskiers would take on challenging routes on film.

“Some of our friends were like, ski movies? What's a ski movie?” Dave says. “But we would just watch these ski movies, and they would transport us to some magical areas.”

Their love of ski movies ran so deep that they worked together to make one for their senior projects at SSSAS. “We shot it all season, and the season prior,” Bobby explains. “And for two weeks, we edited it and put it all together, which was cool.”

It was one of Dave's first forays into film, which ultimately influenced his career. But skiing shaped their lives in other ways, too. Dave and Bobby were both accepted to and enrolled in the University of Colorado in Boulder. Why Boulder? Its proximity to world-class skiing, of course.

On campus, they were roommates. Bobby majored in business, and Dave pursued a degree in journalism and a minor in film. After graduation, they packed up and drove to British Columbia, where they spent a season skiing at Whistler. Dave then headed to Oahu, and Bobby moved to San Diego for law school.

“Live where you want to live, and do what you want to do,” he says. “And if you're not happy with something in your life, make a change.”

Dave and Bobby are living proof that those life mottos can take you to some pretty cool places. Both are now married with kids, and they hope to pass on their adventure-seeking ways to them. Bobby and his wife, Heather, are parents to nine-year-old son James and sevenyear-old daughter Frances. Dave married Tracy and has a three-year-old son named Bode. They welcomed their second son, Cameron, in May of last year.

Twenty-six years after their SSSAS Commencement, their shared spirit of adventure hasn't shown any signs of slowing down.

Spring 2021 | 21

CATCHING UP WITH

JESSICA EDWARDS '17

BY JESSICA YARMOSKY

22 | St. Stephen's Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

What does it mean to design artificial intelligence for social impact? Jessica Edwards can tell you. That's the name of

the Harvard class she finished up right before hopping on our Zoom call. She's sitting outside, enjoying the sun on the Radcliffe Quad in Cambridge, Mass., and detailing her classes for her senior spring semester.

“One of them is called Childhood in African America, and it's about black childhood, and the history of that,” she tells me. “And another class is Introduction to Digital Fabrication, so it's like 3-D models.” She's also taking a course in the sociology department, called Student Leadership and Service in High Education: “We're looking at student organizations on Harvard's campus and looking at leadership opportunities, to try to improve our organizations.”

It's a diverse course load, but it makes sense for someone whose interests and pursuits run the gamut from singing to volunteering to predicting wildfires in Madagascar. That last one is actually the topic of her final project for her artificial intelligence course—she's building a model that can ultimately help everyone from farmers to state officials prepare for natural disasters. That's the “social impact” part of the course, and Jessica says her experiences at St. Stephen's and St. Agnes helped put her on that path.

“I think having that drive for making a real-world impact with computer science skills definitely stemmed from taking technology classes at SSSAS,” says Jessica, who will graduate in a few months with a degree in computer science and a minor in education. She says she entered SSSAS in ninth grade with a strong interest in the STEM field, but her four years there cemented her love of computer science. She credits her Upper School teachers—especially Mr. Rho, who was head of the technology department during her tenure—for pushing her. “The math teachers are amazing,” she says. “And Mr. Rho was super supportive.”

But was Harvard, which accepts between 5 and 7 percent of undergrad applicants each year, on her mind? Not quite. “I

definitely never would have imagined I would get into Harvard,” she laughs. “It's wild.” But she says her SSSAS teachers and college counselors supported her through the application process, and since she stepped onto campus almost four years ago, she's taken full advantage of being there.

At Harvard, Jessica sings as part of the Kuumba singers, which was founded half a century ago by Black students as a spiritual and cultural endeavor and is now the college's largest multicultural organization. Between classes and rehearsals, Jessica also volunteers at Y2Y Harvard Square, a shelter for unhoused young adults in Cambridge. “That's been super cool to be a part of, and the community is great there,” she says. If those activities weren't enough to keep her busy, she's also vice president of Harvard College Faith in Action, one of the largest Christian organizations on campus.

Jessica says thriving in a variety of extracurriculars is a skill she honed at SSSAS. “I learned, for better or for worse, that I liked staying busy,” she tells me.

“I was in a bunch of different clubs.”

She participated in the science club, the school's diversity initiative, Girls Who Code, and a programming club which she helped found. And even if she wasn't actually involved with a club, she'd pop into meetings with friends just to see what was up. She traveled on student service trips to Romania and to Haiti -- for the latter, she applied right away because she wanted to learn more about the country her mom is from.

“So many things were available to me,” she says. “When I got to college I was used to being busy, and used to being exposed to a bunch of different people.”

Busy describes her life these days pretty well. Jessica is back on campus this spring, even though her classes remain virtual. She said her mom was hesitant about her decision to leave Alexandria and return to Cambridge, but her dad encouraged her to. “He was like, go to Harvard! It's your last semester!” she says—so she did. A core group of her friends is back on campus, too, and they are all navigating college life during a pandemic. Oh, and on top of seeing friends, doing schoolwork, and participating in a litany of activities— she's also planning a wedding.

Jessica and her fiance, Josh, are slated to marry in July; that's the hope, of course. “In the back of my mind, I've been like, is this refundable?” she says, sharing in the pain of all pandemic-era brides-to-be. But things are looking up for July, she tells me. She and Josh, who came to Harvard from Mississippi, met through mutual friends as freshmen and have been dating since the middle of their sophomore year. Both volunteer with the Y2Y homeless shelter and are part of the Faith in Action group, and the excitement in her voice when she talks about him is palpable. “It's been awesome,” she says.

I warn her that as an almost-grad, she could be unsettled by my next question— what are her plans for the future? “That's actually not triggering!” she assures me.

I should have known it wouldn't be— she already has a job lined up as software engineer at Microsoft's Reston, Virginia campus. She'll be close to family and live with Josh, who will be teaching with Teach for America in the Washington, D.C., area. Josh was recently accepted to Harvard Law School's junior deferral program, which welcomes law students two years after they leave undergrad.

So after his tenure as a teacher, the couple plans to move back to the Boston area. Jessica says she's looking forward to being back in Cambridge at a “normal” time, one where COVID-19 is hopefully in the distant past. She wants to be involved with Kuumba, which historically has welcomed alumni back into its folds, and is considering graduate school in the future—though in what field, she's not yet sure—it could be in computer science, or education.

Jessica says the one piece of advice she would give SSSAS students about college is to focus on the relationships and connections you make there. “You'll be surrounded by so many interesting people with so many different and interesting perspectives,” she says.

She thinks it's easy to come to campus and get caught up in schoolwork, or get imposter syndrome and question whether you deserve to be there. “But if you can really focus on how amazing the people around you are, and how much you can learn from them, and just focus on learning and growing rather than just on finishing assignments or getting your stuff done,” she says, “that will be much more beneficial, and much more memorable.”

Spring 2021 | 23

Not Just Any Pup Senior Julianna Swygert is Transforming Orion into a Service Star

BY MELISSA MAAS

When Julianna Swygert '21 was looking for a meaningful way to fulfill the SSSAS service requirement, she jumped at the opportunity to raise a service dog for a veteran. For the past year, she has dedicated herself to working with an adorable, energetic, and loveable Labrador Retriever named Orion.

As everything shut down and Julianna settled into distance learning, she and Orion began spending every day together— actually benefiting from the pandemic. Her time with Orion will draw to a close in mid-June, when he leaves to complete the process with another trainer and Julianna heads south to spend the summer in Texas and start college at Texas Christian University in the fall. I spoke with Julianna about her incredible experience training Orion—the process, the challenges, and what it has meant to her.

Q. What inspired you to take on raising and training a

service dog?

A. My passion for helping veterans. This time last year I was looking through listings for service work in Fairfax County and I came across an ad for raising a service dog. When I first saw it, I just continued scrolling because there was no way my parents would let me bring a puppy into our house. Believe it or not, my mom found the same ad and said something like “look you can raise a service dog for a veteran through an organization called MK9.” I was shocked that she was okay with it. When I brought it up to my dad, he said yes with almost no convincing. At first, I thought we would welcome a puppy for me to play with and walk daily, little did I know how much work it would take and how rewarding it would be!

Q. What was the process for being accepted as a trainer?

A. The founder and director of MK9, Michele Khol, came to my house, toured the house, and talked to my dad and I for about an hour. I had to read through quite a few training guides and take an open notes test, but it was not too difficult. After the initial interview, house tour, and test, MK9 brought Orion to our house for two small training sessions with me and I was given a key to hand signals for training. During those sessions, we worked on basic skills, such as walking without tugging, sitting, and checking in with me (looking to me for direction).

About a month after my first contact with MK9, Orion stayed with us for a test weekend. There was another family in the running to raise him, but luckily Orion and I bonded and he ultimately moved in about a week or two after the test weekend.

24 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

Q. Did you need any additional training?

A. Other than what I've already described, I was given the puppy with almost no prior training experience. When I first got Orion, he was around 8 months old and already knew the basics. After he moved in, I attended weekly one-on-one training sessions with Orion and Ms. Khol for the following two months.

In addition, Orion and I attended—and continue to attend— twice weekly training sessions with the other dogs in the group.

Q. At what point does MK9 pair up the service dogs with their future owners? Do veterans get to spend time with them as puppies?

A. The puppies are paired with their veteran from the start.

The veteran gets to see, play, and work with their puppies from the time they are little until the time they receive the dog. When the veteran receives the dog, the dog will still belong to the organization for a set amount of time before the veteran fully owns the dog. The veteran also must attend a set number of trainings after the dog's graduation. To help with bonding, the puppies sleep with an item from their veteran that contains their scent. Orion sleeps with a pillowcase that his veteran has slept on.

Q. How much time do you have to devote to training Orion?

A. From the time I wake up until the time I go to bed, Orion is with me. We do short training exercises in between classes that last about 12 minutes, 2-3 times daily. After school on Mondays, Orion and I go to a weekly group training (locations change weekly) for about an hour and a half of training. I also attend sessions for the veteran to work with Orion once a week, typically on Thursday for an hour. It is an important opportunity for the veteran to work with Orion out in the world without any assistance from me or Ms. Khol. If it's not a Monday or Thursday, Orion runs errands with me. If there are no errands to run, we head to one of a variety of locations to further his training in public areas, including the airport, farms, clothing stores, the mall, and dog parks so he can work around loud dogs. These sessions are about an hour depending on where we go. We spend a ton of time at Target and the grocery store.

Essentially, whenever I leave the house Orion is by my side, with the exception of work and school on campus. Bringing Orion along with me adds about 15 minutes to my time at places, but it's so worth it!

Q. What are the biggest challenges you've faced with Orion?

A. There are three. First, he used to jump on everyone. He is a people loving dog and whenever we had visitors, he would jump on them and lick them. Thankfully, with the power of the word “stop” and treats, we have been able to mostly stop the habit and he has improved a ton. The second is that since his veteran has been gone for most of his life and he has just recently started seeing him in person, we have had to navigate how Orion will work with him. For example, we had to change one of Orion's cues to make it easier for the veteran (we used to say “let's go” for Orion to start walking now we say “walk”). Third, Orion is always on the hunt for socks. While he has gotten better about ignoring socks on the floor, we know that when he leaves the room, he is most likely hunting for a laundry hamper with socks!

Q. What is the timeline for the complete training process?

How often is he tested by the MK9 trainers?

A. The original hope was that Orion would graduate and be given to his veteran at around 18 months old. However, with COVID the current dogs in training have not received as much public access training as previous dogs. The training skills that we work on both individually and in group training sessions are to help the dog pass the public access test with their veteran, which is taken annually to ensure that the dog is still on track to work. The test takes about a day, during which the veterans must take their dogs to the airport, library, grocery, restaurant, etc. With no treats as incentive, the dogs have to be given and listen to commands 90% of the time to pass. During the weekly training sessions, the trainers are able to see what the dogs need to work on before they take the full test for the first time. Orion is improving during these training sessions and we continue to figure out what else he needs to work on.

Q. Who is responsible for all the costs associated with Orion? How is this funded?

A. MK9s covers most of the costs. During his training Orion has free veterinary care through Great Falls Animal Hospital, and my family pays for his food at a discounted rate in partnership with Purina. Of course, we buy him toys every now and then, but MK9 gave us everything that we needed, including his crate, bed, toys, leashes, collars, his vest—pretty much everything! These things were purchased using money from donations or are items that have been donated to the organization.

Q. Could Orion be cut from the program? How difficult is it knowing that you are raising Orion for someone else and that you will have to give him up?

A. To date none of the dogs have been cut from the program, and Orion is well on his way to being a great service dog! As for giving him up, I have treated him like my own dog always knowing that he will be going away. When I get sad about the fact that he's not mine forever, I think about how much he will improve his veteran's life, and that makes it a little less difficult!

Q. What has this experience meant to you?

A. Overall, this experience has taught me how much work goes into training a service dog. Although I have worked with Orion for countless hours to train him for his veteran, my work is nothing compared to the sacrifices that these veterans make for our freedom. Hands down this has been the best experience of my high school years. I would definitely do this again. I will continue to give back to our veterans in college and hope to raise another service dog after I graduate!

A DAY WITH ORION We wake up and eat breakfast

I have a class and he takes a nap

8:00

Quick training activity to get Orion moving and working on his agility

8:30 During my free period, we go for an hour-long walk

9:30 After school, we either have training or we go somewhere for an hour

During my next class, he usually chews on a favorite toy

For our lunch break we run to Starbucks

9:45 Afterwards we play fetch or Orion takes a nap.

Another class, another toy to chew on

11:45

11:00 A quick training session for about 10-15 minutes

Orion eats his dinner and then we chill around the house until bedtime

Z

Z

Z

12:45

2:00

4:00

5:30

6:30 Spring 2021 | 25

THE PROCESS OF BEING SEEN AND SEEING OURSELVES The Asian-American and Pacific Islander Experience

E

Ever since 1979, at least a part of May has been devoted to the recognition of Asian/Pacific American Heritage, and ever since 1992, the entire month of May has been officially designated Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month as it recognizes two important dates in history: May 7, 1843, the date when Japanese immigrants were first recorded arriving in the United States and May 10, 1869, the day that the first transcontinental railroad was completed

BY DAVID YEE

at great expense to the

Upper School English Teacher Incoming Interim Director of Service Learning & External Engagement

Chinese-Americans who

Chinese railroad workers in 1869

Stephen's and St. Agnes School 26 | St. Stephen’s

labored to complete it. 1

Japanese immigrants working in a railroad camp, ca.1895

All this means to say that the history of Asian-American contributions to this country's development track back almost to its founding and that for two generations, Americans have been called to recognize this history.

At the same time, a recent class conversation sticks out to me. In the midst of teaching my class on AsianAmerican literature, I had mentioned that May is Asian/Pacific Heritage Month. One of my Asian-American students, a senior, told me that he didn't know that. It's easy to presume that his lack of knowledge was an anomaly, that most Asian-Americans would know of their history month.

However, my own life experience tells a different story: before beginning work in education, I myself did not know about this month, nor did many in my family. In the end, while the month is meant to pay homage to those Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders that helped to build the United States brick-by-brick, these bricks seem to go unnoticed by the majority of Americans, even those that are meant to be celebrated.

Part of this lack of awareness is due to the history of Asian-American and Pacific Islander immigration to

the United States. Prior to 1965, the United States engaged in strict quota systems of immigration overall, and people from Asia suffered the strictest quotas. Chinese people were and continue to be the only nationality of people ever formally excluded from travel and immigration to the United States, and this ban lasted for almost eighty years. Asian families who lived through this era of American history endured racism and segregation that brought along, among other things, the advent of Chinatowns and other ethnic enclaves. It is this group of immigrants and their progeny that, inspired by the civil rights movement, birthed the term Asian-American for the first time in the 1960s. A group of people who lived and contributed to American history decided, for the first time, to identify themselves as such.

However, the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965 brought a new wave of immigration spurred on by the abolition of quotas based on race or nationality. All of a sudden, people from all over the world could bring their own histories to this country and their own hopes. Without the voices of previous generations of immigrants to tell them the stories of history, they could not hear the

South Korean born American actor Steven Yuen, who starred in the Golden Globe winning movie, “Minari,” written by Lee Isaac Chung.

Chinese director Chloe Zhao, the first person of color to win an Oscar for best director for the film “Nomadland.”

[Photo: Gage Skidmore]

[Photo: Gage Skidmore]

experiences of Chinese immigrants in the first Chinatowns passed down to them. Many of these new immigrants would come from new areas and new countries and so actually would not share much culturally with prior immigrants.

Furthermore, without real exposure within their education, these newer generations would largely be oblivious to a longer historical narrative. Erika Lee's “The Making of Asian-America”2 (from which I draw much of the historical commentary above) is one of the first collections of history that focuses on the long history of Asian people in America, and it is too new (published in 2015) to have made a large impact in the majority of students' educations.

For years, my students have told me that the Asian-American experience in history class has been learning about the Chinese Exclusion Act and Japanese Internment. The same was also true of my experience in school.

Without a connection to a common history and with varying ties to the United States, the connection

Japanese-American basketball player, Rui Hachimura, on the Washington Wizards [Photo: All Pro Reels]

Spring 2021 | 27

Asian-Americans are still perceived as being foreign in their own homelands.

Photo: Jason Leung to an Asian-American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, let alone a month to celebrate it, are often varied.

However, the advent of COVID-193 and its association with China has put a spotlight on the fact that those in the AAPI community can see themselves as individuals with their own complex identities, but that those in the wider world around them may only see something foreign. The events of the past year, in fact, have put a spotlight on how vulnerable a group becomes without this commonly understood sense of belonging that is rooted in history.

The United States, along with a few other countries with large Asian populations, have seen a marked rise in anti-Asian sentiment and hate speech.

According to the Pew Research Center, about 4-in-10 Americans report that it is more common for people to express racist views about Asian people now

28 | St. Stephen's Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

than it was before COVID-19. The same report states that Asian-Americans are more likely to suffer the sting of racial slurs, and since this report's publication in July 2020, the world has witnessed an increase of violent crimes against the Asian-American community, including the attacks on elderly Asian-Americans and the shootings in Atlanta. As of April 2021, this has resulted in a one-third of Asian-Americans fearing physical and verbal threats and the belief that such threats are becoming more commonplace.4 In one incident, filmed in New York City in April, a man who is kicking an older Asian woman is heard saying, “You don't belong here.” While it is easy to think that this is all new, this lack of belonging is something that many in the Asian-American community would say began much before the pandemic.

In all, for many in the Asian-American community, this year has reaffirmed that a sense of belonging can be tenuous at best. It has reaffirmed the fact that

Though SSSAS has not been immune to the challenges of the world around us, the school has been working to be more conscious of the struggles of those within its walls. Student groups like the Student Committee on Racial Equity (SCORE) have made it their mission to make the issues of the invisible more visible to all. Forums that they have held have helped to bring some visibility to the slights that people have experienced even before the pandemic, and have helped to illustrate that the tolerance and normalization of such behavior before the pandemic allowed for the escalation that has occurred during it. Our advisory program centered around the racial lens of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging has discussed microaggressions, putting the experience of AsianAmericans and Pacific Islanders at the center of understanding that small everyday slights do not stay small in the experience of the person living with them. While I can't say that this response has completely transformed the experience of our students and faculty, and I can definitely say that there is further work to be done, I can also say that these actions are the first time we as a school have centered these experiences in my time at the school, and this is a start.

I can also say that this is the first time that I can recall so much energy within the Asian-American/Pacific Islander community at the school to act in its own interests. We are still individuals, unwilling to speak for large swathes of

experiences that are not our own, but in 2021, the AAPI community is bounded by a clearer common experience than perhaps any time I can remember. The power of this common experience is something I see in my students at the school as they work to question and change their world to see them in the full light of their humanity. Despite the lack of a commonly understood history and commonly understood ways forward, this year has brought forth many conversations on how to work together towards a common goal: a sense of safety, a sense of belonging in one's own home and in one's own skin.

The month of May is meant to celebrate the accomplishments of Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders throughout U.S. history, and this year it is more important than ever to remember those contributions, to remind us that Asian-American does not mean foreign. I hope, however, to look back on our present moment as a time when people started to see the problems that those in the AAPI community endure and begin to fix them—together.

That would be something truly worth celebrating.

Wood, M. (2012, April). Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month | Law Library of Congress [Web page]. www.loc.gov/

1

Lee, E. (2016). “The Making of Asian America: A History.”

Simon & Schuster.

2

Ruiz, N. G., Horowitz, J. M., & Tamir, C. (2020, July 1).

Many Black, Asian Americans Say They Have Experienced Discrimination Amid Coronavirus. “Pew Research Center's Social & Demographic Trends Project.” www.pewresearch.org

3

Ruiz, N. G., Edwards, K., & Lopez, M. H. (2021, April 21). Onethird of Asian Americans fear threats, physical attacks and most say violence against them is rising. “Pew Research Center: Fact Tank.” www.pewresearch.org

4

Voices from Our Community On starting conversations on anti-AAPI hate...

“I think the hate crimes were kind of an eye-opener for a lot of people that Asians actually do go through racism. I think people think that Asians just do their thing and we can just poke fun at them, so these hate crimes opened the door for people to see Asians as a group with their own problems and own issues and not just as a side group. It also opened up more room for conversations not just about beating up old people, but also just that Asians were generally taken pretty lightly and now should be given more weight in general conversations.” ~Christopher Yu '21 “It's sad that we have to have multiple hate crimes to actually talk about this.” ~Jonathan Kho '23 "I feel like my non-PoC friends are more comfortable talking about Asians this year. There's still some nervousness about it, but they're easier to talk to about this now." ~Elinor West '21 On the growing pains of our current moment...

“Everything's kind of awkward lately because a lot of people are not passionate about it. It doesn't feel serious. They're talking about it because they have to.” ~ Calysta Lee '23 "I don't think many Asians talk about Asian hate crimes." ~Elinor West '21

"It's more awkward talking about [“American Born Chinese”, a ninth grade English text] because it's not exactly talking about present day issues or hate towards Asians." ~Anonymous '24

Spring 2021 | 29

AN EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

Bridging the Gulf between Man and Man

By The Rev. Kristen Farrington Upper School Chaplain and Religion Teacher

Spring is particularly beautiful this year. The flowering trees and tulips in shades of pink, purple, and bright yellow are breathtaking after such a long, dark winter. Signs of hope are visible everywhere as life slowly begins to feel normal again. Classrooms and halls which were quiet and empty last fall are now full of students, energy, and the sound of laughter. After such a difficult year, there is lingering exhaustion, but there is also a palpable feeling of relief and joy. Is this truly light at the end of the pandemic tunnel? As millions of Americans every day receive the vaccine, it feels like the end of this health crisis is within sight.

The COVID-19 pandemic has come with an unimaginable cost, the death of almost 600,000 fathers, mothers, grandparents, children, neighbors, and friends. No one has been left untouched by loss. As restrictions lessen and life begins to feel more normal again, we know that the trauma of losing loved ones, the pain of mental health

30 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

struggles and economic challenges will continue to impact us for years.

Despite all of this, I have faith in our resiliency—I have seen incredible strength in our students and faculty this year. Time and again I have been inspired as the Saints community has navigated this incredibly challenging year. One of the most important times of the week is gathering for Chapel. Week after week, our seniors have spoken of struggle, disappointment, pain and fear, and moments of grace and joy in their Chapel meditations. I have been moved by their incredible wisdom and hope— their voices and perspectives have challenged, motivated, and inspired the whole community.

youth has been stolen from them—they feel they can't go for a run outside or a drive with their friends without fear of being targeted—just because of the color of their skin. Our faculty of color talk about how fearful they are running errands, taking their children to the playground, and going to bed with the overwhelming fear that their teenage children won't come home. Despite our DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) work at SSSAS and efforts in schools, businesses, and communities across the country, this continued violence, hate, and racism make me honestly wonder whether we've moved the needle at all towards equity and justice.

A few months into the COVID-19 pandemic it became crystal clear that the other pandemic that has plagued our nation for 400 years could no longer be pushed into the shadows, by those who don't see and believe this part of the American story and by those who have a stake in keeping the status quo. Day after day our inboxes and news feeds are flooded with new victims and horrifying images of violence and senseless death.

After the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor that sparked year-long protests, surely noticeable progress would have been made, life-saving reforms instituted, and legislation passed to prevent these senseless deaths from continuing. For black and brown communities in America, racism, xenophobia, police brutality, inequities in health care, violence targeting the AAPI communities, have created a new tidal wave of injustice, tragedy, and unspeakable pain.

In my New Testament class, I wanted students to see Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as the pastor and spiritual leader of his congregation. I wanted them to understand how his experience of the world impacted his reading of the Gospels and how his deep faith inspired his tireless work for justice. Together we studied Dr. King's sermon from 1955 about the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man.

In our Upper School Forums, SSSAS students of color have shared their anger and pain knowing that their

In this parable we meet Dives, a wealthy man who wears beautiful clothes and feasts lavishly every day. Outside his house lives a very poor man named Lazarus, who lays at his gate, covered with sores, and survives by eating the scraps from Dives' table. Both men die and Lazarus is carried away by angels to be with Abraham. Dives, shocked to find himself in Hades instead of Heaven, calls out to Abraham, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.” But Abraham said, “Child, remember that during your lifetime you

We have all seen injustice this year, and we cannot unsee what we have seen.

We have all heard the cries of anguish this year, and we cannot unhear what we have heard.

If we do, we are making a clear choice to be complicit in the status quo. received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony.

Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.” Try as he might, Dives works to convince Abraham to help him, but to no avail.

Dives is wealthy because of fortunate circumstances, creating the gulf between the two. King believed that Dives' sin was not because he made the gulf between the two, but because he believed that the gulf which existed was a 'proper condition of life.' Dives didn't question the inequalities or seek to understand them, he accepted them as part of life.

In his sermon, Dr. King asks why Dives is condemned? Dr. King says it isn't Dives' wealth that is the problem.

There is nothing inherently wrong with wealth and nothing inherently virtuous about poverty. King says that Dives is condemned for three reasons:

Dr. King's powerful words and the speeches and marches that followed inspired people across the nation to come together across race, economic status, religious identity, and party lines to demand change. These efforts resulted in the successful passage of the landmark legislation that prohibited racial discrimination, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

First, Dives is so self-absorbed that this prevents him from seeing Lazarus.

Dives was presumably a pillar of the community, generous with charities, and revered by all, but every day he walked through his gate so focused on himself that he didn't even see the man languishing there.

Second, because Dives is so wrapped up in his own life, so self-focused and selfish, he has lost the ability to empathize. Dr. King writes, “There is nothing more tragic than to find a person who can look at the anguishing and deplorable circumstances of fellow human beings and not be moved.” Dives is no longer able to feel compassion for others. He isn't able to understand an experience different from his own, or to act when he sees injustice.

Third, Dives just assumes that the inequalities in society are the way life is supposed to be: Lazarus is poor because of tragic circumstances and

As we move towards the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, we must not confuse the end of the health crisis with the end of the pandemic of racism, violence, and oppression. We yearn to return to normal, but normal for black and brown communities means continued racism, injustice, and inequity. We have all seen injustice this year, and we cannot unsee what we have seen. We have all heard the cries of anguish this year, and we cannot unhear what we have heard. If we do, we are making a clear choice to be complicit in the status quo. Sixty-six years after Dr. King preached this sermon, King calls us to ask the same hard questions. Are we so absorbed in our own lives that we don't see what is right in front of us? Are we so hardened that we can no longer empathize or seek to understand an experience that is different from our

own? Are we so absorbed in our own lives that we just assume that inequity and injustice are part of life?

At the end of his sermon, Dr. King reminds us that if we are looking for God, we will find God, bridging the gulf between God and humanity. King believed that we, in turn, are called to bridge the gulf between one another.

“As I loved you, so love the brethren.” In other words, God is saying, “As I have bridged the gulf between man and God, so may you bridge the gulf between man and man.” As an Episcopal School and as an Episcopal priest, I believe our work is where God is. At this time in history, this means that we must continue to prioritize our work toward racial justice and equity at school. We must find opportunities to engage in difficult conversations and learn from one another. We must work together to make the long-term, sustainable institutional changes envisioned in the SSSAS Action Steps for Racial Justice.

I believe that everyone has an important role—we can't expect others to do this work for us. As white allies our role is clear. We have our own internal work to do, but our reflection and growth must be coupled with concrete actions that help move our institution towards racial justice and equity. There are many ways to get involved in this work at SSSSAS. The SSSAS Action Steps for Racial Justice plan is a good place to begin.

If you haven't found a way to support this work at SSSAS, we invite you to join students, faculty, administration, staff, parents, alumni and trustees, as we work together to create a more just and equitable community. We hope you'll join us, there is a place waiting for you.

Spring 2021 | 31

FACE-TO-FACE WITH OUR FACULTY

Middle School Math Teacher Erin Daly can't remember a time when she didn't want to be a teacher. When she was little, she spent many, many hours in her “classroom” full of American Girl dolls using worksheets she snuck out of the recycling bin at school! Now in her 15th year teaching—13 at SSSAS—she still loves coming to work. Erin learns new things every day from her students, like a new tech trick, a current trend, or even a new way to solve a problem. She treasures her conversations with them before school and between classes. Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, Erin was a water baby. She joined a swim team at eight and continued competing through high school. Drawn to the camaraderie that comes from being on a team, she played a sport every season. She's spent many summers as a lifeguard and swim instructor, and still looks forward to summer days at the pool and trips to the beach. At Fairfield University, she joined the crew team before ever seeing a regatta or rowing in a shell. Although she enjoys a quiet morning with a cup of coffee and a good book, she is always ready to plan a weekend getaway with friends.

She just can't say no to trying a new restaurant, cheering at a game, rocking at a concert, or just hanging out at a backyard barbecue. Erin has an adventuresome spirit and wanderlust, which has taken her to over 30 countries. Her favorite thing to do in a new place? Take a cooking class or go on a food tour. She says it's the tasty way to learn about a new culture!

What is your most treasured memory? My family has spent many summers on a lake in New Hampshire. Our slow-paced days included daily games of dominoes during lunch and quiet, tv-free evenings on the screened in porch.

What are you good at? I like to think I am pretty good at St. Patrick's Day. Irish music was constantly playing in my house growing up, and as an adult, I learned Irish step dancing. Being Irish has always been a huge part of my family's identity, and right now, we are in the process of becoming Irish citizens.

When did you first really feel like an adult? When traveling with my mom, and I'm the one in charge of the tickets and directions!

What is something one of your parents said that you will never forget? When I was in college, my dad would text me the same

message every morning—Make yourself proud today.

What is the one place in the world you would like to escape to? Somewhere I've never been! I love traveling to new places, and I

especially enjoy trying new foods.

What is one of your favorite things to do in the classroom or as part of your job at the school? I look forward to our overnight

class trips every year. I love seeing the joy in my students as they experience new things and push a bit out their comfort zones. I grew up going to overnight summer camp, and I am always ready for a song or camp game!

What in life makes you smile? Seeing other people doing what they love! I'm an enthusiastic spectator, and I really enjoy watching people perform. Whether it's on a sports field, a theater stage, or even an informal Karaoke act.

Erin Daly 32 | St. Stephen's Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

SAINTS IN ACTION

Upper School Students Win Technology Recognition Adrienne Lai​'21 and L​ ily Hunsicker​'23 ​are National Center for Women & Information Technology​(​NCWIT) ​​ Computing winners for Virginia and Washington, D.C. Adrienne is a​ lso a​ National Honorable Mention​; this is her third year achieving recognition from NCWIT. ​ Adrienne is a senior from Alexandria, Va., who loves math, science, programming, and technology.

She first became interested in programming in seventh grade when her math class watched the documentary “Code Girls” as a part of their HTML and CSS coding unit. Since then, she has learned many programming languages including Python, Java, Wolfram Language, and Matlab. In addition, Adrienne is interested in robotics and is the co-captain and head programmer on FIRST Tech Challenge robotics team Thunderstone (FTC 6010).

She also enjoys volunteering as a mentor at a local chapter of CoderDojo, where she teaches younger students to code and participate in the Virginia Space Grant Consortium program. In her free time, Adrienne likes to read (her favorite book is “Six of Crows”) and is learning Morse Code. In the future, she wants to earn engineering and computer science degrees, and is interested in developing technology to perform robotic surgery and find better cancer treatments.

Adrienne Lai '21

Lily Hunsicker '23

Lily is a sophomore and loves science, programming, English, art, and math. This is her second year on team 6010 Thunderstone, an after-school Robotics team competing in the FIRST Tech Challenge, and this year, Lily hopes to learn how to program the robot in addition to building and design. Lily is a Girl Scout and earned her Silver Award last year by completing 50 hours of service focusing primarily on the issue of hunger. She is currently beginning the process of earning her Gold Award and she plans on focusing her Gold Award around motivating girls in her community to become interested in STEM. In her free time, Lily loves to read, hike, and solve puzzles. Lily would say that her greatest technical accomplishment was placing first in science at the MAESA (Mid-Atlantic Episcopal School Association) fair in 2018 for her experiments involving the relationship between gear ratios and force. In the future, Lily plans to attend a four-year college and hopes to study either computer science or engineering. She is still undecided, however, as she feels that there are so many interesting STEM fields out there.

What's Up in the Lower School Tech Lab? Fourth graders took apart and then rebuilt laptops to learn about the various parts of a computer and what they do! They learned about the CPU, GPU, RAM, hard drives along with how computers cool themselves using fans and heat sinks. This interactive lesson is offered each year and is co-taught by Lower School Science Teacher Mackie Berro and Lower School Technology Teacher Brendan Riebe.

Some of our youngest Saints were busy using the app Kodable, which helps teach kids to code with fun, interactive games. The first graders were working on “loops.” Loops are a programming element that repeats a portion of code a set number of times until the desired process is complete. Repetitive tasks are common in programming, and loops are essential to save time and minimize errors.

Spring 2021 | 33

SAINTS IN ACTION

Valentine Art Collaboration Upper School Saints on the smART Team created Valentine displays based on Lower School students' artwork combining the theme of love and our Lower School character traits—Respect, Responsibility, Honesty, and Compassion. The beautiful creations are on display at the Lower School campus.

The smART team is an afterschool art-based community service organization. The students find ways to make our world a more beautiful place by learning to work collaboratively while improving their art skills with projects that are inspired by our school and the local community.

Upper School Club Supports Literacy The Upper School Book Buddies Club has been up to some amazing things on and off-campus! Led by juniors Mary V Carnell and Juliana Chiaramonte, the purpose of the club is to support early childhood literacy efforts and foster reading in young students, both at our school and in underserved areas.

This year club started a twice-weekly reading Zoom session with Ms. Bruch's kindergarten class at the Lower School.

Small groups of students are paired with an Upper School club member and participate in read-alouds and comprehension activities.

The club also completed a fundraiser in March which raised more than $850 through a partnership with Mia's Italian Kitchen in order to buy 80+ brand new books to donate to the Campagna Center and Casa Chirilagua. Both organization serve the community by offering a range of programs dedicated to learning among children and families.

Spring Into Service The Association of Parents and Teachers sponsored an April Spring Into Service Day! The all-school event gathered our community together to pack donated items (clothes, books, and more), paint pots for houseplants to bring joy to families' homes, and write bilingual cards to accompany the gifts. All items were delivered to 60 local families in need through the Mother of Light Center. The event was held on our Lower School Campus in partnership with the SSSAS Service Learning and Social Entrepreneurship Program. We are grateful to those Saints who were able to donate items and/or give their time to serve the community.

34 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

FACE-TO-FACE WITH OUR FACULTY

Sourosh Amani joined the Upper School faculty this year to teach World History, and he brings a genuine worldliness to the classroom.

He was born in Iran but at the age of six, his family fled Iran seeking political asylum in the Netherlands where they spent five years in a refugee camp. Although life was difficult, Amani has great memories of interacting with children from across the globe, especially playing on their multicultural soccer team. Soccer became a passion he pursued, playing at Berry College in Georgia and afterwards professionally in Switzerland, Canada, England, and Iceland. Today he follows his favorite team, FC Barcelona, coaches our girls varsity soccer team, and recently started training with a competitive men's soccer team in Alexandria—for relaxation. Whether teaching or coaching, Amani truly enjoys working with young people and feels blessed to be able to combine his two passions in one job. If he could invite five historical figures to dinner for lively conversation and to learn more about life, he would choose Cyrus the Great of Persia, Aristotle, Reza Shah Pahlavi, Dr. Martin Luther King, and, of course, Dutch soccer legend Johan Cruyff. Amani loves spending time with his wife, Erika, their 2-year-old daughter, Mehrsa, and their Golden Retrievers, Luna and Lola. It's no surprise that he favors watching documentaries, and currently recommends the Netflix series, “Amend,” about the evolving, often lethal, fight for equal rights in America through the lens of the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment. In the future he hopes to travel the world with his family. At the top of his bucket list—South Africa, Japan, Egypt, Australia, and one day when things are better politically, home to Iran.

What is the one thing in the world you would fix if you could wave a magic wand? Poverty, with all the wealth in the

world, no one should experience poverty or homelessness.

What one piece of advice would you offer anyone who asks? To make a living out of their hobby, so they do not have to work

a day in their life.

If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be and why or what would you do with it? Systemic racism needs to be eradicated. I do not

know what quality or ability I can use to do that with, but that is certainly something that I would eradicate.

What is the best piece of advice you've ever gotten? It is

never too late to follow your dreams!

For what in your life do you feel most grateful? For my beautiful wife and daughter.

What is the biggest risk you have ever taken in your life?

Although it was my parents took the risk of selling everything they owned and leaving Iran, they took it for all of us with no knowledge of what the future would hold. I am truly grateful for the major risk they took to provide a life with more freedoms for my sister and I.

Sourosh Amani

SpringSpring 2020-2021 2021 | 35

FACE-TO-FACE WITH OUR FACULTY

Second Grade Teacher Vera Benjelloun is a vibrant bundle of energy.

According to her, she embodies the quote, “life is too short and the world is wide!” Born and raised in the Philippines, her dream of becoming a teacher started with her second grade teacher. When Vera mentioned that she liked to play “school” and teach her brothers on the weekends, her teacher gave her a box of chalk to encourage her. Word of her dynamic lessons soon turned her little outdoor classroom into a summer school for the neighborhood children. With books from the library and good role models as guides, her “school” was a success. Why? Because she engaged her students with the type of things she loved to do. Keeping her inner child alive and infusing that spirit into her teaching keeps her students inspired and captivated throughout the day. Her greatest satisfaction comes from delivering a lesson and hearing them exclaim, “I get it!” She admits to sometimes making mistakes, but they can be forgiving. One of her classes burst into the refrain from Britney Spears' song, “Oops, I Did It Again.” Vera considers teaching children on four different continents for the past 36 years her greatest accomplishment. In her free time, she loves traveling to see family and friends in different parts of the world. Vera plays the guitar, enjoys creating interactive lessons, and to relax, she enjoys watching T.V., listening to music, and washing the dishes—yes, dishes. She adores the Beatles, jiving to smooth jazz, and decompressing with acoustic music.

She loves American and British crime shows and period dramas, but for fun, she binge-watches subtitled Korean dramas—as many as eight to 10 episodes in one sitting!

What is your greatest strength? Being open-minded.

If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be and why or what would you do with it? I'd like to be able to read music to play as many musical instruments as I can, especially the bass guitar. I want to be as good as Paul McCartney. I can dream...

What do you love most about your life? My husband and daughter.

I relish having married someone from a different background and religion and how we get along!

What in life makes you smile? Breathtaking views and puppies.

What is something one of your parents said that you will never forget? Whatever is worth doing, is worth doing well.

What is one of your favorite things to do in the classroom or as part of your job at the school? Dancing with the children and

refereeing second grade soccer on the turf field.

Vera Benjelloun

36 | St. Stephen's Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

SAINTS IN ACTION

Kids for Kids Program The fourth grade has been taking part in an experiential curriculum that nurtures a philanthropic disposition and agency in children.

For the last eight weeks, fourth grade Saints have been working with the Kids for Kids Program—-an experiential curriculum that nurtures a philanthropic disposition and agency in children. Through the Kids for Kids Fund, students explored the rights of all children, developed perspective-taking skills around various challenges, and learned about great local solutions to solve community problems. The values discussed in the program align with our school's Social Responsibility and DEIB work, including community, equity, inclusion, empathy, altruism, dignity, and empowerment.

The program culminated in the children collectively deciding how to allocate $1,000 to a local organization and drafting personal giving pledges (declarations of their philanthropic intentions moving forward). Students narrowed their options down to four organizations, ultimately deciding to give the $1,000 to Northern Virginia Family Service!

Finalist organizations: Real Food for Kids Northern Virginia Family Service Only Make Believe Aspire! Afterschool Learning

The Middle School Celebrates Environmental Awareness Week Middle School students participated in a variety of activities during Environmental Awareness Week. They showed their spirit by wearing green and animal related clothing, created environmental coloring pages for the Lower School students to color, cleaned up the campus and Fort Ward park, enjoyed some at-home environmental challenges, and planted seeds in the Middle School greenhouse.

And they weren't just any seeds. The heirloom marigold seeds they planted were originally from Nelson Mandela's garden! Middle School Drama Teacher Lindsay Jagodowski, who received the seeds as a gift from a friend, said: “It is my hope that once they grow and blossom at the Middle School this summer, we will be able to save the seeds and plant them each year on campus.”

Spring 2021 | 37

SAINTS IN ACTION

Look Out! Snakes Ahead!

MS Students Meet Fernanco Bermudez

Students in Upper School Comparative Anatomy (a semester science elective for Grades 11 and 12) conducted a lab dissection on a garter snake. This class studies the structure and function of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals (all vertebrates). Other dissections students have done include perch (fish), and leopard frog (amphibian). Students compare things like the heart and circulatory system structure between groups of vertebrates.

Seventh and eighth graders heard from Fernando Bermudez in February as he shared his experience of being wrongfully convicted of murder in 1991 and subsequently exonerated after 18 years in prison. In the decade since his release, he has become an activist and advocate for Represent Justice, earned his bachelor's degree in behavioral science, has given lectures across the globe, and is also an entrepreneur—he creates graffiti-inspired artwork to support his activism efforts.

Fernando's visit coincided with our seventh grade's study of “Twelve Angry Men” in English class. As Fernando related his story, he passionately referenced the text's themes at several points. After his presentation, students and teachers had the opportunity to ask Fernando questions to get a greater sense of his experiences with the law, the criminal justice system, and life after incarceration.

Fifth Grade Musical Residency Program

design (nominations in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2019).

He is currently working with the U.S. Embassy in Port au Prince, Haiti, as a cultural ambassador.

The fifth grade experienced a five-day musical residency program with World Percussionist Tom Teasley in April. Joining the fifth grade virtually, Mr. Teasley introduced the students to modern percussion from ancient traditions from around the world. Mr. Teasley is the 2016 Drummie Award winner for “World Percussionist of the Year by Drum! Magazine.

Tom is a 2010, 2011 and 2017 Helen Hayes Theatre Award recipient for outstanding sound

Saints expanded their knowledge of world culture and music, learning new drumming techniques and solkattu (the onomatopoetic drum syllable language and hand gesture counting system) and playing the Maksum, a Middle Eastern 4-beat rhythm, on the drum. This meditative groove was complemented by the shakers, finger cymbals, and melodica. Additionally, students explored rhythm and sound using natural objects found during a campus nature walk.

Saints Win in Local Teen Creativity Contest Middle and Upper School Saints who were recognized in the Alexandria Library's Teen Winter Creativity Contest! The competition is a self-expressive contest for writers, visual artists, and photographers in grades 6-12. Winners won a monetary award ($100 for Gold, $50 for Silver, $25 for Bronze) and each participant received a certificate of award, merit, or participation. Congratulations to the winners:

38 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

Jordin Anteneh '26, Gold, Middle School Writing Essay Jake Hahn '26, Gold, Middle School Writing Poetry Maren Knutson '22, Silver, High School Writing Poetry Natalie Newton '27, Silver, Middle School Writing Poetry Marisa Sarkar '26, Silver, Middle School Writing Short Story Whitley White '27, Bronze, Middle School Writing Poetry Evelyn Stackhouse '26, Gold, Photography Haley Lehman '25, Silver, Photography Kate Purpura '25, Bronze, Photography Mariel Irish '25, Gold, 2D Art Grace Hendy '25, Bronze, 2D Art

SAINTS IN ACTION

Evening of the Arts Upper School student artists and performers exhibited and took to the stage in May at the annual Evening of the Arts. The artists answered questions about their amazing artwork and performers dazzled the audience a monologue from “Richard III,” a variety of songs with back-up and a capella, impromptu stand-up comedy, and poetry readings.

Catherine Seale '21 Christopher Yu '21

Carlin Trevisan '21 Jack de Vallance '21

Steph Adrien'21

Louisa Treadway '21

Brendan Machado '21 & Nora Fortune '21 Max Mallett '21

Skye Schofield-Saba '21

Caroline Grace Butler'21 TJ Moss '21

Spring 2021 | 39

SAINTS IN ACTION

PIGGIE WINS THE LOWER SCHOOL ELECTION!

BY MELISSA MAAS As you drive onto the Lower School campus, Piggie is there to greet you. In case you don't recognize her, she is a book character made famous by author Mo Willem in his Elephant & Piggie book series.

Despite their different personalities, genders, and species, Piggie and Elephant Gerald are best friends.

They have been through many adventures together, driving, flying, making new friends, getting new toys, dancing, going to a party, pretending, and so much more…and this year, Piggie was elected the first-ever St. Stephen's and St. Agnes Lower School character icon for 2020-2021.

Both Lower School Director Jalene Spain Thomas and Lower School Associate Director Jeremy Hark had experience holding mock elections at their forming schools, involving actual presidential candidates or literary characters. “We felt it was important to introduce the topic of voting to our youngest students not yet aware of the process,” Jalene said. “I also felt it was critical in the tough political climate of the fall to bring a positive tone to the process in school-based discussions. We have been looking for creative ways to highlight the Lower School character traits.”

40 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

Jalene and Jeremy worked on a plan together, that started with a “primary.” As a leadership opportunity, they asked the fifth graders to nominate five fictional literary characters who, in their opinion, best represented one or more of the Lower School character traits, respectful, responsible, honest, and compassionate. In their discussions, the fifth grade also talked about how the characters might work towards a sense of community, justice, belonging or any other trait that they admired. Ultimately, they nominated Ben Ripley from “Spy School” By Stuart Gibbs; Ivan from “The One and Only Ivan” By Katherine Applegate; Pete the Cat from “Pete the Cat” By Eric Litwin; Piggie from the Elephant and Piggie series By Mo Willems; and Maria “Malú” Luisa O'Neill-Morales from “The First Rule of Punk” By Celia C. Pérez.

Jalene and Jeremy hoped that by going through a mock election, the students would learn the importance of voting inside and outside of the school.

In preparation for the big day, videos were created of Jalene reading “We Disagree” by Bethanie Deeney Murguia and of Jeremy reading “I Voted: Making a Choice Makes a Difference” by Mark Shulman for the teachers to show their students to prompt discussions

in the classrooms. In “We Disagree,” a mouse and a squirrel can't seem to agree on anything, but find they can still be friends. “I Voted” explains the concept of choosing, individually and as a group, from making a simple choice to electing community representatives.

Finally, Jalene created another video to introduce the nominees and the voting process on election day.

“We hope that as you grow up you will remember the good feeling of having your opinion and voice represented,” Jalene said to the students. “Everyone's opinion matters here at the Lower School and we hope everyone votes today.”

Since being elected, Piggie has made many wonderful “Piggie Proclamations,” including a poetry challenge, a drawing challenge to go with their poems, a drawing challenge to illustrate their poems, and an Environmental Awareness Week challenge to see how many sustainable tasks the students could do to help the Earth during the week. In celebration of National Pig Day, Piggie proclaimed a special day for Woodford the piglet, commonly known as Woody, to visit campus!

THE ELECTION RESULTS

Piggie

20.7%

Ben Ripley

15.2%

20%

Pete the Cat

Ivan

FUN FACTS ABOUT PIGGIES

34.3%

9.8%

Maria “Malú” Luisa O'Neill-Morales

Pigs are very clean animals.

Pigs can't sweat.

Pigs are smarter than your dog.

Mother pigs sing to their babies.

Pigs love belly rubs!

Pigs have an excellent sense of direction.

Pigs dream and like to sleep nose-to-nose.

Pigs have excellent memories. www.worldanimalprotection.us

Spring 2021 | 41

SAINTS IN ACTION

ART AND WRITING AWARDS The pandemic didn't keep students from expressing themselves creatively in the visual arts this year. Twelve Upper School students received awards in the 2021 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, in association with the nonprofit organization Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. In the Fairfax County Art Regional Competition, open to all creative teens in grades 7-12 from public, private, parochial, and home schools in the Fairfax County, Fairfax City, and Alexandria City area, Saints were recognized in three categories: Gold Key, Silver Key, and Honorable Mention, for their photography, painting, drawing, digital design, poetry, critical essay, dramatic script, and personal essay. The Gold Key and Silver Key artworks were included in an online exhibition that launched on March 3 in conjunction with a virtual award ceremony.

Forgotten Lives On

Lily Hunsicker ‘23 | Silver Key (a poem reflecting on aspects of Sara Teasdale's “Let It Be Forgotten”)

Alex Galdemez '22 | Gold Key | “Uprooted”

Two Saints were also won recognition in the 2021 Artistic Discovery Contest for U.S. Congressman Don Beyer's 8th district of Virginia. Rep. Beyer awards first, second, and third place prizes, along with 10 honorable mentions to high school students in his district.

We will all be forgotten.

So it is a mistake to believe that Flowers will stay in bloom.

The truth is Life will merely shrivel up and die.

So never believe that The fire will breathe for eternity.

Because, in reality, The gold flames will eventually lose their hue.

So do not be convinced by the deceitful lie that Our footprints last forever.

Instead, remember that Nature will have its way, covering up the tracks we have paved for a millennium.

So it is wrong to assume that Seasons cycle: with every death, there is a new beginning.

The truth could not be more clear: Winter is the end, a landscape frozen in time.

So do not be tricked into thinking that The memory will live on through the hearts of others.

Because, whether we acknowledge it or not, the truth is It will be forgotten.

So it is a mistake to believe that Time will remember another side.

(Now read from the bottom line to the top)

2021 Scholastic Art Awards:

Alex Galdamez '22, Gold Key Laney Harrison '22, Gold Key Nyrique' Butler '22, Honoroable Mention Sydney Worsham '24, Honorable Mention

2021 Scholastic Writing Awards:

Juliana Chiaramonte '22, Silver Key, Read “The Pitfalls of the Electoral College: A Vote is a Vote is a Vote” Lily Hunsicker '23, Silver Key, “Forgotten Lives On” Adrienne Lai '21, Silver Key, Read “The Test” Mimi Shea '22, Silver Key, “ i am all of the old characters and also the frog” Amy Gastright '21, Honorable Mention, “Go and Be Foolish for a While” Monty Montgomery '21, Honorable Mention, Read “Paella on a Sunday” Oliver Nichols '23, Two Honorable Mentions, Read “ A Tale of Two Immigrant Experiences” and Read “U.N. Moses”

2021 Artistic Discovery Contest

Catherine Seale '21, Honorable Mention Stephanie Adrien '21, Honorable Mention 42 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

Laney Harrison '22 | Gold Key | “A New Dawn”

“Fire & Stones” Wins Two Awards Fire & Stones, a literary and art magazine produced by our Upper School students, received two awards in the 2020 American Scholastic Press Association's (ASPA) Newspaper Competition!

Fire & Stones, a literary and art magazine produced by our Upper School students, received two awards in the 2020 American Scholastic Press Association's (ASPA) Newspaper Competition--Most Outstanding Private School Literary-Art Magazine and First Place with Special Merit. View the award-winning issue.

Nyrique' Butler '22 | Honorable Mention “Chicago Tourism Campaign”

i am all of the old man characters and also the frog By: Mimi Shea ‘22 | Silver Key this is an ode to summer. to peach trees, to citrus air, to bike rides down the street with your helmet buckled on until mom can't see you anymore, then letting your silk hair flow through the lemongrass clouds

Sydney Worsham '24 | Honorable Mention | “Michael's Athena”

a season once said that being alone is not being lonely. it makes no sense but it means everything when you feel it in your blood. my hair is tied loosely above my neck, wisps of frizz tickling my cheeks i feel like a blobfish, meaning i am melting with your love. i melt with the earth, until i am one with it. my mosquito bites are kissing each other on the backs of my thighs, a consequence of sitting on pavement, but it was worth it to be able to love you again breathing isn't fun when asthma forms plasma in your lungs and you feel them closing up the more you run, but maybe it is when you breathe so happily, it pulls the moon to you, maybe breathing was made for you and the sky

Stephanie Adrien '21 | Honorable Mention “To the Bone”

Go and Be Foolish For a While

childhood cartoons on a fingerprinted screen, you tell me i am all of the old man characters and also the frog, i say this is my favorite color sky you say it's hopeful, it's a sunrise and i love you for that tonight is a fever dream: we hold our futures in our hands making clouds with our fists air like fresh-cut grass reminds me of home, and look at mother moon. i hope she is happy with nature, for she only sees it when the sun is dead. the wind is nice, you say, it feels like heaven and i love you for that. trees like shark bites cutting the clouds and shattering the sunrise into pieces Sunrise: colors melding into a cacophony of sky and echos of your laugh residue make the corners of my smile curve up towards the sun. tell me all of those nice things you said before, like if you were a bug you'd be an ant because you carry the weight of my love on your back you are an orb, child, and we are the people of the sun, the stargazers, the orderers of the constellations. we keep you in our minds like memories of the dead, only you are true and living. you are my favorite memory.

Amy Gastright '21 | Honorable Mention “I love you.”

“Don't be ridiculous.”

I laugh and push your shoulder, Turn my cheek and sob into my hand.

You're not ready yet, darling.

I'd consume you.

Crush you under a love so great you couldn't stand it.

You'd run from it.

You'd resent it.

You'll resent me.

Until Death do you part.

I know.

One day, when we're ready, I'll smile and take your hands, Press them into my cheeks and soak you in me tears.

You'll be a warmth I've never felt, And I'll be the ice that melts.

One day I'll look at you like you're the moon, A gentle glow against the desert sky.

I'll clutch at you when glass shards pierce my eyes, And whisper to you when you cut your fingers Trying to pull them out.

But one day, love, I promise When you say you want to love me, I'll smile and laugh And teach you how to slow dance with no shoes.

Catherine Seale '21 | Honorable Mention | “Someone's Doll”

Spring 2021 | 43

BACK IN ACTION: SAINTS ATHLETICS

BROOKE KURTZ '21

SENIORS DARIUS WILSON, TISON HILL, AND IRVINE MADENGA

CHUMANI CHAMBERLAIN '21

VICTOR ARRATE '21

LOUISA TREADWAY '21

KYLE BURBAGE '21

CHARLOTTE CARR '21

TISON HILL'21

CAROLINE LIPTON '21

TURNER NAEF '21

44 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

DANIELLE TURNAGE '21

FALL SEASON IN MARCH

NICO GARCIAJOHN NICO CORICA '21 FONTHAM '21 IPPOLITO'21

KATIE WHALEN '21 ELINOR WEST '21 HOLDEN WELTER ‘21

SENIORS WILLIAM ROBINSON, TRIPP PRATT, TURNER NAEF, CAMPBELL COOPER, CHRISTOPHER YU, KATIE WHALEN, CATHERINE SEALE, CALLIE HEIMBACH, CHARLOTTE CARR, HADLEY BOSTON

EVA BALISTRERI '21 CHRISTOPHER YU ‘21

LANE LAMBETH '21 DARIUS WILSON'21

SENIORS LOUISA TREADWAY, ELIZABETH BAVIN, BROOKE KURTZ, KATIE PATRICK, PEYTON HENSLEY, ANNABEL FRIST, JULIE GRISWOLD

CAITLIN BUCCERI '21

Spring 2021 | 45

FROM THE ARCHIVES

May Day Celebrations at St. Agnes

46 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

CLASS NOTES Submitting News

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Please do not resize, reduce, or compress photos for emailing. We cannot accept screenshots of a photo on a website.

Get Connected!

Visit sssas.org/alumni to get the latest Reunion updates, check out our upcoming events, share your news, or update your contact information.

Join our Facebook and LinkedIn groups Check out our Saints Link networking platform at saintslink.org Visit Flickr.com/sssasalumni to see photos from our alumni events.

To Update Your Alumni Record

Please contact Senior Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement Meredith Robinson at 703-212-2769 or mrobinson@sssas.org.

1945 ST. AGNES Stuart Wineland rkwineland@aol.com

Julie Halloran Rush is living in a retirement home in Florida.

Dodie Beal Stephens lives in New Hampshire with her husband, Mal. They are doing well and continue to play table tennis. They still make it to Florida to escape the New Hampshire winters.

Stuart Wineland used to go to Sarasota every winter but hasn't yet made it this year. She is still planning to make it later on this year.

1953 ST. AGNES

Harriet Doub harrietd@bhhstowne.com Harriet Rippel Doub reports: “I am still selling real estate in Virginia Beach. My family lives here, except for a daughter who lives in Georgia. I am active in the Methodist church caring for the elderly on a committee called Saint (Senior Adult in Need Team). I invite all classmates to connect with me, please send updates. Blessings to all.”

Sally Ringle Hotchkiss reports: “This is from the Real Virginia...not where the votes count! Out beside the Blue Ridge where the pace is slower. Been here for 62 years! We went to Los Angeles for a month last February and ended up staying until Labor Day. It is a family place so we did see a few cousins, but were glad to get back (don't recommend LA in the summer!) Just got my second COVID shot...whee! Have six grandsons and one granddaughter...all perfect... and one adorable great grandson! All but the youngest have finished school and he is a junior at Hampden-Sydney.

At our great age I recall with great affection my years at St Agnes and recognize that we grew up in what my husband calls 'a kinder, gentler time!'”

Annie Jackson reports: “Still skiing with the Pentagon Ski Club. In January 2020 I skied Whistler, Canada. In February 2020 I skied Winter park, Colo., and my son, Peyton, joined me.

In April 2020 I visited my daughter in Myrtle Beach, and again in August after visiting my son near Asheville.

I spent Thanksgiving with Peyton in

Ransom near Asheville, and had lunch with my granddaughters in Charleston.

I quit teaching on Friday, March 13, 2020. Now I've just returned from skiing at Crested Butte, Colo., where all three children and five out of seven grandchildren surprised me with a visit during my last two days with the ski club. Now back to subbing between snow threats!”

Gloria Rothman reports: “Although many of my 2020 plans and activities were canceled due to the pandemic, I'm thankful for many blessings. I spent extra time painting in acrylics, pastels and watercolors; reading; exercising; and attending various meetings

by Zoom. I'm wearing a mask and remembering to social distance. I've remained free of COVID-19 so far, and I am waiting for the vaccine. In January, I started my first Zoom art class.It's a nine-week session of three-hour classes in watercolor from The Art League in Alexandria.

1958 ST. AGNES Julia Shields habija@aol.com

Now, more than ever, we should be grateful for the education that enables us to stay relatively sane during months of restricted activity. What would we have done without the reading and writing skills, without the interest in world events, without the research skills that enabled us to figure out how to replace broken things without calling a repair person, without the spiritual development that helps us find peace amidst the jarring events of the day.

Thank you, SSSAS! Assuming that most of us have had very few physical adventures during the pandemic, I asked my classmates what they have accomplished: Kay Burney Butler left right before Christmas for Arizona, where she plans to stay until May. During the seven months she spent in Lake Forest, Kay spent a lot of time on Zoom..She has watched lots of PBS programs and Netflix series and read lots of books.

She has spent endless time and money on new landscaping and enhancements to the house. And she, who is used to a life filled with social events, has learned to be happy alone and to find varied Spring 2021 | 47

CLASS NOTES

activities to keep herself entertained.

One thing she looks forward to when this is all over is going to a performance of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Marcia Kendzie Evans sent a picture of a 2020 ornament for the Christmas tree, with pictures of items associated with this strange year, such as toilet paper, iPhones, home workout equipment, face masks, and such.

Marcia says she would have added Dr. Deborah Birx's scarves!

Sally Engh Reger enjoyed her garden and garden club and her very successful investment club. Her big news is that she is downsizing again, for the fourth time since moving to Cleveland thirty-four years ago, before moving this summer to a small addition on her daughter Kirsten's house. Kirsten, husband Harry, and three grandchildren, Samantha, Kessel, and Lizzie, have been wonderful to her and she hopes she has been helpful to them. Steven has passed the Project Management Professional exam.

Since he and Stephanie plan to sell their Roanoke condo and move to the “Rivah” house, he is hoping for a job in Richmond.

Sue Peery Moore and husband Bill have probably never been home so long during their whole marriage, but they have had visits from their daughter, Julia, whose children are now all off at school, and one of the two new adorable dogs in the family.

Heartfelt sympathies to two classmates who have lost their husbands during the past year. Judy Kurtz Suor and her husband, Stephen, moved to a retirement community so that he would have access to the memory care unit.

He died early in 2020, and there was Judy by herself in a new community in lockdown. Fortunately restrictions are less stringent now and she is taking advantage of many activities in the community. She reports looking like a raccoon after recent eye surgery. She hopes to get to Kiawah in the spring after vaccination. Karen Zimmerman Gudinas lost her husband, Jim, suddenly shortly before Christmas.

We will miss both of their spouses, who added greatly to our St. Agnes gatherings.

In response to my questions, Debbie Swift Zike reported that her major achievement was completing an ancestral chart going back to the 1600s for her 11-year-old granddaughter in Ireland, who is keen to know about her American ancestors. Debbie also tracked her French ancestor who was a 48 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

Catholic priest! Debbie says before the pandemic she had taken for granted non-Zoom church, hugs, and seeing her hairdresser regularly, and she looks forward to returning to her Pilates instructor, eating in good restaurants, and getting the second vaccine shot.

Besides eating my way through the pandemic, I, Julia Shields, have been through months of physical therapy trying to get my pitiful back to support me, and am happy to report some success. I have done some writing, some reading, and lots of playing with the little critter who keeps me relatively sane, Gracie, a mischievous mini poodle. I have also enjoyed the best wedding ever, that of my grandniece, Julia. Because of the pandemic only parents and siblings could attend in person, but the rest of us watched a live stream. I sat in the study where I used to hold her as a baby and enjoyed watching the beautiful wedding again and again.

1961 ST. AGNES Christine Hayes Moe cwh2208e@gmail.com

In a year like no other, a similar thread runs through classmate news.

It's good to know that we're doing well.

I am missing contact information for Lynn Goodman, Tandy Martin, Libby Cottingham, Sara Talbot, Karen Collins, and a good email for Leslie Ariail. Please send me any info updates you have about anyone.

Mildred T. Elmore has passed her legacy on to her children, Grace and Ben, and will be missed by many. If you didn't read her obituary at Brussard's, she led an amazing life!

Before COVID, Dorothy Bellinger Grimm and husband Jack were able to fly back to Australia last January where they visited with many friends. Their son, Dwight, and his wife, Leigh, joined them for part of the trip. She shared Zoom visits with son Schaffer and wife Julie live in Los Angeles and have spent the year working from home with their daughter, Sydney (2). Dorothy and Jack have experienced many lockdowns, but they were able to watch 17 WWll airplanes take off from Wheeler AFB where they had been part of the 75th commemoration of the end of WWll. What a sight that must have been!

Anne Williams writes: “I feel very fortunate to be spared the horrors of COVID yet it has been a dismal year, 'nuff said. Thank goodness for libraries, interlibrary loan, and “News of the World” by Paulette Jiles. I wish you a

much-improved 2021!”

Joshan Backus Wise writes: “Sandy and I are surviving this pandemic with the help of golf. We have spent the summer and fall mostly outdoors! We always spend our winters in Naples, Fla., and this year we stayed there for Christmas. It was the first year without our family. We have missed our usual travels but are thankful we are still healthy.”

Margaret Somerville writes: “It has been a challenging year for all, especially for those who are not as fortunate as we are. Bill and I are both fine, keeping safe by staying close to home. Bill continues to enjoy his jazz record collection (approximately 25,000 records) and football, even in its abbreviated season. My Parkinson's doesn't let me run around as I used to, but I am managing quite well, with Bill's generous assistance.”

Ingrid Utech writes: “With COVID keeping us home a lot, I decided to put the time to good use and write some articles for the local newspaper. Since last year marked the 100th anniversary of women's right to vote, I was asked to write a couple of articles on the history of the women's suffrage movement. I said yes, but didn't realize then that we women struggled for 75 years and that there were many sub-movements within the movement. I ended up writing seven articles and learned a lot in the process.

Hope everyone is safe and well.”

Niki Neese Lallande writes: “2020 was a challenge, but it brought some incredible blessings too: a mid-February trip to Barcelona to visit friends and then to Rome for a week. The highlight, thanks Madame Jenks, was seeing the Sistine Chapel embellished with the tapestries of Raphael which hadn't been together in 800 years. We made it back to Charlotte just as the US closed her borders. Another miracle was the release of a new chemo treatment for lung cancer that has, for now, greatly improved quality of life for Joe. I send wishes to all for a safe and healthy 2021.”

I have spoken to Frances Bowersock a couple of times. She's keeping close to home and loves where she lives. Back problems keep her from doing as much as she used to but she sounds chipper.

I, Chris Hayes Moe, had a good checkup for my 27-year transplant anniversary—so blessed by my donor, my guardian angel. All our kids and grands are well, from a sophomore in college to a second grader! Tom has spent his time during COVID

building a train layout for five different gauges, while I have been laboriously going through 55 years of records and shredding. We have not seen Connie who has to stay in west Chicago for dialysis (because of COVID), nor had our yearly visit with Ryan and his family. We do see Erik and his family who live close by. I wish all of you a happier, healthy year and a return to normalcy.”

1962 ST. STEPHEN'S Doug Hotchkiss dmhbythec@comcast.net

John Williams john.fulcrumpt@gmail.com We keep those classmates no longer with us in our thoughts and prayers: Vic Woerheide, Tom Lamond, Randy Peyton, Kirk Briggs, Jeff Mills, and Chuck Sheperdson.

Warren Andrews reports: “Leo (aka.

Warren) and Polly are traveling the world. He is still a practicing architect, but limits his work to clients with an open checkbook so he can continue cruising. They still live on their estate in Free Union, Va.” David Bill reports: “Well, we survived 2020, but it wasn't all that much fun!

Tried to minimize impact of pandemic and cancer treatment with some success. I was able to visit friends in Houston, San Diego, and Palm Springs; stabilize cancer; and avoid COVID. I stay fit, maintain a 5 handicap, and enjoy a second grandson who arrived in February. My wife, Kiki, has stayed out here in California all year to be with me, with the help of my daughter, Martina.

My son, David, is at Booz Allen in DC. and holds down the fort in Georgetown.”

Ben Bryce reports: “Wife Katherine and I are aging in place. With COVID-19 raging all around, the daily task is not to repeat a menu item within two weeks. I have arthritis in my hip but still play a terrible round of golf.

Gardening and reading book provide enjoyment. Fortunately the California forest fires were not around us.”

John Clarke reports: “I'm in Baton Rouge, La. Winter will be rough this year. It only got up to 60 degrees here today.”

Landon Davis reports: “We are continuing to isolate, living like a hermit. I have not cut my hair, shaved, or bathed in six months. Some friends act as though there is no COVID, so we don't see them anymore. Elizabeth started a walking program in an attempt

to avoid another Achilles' tendon surgery. I go along but my pace is much faster so we meet when we both have finished.”

Dave Davidson reports: “No news due to COVID-19. Haven't been out to dinner in a year, except for carry out.

Kids and grands are limited to short visits in our driveway. I manage to convert small errands into two to three hour drives, just to get out. Lots of TV, books, emails, and jigsaws after 20 years of retirement from 38 years of IBM.” Randy Earnest reports: “Truly fellows, I don't think anyone wants to hear about our broken sewer line problem and subsequent demolition of the front of the house (complete with pictures). This has dominated our lives for the last three months, along with trying to avoid COVID.” Jim Howard reports: “We have been very careful since California first shut down. We are waiting for our second vaccination now, hopeful that we will be able to visit our children and new granddaughter regularly when that sequence is completed. Looking forward to our nephew's wedding on the East Coast in May.” Dick Fisher reports: “I got a special Christmas gift this year. A 1964 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu SS convertible. It is Saint Stephen's red with a white top and red interior, 283 ci V8 with auto trans. Previous and second owner did a great job keeping the paint and upholstery in great condition.”

George Hall reports: “We're doing fine. Only thing we do outside the house is go to the doctor or the grocer. Retired this year from 20 years of teaching at Jacksonville University. Also closed my law practice and have lived full-time since then in Indialantic, Fla. Once the pandemic has passed, we will be moving to our retirement home in Las Vegas.”

Pete Hanes reports by phone that he is an associate professor at Regent University, where he spends lots of time reviewing doctoral theses. So far he is still teaching remotely but says that is working well. The family cancelled their usual Christmas reunion with five children and 24 grandchildren. They must rent a tent for that many. Pete stays in shape with daily workouts at home on his Charles Atlas exercisemachine. He also plays basketball, but his vertical leap is now two inches instead of two feet.

Bill Hannan reports: “My wife, Lorraine, is scheduling her vaccination, and I've survived shot No. 1 by Moderna. On the grandchild front, I am happy to announce the arrival on January 19, 2020, of Ivy Reese Hannan, who is now the world's cutest one-year-old girl.”

Jim Howard reports: “We're doing okay in the middle of a second virus wave that is hitting Orange County.

Regarding the weather, my wife, Kathy, and I try to walk on the shady side of the street (low 80s) because it is too hot in the sun. Hang in there!”

Nick Hoskot reports: “All is well here in south Texas. Keep your snow up north.” Nick has become a half bionic man...a replacement fake knee three years ago, and a recent procedure called a “reverse shoulder replacement.” His “work” these days is in their 2K trees olive grove, weeding and irrigation.

He says, “Olives are worth more on the olive oil market than our hay/grass land.

Will bring some Martini olives to our next reunion. No virus on our ranch, but we are very careful when we are out shopping for necessities, as I am sure you all are as well. Best to all!”

Doug Hotchkiss reports: “I try to stay in touch with old '62 SSS classmates.

Since our mini-reunion in 2019 was a

Dick Fisher's '62 1964 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu SS convertible.

Spring 2021 | 49

CLASS NOTES

success, we are planning a 60th reunion in 2022. Just had my first vaccination.

After the next one, I am going ski touring up in the White Mountains.

Also do volunteer work on the Schooner Adventure, which is a 120 foot, doryfishing boat built in1928… the last one still afloat. I am distraught that Tom Brady, Mookie Betts, and Chara all left Boston teams this year.”

Bill Hunter reports: “I finally retired this year. The plan was a bicycle trip to Canada in the summer and the usual 1200-mile bike trip around Florida in the winter, but COVID nixed them both.

Still, I got in over 5000 miles on my bike, almost 80 rounds of golf,10,000 beers, and no COVID. Hard to believe it, but I have lived at the beach almost 30 years… life is good.”

Tom Jensen reports: “Here is an abbreviated version of my life after SSS. Attended UVA then spent four years in the U.S. Navy, but never aboard a commissioned vessel. Worked for NCR and as vice president of sales for Sprint for 30 years, and retired in 2003. We have two adult daughters now living in Northern Virginia near us. We also own a home in Crested Butte, Colo., where we spend time fly-fishing (me), hiking (mostly my wife Karen), and biking.

We sold the house in McLean, and are now in a townhouse overlooking the Potomac River.”

Mike O'Donnell reports: “Recently I had circulation problems and found out my heart valve was too small, so they put in a new one. The Doc used a pig valve and when I try to sleep at night I keep hearing Porky Pig say, 'Th-Th-The, Th-Th-The, Th-Th...That's all, folks!' I also needed a new brain, but mine was so small they only found one to match.”

Mike and Pat, his wife of 58 years, are playing it safe, and just get carryout for lunch and drive down to the water each day. They have two sons both in their 50s, seven grandchildren, and one great grandchild.

John McRae reports: “Expectamus lucem. We did make some short trips to cross-country in Vermont, visited with grandchildren in Boston, in Nashville with my son, and went hiking in New Hampshire. I joined a road-biking club—lots of longer rides all year. My wife, Cathy, is working from home, and only goes into the NYC office one day a week. Overall, our life is little changed.”

John Oberdorfer reports: “I have spent lots of time in the last year on two non-profits I run. UPO Inspire, which focuses on training low-income Washingtonians for entry level jobs 50 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

in the tech industry, and the Squire Patton Boggs Foundation, which funds summer public interest fellowships in conjunction with the deans of 18 law schools…270 fellows over 15 years, and a new Racial Justice Fellowship this year. Fortunately, we are healthy.

My wife, Leslie, and I have been pretty isolated, with only, at-distance, outdoorvisits with our nearby children and grandchildren. We read and watch lots of TV episodes, and are cheering on our new Administration.”

Eric Scott reports: Most of the time we are isolating at our place in Mathews County, Va.. Our daughter, Tessie, and her husband, Dan, live in Arlington, Va., and are looking for jobs. Son Andrew '99, daughter-in-law Tara, and our two grandchildren live In Oundle, England.”

John Williams reports: “Phyllis and I are hunkered down in the Virginia woods, and enjoying the arrival of a new granddaughter, even at a social distance. The whole extended family is healthy, and grandson Gray is back in school for now. Am looking forward to our reunion in 2022.”

1963 ST. AGNES Margie Davenport margieinva@gmail.com

Greetings, class of '63! Our fellow classmates wish us a happier year in 2021! I particularly was interested in knowing what they did to get through 2020.

Althea Ball Morrissey, who says she's “as busy as ever,” replied that she was doing what she thought everyone else was doing: “FaceTime, making flight reservations and then canceling them, cleaning house (whoopee), gardening which is a 12-month project in these warmer climes, and reading and sorting many boxes of old photos.” She had a wonderful Christmas! Althea's three grandchildren live nearby so that is one of her “best activities,” along with doing water exercises three times or more a week in 85 degree water, which she says helps her recover from activity with the 4-, 2- and 1-year-olds! Their three sons and spouses were working from their homes which provided some safety, but she said one son is a neonatal nurse so he must go in once or twice a week.

Anne Bodman sent a picture of the beautiful Butte Mountains that she gets to view from their home in South Dakota, as well as a picture of her and Andy alongside the picture “American Gothic.” She says she doesn't have any

“startling news,” but considering that you see her in the picture with an arm sling, you have to wonder! Anne had shoulder surgery in November, and with her routine of pendulum exercises for 60 minutes a day, hopefully that has healed up nicely by now! It is obvious that Anne gets a lot of pleasure from her pups, Jack, Flipper, and newly adopted “wild-child,” Heidi. She says, “Heidi is an inveterate scavenger and has liberated meatloaf from the counter, books from the shelf, and too many ball point pens to count. Her artistic side shows in her delicate sculpturing of her supper dish.”

Marilyn “Mimi” Hoppe also enjoys a beautiful view from her home in Scottsdale, Ariz. She retired from real estate and airline consulting and is spending a lot of time on the stock market! (I'm sure we all wish her success!) I can tell Mimi gives of herself to help friends with ordeals they are going through!

Mary Tolbert Matheny had a difficult 2020. In late October, she fell and fractured her pelvis (a very painful injury). She was hospitalized for a week, then transferred to an intensive physical-rehab center for a week, where hours of daily PT greatly improved her ability to walk. Six to eight weeks after coming home, she had fully recovered.

Mary says, “Fortunately, living alone but in a condo with others nearby meant that my neighbors DID know when I fell and came quickly to help.” Mary appreciated the support from her son and daughter, but then had additional worries when they contracted COVID. The good news is that they recovered well.

When I asked Libbie Shackleford Mull what she has been doing in 2020, she said, “In one word….NOTHING!” Libbie, who has a strong work ethic, had not worked in nine months and was trying to go back, (even though several people at her work had contracted COVID); but daughter Rebecca was trying to get her to be patient! Libbie has enjoyed prayer services and playing cards by Zoom with her church group.

She is also taking piano lessons, and spends a lot of time with grandchildren.

It seems the grandkids have inherited some of the musical talent of their grandmother, Libbie's mom, Mrs. Shackleford, who taught piano at St Agnes for 10 years.

Louise Knox Livinghouse and Lowell were on a cruise when the virus became a significant problem. They got off in Argentina and managed to get home

while they could. It has helped that they have been able to travel back and forth from their home in Woodbridge, Va., to their cabin in Pennsylvania, and to their place in Florida! Weesie says they are “happy as two peas in a pod!”

Joni Emerson Shoemaker writes, “So far so good with our family as far as COVID is concerned. We have had a few quarantine type periods, but fortunately didn't test positive.” While in Maine, Joan has been spending time homeschooling her grandson while his parents teach both in person and remotely. She tells us that “Hubby, Butch, travels back and forth between Maine and Virginia.” Their son, Tom, and his wife stay in Virginia and FaceTime with them frequently. She concludes, “not very exciting, but we are all well so shouldn't complain!”

It is great that Susan Gulick Curry recently contacted SSSAS and is no longer lost to us! Susan tells us, “I retired from a 29-year career as one of the directors in a national mathematics program called Project SEED, working in Los Angeles, San Jose, Oakland, Portland, Dallas, Indianapolis, Detroit, and Philadelphia. I learned fundraising and non-profit management.” Susan and her partner (married since 1993), moved to Ambler, Pa., and she became the president of the Alliance For a Sustainable Future, having gotten a masters in the field. She says she “convened six Earth Charter Summits, started a successful organic communitysupported agriculture farm, and is an active leader of Ambler environmental projects.” Susan also mentors and coaches women leaders and she says she loves “many Internet talks and summits with luminaries in human development.”

Leslie Barnes Hagan says she and Andrew are doing well and have enjoyed their time together, despite being “a bit stir crazy having been locked up since March.” Leslie—who claims she has “long been a movie history buff (just a couple of years too old to have been able to major in film history)”—has been giving son, Andrew, a prolonged class in movie history. Right after the shutdown she subscribed to almost all cable movie stations, which has let her show him movies important to the development of cinema. Leslie is making what she calls a “truly feeble attempt at downsizing,” because her heart isn't in it. (I hear you!)

Missie Montague Smith and Peter have been going back and forth from their home in Maryland to their place on the water on the Northern Neck.

Missie has been quilting, making a baby quilt for her niece's first little boy and also continuing work on a quilt that she started at least two years ago. Other than these projects and the “gardening chores” in Reedville, she says they have been zooming with the kids and grandkids and “basically self-isolating because of the coronavirus.” She says, “Our little Patterdale terrier, Lettie, is our constant companion and drives us crazy sometimes because she barks at all who dare to come within a certain distance of our house.” Other than that, Missie says she has “downloaded a lot of gaming apps and does puzzles, crosswords, and other games to sharpen my aging brain.”

Mary Anne Smith Gertson is looking forward to knee surgery in March. She had a meniscus tear that has gone too long without being fixed and says, “It will be so nice to walk without pain, be able to exercise, and try to get in trouble having fun.” She will head to Hawaii for a few days, and when the virus clears up in Europe she wants to visit Rome again and go to Tuscany. Mary Anne's son has his own HVAC business and has moved nearby, to keep and eye on her!

Carol Simon Leach had quite a medical ordeal in 2020. She was diagnosed in January with GuillainBarre syndrome, a rare disorder in which the body's immune system attacks the nerves. She was on a ventilator for months but she made it through and finally left the hospital only to find that because of COVID, she was not able to have visitors, not even her husband at the care facility she was sent to. Carol's first goal was just to sit up in bed (Oh, what we all take for granted!)

But she is a fighter with a strong faith and she was finally able to return home in October! Since then, it's meant a lot to her to be involved with her chapel and she has appreciated the ways in which they have been there for her, like bringing her wine and wafers.

Polly Hagan Sandridge writes, “When this thing ends, the first thing I'm going to do is get a haircut. Then I'll go about hugging people.” She says this is “official.” (I imagine there are a lot of us wanting a haircut…..AND a hug!)

Marion MacRae called and sounded bubbly! She is feeling fine and grateful for having gotten through the ordeal of a burst aorta last year! As an avid tennis player, she said in next year's class news she hopes to be able to report she is back on the court!

Madeleine Long Tellekamp and her husband unfortunately contracted

COVID. Madeleine has a daughter living nearby and we hope by publication time she will have fully recovered, and with support of others and her deep faith, will be strong again. Our condolences to her in the loss of her husband, Frederik, who by all accounts was a kind, caring, and honorable man.

Since the passing of her husband in January 2020, Sally Godshall Peterson has moved from the parsonage into the home of her daughter, son-in-law, and three grandchildren. She had to downsize from a six bedroom home to one bedroom! Sally's husband, Jim, was a pastor, and according to all accounts was a wonderful, loving, and giving man. They have had many ministries together. Sally says that in 60 years of their married life God has always taken care of them, and considering his medical condition, God blessed Jim by taking him at this point in his life.

With the strength of her faith, you can imagine, she is doing well!

I, Margie Fifer Davenport, must say that any difficulties I have had pale in comparison to what some of you have been through. I have been fortunate to have family here in Charlottesville and have contact with my children and grandchildren (through Phil), although they are scattered around the country. I see my nephew, Charles, my sister, Marilie Dewey's '58 (deceased) son, when I can, but he seems to love traveling the world so is not around much! With pickleball on hold, and not seeing loved ones, I have enjoyed getting back into music. I've not only dusted off my guitar, but also have enjoyed playing my friend's Steinway which has such beautiful tones that it brings me joy!

Since most church services are online these days, I have enjoyed “attending'' services from friends' churches in other places and have heard some preachers out there with incredible messages that present God's love so well. That has been an unexpected blessing of these times.

Here's to a 2021 of good health and for those who have had medical problems, a continued healing and return to doing all you love to do.

For those who have lost loved ones, Madeleine Long Tellekamp, Sally Godshell, Peterson, as well as the families of Mary Carter O'Connor, and Margalee Oelrich Riggan, our sympathies are with you. In hearing from you, I have been impressed with our class and the strength you have had to fight through difficulties. It takes strength to recover from loss, injury, Spring 2021 | 51

CLASS NOTES

Woods Eastland '63 and his family during Thanksgiving at Sullivan's Island, S.C. and sickness and sometimes a sense of humor, too. I am amazed at hearing your stories and hearing a giggle on the phone or a funny comment in response to an email, even as you are hurting.

I see in so many of you the wonderful evidence of our Christian faith, nurtured at St. Agnes, and I know that you will get through whatever comes your way. And I hear the concern from your classmates for what you are going through. We were very young when at St. Agnes and we all went our separate ways, but interestingly enough, the caring of those who knew you is very evident, and very touching. Blessings to all!

1963 ST. STEPHEN'S Andy Kreutzer akreutzer45@gmail.com

Thomas Margrave tecmargrave@gmail.com We are pleased to provide these updates from our classmates and are encouraged by the continuing comradery shared among this loyal alumni group.

Douglas Boehm reports: “It seems like just yesterday the Class of 1963 got their diplomas during graduation at Emmanuel Episcopal Church on Russell Road. Eventually I joined four fellow classmates, as part of the “SSS Fab Five'' at Duke University. I started working for the government, first as a nuclear engineer with the Atomic Energy 52 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

Commission, then as a communications engineer with the Department of Defense. I plan on retiring in 2021 from MITRE, my last employer. In 1977 I married the former Susan Stafford.

We have three children who attended SSSAS: Molly '97, who graduated from SSSAS and taught biology and coached cross country for two years at the school; Betsy '00; and Doug Jr. '02. The three kids live in the area and regularly join us for Sunday dinners. Life is good!”

Andy Kreutzer reports: “In 2015 Barbara (Wiles '63) and I retired from Ohio University, where Barbara served as the University's tax compliance manager and as a faculty member for the Department of Sports Administration in the College of Business. In 2018 we moved to our lake house (a rink house from November to May) in St. Albans, Maine. We are closer to our children and grandchildren in Boston, but also closer to the North Pole. We are hoping for and wishing everyone a safer, sounder, and healthier 2021. Go Saints!”

Brian Koepf reports: “Gail and I are living in Aiken, S.C., where we retired and built our dream house on a lake in a golf course community. Our cancer survivor daughter lives nearby in Greenville, S.C., and our son lives in France with his wife. We are all happy & healthy.”

Tom Margrave reports: “In the five months since my spouse's unexpected death, I have been sustained and supported by my SSS classmates and many others. For that I will always be

thankful as I build the next phase of my life. Max, our dog, and I will always miss her, but we were graced and blessed with the time we had.”

Woods Eastland reports: “Our 46th anniversary was two days before Thanksgiving. When producers looked for a place to film 'Oh Brother Where Art Thou' (modern remake of The Odyssey) the idea was to find the most surreal location possible and they chose where we live, the Delta of the state of Mississippi. It has its good points along with the bad. Hope to see all in '23.”

Don Peck reports: “My wife, Linda, and I still live in Arlington. Our health has been reasonably good, but our golf games are deteriorating. We plan to spend several months in Florida this winter. Along with my classmates, I am hoping for a rapid worldwide health and economic recovery and a restoration of civility.”

Arnie Phillips reports: “Healthy and happy, practicing law and yoga in Honolulu. I have daughters in Munich and New York City, and our youngest daughter is having our first grandchild in April. Aloha!”

David Speck reports: “I retired from my investment advisory practice at the beginning of 2017 and at about the same time I was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, the governing board for Washington National and Dulles airports. I chair the finance committee and with the extraordinary impact that COVID-19 is having on aviation—airports and airlines—I am not having any trouble filling my free time. I hope for everyone that 2021 is a calmer and safer year than 2020…which is a pretty low bar when you think about it.”

Steve Williams reports: “Lucia and I are enjoying retirement in Bologna, Italy, despite the effects of too much pasta and too many lockdowns. I gave up hospital work two years ago but still have a small private practice treating mainly exchange students from U.S. and European universities. As the physician of record for the Bologna branch of Johns Hopkins, I saw my patient census shrink rapidly when COVID arrived here and most students escaped to the seemingly safer U.S. I now have the time to devote to writing and to reminiscing about the old days at SSS/SAS. I invite you to my blog, www.musingdoc.com, the only publisher which never rejects any of my submissions!

1964 ST. STEPHEN'S Richard Flynt richardflynt1@gmail.com

Hello Classmates! Unfortunately, I have nothing to report this time. We have not been able to have our periodic luncheons due to COVID as of the deadline for this report. However, with the vaccine now available, I expect to have much to report for our next Class Notes! In the meantime, please send any news you have to me. So, until next time, GO SAINTS and stay safe!

1965 ST. AGNES Lee Vosper Dorman jldor1013@gmail.com

When I submitted our class notes for 2020 it was January and we were excited about our upcoming 55th year reunion! Within six weeks the bottom fell out of all of our lives! We have all been living a new normal as we combat a hellacious pandemic and try to stay safe and healthy! I have heard from some of you and can report all seem to be dealing with the new routines with a sense of humor and resolve! So here goes the news! It seems we will have a virtual reunion the weekend of April 23-26, 2021.

Since I try to write this every year I get to go first! Like each of you, this year is one for the ages! One day I was teaching four GED classes at the County jail along with an outside advanced math class and the next day everything was shut down! My life then revolved around my two precious grandchildren and reading! I have done some serious TV, too. We moved into a virtual teaching setting with CANVAS as our teaching platform. God help me—this old dog did not need to learn this! Teachers who— on a dime pivoted to virtual classes— did not and do not get enough credit for what they did! Certainly, they are not being paid anywhere near enough money. Knowing my stress level, I can only imagine their stress level, so be kind to anyone you know trying to teach in this pandemic!

Sally Hines reports one minute she was skiing in Utah the next minute (that famous March 13 weekend) all the ski resorts just closed! Since there was no more skiing, they switched gears and hiked the Utah parks. Since then they have stayed out of NYC and have been living in East Hampton, working remotely, biking, horseback riding, and going to the beach. Like all of us

Sally reports really missing friends and family!

Jan Walsh Hohert, our Canadian classmate, reports that they sold their sailboat in the Caribbean and are spending winter at home for the first time in 15 years….and they will see how that goes. Jan is still supervising final practicum students in education for the University of Victoria in very strange times and circumstances. Like those of us teaching, she too is very impressed with kids and how well they adapt and cope. She says, “I am so happy to be here in Canada… Is there any way we could set up a group Zoom or Skype? I am doing that a lot lately and would love to see and hear you all as well.”

Missy Huggins wrote that they are in the Atlanta area now, but did get locked down in Italy until June 15. Her son, Drew, had a wedding scheduled for Thanksgiving which did not happen, but they will try again this Thanksgiving. As with most of us, they had travel plans to head for Europe that just did not happen. She is doing what she loves—cooking. There is so much more in Missy's news than I can fit in! The fun thing about this year is everyone was reading everyone else's notes and news! Missy, like me, LOVES Jan's idea of finding time for all of us to do a Zoom call! After all, we are all into Zoom anyway. I am not volunteering for setting that up, but Missy's answer to Jan for a class Zoom call is “So, dear Jan, I AM IN!” I am in too! Can you imagine that call?

Susan Davis Haggerty checked in with news of the birth of a new grandson, Kent. She is still in Richmond. Staying healthy meant being away from family and like many of us her holidays were virtual!

Ann Spitler is selling her five lines to the highest bidder. I should probably let Missy know! She reports that as “an elderly couple, my husband, Glenn, and I are being very careful regarding COVID!” Ann is fine and reports she talks to or sees Donnie Chancellor Wintermute, Missy Huggins, Anne Hoskot Kreutzer, and Maude Williams often as they are all in Alexandria.

Would that we were all closer!

I got two emails from Liz Callar with questions, but no news. From her email address It appears she is still in horse country in Virginia!

I got Christmas cards from Jane Tinka Adams and Susan Miller Ferguson, but no usual Christmas letter, so I can report both seem to be fine and like all of us are trying to stay safe.

As always thanks to those of you who respond to my pleas for news! I wish everyone would send – even a sentence or two! We will wait to see what this new year 2021 will bring! Stay well and safe!

1966 ST. AGNES

Carter Flemming carterflemming@gmail.com To state the obvious, 2020 has been quite a year for all of us. Perhaps the hardest adjustment we Baby Boomers had to make was being officially categorized as “elderly” after envisioning ourselves as forever young!

Despite that designation, the Class of 1966 seems to have weathered the pandemic thus far, and for that, we are very grateful.

Leslie Ferrell Kauffmann has welcomed her first two grandchildren but due to the pandemic has not been able to travel from Madrid to the U.S. to meet them in person. Thank goodness for FaceTime and other technology that has allowed all of us to communicate with relatives we cannot visit. Despite being in lockdown mode in Spain, Leslie and her husband, Jose, caught COVID. Fortunately, they were able to recover, but are now part of the “long hauler” group, who continue to experience fatigue months later. They hope to be able to travel to the U.S. later this year to show those new grandchildren that they are not just faces on a screen!

Diane Haldane and her husband, Dick, left Wisconsin in October 2019 for the winter in Florida. They planned to return in April of 2020 but COVID derailed those plans, so they got to experience summer in Florida and hope not to do that again. They plan to return to Wisconsin this spring so she can work in her garden there and enjoy a cooler climate. Diane has kept busy with lots of reading and large knitting projects.

She hopes to be able to come to Virginia to visit her mother and siblings before long.

Peggy Johnson Hayes spent the COVID year being trained by the United Church of Christ as a certified facilitator for Sacred Conversations to End Racism. She leads small groups of people along a restorative racial justice journey and finds the work challenging and growth-producing. She is now part of the UCC FL Conference's AntiRacism Ministry. What a remarkable journey Peggy has embarked upon.

Star Bales Alterman has had quite a challenging year. In October she had a bad fall while walking and injured her Spring 2021 | 53

CLASS NOTES

Peggy Johnson Hayes '66 Peggy spent the COVID year being trained by the United Church of Christ as a certified facilitator for Sacred Conversations to End Racism.

She leads small groups of people along a restorative racial justice journey and finds the work challenging and growthproducing. She is now part of the UCC FL Conference's AntiRacism Ministry.

head. She was in ICU and rehab for 16 days. In December she had to undergo a craniotomy to drain the subdural hematoma, which had not resolved after the fall. She reports that aside from being partially bald, she is doing great now and feels very grateful for all the prayers and support she received during this ordeal. On a happy note, her daughter, Vickie, had her third child right before Christmas. Star, like all of us, hopes to be able to travel this year and meet her new grandson.

Linda Cosby has been fortunate that her daughter and family live nearby in Annapolis, so she has been able to be part of their “pod” and enjoy time with them.

Jeannette Tracy, like most of us, says she has nothing to report because “we go nowhere, see no one, and do almost nothing.” But she and husband, John, have no complaints and she wryly says that perhaps they are coping “a bit too well” in such a slow-paced life.

Susan Whittington reports that “in the innocent times during January, she was able to travel to New York and mingle with the crowds, never suspecting what a forbidden pleasure that would become.” Since then, she has read a lot of books and “spent a lot of time hoping for the best.”

Chris Motley is thankful for the San Francisco weather that allows her to get out and take walks. Otherwise, she continues her knitting and fiber art projects while listening to books. She made the observation that I think many of us share that, while Zoom calls have been a great way to link with others, she is tired of seeing that small picture of herself at the top! Her children and grandchildren are on the east coast, so she is anxious to be able to get on a plane and come east when it is safe.

54 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

Patty Jo Leary reports that this was “a great year to be a practiced retiree, comfortable in your own space with your own company.” She has restarted her favorite pastime of riding under instruction, which was COVID friendly.

She has also spent time on local ranges for self-defense pistol training. Her sons are in upstate New York and southern California and her grandchildren continue to reward her best hopes for them. PJ had to cancel her extended stay in her mother's Scottish home town, but hopes to reschedule for 2022.

Karen Bradley Burnett sadly lost her husband, Don, in 2020. Four years ago, she and Don had built a home in The Villages, Fla., and they have loved living there. Karen plans to stay there because of the amazing network of friends they have. Our hearts go out to Karen.

Peg Craig Kennelly says not much is going on with her, but she hopes all our classmates are staying healthy.

Ann Martyn writes that she now knows the woods and trails around her home and in Roanoke in detail. She has taken time to learn more about the history of Roanoke. She and husband, Frank, have done lots of reading together, and he leads their reading group that focuses on Southern fiction and poetry.

And I, Carter Dudley Flemming, consider myself fortunate that we were able to travel to London in early February with our California family, oblivious to what was about to happen to all of us. Since then, I have tried to obey the stay-at-home guidance for us senior citizens. All my volunteer activities have switched to virtual formats, so I seem to be as busy as ever, and am attached to my computer screen for far too long each day. We have come a long way from our youth spent trying to score coveted concert tickets, to now searching to score the elusive vaccine so we can resume what used to be our normal lives. As Diane Haldane wrote to us, “May we never lose our appreciation for the small things that we had taken for granted.” Certainly, the friendships we forged at St. Agnes are not a small thing, and I hope that we can celebrate those friendships at our 55th Reunion, if our virtual world can be replaced by an in-person world.

If we can't meet in person, we will plan a big Zoom cocktail party! Until then, stay safe and healthy, and appreciate our ability to continue to hold onto our SAS friendships all these years later, but especially during this terrible pandemic.

1967 ST. AGNES Alice Reno Malone tammyarm@aol.com

It's that time of year again to report on the comings and goings of SAS '67 and what a year it has been. I don't wish another like this on anyone! I've heard from eight classmates—not a great return, but understandable with COVID-19, lockdowns, vaccines, positivity rates, ICU's, ventilators, pandemic, etc.—all the words we wish we didn't have to use in daily conversation. But we're all in it together and this is our world and our time. As always, I will let our sisters speak for themselves: Frances Pollak writes from Wyoming: “Ernie and I are still living in Jackson Hole. Sold our house in late September, which we built and lived in for almost 23 years, and moved temporarily into a rental home in downtown Jackson.

Have just recently retired from my healing/health care profession of more than 30 years. Huge changes. We have been strictly self-quarantined at home since last March 2020. Having worked on Capitol Hill in the Senate and in Washington for many years, I am terribly distressed by what has evolved recently in our wonderful nation. God bless all of us.”

As Elizabeth Herbert Cottrell notes: “We are nine months into the pandemic and ten days before Christmas 2020 here in the Shenandoah Valley. John and I and our family are all doing well/ Zoom calls with Beth Grosvenor Boland have been bright spots in the year. I've certainly had more time for house cleaning, special projects, note writing, reading, and writing my weekly “Heartspoken” newsletter. I submitted 260 handwritten pages of the “COVID Journal'' to our library's archivist. May 2021 be happier and healthier for us all.”

Chris Holter Reynolds seems to think she is better at some things than others, telling me “I scanned an article for Ann Lovering Steele and would do the same for me, IF she could figure it out. I can build you a deck, bake a cake, make a quilt, but don't rely on me for anything computer related. Not my jam... Yes, COVID is boring, but during the early days, I made six quilts and eleven baby blankets. I have enough fabric for hundreds of masks too, although I only made forty. I didn't have elastic. Stay well and safe with God's help, soon this chapter will be over. Hugs!”

Punky Crow says that our annual

Jim and Alice Reno Malone '67

Dave Honeywell '67walking his daughter, Donleigh, down the aisle. efforts to record something for our '67 sisters is “timely to try to create log lines for the movies that are our lives, thanks for helping us distill the essence and share. Hard to decide which five sentences to send. It's a challenge in such madcap times. Yet if I can't write that many before January 14, I better hang it up as an independent journalist.

Hope all your family and friends and you are Healthy and Happy. May there be Peace on Earth!”

Pam McRae Dux is doing better and has a walker to help her hip as it heals, but the orthopedist is happy that she's growing new bone around the fracture.

She continues to face a life-threatening diagnosis with good cheer and would welcome hearing from any of our classmates. As a member of Elizabeth Herbert Cottrell's group for the Art of The Heartspoken Note, she will respond happily!

Jane Grenfell Duffy writes: “The past month has been a blur. I got a new knee in mid-December. Sneaky way to get out of cooking Christmas dinner. My two daughters did it all and then some.

In spite of COVID and the knee, I've

Robin Coffin’s '67 grandson Benton, her daughter, Trelsie, and Tresie’s wife, Sydney.

Punky Crow '67

Melissa McDowell Stevens '67 (center in navy blue, deceased November 19, 2020).

2011 family picture from her son's wedding. been continuing to work with several students, in their schools, at home, and virtually. This school year, I've volunteered one day a week to supervise a 'learning pod.' It's been memorable.

Otherwise, Tom and I are grateful to be healthy along with the family. The only travel has been hiking the local trails.

But we are so blessed to live in this beautiful setting (Jane and your Scribe both live in Charlottesville!)”

Robin Coffin sends a picture of her daughter and 18-month-old grandson, Benton! She writes: “With COVID it has been difficult to see him. Bob and I are in Florida and I am playing lots of golf, tennis and bridge. Just trying to keep sane. I miss all of you and treasure my fond memories of St. Agnes. Looking forward to our next reunion when we can get together in person without masks.”

Jim and I, Alice Reno Malone, have spent this COVID year in our corners of the house. He is working on a history of Sankaty Head Golf Club on Nantucket for its Centennial, and I am doing some sleuthing to find and reconnect with the men and women of Dartmouth '71.

That will result in a 1008 page (not my idea!) 50th Reunion book which, along with a virtual gathering, will replace the in-person reunion originally planned for June '21. We are well and staying safe as are our daughters, Virginia and Katie, both still living at opposite ends of Massachusetts.

Lastly, we lost our dear sister Melissa McDowell Stevens on November 19, 2020. Mary Sweeney Payne has shared a family picture of Melissa taken at her son's wedding in 2011. May she be at peace. Please keep in touch with me and each other - we're all together during this interesting time in history!

1968 ST. AGNES Barbara Leonard bbleonard@verizon.net

Several of you kindly thanked me for continuing on in this “thankless job.”

Actually, quite the contrary, it's fun to hear from you, and you really came through this year! Generally, everyone's doing well, bearing up and keeping busy. Some of us have joined the ranks Spring 2021 | 55

CLASS NOTES

of silver hair. Most all of us have turned 70. We miss our grandchildren and our travels. We've learned to Zoom and to FaceTime and have become very good at it. Here are some of the specifics.

Marcia Williams sent a funny thing about her first haircut since March. I've asked her to forward it.

Elizabeth Tayloe Courts tells of a year of retiring, turning 70, and welcoming a fourth grandchild.

Mary Anne Warner and husband David opened a studio at the Torpedo Factory and hope to see some of us there. She says, “Being an artist in a pandemic is good and bad. You work alone, so there's little impact on that, but you can't get your work out to the public.”

Lucy Morton Garrett sent a stream of consciousness note saying: “Socially distancing in vineyards and wineries is a piece of cake.” Her daughters are living in San Francisco (as a nurse at Stanford) and in Washington, D.C. “While my girls hold the glam factor, yours truly has become a woman in film. The prequel film I'm now working involves my journeys and efforts to repatriate the Cunningham grape to its birthplace, Virginia.” (See morlandfarm. com.) Does anyone remember our class trip to Morland?

Holley Russell Del Giudice reports that they all self-quarantined before Christmas to have a lovely, festive 24 hours together. Best event of all, the birth of granddaughter Emilie. Holley's perfectly put wish: “Warmest wishes to all of our classmates, in hopes that lights of health, peace and hope will soon shine on our troubled country.”

Denya Clarke is my most prized correspondent, she answers first and with full news of the year and wonderful photos. She writes: “We live on a tall moraine, tons of views from our deck, miles of forest trails nearby, unruly woodlot to tame, and sunshine all day... sold my horse, sad, but Andrew, hiking, walking, golfing, and my new chainsaw has kept me busy.” She produced a 74-page book for a guy who rode in the 1956 Equestrian Olympics. That was 200+ hours of work, but kept her busy.

Helen St John, who sings with the notable National Cathedral Chorale group, participated in a recording of Alexander Kastalsky's Requiem. The recording has been nominated for a Grammy in the Classical Choral category. Way to go Helen!

Mary Leith Leslie plays online bridge and had a wonderful visit from Harriet Lovelace Sewell, and that “pretty much 56 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

sums up my year!” Harriet and Bob are doing Jenny McLendon exercises for seniors and learning line dancing:).

And finally, me, Barbara Leonard.

Chip and I are taking isolation seriously and haven't had a sneeze since last February. Sarah King Carr and I have been doing some serious walking and talking along the shores of the Potomac river. What would we do without friends right now? Sons are hunkered down in Austin, Denver, and Seattle.

1971 ST. AGNES

Sara Kathy Charlton charltonryan@earthlink.net It has been 50 years since our graduation! It seems like yesterday we were in our white dresses thinking about our future. All of us are still thinking about our future, but more on the fun side now instead of work! I am hoping we will be able to celebrate our 50th at St. Agnes. I would love to see everyone! I, Sarah Kathy Charlton, retired as the director of the Tillamook County Library on June 1, 2019, never thinking I would retire in the middle of a pandemic! I was honored by the Oregon LIbrary Association with the Distinguished Service Award 2020 for my years of working in libraries. I was surprised, but it was a great way to end my working years!

Chis Bradbury writes there is no news, as there is little of real interest most of us can do in the presents pandemic...which is not to say that we can't be productive (lots of reading, exercise, and cleaning out things for Goodwill, etc.)

Judy Moore has been happily retired from full time work since 2017. She reports: “My wife and I have spent the last four summers work-camping in RV parks....first year in Estes Park, Colo., and the last three in New Hampshire.

We lived in our 24' travel trailer while working at the campground. This past March we adopted a stray 4-monthold female Jack Russell named Blu (blue eyes), who gave us more love and happiness than we could have imagined.

If anyone is coming to Sarasota, Fla., please let me know.

1972 ST. AGNES

Edie Weller ebweller53@Q.com I send many thanks to everyone who responded to the call for news. It's been so good to reconnect with you after our hiatus and to be able now to share your

news with others!

Cindy Peake writes that she is in her sixth year of teaching at Elizabeth Seton High School in Hyattsville, Md., in virtual mode since March 2020. She says, “This year, I'm teaching Honors Algebra I and II and am really enjoying having more advanced students. While the transition was a lot of work, I really don't mind teaching virtually! Nice not to have to get up at 5:30 a.m. to get across D.C. by 7:45 a.m.!” Cindy's considering teaching another couple of years before retiring and has been doing some renovations on her Alexandria home in anticipation. She and Margaret Janney enjoyed linking up with Michelle Beattie and Patty Herter Taylor over Christmas break 2019.

Margaret Goldstein Janney writes from the Gulf Coast of Florida that her activities this year have been much more limited due to COVID. She opted not to make her annual holiday visit to Maryland and Virginia. But she did cook an awesome Christmas dinner: quail and wild rice, with champagne and homemade caramel cake for dessert! She has kept in touch with several classmates, and I'm grateful for her help in updating the contact list for our class!

Linda Bauknight Franklin announces that after a long search, she and Fred are happily retired in Venice, Fla. (Sarasota County), where they share their home with Itty, their Chihuahua, and two parakeets. Linda adds, “My mother passed two years ago from lung cancer, and we surely miss her. We'll be celebrating my dad's 100th birthday this summer once we're all vaccinated.

Our daughter Julia, Christopher, and our granddaughter Hailey still live in Richmond, Va. Margaret Janney lives nearby in Naples, so we're able to stay in touch and occasionally meet for lunch.”

Patty Herter Taylor affirms that this has been a difficult year for her family with the loss of two close family members. Patty's husband, Brewster, had a very serious case of COVID and, thankfully, is continuing to improve on the other side of that. Patty says they are both thoroughly enjoying their grandchildren, who are funny, adorable, and simply so loving. Visits to Maine to spend time with their son and his wife have also been life-giving for them.

Patti Lieblich gratefully shares that she and Marsha are doing well, sheltering in place in the Del Ray area of Alexandria along with their beloved dog, Alfie. They're sticking close to home, reading, walking, gardening,

cooking, sewing masks, and laughing whenever possible. Marsha has taken on new interests in stained glass and research of her family's ancestry. Patti's eldest child, John '02, has been part of a professional team working on the moon lander. Her daughter, Mollie '07, and son-in-law Bryce Rudow lived for some time in Madagascar, where Mollie worked on USAID Food for Peace project (she continues that virtually now from the U.S.).

Candy Carter Crosby is glad to reconnect, writing that she and her husband are well and staying close to home in Earlysville, Albemarle County (outside Charlottesville). At the same time, she notes, “Fortunately, we're surrounded by the wonder of nature here and have had a beautiful spring.

We do wonder when we will see our boys and their families, who are all based in NYC.” Candy adds that she enjoyed going to a small SSSAS Alumni gathering in Charlottesville in 2019.

She says she's grateful for many things, especially considering the challenges faced by so many others throughout this country.

Bobbie Hauck Gribble writes from her home in Virginia Beach. Though she lost her husband almost 11 years ago, her life is full, centered around her three children and three grandchildren, at least some of whom live nearby.

She reflects, “Life does move forward, and for me is every bit as sweet and wonderful as always. I am so grateful that all my children are fine and are also employed, so they are not worrying about how to pay their bills right now.”

Bobbie says that she looks back on her two years at St. Agnes fondly and is glad to be in touch.

Julia Kelly shares that she made the big move to Charleston, S.C., several years ago and continues to love it there.

She adds, “These days, I'm mostly doing art, mixed media, and painting— it seems that I always have projects going on. I have written two series of children's books and self-published. My daughter, Virginia, is married, living in New Jersey with her husband, and is a practicing psychologist now, associated with Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx.”

They were recently able to have a long visit with Julia, to everyone's enjoyment!

Lisa Claypoole Holland sends this update about several significant changes in her life. “I remarried in 2017; my late husband died in 2004.

I married an old friend who was also widowed. We moved back to Virginia from Charleston, S.C., in August

2020 to be closer to family. We're living temporarily in Springfield until renovations are completed on our new home in Spotsylvania County. It's good to be back in Virginia.”

Sue Adams Hinkle writes from her home in Triangle, Va., that she and her husband celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary this past year. Sue's been helping many neighbors and family members during this pandemic time, with calls, notes, baked treats, and lovely handmade “paper hugs.” Both of Sue's daughters and their families live nearby, so she's able to see them. Sue— who once wrote a daily “Thought for the Day” in our homeroom—now has this one posted in her kitchen: “Keep Calm and Carry On!” She's also very thankful for the many blessings of her life.

Becca Freeman called last summer from Rockwall, Texas,east of Dallas, where she's lived for over a year after an extended time in Los Angeles.

Though she's experienced some health challenges, she's doing well and has been able to help assist a family member by providing post-surgical support. As others have also expressed, she declared how good it is to catch up a bit!

Kim Smith-Kidd reports from Alexandria that work has been crazy for her, even in this uncharted time, but she's happy to reconnect with our class. Likewise, Michelle Beattie sends greetings to all from Kensington, Md., and appreciates the chance to keep up with the Class of '72!

Katy Coleman Pruiett sends news from home in Pennsylvania that while she and Tom had to cancel big travel plans last spring due to COVID, they have remained in good health, observing their state guidelines. She writes, “Sarah, our younger daughter, is currently living with us. Halley, Sarah's older sister, and her husband, Jason, are in the Baltimore area with their two little ones, Thomas (4) and Lucy (2).

I am thrilled with my role as their Yia Yia! I am also happy to share that my mother, who now lives in Annapolis, is also doing well.”

Betsy Brownfield Fay has spent this year sequestered with her husband and four adult children, plus her “childrenin-law” (one French, one Colombian) and two beautiful grandchildren. Her middle son separated from the U.S. Army after 12 years and is now sorting through civilian life in Boston. Closer to home, Betsy adds, “Our two middleschool teachers do their best to teach from computers in the basement or at the kitchen table. Our two bachelor sons

have become each other's best friends and try not to get discouraged by the current restrictions. I live on an island, have gardens to manage, birds to count, books to read, a husband to spend time with, and many friendships to enjoy, including Stephanie Yeonas Ellis and Edie Beardall Weller.

Betsy and I had the pleasure of staying with Stephanie Yeonas Ellis and her husband, Richard, in their home in McLean during our 45th SSSAS reunion weekend. Stephanie and Richard are blessed by time with their two sons and their families, including six small grandchildren! Steph lost both of her parents in the past three years—a huge passage that many of us have shared.

But she continues to meet life with a big smile and an open heart.

For myself, Edie Beardall Weller, I add my thanksgiving for a successful recovery from heart surgery for my husband, John; for a new home nearby for our daughter and son-in-law; and for our son's many creative gifts. While Episcopal church buildings here in western Washington are temporarily closed during the pandemic, the ministry has continued in amazing ways and in many new directions. Being in touch with so many of you this year has been a real blessing. I hope we continue to reach out to additional classmates as well, as we look forward to gathering for our 50th Reunion in 2022!

1973 ST. AGNES

Marion Dawson Robinette Marion.Robinette79@gmail.com The bad news for everyone is the dang pandemic, but the good news for our class is that we have a text group of about 15 of our classmates and we have regularly kept in touch with good news and not so good news. It has given us strength and support in a stressful year, and we have been able to laugh and share. We agreed politics was an absolute NO-NO. Ha! Nancy Newman, our master weaver, wove the coolest keychains in green and gold with “Sassy” on them and sent them to us. She said it was relaxing for her and what a treat for us! We nicknamed our group “Sassy”…well we are!

In January 2020 Jane Hill and Leslie Treece Fairbairn surprised Meg Babyak Tucker for her 65th—the first of our group to turn 65 in 2020!

I, Marion Dawson Robinette, traveled to Fairfax, Virginia, to visit Jane Kincheloe Wiles' amazing winery, Spring 2021 | 57

CLASS NOTES St. Agnes 1973 alumnae: Jane Kincheloe Wiles, Marion Dawson Robinette, Cary Reardon Nunnally, Leslie Treece Fairbairn, and Karen Clausen Shields

Nancy Newman made these keychains for fellow '73 alumnae.

Classmates of 1975, Alex Gambal and Bruce Freedman, spent a week in August hiking and climbing.

Here they are on top of Buck Mountain in the Tetons: 11,939 feet.

Paradise Springs, twice this past summer. I met up with Jane, Leslie Treece Fairbairn, and Liz Bostick. My second visit was in October when I met up with Jane Kincheloe Wiles, Karen Claussen Shields and husband Mark, Cary Reardon Nunnelly, and Leslie Treece Fairbairn. Leslie and Jane continued with meet ups at Paradise Springs on October 21 with Pam Zimmerman Brislin, then on October 29 with Cary Reardon Nunnally, and finally on December 10, Jane, Leslie, Pam and Cary. I plan to make more trips myself in the coming year. It is just a three-hour drive from Salisbury and the hotel rates are very reasonable. That is one good thing to come out of COVID! Husband Dan is still working and plans to do so for a few more years. He was considered essential as the facilities director of Lower Shore Enterprises (a non-profit that provides employment for 58 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

individuals with disabilities)) so kept on working. His gym was closed for a few months so he was unable to work out every day. That was very difficult.

Pam Zimmerman Brislin and husband Mark are making a permanent move to Sanibel Island in the coming year from Massachusetts. They have had enough of the cold and snow!

Annie Groves Odell continues her craft work in New Orleans. She made dachshund Christmas ornaments out of okra. They were adorable! And of course near and dear to my heart since Dan and I are “parents” to four dachshunds.

In closing, we lost one of our most beloved classmates in 2020—Ginny Morton. We all miss Ginny. Her best friend, Emily Cole, writes: In February, the class of 1973 lost our classmate Ginny Morton, who had bravely battled lung cancer for over three years.

Throughout her illness, she remained

upbeat and was the gracious and funny person we all knew so well. Family and friends were a priority to Ginny. She was devoted to her husband Bill Cole, their son Andy '08, and daughter-in-law Allison Smith. Thanks to her outgoing nature, she had many friends from all phases of her life, some even from nursery school days. She loved to cook and entertain and it was a source of joy for her to host friends and family on many occasions. She was always an avid reader and could always be relied on to recommend a good book (or a book to avoid!). Her love of books led her to get her master's degree in library science. Subsequently, she served for a year as an elementary school librarian and then many years as a high school librarian until her retirement in 2016. Upon her retirement, she volunteered at her local library and at the food bank at St. George's Episcopal Church. She was also a member of the Episcopal Church Women and the Fredericksburg Women's Club. A celebration of her life was held at St. George's in Fredericksburg in March.

It was wonderful to see so many 1973 classmates there. We will all remember her for many things—her intelligence, her quick wit, her kindness, and her willingness to always speak out for what she believed in. I was fortunate, as many of us were, to have had her as a truly loyal friend and I count myself as particularly fortunate to have had her as my sister-in-law. In addition to Bill, Andy and Allison, she is survived by her brother Craig Morton.

1975 ST. AGNES

Effie Dawson effiedawson00@gmail.com Last year started with a gathering of a few SSSAS alumni at Leslie Holland Hecker's SAS 1976 lovely Florida home.

Little did I know it would be my last trip of the year.

One of the guests, Georgia (Doty) Heard, said the party was one of her highlights of the year. Since then, she has published a new children's book: “My Thoughts Are Clouds: Poems for Mindfulness.”

Sharon Snow Nicholson was also at the gathering, and she had a few other 2020 highlights. Her son, Henry, got married in Atlantic Beach, N.C., in August, with 43 loved ones on hand.

Sharon also lowered her golf handicap in 2020. Nice job.

Page Petitte and Gail made several road trips to Florida to visit Page's

uncle. For the first time, they were without a boat on the Chesapeake Bay. Page said that made her a little sad, but she recalled the adage that boaters' favorite two days are the day they buy their boat and the day they sell it.

Susanah Brown Howland said her daughter moved back to New England in 2020, and she's delighted to have her nearby.

Betty Boatwright Crowley continued teaching in the year of COVID, mostly a hybrid model with four days in the classroom.

My SSSAS memory of the year was a phone call from my daughter, Alli, who lives in Virginia Beach. She was at a friend's cabana when two ladies from the next cabana approached and asked for her name. They were Maggie Hoy Ross Heckman and Mary Downey Jordan '76! Maggie recognized Alli from a photo. I was once again reminded of how blessed we are for lasting connections to our St. Agnes friends.

1976 ST. AGNES Melissa Ulsaker Maas mmaas@sssas.org

It is the year of Zoom, and the Class of '76 has been making the best of it. We started with a holiday gathering that has turned into once a month gatherings that have brought us back together, reconnecting as if no time has passed.

Truly a silver lining of the pandemic!

Suzanne Eudy Backus is still selling real estate in Alexandria. She says she enjoys cooking, bridge, and volunteering. She reports: My daughter Frances recently moved from L.A. to Old Town a few blocks away, so I'm over the moon. And talk about a small world, I got in the elevator in my condo one day, and there stood Jayne Carson. She looks great.”

We were deeply saddened to hear that Deborah Woodman Carrico passed away on November 21, 2020.

Our deepest sympathy, thoughts, and prayers to her mom, Jean Woodman, and sisters, Alexandra Woodman Johnson '89, Courtnay Weitekamp '79, Jessica Godwin '80, and Eve Woodman '84.

Cate Dean writes that everything is the same in a 2020 odd way. She says, “While my husband was home for several months during the quarantine, my hours were reduced for two to three weeks then came back full force. We have been busier at the [veterinarian] hospital than ever, despite the restrictions we have. My three children

have been in different education stages throughout COVID and have carried on with remote, hybrid, and in-person classes. We have been very fortunate as far as health goes throughout everything. The most exciting news is that our youngest, Meghan, will be graduating from Washington College this May and moving on to the postgraduate physical therapy program at Marymount this August.”

Sharon Huhn Dennis writes that, like everyone else, they have spent much time being isolated and creating family time via Zoom. She says husband Craig has retired from working full time and spends his days woodworking. They have traveled a bit, mostly by car, and done some hiking outside when possible. Sharon reports: “My daughter, Sandy, works as a nurse in a hospital setting, so we are all a little fatigued from COVID issues. Luckily, so far, we have been spared from contracting the illness. Our boys, Jake, Joe, and Dave, are all enjoying their various engineering occupations in Blacksburg, Chicago, and Northern Virginia, respectively. We are grateful for the Internet and the various platforms where we can see our children, but we do miss the reality of touch. I have really enjoyed seeing my classmates via zoom—so there is a silver lining in this COVID cloud!

Christina Larson has been busy.

She has published her father's service record and journal entries from WWII, in which he served as a pilot. You can check it out on Amazon, “Bombs Away!: A History of the 70th Bombardment Squadron (M) In Early World War II” by Harold V. Larson. Chris writes: “Now that I'm retired, my husband and I are traveling in our new trailer with our dogs. It's one way to travel safely during COVID. I am the family historian and genealogist, and my next writing project is our family history tracing our roots back to Sweden.”

Karen Scrivanos Oztemel writes: “Perhaps the best news is to say that SAS '76 is having monthly zoom calls, enjoying catching up with classmates, and feeling the love and support.”

Amy Goers Rhodes says she has learned so many things since last March! “How to use Zoom, what it means to shelter in place, how to estimate 6 feet, how long I can make it between grocery runs, new vocabulary such as 'social distance' and 'flatten the curve.' Things I never learned at St. Agnes! There have been some very good things to come out of this pandemic.

Husband Dave and I both had COVID in March 2020 and have fully recovered.

We have spent much more time outside hiking in our state parks and just walking. We have a vacation home at Deep Creek Lake in Western Maryland and have spent quite a bit of time there.

We've also reconnected with people thanks to Zoom, and that has been wonderful!”

Grace Tiffany is still teaching as an English professor at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, where she says, “it's cold and snowy.” She also reports: “I'm one of the few profs who meet with classes face-to-face (or maskto-mask) because I hate the online format! My son, Joe, just turned 21 and works at a local hospital; my husband, Tom, is retired and threatens to take one of my classes as a retiree. I have two grown stepsons (one here, one in L.A.) and a fat cat. And we just sold our family home in Arlington after 53 years!”

Mary “Frizzle” Willis is still running her preschool, primarily for her extroverted granddaughter (5). They have been mostly outside. She says it's certainly not business as usual, and she has to think carefully about every day, stay flexible and has never worked so hard. Her 93-year-old mother still lives with her, so keeping her safe this year has been a priority.

Husband John is retired, so he is now her primary caretaker, Zoom manager, meal preparer. Her two children live in neighboring Blowing Rock, N.C., with the grandkids, though they never see each other inside. John's son lives in Seattle, so they have not seen him in over a year. Frizzle reads, does yoga, watches Parks and Recreation, obsesses over the country's state, makes materials for the classroom, and orders stuff from Amazon. Just “normal stuff :)” she says.

Your class correspondent, Melissa Ulsaker Maas, is so happy that lots of you are joining the monthly Class of '76 Zoom parties. Husband Brent and sons Alex '11 and Jameson '13 are all doing well. Brent started a new job in October working for Amy Curtis '80, Alex is investing in real estate, and Jameson is still doing photography and graphic design while killing it on the stock market. I've been delving into digital art and really enjoy it. I wish everyone a safe and healthy 2021!

Spring 2021 | 59

CLASS NOTES

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: KIM KELEHER '77 Certified professional dog trainer and owner of Alexandria's Canine Connection Blaise. I'd never owned a dog before and Blaise was a big one. I met so many people in that last year in New York. If you live there, get a dog. But, when my brother told me that he was giving up a dog-friendly apartment in Old Town I grabbed it, left Crane and Co., and moved back to my hometown. It was just time for me to make a change of scenery.

I started selling stationery and gifts to retailers and then of course September 11, 2001, happened. As we all started to recover from that attack, I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time and was hired by Caspari to be their D.C. metro representative. Caspari is famous for their beautiful paper napkins and plates, stationery, gift wrap, and Christmas cards. It was a great company to represent. I was able to meet more terrific customers like the National Gallery of Art, Hillwood Museum and Gardens, and many more.

Was there any particular experience in your life that motivated or inspired you to become a professional dog trainer?

Let's catch up! Tell us about your time since SAS and what you've been up to prior to opening the Canine Connection.

I graduated from St. Agnes in 1977 so there is quite a chunk of time between that and my current vocation as a dog trainer.

After college, I was in the museum world for a short time and then started a career in sales following my father into the paper business. While he sold trainloads of paper, I sold boxes. I was with Crane Paper Company for several years where I sold stationery to retailers, museum shops, college bookstores, and fine printers. That took me from Alexandria to the suburbs of Philadelphia and then to Manhattan in 1989. I moved back to Alexandria in May of 2001.

I loved living in Manhattan. One of the best parts of that was living close to my sister Leslie Harris '79 and her family.

I had the best of both worlds: city living and a Connecticut escape. I also had some very cool customers. I worked with Cartier, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Bloomingdale's. And it was so long ago that there were many independent stationers and office supply stores that were also my customers.

Fast forward to moving back to Alexandria.

As much as I loved New York I was ready for a change. The year before I left the city, in 2000, my parents had given me a young male Doberman Pinscher by the name of

60 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

Our current dog, Dempsey, also a Doberman Pinscher, remains my inspiration.

We'd had the other dog, Blaise. I imagined that qualified me to train any dog, but as it turned out, it did not, and we did get help. We bought Dempsey from a “breeder” who never socialized the dog. Living in Old Town was very stressful for him. Dempsey's training journey got me interested in animal behavior.

I became so fascinated that I started to volunteer at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria in 2013. That's where I was introduced to positive reinforcement training. I was immediately hooked. Dogs of all ages and breeds would sit quietly in their kennels as people walked by and that behavior always earned a biscuit. Jumping and barking did not.

I was so relieved to learn there was another way to train. I'd grown up with the traditional methods that rely more on correction. And while those work, positive reinforcement works faster and is a heck of a lot more fun for the dog. There isn't the potential for the fallout that aversive methods can lead to. Traditional methods work because the dog wants to avoid correction but science-based training works better because the dog wants to do the thing that will be rewarded. The opposite is also true. If the behavior the dog is offering doesn't get any attention, she's not going to keep doing it in many cases.

Rewards can be food, affection, praise, or a good walk. The dog will want to do more things, more readily because it's fun, so the dog and the owner enjoy each other more.

I started studying to be a professional trainer in 2017. I've been to four academies and have a level 2 certificate from Peaceable Paws. I was also fortunate enough to be an apprentice to and then an employee of Sandy Modell at Wholistic Hound Academy here in Alexandria. I taught classes and ran the Day Academy. I also taught private lessons.

That training helped me become a Certified Professional Dog Trainer. In order to get that certification, I had to log 300 hours of training and pass an exam. To maintain that certification, I am required to continue my education, earning credits by taking classes, attending symposiums, and webinars. It's a blast.

What is the most rewarding part of your career?

I love helping people and their dogs figure each other out. People become dog owners because they want companionship. Dogs are really part of our families now. But they are still dogs, and having another species in your home holds challenges. Working with a trainer can help everyone get in sync faster.

1977 ST. AGNES

CB Guess edenhouse3@gmail.com Training with dogs is fun but the way they think and learn isn't always obvious.

My focus is on something called Day Training. Rather than you having to carve out time to attend classes and do a lot of homework, I come to your home and train your dog in her new environment. I train your dog for you and then work with you to maintain that training. Don't get me wrong, you will still need to reinforce the things that your dog learns but it's much easier to maintain than to start from scratch. I am proud of my current certifications and plan to add more. I want to keep up with the latest behavior science for my own interest and to remain certified.

There is NO regulation in this industry.

Anyone can claim to be a dog trainer. I encourage you to look for local trainers at the PetProfessionalGuild.com and the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT.com), The. This is a statement from the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior regarding choosing a trainer.

I concentrate on puppies and 'new to you' dogs. There are trainers that specialize in separation anxiety, aggression, and baby and toddler dog dynamics, and more.

Favorite SAS memory?

There are so many. Friends of course.

There were so many wonderful teachers and coaches. It was a really encouraging community. I doubt that I would have taken part in as many sports or extra-curricular activities if I'd been in a different sort of school.

The Ages of Man program was a big part of the curriculum then. That structure of relating art, history, music, and literature into their historical eras really made sense to me and painted a fuller picture of whatever era we were studying.

Anything else you'd like to share?

St. Stephens and St. Agnes is a great school in so many ways. I'm proud to say I'm an alum.

This has been a very unusual year!

I sent a group email to classmates in June to “check-in” and see how everyone was doing. I asked them to list one positive and one negative thing they had experienced as a result of the stay-in-place order and received some wonderful responses!

Many responded that changing to online working/teaching has its ups and downs…not only a shorter commute (to the living room or other in-home workspace), but also missing interactions with coworkers and friends and having a closet full of “professional clothes” that might never be worn again! For some, there was the bonus of having more time with family with college-age students at home, but for others it was difficult not being able to travel to see family or be with parents and other loved ones in assisted living facilities. Some of us rediscovered our cooking and baking abilities! Several of us were disappointed and sad about having to cancel long-anticipated trips and special family traditions. We are also grateful for the wonderful education we received at St. Agnes and recall fondly our years there as some of the best times of our lives!

Margo Hannifin writes that “being a natural introvert, the lockdown hasn't caused too much interference, and since we live in Mars Hill, N.C., we're automatically distanced.” She is taking a break from renovating the farmhouse and navigating the world in a new way.

Margo expresses what many of us are feeling, that we are looking forward to a new forecast for 2021, and to being able to hug people again.

Mary Thekla Brosnan-Sell writes that she is currently working remotely for her D.C. job in Government Affairs from her Thoroughbred Breeding/ Training/Sales Farm. She is enjoying fox hunting as a joint master of the Loudoun Hunt, where she organized the celebration and recognition of its 125th Anniversary at the State Capitol last February. Mary also leads the Jefferson County Commission's Water Advisory Committee; is active in the local League of Women Voters; serves as the legislative chair of the West Virginia Thoroughbred Breeders Association; and treasurer of West Virginia Racing United. Mary reports that remote living on a farm during

the pandemic and working with thoroughbreds in the breeding/racing and after-care careers has been a lucky draw for her and her husband, Mark.

Martha Carr is doing well and looking forward to getting a vaccine.

She writes that “fortunately, books sold well in 2020, and being able to escape to magical realms during the workday is not a bad gig.” She has enjoyed making s'mores around the firepit and baking bread, but says it's time to “lose that COVID weight.” Martha has been taking kayaking lessons, mostly learning how to get in and out of the boat, and loves it. She was the only person who wanted lessons in January in Austin.

Mimi Beggs Larsen is a freelance writer for three weekly newspapers and is the primary staff for two of them. She provides “reporting, feature articles, sports, or whatever local content they need.” The third is a Native (Sioux) newspaper, and she has been writing a series about addiction and the local resources available for recovery and relapse prevention.

She says, “These articles are going in all three newspapers and picked up by the only other newspaper in the county. It means a lot to me to have a part in helping people with addictions receive the help they need.”

She adds that the local 107-year-old newspaper, The Rosholt Review, was sold to new owners, including a “nice young couple full of vim and vigor.”

Fifteen years ago, Mimi offered to buy the paper because it would have been her dream job. However, now that husband, Kevin, has retired, they are enjoying having the flexibility to see grandkids, go on vacation, or whatever on the spur of the moment. She is glad that she is being kept on to do the local writing because it's fun and she doesn't get bored.

Catherine Hemenway Siewick, who was at St. Agnes from grades six through nine, writes that at the beginning of 2020 she hiked the famous Kalalau Trail, Kauai, Hawaii, which is known for being one of the world's most beautiful and dangerous trails. Since her retirement, which began in February, Catherine is focused on health and fitness and is biking as much as possible. She hopes that cycle trips planned for France and the Pacific Coast won't be canceled.

She invites any of us to cycle with her!

Katherine Dols reports that she and her family are staying safe and healthy. She states that she was happy Spring 2021 | 61

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to realize that our next reunion is not until 2022 and that hopefully, COVID won't keep us from getting together for our 45th (gulp!). She sends “good thoughts to our SAS class that we all stay healthy and can gather for a maskless reunion soon!”

We were sad to hear that Melanie McCrady Page's mom died in 2020, before the pandemic. Melanie writes that she misses her mom but is relieved that she didn't have to deal with the horrific stress of the COVID environment. Melanie was able to be with her mom and comfort her through the end. She enjoyed having dinner with Mimi Larsen '77 and Catherine Siewick '77 in March 2020 prior to the virus restrictions. Melanie writes that she is also looking forward to our next class reunion, where hopefully we will be able to get together and see everyone in person.

Jamie Beverly Waldrop writes that all is well in Roanoke. She got her first vaccine and her husband is one shot ahead of her. She states that she is looking forward to getting back out in the world soon.

Linda Scheer Williams is still teaching Applied Statistics and Business at Tidewater Community College, although, as she says, she has “been banished to my living room since March 2020.” They hope to get at least 50% of classes back on campus by the fall semester, starting in August. Linda writes that she has become quite adept at managing a virtual classroom and her students seem to be adapting fairly well.

She became department chair for the Business Pathway last summer, and that has certainly filled much of the “free time” she was concerned about having in between classes. She continues to spend a great deal of time writing course materials and releasing them under a Creative Commons License so that students do not have to purchase overpriced textbooks. She is releasing an Entrepreneurship course in the fall. She reports that the Outer Banks area has been and remains filled with tourists who would rather quarantine at the beach than at home. She states that although it has been a challenge for the community to balance the needs of a tourist economy and COVID protocols, they have fared better than many areas. In November Linda “welcomed a new member to the family” when she brought an English Bulldog puppy home! Linda says, “Myrtle is a neverending source of joy and anguish as I try to train her. They don't say 'stubborn 62 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

as a bulldog' for fun.” She concludes by saying that “considering that 2020 was a dumpster fire of epic proportions and the jury is still out on what 2021 will bring, I am happy to report that all is well in my little world.”

Some sad news: We extend sympathy to Mary Whitmore Kleger, whose mother died in March 2020, and to Leesa Dinwiddie Kerns, whose mother died in December 2020.

I, CB Guess, wrote last year that we would be moving to Raleigh in the summer of 2020. The pandemic restrictions definitely changed our plans! We can finally work on emptying our house in South Carolina to sell it and plan to be living in North Carolina before March 2021. As I have been cleaning out boxes, I have found lots of memorabilia from my SAS days! I have posted pictures of some of these things on our Class of 1977 group on Facebook. Some of the posts have sparked lots of fun comments. I found a sheet that had the words for the gold team cheers and another one with the words for the St. Agnes song, which led to some virtual stomping! We also discovered that after all the years, we can still recite the Canterbury Tales: General Prologe! “Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote, The droughte of March hath perced to the roote…

These interactions help us to stay connected, at least virtually, and are lots of fun! 2020 has been a challenging year for many people. It is easy to get discouraged. However, we can find light in the darkness when we try.

In her response to the June check-in email, Melanie expressed this optimism beautifully when she wrote that one positive thing she has noticed is “the resiliency of the human race. I believe that we can emerge stronger, wiser, and more compassionate from these hardships. The stories I've heard of how others are helping one another have warmed my heart, and your inspiring stories fall into that category!” Stay safe, everyone. See you in 2022!

1978 ST. STEPHEN'S Rob Long long.rob@gmail.com

Tom Mustin is a news anchor and reporter at KMGH-TV, the ABC station in Denver, Colo. Tom received two 2020 Heartland Regional Emmy Awards, one for anchoring breaking news coverage of an armed suspect shooting at police officers and the other for his

Tom Mustin '78 A news anchor and reporter at KMGH-TV, the ABC station in Denver, Colo., Tom received two 2020 Heartland Regional Emmy Awards, one for anchoring breaking news coverage of an armed suspect shooting at police officers and the other for his live reporting from the STEM school shooting scene.

live reporting from the STEM school shooting scene.

1980 ST. AGNES Ann Webb AWebb@geologics.com

Wow, what a year it has been! COVID and its impact on our lives is a pervasive theme. We are strong, and we will push through. Many of us are saddened to learn of Leslie Smith's passing in late November after suffering from a progressive disease. Please keep Leslie and her family in your prayers.

Jane Masterson reports that despite her plans for moving their lives (hers and partner Stewart's) to Italy for six months of every year, her designs were thwarted. Jane and Stewart both were ill with COVID in March and survived at home, determined not to be hospitalized. Jane's antibodies are good, and she has donated convalescent plasma eight times as well as whole blood. Unfortunately, she has been unemployed since March 2020, and there are feeble predictions that theater and all live entertainment might be able to come back this coming autumn.

In August Jane and Stewart joined hundreds of New Yorkers flocking upstate to buy getaway homes. Unable to resist a challenge, they purchased a derelict farmhouse that had been an antique store. The store had been closed for 40 years and was hoarder full to the brim, as were the large barn and three outbuildings.

Sophia Phass Doulis shares that after 32 years working in Falls Church, she moved her dental office back to Alexandria! She is loving the new location and is thankful that amid the COVID crisis, she still has a business.

Tracy Nelson Geschickter continues to teach, and her husband, Bear '85, is practicing law. They see her brother, Scott '85, and his family often, as they live in Raleigh. Tracy's daughter works part-time for Bear's brother's (Tad '81) NASCAR team in Charlotte. Her sister, Lori Nelson Cochran '81, and brotherin-law, Rick, just moved into their new home in New Braunfels, Texas, and they love it.

Karen Mierke Hausfeld and her husband have settled into their new home in South Chesterfield, southwest of Richmond, near their daughter, Kelley, and granddaughter, Sophie (9). Kelley is virtually attending Yale Medical School to become a physician's assistant. Son Tony is staying with Karen now, and the family speaks with daughter Christina in Singapore often.

She's becoming a practitioner of Eastern Healing modalities.

Susie Holleder Connors and her

husband, Jerry, sold their house of 30 years. They are temporarily living at their vacation home in Chesapeake Beach (Chic's Beach) near Virginia Beach. Susie is counting the days until she can retire—715 as of this writing.

Mary-McLean Bancroft Jones reports that Bradenton, Fla., has been a good place to spend this year of COVID. She and her husband, Lee, have a beautiful view of Sarasota Bay and Longboat Key, and birdlife on the bay has kept them entertained when they are inside. They have witnessed night heron nesting in the pine trees and manatees mating in the bay. Lee is a good cook so they have learned to love eating at home, and the warm weather has allowed for lots of outdoor activities including walking with neighbors, swimming, sailing, and paddle boarding. When this pandemic is over, Mary McLean will be on the first airplane to Bruges, Vienna, or Barcelona.

Elizabeth Kryder-Reid is still happily in the world of academia—now Chancellor's professor —at Indiana University Indianapolis teaching museum studies and anthropology (mostly via Zoom in the past year).

Elizabeth's current research is on “toxic heritage” and how thinking about environmental harm as part of human heritage makes a difference in grappling with the legacy of damage humans have wrought over millennia, but particularly over the last two hundred years. She is investigating dry cleaning sites, a silver factory, Love Canal, mining in Wales,

Leslie Kelleher Harris '79 and Katie Slenker '07 were unexpectedly paired up together for a round of golf at Pinehurst in October 2020. They had a delightful time getting to know each other after realizing they were fellow Saints alumnae!

industrial tourism in New Castle, and WWI battlefields in France. On the homefront, husband Tom is happily retired from full-time Episcopal priest duties, but enjoying half-time focusing on pastoral care and education at the cathedral in Indianapolis. Elizabeth's three daughters are in various stages of “adulting.” Emily is newly engaged to fiance Arash, and they are the proud parents of a basset puppy “Sad Carl.” Caroline, who works in human resources, is a coordinator for a health care education program and launching a home bakery business (being a taster is dangerous for all waistlines concerned!).

Grace is a sophomore at Indiana University Bloomington, playing guitar in a girl band, and figuring out how to save the planet and end patriarchy.

Viki Harwood Bires reports that like everyone else, she is spending a lot of time close to home. The good news is that both of her kids have been at home, too. Son Lucas is heading back to UVA for the spring semester. He joined Army ROTC this year and is loving the morning workouts. Daughter Nikki will be spending her second semester at Roosevelt University virtually and has already switched from an acting major to a journalism major. Viki and husband Frank continue to run the mortgage business in Alexandria that her parents started.

Roxann Wheeler could use a long vacation, preferably on a beach! What a lovely idea.

Jessica Woodman Godwin and husband Terry are well and enjoying life in their 55+ active living community, Celebrate Del Webb in Fredericksburg.

Her work at the FBI is a positive challenge and keeps her busy—Jessica recently created a new course for agent trainees focusing on investigating criminal enterprises. Terry just retired, (again) mostly recently from Census.

Her children are doing great—daughter Jane is a counselor in Colorado, and son Costa and his wife Katie just bought a home in Montclair, Va., making them much closer to Jessica and Terry for visits. Costa works for Amazon Web Services and Katie is a cardiac nurse with INOVA. Sadly, Jessica's sister, Debroah Woodman Carrico '76, died of cancer in November followed by our classmate Leslie Smith who died from her progressive disease. Leslie will be buried with her late father, Dr. Smith, this spring. Jessica will miss Leslie's great courage and her artistic spirit and endeavors.

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: MIKE MARTIN '83 Accomplished Sailor and Engineer

North Americans Championships in 1985 and the Collegiate Singlehanded Championships in 1988, the same year that our team was ranked number one in the country. During college, I also campaigned for the 1988 Olympic spot in a boat called a Finn.

Ultimately I did not win the U.S. Olympic Trials, but in the process as a member of the US Sailing Team, I had the opportunity to travel around the globe competing against the top sailors in the world.

Mike Martin ‘83 was featured in the May issue of Sailing World Magazine as he’s the co-Rolex Yachtsmen of the Year of the International 505 class!

How did you get to where you are today in the sailing profession? How has this affected your engineering career?

It has been a long road and one that is very different from that of most of the top sailors. Most successful racers come from yacht clubs with junior programs and coaches. None of that existed in Alexandria so I started racing with the local adult Laser (a one-person boat) fleet down at the Washington Sailing Marina.

One of the sailors, James Jacobs, was a St. Stephen's alumni, and he took me under his wing and helped me out along the way. I was improving as fast as I could just through asking questions and figuring it out on my own.

When I was about 14, I was lucky enough to team up with a very skilled local sailor, Bret Barbehenn, on his 3-person boat. I was able to learn a great deal from him and we did quite well together, including winning a national championship. The skills that I learned were applicable to my Laser sailing and really helped my results in that fleet. The Laser was an important class to do well in since it was the primary single-handed boat used in collegiate sailing. Due to these results, I was recruited by several universities and ended up at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia as a student-athlete. Old Dominion had a great program with a full-time coach and some of the country's top sailors. In this environment, I really developed as a competitor, winning the Laser

64 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

In 1990 I moved to Southern California to continue this effort again for the 1992 Olympics but did so while trying to maintain a full-time job, which proved not to be a realistic approach. The Finn is a very powerful boat that must be about 220 pounds to be competitive. In order to attain this weight, I would wear about 30 pounds of water in a vest. These vests were banned after 1992 effectively making me no longer competitive in that boat. At this point, I switched to a boat called a 505. (5.05 meters long).

I teamed up with a very talented sailor from Long Beach, Ca. named Howard Hamlin and we began to not only sail together but in an effort to win a world championship, built a training program based on what I had learned from my collegiate and US Sailing Team experience. Our efforts paid off in 1999 when we not only won the World Championships in Quiberon France, but our training partners finished second. At that point, no one had ever won the 505 worlds as a skipper and as a crew. Having won as a crew and knowing that most of my sailing experience was as a skipper, I switched positions and set a goal to be the first. It took 10 years, but in 2009, my crew Jeff Nelson and I won the 505 World Championship in San Francisco.

My entire adult life, I had made it a point to try and keep my professional career and sailing career separate. I am a mechanical engineer, and up to this point, had full-time employment with companies such as Canon, Hewlett Packard, and Alcon Surgical Devices. In 2010, I broke my rule and became the Director of Rules and Umpiring for the 34th America's Cup that would be held in San Francisco in 2013. The position included developing a virtual umpiring system that used GPS data to track the boats to 2-centimeter accuracy at 10 Hz. This was a super interesting job but ironically did not allow any time for me to compete for myself.

At the conclusion of the America's Cup in 2013, I returned to working in the engineering world, running an engineering team at Synapse Product Development where I am working to date.

I also found a new teammate in Adam Lowry and revamped the training program that had worked so well in the past and brought it to Northern California. Together we won the 505 World Championships in 2016, and in 2019 our training group swept the podium with Adam and I coming out on top. For this success, we were named the 2019 Rolex US Sailing Yachtsmen of the Year, an award granted to the greatest on the water achievement of 2019.

Were you involved in athletics at St. Stephen's?

Yes. I was on the JV football team as a wide receiver in my freshman and sophomore years. The summer sailing schedule

1985 ST. AGNES Taylor Kiland taylorkiland@gmail.com

conflicted with training camp and weekend games in the fall so I did not try out for football in my junior and senior years. I was on the wrestling team my freshman, sophomore, and junior years. I did not join the team during my senior year because I was trying to gain weight for sailing, which did not mix well with cutting weight for wrestling. I was on the track team all four years and competed in the long jump, triple jump, pole vault, 110 hurdles, the 880 relay, and mile relay. During my senior year, I was captain and MVP of the track team.

Were any St. Stephen's teachers instrumental in your life?

Yes. There was one teacher, Dr. Bill Van Swearingen who taught French and Spanish. However, the lesson that he taught me had nothing to do with languages. It was more of a wake-up call and philosophy on life.

Any time I came up with an excuse for not performing or putting effort into something, he would call out my behavior as “the victim mentality,” that it must not be my fault because of someone else's actions. It taught me that I was ultimately responsible for my own actions, errors, and also successes. As an adolescent, this was a critical realization and I still look back at this as one of the most valuable lessons that I have ever learned.

Jessica Bernanke and Neil Ewachiw were married on July 19, 2019, in a small ceremony at her parent's home in Alexandria, Va. Jessica and Neil met years ago on Rehoboth Avenue, when they struck up a friendly conversation about egg sandwiches. They are now living in Tunis, Tunisia, while Neil serves at the US Embassy there.

Jenny Kuhns Indelicato's oldest daughter is a sophomore at University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Her younger twins, Michelle and Alicia, are seniors in high school.

Roshna Wunderlich, a professor at James Madison University, has a three-year-old, Jacob Wunderlich, born May 2017. My daughter, Kiland Hatcher '31 (8), and Jacob recently gathered for a pizza-making adventure.

1987 ST. AGNES

Shelly Webb shelly.webb.108@gmail.com Hilary Vaughan Flanagan hilvaughan@yahoo.com Sarah Williams put together a beautiful book collecting our classmates' experience of the pandemic, including paintings by our former English Teacher Suznne Haney and some contributions by other faculty. A very big thanks to Sarah. More than half of the class participated and she really brought us

Roshna Wunderlich's '85 son Jacob and Taylor Kiland's '85 daughter Kiland Hatcher.

together in this strange time.

1988 ST. AGNES Cristin Curry De Silva ccdesilva1@gmail.com

Thanks to Elizabeth Banks Hawkins for arranging a Class of '88 Zoom call back in May. Sixteen of us were able to attend and have a much needed catch up with one another.

Elizabeth Kane writes from Arlington: “We are all working remotely and have been since March of 2020. Husband Chris is still working for Congress and is our link to all things, COVID, cyberattack, and vaccination implementation, among other topics. I have been seeing patients remotely from my home

Favorite St. Stephen's memory?

I would not say that there was anyone in particular. What I think I enjoyed the most are the friendships that were formed while at St Stephen's. Despite living 3,000 miles away and almost 30 years passing by, many of those friendships still exist today and I always look forward to the opportunities to reconnect in person around events like class reunions.

Valerie McCord '86 with husband Jason and their five children.

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office and will complete my COVID vaccination series on Friday...everyone please get your vaccine when available.

Nate is in fifth grade and is pursuing Tae Kwon Do and violin via Zoom and Skype. He is currently at his bo dun belt and will test for his black belt in the coming months. We are lucky to have my parents and brother in Alexandria, and have enjoyed visiting for company and a change of scenery.

Our condolences to Julie Eady Rao, whose father passed away in January at home in Nova Scotia, where Susie and Mrs. Eady are still living. Julie writes: “ Vik and I are now in our fourth year living in Los Angeles, with our very active German Shepherd. We are building a vacation home in Hawaii, so have been spending quite a bit of time there. My son, Jordan, graduated from UCLA this spring and is now working (remotely) for a talent agency. My daughter, Jaimie, has taken this year off from Harvard because she didn't want to miss any of the on-campus experience, and has been working in Toronto as an intern in investment banking. She will return to school in the fall to continue studying computer science and take the role as volleyball team captain.”

Alexandra Scott Thompson writes from Seattle, her home of 25 years: “Life here for us is better than for many, but one cannot deny that our city has been ravaged as have so many by the poisons of systemic racism and COVID-19—I hope that we see improvement in both for the sake of our children. Alan's working from home, continuing his long career at Boeing, currently representing the company as it navigates the EU chemical use guidelines, REACH. Rebecca (7th grade) and Nicole (4th grade) are doing distance learning and finding ways to hang out with their friends, COVID-style, both playing violin and staying active in Girl Scouts.

I left my job as a project/program manager in local government to be with the kids and volunteer as much as I can, mostly in food security and literacy issues. We started geocaching recently and are enjoying urban outings.” Let her now if you are ever in Seattle!

Claire Jenkins Porter writes: “We are surviving and maybe thriving, during COVID. I go into my 'real' office at the State Department of Education once a week, and work from home, to the delight, or regret, of my family, the rest of the week. Stephen remains a lazy tenured professor at N.C. State University. Nicholas runs cross country and has almost completed his entire 66 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

freshman year via virtual instruction.

Grace, a junior, plays on the women's lacrosse team and is pursuing the International Baccalaureate Diploma at her high school.”

Tanya Willis Anderson writes: “My husband, Marty, and I have been working from home since last March and thankfully, have been well. My parents, also here in Alexandria, are doing well, as is my 94-year-old grandmother. My son, Ben, 21, attends Radford and has been home since October remote learning; he goes back next week for spring semester. My son, Zack, 13, is sick of virtual eighth grade but has settled into a good rhythm with the way the world is. Marty and I will celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary in April; I've only ever lived in my hometown so am always envious of those who travel and live away— Alexandria has changed so much!!

Karen Belevetz DeHaven writes: “Truth—as an embodied empath, I have had to work every day to clarify what my grief response was to so many lost opportunities in 2020 as well as the those of my beloveds and my patients...I spent March learning all about Telehealth and online practices that had me frequently reminding myself “I have a Masters. I CAN do this!” What a learning curve! Now, I'm Leveled Up and helping my expanding practice to do the same. My husband, Bill, has been able to grow his contracting business with the local shift to home improvement projects. We were able to celebrate my 50th birthday with a weeklong RV adventure to the Finger Lakes for a paddle boarding and hiking vacation—Amazing … if you have someone onboard who feels comfortable pulling a 20' trailer.

Sabrina Gilmore Scanlon writes: “All is well in the Scanlon household. My twins are busy preparing applications for high school next year. How is that possible? I've also really enjoyed seeing the updates from classmates: doctors on the frontline; economists on the other side of the world; history is now makers; patriarchy smashers; entrepreneurs and all the other things that people are doing that don't show up on my feed.

Class of '88 is killing it! Looking forward to our next zoom reunion.”

Kathleen Hobson Davis writes that she lives in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, an eastern suburb of Cleveland. She works as a social worker with Courage to Caregivers, a nonprofit providing support to caregivers of those with mental health issues across the United

States. She also serves on a national committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Committee on the Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health.

Sharon Dewey Cassidy writes: “I am still very much enjoying working my home-based business with Monat, distributing vegan, anti-aging hair care, skincare, and now wellness products.

Business has actually increased since the shut down, and I'm thankful to be home to help my four kids with their e-learning which is still 100% virtual. Over the summer, we escaped to Rehoboth Beach for a week of sun and fun and were thankful that Melissa Kuhn Cetola and family were able to join us! We've also enjoyed many weekend getaways to the Bay where we enjoy boating and eating lots of crabs!”

Victoria Lavington writes: “I have been working remotely as a speechlanguage pathologist for a public elementary school in Brooklyn. My husband has been working remotely and homeschooling our children, Sylvia (12) and Philip (6). We are all looking forward to resuming in-person school again as soon as we can be vaccinated.

We have spent our time at home playing card games, going for walks, baking, and watching movies. My children have spent far more time than I wish on their devices but hopefully, one year of too much screen time won't permanently brain damage them!

I, Cristin Curry De Silva, have moved back from Singapore and am settling into life in the Washington, D.C. area with my husband and daughter after 17 years away.

1989 ST. AGNES Amanda Edwards acefoto@aol.com

In keeping with the locked-down theme of these strangest of days, it would seem that the majority of the Class of 1989 has, indeed, taken to hibernating. By that I mean I only heard back from a small handful of classmates when I sent out my annual request for news. I might have little choice but to up my Zoom game in the future. For now, here is what I've been able to glean via email and Messenger.

Melanie Bartol Jones continues to live and sell real estate in beautiful Raleigh, N.C. She and Alice Nostrand Riviere (who lives on the northern neck of Virginia) swap real estate war stories on a regular basis. According to Melanie, the highlight of quarantine has

condolences and deepest sympathy to Jamie Junghans Shaw whose mother, Jane DeGué Ferguson Junghans '56, passed away in February 2020, and Alexandra Woodman Johnson whose eldest sister, Deborah “Debbie” Woodman Carrico '76, passed in November 2020. I know we all send our love and best wishes to their families.

1990 ST. AGNES Sarah Goldsmith slgoldsmith@yahoo.com

Angela Miller '89 and Tanya Dobrzynski '89 have been meeting up regularly for hikes. been Zooming with a number of fellow Lambs, including Anna Toepffer Eckel, Paige Henke Hillegass, Jamie Junghans Shaw, Allison Walker Mowers, and Lisa Watson Burnes. They even pulled off a co-ed Zoom session with some of the SSS guys including Chris Simpson, Charles Mitchell, Brent Peacher, Tim Bagley, and Geoff Kent. Like so many others, Melanie has learned how to bake bread and continues to juggle the challenges of keeping three teenage girls educated and entertained. No small task.

Lee Casselman Whelan is also juggling a full household which includes two children who have resiliently adapted to academic life in the wake of a global pandemic. Both have picked up new sports, rowing for 6-foot tall Connor and ski racing for 10-year-old Ellie. Connor is also strumming out angsty chords on his guitar, giving Lee a fun preview of the teenage years that lie ahead! Like Melanie, Lee has also enjoyed reconnecting with SAS classmates online.

As a side note, it's crazy to think we were all passing around and screaming into a couple of shared karaoke microphones just over a year ago at our 30th reunion!

Continuing the Zoom theme, Ashley Hanchey Bigelow has been enjoying weekly virtual cocktail hours with regular attendees Alexandra Woodman Johnson, Yasmin Tuazon, Ann Tiedeman, Pammy Gill, Gratia O'Rourke Barnett, Wiley Shelor Hunnicutt, Mike Trimble, Dwight Grimm, and Ian Jones. According to Ashley, it's been wonderful staying in such consistent contact with everyone.

An unexpected gift in otherwise difficult

times. Ashley has put her real estate career on hold as she has been traveling back and forth from Indiana to Virginia to care for her parents. One silver lining has been that she's had extra time to see a few close SAS friends in person during her visits home. Masked and distanced, of course.

Tanya Dobrzynski and Angela Miller have managed to stay sane and connected by meeting up regularly for hikes and paddle board yoga classes.

Angela also recently became a doggie mama to a gorgeous pandemic pup named “Bader”.

Echoing sentiments from a few years ago, Gratia O'Rourke Barnett reports that her life remains a bit on the boring side. She and her teenage daughter dyed their hair for the holidays which is apparently the most exciting thing that's happened in a while.

As for me, Amanda Edwards, I feel lucky to have been able to hit the proverbial Pause button. Life hasn't been without its challenges, but I have loved the slower pace and the opportunities that have come with it.

Lee mentioned that this is the longest she has gone without a new stamp in her passport. The same holds true for me. It's been strange (understatement), but sitting still for once has been revelatory. Just having time to simply BE has been extraordinary. Of course, I am acutely aware of all the suffering this pandemic has brought to countless people. It is my sincerest hope that life will eventually return to a better kind of normal. I feel like I have learned a lifetime of lessons these past however many months. For that, I am and will be forever grateful.

I want to finish by extending

Greetings all! Not that many responded to my call for Class Notes, most likely because you all have been doing what Lee Carosi Dunn wrote that she's been doing “work and school.”

And well, that's pretty much all I've been doing, along with cooking, dishes, procurement (those hard-to-find delivery slots!), and trying to stay out of the liquor cabinet! Seriously, though, all is well for us—nothing has really been open except grocery stores, but we do have a weekly delivery slot so we are good to go! We managed to buy a house right before the first lockdown in March.

We were able to finalize the purchase when lockdown eased and moved in August, and are happy to be somewhat settled while going through our latest lockdown. Hopefully by the time you read this, the world is right again, and we've all been vaccinated!

Congratulations is due to Dr. Olivia Titus Dalu, who received tenure at the College of Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina.

A huge honor and well-earned.

Congratulations, Olivia! We are very proud of you!

Kirsten Curtis writes that she and her husband returned from Zambia at the end of March 2020 and finished out the rest of their tour from the States due to the pandemic. She says, “We had a great tour and were fortunate to be able to get to know Zambia as well as travel regionally before the pandemic hit. In Zambia we met wonderful people, went on safaris, and saw the largest falls in the world. I was also able to make it to Mali, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, England, Australia, and New Zealand, so I have some great memories now that we've been unable to travel for a while. I am planning on remaining in the D.C. area for my next assignment and am looking forward to catching up with friends and family.”

Michael and I, Sali Rakower, have spent this year largely in our home in Scarsdale, where Michael has worked Spring 2021 | 67

CLASS NOTES

virtually since March and four of our children have attended school virtually (Sammy, who is 1, learns daily lessons from his siblings). We spent four months in Long Island and several weeks in the Catskills. We are currently visiting my parents in Alexandria, whom we had not seen in over a year due to COVID. We are grateful to be healthy and safe and wish all of you and your respective families a healthy and happy year.

And Katherine Schupp Zeringue has written that she too doesn't have much to report. “The only new thing is that I rearranged my living room furniture to accommodate my Christmas tree. I have gone on a few trips close to home to break up the monotony—West Virginia, Virginia, and the Outer Banks—but miss traveling terribly. Actually Jody Carlberg Astrom, Maggie Prouty Arnold, and I were all in the Outer Banks at the same time, but didn't get to see each other due to COVID. I've gotten into birding after reviving a pair of binoculars.”

I, Sarah Goldsmith, have also gotten into birding, and knitting, and sewing, and I made a doll's house (Seriously!

Wallpapered it and everything!), and finally learned how to make a Spanish tortilla! See, always a silver lining! Never did finish that novel, though…Hope you all had a healthy and productive 20202021, and look forward to seeing you all again when it is all back to normal.

share in this crazy new world.

Everyone is facing the challenges of educating their children at home and working alongside one another. Jonathan Hunt worked on groundbreaking, 3-D printable face shields at MIT, Dr. Gautam Gulati launched his audio-doc-series, “Superhumans,” and Don Theerethada filmed Matrix 4 (Stay tuned for the release!). Lisa Meltz lost her mountain home to the California fires, but her family also moved to a beautiful new house in San Francisco. Tammy Smoker is busy coaching her son Holden in all sports, and when she realized that her work travel would continue to be on hold indefinitely, she launched a mask company, The Pretty Masks.

She says, “This has been an amazing, eye-opening experience, as I visit local farmer's markets and connect with the people who are my neighbors and our farmers and providers.”

This year has been about the strength of our own personal and local communities as we socially distance from our friends and loved ones. Here's hoping that next year's update will be filled with great news, travel plans and exciting updates about everyone!

Wishing our SSSAS family a healthy 2021 and thank you to our communities for keeping us all together, whenever, wherever!

1993 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES

Melissa New melissafootenew@gmail.com

Caroline Worsley Koca caroline.worsley@gmail.com

Greetings from the SSSAS class of 1993. Since last we met, our world has been faced with incredibly difficult changes, challenges, and sadness. In times like these, I find it helpful to reflect on the foundations of my own life and the strength it gives me as we walk through the days. SSSAS is a fundamental part of all of our lives, and I believe that the memories made, that we share together, keep us strong while facing adversity. Last year, we were able to share a comprehensive update of our classmates activities. This year feels different, as we have all been witness to this pandemic and are all working on living our lives in new ways because of it.

Throughout the year, some people have connected through zoom chats or group texts, Facebook pages and Instagram feeds... all with the same goal—to be hopeful together, and to 68 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

1994 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES Given the unusual and isolating circumstances of this past year, the hugs and conversations of our 25th reunion in October 2019 seem like very distant memories. It was great to hear from some of you and know you are hanging in there. My 14-year-old daughter, Ibby, recently told me every day seems to bring another “once in a lifetime event.”

I guess she has a point. My husband, Mason, and I live in Richmond with Ibby and our son, Mason (12). Though we have not left Virginia since March, we have spent a lot of time on the Rappahannock River over the summer, fishing, tubing, and exploring. Our kids have remained in school for most of this year, and our families are healthy. For all this, we are grateful. I hope you all are healthy as well. Here is what a few of our other classmates have been up to.

Michelle McCarten is going on 21 years of teaching elementary general music and chorus and pursuing her

National Board Certification for teachers.

David Flemming reports, “We spent our 2020 at home like almost everyone. We've lived in San Francisco for 17 years now. Our oldest two daughters are freshmen in high school at a great San Francisco school called Lick Wilmerding. Our son is a fifth grader. All are doing remarkably well considering this last year. Jes and I will celebrate our 20th anniversary in October. I have continued to work in broadcasting for the Giants and for ESPN. I have a home studio now, and at least until we can get through COVID I am doing most of my games from home.

My mom and dad are still in Alexandria and all of us are looking forward to our next visit. I hope you all are doing well!”

Meaghan Kent is living in Miami and working as a curator at the Art and Culture Center/Hollywood. She still finds time to FaceTime regularly with Jen and Liz and said she loved seeing everyone at the reunion.

2000 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES Elizabeth Donatelli elizabeth.donatelli@gmail.com

This was a crazy year and certainly one that none of us will forget. I, Elizabeth Donatelli, had the great fortune of getting married this year.

While our original wedding date in April was canceled due to COVID-19, we were thrilled to tie the knot in November instead. It was a much smaller ceremony, but it was so special to have Randall Winnette, Boupha Soulatha Inskeep, and Karen Owens in attendance.

While 2020 will always be associated with a worldwide pandemic, it's easy to forget that 2020 also marked our 20th year since graduating from high school.

Here aresome highlights.

Glenn Spitler and his wife, Mollye, welcomed their first child, Tucker, into the world on January 13, 2021, bringing joy to their family to start the new year.

Jesse Gael Guzman was born on February 5, 2020 to Allison Swindell Guzman and Pedro Guzman. He's named after Allison's grandfather Jesse and mother Jessica. Marina has done a great job as a big sister.

Madia Willis turned years of corporate design, sourcing, and product development experience into an entrepreneurial venture. Black Paper Party was born out of a love for Black Culture and the recognition that Black

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: MADIA WILLIS '00 Product Development Manager at Five Below

Once stay at home orders were in place, we had to immediately react to people's changing lifestyle and new buying decisions. Consumers were focusing inward on the home— home improvement projects and home offices—and we needed to react to how consumers were choosing to spend their money.

Working for a store that was selling nothing that people needed for a pandemic lifestyle, we had to add consumables (cleaning supplies, masks, hand sanitizer) to their product lineup and learn how to make the store relevant in the moment.

How is business now?

In August, the Alumni Office chatted with Madia Willis '00 to learn more about how her work has changed since March in response to the shift in lifestyles and consumerism due to COVID-19. Madia is currently the product development manager at Five Below, where she focuses on creative direction, sourcing, and trend projection in retail.

Since we spoke with, Madia has launched an entrepreneurial venture, blackpaperparty. com, providing gifting solutions and resources through culturally relevant products that spread joy and celebrate Black families during the November and December holidays.

How has your work shifted in the last six months?

When COVID hit, I started by monitoring the virus in China, where a large amount of her suppliers are based. I followed factory closures and the opening and closings of ports, which would affect their shipments and inventory.

Five Below has 1,000 stores, so the company is nimble enough financially but small enough to also be able to make changes that big stores aren't able to make. After being closed for two months, Five Below was able to reopen with new and relevant inventory.

For example, Five Below has always offered candy and chips but they wanted to start selling frozen foods, milk, and bread (for example), which meant the investment in freezers and refrigerators in stores in certain markets. There was a new need for a snack and food buyer within the company, who had to deal with a whole new level of regulations. Making partnerships with brands that they hadn't worked with before (Proctor & Gamble, Lysol, Clorox) was a new business line that had to be learned and implemented.

What do you anticipate next in the retail industry?

At the end of summer 2020, companies such as Pier One, Neiman Marcus, JCrew, Brooks Brothers, Forever 21, Ann Taylor, and Justice announced store closures and bankruptcy.

There is so much carryover inventory between seasons, the inventory retailers had already purchased for future seasons is in danger of not selling as the product no longer fits into our current lifestyles.

The mass discount market will continue to do well and a strong e-commerce platform will be necessary for success and growth. If a company cannot deliver the product from an online market, they will not be successful or sustainable.

Companies also need to respond to consumer demand.

For example, loungewear as a category vs. “Rent the Runway” has shot up in demand, as well as work-out wear. Similarly, the blending of multi-purpose spaces in the home has created a demand for home designs and decor and people are working from their homes like they never have before.

What did you most enjoy about being part of the SSSAS community?

What I enjoyed most about SSSAS was how well rounded it was. I could be a three-sport athlete, lead on the student council, take art classes, and excel academically. I think this experience has served me well in a career that requires an equal amount of left and right-brained thinking.

I think that we will continue to see retailers go out of business.

Spring 2021 | 69

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JAMIE WYLIE '00 AND ANDREW KEEN '00 Customer Relationship Management Content Producer and Senior Contracts Administrator

We caught up with two alumni from the Class of 2000: Jamie Wylie '00 and Andrew Keen '00. They both talk about their recent experiences as participants on TV shows “Jeopardy” (Jamie) and the “Great Chocolate Showdown” (Andrew).

Jamie currently lives in Los Angeles, California, and is a CRM content producer at Walt Disney Television and Andrew lives in Falls Church, Virginia, and is a senior contracts administrator for Booz Allen Hamilton.

What TV show were you on recently and what initially piqued your interest to participate?

Jamie: I taped an episode of “Jeopardy” In 2020. I got an email about the online test and figured “why not?” I also thought it would never happen, so there wasn't anything to lose!

Andrew: I competed on the first season of the “Great Chocolate Showdown” on Food Network Canada! It's the only baking competition show centered on one ingredient.

I've been baking for six years, and a casting producer saw my Instagram posts and invited me to apply for the show.

What process did you have to go through to get on “Jeopardy” and “The Great Chocolate Showdown”?

Jamie: (“Jeopardy”) The whole process spanned roughly a year and a half. After the online test, I was invited for an in-person interview in Los Angeles. You gather with about 30 other folks at a hotel, take another test, and play a mock-round of questions with the buzzer. You meet nice people, take home a few little freebies, and then it's up to the production team.

A little over a year later (seriously), I got the call that I'd been selected to tape while my mom was visiting, so it was really special to share the news with my family in-person.

70 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

Andrew: (“The Great Chocolate Showdown”) The first round was an application discussing myself, what I like to bake, and why I wanted to be on the show. The next round was an interview and a live baking audition! I baked a chocolate lava cake while a producer watched via Skype. I had never baked lava cake before, but it came out perfectly, with the warm chocolate center that oozes when you cut into it. The producers must have liked it, because not too long after that, they called me with an offer to be on the show!

What was the experience like both on and off the camera?

Jamie: Even though I had put myself forward for this experience, by the time it came around I was so nervous— my brother Peter graciously took time off work to be in the audience and cheer me on! You arrive early on tape day to prepare, practice on the buzzer, and run through makeup.

The studio is kept VERY cold due to the lights, so I couldn't tell if I was shaking from fear or temperature! Meeting Alex Trebek was a huge honor. He was relaxed and gracious, and you could tell that he absolutely loved his job. The game itself flies by—some categories you go “I know a bit about this” and others you think “oh, no thank you.” I definitely got busted on a few questions! The one category I smashed was “Latin Phrases,” and I owe that to taking Latin at SSSAS with Mr. Joyce and Mrs. Jones.

Andrew: The days are long, but it's a lot of fun. Filming was in Toronto, and the other bakers and I would get to the studio around 7:00 a.m. and go through the wardrobe, hair, makeup, and audio. Once we're on the set, the judges present us with our next challenge, the clock starts, and then it's go time!

Baking on a set while talking to expert judges is a lot different than baking at home - I had to think about how to use ingredients in creative ways, how to adapt when something goes wrong, and how to manage my time in order to present

a competition-worthy dessert. Offcamera, I got to know the other bakers really well and learned a lot of new baking techniques. The bakers are a close group and we stay in touch.

What's next personally or professionally?

Jamie: I work in television and this fall season has been unlike any other thanks to COVID. I'm also putting the final touches on two scripts and slowly starting to plan my wedding!

Andrew: Being part of the “Great Chocolate Showdown” inspired me to invest more time in my culinary practice and get out of my comfort zone. I've been doing a lot of “quarantine baking” to explore new recipes and be more creative in my cooking and baking. No firm plans yet, but I hope it's not my last time in a televised cooking competition!

What do you enjoy most about being a part of the SSSAS community?

Jamie: There is immense joy in seeing the various paths into adulthood that my peers have taken—starting their own businesses, participating in community activism, traveling the world, raising families, and more.

We're not all traditionally in touch, but thanks to social media, I feel like I can cheer people on from afar.

Andrew: What I enjoy most is being part of an alumni community that stays engaged with the school and with each other. There are a lot of connections between different class years and it's fun to connect with other alums - when we can gather together safely. Even if I haven't seen my classmates in a long time, everyone is friendly and loves hearing about what everyone else is doing! I'm really looking forward to our 20th Reunion, which will hopefully be in the spring.

Nathaniel Guernsey '00 won accolades in his marksmanship competitions. imagery is underrepresented in the paper goods and holiday industry. She makes wrapping paper and ornaments and is looking forward to expanding in the near future.

Nathaniel Guernsey continues to win accolades in his marksmanship competitions. He was a member of a U.S. National Team squad that won the Fullbore Team National Championship in Lodi, Wis., setting a national record! Later he shot in the 300m Prone National Championship in Minneapolis, winning the match in a 5-shot tiebreaker. (It was run like the Olympic finals, which was particularly exciting.)

Brian Thompson and Tim Moll are still running the Whiskey Library, now in its seventh year, and offering virtual whiskey tastings! They were excited to partner with SSSAS for an event on February 22, 2021, during which participants had the opportunity to sample an enticing whiskey selection.

Adam Buckley is still with the State Department and is currently posted to Bucharest, Romania, after previous postings in Berlin and Mexico City.

He's looking forward to returning to the U.S. this summer.

2002 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES Virginia Pasley vbpasley@gmail.com

Hope everyone is doing okay after this year!

Elizabeth Smith DiStanislao and her family welcomed son George in April 2020, and tells us “he is a true delight.”

Allison (Lewan) Wallach '02 and husband, Dan, with son, Ben, and newborn daughter, Anne Hope

Nish Mani's '02 newborn daughter, Priya, with sister Jaya Allison Lewan Wallach and her family welcomed Anne Hope on October 26, 2020. Jen Marlay Lowry and her husband, Christian, welcomed their second son, Colin Lowry, in June 2020.

Nish Mani and his wife, Emma, welcomed their second daughter, Priya Louise Mani, on March 18, 2020. He tells us, “The timing of her birth in New York City's Lenox Hill Hospital just as the COVID crisis was accelerating certainly was not ideal, but Priya arrived safely and her mother's recovery was thankfully smooth. We spent a few months out of New York during the height of the pandemic, but her older sister Jaya Olivia Mani (3) is now enrolled in preschool and life is approaching something like 'normal' once again.”

Mary Humphreys says she is “relieved to be in her final semester Spring 2021 | 71

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KATIE EDGE '03 Healthcare Technology Executive at GetWellNetwork

weeks of March we developed and deployed remote Covid-19 care plans that allowed clinicians to monitor patients by digitally checking in (via an app, email, or text). Patients were asked a series of questions about their condition and provided reassurance, evidencebased guidance, education and triage support if necessary.

We have provided this app to frontline healthcare workers, to patients as they re-enter the healthcare system for essential treatment, to companies, schools and states to help manage return to work and school, and to those participating in mass gatherings and demonstrations in support of Black Lives Matter.

Were there any SSSAS faculty members who were instrumental in your life?

How has work shifted in the last nine months?

I am grateful to have a job that I am able to do remotely.

That luxury is not lost on me or my family and we are very grateful to those who are on the frontline in the pandemic.

Prior to the pandemic I had been working remotely for a number of years, but with two children under five and an equally demanding job for my husband it is challenging.

I credit my company GetWellNetwork for creating an environment where the constant juggle is openly shared, flexibility is encouraged, and children's Zoom appearances are celebrated. As a company we focused on our mission to engage patients and families actively in their care. Never has our work been more critical. Like all of our hospital clients, we have spent the past nine months in rapid response mode. I have a wonderful husband and quarantine crew that make this dance possible. I also give credit to my SSSAS girlfriends for our regularly scheduled online happy hours!

What is the most rewarding part of working as a part of the GetWellNetwork team?

Our mission is to help patients take an active role in their healthcare. I have loved working in this field for the last 12 years because of that mission orientation. Although the U.S. healthcare system is complex and there is much to improve, I get a lot of energy from the challenge and the ability to make a difference. For the last 20 years, GetWellNetwork has partnered with hospitals to educate and empower millions of patients and families when healthcare becomes the central focus in their lives. For everyone, COVID-19 has put healthcare front and center like never before, and I am proud of our response.

We realized when the pandemic started that we were in a unique position to use our digital capabilities to reach patients, families and hospitals quickly. In the first two

72 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

I joined SSSAS in the seventh grade and it was clear that I was going to be challenged academically. Two teachers who were instrumental during those early years were English teachers Mrs. Wolf and Mrs. Keith. Mrs. Wolf had a dreaded but effective buzzer that sounded every time we used a filler word. She successfully buzzed the word “like” out of all of us! I still think about that buzzer when I am presenting. Middle School math and science classes were separated by gender but we got lucky and had a special girls-only class with Mrs. Keith in eighth grade. I met some of my closest friends during that class. Both were gifted teachers who taught me how to write and present more clearly. They gave me the confidence to contribute in the classroom and subsequently in my career.

Favorite SSSAS memory?

There are so many wonderful memories but the one that tops them all has to be the time when our lacrosse team beat Moorestown my senior year. Moorestown entered the game ranked No. 1 nationally and had an 82-game winning streak. They refused to come down to Alexandria to play us so we traveled to New Jersey and beat them on their home field. That powerhouse team was led by the one and only Coach Kathy Jenkins. I can still remember the disbelief, thrill, and tears at the end of the game when we won 6-5.

What's next for you?

Back-to-school is the main focus at our house. My son Whit started Kindergarten this year at a school that reminds me of SSSAS—Saint Andrew's Episcopal School in Austin, Texas. We have been extremely impressed with the planning, preparedness, and precautions that the school has put into place. Although the first day of kindergarten was different than I imagined it would be, I am grateful to the teachers and staff who spent countless hours over the summer to make an on-campus learning experience possible.

Jay Williamson '03 and wife, Elizabeth, celebrate their wedding with Saints alumni. at Fordham Law (and in school ever, she means it this time). The highlight of her year was working with incarcerated New Yorkers through Fordham's criminal defense clinic.

Susanne Roberts Yoon and her husband, Rich, welcomed their first child, Declan Kenneth Yoon, on Oct. 5, 2020. She also continues to work as a physician at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City, and she encourages everyone to stay safe and wear masks!

Finally, I, Virginia Pasley, received my master's in secondary English language arts and special education from Johns Hopkins University in May, and I am starting a reading specialist certification program this spring. Hope everyone has an improved 2021!

2003 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES Adam Justus ARJustus@gmail.com

It's hard to believe that it has been almost 18 years since our class graduated from St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School. While the pandemic over the past year has not allowed our class to reconnect in-person, it has been fun to virtually connect with old friends and hear all that they have been up to over the past year.

Hans Flinch shared that in 2020, he founded a landscape architecture practice, Cairn Landscape Architects, in Jackson, Wyo., where he lives with his wife and two children.

John Moran and his wife, Fiona, were proud to have their oldest daughter, Lillian '33, start kindergarten at SSSAS this year. (Her class is even in the

Nancy Eaton classroom!) They live in Old Town with their three children Lillian (6), Edward (3), and Audrey (1). After four years of government service, John has returned to private law practice as a partner in the D.C. office of McGuireWoods LLP. Julia Reeder told me that she spent quarantine learning how to be a homeowner, a business owner, and a mom. She and her husband live in Denver and welcomed a new addition, Benjamin, to their family.

Sarah Lewis Fay shared that after some convincing by Julia Reeder, she moved from New York City to Denver, Colo., in 2013. She is enjoying it so much, she's not sure she'll ever move back East (don't tell her mother). By 2017 she had taught everything from Algebra I to AP Calculus and wanted to apply math outside the classroom, so she enrolled in a data science immersion program and now works in the customer care analytics department of Comcast's West Division. She greatly enjoys skiing and mountain biking on

the weekends with her husband and gets together with Julia often. Sarah's 1-yearold daughter, Fiona, is only 8 months older than Julia's son, Benjamin, and their mothers have reason to believe they will become fast friends.

Sarah Wesley is living in New York City and is a neurologist at Columbia focusing on autoimmune diseases of the brain and spinal cord. She had a baby in August 2020, Abigail, and also has a son named Emmett (2).

Walker Farnham spent four years teaching English in South Korea and then moved to New York City. He has been an EMT there and runs his own contractor's business. He currently lives in Manhattan and is completing the last semester of nursing school. Hopefully by this time next year, he will be working as an RN in a nearby hospital.

As for me, I, Adam Justus, completed my Ph.D. in public policy from George Mason University in December 2020.

My wife, Jessica, and I recently made the short move from an apartment in Arlington to a townhouse in Alexandria.

We love having the extra space, especially since we welcomed a baby girl in December 2020.

2004 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES Joe Sherman joe@lawfirmjvs.com

Mwenda Kazadi is working fulltime in the cocoa sector in Liberia and freelancing in agricultural finance consulting. Cocoa season runs from August to January. He vacationed with Cyprian Kibuka on Cape Verdean Island and described it as “a blast.”

Joe Sherman is litigating property rights cases all over Virginia. He is scheduled to argue several eminent domain jury trials in federal court this year defending property owners against a pipeline company taking

The Locke family at the National Arboretum: Dudley Locke '07, Madeline Hurst Locke, Connor Locke '04, Miss Harper Locke (on shoulders), Jackie Locke, and Tim Locke

Robbie Lunt '04 and his wife, Amanda, with their newborn daughter, Addie.

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74 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

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Tarek Al-Hariri '06 and his partner, Patrick, with their dog, Scottie.

Justin Bissel '06 with wife Ashley and their four children.

Robin Baxley Hawkins '06 with husband David and their newborn son, Calder.

Saudiee Brown '06 and her dog, Carter.

Adele Farella '06 and her pup, Shimmy.

Julia Farnham '06 and her dog, Hendrix.

Kevin Gallagher '06 and Virginia Terwilliger Gallagher '08 with their son Graham.

Meredith Fifer '06 and Wings, her duck.

Polly Flinch '06 and her father, Hans, with her dogs, Bandit and Becca.

Mycal Rolland '06 with wife Maxine, daughter Lydia, and newborn son Mason King.

Joe Trunzo '06 and his dog, Kiba.

Stephanie Michals Kyser '06 and her dogs, Copper and Scout.

Ian White '06 and wife Lorena with their dog, Alfred.

Emily Slabinski Tsutsuk '06 with husband Timur and their daughter, Addie.

Rachel Williams '06 and Noah James Simpson

land for a high-pressure natural gas pipeline to ship fracked gas. He also fathers beautiful children with his wife, Kaitlin, and raises them to say exciting catchphrases like “yeah baby” and “touchdown Washington Football Team!”

2006 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES Meredith Fifer meredithsfifer@gmail.com

Greetings from the class of 2006! By the time you read this we will be several months into 2021 and hopefully things will be looking up. With that said, our class decided to showcase the things we loved in 2020—things that helped us get through this treacherous year. New babies, marriages, careers, and our pets kept the year going for us and gave us a new found appreciation for the big and small moments.

As the collector of information, I will go first. I, Meredith Fifer, brought two Pekin ducklings into my life this past summer. Their names are Wings and James, and they love to eat peas, swim in their pond, and run up to greet our dogs. They are pretty friendly and have made backyard hangouts much more fun. In addition, I started a part-time home design consultant business, Meredith Fifer Design, and have enjoyed this new creative outlet. I work locally in Nashville or nationwide, so if you need help let me know! I can get the most unexcited to geek out over tile with me. I'm on instagram and my website, MeredithFiferDesign.com.

Mycal Rolland and his wife, Maxine, welcomed a son, Mason King Rolland, who was born June 12, 2020. Mycal is a senior manager overseeing the Cyber Security Practice for A3 Consulting LLC. His wife, Maxine, is a Virginia real estate agent with Pearson Smith Realty.

Margarita Jennings Brenton and Cutter Brenton welcomed their second daughter, Mia, in July 2020. She joins her big sister, Isabel (2).

Jeff Flood is still working at his dream job as a coastal planner at the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality in Richmond. He has been teleworking without a hitch since March and is thankful to be so blessed in these crazy times. His folks are also doing well and still residing in Williamsburg, so it makes for an easy trip for the holidays!

Meg Upton Summit and her husband, Matt, welcomed their son, Thomas Frederick Summit, on February 3, 2020.

Meg and her family are living in Salem, Mass.

Graham Trent is a diagnostic radiology resident at University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Tarek Al-Hariri and his partner, Patrick, welcomed a puppy into their lives! Their dog is a Japanese Spitz, so they named him F. Scott Spitzgerald, Scottie for short. A cute pun, and an even cuter puppy.

Forthe Carson is doing well and recently moved to Chicago with his wife and dog. He is working for Keyence headquarters and is automating all the warehouses and fulfillment centers of the big retail companies (Nike, Anthropologie, JCPenney, Lululemon, etc). His mom and dad are doing great and still live in Old Town, Alexandria.

His dad left the Pentagon after 20 years and now works in the Library of Congress.

Kevin Gallagher and wife Virginia Terwilliger Gallagher '08 welcomed their son, Graham, in August 2019.

They continue to live in Chicago, where Virginia is pursuing her Ph.D. in Clinical Neuropsychology at Northwestern and Kevin works in commercial real estate. All three are looking forward to the future of nonZoom socializing best enjoyed on a Chicago summer day; but until then... podding up and bracing for winter.

Emily Slabinski Tsutsuk and her husband, Timur, welcomed Adeline “Addie” Charlotte Tsutsuk into the world on January 27, 2020. They have been enjoying their bubble up in Vermont, and getting outside as much as possible.

Justin Bissel came back from another deployment, was promoted to Major and became a weapons and tactics Instructor in the F/A-18 this year. His wife, Ashley, and all four kids are doing great! All the kids are back in school full time. Justin is leaving for his fourth deployment in a few months to the Middle East.

2010 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES Kerrigan O'Malley kerrigan.omalley@gmail.com

Elizabeth Lamb is working as the field manager of an organic flower farm outside of Baltimore. In the next five years she hopes to purchase a forever farm or be close to finding the right one to purchase! In the meantime she has been renovating her rowhouse and trying to enjoy fresh air.

Kelsey Reeder started a private practice and a Ph.D. in social work at Columbia University. Her private

Maggie Taylor '07 at her wedding with her sister Katie Taylor Redwood '08 as her Matron of Honor. practice focuses on relationship challenges, family conflict, and the expansiveness of queer and trans identity. Her research at Columbia is focused around subverting social work education and practice through the lenses of anti-colonialism and queer theory.

I, Kerrigan O'Malley, am still practicing civil litigation at a law firm in Richmond, Va. This spring I was able to try my first solo jury trial. I never thoughtmy first jury trial would be done behind a mask!

Mya Reid is graduating from Howard University School of Law in May! Throughout her third year, she has been serving as a Henry Ramsey Dean's fellow and a senior notes and comments editor for the Howard Law Journal.

After graduation and the bar exam, she will be working at Hogan Lovells LLP in the firm's D.C. office.

Katy Chase began her second year as a first grade teacher at SSSAS. Just before the pandemic lockdown, she got a new puppy named Luca! In July she brought Luca along on a road trip to New Orleans to visit her brother, Chris Chase '15, who has been living there since the beginning of 2020.

Rob Long spent two years in Paraguay as an agricultural volunteer with the Peace Corps. After returning, he received a master's degree at the Georgetown School of Foreign Service, which allowed him to spend a summer working at the International Organization for Migration in Burman and travel around South East Asia.

Spring 2021 | 75

CLASS NOTES

Danielle Mayall '11

2011 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES Meredith Bentsen meredithbentsen@gmail.com Mathias Heller mfitzheller@gmail.com Danielle Mayall recently moved back to the U.S., after finishing her Fulbright Fellowship in Brazil. She is now pursuing her master's in clinical psychology at Teachers CollegeColumbia University in NYC. In conjunction she is working for a few different research labs that focus on schizophrenia and psychosis, eating disorders, mood, personality disorders and emotion regulation, and spirituality and psychodynamic interventions.

Not surprisingly, she has been running ultramarathons and working on her crossfit and yoga skills. And yes—she still only eats plants.

Tatiana Bull lives in Los Angeles, Calif., and is closing in on her third year as a casting director for Disney TV Animation.

In 2020 Meredith Bentsen celebrated her five-year anniversary at Brunswick Group, an advisory firm specializing in business-critical issues, and took on a new role in client development. She has enjoyed catching up with fellow Saints over Zoom and at a distance.

Rebecca Dickerson is living in California and works as an agricultural economist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She is moving back to the D.C. area later this year and looks forward to catching up with Saints there, though she'll miss being only a couple hours from a beautiful Tahoe hike or Marin beach.

Steven Gero has driven deep into 76 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

2012 Classmates at Brent Armstrong and Paige Patterson's wedding: Michele Phillips, Parker Patterson, Lizz Lavie, Brent Armstrong, Paige Patterson, Katie Harrell, and Armour Shaw the culinary world. After moving to Charlotte, N.C., he made a name for himself in a few restaurant groups before being offered an executive chef role in a new restaurant. While it is a lot of fun, hard work forwards passion.

Doc Jacobsen writes: “I joined a podcast, the Spaghetti Junction Boys, found on Spotify, Apple, and Google Podcast networks, with a couple of buddies from Atlanta (thanks to Jay Sheffer '10 for the Ole Miss connection). This year, we were able to have a couple of guests for interviews by phone: Washington Wizards great and the tallest NBA player to date Gheorge Muresan, NBA legend Mugsy Bogues, All Pro running back and Atlanta Falcon legend Mike Turner. We were even able to sneak in some SSSAS folks: 2020 World Series Champion and SSSAS alum Conor McGuiness '08 and renowned D.C. sports writer Dan Daly (father of Pat Daly '11). When I graduated from Iowa State, I made a promise to myself to visit a minimum of two cities that I had never been to a year. Even in the craziness this year threw at us, I was able to keep my promise, with an 8-day-long trip to Utah with fellow 2011 alumni Erik Romanin, Jonathan Herrera, and Pat Daly for hiking in five national parks and to ring in the new year.”

Reyna Pilapil married Connor Jackson in Colorado under snowy trees on December 5, 2020. The couple resides in Virginia and is planning their larger celebration under palm trees in 2021.

George Sidarous writes: “I'm currently in my third year of medical school at UAMS in Little Rock. I got married in 2018 and we moved to Arkansas in July

2018.” We're glad there will be an M.D. in the class of 2011!

2012 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES Michele Phillips phillips.michele16@gmail.com

After obtaining her Juris Doctor in May from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, Emma Feeney sat for and passed the Colorado Bar Exam in July. She is practicing as an employment and family law attorney in Denver, Colo.

Philip Guglielmo writes: “My wife and I bought our first home in March of 2020, right before things got crazy, still in Alexandria over near Belle Haven.”

I, Michele Phillips, bought my first house in Denver, Colo., and moved in this past summer. It was a great learning process purchasing my first home!

Since getting married Paige Patterson Armstrong and Brent Armstrong have been busy at work with their family companies. Brent is selling mulch, firewood, and topsoil at Remington Mulch Company and Paige is selling real estate alongside her mom and sister at TTR Sotheby's International Realty.

Taylor Heasley is currently in her fifth year of teaching and has started this school year back at SSSAS where she is co-leading the new Early Saints Program and coaching varsity tennis and softball. In the past year, she has completed her master's in education from the University of Virginia in Social Foundations of Education and received her National Geographic Educator Certification. Taylor has her own photography business and enjoys taking photographs.

2013 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES Hope Ogden (Gallagher) hope.gallagher13@gmail.com Claire Malkie clairemalkie@gmail.com Brett Williams brettwlms11@gmail.com Leah Joseph is entering her fifth season with Virginia Tech women's volleyball as their director of operations.

She recently won the American Volleyball Coaches Association Diversity Award!

After a few very enjoyable years in economic consulting, Douglas Maggs headed back to school last fall. He is attending law school at the University of Virginia. He is on the Moot Court and Mock Trial teams and aspires to pursue a career as a prosecutor post graduation.

Although Claire Malkie's year began with canceled shows at both The Second City in Chicago and a national tour with Hampstead Stage Company, Claire made the most out of the year.

Along with her business partner Michael Dritto, she founded Dritto & Malkie productions, and produced 30 episodes of their podcast “Sit Still, Look Opinionated”—a late-night style comedy and politics show. Additionally, in May 2020, Claire accepted a specialist position at Grubhub where she assisted in the founding of the Menu Consultation department. Find out more about Claire's work at www. clairemalkie.com.

Maggie Romanin is deployed overseas on her first combat deployment as an Army commander attached to a Joint Special Operations Task Force. She also just got into UNC Chapel Hill School of Law and is waiting on decisions from a few other schools on the East Coast before deciding where to attend starting fall 2021.

Brett Williams is in his third year as the radio and television play-by-play voice of women's sports at Western Kentucky University. He continues to enjoy telling the stories of Hilltopper athletics, even if that means calling a road game remotely off TV monitors or wearing a mask during a broadcast!

Brett spent more than half of 2020 back home in the DMV while college sports were shut down and appreciated the unexpected time with family and the opportunity to explore new creative outlets such as starting a podcast about music. He also started online grad school at WKU, pursuing a master's

degree in organizational leadership. He looks forward to the better, healthier days that lie ahead for our world and can't wait to travel and see friends as soon as it is safe to do so.

After completing a master's in international branding and business and a master's in luxury fashion in Milan, Italy, Natascha Zelloe landed an opportunity at Capital One as a senior process manager for digital accessibility working with the U.K. and U.S. locations. She relocated to Richmond, Va., to Capital One's West Creek location and is enjoying her new city!

Lizzie Zulauf has been working in a dermatology office as a surgical assistant and phlebotomist, and is excited to further her medical career at the University of Pittsburgh! She will complete a two-year Physician Associate program focusing in general medicine. She hopes to enter into either dermatology or orthopedics following graduation, and would love to return to the D.C. area!

2014 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES Sarah Shaw sarah.shaw13@gmail.com

Sophie Reardon relocated from Boston to New York City at the start of 2020 before relocating to her parents' house in Alexandria to ride out the initial coronavirus wave. While home, she learned to drive a stick shift and play pickleball. She also had some socially distanced get-togethers with fellow SSSAS alumni. Now that Sophie is back in New York, she is enjoying the city's vibrant outdoor dining scene and is looking forward to the new year.

Mollye Lent moved back to Chicago last fall for a new job with Simple Mills, a fast-growing natural foods company.

She is a senior financial analyst and has enjoyed combining her passion for health and wellness with her career.

Mollye is thrilled to be back in Chicago and has loved exploring the city in her free time.

Nate Archer is an associate at 747 Capital in NYC. He made the transition from investment banking to private equity in early 2020 and found that switching jobs at the beginning of the pandemic definitely created some early challenges, but now he couldn't be happier with the change. In his free time, Nate enjoys running on the West Side highway and longboarding throughout the city. With restaurants and bars still at limited capacity, he and his roommates love hosting dinner

parties for their friends. Nate is also looking forward to upcoming ski trips in Salt Lake City and Colorado.

Adam Naidorf has been spending the last year working in construction management on Capitol Hill and living in Arlington. He's been enjoying spending time with his close pod of friends and family throughout the pandemic, but can't wait to safely go out and meet new people again! Adam is most looking forward to traveling again and will try to knock off as many places on his bucket list as he can. In the meantime, he's been exploring the various outdoor areas in and around Washington, D.C. Ian Shackley got a new job last year as a project coordinator at a theatrical marketing agency. He helps put together trailers, commercials, and digital spots for upcoming movies and TV shows.

Despite postponements and closed theaters, he has weathered the storm and is working on some awesome new projects that will be released soon!

Anii Chams-Eddine started 2020 by moving into a lovely new place with her former college roommates. In place of cancelled travel plans, Anii used the time to learn new hobbies (cooking and cycling!), spending time with friends (logging many hours with Netflix Party), and keeping up with family across the country (many Zoom call sessions). In her professional time, Anii received a promotion and end-of-the-year award. She looks forward to continuing learning more at work and taking on new and exciting challenges.

Emily Miller continues to work as a clinical research coordinator in the bone marrow transplant department at Children's National Medical Center.

During quarantine, she enjoyed learning to play guitar. Emily is currently applying to medical school and hopes to start next fall.

Dylan Reynolds recently joined Best Version Media as an associate flip publisher. She continues to explore new recipes and play with her puppy, Milo.

Ruth Walston graduated from VCUArts last year and is now working full time as a tattoo artist at Lucky Gypsy in Richmond. She is excited to be working with some of the most recognized artists in the nation. When not tattooing, she works on her manga draft and goes on long drives in her truck. She looks forward to being able to guest spot at tattoo shops around the world once travel opens back up, but for now, being able to spend every day making art is more than enough.

Spring 2021 | 77

MILESTONES

NEW ADDITIONS Alumni Jody Carlson '90 and Mikael Astrom, a son, Niko Vonn Astrom, February 9, 2021 Kelly Williamson '99 and Chris Porcelli, a son, Christopher Gray Porcelli, January 20, 2021

Adam Justus '03 and Jessica, a daughter, Caroline Murray, December 17, 2020

Mychal Rolland '06 and Maxine, a son, Mason King, June 12, 2020

Julia Reeder '03 and Antonio Campos García, a son, Benjamin Campos Reeder, April 26, 2020

Meg Upton Summit '06 and Matt, a son, Thomas Frederick, February 3, 2020

Robbie Lunt '04 and Amanda, a daughter, Adelinne “Addie” Reese, February 11, 2021

Glenn Spitler '00 and Mollye, a son, Tucker Thomas, January 13, 2021 Katie McLeod Campbell '02 and Monroe, a daughter, Susan Grace, January 6, 2021

Nish Mani '02 and Emma, a daughter, Priya Louise, March 18, 2020

Robin Baxley Hawkins '06 and David, a son, David “Calder,” June 24, 2020

Connor Locke '04 and Madeline Hurst, a son, Graham Henry, December 29, 2020

Allison Swindell Guzman '00 and Pedro, a son, Jesse Gael, February 5, 2020

Elizabeth Smith DiStanislao '02 and Phillip, a son, George, April 2020

Susanne Roberts Yoon '02 and Rich, a son, Declan Kenneth, October 5, 2020

Jacob Willis '06 and Colleen, a son, Jacob Henry Willis V, January 11, 2021

Faculty and Staff

Lindsay Graves Hernandez '05 and Jose Hernandez, a daughter, Gemma Quinn, January 30, 2021 Caroline Rabbitt Tabler '05 and Andrew, a son, John Hillerich “Hill,” February 21, 2021

Jennifer Marlay '02 and Christian, a son, Colin Lowry, June 2020

Marga Jennings Brenton '06 and Cutter Brenton '06, a daughter, Mia Jennings, July 22, 2020

Allison Lewan Wallach '02 and Dan, a daughter, Anne Hope, October 26, 2020

Kevin Gallagher '06 and Virginia Gallagher '08, a son, Graham, August 2019

Niko Vonn Astrom

Susan Grace Campbell 78 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

Christopher Gray Porcelli

George DiStanislao

Emily Slabinski Tsutsuk '06 and Timur, a daughter, Adeline “Addie” Charlotte, January 27, 2020

Sebastián Bartis (Upper School Spanish Teacher) and Devon, a son, Nicolas Bartis-Haynie, January 24, 2021 Andrew Carr (Middle School History Teacher) and Kelly, a daughter, Teagan, December 28, 2020 Amy Hurtuk (Middle School Math Teacher, and Ben, a daughter, Layla Rose, February 3, 2021

Jesse Gael Guzman

Colin Lowry Marlay

Tucker Thomas Spitler

Anne Hope Wallach

Caroline Murray Justus

Adelinne “Addie” Reese Lunt

David “Calder” Hawkins

Nicolas Bartis-Haynie

Benjamin Campos Reeder

Gemma Quinn Hernandez

Mason King Rolland

Teagan Carr

Graham Henry Locke

Mia Jennings Brenton

Thomas Frederick Summit

Layla Rose Hurtuk

Spring 2021 | 79

MILESTONES

WEDDINGS Lisa Holland '72 and Dennis O'Reilly, February 18, 2017 Elizabeth Donatelli '00 and Matthew Clark, November 15, 2020 Sarah Scully '08 and Taylor Vaughn, September 5, 2020 Reyna Pilapil '11 and Connor Jackson, December 5, 2020 Parker Patterson '12 and Maddie Wann '12, June 6, 2020 Paige Patterson '12 and Brent Armstrong '12, October 24, 2020 Lisa Holland '72 and Dennis O'Reilly

Matthew Clark and Elizabeth Donatelli '00

Sarah Scully '08 and Taylor Vaughn

Class of 2012 Alumni Sweethearts

Connor Jackson and Reyna Pilapil '11

80 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

Parker Patterson '12 and Maddie Wann '12

Brent Armstrong '12 and Paige Patterson '12

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM

Dr. Leslie E. Smith '80

Alumni

sister of Powell Smith '83, Ted Smith '88, Abby Smith Miller '90, and Leigh Smith '90 November 30, 2020

Valerie Steinmetz Denio '52

Andrew Nelson '98

September 13, 2019

June 5, 2020

Judith “Judy” Jaudon Bednar '55

Faculty and Friends

For notices received before March 7, 2021.

January 2, 2021

Frances Jean “Jean” Wells '55 sister of William “Bill” Wells '60 December 7, 2020

Charlie Hooff '58

brother of Caroline Taylor Hooff Norman '65, father of Maremi Hooff Andreozzi '90, Churchill Hooff '91, Janney Hooff Jay '94, and Carlie Hooff Casella '00, grandfather of Morgan Jay '25 and Augusta Jay '27 February 1, 2021

Kathryn “Katy” Cragun Grace '59

sister of Joanna “Jo” Cragun Tinius '57 (deceased) July 18, 2020

Margalee Oelrich Riggan '63 January 8, 2021

J. Brooke Spotswood '65 January 30, 2018

Kristin Bernhart '75 December 1, 2019

Mark Bistline '75

brother of James Bistline '71 (deceased) November 13, 2020

Deborah “Debbie” Woodman Carrico '76

daughter of Jean Androus Woodman '55, sister of Courtnay Woodman Weitekamp '79, Jessica Woodman Godwin '80, Eve Woodman '84, and Alexandra Woodman Johnson '89; aunt of Nat Johnson '21, Ben Johnson '18; sister-in-law to Geoff Johnson '89; niece of Ted Androus '58 (deceased), Lynne Androus Smith '60, and Deborah Androus '67; cousin of Theo Androus '88 and Ezra Androus '88 November 21, 2020

Claire Lindsay McCrady

mother of Melanie McCrady Page '77 January 16, 2020

Stephen Suor

husband of Judith “Judy” Kurtz Suor '58 March 2020

Stephen Yeonas

father of Stephanie Yeonas Ellis '72 and Steve Yeonas, Jr. '75 November 11, 2020

James “Jim” Gudinas

husband of Karen Zimmerman Gudinas '58 November 18, 2020

Carl Smith

Frederik R. Tellekamp

husband of Madeleine Long Tellekamp '63 January 4, 2021

Dr. Charles “Chuck” H. Miller father of Leigh Miller Pyle '91 January 4, 2021

Craig Keith

father of Harrison Keith '99 and Rob Keith '03, husband of Sherley Keith (former faculty) January 7, 2021

Michael “Mike” Bradshaw

father of Thomas Bradshaw '98 January 13, 2021

Brian Eady

father of Julie Eady Rao '88 and Sue Eady Bartlett '90 January 13, 2021

Kim H. Miller

father of Natasha Miller Sekkat '96 and Geoff Miller '02 January 19, 2021

James Burwell (former staff) January 21, 2021

father of Kristen Smith Fredericks '04 and Bryant Smith '07 November 24, 2020

Sean Powell

Donald “Don” Burnett

Dr. Joseph Braddock father of Tony Braddock '84 and Bob Braddock '85 February 6, 2021

husband of Karen Bradley Burnett '66 December 3, 2020

Benjamin “Ben” Hoge father of Leslie Hoge '75 December 15, 2020

Jacquelyn Dinwiddie

mother of Heather Dinwiddie '71, Hollister Dinwiddie '75, and Leesa Dinwiddie Kerns '77 December 19, 2020

Brig. Gen. Richard “Dick” Bednar husband of Judith “Judy” Jaudon Bednar '55 (deceased) December 20, 2020

Col. Eugene Deatrick

husband of Tamara Walker Powell '95 January 31, 2021

Helen Reid

mother of Liz Kryder-Reid '78 and Richard Reid '80 February 12, 2021 Levi Ganderson Fridy step-father of Karen Washington Franklin '73 February 18, 2021

Brad Lindsey

father of Julia Lindsey '15 and Jenna Lindsey '18 February 19, 2021

father of Will Deatrick '77 December 30, 2020

Spring 2021 | 81

82 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

IN MEMORIAM

In Memoriam: Fred Berg 31 Years of Service Spanish Teacher, Coach, and so much more to so many On January 30, 2021, the St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School community lost faculty member and coach, Fred Berg. Fred joined St. Stephen's School in 1963, retired in 1994, and then continued to teach as a substitute until 2012. He taught Spanish and Sacred Studies, and coached baseball, basketball, and football. Fred was inducted into the SSSAS Hall of Fame in 2015 for his work coaching Saints athletes. In recent years, he often visited the school and spoke with history classes about his experiences in World War II. Fred played football, basketball, and baseball in high school. He graduated early from The Lawrenceville School because he was drafted into the U.S. Army, where he served as a radio operator and rifleman in the Italian campaign of World War II. His service in this campaign earned him a Silver Star and Infantry Combat Badge. After the war, he received a bachelor's degree from Yale and a master's degree in Spanish from the University of Colorado.

Fred taught at several prep schools before accepting a position at St. Stephen's in 1963 as the school's only Spanish teacher.

Fred came bearing great stories with which he would regale students for decades, believed in an open-door policy, and had a kind sense of humor, which helped make the school a welcome home for hundreds of student-athletes. The Spanish teacher affectionately known as “Señor,” always had an ear for the student-athlete and his challenges.

As St. Stephen's School grew in size, Mr. Berg became the godfather of school spirit, introducing a spirit and service organization known as the Red Key Club. He is one of the few individuals at SSSAS to receive two yearbook dedications, in 1969 and 1980. The 1969 “Scroll” mentions: “Through the Red Key and Booster Clubs he has taught us that St. Stephen's is a school we can be proud of. In our athletic endeavors he has shown us that success only comes through effort and practice. He has taught us what education means by relating it to our personal lives.” The 1980 “Scroll” says: ““We would like to recognize a man whose immeasurable contributions to the school and its community reflect his love and devotion to St. Stephen's and its students. He is an easy-going man who is at peace with himself as well as his peers, yet has gained our respect as a man of high character and integrity.”

Mr. Berg was instrumental in the early days of the St. Stephen's Basketball Tournament, assisting Coach Al “Sleepy” Thompson with coordinating and hosting the visiting teams, setting up food stands, putting up posters, and supervising all operations of the event. His involvement with the tournament spans nearly its entire history, having served as a judge for more than 25 years. In 1971 the tournament program was dedicated to Mr. Berg.

“He is an easy-going man who is at peace with himself as well as his peers, yet has gained our respect as a man of high character and integrity.”

~The 1989 Dedication in “The Scroll”

But it was on the baseball diamond in the mid-1960s that he started serving as a head coach. Catcher Chris Meloni '79 cites some of the rare qualities that made Coach Berg's presence on the baseball field a benefit to so many St. Stephen's students: “After a full year of academic and sports intensity, it was nice to be around a life force that seemed to exude… hope. I've had many coaches say, 'Get out there and have fun,' but Mr. Berg embodied that expression. He brought joy to the game and the season. His coaching style was demanding but always positive.

He created an atmosphere I found invigorating and freeing, and I always looked forward to playing for Señor.”

Mr. Berg also coached football and basketball at the JV level, assisting Sleepy Thompson on the fields and courts. When he wasn't coaching, he was filming football. Many of the blackand-white reels used in the SSSAS Hall of Fame ceremonies are thanks to Fred Berg in the tower. When he wasn't filming, he was announcing. When he wasn't announcing, he was running summer camps.

All four of Mr. Berg's sons attended St. Stephen's (Bill '72, Hank '74, David '80 and Andy '85), but of course he had many more boys at the school who were drawn to his hopeful and positive attitude. As Tom Mustin '78 shares, “He made all of his students feel welcome, and we left his class feeling better about ourselves.”

Spring 2021 | 83