The Saints Life Fall/Winter 2023-2024

The Saints Life

ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES SCHOOL MAGAZINE

EARLY SAINTS GO ON A SPECIAL FIELD TRIP

In December our Early Saints (age 3) visited the construction site at the Upper School as part of their unit on architecture. The trip provided a real-world perspective on architecture in action, construction, and the planning process, as well as a unique opportunity to connect to the greater SSSAS community. Our littlest Saints put on their goggles and hardhats to walk through the site, see heavy machinery, and look at blueprints and 3D models. They were excited to take on the role of a construction worker and see everything they have learned about firsthand. One Early Saint even said, “The crane looks like the Washington Monument!” Read more about Saints Together: Our Campaign for Community on p. 8. Photo by Lower School Early Saints Teacher Kat Moore.

WHAT'S INSIDE

MISSION

8

64

70

14

16

Unlocking

Executive

Maura Durkin '18 is on a Path to Save the

75

78

Unveiling

80

Karen Washington Franklin '73 returns to Georgetown University to write the end of her college story.

To help our students succeed in a complex and changing world, we seek to inspire a passion for learning, an enthusiasm for athletic and artistic endeavor, a striving for excellence, a celebration of diversity, and a commitment to service.

Our mission is to pursue goodness as well as knowledge and to honor the unique value of each of our members as a child of God in a caring community. COVER

Seventh graders Adam Richmond and Carter O”Neil enjoyed kayaking during this year's overnight bonding trip with all the Middle School students!. Read more on p. 16. Photo by Science Teacher Kelley Gorman.

COURSE HIGHLIGHT

Upper School students are learning about AI and machine learning in “Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI).” The course introduces them to AI concepts and techniques, including supervised and unsupervised learning and neural networks. Students are using Java to implement AI algorithms and solve real-world problems. The course also covers the ethical implications of AI and its potential impact on society. By the end of the course, students will have a solid understanding of AI concepts and will be able to use their knowledge of Java to implement AI algorithms and solve problems.

THE SAINTS LIFE

St. Stephen's and St. Agnes Magazine

FALL/WINTER 2023-2024 sssasmagazine.org

Head of School

KIRSTEN PRETTYMAN ADAMS

Director of Communications

JEN DESAUTELS

Magazine Editor & Designer

Director of Design & Production

MELISSA ULSAKER MAAS '76

Director of Digital Media and Marketing

MANDI SAPP

Director of Brand Management and Marketing

MARCIA MALLETT

Alumni News ADVANCEMENT OFFICE

Photographers

JAMESON BLOOM '13

MELISSA ULSAKER MAAS '76

MARCIA MALLETT

MANDI SAPP

JOHNNY SHRYOCK

OUR EXTRAORDINARY FACULTY

Contributing Writers

JESSICA HALSTEAD

TAYLOR KILAND '89

MELISSA ULSAKER MAAS '76

KRISTEN SILBERBERG

BOB WEIMAN

Questions/Comments

MELISSA ULSAKER MAAS '76 mmaas@sssas.org

To Update Your

Contact Information or Mailing Preferences

Please email atoman@sssas.org or call 703-212-2720.

Published by SSSAS for alumni, current parents, friends, and other regularly supportive members of the school community. © 2023-2024

SSSAS admits students of any race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. As a related organization of the Episcopal Church, SSSAS respects the applicable policies and governing principles of the Episcopal Church pertaining to nondiscrimination.

Supporting Growth and Success

Dear Saints,

Happy New Year! It is amazing to me that we have closed the chapter on 2023, and are already deeply immersed as a community in 2024—in classes, rehearsals, the labs, and studios, on the courts and the ice, and on field trips and in service learning. Winter break comes at the most perfect time in the life of a school. The two weeks are a gift, allowing our community to celebrate and gather together with friends and family, to enjoy traditions, read books, play games, and recharge for the rest of the school year.

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is to watch the movie, “Home Alone.” This year as I watched, I found myself reflecting on the messages in the movie, the lessons on independence and resourcefulness.

For those who may not have seen “Home Alone,” a young boy named Kevin, finds himself accidentally left behind while his family goes on vacation. Despite initial fears, Kevin demonstrates remarkable independence, problem-solving skills, and the ability to adapt to challenging situations. As I watched Kevin become more confident and bold throughout the movie (maybe even a bit too bold with all of his shenanigans!), I couldn’t help but see the parallels between his growth and the values we aim to instill in our students at SSSAS: the confidence to face obstacles, the creativity to find solutions, and the resilience to overcome adversity.

Yet, unlike Kevin, our students are never alone in their journey. We understand that true independence doesn’t mean being left to face challenges without support; we are deeply committed to ensuring our Saints have the right tools and guidance to grow and succeed. Whether it is on sidelines filled with students and teachers cheering on our athletes, standing ovations after performances, or quiet checkins with students who need some encouragement, this community constantly demonstrates its care for one another in amazing ways.

As we head into 2024, I am filled with the promise of what is certain to be another extraordinary year for our school. I am so grateful for the adventures, growth, and excitement that lie ahead. Go Saints!

Warmly,

Kirsten Adams Head of School

Nurturing a Legacy, Building a Future

Saints Together: Our Campaign for Community

BY KARA MAYS, CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT WRITER

Campaign Co-Chairs

Kirk Blalock and Lizzie Siegel

Standing at the next inflection point in St. Stephen's and St. Agnes history, the public phase of Saints Together: Our Campaign for Community was launched this fall. With a $45m goal—the most ambitious in school history—Saints Together will allow us to reimagine the Upper School with new signature spaces that match the quality and caliber of a Saints experience, bolster The Saints Fund with sustainable growth, and invest in our endowment to support the Gift of a Saints Education for generations to come. As we build upon our strong past and invest in our bright future, Saints Together is suffused with the school's founding principles and informed by our Episcopal identity to bring our community together. I spoke with Campaign Co-Chairs Kirk Blalock (parent of Maddie '19 and Makin '23) and Lizzie Siegel (parent of Jack '18, Bo '21, and Lucy '21) about the significance of the Saints Together campaign.

“While our children were students at St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School, some aspects of their lives seemed to constantly change while others reassuringly stayed the same. For us, the school was a constant presence that fostered their foundational values and academic interests and gave structure to our daily lives,” Kirk Blalock said.

“It was, and still is, an academically rigorous school and a community where you know you are welcome and where you belong,” Lizzie Siegel added. “Now, as parents of recent graduates, we reflect on the school's values of goodness as well as knowledge from which our children benefitted. We strive to bring those guiding principles forward through our service as co-chairs of Saints Together: Our Campaign for Community .”

Each campaign in SSSAS history addressed a need that was prominent at the time and decidedly beneficial to the future of the school. In 2003, the New Century Fund campaign focused on our Episcopal identity and built the Chapel and Performing Arts Center, which was the last major renovation at the Upper School. By 2013 Light the Way raised $28 million to support

faculty salaries and professional development. “We are all benefactors of the vision and gifts of the Saints before us. Now is our opportunity to positively influence those who follow us,” Kirk said.

Saints Together was born from our Strategic Plan, created in 2016, which calls on us to enhance our buildings and grounds to ensure that our facilities create the optimum environment for teaching, learning, designing, innovating, and collaborating. Lizzie fondly reflected, “Our reimagined Upper School, one of the campaign pillars, is not only about the experience within the new facility as students—we want our children as well as alumni to be immensely proud of their school and to pull up pictures of their campus to show people after they graduate. We want our alumni to know that when they graduate from St. Stephen's and St. Agnes that the door will always be open for them and the school will always welcome them home. This community stays with you for a lifetime.”

Of our three campuses, the Upper School was identified as needing the most renovations to impact student

outcomes as it is the culmination of a Saints education. “In the last five to eight years, most of our peer schools have had a capital improvement project to address their unique facility needs and be responsive to emerging innovation in education,” Kirk said. “This is an important opportunity for SSSAS to provide a facility that nurtures the innovation already occurring in our classrooms.”

Open spaces with lots of natural light in educational settings result in a deeper connection to class content and enjoyment of learning—like the new Upper Commons named in honor of The Reverend Tony Lewis, Jr. '65 and The Very Reverend Emmett Hoy, Jr. and the Rita Meyers Saints Stairs. In a day and age where society heavily relies on its phones and social media, having a space that brings people together for authentic conversation is partly what's so inspiring about this space.

Additionally, the new Upper School renovations will purposely situate the Peterson Family Art Center next to the science classrooms. Research shows that the connection of art and science help us interpret, study, and explore the world around us. Not only

“My parents always taught me to leave things better than I found them. I am grateful for the various opportunities I have had to implement that guiding adage in my life and in my service through St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School. Building upon our strong history as a school and helping to write our next chapter is what I hope to bring forth as we set the stage for what's to come through Saints Together: Our Campaign for Community.

“~ KIRK BLALOCK

are the classrooms being designed for inquiry and innovation, but they will also provide students with what may be a first experience to approach new multidisciplinary concepts and develop the skills to understand and effectively use new information. Students will realize their own discoveries in these new classrooms and the community will be invited to participate!

Creating conditions for our students to thrive has always been a Saints priority. “Dedicating resources to the SSSAS annual fund, The Saints Fund, and Gift of a Saints Education

are imperative to the success of the campaign,” Kirk said. “The Saints Fund allows the school to be responsive to emerging ideas while empowering our students, driving innovation, and strengthening our faculty. It ensures that the school's annual operating budget is not compromised and its day-to-day programs can continue to flourish. The Gift of a Saints Education helps students attend SSSAS who otherwise would not have the opportunity to receive a Saints education.” Our Saints become best prepared for lifelong success when

CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE

surrounded by an expanding range of perspectives, experiences, and talents that reflect the dynamics of life beyond SSSAS.

For Our Community, By Our Community

In September 2023 we celebrated the launch of our community phase, which is a significant milestone in a campaign's timeline because it represents a position of fundraising strength. “We are sincerely grateful to the early supporters and Board of

Governors for their confidence and leadership philanthropy that has helped us reach $30 million of our $45 million goal so far,” Lizzie said. “We are also extremely grateful to the dynamic campaign volunteer leaders who have been energetic and dedicated ambassadors of Saints Together.”

Significant progress is also being made on the Upper School Project construction timeline. Excavation and demolition were completed on time last summer, which made way for the foundation to start being poured in early October and keeps us on track for a fall 2024 opening.

“With a solid fundraising bedrock established, now is the time for our entire Saints community to think about how they might be involved with the campaign,” Kirk said. “If there's one message about giving that we hope to impart to the Saints community it's that every gift is important to help us reach our goal. Multi-year gifts are hugely important. Pledging a gift over the course of the next three to

five years counts towards Saints Together and helps make a gift at a comfortable pace. Our actions now will communicate to future Saints that philanthropy and giving can be very purposeful and meaningful. There is a place for everyone to be involved with helping us reach our $45 million goal.”

“ Saints Together reinforces our identity as a welcoming community with our people at the center of all that we do,” Lizzie said. “SSSAS is a place where a person's character is respected above all else.” The story we are writing with Saints Together is one of shining a light on our community and of helping our students become who they are meant to be so they can share their gifts with the world.

For more information on Saints Together: Our Campaign for Community , please visit sssas.org/saintstogether

OCT-DEC 2023

Signing of the Last Beam

The last steel beam installed, or “topping off,” in a new building marks the completion of a major milestone during its construction. This milestone is often commemorated by painting the beam white and welcoming community members and the construction crew to sign the beam for posterity.

With ancient European origins in structures were created out of timber and the last beam added was decorated in flags and adorned with a small tree. Others also tribute the custom to the Native Americans who believed that no structure should be taller than a tree, so they topped buildings with an evergreen to appease the forest spirits. The symbolic tree signified that construction reached the sky without injury to personnel. It also was thought to bode well for the building's future inhabitants while signaling to those nearby to start the celebration of a job well done.A modern “topping off” also includes an American flag—a tradition started by the U.S. steel workers in the early 1900s to show loyalty to flag and country.

JAN 2024

Last beam signed and installed

Concrete poured, bricks and beams installed

Decodable Delights

Unlocking Early Reading Success

Education has come a long way since Dick and Jane and “See spot run.” Our youngest readers are now learning to read through decodable books. At the Lower School, Kate Roessler (director of academic support), Maura Freund (learning specialist), Ali Beach (kindergarten teacher), and Megan Grant (third grade teacher) worked together to submit a request for 350 decodable books, which The Saints Fund supported.

Decodable books are designed for early readers and are crafted with specific grapheme (written representation)-phoneme (sound) correspondences that students have already learned. These books offer an opportunity for learners to apply their developing blending skills as they read words. The goal is to foster automaticity, enabling readers to recognize letter-sound relationships quickly and effortlessly, leading to independent reading success.

Unlike other reading approaches that rely on pictures or contextual clues, decodable books encourage children to sound out words using decoding strategies, rather than guessing from pictures or relying on

other cues. The strategies become relevant once beginning readers have acquired a foundational understanding of basic graphemephoneme correspondences and can blend words from left to right.

While all books and texts are technically “decodable” if one has the requisite reading ability, true decodability for early readers lies in books that align with the specific alphabetic code they have been taught. This ensures that the content matches their current level of phonetic knowledge and supports their continued reading development. To be considered a decodable book, at least 64% or more of the words should be identifiable using phonics elements.

INSPIRING A LOVE OF READING

Early readers are highly motivated to read independently through the use of decodable texts, as they experience success in applying their newly acquired knowledge. These texts serve as a practical application of their learning, helping to deter the adoption of ineffective reading strategies. As students enhance their word reading skills and achieve success in their application, decodable texts offer numerous opportunities for independent practice and repetition—

essential elements for skill building and transfer.

Achieving fluency in reading requires the orthographic mapping of words and spelling sequences, facilitating automatic word recognition. Decodable texts play a crucial role in providing exposure and meticulous attention to accuracy at the word level, essential for the development of orthographic mapping.

Of course, in addition to learning

through decodable texts, our young readers are surrounded by high quality children's literature that contains more complex vocabulary and sentence structures. They have class time during which they can choose books that interest them and their teachers read to them every day. This gives them the opportunity to hear good reading models, as well as develop the vocabulary and syntax that will support their reading development.

A Journey of Connection and Growth

Unveiling the Magic of an Overnight Bonding Trip

By Kristen Silberberg Sixth Grade Dean and English Teacher

For decades, the tradition of bonding days has woven its way through the fabric of the Middle School community, offering a special time for students to forge connections with their peers and teachers. This September, the usual camaraderie of this tradition took a transformative leap. For the first time in the school's history, sixth, seventh, and eighth graders eagerly joined each other on an unforgettable overnight bonding trip, marking a new chapter of unity and togetherness among the three grades.

The idea behind this momentous trip originated from the desire to foster stronger connections among students of different grades and to introduce the sixth graders to the overnight tradition, which had been enjoyed only by the seventh and eighth graders in recent years, and even then, as individual

grades. It was a chance to build a more cohesive community, open opportunities for sixth graders to have new experiences, and create efficiencies for the school, too.

Nestled along the Chesapeake Bay, the Sandy Hill Camp and Retreat Center played host to this year's trip. Over the course of two exhilarating days, Middle School Saints were immersed in five distinctive activities—waterfront, high ropes, team building, a grade specific focused themes and creative project— each crafted to promote unity, teamwork, and leadership among the three grades.

The sixth graders delved into the theme of community, learning how to craft egg carton projects—an activity they will lead with the preschool children at the Child and Family Network Center— offering a tangible bond with their community. Meanwhile, the seventh

graders rallied around teamwork, fashioning fleece blankets for AART (All Ages Read Together), another community partner, illustrating the power of collective effort and kindness.

In a focus on leadership, the eighth graders underwent an immersive experience in which they learned to guide and inspire. The pinnacle of their journey was leading a culminating activity for the entire Middle School, split into individual Saints Squads made up for students from all grade levels. This awe-inspiring moment left an indelible impression on the eighth graders, who discovered what they were capable of while giving our younger Saints a peek into the future.

“As an eighth grade team, we want our students to grow as leaders,” said Lucia Simpson, eighth grade dean and

science teacher. “Giving the students a time to work on the skill and then practice what they learned was an invaluable experience. Saints Squads will continue throughout the year giving the eighth grade the opportunity to continue practicing being a leader of our Middle School community.”

The preparation for this ambitious trip was a labor of love. Deans from each of the three grades, Kristen Silberberg (sixth), Erin Daly (seventh), and Lucia Simpson (eighth), and the dean of students, Jon Japha, poured their time this summer into meticulously planning and orchestrating an experience that would etch lasting memories in the hearts of students.

The benefits of this initiative were as varied as they were profound. For many students, it was their maiden voyage into an overnight adventure, where they stepped out of their comfort

zones and into a realm of discovery. Teachers, too, found this experience invaluable, fostering deeper bonds and understanding with their students beyond the confines of a traditional classroom.

In a recent chapel talk, Laura Walker, Middle School French teacher, said, “At Sandy Hill Camp and Resort, we got to see each other beyond the academics. I heard students encouraging each other to take just one more step and then cheering when that next step was taken.

I saw the courage and pride in making it across the ropes and I loved the trust we placed in our new found friends to get us from one end of the course to the other.”

The trip marked an undeniable success, serving as a testament to the power of shared experiences and unity. As the campfires flickered on beaches and campgrounds, marshmallows melted, and laughter echoed, it became

evident that the spirit of togetherness had woven its magic through the hearts of all who were a part of this incredible journey.

With the resounding success of this inaugural unified bonding trip, the anticipation for next year's adventure is already building. The sixth, seventh, and eighth grade teachers are already buzzing with excitement, eager to recreate the magic and reinforce the invaluable bonds forged during this transformative experience.

In the end, the bonding trip is not just another school trip, but a collective narrative of growth, friendship, and learning—a tapestry of shared memories that students and teachers will cherish for years to come. The journey not only marked a beautiful first but laid the foundation for a tradition that promises to continue nurturing the spirit of togetherness for generations to come.

Making Powerful Literary Connections

AP French students correspond with Belgian writer Jules Boulard

In her senior year of high school, Upper School French teacher Kim Scott was an exchange student in Belgium. For the last six months of her year abroad, her principal and host father was writer Jules Boulard. It was a magical experience for Kim. Over the years, she and Jules have stayed in touch and Jules has sent Kim many of his books. This past summer, Kim planned a trip to Belgium with her family, including a visit with Jules. Before going, she decided to reread “J'ai Osé!” (“I Dared!”), a short novel he wrote in 2014 and for which he received a literary prize. “It's a great piece of literature,” Kim says. “I realized that I could easily incorporate it into my AP French Language and Culture curriculum. I've been looking for something new and refreshing for the course.” Knowing she was going to meet with Jules, she decided to talk with him about a collaboration.

Kim and Jules had a lovely conversation about his life as a writer. “We had an in-depth talk about “J'ai Osé!” and the main character and how people received the book,” Kim says. “I shared a bit about the course and we discovered it would align beautifully with one of the thematic units called Personal and Public Identities.” Jules offered to be part of the discussion with Kim's class, and she couldn't wait to share the magic she had experienced with her students.

Jules wrote the book for a literacy organization for adults. “They were looking for a book that would target adults who were struggling with their reading,” Kim explains. “With that in mind, Jules created a work of art that begins with very basic vocabulary, but progresses in its range of words

and grammar over the course of the story.”

The main character, Marie Cerise, is a woman in her early 40s who lost her grandparents in a bombing raid during WWII—a trauma that left her mute at the age of four. It takes her more than 15 years to speak again, and she decides to write about her experience in a journal. Through her journal entries, Jules takes Marie and the reader on a journey of selfdiscovery and resilience. The more

Marie writes the more courageous she becomes.

“For me, Marie is a symbol of what we call 'resilience,' the capacity to be reborn,” Jules wrote to Kim's students. “Wars are terrible events that mark our entire life. My grandparents who experienced the first world war talked about it every day until their death. I was a child during the second world war and I sometimes still dream about it. The years following the war were sometimes harder, more difficult

Visiting Jules Boulard in Belgium this past summer.

From left to right: Jake Scott '27, Joe Scott, Charlie Scott '30, Claudine Boulard, Jules Boulard, Kim Scott

while waiting for everything to be reorganized.”

Through her writing, Marie is able to identify the challenges she has had and work through them. “As we read the book in class and discussed her challenges, my students were keeping their own personal journals,” Kim says. “The takeaway is that writing is an excellent remedy for resolving our own issues—it helps us to get outside of ourselves and look at things objectively.”

As they read “J'ai Osé!”, Kim's students made annotations and then formulated questions for Jules and he responded to each of them. Their questions ranged from asking how he chose and developed his characters to why he chose to write from the perspective of a woman; to why he chose fruits and animals as symbolic representations of Marie's emotions, thoughts, and development; to whether or not his own history during World War II had a similar impact on his life as Marie's did on hers.

Like Marie, who found courage writing about her life, Jules finds comfort sharing his stories. When

“From this experience, I will cherish my students' thoughtful inquiries and their appreciation for learning through this meaningful novel and written correspondence with my dear friend, Jules Boulard.”

~ Kim Scott

asked where he finds the ideas for his novel, Jules replied, “I was lucky to have parents and especially grandparents who told me many things that I remembered because they fascinated me so much. And today I still regret not having asked them more questions… Too late! There are things I will never know. One of my objectives is therefore to transmit

what they said about what they experienced and to express all the admiration I have for their courage and their will to live.”

Kim's students all agree that having access to Jules while they were reading “J'ai Osé!” was a powerful and amazing opportunity that enriched their experience. Garrett Butler '24 summed it up, “Having a personal connection to the author through our teacher added another layer of depth, as we had more insight into the author's background, motivations, and the context in which “J'ai Osé” was written. Having the opportunity to ask Monsieur Boulard questions was fascinating and contributed to having profound and meaningful dialogues in class.”

And ultimately, the connection with Jules Boulard may even have inspired some new writers. “I believe writing and reading are powerful outlets for thoughts and emotions,” James Brabham '24 said. “Although I've never kept a journal of my own, this experience has compelled me to do so!”

Where is I?

BY THEO WEIMAN '24

Each week during Upper School chapel, a member of the community gives the homily. These are often powerful and personal reflections on their life experiences.

My name is Theo Weiman, and I am a senior.

If dolphins lived on land and had opposable thumbs, would they be smarter than humans?

Why are so many Jews white if they came from the Middle East?

Why do humans do dumb things if they are so smart?

These are just a few of the questions that my parents wrote down from my childhood. I have always been very inquisitive. Whether it was about a scientific fact, a philosophical problem,

or just a personal inquiry, I would constantly ask questions to those around me, especially at home. I distinctly remember asking my family long strings of nonstop questions until my sisters got mad at me. Sorry, Sylvie and Lena. It didn't take long for my questions to become too specialized for those around me to answer, and eventually, I started to ask questions, knowing they wouldn't get a full response.

Questioning has always been a part of my life, my family, and my culture. Despite my sisters' occasional shortness, those closest to me never shut down my onslaught of random and probably annoying questions. At Hebrew school, I remember having discussions about whether G-d was real, starting from about third or fourth grade. My teachers encouraged these questions as an essential part of Jewish learning. So, I would ask Rabbis and teachers some pretty hard things.

Why do bad things happen to good people?

Why do seemingly devout people do horrible things?

How can we all be created in the image of God if we seem so different?

I still don't have answers.

I continued to ask questions throughout middle school until the world was halted by COVID. Like many, I struggled throughout the pandemic as I searched for meaning in my life.

When will this end?

When will things be normal?

What even is normal?

Eventually, the worst of the pandemic did end, and I started to rebuild my bonds with people. I was doing well in school and I found joy in sports, but as the year went on, I felt like something just wasn't right, that I wasn't where I was supposed to be.

The summer after my sophomore year, a culturally immersive teen trip to Nepal provided new insights and perspectives as I searched for understanding. I knew that I was unhappy at home, but I didn't know why, so naturally, as all normal and sane people do, I went to Nepal to look for answers.

So, there I was, going to Nepal. Chasing important answers and running from big questions.

The trip was packed with fodder for a chapel talk, and I could talk about it

for hours. Some interesting highlights were hiking to a new home, meditating at a remote temple, entering a forbidden romantic relationship, and living with cult members. I had some of my best memories and some of my darkest nights on that trip. But I'm going to focus on my time living at a Buddhist monastery.

I spent four days at Namo Buddha, a Tibetan Buddhist monastery from the Kagyu lineage. Each day we had two, two-hour lessons with a monk who taught there. He had many interesting teachings, and some boring ones too, but there was one thing he said that really stuck with me. He asked the question, “Where is I”.

Now, I admit, at first, I thought this was just a grammatical error because Teacher KP was not the most fluent English speaker in the world, but after a bit of elaboration, I finally understood what he was asking. He asked, “Where is I? Is I my arm? Is I my heart? Is I my head? Is I my brain?”

None of these answers felt right, and they weren't supposed to. I was honestly blown away by how such a simple question could confuse me so much.

So, at this point, I've gone all the way

across the world, looking for answers, and I just got more questions.

Eventually, my trip ended, and I came back to the 'real world'. I had new perspectives, new experiences, and, above all, more questions. I felt even more lost and more isolated. More confused and more out of place. I had changed in ways that I didn't know, and those around me certainly didn't. I didn't feel like the same person as the one who left a month before. I asked,

Why do I spend my time in the way that I do?

Where, if anywhere, is there meaning in my life?

What are my values?

And do I really have to do math homework in the grand scheme of things?

Coming back, I vowed to question and examine every part of who I am. I questioned my religion, my privilege, my motivations, my relationships, my sexual orientation, my political beliefs, my role in SCA, HDB, on the football team, how I expressed myself, and generally how I lived my life. But after all that, I couldn't even answer the simple question, “Where is I?”

“I believe that religion often reflects universal human experience. Whether it's G-d, the universe, or just ourselves, we will always have more questions than answers.”

How could I hope to answer all these questions if I didn't know who I was and what I was?

After some time and reflection, after working through self-loathing with my therapist, after many impactful conversations with friends, and after so much support from my parents and sisters, I have finally been able to stop— and look—at all of the questions that I have. And what asking those questions has brought to my life. Yes, I caused myself a lot of pain, and in some cases, hurt others too, and no, I don't really have any answers, but asking these questions has allowed me to grow in ways that I never would have before and has allowed me to be proud of who I am in this moment, accepting my flaws and being more comfortable with nonanswers.

In the book of Job, G-d asks over 60 questions without giving a single answer. I believe that religion often reflects universal human experience. Whether it's G-d, the universe, or just ourselves, we will always have more questions than answers.

I will never have full answers, you will never have full answers because whatever 'I' is does not stop changing to wait for our rational understanding. So, when you find yourself in times of pain, loneliness, and confusion, try to find refuge in the questions, even though you may never get a single answer. Where is I?

Voices of Leadership

Associate Head of School Bob Weiman sat down with Timothy D. Adams to discuss his new role as chair of the Board of Governors.

Tim Adams, the new chair of the Board of Governors, is in his sixth year of service on the Board. During that time, he served as chair of the Strategic Planning Committee for three years. Tim's wife Jennifer has served the school for many years as president of the Association of Parents and Teachers, co-chair of the APT Gala, and co-chair of Steve & Aggies café. Tim has cheered on his children, Tindall '18, William '22, and Augusta '24, in their many activities at the school.

Currently holding the position of president and CEO at the Institute of International Finance (IIF), Tim plays a pivotal role in shaping and implementing the organization's programs, working closely with the Board of Directors to guide its strategic initiatives. Before his tenure at the IIF, Tim served as the managing director of The Lindsey Group, an economic advisory firm situated in Washington, D.C.

Tim's extensive experience includes a notable term as Under Secretary for International Affairs at the U.S. Department of Treasury. In this influential role, Tim served as the administration's key representative on international financial matters, overseeing crucial areas such as exchange

rate policy, G-7 meetings, and issues related to the IMF and the World Bank. His responsibilities also involved engaging with counterparts in significant emerging markets like China, India, and Brazil, with extensive travels throughout Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Preceding his position as Under Secretary, Tim held the role of chief of staff to both Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill and Treasury Secretary John Snow. Tim is a two-time winner of the Alexander Hamilton Award, the highest award given at the U.S. Treasury Department.

In 1993 Tim co-founded the G-7 Group, a Washington-based advisory firm specializing in global financial services. From 1990 to 1992, he served as an economic policy analyst at The White House Office of Policy Development.

Tim has served on the vestry and the Foundation at St Paul's Church in Old Town Alexandria, on the boards of The Atlantic Council and the Center for Global Development, and as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He holds a bachelor's in finance, a master's in public administration, and a master's in international relations from the University of Kentucky.

Q&A

BW: You have been on the Board of Governors for five years, and last summer you started as the Board chair. There are many ways to volunteer at SSSAS—why have you decided to volunteer and contribute through the Board?

TA: First of all, I'm a firm believer that we need to take part of our life and our resources and give back. I've been very fortunate in my life and it's important for me to share that good fortune with others and to act as a role model for my children that they too should— whether it's in a position of leadership, philanthropy, or as a volunteer—reach beyond themselves and contribute to the broader community. It's pretty natural for not only me, but also my wife Jennifer, to be an active volunteer. She has had many volunteer leadership roles at the school through the APT, and now she's on the front lines at Steve & Aggies, which may be a harder job than mine.

It was a real honor to be considered and to be asked to take this job. I must say, I did not see it coming. At first I thought maybe they got the wrong Tim or it was Tom that they were looking for. But

it's such a remarkable time. I know we'll talk more about the field of education and the broad currents and trends that we're living through, but I thought, what a great place where I feel like I can make a real tangible contribution on a daily basis with the next generation—the people who are going to be running things probably sooner than we think.

BW: You mentioned broad trends and you spoke about it to the faculty, too, at the beginning of the year. What do you see as the kind of broad educational trends that the Board is thinking about and that the school is thinking about?

TA: I grew up in the 1960s when you had enormous cultural, social, and technological disruption and change. I think this is one of those periods with technology, especially with the advent of AI. We're quickly moving to generalized AI and quantum computing, which are moving from theory to practical

application at a blinding pace. Robotics, synthetic biology, and all these things mixed together are making for a remarkable technological transformation, building on computerization and all the other aspects of change that we've been living through for the last 20 or 30 years. Add in dynamic social and cultural change, and all those make for a really interesting time. It is not sleepy. It is not boring. It is dynamic. Our children are living through this. They're learning important skills and to understand the importance of embracing change, but also adhering to certain values, too.

BW: I've been a part of this community for 30 years and you've been here for many years as well. Schools go through different phases and changes throughout their history and reach different inflection points. Why do you feel that this time in the life of the school is an exciting one?

TA: First of all, I think there are many great strengths of this school. One is that we focus on the whole child, and I think that's important. It's not just the intellectual development of students, it is about learning key values and habits, such as persistence and motivation. I was just watching the field hockey game yesterday and was impressed with the grit, the pluck, that these kids have. Whatever they're learning now, a lot of it will be obsolete in a very short period of time. The jobs they'll have 20 or 30 or 40 years from now don't exist. Those industries don't exist. The firms don't exist. We're sending them out to this great unknown, and I think it's these kinds of traits, these characteristics, this thinking about the whole person that is a hallmark of this school. One that is going to serve these kids throughout their lifetime in a world which we really can't yet quite anticipate.

BW: Yes, and if you think about the different initiatives that the school has taken—let's say since your time on the Board, or any time since you've been a part of the community, or at this point in time—what are the ones that you feel particularly passionate about?

TA: I think there are several. One is the focus on equity and inclusion and belonging. I think it's important for our children to understand they are all God's children. They were all created equal, we are all inhabitants of this great earth, and we need to treat each other with dignity and respect. And the more that we can emphasize that on a daily basis the better. I think they get it, and I think they sometimes exercise it more than adults. In terms of programs, I love the language and the study abroad and travel abroad programs. It's a big world out there and it's important to get your passport and go out and see it. It's important to explore the United States as well. Miami is not New Orleans and it's different from Maine and different from Seattle—get out there and see how humanity lives and that not everyone lives like we do.

It's important to learn about history

to understand cultural heritage, not only Western traditions, but Eastern traditions, too. They need to see the world and understand what a great, beautiful, wonderful, dynamic place it is and hopefully have a wanderlust for the rest of their lives to go out and see what's over the horizon.

BW: You touched upon this a little bit when you were talking about how the school prepares students, but are there aspects of the school's traditions and culture that you think are particularly special or important?

TA: It's a caring and nurturing place, and I think that's really important. We care about each other. We care about our children. I also believe chapel is incredibly important. Even though there are many religions that walk into that room, I feel it's the broader issue of understanding that something is greater than ourselves and that something greater imparts on us values and morals. And that we also understand how to treat each other and respect each other, even though maybe we have different theologies. Not only is the nurturing

“I think it's important for our children to understand they are all God's children. They were all created equal, we are all inhabitants of this great earth, and we need to treat each other with dignity and respect. And the more that we can emphasize that on a daily basis the better.”

community important, but also that we're an institution where religiosity is an important part of the whole child experience.

BW: It's interesting listening to your answers to these questions, because I think there's a theme that you've woven throughout about preparing our students to navigate and thrive in this big world that they're going to be exposed to, and all the people within it.

TA: Look, anyone can learn math or physics. We can understand the sciences. We can all study Shakespeare's sonnets. The question is, what are our first principles? When our children are out in the world in the future, in 20, 30, 40, 50 years from now, and they're in a position or a place which they never anticipated, which we didn't anticipate, what guides them? What grounds them? What do they turn to? How do they navigate it, whether it's an ethical or moral situation, or they find themselves in a position to lead and care and provide support? It all goes together. The academics are a necessary but not sufficient condition for the whole child.

BW: We are approaching an exciting milestone in the history of the school. Next year, the 2024-2025 school year, will be our centennial year—that's when St. Agnes was founded, and so it's when our journey as a school began. You have spoken a lot about what makes SSSAS special and where we are currently as an institution, but what are your hopes for the school in its next hundred years?

TA: My hope for SSSAS for the next century is that we continue to graduate students who are kind, empathetic, curious, confident and independent, critical thinkers who are prepared for a hyper dynamic and increasingly diverse world.

I also hope that the school can continue to grow as a widely recognized model for what best-in-class K-12 education can be, and as a visible leader in our surrounding community.

BW: As you know, we have a big and exciting project going on at our Upper School being funded by the largest capital campaign in our history. What excites you about the project, and what it will mean for our students and our families and our faculty?

TA: You're absolutely right. It is a historic project for us. For those new sections in the arts and the sciences, it's going to be quite exciting and it's going to elevate the experience in those areas. The new facilities will provide wonderful areas for community and gathering, which is so important given the traditions and values I've spoken about. The success of the campaign shows that the community cares about the institution, that we've got world-class facilities in addition to a caring community. We have a worldclass faculty and staff that shows up every day ready to do a world-class job, and they deserve the best we can provide for them.

BW: Connected with that, what do you think sets St. Stephen's and St. Agnes apart from other schools and other organizations?

TA: It starts with great leadership and a fabulous Board. It's a group of people who really care about the kids and the community rather than personal ambitions or endeavors. They are people who want to give and want what's best for the school. The teachers and everyone who works with our children are extraordinary, and they support and inspire them every day. I go back to the fact that everyone here supports the whole child. There are many ways to go from Early Saints to 12th grade. Some students are hyper-academic focused. Others are in the arts. Others are part of the robotics team. Some are great athletes. Some are all of those things. And the school nurtures all those interests, and my children have experienced each of those areas, and they have prospered at the school. I think the capacity to educate, raise, and support different kinds of kids is a great attribute.

BW: My last couple of questions are more about you. And my first question is, is there a mentor that you can think of who has made a big impact on your life and could you maybe tell me a little bit about that person?

TA: Actually, there were several. I had two great high school teachers and two great college professors. In high school, I had a world geography teacher, Ms. Mabry, who—and this is a small town in Kentucky where I had never really been more than maybe 20 miles from my home—opened my eyes to a greater world that existed. Bill Smith was my high school teacher for economics and U.S. government and he really ignited in me a sense of passion where I knew I was going to come to D.C. and work on issues of public policy. I knew that in the 10th grade. And then when I was in college, I had an economics professor, Dr. Richard Gift, for five classes and for my graduate school thesis. And then Ray Batts, who ran the honors program. He was a professor of European history. I still remember the first lecture I ever had with him. He walked in and he was electrifying. Those four people really shaped who I am. I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for them.

BW: Did you know when you went into college that you wanted to study economics?

TA: I did, but I didn't want to be overly quantitative. I took differential equations twice. I had envisioned getting a Ph.D., but at a certain point it became so mathematical that it wasn't as interesting to me. So, I took all my electives in liberal arts. I took a lot of English and a lot of history. I think that's part of developing a mindset and a skill set that gets you through life. That's where Ray Batts, who ran the honors program and was a history professor, was so great. In fact, I still have a reading list he typed out for me and gave me when I graduated. He said, “These are the 40 books that should be on your bookshelf, and you should turn to them for the rest of your life.”

BW: I know at the opening faculty meeting you spoke about books, and I know you like to read. What's one that you've read recently that's had an impact on how you view things and see things?

TA: “The Coming Wave” by Mustafa Suleyman, which is a look at technological change and what it means. Mustafa used to run Google DeepMind in London. It's a bit of a warning about the power of the technology, the commingling of quantum AI and robotics, and that we need guardrails. I've also read “Going Infinite,” the new Michael Lewis book about Sam Bankman-Fried, which is interesting because he was our keynote speaker at my annual meetings last year and I actually got to have lunch with him. Now it's interesting to see how this whole thing unwound. In fiction, I've found two great authors. I really like Claire Keegan, who's an Irish writer, a young woman who's written a number of novellas. She's really fabulous, and the words sing like music off the page. And then Ali Smith is a Scottish writer who's also quite good. I try to intersperse nonfiction with fiction depending on my mood.

Joining the Board of Governors

AMY WAGNER HANLEY '87

“The collective Saints community has been able to maintain an indescribable culture from my high school days in the 1980s through the present day with our daughters and for decades to come.”

After graduating from St. Agnes School in 1987, Amy Hanley received a bachelor's in political science from Duke University and an MBA from Duke's Fuqua School of Business. She worked for the National Security Council, in corporate finance at Marriott, and in equity research for an investment back in New York City, before stopping to raise her three daughters, Bridget '20, Ellie '22, and Claire '25, with husband John.

For the past 15 years, she has been a constant volunteer at the school, serving as treasurer for the Association of Parents & Teachers, chairing the Lower School Spring Festival for two years, working on the APT gala committee for several years, helping with Middle School pizza sales, and working weekly for Steve & Aggies café. “I love opportunities to

interact with the students when I volunteer,” Amy says. “I especially like working at Steve & Aggie's café, where I get to engage with the Middle and Upper school students looking for a quick snack–it's such a fun and happy environment!” She is passionate about giving back and hopes to help enhance volunteer opportunities for SSSAS students in the local community, so they can help tackle the many social and economic challenges in our own backyard.

She and husband John, chose SSSAS for their daughters because Amy wanted them to have the same educational experience she did, believing in the school's continued rigorous academic curriculum, robust athletics, and core values centered around our Episcopal identity; incredible teachers; and acute sense of community. As a member of the board, she would like to focus on attracting, retaining, and supporting the teachers. “I have such a sense of pride in the school,” Amy says. “The best part of the school is that the faculty and staff continually teach goodness and focus on acceptance, inclusion, and respect. Additionally, Amy recognizes the current challenge of balancing a traditional academic curriculum with modern day advances in technology and everchanging social issues. She is committed to the school's promise to prepare our graduates to navigate a complex and changing world.

In her spare time, Amy runs and has participated in six marathons, plays golf, practices yoga, and has just started playing mahjong with a large group of Saints parents of alumni.

NIKITA MONTGOMERY

“Being a Saint means ensuring that our children's spiritual, emotional, and academic intelligence thrives in tandem. It means being part of a community where you are welcomed and celebrated. It means bravely challenging old views and introducing new ideas.”

Nikita Montgomery vividly recalls her first visit to the school, because everyone—the children, faculty, and families—seemed genuinely happy. She believes the school's greatest strengths include the community, the timely and transparent communications from the administration, and the academics. As a member of the Saints community, Nikita is always ready and willing to serve, as a parent and now as a member of the Board of Governors. “From being a parent volunteer to serving on several committees within the APT, I've had the opportunity to learn about various facets of our school,” Nikita says. “As a vested member of the Alexandria small

business community I've had the opportunity to learn more about the city and community that surrounds our school and how we impact one another. Serving on other boards has taught me a lot about governance and organizational leadership.” Nikita is excited about expanding the school's community engagement. “Our community has tangible and intangible resources that can strike mutually beneficial partnerships and I'm excited about what those can produce.”

She feels passionate about helping to increase and maintain the diversity of the faculty and staff. Nikita is also a member of the boards of the Chamber ALX and Faith City Central.

Nikita is an astute and innovative entrepreneur. Her portfolio includes consulting, real estate, e-commerce, and a salon. Not only is she a commercial realtor with Coldwell Banker in Old Town, Alexandria, Nikita is the co-founder and managing partner of the Hazel O Salon.

Nikita and her cousin, Marcia Rhodes Tyler, opened the salon in honor of their grandmother, Hazel Odessa Rhodes, who was a cosmetologist for more than 50 years. At Coldwell Banker, Nikita is focused on assisting businesses in acquiring brick and mortar locations for lease or purchase. She previously worked in public relations handling large events with 300-30,000 attendees.

Nikita received a bachelor's degree in Human Services from The George Washington University and a Certificate in Women's Entrepreneurship from Cornell University. She loves to read, try out new restaurants in the DMV, travel, and cheer on her children, Bailee '27, Brody '30, and brave '33, at their sporting events and other school endeavors.

ERIN STREETER

“I am very excited about the construction of the Upper School. It gives our school so much more to offer in a competitive environment, and I have no doubt it will also help us achieve our academic goals.”

When Erin and Chris Streeter were looking for a school for their children, Lizzie, '23, Lillian '26, and Grant '28, they wanted a nurturing environment with rigorous academics and an Episcopal affiliation. “We had no idea we would also come to appreciate the athletic environment, or that we would make the deep friendships our family has made,” Erin says. Erin believes the school's greatest strength is the Saints community. She joined the Board because she cares deeply about the school and wanted an opportunity to give back.

As the executive vice president of the National Association of Manufacturer (NAM), Erin works with the president and CEO on the association's strategic direction and lead's the association's policy, advocacy, and government relations efforts on behalf of U.S. manufacturers. She also oversees their branding, media, and marketing teams as NAM's chief

YEARS OF DEDICATION: SAYING FAREWELL TO CLAY PERFALL

St. Stephen's and St. Agnes is extremely grateful to Clay Perfall for his extraordinary service to the Board of Governors and the Foundation Board.

Clay brought an extensive executive leadership background and significant financial expertise to the St. Stephen's and St. Agnes Board, serving from 2005 to 2023. He served as Board chair twice, from 2011-2016 and from 2019-2023. During his service as chair, the Board oversaw Joan Holden's retirement and the hiring and transition of Kirsten Adams to head of school. Clay was a visionary as the Board developed a new strategic plan and a campus master plan, and he provided a steady hand during the challenges of Covid.

Clay and his wife, Anne, were also active parents in the school and are proud of their Saints graduates, son Cal '10, and daughters Evelyn '19, and Adrienne '22.

communications and public affairs officer. NAM credits Erin with transforming their public relations and marketing departments, expanding its size and reach with an award-winning team. She was named one of PR News' Top Women in PR in 2015 and 2018. In addition to national awards for design, speechwriting, and digital strategy, Erin's team received a 2020 Association TRENDS God Award for NAM's annual report and a 2021 PRO News Award for NAM's pandemic response-focused digital campaign.

Prior to joining NAM, Erin served as the director of media relations for one of the largest community-based organizations in the country, the YMCA of the USA. She started her career in public policy as the deputy press secretary to Sen. Arien Specter. She has also worked as a television reporter, writer, producer, and anchor news teams in Missouri, Kansas, and Washington, D.C.

Erin holds a degree in journalism from the University of Kansas and volunteers on the Board of Trustees for Page Society, as an executive committee member of the Public Affairs Council, and a board member of the Institute for Public Relations. When she's not working or volunteering, Erin can be found at a lacrosse game or spending time with her family.

ROBERT M. WADSWORTH '78

“For me, being a Saint means giving back and helping others have the same or better advantages than you had in your life's journey.”

Rob Wadsworth is committed to education and gives generously of his time. In addition to previously serving several terms on the SSSAS Foundation Board including chairing the board during his final term and also serving on the SSSAS Board of Governors, Rob served as a trustee of the Dana Hall School in Wellesley, Mass., for 10 years, the St. Sebastian's School in Needham, Mass., for 10 years, and The University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science for 12 years. He is currently a trustee of Tenacity, Boston, a program focused on the development of underprivileged, inner-city youth attending the Boston Public School.

As a Saint, Rob is very proud of the school that SSSAS has become over time. “Both St. Stephen's and St. Agnes had great legacies in their own right, however, the combined institution has only improved on the great histories of excellence that established both schools as the premiere day schools in Alexandria,” Rob says. “Without having a personal parent experience at SSSAS it is harder for me to comment on the actual classroom and extracurricular experiences of students today. But knowing the achievements and success rates of the school's most recent graduates gives me a strong sense the school is providing an invaluable and enviable experience to its students.”

Rob is delighted to return to the Board for a second tour of duty. “SSSAS will always be the school that provided the foundational experiences for everything I, and my brothers Steve '80 and Jay '82, have accomplished since graduating” Rob says. “As I consider where my time can have the greatest impact, there is no other organization that I feel as committed to helping it be the best it can be–because in effect, that is what the school did for me.”

Rob is presently the managing partner

of W3 Capital, LLS, a family office private equity firm. After graduating from St. Stephen's, Rob received a bachelor's in systems engineering and computer science from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Harvard. Following business school, he joined the firm that would become HarbourVest Partners, LLC, a global private equity investor focused on delivering diversified venture capital and private equity solutions to institutional clients. As a cofounder of HarbourVest, he worked to grow the firm from $200 M in assets under management (AUM) in 1986 to over $110 Billion today. During his 33 years at the firm, he worked with over 300 private and public portfolio companies serving on the board of directors of over 50 of those companies. He spent the last seven years before retiring in 2019, as the senior executive on their executive management team overseeing all operations and the firm-wide investment committee.

Returning to the Board, Rob is most excited by the school's commitment to fiscal strength and independence while making no sacrifices to teaching excellence. “Having world class facilities is critical to attracting both the best teachers, administrators, and families to the crucible that is the school community,” Rob says. “But in order to sustain the school's hard-fought position as a premiere day school in the region, the leadership has to be committed to building its endowment as well as its physical plant. As no private school can survive on tuition revenue alone, SSSAS needs vigilance in its pursuit of annual and capital campaign contributions to make the desired future a reality. As these objectives of the Strategic Plan wholly align with my values, I am proud to be part of the BOG team.” Rob thinks the most significant challenge remains keeping tuition affordable and financial aid available in order to enable a wide cross section of qualified students and families to have access to the SSSAS experience.

Rob has been an active pilot for 46 years and still flies routinely for business and personal events. He and his family— wife Terry Taylor Wadsworth and children

Katie (36), Andy (32), Meredith (30), and Michael (28)—enjoy traveling to new places and having new experiences. Rob also enjoys tennis, golf, skiing, pickleball, fishing, cycling, boating, and sailing—but most of all his favorite activity is doing anything with his four grandchildren.

SYRUS ZIAI '84

“A Saint is a student who strives to better themselves through scholarship and hard work at St. Stephen's and St. Agnes and beyond, and who brings compassion and fairness to the world.”

After graduating from St. Stephen's School in 1984, Syrus Ziai received a bachelor's of science in electrical engineering from Rice University in Houston and started work at Hewlett Packard (HP) as a VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) Design Manager in Fort Collins, Colorado in 1988. He moved to HP's Silicon Valley offices in 1996, and has been living in California ever since. He completed a master's in electrical engineering at Stanford University through a combination of remote and on-site classes in Palo Alto, “before remote learning was a big thing!”

Syrus has served as vice president of engineering at Ikanos, Qualcomm, PsiQuantum, and Nuvia, and spent about six years as a venture investor

in the early 2000s. When he joined PsiQuantum in 2016, he was the first employee and senior vice president of engineering at the quantum computing company. In order to learn the basics of quantum information, he returned to school studying oneon-one for a few hours a week with a professor at Carnegie Mellon for six months. PsiQuantum continues as the highest funded quantum computing startup, having raised over $600M of funding. Although Syrus is mostly a chip designer, he has worked with materials scientists, chemists, and physicists, as well as leading software and signal processing teams. Today he is the co-founder and vice president of engineering at Eliyan, a fabless semiconductor company that he

started with two partners in 2022. Syrus is married to optometrist Fariba Lessani with whom he has a son, Maziar, a junior at the Harker School in San Jose. In his downtime, Syrus enjoys being with this family, skiing, and playing the piano.

With his experience in senior management and advisory/investor roles, Syrus looks forward to contributing to the SSSAS Board where he hopes to bring a long-term view to the school. His priorities are long-term financial stability and the ability to attract and retain top teachers to serve a broad student base. “I loved my time at St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School,” Syrus says. “Having left Iran mid-year of my junior year in high school, I joined St. Stephen's and was welcomed by the entire school community.”

ON THE BOARD

Timothy Adams, Chair

Barrye Price, Vice-Chair

Adrian Azer '96

Jason Booma

Eugene Bounds

Reginald J. Brown

Peter Chadwick

Sabrina Crawford

David Felsenthal

Amy Hanley '87

Peter Keefe

Taylor Kiland '85

Sarah Knutson

Charles Molster III

Nikita Montgomery

Katherine Murphy

Shiloh Roehl

Elizabeth Siegel

Erin Streeter

Jim Taylor '84

Rob Wadsworth '78

Rev. Oran Warder

Katie Woodruff

Syrus Ziai '84

Ex-Officio Members:

Henry Broaddus, President, CSDV

Kirsten Adams, Head of School

The Fabric of Imagination Bringing “Pride and Prejudice” to Life

By Melissa Ulsaker Maas '76

the deep recesses behind the Black Box Theater stage, an incredible collection of costumes and props exists in a dimly lit space the students fondly call Narnia. For Elona Michael '24, Indira Brown '25, and Cate Nickson '25, it is an extraordinary place where they weave through fabrics, and their imaginations dance amidst the swirls of color, textures, and styles. It's a place they can travel through time, both to the past and to the future. In a realm where each stitch tells a story and every detail brings characters to life, this passionate trio have worked together for three years—on “Cinderella,” “Love and Information,” and “Mamma Mia!”—turning the mundane into the magical and proving that behind every mesmerizing performance there's a team of artistic visionaries who bring dreams to reality.

Hitting the Ground Running

In September—just two weeks into the new school year—Elona, Indira, and Cate jumped headlong into the whirlwind of creating the costumes for the fall Stage One production, “Pride and Prejudice.” “We had 30+ costumes to create,” Indira says. “That might seem like a large number considering our smaller cast, but we had a few very talented actors who were playing multiple roles, plus the fact that we were costuming the run crew.” And the fact that “Pride and Prejudice” takes place during the Regency era was fun, but also challenging. “Unlike the costumes for the plays and musicals we worked on previously, we don't have a lot of Regency costume pieces in stock,” Elona notes. “But we had a great deal of support from our director, Ms. Valerie Carlson.

Meeting every day after school from 3:30 to 5:30, the costume virtuosos began their design process by creating an inspiration board on Pinterest. “From there we went deeper into researching the Regency era, gathering details about how social class and where a character lived would impact their wardrobe,” Cate says. “Because this production is in a specific time period, our research informed our inspiration as we made sure we were choosing period accurate fashion.”

A New Perspective

This year they added something new to their process—interviewing the actors. “If the director allows them more flexibility within their character choices, they let us know whether that's

in terms of gender or certain personality traits,” Indira says. “We take that information and implement it into their costume, which is a really cool factor.”

This approach helps them to really focus on the cast. “Some of the characters didn't have a fully flushed out backstory, so they created it themselves to enhance their performance,” Cate explains. “It was exciting to be part of that and reflect the character they developed in their costumes. Theater is a team sport. By including the ensemble in our conversations, we were able to give them more nuanced characters.”

The Regency Era

To vividly portray each character in accordance with the historical period, the costume designers meticulously considered the influence of social status, color choices, fabric selections, and accessories on the characters they were outfitting. Elona underscores the significance of accuracy in costume design, emphasizing its pivotal role in storytelling, “The Bennett's are an upper middle-class family versus Mr. Darcy who is clearly upper class. Little things like neck wear and the cluster of the white cloth are important. Mr. Bennett would be way more relaxed and he would have less layering, while Darcy would probably have more layering on his neck piece.” Indira emphasizes the role of color as a reflection of social class in “Pride and Prejudice,” noting that it holds significant importance for both men and women, “If a man wanted to look well put together and like they had money, they chose duller, darker colors.”

Fabric and colors served as key indicators of a woman's position in life. The French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars had just occurred and led to a shift in fashion. There was a revival of interest in classical art and literature, particularly the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations, which heavily influenced Regency fashion as women looked for clothing that was comfortable and practical. “Women of higher status would wear brighter, silkier clothing,” Cate says. “Some of it is about extravagance, although it's a balance in this period as they veered away from Marie Antoinette's elaborate gowns towards a more simplistic elegance. The empire waist was very popular.”

There's More to Color than Meets the Eye

The design team cleverly used color, not only as a palette for the production, but also as another way to enhance the storytelling. They utilized color to reflect a mood in a scene or a character's personality. “Flashy extravagant characters were dressed in brighter colors, while more toned down, cool characters wore lighter colors and pastels,” Cate says. “The colors also differed with age.” And, they used color to indicate contrasting characters and characters falling in love. “We thought in terms of a general color scheme, but within that we used color to reflect what was happening between characters,” Indira explains. “For instance, if two characters were in a developing relationship, we made

sure that the colors they wore became more alike as the relationship grew. The relationship between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy was contentious at the beginning, so we dressed them in very different colors. As the play progressed, their color palettes began to blend and by the end they matched. We did that with Jane Bennet and Mr. Bingley, too.”

Coming Up Empty in Narnia?

Normally, the costume designers search through the huge supply of costumes in Narnia, pulling together different bits and pieces to create new looks for the characters in each production, but the intricacies of Regency clothing were very challenging

and not readily available. Anything they can't find in Narnia has to be ordered, rented, or made, and renting can be problematic. “Because we usually receive the rented costumes during the last month before we open, which means all the changes have to be made at the last minute,” Cate says. “The final two weeks leading up to the play were very hectic, as we still have about 30% of our work to do.”

Top Hats and Ribbons Galore

For this production, accessories played a prominent role. “We thought a lot about accessories, because we used them to contrast regular day wear versus ball wear,” Elona says. “For

example, we used a jacket or nice hat to accent day wear, but replaced them with gloves for the ball. We do have a good stock of top hats in Narnia, which is very helpful in terms of the male characters.” The girls burst into laughter and Indira says, “And lots of ribbons!” Amidst more laughter Cate adds, “Thankfully we have a good stock of ribbons. Bonnets are very expensive, so we are buying a couple of base bonnets and then we're going to embellish them ourselves with ribbons and flowers.”

Finicky Fabrics

Choosing fabrics requires special care for a number of reasons. Elona,

Indira Brown '25, Elona Michaels '25, and Cate Nickson '25 in Narnia.

Indira, and Cate always look for quality fabrics and are wary of choosing something that will look “too costumey.” “To maintain historical accuracy, we searched for natural fibers and avoided polyester,” Indira says. Cate observes, “Some of the polyesters look really bad under the lights, because they're too shiny.” Colors are also affected by the lighting on stage. The costume designers consult with the lighting team to find out what lights will be used when, to make sure the costume colors they choose are complimentary.

Painting the Same Picture

In October the director pulled everyone together—set, lighting, costumes, hair and makeup—to discuss the overall plans. “We presented a

slideshow of our fashion plans so everyone was on the same page,” Indira says. “We're all painting the same picture, so we need to know what direction everyone is going in and work out a master plan.”

And, of course, that master plan has to reflect the overall vision of the director, who is incredibly supportive but doesn't always agree with her proteges. “There's always a few costumes in every show that our director isn't crazy about, whether for character reasons, historical accuracy, or the overall aesthetic of the show,” Cate says. “In those instances, we have to find a new outfit for the character. For this show, we had a dress picked out for Mrs. Phillips which our director thought was odd, so we found another dress we all could agree on. It can be

frustrating when we love a costume that our director doesn't, but compromise is a very important part of our job, and that's how the show comes together as a cohesive whole.”

And the Final Act...

Ultimately, Elona, Indira, and Cate have a common goal. “We want all the actors to feel self-confident, comfortable and gorgeous, handsome and pretty in their costumes,” Cate says. Because when they feel 100% in character, it's reflected in their performances, and great performances are what the whole production team is working towards—using the fabric of their imaginations to take a play from paper to reality. Bravo!

ON THE STAGE: “PRIDE AND PREJUDICE”

In November Stage One presented three performances of Jane Austen's sparkling satire of family dynamics, romantic entanglements, social-climbing scoundrels, and the social scene of the Regency period.

FROM JR. MUSICAL THEATER TO THE FOLGER THEATER STAGE

CLARENCE PAYNE '33 TAKES ON SHAKESPEARE

Third grader Clarence Payne inherited his love of singing and dancing from his mom, Gladys Payne. From the time he and his sister, Emma '30, were little, Gladys and her husband, Ken, filled the house and car with kids' songs and Disney movies. Clarence and Emma are huge fans of the “Just Dance” video game, learning the dance moves to different songs to accumulate points. Currently, Clarence is simulating his own version of a season of “Total Drama Island” using their stuffed animals!

In 2022 Clarence went to the SSSAS Summertimes Junior Musical Theater camp and loved it so much he went twice in 2023. That summer, Gladys also sent him to Camp Arena Stage. On August 17 the camp director, Mauricio Pita, called to let the Payne's know that the Folger Theater was holding auditions for Shakespeare's “The Winter's Tale” and that Clarence should try out. Clarence auditioned on August 23. On August 29 the Folger Theater called with an offer for Clarence to play Mamillius and Time, roles he shared and alternated with Richard Bradford in more than 40 performances. The play marked a grand reopening for the Folger Theater, after a three-and-a-half-year renovation at the Folger Shakespeare Library.

Clarence talked to us about his amazing experience with the Folger Theater.

Q. Why did you want to go to theater camp?

A. Because I love singing and dancing, and musical theater is a combination of both.

Q. What do you love most about acting?

A: t’s being in this new fantastical world where you can be someone else—not in a weird insecure way—but where you’re doing it just so that people will like you.

Q: What do you enjoy most about being in a play?

A: I think it'd be the interactions and how you get to watch and be entertained.

Q: What do you think of Shakespeare? Are you interested in reading more of his plays?

A: I wouldn't say that I'd be specifically looking for more Shakespeare auditions, but if it comes up in auditions, then I'd probably do it.

Q: What process do you use for learning your lines and understanding them?

A: I think this is the most common way. Like, I grabbed one chunk and then I was like, “Okay, this, that, this, that.” And then I grabbed other chunk and I was like, “That, this, that, this.” So, I memorized each part by doing it... By doing each part

over and over and over again, and then when I was ready, I moved on to the next one.

Q: Your character, Mamillius, is very important to the play and gave the play its title when he said, “A sad tale's best for winter, I have one of sprites and goblins.” What do you think he meant when he said that?

A: I think since winter is all gloomy and the sky is gloomy and stuff like that, Mamillius is the equivalent to sad, if not even more depressing. He just has a sad tale about sprites and goblins.

Q: Do you have any favorite moments from your character?

A: I can't really pick a favorite part, because I love them all equally, because they are so good.

Q: How do you feel right before going on stage, are you nervous or excited?

A: I feel really excited, and I know that I'm going to bring a lot of people a bunch of joy, and so that also makes me even more excited.

Q: What is it like working with professional actors? Did you make new friends doing the play?

A: So, for the first question, it's like summer camp, except it’s with adults. And for the second question, I made friends with the entire cast, and I especially loved my guardian, Angela.

Q: Would you like to do another play? If you could choose any other play to be in, which one would it be and why?

A: I think it would be “Matilda,” because it's a musical and it's one of my favorite tales of all time.

Q: What do you like to do when you're not in school or acting?

A: I love to play on my piano, swim, sing, and dance.

Left Photo: Clarence Payne '33 and alternate Richard Bradford at the first read through. Right Photo: Clarence on stage.

Kate Elkins

What one piece of advice would you offer anyone who asks?

Cherish the time you spend with family and friends, surround yourself with kind people, and try not to stress over things you can't control.

What would constitute a perfect day for you?

I love a snow day, especially when we get a significant amount of snow and we're forced to pause. I tend to spend days like these working in my studio.

What is something that you pretend to understand when you really don't?

I try to be really understanding when my dogs are sharing their frustrations about the squirrels in our yard.

In her 10th year teaching art at SSSAS, Upper School Art Teacher and Art Department Chair Kate Elkins is still inspired by her students' curiosity, enthusiasm, and openness to exploring more than one side of themselves. She believes that art is a means to connect with others who have experienced similar emotions of intense joy or profound loss and that in those moments, art becomes an essential source of solace, inspiration, and guidance. Kate and her brother grew up on a family-owned stable, with more than 100 horses in southern Michigan. They experienced the enchantment of playing in the barns and running in the fields with their animals and lots of cousins. When Kate wasn't reading or drawing outdoors, she was roller skating—with aspirations of joining a roller derby team! Kate didn't take her first art class until her junior year. “It was eye-opening to discover that making art can be academically rigorous and challenging,” Kate says. “I loved it so much that I took five art classes my senior year.” Her newfound love took Kate to the Savannah College of Art and Design, where she received a bachelor of fine arts in painting and met her husband of nearly 30 years, Slade, an architect. They have two children, a son serving as a Marine Corps officer and a daughter set to graduate from college and commission into the Army in May. In 2012, Kate received her master's in art education from George Washington University. At their home, Kate and Slade's shared love of reading and art is evident in the stacks of books, drawings, and paintings laying everywhere. In her studio that Slade designed, Kate is exploring a new technique sanding charcoal into hand-toned paper and creating a series of drawings of uniform jackets worn by people in her family to honor them and their personal histories. They also love movies. Every year their family ramps up for Oscar season, watching every nominated film before competing to see who can predict the most categories. Right now, Kate's favorite director is Taika Waititi (“Jo Jo Rabbit” and “Reservation Dogs”). Living a healthy lifestyle is important to Kate. She's a beekeeper and adores cooking from scratch with home grown ingredients. A visit to artist Georgia O'Keeffe's home in New Mexico deeply impacted Kate. “I've always been drawn to her paintings, but I find great inspiration in the way she lived her life—with independence, strength, a rich aesthetic, and a commitment to simple living,” Kate says. “She influences my artistic choices and my approach to life.” Kate enjoys biking, hiking and canoeing, live music, visiting museums, and playing with her long-haired dachshunds, Ruby and Ginny. She has traveled to many European countries and nearly every U.S. state. Kate tries to surround herself with people who make her laugh. In fact, she wrote her graduate thesis on how laughter in the classroom can help students feel safe and comfortable and therefore more likely to take risks in their artmaking. Something quirky about Kate? She has a severe case of pareidolia (look that up), and sees faces in everything!

What is the one place in the world you would like to escape to and why?

I'd escape to a peaceful house by the lake. Growing up in Michigan, we were surrounded by beautiful lakes. The calming smells and sounds of the water and the surrounding woods have always had a rejuvenating effect on me.

If you had a million dollars in the bank, what would you be doing?

I'd buy that lake house.

What is your most treasured object and why?

Our collection of paintings—they tell the story of our lives together.

TRI-M MUSIC HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTION

In November eight Saints were inducted into the Tri-M Music Honor Society in a special ceremony to formally welcome and pin the new Middle and Upper School members. The Tri-M Music Honor Society is a program of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), which focuses on creating future leaders in music education and music advocacy. It is the only music honor society for middle school and high school students in the United States. Tri-M recognizes students who have gone above and beyond both academically and musically. It also provides students with leadership opportunities to make a difference in their community through music-based service projects. This year's inductees were Elliot Desautels '25, Declan Gaffney '25, Anne Louden Kostel '25, Luca Leonardo '27, Charles McElwain '25, Olivia Pla '26, William Price '25, and Safira Yisrael '24. Ten freshmen moved from junior to senior Tri-M members: Charlotte Barnes, Kaia Brock, Jacob Cooper, Mark Driver, Noor El-Allagui, Cecil Gregg, Mia Klock, Sera RhindTutt, Ella Van Giezen, and Aden Wright.

LOWER SCHOOL ROBOTICS TEAM WINS AWARD

Saints Robotics, our Lower School robotics team, excelled at the First LEGO League Robotics Competition in November, securing the Best Robot Design award for Division 1 in their debut! The competition included the enthusiastic participation of 10 SSSAS team members from both fourth and fifth grades, showcasing the dedication and collaborative spirit of the team. The First Lego League (FLL) robotics competition comprises four main components, each contributing 25% to the overall assessment: Core Values, Robot Design, Innovation Project, and Robot Game.

STUDY ON THE POTOMAC

In October the Upper School Marine Biology and Wetlands Biology classes embarked on a fascinating adventure aboard the Bea Hayman Clark, a research vessel by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF).

Their three-hour boat tour took them down the Washington Channel to the confluence of the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers, where the exploration began. Students delved into the habitat by conducting tests on abiotic water quality parameters, examining dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, nitrates, and phosphates.

The journey was filled with incredible sightings, including eagles, ospreys, and an array of aquatic life. A trawl performed by the CBF staff revealed a diverse range of fish, from bluegill to shad, while an unexpected guest made an appearance in the form of a massive crayfish!

This experience left our students with a new appreciation for the biodiversity that thrives in the waters surrounding the nation's capital.

JUNIOR PERFORMS ORIGINAL PIECE AT VMEA CONFERENCE

Tate Commission '25 has been playing the viola for only five years, but he's already writing orchestral pieces. This fall he submitted an original composition for string orchestra, “Daydreams,” to the Virginia Music Educators Association (VMEA) Composition Festival and his work was selected for a live performance. The Festival highlights student musical compositions of all types and styles through live or recorded performance or display at VMEA's annual conference. Submitted works may not be longer than eight minutes and compositions are evaluated based on compositional technique, musicality, and creativity.

In her student profile on Tate in the school newspaper, The Voice, Grace Hendy '25 asked Tate what inspired his piece. “'Daydreams' is inspired by the circle of life, from birth to death. It begins very quietly with a simple yet graceful and melancholic motif, which gradually takes on new perspectives as it weaves between the instruments in the orchestra. The melody and harmony parts gradually climb upwards and become louder throughout the first half of the piece, which all leads into a climax in the middle of the piece, consisting of a gigantic swell. However, in contrast with the romantic-period classical inspirations in the first half, the second half of the piece suddenly takes inspiration from American film music and introduces a viola solo followed by further transformation of this new yet somewhat familiar melody. Finally, the last part of the piece returns to the original motif with very quiet dynamics, eventually fading out to nothing with five final chords, representing a human's final breaths.”

Tate and our Upper School orchestra participated in the VMEA Composition Festival in Richmond, Va., on November 16 and also performed Tate's piece at our allschool Thanksgiving Service.

INSTITUTIONAL EQUITY AND DIVERSITY LEADERS RECOGNIZED BY THE ALEXANDRIA NAACP

The Alexandria Virginia Branch for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) held the 90th Freedom Fund Gala, “Thriving Together,” in October. At this special event, the contributions of SSSAS Director of Institutional Equity and Diversity KiKi Davis and Associate Director of Institutional Equity and Diversity Joe Wenger were celebrated. They were recognized as Community Service Guests of Honor Recipients for their bravery and thoughtful leadership of their Racial Healing Seminars for city residents, led in coalition with the City of Alexandria Equal Justice Initiative. The Alexandria NAACP mission is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination.

MAKING MATH FUN!

Our kindergarten students enjoyed a math activity where they used connecting cubes to build numbers 1-10, drew dots to represent the number on arrays, and then matched them to the numbers (abstract symbols). This foundational work is a crucial step in developing a deep understanding of numbers, setting the stage for a successful year ahead. The next exciting steps included comparing numbers and diving into addition and subtraction!

Jordan Hill

What is the one thing in the world you would fix if you could wave a magic wand?

My height. I'm 5'8” and a half. Please don't forget the half. There is nothing more shocking than leaving, coming back from spring break and everyone is taller than you.

What one piece of advice would you offer anyone who asks?

Welcome mistakes and accidents into your life, that is the only way to welcome wisdom and learning.

What in life makes you smile?

Hearing a baby's laugh and a really bad dad Joke (which means that it was good and fabulous).

Middle School History Teacher Jordan Hill describes himself as a kind, loyal, corny, and friendly coffee addict. He walks with a spring in his step and is dedicated to making people smile. He loves working with middle schoolers because he can relate to them and thrives on their energy. Jordan laughs and says, “After spending a considerable amount of time with me, say 10 minutes, people tend to realize that I am, in fact, a 13-year-old trapped inside an adult's body.” Jordan and his two brothers grew up in Concord, Mass. “Our family abandoned the game of Monopoly due to the petty rivalries that sprung up, especially around Boardwalk and the Reading Railroad,” Jordan jokes. “I still have nightmares.” He dreamed of becoming an author and was ecstatic to contribute a chapter on Harlem to his college professor's book, “50 Events that Shaped African American History.” While initially aspiring to teach history, Jordan doubted his teaching abilities and majored in communications and media studies instead. After graduating he landed a job in the communications office at Fenn School. He quickly realized that he loved working in a school but wanted to be in the classroom, so he pursued a master's of education and the acquisition of a teaching position. Jordan's love of history was cultivated by hours poring over textbooks, reading the Old Testament at church, and by his high school history teacher, Mr. Hoblitzelle—the first teacher who made him feel truly seen and respected. Outside of the classroom Jordan loves all things sports—volleyball, basketball, track and field, ultimate frisbee, and soccer. He enjoys watching “Psych” or his new fav “New Girl,” or listening to his “largest crush,” Tori Kelly, and Lawrence the Band. His ideal weekend involves coffee, a good book or podcast, and playing sports or board games with friends. While Europe beckons on his bucket list, Jordan has explored Cambodia, Thailand, Johannesburg, and embarked on a 10-day road trip from Boston to San Diego. He says the highlight of that trip was confirming that the only attractions in Kansas are barbecue and cornfields. Recalling a daring feat, Jordan describes climbing over the Grand Canyon railing to lean over the ledge…for a few minutes…but don't tell his mom! He also recalls being terrified as he fought off a gang of raccoons with a broom. He's very proud of being the fastest runner all through elementary school, but he's still recovering from being dethroned in seventh grade. For anyone having him to dinner, Jordan hates peas, snap peas, and green beans. “If I buy a bag of mixed vegetables, I will dig through it to get rid of them,” Jordan grins. “Do you know how long that takes with a 4lb. bag?” What would he do if he wasn't teaching? Jordan quips, “If being a barista was a 'livable profession,' I would be making latte art for students!”

What is the one place in the world you would like to escape to and why?

Though I've never been, I think I would love to escape to Ireland or Scotland to see the rolling hills, misty cliffs, and the dopey faces of sheep.

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

Leaving Boston to come down to Virginia to teach history to a bunch of crazy middle schoolers.

What helps you persevere when you feel like giving up?

My faith is one of the things that grounds me, but another pillar that I lean on, is the experience of my parents. They came from difficult circumstances and from a place of deficit and they prevailed, and that reminds me that I can do it too.

Director of Lower School Academic Support Kate Roessler spent her childhood in Rockland County, N.Y., and has fond memories of Yankees games, Broadway plays, and Madison Square Garden performances. Born in the middle of an eight-sibling pack, Kate and her twin sister surprised their parents with a “trick or treat” on Halloween when the expected solo arrival turned out to be a duo. Kate headed to college dreaming of becoming a teacher, but her trajectory shifted upon discovering the field of speech-language pathology during her freshman year. Kate relishes working with students to enhance their classroom success while making learning fun! Delving into the connection between oral and written language skills, Kate emphasizes the pivotal role language plays in planning, organization, and time management. In 2007 she received a master's in speech-language pathology. Beyond her professional life, Kate is a mother of three— Nolan, Grant, and Hannah—and met her husband, Steven, playing kickball on the National Mall. Kate finds joy in her children's first experiences, while cherishing family traditions like Easter scavenger hunts, themed Halloween costumes, and returning to their wedding venue to celebrate each anniversary. Her weekends involve leisurely coffee and reading sessions, followed by energetic lacrosse or hockey games and lively evenings playing Settlers of Catan and Codenames. Kate spends lots of time at the ice rink cheering on Steven and their children, who all play ice hockey—go Reston Raiders! Kate's a huge fan of “Survivor,” and has rewatched every season with her husband, who now drinks his morning coffee out of a “Survivor” mug. Being half Irish and half Italian, a trip to Italy and Ireland are on her bucket list. When she was young, Kate did Irish dancing and still remembers many of her routines! Kate just finished reading “All the Light We Cannot See,” and she loves a good before and after on HGTV. Her greatest personal achievement? Parenting three children under six during a pandemic while working full time. Kate says, “It was not for the faint of heart, but it forced us to slow down and put less pressure on ourselves. I am grateful for the extra time we were able to spend all together as a family and for the emphasis it helped us place on what really matters.”

Kate Roessler

What is one piece of advice would you offer anyone who asks?

“Mistakes help your brain grow.” Advice my 10-year-old learned from his classroom teacher. We all make mistakes. What's important is being kind to yourself afterwards and learning from them.

What is the one place in the world you would like to escape to and why?

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I just finished reading the first two books to my children, and I am sure we would love to experience the magic firsthand.

What helps you persevere when you feel like giving up?

Growing up, my mother called my sisters and I her “warriors,” even though we were all small in stature (under 5'2”). That word has stayed with me and grown in significance. When I feel like giving up, it not only reminds me to be courageous, but also that no one is alone during challenges and that we need to trust in and rely on others to help us persevere.

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

While studying abroad in New Zealand I hiked a glacier that has since been discontinued because of how dangerous it was, eek! I also went skydiving and saw “Mount Doom” (the Lord of the Rings' filming location) during the freefall.

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 would be an excellent chef with a knack for cooking nutritious meals…in under 30 minutes…that children would devour despite the presence of vegetables and bread crusts and only a regular-sized serving of ketchup.

What is one of your most treasured objects and why?

I installed My Little Free Library (LFL) in memory of my mother, who instilled a love of reading in me. My aim is to make sure my LFL is stocked with diverse books for a variety of ages and abilities and hope is that my LFL sparks joy for fellow bookworms in my community!

CELEBRATING VETERANS DAY WITH AUSTIN TALBERT-LOVING

Second Lieutenant Austin TalbertLoving '16 spoke to the Upper School community at their Veterans Day Assembly on November 10. Austin talked about his service and the importance of three key words: self-image, identity, and leadership. In his speech, Austin shared these inspiring words: “Let's celebrate the diversity of our veterans and their individual journeys. While our selfimages and identities may differ, it's the common thread of leadership that unites us. It's leadership that weaves a tapestry of strength and resilience, showcasing the extraordinary achievements we can accomplish when we first expect the best from ourselves. On this Veterans Day, let us stand together in unity and appreciation for all veterans, recognizing the self-image, identity, and leadership that make each journey unique and collectively powerful.”

After the convocation, Austin had lunch with the Saints for Veterans Club. In May 2021, Austin proudly graduated from United States Naval Academy, where he played Division I football for four years. He received a bachelor's degree in quantitative economics and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps.

Q. Tell us about your current role and about your journey getting there!

A. I currently serve in the United States

Marine Corps with dual responsibilities in financial management, acting as both a disbursing officer and a comptroller. My journey began at where I transferred in my sophomore year (2013/2014). I saw an immediate shift in culture and community at SSSAS and I was able to fit right in. I played varsity football there for my three years in attendance and dabbled in some other sports (track & field). This experience ignited my passion for the game and eventually led me to commit to playing football at the Naval Academy. After graduating from USNA in May 2021, I earned a bachelor's of science in quantitative economics and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps. Since then, I've undergone various training programs, served in different roles, and even ventured into entrepreneurship with my brand, Achieve Transcend Lead (ATL).

Q. Did a specific experience or a particular person inspire you to follow this journey?

A. My journey was inspired by my love for football, a strong commitment to education, and personal development. When I first received the offer, I remember people saying things like “This is the best decision you could ever make.” “This decision is going to change your family's life forever.” I always knew that I was a leader and knew that I wanted to be challenged. So, I combined my passions with my desires and made the commitment to the Academy.

Q. What are the most rewarding and most challenging parts of your job?

A. The most rewarding part of my job is undoubtedly the sense of service and the opportunity to make a positive impact on my community and the marines that I work with. In Quantico I am the officer in charge (OIC) of a section of about 12 marines. Not only is the performance of the section my responsibility, but the physical, mental, and emotional welfare of my team is my responsibility as well. That comes with its challenges,

too. The military demands dedication and discipline and can be physically and mentally challenging, especially when dealing with complex financial management tasks and responsibilities, upholding the physical standards of the Marine Corps and balancing a personal/ social life. You are a Marine 24/7 so you are never off of the clock. Everything that you do is a representation of the Corps and the standard must never drop.

Q. What is something that most people wouldn't know about working in the Marine Corps, or the military in general?

A. People may not know about the many opportunities that are available, not only in the Marine Corps but also in the military in general. Although you are either in the fight or supporting the fight, there are so many pieces to the puzzle and if one is missing or incomplete the military would not be as feared as it is today. For example, my specialty is financial management in Quantico and my section is responsible for paying travel claim reimbursements for every member traveling in and out of the National Capital region as well as general officers and their staff. My section pays out anywhere between one and three million dollars a week. On the comptroller side of things in the pentagon I am a budget officer and I am mostly in charge of the movement of funds. The budget that I manage is over $200 million dollars.

Q. What advice would you give to a current Saint who might be interested in a career in the military?

A. For any Saint aspiring to pursue a career in the military, I would advise them to focus on their education and physical fitness. Critical thinking skills are crucial. It is a leader's job to manage problems and make quick decisions. You will always have a full plate so being mentally and physically sharp will allow you to have the stamina to withstand the many demands that your job will ask of you. As a leader you must lead from the front, setting the example and the standard by doing your best every day.

FIND THE DIFFERENCES

Our new mascot visited the Lower School pep rally for the Sleepy Thompson Tournament. We challenge you to find 12 differences in the photos!

RECORD SETTING DONATION

In November fourth grade Saints created an amazing arcade from reusable materials called the Crenshaw Arcade—inspired by the book “Crenshaw,” which includes themes about hunger and homelessness. To play, students and teachers donated canned goods and non-perishable foods for tickets. And the Big News is that thanks in large part to the incredible Crenshaw Arcade food drive, the school proudly raised a whopping 3,875 pounds of food for our partner non-profit, ALIVE! That was nearly two tons of generosity before Thanksgiving—an amazing achievement!

THE POWER OF WORDS

SSSAS hosted the eighth annual Middle School Diversity Conference in November. With the theme “The Power of Words,” more than 120 students from across the MidAtlantic region came together to explore how language can both harm and heal. The event featured 30 Upper School student facilitators who engaged with the participants, fostering important discussions and insights. Our keynote speaker, local hip-hop artist, poet, and teacher Jason Moore (AKA: Raw Poetic), delivered an inspiring address before the students broke up into workshop groups.

A CULTURAL CELEBRATION

Lower School celebrated the end of Hispanic Heritage Month by hosting 123 Andrés! This Latin Grammy-winning music duo, consisting of Andrés and Christina, creates children's music in both English and Spanish. The performance was engaging and educational, with catchy songs that had our students dancing and learning in both languages. 123 Andrés has performed for audiences all over the U.S., as well as in Puerto Rico, Panama, and Mexico. This was a fantastic way for students to learn about and appreciate Hispanic culture!

IT'S A WRAP! CONGRATUATIONS TO OUR FALL SEASON ATHLETES

ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES SCHOOL

Welcomes New Inductees

Isaiah Davis-Allen '13

Kathleen Miller O'Gara '03

Madia Willis '00

1991-1992 SSSAS Wrestling Team

1956-1957 St. Stephen's Football Team

Coach David Hooper

Coach Doug Adams

HONORS & AWARDS

2011-2012 All-IAC Ice Hockey

2011-2012 SSSAS Outstanding Athlete for Ice Hockey

2013 SSSAS Outstanding Athlete

2013 Saint Award Boys Lacrosse

2013 Saint Award Ice Hockey

2013 All IAC Boys Lacrosse

2013 All IAC Ice Hockey

2013 All-MAPHL Ice Hockey

2013 VISAA Boys Lacrosse All State First Team

2013 All-Met Boys Lacrosse Honorable Mention

2013 Alexandria Sportsman's Club Athlete of the Year for Ice Hockey

Isaiah Davis-Allen '13

Football, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse

Isaiah Davis-Allen was considered an outstanding athlete throughout his high school career at SSSAS. A three-sport athlete, he made a substantial impact on the football, ice hockey, and boys lacrosse teams. When looking back on Isaiah's time at the school, Upper School Athletics Director Bernard Joseph remarked, “There have been exceptional lacrosse players and exceptional ice hockey players at this school. It's rare that we've had a single player who was amazing at both. In addition to these two sports, he was also a strong football player.”

Isaiah's successful college lacrosse and professional lacrosse careers are a testament to the foundations he built during his time as a Saint. His interest in lacrosse sprang from his awareness of his uncle's time playing lacrosse in college and his mother's deep-rooted passion for the sport. For all four years of high school, Isaiah was a varsity starter on the boys lacrosse team and in the top five in ground balls. He was a starting member of three VISAA State Championship teams (2010, 2012, and 2013) and a senior captain on the school's first ever IAC Championship team his senior year, with a historic win over Landon. At the 2013 Athletic Awards Banquet, Coach Andy Taibl said of Isaiah, “He was one of a very small handful of players in my time here to ever start all four years. He finished his senior season fourth on the team in overall points...and was truly our do everything guy..Isaiah was one of the toughest competitors and finest young men I have ever had the pleasure to coach and work with.”

Isaiah displayed the same athleticism, leadership, and competitiveness during his four years playing ice hockey. He was a team captain, an SSSAS Outstanding Athlete, and an Alexandria Sportsman's Club Athlete of the Year for ice hockey. Teammate Nick Cargas '14 remembers Isaiah as a “leader and fierce competitor.” “I was learning how to play hockey and Isaiah took the time to help me understand the game,” Nick said. He also recalled Isaiah's remarkable strength and stamina. “He would stay on the ice for nearly an entire 20-minute period when the average player's shift lasts a minute or less. He simply wore people down—the opposing team would go through four different shifts of people while he remained on the ice,” Nick said. “I once saw Isaiah jump from the ice to a height where his skates cleared the boards in order to catch a puck. This is impossible to do on ice and yet he did it from a dead stop. People gasped.”

Isaiah also played on the school's football team for two years, playing varsity during his sophomore year. Fellow teammate Darius Manora '13 recalls, “Isaiah was obviously an outstanding lacrosse player, but also an incredibly gifted athlete on the football team as well. I'll always remember him as a tough quarterback who wasn't scared to get hit and an awesome leader who everyone on the team looked up to.”

HONORS & AWARDS

2000 SSSAS Outstanding Athlete in Field Hockey

2000 All-Met Field Hockey Honorable Mention

2001 SSSAS Outstanding Athlete in Field Hockey

2001 Alexandria Journal Field Hockey First Team

2001 All-ISL Lacrosse Team

2001 All-Met Field Hockey First Team

2001 All-Met Lacrosse Second Team

2002 SSSAS Outstanding Athlete in Field Hockey

2002 Alexandria Sportsman's Club Athlete of the Year for Field Hockey

2002 Alexandria Journal Field Hockey Player of the Year, First Team

2002 All-ISL Field Hockey

2002 All-ISL Lacrosse

2002 All-Met Field Hockey Player of the Year

2002 All-Met Lacrosse Second Team

2002 Heather Leigh Albert Award for best high school player in the country

2003 All-Met Lacrosse First Team

2003 SSSAS Outstanding Athlete in Lacrosse

2003 Alexandria Sportsman's Club Athlete of the Year for Field Hockey

3-Time High School Girls Lacrosse All-American

2003 US U19 Women's Lacrosse National team, MVP of the World Cup Championship Game

Kathleen Miller O'Gara '03

Field Hockey, Basketball, Lacrosse

Kathleen Miller O'Gara was a four-year varsity field hockey player, serving as team captain her senior year. According to 2019 Hall of Fame Inductee Coach Marsha Way, Kathleen's overall field hockey record credits her with 40 goals and 15 official assists, although her true number of assists is likely higher because assist tracking was inconsistent at the time and Kathleen was just as willing to pass as to shoot herself. She won a number of accolades during her school career, including being named an SSSAS Outstanding Athlete in field hockey twice and a Washington Post All-Met Field Hockey Honorable Mention, First Team, and Player of the Year.

During past awards ceremonies, Coach Way described Kathleen's athletic prowess, “Her stick skills are so adept she often leaves her opponent wondering what happened to the ball because they think they have it and then it is gone...She can play any position on the field and I do believe she is the best field hockey player in the Washington area.” Former teammate Kathryn Tylander '03 remembers, “Kathleen was an extremely skilled athlete and her field hockey stick skills were incredibly impressive. When she was in possession of the ball, it was as if the ball was glued to the end of her stick! Her passing skills were equally sharp. She could effortlessly trap the ball to maintain control and cut through opponent defenses with laser-like precision.”

Kathleen was equally adept at girls lacrosse as she was at field hockey. She was a four-year varsity team member who was on the All-Met Lacrosse Second and First Teams, as well as an HLA Lacrosse Foundation winner of the Heather Leigh Albert Award for best lacrosse player in the country. In an Alexandria Gazette article about the final game of the 2002-2003 season, Kathleen was said to have “...played an outstanding game against Moorestown, as she had two goals, two assists, played great defense, and also played great in transition.” This last victory allowed Kathleen to end her final high school lacrosse season as a star player on a team with a flawless 18-0 season record.

Former teammate Lizzie Culvahouse Callahan '03 remembers, “Kathleen elevated the rest of us around her. We played faster, more fiercely, and more competitively with her on the field. She was also selfless, always looking for ways to get others the ball and clear the way for a shot on goal.” Another teammate, Julie Hauser Mitchell '02 states, “I will always remember Kathleen as an incredible athlete and a fierce competitor. She had a burst of speed accompanied by a formidable shot that you never wanted to get in the way of!” Finally, former teammate Abigail Meyer '04 recalls, “What completely stands out to me when I think back on playing with Kathleen is how she approached practice. Every minute counted, she went hard the entire time, and raised the bar higher and higher each day.”

HONORS & AWARDS

1998-1999 All Met Volleyball Honorable Mention

1999 All-ISL in Volleyball

1999 All-ISL in Track and Field

1999 VISAA Shot Put and Discus Champion

1999 SSSAS Outstanding Track Athlete

1999-2000 All Met Volleyball First Team

2000 ISL Shotput and Discus Champion

2000 Alexandria Sportsman's Club Athlete of the Year for Volleyball

2000 All Met Volleyball 1st Team

2000 SSSAS Outstanding Athlete

Madia Willis '00

Volleyball, Basketball, Track & Field

Madia Willis was a well-rounded student who was very active in the school community. She took advanced placement courses, served on the Student Government Association, and was a member of several school singing groups. She was also a threesport athlete who threw herself wholeheartedly into every practice and game. Looking back on her time on the varsity girls basketball team, Coach Bernie Kozlowski (“Coach K”) recalls, “Madia had the combination of athleticism, leadership, and toughness that made her truly special. She also had a sense of joy for life that helped her keep things in perspective and her positive presence had such a wonderful impact on team chemistry. It's no surprise what she has gone on to accomplish on a professional level.”

Regarding her volleyball career, 2015 Hall of Fame Inductee Coach Betsey Rice recalls that Madia was a dominating player as a middle hitter, power jump server, and passer. She led the school in kills and aces playing on the varsity team for four years, serving as co-captain during her junior and senior years. According to Coach Rice, “Madia was feared by many opponents because she hit the ball so hard (50-60 MPH). During a match one day, her teammates started counting how many opponents she knocked over. By the end of the season, the final count was 23 opponent knock overs!”

She tallied 270 kills one year and was an All ISL First Team volleyball player for two years. Virginia State Independent School Volleyball Association named her All-State Team two years and Player of the Year her senior year. The Alexandria Sportsmen's Club selected her Volleyball Player of the Year two times and she was selected All-Met First Team by the Washington Post. Madia went on to play college volleyball at Columbia University. Former teammate Jessica Bigby '00 recalls, “When I think back to our volleyball days, I remember Madia always smiling and dancing in the pre-game warmups. No matter our record, she always had fun! She was a force on the court, whether it be bringing her teammates together or “killing it” against our opponents. It was a pleasure to be her teammate.”

Madia continued to distinguish herself when she joined the school's spring track & field team. In a Washington Post spotlight article Madia said “My track coach has used a lot of analogies with volleyball. She says to explode [when I throw] just like I hit a ball.” During her second season on the track & field team, Madia set an Interstate Scholastic League record in winning the discus (120 feet 4 inches) at the 1999 Draper Track & Field Invitational and set a shot put record of 36'5.00”. She continued to push herself to excel with every practice and every meet; she truly exemplifies what it means to be an exceptional athlete.

1991-1992 SSSAS Wrestling Team

The 1991-1992 Varsity Wrestling team is widely considered the best wrestling team in the history of the school. The team roster was virtually unchanged from the previous season—the final one before St. Stephen's School merged with St. Agnes School—due to only one senior graduating at the end of the 1990-1991 school year. That previous season was already considered to be an outstanding one as the entire team improved steadily across each match and peaked during the February tournaments, which saw 2011 Hall of Fame Inductee Khalil Abdul-Malik '92, Joe Shabelski '92, Erich Langsdorf '92, and Andrew Maoury '93 become IAC champions. The 1991-1992 team maintained this momentum and helped set a high standard for athletic excellence in the newly merged school's first year.

The 1992 yearbook summarizes their amazing accomplishments: “This year's varsity wrestling team had a dream season this year. They were able to accomplish feats even though they were out of reach. The Saints won the IAC Tournament and the Virginia Independent Schools Tournament. The team placed second in the prestigious St. Alban's Tournament, the Northern Region Classic, and the St. Stephen's and St. Agnes Holiday Classic. The Saints also placed seventh out of 97 teams at the National Prep Tournament. In all of these tournaments, the Saints had the Outstanding Wrestler on their team with the title being earned by three different wrestlers.”

An Alexandria Gazette article about the February 8, 1992 IAC Tournament

describes the team as a better tournament contender than a dual-meet squad, an assessment that was proven right as the Saints claimed first place against St. Albans. The article quotes Coach David Hooper as saying, “We had 12 place-winners out of 13, we had seven finalists and five champions, and still we were fighting for our lives to win it.” Those five champions were Brendan Noonan '93, Brian Simonson '93, Khalil, Erich, and Andrew; the other two finalists were Joe and John Novogratz '92. According to the spring 1992 issue of the school magazine, “Erich—who along with Brendan notched his 100th career victory this season—ended his high school career with a 102-36 record. Brendan, Joe, and John all won State titles.”

THE TEAM

Khalil Abdul-Malik '92, Co-Captain

Christopher “Chris” Buxton '93

Thomas “Tom” Demery '95

Ryan Foster '93

Jon Hurley '92

William “Will” Hurley '94

Voron Erich Langsdorf '92, Co-Captain

Andrew Maoury '93

Brendan Noonan '93

John Novogratz '92

Brendan Salmon '93

Joseph “Joe” Shabelski '92

Brian Simonson '93

Liam Sullivan '94

THE COACHES & MANAGERS

David Hooper, Head Coach

Gregg Miller, Coach

Rebecca Mayer '93, Manager

Kimberli Reagin '93, Manager

TEAM HONORS & AWARDS

1991 Virginia Independent Schools State Championship Winners

1992 IAC Tournament Winners

1992 Virginia Independent Schools State Championship Winners

1992 St. Alban's Tournament Runner Ups

1992 Northern Region Classic Runner Ups

1992 SSSAS Holiday Classic Runner Ups

PLAYER HONORS & AWARDS

1991 SSS John Morrow Stanton Memorial Athletic Award: Joe Shabelski '92

1992 Amateaur Wrestling News/Wrestling USA Magazine High School

All-American: Khalil Abdul-Malik '92

1992 SSSAS Dudley Model Athlete Award for Boys: Joe Shabelski '92

1992 SSSAS Faculty Sportsmanship Award: Erich Langsdorf '92

1992 SSSAS John Morrow Stanton Memorial Athletic Award: Chris Buxton '93

1992 SSSAS Outstanding Athlete Award: Khalil Abdul-Malik '92

1992 SSSAS Scholar Athlete Award: Erich Langsdorf '92

1992 Washington Post All-Metropolitan Wrestling Team: Erich Langsdorf '92; Khalil Abdul-Malik '92; Andrew Maoury '93; Brendan Noonan '93; John Novogratz '92

1993 SSSAS Dudley Model Athlete Award for Boys: Chris Buxton '93; Andrew Maoury '93

1993 SSSAS Scholar Athlete Award: Brendan Noonan '93

1995 SSSAS Outstanding Athlete Award: Tom Demery '95

2011 SSSAS Hall of Fame Inductee: Khalil Abdul-Malik '92

COACH HOOPER'S HONORS & AWARDS

2008 SSSAS David Hooper Wrestling Scoreboard dedicated in his honor

2008 SSSAS Traditions Dedication

2008 SSSAS Winter Classic Most Pins Award named in his honor

2009 IAC Most Outstanding Wrestler Award named in his honor

2016 National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Virginia Chapter (Posthumous Induction)

Individual wrestling photos from top to bottom: Khalil Abdul-Malik '92, Brendan Noonan '93, and Andrew Maoury '93.

1956-1957 St. Stephen's Varsity Football Team

The 1956 St. Stephen's football team was the school's third 11-man team, but the first undefeated 11-man team in the history of the school. During the previous school year, the team ended the season with six wins in a row. Led by 1997 Hall of Fame inductee Coach Albert “Sleepy” Thompson, Assistant Coach Colin Campbell, and student managers Clyde Lamond '59 and David Maynard '57, the phenomenal 1956 football team continued that impressive winning streak with 10 straight wins for a cumulative record of 16-0. This lightning in a bottle season was the result of the right group of people coming together at the right time and giving their all.

Leading the team were senior CoCaptains Don Uthus '57 (240 pounds, 6' 2”) and Don Young '57 (180 pounds, 6' 2”). According to the school yearbook, although Don was “hampered by a knee injury he was a big factor in the Saints undefeated season...hard to move...

great blocker…agile despite size.” Don Young was a three-year football player described in the yearbook as a “good faker and excellent passer...completed 18 of 30 passes...did the punting chores for the Big Red.” Additionally, standout players such as halfback Rhett Clarkson '57, halfback Buck Hunnicutt '58, lineman Chuck Bowman '57, and halfback Ralph Price '58 (a 2011 Hall of Fame Inductee) were profiled in local newspaper articles for their extraordinary contributions to the team's remarkable season.

The 1956 team's winning streak generated a great deal of excitement in both the school and Alexandria.

A Washington Evening Star article reprinted in the 1957 Scroll on the season's second game reported that the 1956 team was extending the previous year's winning streak from six to eight wins. A sportswriter approached Coach Thompson after the following game to compliment the team on their victory

against St. Christopher's, saying they played the most thrilling game of high school football he'd ever seen. Regarding the season's homecoming game, Coach Thompson is quoted in another local newspaper article as saying, “It was our finest game, especially by the line...Our blocking was terrific throughout the entire game and we played like we had to in order to defeat Christchurch.”

The final game of the season was played in near-flood conditions on a field covered by four inches of water. Nevertheless, the team persevered against George Mason and claimed an 18-0 victory. At the end of the season, the 1956 football team was described by the St. Stephen's School newspaper, The Deacon, as “our victorious squad and our truly successful coach” who “completed a beautiful, undefeated season.” Their unprecedented season was commemorated by the Alexandria Sportsman's Club and a special trophy of remembrance that is preserved in the school archives to this day.

THE TEAM

Anthony “Tony” Adler '57

George Bitner '57

Charles “Chuck” Bowman '57

Christopher “Chris” Burr '57

Heriot “Rhett” Clarkson '57

Daniel “Danny” Dopp '58

Robert “Buck” Hunnicutt '58

Richard “Dick” Lampert '59

Lawrence “Larry” Leaf '57

John Milton '59

Lewell Nemir '59

Edward “Beau” Outlaw '58

Ralph Price '58

David Scott, Jr. '59

Selden “Matt” Small '59

John Spangler '57

Charles “West” Stewart III '59

John Trueblood '58

Donald “Don” Uthus '57, Co-Captain

David West '57

Gilmore “Bim” Wheeler '58

Thomas “Tommy” Williams '57

Hendrick “Rik” Woods '59

Donald “Don” Young '57, Co-Captain

THE COACHES & MANAGERS

Albert “Sleepy” Thompson, Jr., Head Coach

Colin Campbell, Assistant Coach

Clyde Lamond, Manager

David Maynard, Manager

TEAM HONORS & AWARDS

#1 Ranking in the “Little Ten” division

Alexandria Sportsman's Club Trophy Tri-Prep Cup Winner Undefeated Trophy of Remembrance

PLAYER AND COACHES HONORS & AWARDS

1956 All-Metropolitan, 2nd Team: Rhett Clarkson '57

1956 All-Prep, 1st Team: John Trueblood '58; Rhett Clarkson '57

1956 All-Prep, Honorable Mention: David West '57; Tony Adler '57; Ralph Price '58; Don Young '57

1957 SSS Faculty Sportsmanship Award: George Bitner '57

1957 SSS Outstanding Athlete: Rhett Clarkson '57

1958 SSS Faculty Sportsmanship Award: Ralph Price '58

1958 SSS Outstanding Athlete: Ralph Price '58

1959 SSS Outstanding Athlete: Matt Small '59

1997 SSSAS Hall of Fame Inductee: Albert “Sleepy” Thompson, Jr.

2011 SSSAS Hall of Fame Inductee: Ralph Price '58

SEASON RECORDS

Regular Season: 10-0 (undefeated)

Win Streak: 16 (including 19551956 school year season)

Unscored on Streak: 4 games (including 1955-1956 school year season)

REGULAR SEASON

LaPlata: W, 12-0

St. Mary's: W, 22-14

Episcopal: W, 27-26

Southern: W, 19-0

Garfield: W, 15-13

Herndon: W, 27-7

Christchurch: W, 38-13

Landon: W, 13-0

Norfolk: W, 20-12

George Mason: W, 18-0

HONORS & AWARDS

2008 SSSAS David Hooper Wrestling Scoreboard dedicated in his honor

2008 SSSAS Traditions Dedication

2008 SSSAS Winter Classic Most Pins Award named in his honor

2009 IAC Most Outstanding Wrestler Award named in his honor

2016 National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Virginia Chapter (Posthumous Induction)

Coach David Hooper

History Teacher, Wrestling Coach 25 years of service (1982-2007)

SSS Varsity Wrestling Coach (9 years)

SSSAS Varsity Wrestling Coach (16 years)

David Hooper was a beloved mentor, educator, and coach with a lifetime love of athletics. In 1968, he became a AAA state wrestling champion while attending Wakefield High School in Arlington, Va. According to a tribute article in the fall 2007 school magazine, “Friends of his from back then recall his self-discipline, toughness, and his signature outside takedown move.” He attended Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pa., then returned to Virginia to begin his career as a history teacher and wrestling coach.

David joined the faculty at St. Stephen's School in 1982 teaching European history. He immediately made an impact on the wrestling team by following the motto “Stay With Tradition.”

In addition to coaching the teams who became Virginia Independent School State Champions in 1984, 1991, and 1992 and IAC Champions in 2004, David helped coach 28 different SSSAS wrestlers to state titles, including 2015 Hall of Fame Inductee John Freeman '70 (National Prep Champion 1983 and 1984) and 2011 Hall of Fame Inductee Khalil Abdul-Malik '92 (National Prep Champion 1991 and 1992). By the time of his death in September 2007, his 25-year Saints coaching record was 176-100; his overall 31-year coaching record was an impressive 233-131. Mark Prince '83, captain of the 1983 SSS wrestling team and former SSS wrestling coach, wrote at the time of his passing, “I remember feeling lucky that I was going to be coached by a AAA Virginia State Champ...He was and is an inspiration to me and probably a major reason why I make time to be the head wrestling coach at a high school in Florida.”

David will always be remembered for the valuable lessons he taught his players. Former Head of School Joan Holden wrote, “David Hooper gave 100 percent at all times to his role as a coach. He was organized, focused, intense, and knowledgeable. The standards he set for himself he also set for his players. I always believed he knew the training he provided for his players was also training for life lessons. A wrestler is vulnerable as they are on that mat by themselves; David gave them the confidence to compete, lose or win.”

According to his dedication page in the 2008 yearbook, Coach David Hooper “...shall be remembered as the consummate teacher/ coach who left lifelong impressions on the minds, thoughts, and hearts of countless students and colleagues.” Now, more than a decade after his passing, those lifelong impressions have inspired his former students and colleagues to honor him alongside the finest coaches in the history of the school.

Coach David Hooperwith members of the 1991-1992 wrestling team, Joe Shabelski '92, Erich Langsdorf '92, Khalil Abdul-Malik '92, and Andrew Maoury '93.

HONORS & AWARDS

1996 Traditions Dedication

2001 Alexandria Education Partnership's Excellence in Education Award

2016 SSSAS Moss Field Press Box dedicated in his honor

ATHLETIC POSITIONS

SSS JV Soccer Coach (1 year)

SSS Varsity Soccer Coach (2 years)

SSS JV Baseball Coach (4 years)

SSS Varsity Baseball Coach (3 years)

SSS Freshman Football Coach (10 years)

SSS JV Football Coach (3 years)

SSS Wrestling Coach (2 years)

SSS Athletic Director (2 years)

SSSAS Varsity Baseball Coach (5 years)

SSSAS Varsity Football Coach (8 years)

SSSAS JV Softball Coach (1 year)

SSSAS Varsity Softball Coach (4 years)

SSSAS Director of Specialty Summer Sports Camps (12 years)

SSSAS Acting Athletic Director for Boys (1 year)

Coach Doug Adams

Math Teacher, Athletic Director, Coach, Director of Specialty Summer Sports Camps, Facility Rentals Manager, Announcer

39 years of service (1977-2016)

Doug Adams joined St. Stephen's School in 1977 as an Upper School math teacher. He would go on to wear many hats during his service to the school. His nearly four decades as a Saint were characterized by his devotion to academic excellence, mentorship, sportsmanship, and good humor. Former head of school Joan Holden recalls, “Doug Adams was the quintessential coach, always willing to coach at any level, and such a strong role model for all his student-athletes. He saw coaching as an opportunity to teach his players; he was a gifted teacher in the classroom and on the field!”

Doug was a prolific coach whose interests and commitments were not limited to a single sport. He coached Middle School soccer, football, wrestling, baseball, and softball, and freshman, junior varsity, and varsity levels. Doug displayed unwavering enthusiasm for every team and athlete he worked with. Despite a disappointing 0-5-1 season for his 1979-1980 freshman football team, Doug expressed his pride in the 1980 yearbook, “The team showed great poise and determination. They fought hard and were not discouraged by our tough schedule.” Along with 2004 Hall of Fame Inductee Herb Soles, Doug coached the 1980-1981 varsity wrestling team when they won their third straight VISWA championship and Hassan Rifaat '81 had an undefeated season (28-0). He coached the freshman football team during an undefeated season in 1984, the 1985-1986 varsity baseball team to a second place finish in the IAC Invitational, and the 2002-2003 varsity softball team when it won the ISL AA Tournament. His colleagues in the Athletic Department knew they could rely on Doug to apply his considerable talents and dedication wherever it was needed. Former Latin Teacher and Coach Charlie Joyce recalls, “Doug was always willing to help when there was a need. His dedication to his players and coaches was always the best. He worked very hard at not only helping players become better in their sport, but also helping them become better people.” Moreover, Doug threw himself wholeheartedly into his role as a mentor to his students and athletes, who felt the impact of his example long after leaving the school. Brett Williams '13 remembers how invested “Mr. A” was in helping him achieve his dream of becoming a sports broadcaster. “I owe him so many of my amazing memories from my time on Seminary Hill, as well as the confidence and experience I needed to fulfill my career goals years later.”

At his retirement celebration in 2016, 2019 Hall of Fame Inductee Marsha Way said of Doug, “He is humble, talented, and one of the funniest people that I know. It is not that he has a problem saying no, it's that he always stepped up and stepped in to do what was necessary to make things better for everyone. Doug was willing to tackle any job, even when Sleepy Thompson needed a swim coach and tapped him on the shoulder to do it. Others would feel put upon and complain or make sure everyone knew how much they were doing, but that's not Doug's way.” In other words, he was a true team player on and off the field, a shining example of the best a Saints coach can be.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2023

Presenter Jacob Willis '06 and Inductee Madia Willis '00. Inducted members of the 1956 St. Stephen's Varsity Football Team: John Marshall '56, Rhett Clarkson '57, Don Young '57, John Trueblood '58, and Dave West '57.

Inducted members of the 1991-1992 SSSAS Wrestling Team: John Novogratz '92 , Liam Sullivan '94, Ryan Foster '93, Khalil Abdul-Malik '92, Andrew Maoury '93, Brendon Noonan '93, Tom Demery '95, William Hurley '94.

Head of School Kirsten Adams and Inductee Kathleen Miller O'Gara '03.

Isaiah Davis-Allen '13 accepting his induction.

Coach Tim Dodds and Isaiah Davis-Allen's father, Frank Allen.

2023 Hall of Fame Co-Chairs, Tack Richardson '99 and Clara Gillespie Ferraro '97.

Inductee Doug Adams and with his daughter, Jennifer Adams Sislian '94.

Inductee David Hooper's nephew, Eric Hooper, and former coach and faculty member, Roger Barbee.

Rosalyn Clemens and her daughter, Inductee Madia Willis '00.

Inductee Kathleen Miller O'Gara '03 and Coach Kathy Jenkins.

Past parents Britt and Anne Richardson looking at the wall of Hall of Fame inductees.

Inductees Don Young '57 and Dave West '57

2019 Hall of Fame Inductee Coach Marsha Way and past parent and staff member Mary Miller.

The Accidental Activist Who Helped Change History

Sharron

“Sherry” Handly Martin '52

BY TAYLOR BALDWIN KILAND '85

It was 2:30 a.m., on July 9, 1967, when 8-year-old Michelle Martin heard a loud knock at the front door of her Coronado, Calif., home. In 1967, this small town was full of Navy families, and the Martins were no exception.

The island was full of aviators who flew jets and helicopters on and off the island at Naval Air Station North Island, and Navy SEALs who trained in the ocean and on the beach at the Naval Amphibious Base. The sounds of jets flying low overhead and the sights of Navy SEALs running in formation on the beach were common ones. Coronado felt

like a small southern town—but in southern California. The village had one stoplight, one high school, one library, one all-night diner, and lots of gossip. It also boasted a historic hotel, the Hotel Del Coronado, with its iconic red turrets. The Del was a popular playground for the rich and famous who traveled from all over the world to see the Victorian resort

Portrait by Jamie Howren '85

perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean and to experience the island's near-perfect, year-round climate. It was seventy degrees and sunny nearly every day.

Nicknamed the Emerald Isle, Coronado in the 1960s was a paradise for military families, a cocoon in which to wait for the many dads who deployed to war zones for months on end. No one locked their doors and kids biked everywhere. They spent weekends surfing, playing volleyball, and lounging late into the night at beach bonfires. On this cool summer night, the head of the Martin household, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Ed Martin, was gone again for a long deployment to the Pacific. His family knew he was fighting in Vietnam, like many of the dads who lived here.

Sleeping adjacent to the front hall,

Michelle was jolted awake by the sharp rap at the door. Rubbing her eyes, she jumped out of bed. “It totally scared me,” she remembers. Clad in her nightgown, she slowly opened the front door. There, silhouetted by the porch light, was a man standing erect in his Navy uniform, his face ghoulishly illuminated by a flashlight under his chin. He asked to speak to her mother, Sherry Martin.

Michelle ran down the hall to wake Sherry, a graduate of the St. Agnes Class of 1952. She, too, was startled by the commotion on the front porch, but Sherry's maternal instincts kicked in. “Go back to bed, honey. Everything is fine.”

Sherry knew everything was not fine. Military families like the Martins did not receive visits in the middle of the night from U.S. government

Photos clockwise from top left:

Sherry and Ed's wedding in 1958.

Sherry with her children, Michelle, Beau, and Peter, circa 1973.

The 1952 Athletic Association (Sherry is second from the left in the back row).

1952 St. Agnes Green Team Basketball Squad [Sherry (captain) on the far left in the front row].

Sherry's St. Agnes senior portrait

officials unless something had gone terribly wrong.

Composing herself, Sherry approached the man at her front door, dreading what she was about to hear. Solemnly, he delivered the news: Ed's A-4 Skyhawk attack plane had been shot down while on an air strike over North Vietnam. He had managed to safely eject from his plane and parachute to the ground, where Ed was immediately surrounded by villagers. It was assumed he was captured, but they

honestly did not know. Ed was missing in action.

Missing? How could he be missing? Casualties were a fact of life in the military. Men were killed in combat. But missing? It seemed incomprehensible.

The United States was in the middle of a war with North Vietnam, a country that was refusing to provide a full accounting of the American servicemembers it was holding captive as prisoners-of-war. Was Ed alive or dead? Was Sherry a wife or a widow? She would not know for four years.

The military had no structure or policy in place for families other than notification by a senior officer or a chaplain, who famously told one wife whose husband was a prisoner-ofwar, “I'm here for you. I'm in my office Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 4:00.”

What's worse, Sherry and other families whose husbands were missing or held captive were admonished to “keep quiet.” In the belief that the North Vietnamese would use any information as propaganda, Sherry and other wives in her predicament were told not to reveal to anyone outside of their immediate family that their husbands were captured or missing. As one MIA wife opined, “Now, how do you live like that?”

But they did. For a while.

This was, after all, the 1960s, and life was still very much like the 1950s. At the time, the median income was $6,600, the average price of a new car was just under $3,000, fuel cost 31 cents per gallon, and a first-class postage stamp was 5 cents. One dozen eggs cost 53 cents.

Homes had one rotary phone (and only one). Televisions often had rabbit ear antennae. Families played board games such as Mouse Trap, Monopoly and Trouble. Communication was more personal back then. There were only three television networks: ABC, CBS, and NBC. Most of America sat down to hear the news around dinnertime.

And what was life like for women in

the 1960s? Many still wore white gloves when they went out to lunch. They rarely went out to dinner by themselves and they certainly did not travel by themselves. They worked as teachers, nurses, and stewardesses until they married and had children—as it was not uncommon for pregnant women to be fired from their jobs.

Women could not get a credit card, a car, or a mortgage without a man's signature. No man, no mortgage.

Military wives of this era, like Sherry, had even more restrictions placed on them. They were expected to assist and support their husbands and their careers (or there were consequences for him); they wore their husbands' rank, as many saw the women as extensions of their husbands; and they entertained a lot.

Each military service issued its own guidelines for wives. “The Navy Wife,” updated in 1955, was one such book. It painted a picture of an exciting and glamorous life for young women lucky enough to marry a naval officer: social activities, world travel, and exposure to national and international military leaders, diplomats, and politicians. The tome also issued a warning: Navy wives must get used to waiting. “What is more, they must learn to wait patiently…. In such situations it's bad enough to feel tense and jittery, but it is worse to show it.” Wives had to love the Navy—and its hardships—as much as their husbands did. Military wives did not disparage the military; they did not violate the pecking order and protocols of the military; and they did not reveal their personal “burden” to anyone. Until Vietnam, this expectation permeated military culture.

It was against this backdrop that men like Lt. Cmdr. Martin shipped off to Vietnam, a small country that was unfamiliar to many Americans. The conventional wisdom was: how long would it take for a force as big and powerful as the United States military to defeat a country the size of New Mexico?

President Johnson's advisers

advocated for an air war. In March 1965, Operation Rolling Thunder kicked off and the sustained, aerial bombing of North Vietnam began. Pilots were shot down by the North Vietnamese. Hundreds of aviators and airmen went missing, and many were captured.

A black sedan, the harbinger of dreaded news, began showing up at the homes of aviators like Ed Martin. Like a raven circling around the neighborhood, the dreaded sedan came to deliver bad news. And it came for Sherry on July 9, 1967.

She was told that the U.S. government believed the prisoners were being well treated and authorities had every reason to believe that this condition would continue. After all, North Vietnam had signed the 1949 Geneva Conventions. Those countries who signed this treaty pledged to treat prisoners-of-war humanely: to give them adequate medical treatment, to feed them, house them, allow them to communicate with family, and to allow third-party inspectors at prison camps. Or so they thought.

Families had powers-of-attorney lasting mere months, the length of time for a planned Vietnam deployment. Those quickly expired.

Government officials seemed plodding and often disinterested. They didn't communicate with the women very often. They didn't share information about other women and families in the same predicament. The women were isolated. Most suffered in silence.

The government was confident they could achieve a quick release of captive men through quiet, backchannel diplomacy. After all, that tactic had worked with other Cold War-era incidents, such as the shootdown of Gary Powers who flew a U-2 spy plane in 1962. His release two years later was considered a diplomatic triumph.

But days turned into months and then years of waiting. How would families manage financially, emotionally? They wondered: Were

they wives or widows?

Fast forward to October 1968 when Sherry's friend and neighbor Sybil Stockdale decided to break the silence. Married for more than two decades and the mother of four boys, Sybil was the wife of Navy Cmdr. Jim Stockdale. By October of 1968, he had been a captive of the North Vietnamese for three years. Sybil recognized that Hanoi was winning the battle of propaganda in the media. And she watched the antiwar activists claim that the American captives were being treated well.

She knew otherwise. With the help of intelligence officials, she and Jim had been exchanging encoded letters. She had become a spy. His secret messages revealed that the men were being tortured and placed in isolation for long periods of time.

Meeting with the State Department point man on the issue of missing and captive Americans, Ambassador Averell Harriman, she was unimpressed. He assured her that the United States government's efforts on behalf of her husband were extensive but classified. In other words, she only received the proverbial pat on the head.

After three years of no progress, Sybil refused to keep quiet any longer. She bravely and boldly gave an interview to the San Diego Union. In it, she said:

“Where is the evidence, then, that Hanoi is a responsible government in the world community?” she asked. With defiance, she concluded, “The North Vietnamese have shown me the only thing they respond to is world opinion. The world does not know of their

negligences [sic] and it should know!”

Syndicated around the country, many POW and MIA wives like Sherry read her interview. And it gave them the courage to go public, too.

Sherry and Sybil Stockdale, along with hundreds of other POW and MIA wives, rolled up their sleeves and, armed only with paper and pen, phone books and telephones, started writing and calling Washington. In January 1969, on the eve of President Richard Nixon's inauguration, they deluged the White House with two thousand telegrams, urging the new president to “Please remember those who have offered so much for our country, the men who are prisoners of war in Vietnam. Don't forget them now. Please insist on their immediate release through negotiations in Paris.”

President Lyndon B. Johnson (center) and Sherry (right in white hat)

They traveled to Paris for a showdown with the North Vietnamese, demanding an accounting of the missing men and better treatment for the POWs. They walked the halls of Congress and testified on the floor of the House and Senate. They traveled around the world, meeting with world leaders who could influence the North Vietnamese, like Pope Paul VI and Indira Gandhi. They appeared on national television and the covers of Life and Look magazines. They shook their fists at the Secretaries of

Defense and State and urged President Nixon and Henry Kissinger to make the fate of the POWs a central point of negotiations at the Paris peace talks. Along with a Los Angeles-based student organization, they created the POW and MIA bracelets, metal cuffs inscribed with the name of one missing or captive man. More than five million of these bracelets were sold, effectively making the plight of our Vietnam POWs and MIAs personal for millions of Americans.

For Sherry, keeping busy with the

other wives gave her purpose and staved off the loneliness and the dreams of reuniting with Ed—dreams she could not afford to have. “I generally forced myself to be so busy that by the time 9 o'clock came around, I was ready to go to bed. I'd fall into a deep sleep.” She had to stay focused on her reality: the war was not going to end any time soon, which meant her husband faced years in captivity.

As Doug Mustin St. Denis '55, a neighbor and friend of Sherry's, remembered, “Sherry began every sentence with 'When Ed comes home.'” She never lost her faith. In a letter Doug wrote to Ed when he came home, she wrote about Sherry: “[She is] a beautiful, courageous lady, and if she ever for one moment gave up hope, she certainly kept it a secret.”

By 1972, a Harris poll concluded that 75% of Americans believed the United States should stay the course in Vietnam until all the POWs were released. The fate of the 591 men had become central to peace negotiations, eclipsing the fate of the thousands who were fighting and dying on the frontlines. That's how influential these women had become.

Every war produces prisoners. But only since the Vietnam War have prisoners become political hostages, so valuable that preventing them in future wars has become a strategic imperative—not for humanitarian reasons, but to avoid having to make compromises to get them home.

Today, the United States will still tolerate casualties, but we will not tolerate missing men or POWs. We

Above: Sherry Martin and Sybil Stockdale with the San Diego Union reporter. Below: Sherry (in checkered suit on the far right) with Bob Hope (center)

Ed Martin's POW bracelet

now expend unlimited resources, deploying special forces to rescue just one POW, whether that man is in Bosnia, Iraq, Somalia, or Afghanistan. This fundamental shift in American policy was initiated by this small band of wives.

And when the Paris Peace Accords were finally signed in January of 1973, and Ed Martin and the other 590 men were released—some after more than eight years in captivity— their homecoming was a national celebration. Americans got up in the middle of the night to watch their release live on national television. While most Vietnam veterans returned home to an ungrateful nation, the Vietnam POWs received homecoming parades, keys to the city, lifetime passes to Major League Baseball, free vacations, national media tours, and a celebritystudded White House dinner.

And what about the missing men? More than 2,500 remained at the end of the war. The organization that these wives created, the National League of Families, continued to lead the charge to account for them. They forced the U.S. government to form a permanent agency dedicated to a full accounting of the missing. That agency, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, still combs the globe in search of remains of missing service members from all wars.

Often, newspapers cover stories about a family's husband, father, grandfather, uncle, brother, or son whose remains are repatriated six or seven or eight decades after their loss. Families are stunned to learn their loved one has never been forgotten. Prior to the Vietnam War, this did not routinely happen. Until the Vietnam War, we left our missing—missing.

The iconic black and white POW/ MIA flag created by these women, the one that flies above the White House, the Capitol, and every post office in the United States is a reminder of our national commitment to “leave no man behind.”

We have a handful of gutsy women, like Sherry Martin, to thank for that. They were resolute in their commitment, refusing to keep quiet. They were… unwavering.

About the Author and Photographer

Taylor Baldwin Kiland '85 (mother of Kiland Hatcher '31) is the coauthor of “Unwavering: The Wives Who Fought to Ensure No Man is Left Behind,” from which this article is adapted. Also featured in the book is Sidney McCain, St. Agnes Class of 1985, and Hunter Ellis, St. Stephen's Class of 1986. Portrait photographer in this article is Jamie Howren '85. Like Sherry Martin, Taylor, Jamie, and Sidney were also members of the Green Team.

To see photos of special items in Sherry’s scrapbooks, please visit sssasmagazine.org.

MORE ABOUT SHERRY

The daughter of a naval officer, Sherry Handly Martin grew up moving every 2-3 years. An only child, she transferred from the Brooklyn Friends School to St. Agnes in her junior year, when her father took an assignment in Washington. At St. Agnes, she played field hockey, basketball, and tennis, and was a member of the Green Team. She would have preferred to wear a uniform, because “It's easier to know what you're going to wear.” But she did not like the P.E. uniforms, “Who would like green bloomers, for heaven's sake?”

Sherry's family has deep generational ties to Coronado, where they have maintained homes since the early 1900s. She migrated back there after college, where she met Ed at a party of naval aviators. Seeing Ed from across the room, she said, “He came in and just sort of plopped down. I sorta plopped down on top of him.” Was it love at first sight?

“No. I don't think I knew anybody that had love at first sight. Or nobody that would admit to it, anyway.” They married in 1958 and had three children.

While he was in captivity, Sherry kept a collection of scrapbooks where she assembled photos, her children's artwork, letters, party invitations, telegrams, and diary entries she wrote to herself and to Ed. She even sent herself wedding anniversary cards. You can see some of the personal collection here on the SSSAS magazine website, sssasmagazine.org.

Sherry and Ed had a happy ending: Ed was released on March 4, 1973—after more than five years in captivity. He continued his naval career, rising to the rank of vice admiral. They enjoyed another 40 years of marriage until Ed's death in 2014.

Portrait of Sherry and Ed Martin in 2002 by Jamie Howren '85, captured for her book co-authored by Taylor Kiland '85, “Open Doors: Vietnam POWs Thirty Years Later.”

BEYOND THE PLATE

BY MELISSA ULSAKER MAAS

'76

Executive Chef Lars Taylor '05

Portland, Maine, is a vibrant culinary tapestry, where the salty breeze from the Atlantic mingles with the enticing aromas wafting through cobblestone streets. Long known for offering the freshest lobster and seafood, Maine has gained a national reputation for innovative restaurants, craft brews, and a growing number of award-winning chefs and restaurants. Nearly every list of best restaurants in Portland includes Eventide Oyster Co., and many also include the Honey Paw, both owned by Big Tree Hospitality, where executive chef Lars Taylor '05 works feverishly behind the scenes.

Like many who love to cook, Lars' journey began in his mom's kitchen. “She always made an effort to offer variety,” he recalls. “She makes great salads with homemade dressings and tons of garnishes. I remember liking her enchiladas and bouillabaisse as well.” Hanging out in the kitchen with her was fun, but acquiring food on his own became a bit of a necessity—if he wanted something to nosh on.

“I was five when my sister, Grace, was born, and when my parents were busy taking care of her, I was busy sneaking snacks,” Lars says. “My explorations in the kitchen resulted in a scar on my head from falling off a stool while trying to reach something in the pantry.” His need for snacks, cereal, and easy to grab things expanded into making sandwiches and more complex delights. “I got pretty into it and started reading my mom's cookbooks and spending time cooking with her.”

His interest in food spread into the classroom at St. Stephen's and St.

Agnes. “I often joke that my greatest, crowning academic achievement was in Mrs. Corner's second-grade class, when I did a report on how to make poached eggs,” Lars laughs. “She actually saved it for years and used it as an example for the class. I think I was probably more involved in the kitchen than your average eight-year-old.”

Lars is part of a three-generation Saints family. His mom, Patty Herter Taylor '72, was a boarder at St. Agnes. Later she returned to the school as the director of alumni relations from 1990-2000 and then as an Extended Day teacher from 2018-2020. His younger sister, Grace, attended SSSAS in elementary school. His older sister, Alison Taylor Henry, was a lifer who graduated in 2002 and Alison's sons, Tommy '37 and Drew '34, are in junior kindergarten and second grade.

Lars has fond memories of many of his teachers and his days spent at SSSAS. Patty, Lars, and Alison all had Shirley Keith for English—over a span of

LARS'S BLACK TRUMPET STEAK SAUCE

Ingredients:

2 C Black Trumpets (cleaned)

1/3 C Madeira

1/3 C heavy cream

1/2 C beef stock

1 T tomato paste

4 T butter

2 medium shallots (minced)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1 sprig thyme

3 T minced chives

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Pan sear steaks. In the same pan used to sear the steaks, add half of the butter, shallots and garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium-low heat until shallots soften and become slightly translucent. Add the black trumpets and continue to cook until most of the liquid the mushrooms drop has evaporated. Add the tomato paste and Madeira and cook down until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the beef stock, heavy cream, and sprig of thyme and simmer gently until the sauce begins to thicken. Remove the sprig of thyme and whisk in the remaining butter and chives. Season with salt and pepper.

Lars and his “double” cousin Andrew Taylor

BLACK TRUMPETS

YELLOWFOOT CHANTERELLES

MATSUTAKE

30 years. “I think that's extraordinary,” Lars says. “She had high expectations which I needed, but she's a really kind and patient person. I'll never forget her grammar lessons. I'm a better writer because of her.” Wrestling Coaches David Hooper, Harry Murphy, and Joe Shabelski '89 taught Lars much more than good wrestling skills. “They gave me the gift of mental toughness and influenced how I view a team and teamwork,” Lars says. “I didn't consider myself the best wrestler by any means, but they reminded me that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” Lars also credits the school for his organizational and leadership skills—and the fact that he can spell, emphasizing that chefs are notoriously bad spellers.

Last August on a visit to Maine, Lars took me foraging in the woodlands that embrace the outskirts of Portland. A wet and humid summer had produced a large crop of mushrooms that was ripe for picking. He was waiting for me, wearing a backpack and holding a woven basket in hand. I had been forewarned of muddy trails and wearing sensible shoes, but the first thing he did was offer me some mosquito spray. As we ventured into the enchanting world where wild fungi grow, Lars talked about his SSSAS science teacher, Anna Vascott. “I think about her field study classes when I'm in the woods. She just was so passionate about science and the natural world, and that spilled over onto me. Foraging for mushrooms requires looking for certain tree types that have a symbiotic relationship with whichever edible mushrooms I'm foraging for.”

We gathered black trumpets and yellowfoot chanterelles, but Lars's favorite mushrooms are Matsutake. “Matsutake are usually harvested in October,” Lars explained. “It's a unique and highly prized mushroom in Japanese culture. I can forage them, sell them to the restaurants, and then see them pop up on the menus.” As we walked, I kept my eyes on the ground to avoid tripping. Suddenly I heard Lars say, “Who'd have thought…” I glanced up to see Lars smiling at a

bearded man walking towards us, also carrying a basket. Amazingly, and coincidentally, it was Lars's cousin and boss, Andrew Taylor. Lars introduced us and told me that he and Andrew are “double cousins”—Lars's mother's sister is married to his father's brother, and Andrew is their son. Lars and Andrew were close growing up, like brothers, and share many interests, like foraging, fishing, and cooking. Andrew is also a very talented chef and entrepreneur.

WORKING ALL THE STATIONS

When Lars left college after a year and moved back to Alexandria, he had no idea how important Andrew would be to his future. He felt directionless in college, but knew he wanted to explore cooking. Hoping for a position in the kitchen, he contacted a connection at Rustico. They only had front of house positions open, so he started as a waiter. It wasn't long before a position in the kitchen opened up and they gave him a shot. “I worked there for two years— working all the stations—and learned quite a bit,” Lars recalls. He really enjoyed it and decided it was the right career path for him, so culinary school was the next logical step.

In 2012 while Lars was at the New England Culinary Institute (NECI) in Vermont, Andrew and his partners, Arlin Smith and Mike Wiley, were forming Big Tree Hospitality, buying Hugo's restaurant, and opening Eventide Oyster Co. next door. They thought Eventide would be a small New England Oyster bar, maybe serving 40 people a day. But it became much more than that. “It was pretty funny,” Lars recalls, laughing. “Andrew called me and he was sort of panting while he spoke, 'Do you think you can come up here and work?' I asked what was going on and discovered he was talking to me while he was on the line making lobster rolls.” But Lars was still finishing school.

A year later when Andrew reached out again, Lars was ready. With memories of clamming, gathering crabs, and cooking with Andrew during the family summers at Cape Cod, he

moved to Portland and started work the next day. He and Andrew recreated the chowder they made on the Cape, with a few tweaks, and put it on the Eventide menu. In 2015 Big Tree Hospitality opened Honey Paw and they asked Lars to be the opening sous-chef.

“It felt great,” Lars says. “When I moved to Maine, I made it my priority to put my head down, work hard, and prove myself. Earning the sous-chef position was the start of my upward progress.” After a year as sous chef, the chef de cuisine (CDC) left and Lars took over and stayed for five years before briefly leaving. “I left the company to pursue a new opportunity,” Lars explains. “After six months Andrew approached me about coming back in a larger role, as the executive chef for Big Tree Hospitality.”

PUTTING OUT THE FIRES

In 2017 Big Tree Hospitality expanded into Boston, opening another Eventide in Fenway. As executive chef, Lars was brought in to oversee everything that goes on in the background behind the scenes of the three restaurants (Hugo's didn't survive the pandemic), three markets, the catering department, and a commissary kitchen (Big Tree Hospitality's huge kitchen in Biddeford, where they prepare a wide variety of products that they distribute to the restaurants and markets). “These operations include research and development of menus, oversight of food cost, staffing, and management of the kitchen leadership teams,” Lars says. “As CDC of the Honey Paw I was cooking every day. Now I cook sometimes, but mostly it's about meetings and bureaucratic oversight, which is good for me because I'm learning all aspects of how a restaurant operates—and there's a lot to it.”

No two days are alike for Lars. Physically he has a lot of ground to cover, bouncing between the locations to go wherever he is needed. “We have an incredible management team, so a big piece of what I do is providing ancillary support,” Lars says. “I could be doing anything from filling in for a sick cook at

It's the little moments of just seeing growth in the people working under you, just seeing them take the next step up. That's really rewarding for me— seeing people learn and grow.

a market making breakfast sandwiches to doing a five-course meal on a private island to working on our new food cost management.” As Lars's wife, Zoe, says, “He just goes where the fire is for that day.”

Zoe and Lars met when she joined the waitstaff at the Honey Paw. They went on a couple of dates, but Lars was consumed with successfully opening the restaurant. Later, he realized he'd been missing out and the rest is history. They were married during the pandemic in a grotto near Bar Harbor—a magical memory. They have a two-year-old son, Luke. Zoe is now a manager with the company, buying wine for both Eventide and the Honey Paw. They have a mutual understanding of the demands of the restaurant business, which can be all consuming.

The biggest and constant challenge for Lars is staffing—a problem that intensified during the pandemic—which requires both hiring and managing personalities. They've explored all avenues of getting the word out about open positions. They advertise on their restaurant websites and they have

offered bonuses to current employees who recruit people, but it's a constant struggle. Lars believes success in the restaurant business comes with the right frame of mind. “You need to work diligently and have a positive attitude,” he says. “Someone may have worked at multiple Michelin Star restaurants but if they have a bad attitude, it is really toxic and can spread fast. Inversely, someone with no experience who has a really positive attitude can be infectious and lift the whole team.” Another major challenge is the seasonality of the restaurants. “We need to do enough business in the summer to cushion ourselves for the cold, slow winter months,” Lars says. “In many ways it's easier to manage when it's really busy than when it's really slow. When it's busy everything runs like clockwork with no time to think. When it's slow it's harder to keep everyone focused.”

Lars is articulate, thoughtful, and humble. He's somewhat shy and reserved, but definitely a people person who really cares about everyone who works for him. In 2017 the Big Tree Hospitality team won a James Beard

Award in the Best Chef: Northeast category. They were also nominated in 2015, 2016, and 2018. According to the James Beard Foundation, Best Chef nominees must have worked for at least five years as chefs and “have set new or consistent standards of excellence in their respective regions.” For Lars, getting the nominations and winning was great, but it's not what really inspires or drives him. “It's the little moments of just seeing growth in the people working under you, just seeing them take the next step up,” Lars reflects. “That's really rewarding for me—seeing people learn and grow.”

THE MAGIC OF FOOD

Although there are staples on the menus none of the chefs can touch, like the brown butter lobster roll and chowder at Eventide, the chefs change the menus almost on a daily basis, showing their creativity through the specials. Big Tree Hospitality works with several farms that deliver weekly to their commissary kitchen, bringing them whole sides of beef, whole pigs and lambs, and fish

The Taylor family: Zoe, Lars, and Luke

like a 500-pound bluefin tuna. The commissary butchers them and sends the product out to the restaurants, depending on needs.

The Honey Paw was started as a “noodles without borders” restaurant, but took a turn towards Southeast Asian flavors under the influence of one of its chefs. One of the dishes the restaurant is known for is their take on khao soi, one of Lars's favorite dishes from a trip to Thailand. “Khao soi is usually beef or chicken,” Lars says. “But we decided to smoke and braise a whole lamb and use it to make this delicious noodle dish. I think it's cool that people who haven't heard of khao soi now know about it and can try it at other places as well.”

Lars's travels have enabled him to learn about a variety of cultures and cuisines. In addition to exploring the culinary delights of Thailand Lars visited Vietnam where he enjoyed bánh xèo, pho and “so many amazing noodle dishes,” including cha cá lã vong, cao lau, mì quang, bún cha, bún bo nam bo, and bún bo hue. In Greece he would stop for anything shaved off a spit—gyros and souvlaki—and delighted in whole grilled fish. In Sweden he was into reindeer tacos and smoked fish. Lars doesn't really have

a favorite food, because why would you when there's so many foods to try. He loves Indian food because of the complexity and eating the dishes with roti and naan. He loves Sichuan food because of málà, the sensation of using chilis for heat and peppercorns for numbing. He rarely eats fast food, but does like Bojangles and Cook Out in North Carolina, and if he's out West he tries to make it to IN-N-OUT burger. Right now, his go to food when he's on the run is a bánh mì.

When he's not putting out fires at work, Lars loves spending time with his family. Their house is on a lake, so he thrives on kayaking, fishing, swimming, and ice-fishing and skating in the winter. He spends a lot of time with his dog in the woods wandering and foraging. And he loves being with his staff, even off the clock. “Our company joined a boat club last year and I'm one of the captains,” Lars says. “I have the privilege of being able to take our staff out on Casco Bay, whether it be for island hopping, fishing, or even a wine tasting.”

And the main reason Lars loves cooking? Because he loves eating, and food offers a way to bring people together while also allowing him to express himself.

FOOD GLOSSARY

Khao Soi: A Thai coconut curry noodle soup.

Bánh Mì: A Vietnamese baguette filled with savory ingredients, like meat, cucumber, pickled carrot or daikon, cilantro, and fresh chilis with pâté, butter, mayonnaise or soy sauce.

Bánh Xèo: A Thai crêpe or made from a basic blend of rice flour, turmeric, and coconut cream, along with other ingredients.

Pho: A Vietnamese soup dish consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat.

Cha Cá Lã Vong: A Vietnamese fried fish dish with turmeric and dill that comes with rice noodles, peanuts, fresh dill, toasted sesame crackers, and a pungent fermented shrimp dipping sauce.

Cao Lau: A Vietnamese noodle dish consisting of pork and greens on a bed of rice noodles made from rice which has been soaked in lye water.

Mì Quang: Vietnamese flat rice noodles, served in an intensely flavored broth with a medley of fresh herbs and vegetables. A variety of tasty toppings include pork belly, whole shrimp, toasted peanuts, sesame rice crackers, and hard-boiled quail eggs.

Bún Cha: Famous Vietnamese caramelized pork meatballs served over noodles with nuoc cham sauce and fresh vegetables and herbs.

Bún Bo Nam Bo: A popular street food in Hanoi, it's a warm noodle salad made with thin rice vermicelli noodles served with marinated stir-fried beef.

Bún Bo Hue: A spicy Vietnamese noodle soup with beef and pork with lemongrass, shallots, and sate (chili oil).

The Honey Paw (Photo by Zack Bowen, Knack Factory)

Catching Up with Young Alumni

New York University Grads Living in the City that Never Sleeps

BY JESSICA HALSTEAD

Photos of Ephraim Reed by Maura Durkin

‘18

A TASTEMAKER

Maura Durkin '18 is on a Path to Save the

Planet

Every fall and spring, high-end fashion designers debut new lines of clothing. What appears on those runways becomes the inspiration for that season's trends, and retailers—and customers—take note. At least, that's how it used to be.

Now, fashion trends sprout up more organically—for example, on the feet of fellow New Yorkers, says Maura Durkin '18, laughing. “Certain individuals in Manhattan decide to wear clogs, and all of a sudden, you see clogs everywhere.”

Maura is a tastemaker in her own right. As a merchandising strategist at Doneger Tobe, Maura helps clothing manufacturers, and the retailers who sell that clothing, make decisions about exactly what clothing ends up on their racks. You may think these decisions would be simple, just look at what's trending and make clothing that reflects those trends. But the process is actually much more complex. Strategists, like Maura, have to have their fingers on the pulse of not only what's “in” now, but what will be trendy in the months and years ahead. And they're not just suggesting the hottest new colors or fabrics— they're thinking about minute details like thread color, button placement, and exactly how a collar should lay on a sweater.

“It gets very nitty gritty,” Maura says, referring to the tiny details she helps both merchandisers and retailers figure out. Maura's roster of retailers includes some of the world's biggest retailers, as well as smaller family-owned shops. “A retailer will come to us and say, okay, we really want to understand the Gen Z customer. What are they doing? What are they participating in and how does that translate to what they're wearing?” she explains.

She also helps manufacturers—who make the clothing to sell to those retailers—design collections that will appeal to their clients. “We will tell the retailers, here are the top five things to buy for your junior customer,” she explains. “And we also work with manufacturers, helping them design their collections that are then bought by the retailers we work with. So it's a very holistic job.”

The end result is a win-win for both the manufacturers who make clothing that's in demand, and the retailers who sell it. But unless sustainability is top of mind for these manufacturers and retailers, there's one player that could ultimately end up being the loser—the planet.

The fashion industry produces 10 percent of all greenhouse gasses, more than aircraft emissions and shipping emissions combined. An industry that's lauded for beauty and class has a dirty little secret, and Maura is determined to change that.

Like a well-sourced outfit, each piece of Maura's past comes together in service of that goal. From her Middle School days as

“One of the key ways SSSAS set me up for success, which I know to also be true for many of my peers, was all of the time and attention spent on writing. The foundation laid in essay writing and critical thinking were fundamental to my success at NYU and truly set me head and shoulders above those without such thoughtful writing instruction, both at school and even now in the workplace.”

a science-loving photographer, to a lifechanging trip to the Great Barrier Reef, to a career-affirming semester in Italy, to a stint in sustainable footwear—each layer of her experience drives Maura closer and closer to a world in which the fashion industry benefits the earth, rather than destroying it.

“It changed my life”

In her Middle School years, two threads that would have an immense impact on Maura's life began to take shape. First, she began snapping photos of friends and family members, and a burgeoning photography business was born. Later, at the Upper School, she would take senior portraits for classmates and serve as a yearbook editor, which she says scratched a creative itch.

And second, she found herself recognizing her own potential in her science classes with Kelley Gorman and Robert Davis. It was the first time she realized her own potential in the

field, and she credits both her teachers and the fact that Middle School science and math classes at SSSAS are separated by gender. “Growing up, there's sort of this narrative that girls are meant for English and sort of the softer sides of academics, whereas science and math were for boys and were male-dominated,” she says. But it was in her all-female science classes where she discovered for the first time how much she truly loved the subject. “It changed my life, because I was able to see myself as someone who could be interested in science,” she says, “especially given that Ms. Gorman was still a practicing scientist.” She also remembers Mr. Davis with fondness and gratitude. She says he believed in her in a way no other teacher had before. “He told my mom he thought I could be the next Marie Curie. And my mom still quotes that,” she says, smiling.

The summer before her junior year, Maura was able to merge her interests

in photography and science in a way that would radically transform her outlook on life. She spent a month in Australia with National Geographic, taking photographs of the country's abundant natural beauty. “The landscape of Australia is pretty crazy and sort of does the work for you,” she says, laughing. But it was a trip to the Great Barrier Reef that changed everything. There, among the dead and dying coral, she saw firsthand the impact of the climate crisis and understood it in a way she previously had not. Maura says the severity of the damage shocked her. As soon as she returned to school, she told her college counselor about a change of plans. She still wanted to go to school for photography, but wanted to study environmental science as well. “I felt that if I was going to be a photographer, I wanted it to mean something,” she says. “I wanted to be able to tell stories of things that people weren't learning about otherwise.”

Exposing

Italy's dirty fashion secret

Maura applied to a few photographyspecific schools, but still had an environmental science major top of mind. She was eventually drawn to New York University because, while it was large enough to operate as a major research university, it offered a liberal arts program called Global Liberal Studies, which Maura thought might be perfect for her. “Class sizes were small, consistent with what I had been used to at SSSAS,” she says. “And I still had the opportunity for research.”

Ask Maura what her passions are, and “research” will undoubtedly be on the list. “It's something I've enjoyed my entire life,” she says, a craft she first honed at St. Stephen's and St. Agnes. The idea of guiding her own research compelled her, and ultimately led her to choose NYU.

The approximately 100 students per grade in NYU's Global Liberal Studies program graduate with an interdisciplinary bachelor of arts, but are able to declare concentrations within that broader major. Maura loaded her schedule with anthropology, environmental science, and global public health classes. And it was in one of those classes that she learned just how much of a negative impact the fashion industry has on the environment. “One quick stat is that one pair of jeans requires around one thousand gallons of water to make,” she says. She also learned about factory emissions that impact the air and waterways around factories. “A lot of our clothes are obviously dyed, and that dye waste gets put into waterways,” she says. “Bangladesh, especially, has rivers that have turned purple.” The class not only opened her eyes to the downsides of a space she'd always loved—fashion—but also empowered her to want to do something about it.

To graduate from NYU's Global Liberal Studies program, students are required to spend a year abroad at one of the school's study sites. Maura had planned to spend her entire junior

year in Spain, but COVID-19 changed those plans quickly. Instead, armed with a growing interest in fashion and sustainability, she traveled to Florence, Italy, for the first semester of her senior year.

Florence is a hotspot for luxury fashion—it's home to Gucci headquarters, after all. But while studying there, Maura discovered an unpleasant truth behind Italy's status as a fashion destination. Just thirty minutes outside of Florence, a city called Prato has had a long and complicated role in the industry. In the 1980s, Prato, which previously had been home to several wool factories, saw an influx of Chinese migrants. These migrants came from a small province which had already seen success in apparel manufacturing in China, and were wooed by the potential of Prato's empty factories and the fact that it was in the shadow of a luxury fashion capital. Soon, wool was out—and cheap textiles imported from China were in. Chinese migrants spurred the growth of what the Italians call pronto moda, or fast fashion, in Prato. Today, the city is home to the largest concentration of Chinese people in all of Europe.

Maura says learning about Prato's contribution to the industry was shocking. Importing fabric from China and turning it into clothing in Italy meant that apparel could legally carry a “made in Italy” label, which gave it the high-end status associated with Italian goods. But the reality was bleaker— working conditions in many of Prato's factories were unacceptable, and many of the workers were undocumented and unable to leave factory work without the risk of deportation. Because the pronto moda brought a lot of money into the city, labor rules were often not enforced or ignored. But people outside of Prato weren't necessarily in the know about what was happening there.

“We hear about the tragic Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh in 2012 that killed thousands of people,” Maura says. “But within Prato, there's not so much media attention

because of these legal and cultural implications.”

That a thriving textile economy was built on cheap labor, unsafe working conditions, and unstable citizenship status was something Maura couldn't ignore. “It's very cheap clothing,” she says. “But the human cost is undeniably awful.”

She decided to explore that cost in her senior thesis, “Made in Italy by China: Human Impacts of Globalization on Modern Garment Production in Prato.” Her paper detailed Prato's clothing manufacturing system and the vast impact that it had on human health and safety. She argued that the path to an equitable fashion system requires a societal and cultural re-evaluation of how and why we buy the clothes we do.

Maura's thesis turned heads at NYU. Not only was it named the best in the sustainability, health, and environment concentration, it also won the top prize within the Global Liberal Studies program, the Overall Best Scholarly Thesis. In 2023 NYU published Maura's work in its Journal of Undergraduate Research in Global Studies, her first—but likely not last— piece of published work.

A sustainable future

Maura graduated from NYU with vast knowledge of the problems in the fashion industry and a goal to find solutions. She landed a job as a sustainability consultant with a small, family-owned footwear business. She was drawn to the founder's declaration that he wanted to leave the planet better for his grandchildren. “That really spoke to me,” she says, “from a people perspective. How frightening it feels right now, and that all we can do is try to take action in the way we can.”

Maura helped the company map their supply chain, source more sustainable materials, and eliminate waste in their factories. While the work was fulfilling, it wasn't easy. Maura says a growing interest in sustainability means a lot of fashion brands are just “checking a

“I feel so fortunate to work for a family-owned business that has been in operation since 1946. There is both a feeling of legacy within the industry and familiarity within the company that comes from so many years of being the best at what we do. I love that I am valued as a key member of a team where my ideas and opinions are heard, even if my tenure is only 10% of many of my counterparts.”

box” when it comes to sustainability, and she found that while she could certainly help one company, the real issue was the entire industry.

Soon, an opportunity arose that wasn't necessarily focused on sustainability, but would put Maura in the heart of the industry and take her consulting experience to the next level. “I knew I had to really work in the industry, know the industry, to begin to make a real difference,” Maura says. That's how she ended up at Doneger Tobe. For now, she helps brands iron out details of their products, but Maura hopes she'll eventually be able to consult not just on designs and colors, but on sustainable practices that brands can implement from the bottom up. “It was exciting to me to think that, looking forward, eventually I would be able to consult brands on how to be more sustainable and ethical,” she says.

Maura has lofty career goals— potentially owning her own

consulting company or in some other way marrying fashion and sustainability. She'd like to go back to school, perhaps a graduate program for fashion, sustainability, or business school. And she says in five years, if she's not still living in Manhattan, you can find her somewhere abroad.

“I think there's so much to learn there, both on an inspiration level, because so many American designers get their inspiration abroad,” she says. “And also on a sustainability level, because many of those countries are really doing it right.” She also hopes to keep publishing work, whether it's research or more creative writing. Wherever Maura ends up, her deep desire to leave the planet better than she found it will no doubt be driving her ambitions, and she will make a difference.

College Advice for Seniors

Dive deep into whatever you are interested in. College is a unique time in your life where you get complete control over what you spend your time doing, studying, and exploring. Don't take that for granted! No matter what job you apply for, they want to see passion and interest even if that does not directly align with the positions you are thinking about applying for postgrad.

Advice for Job Hunters

Be open to the opportunities, conversations, and connections that come your way. Even if they do not seem to align with exactly what you were ideating, you never know where a door may lead. Also, you don't have to have it all figured out right away! Do not let the pressure of comparison steal the excitement of this time in your life.

RUNNING PLAYS

Ephraim Reed '19

We're all used to seeing our favorite professional athletes in ads for products. Think Travis Kelce in spots for Pfizer, Dikembe Motumbo, and his signature catchphrase (“not in my house!”) in a Geico commercial, or Steph Curry in a Subway spot. It may seem like a simple idea—sign a major athlete to endorse your product and reap the benefits. But actually bringing together brands and athletes isn't so simple. It requires the brainpower of savvy marketing agents, who are able to drum up the best endorsement deals for their clients—deals that benefit both the brands, and the athletes.

Ephraim Reed '19 is part of that marketing brainpower. As the assistant to Carlos Fleming, partner and head basketball marketing agent at WME, a global talent agency, Ephraim keeps the

ball rolling—no pun intended—within the agency. He manages schedules, helps with outreach to brands for potential endorsement deals, and makes sure that clients get paid for their work. Ephraim's been able to rub shoulders with some of the biggest names in sports—tennis ace Venus Williams and football star Cam Newton, to name two—but he works mostly with professional basketball players. In a journey that brought Ephraim from Virginia to Manhattan, with multiple stops along the way, basketball has been a constant. It's shaped his social life, his athletic career, and now, his profession.

On a roster of roughly 40 professional basketball players, Ephraim says only seven or eight are “All-Star level names,” who may be recognizable to the most casual sports fans. The rest are either

starting out in their professional careers, rising stars, or established but less marketable NBA veterans. While some clients seek national endorsement campaigns, others are looking for smaller, more local deals. Working with those athletes, Ephraim says, is both challenging and rewarding. “You really need to be more creative as far as how to get somebody a deal, that isn't as visible all the time, or isn't playing all the time on TV,” he says. “[You have] to be creative, and a kind of storyteller, to find [the right] brands.” He gives an example of Anthony Black, a rookie on the Orlando Magic, who is one of Carlos Fleming's clients. Black isn't going to land the same big-name deals as, say, LeBron James...at least not yet. But WME's job is to help Black connect with brands that value him right now, as a fresh-faced young player with a world of potential. “How would you tell his story to a brand that maybe wants to get into sports, but wants to find a younger athlete, or maybe someone who just isn't as expensive to work with?” he says. That's where Ephraim and the marketing agency come in.

Ephraim's work has opened his eyes to a side of professional sports that often goes unnoticed—until we see the end result of brand partnerships, like commercials. “It's been really interesting just to see the process behind how these athletes get an endorsement deal,” he says. And it's also set him on the path to a slightly different, but adjacent, career goal—he's interested in becoming an oncourt agent.

While basketball marketing agents connect athletes with brand deals, on-court agents connect athletes with their respective teams, helping them negotiate the best salaries in leagues like the NBA. “[On-court agents are] focused on evaluating prospects and talent from a basketball perspective,” Ephraim says. “They are typically more skilled at finding who's the next potential top player.” Up until 2020, WME Sports' involvement with basketball was strictly related to helping players with marketing and offcourt opportunities. In March 2023, it acquired an on-court agency, BDA Sports, to form what is now WME Basketball.

Ephraim says the acquisition was great timing. “I came in just a couple of months after that,” he says, laughing. “Having both of those types of services all under one entity has been really cool for me to see. Even though I'm technically in the marketing department, I'm able to interact with our on-court agents, and see both sides of the business and how they cross over and intersect.”

For now, Ephraim is honing his marketing and storytelling chops with an eye toward eventually becoming the guy who helps players sign lucrative contracts with teams.

“Well-rounded”

Ephraim joined the Saints community in fifth grade, and graduated in 2019 with a trail of significant basketball wins and top awards in his wake. Asked to sum up the school in a word or two, he says “well-rounded,” noting the performing arts requirement in Middle School that led to him playing the upright bass from sixth through twelfth grade. “I took academics seriously,” he says. “And I loved basketball, but I always knew I wasn't going to the NBA either. So I was definitely focused on academics.”

Maybe he wasn't headed to the NBA, but Ephraim still contributed substantially to the St. Stephen's and St. Agnes basketball program. Ephraim says for a time basketball wasn't the standout sport at the school. When Ron Ginyard became head coach in 2012, the basketball team had gone winless in the Interstate Athletic Conference the previous season. Under Ginyard's leadership the team's record began to slowly reverse itself, and the team went 5-4 in the conference in the 2015-2016 season. Then Mike Jones III, who played overseas professional basketball himself, took over in 2016, and the program continued to transform. “Both Coach Ginyard and Coach Jones were very competitive,” Ephraim says. “We had 6 a.m. workouts, lifting, things of that nature. They were very serious about building a really competitive program within the area.”

The team reached their peak accomplishment in 2019, Ephraim's

“SSSAS

helped me learn how to manage my time and multiple responsibilities. Being challenged in the classroom and on the court made my transition to college much easier. The habits that I built during my time at SSSAS have definitely prepared me for what I am doing today. Most importantly, SSSAS created an environment that encouraged learning, integrity, and curiosity.”

senior year—a state championship title. “I believe it was the first state championship that we'd won since the 90s,” he says. “Just being able to have an impact, be a captain on that team, and have all my friends on the team…it was a really, really great experience.”

Beyond being a standout on the court and excelling in the classroom, Ephraim started developing a love for sports management during his time at the Upper School. In 2017 during his junior year, Ephraim participated in the National Student Leadership Conference on Sports Management. The program exposed Ephraim to the ins and outs of the management industry—how to interact with clients, negotiate contracts, and land endorsement deals. “After participating in that, I realized that this was an industry that I wanted to pursue after high school,” he says.

At Prize Day in 2019, Ephraim won two awards that truly speak to his character. His fellow students elected to award him the Macondray Trophy, the award for Best All Around Student. And he also took home the Emmett H.

Hoy, Jr., Citizenship Award, given to the senior who exemplifies the highest ideals of citizenship and service. He feels that SSSAS helped him to manage his time and multiple responsibilities. “I was surrounded by so many talented and exceptional students who motivated me to maintain a level of excellence in each area that I pursued,” Ephraim says. “I was used to being challenged in the classroom and on the court, which made my transition to college much easier. The habits that I built at SSSAS definitely prepared me for what I am doing today. Most importantly, SSSAS created an environment that encouraged learning, integrity, and curiosity.”

Basketball & Business

When it came time to apply to colleges, Ephraim was focused on two things— basketball and business. “I knew I wanted to play basketball in college, and I knew that I wanted to major in sports management,” he says. He looked at a handful of schools, but couldn't seem to find one that would help him launch a management career and also get him

ample playing time on the court. Then, he found New York University. “I was able to form a good relationship with the coaches there,” Ephraim says. “I knew that was the place I wanted to go.”

Like his team at SSSAS, the NYU men's basketball program improved steadily over time. Ephraim's years as a point guard for the Violets were mottled by injury—and one canceled season due to COVID-19—but he was still able to make a statement on the court. He spent his senior season helping the Violets to an 18-8 overall record. He was also named an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar, an award that honors college students of color who have excelled in the classroom and in athletics.

Looking back, Ephraim says SSSAS aptly prepared him for his life in college. “The encouragement to pursue all these different kinds of interests, I think, definitely prepared me,” he says. “Learning to balance the structure of having six a.m. basketball workouts, classes, and then having to study, definitely prepared me for the college schedule.”

His was a schedule that, beyond his commitments to basketball and his sports management degree, would soon be loaded with internships. A spring 2021 internship at Catalyst Sports & Media thrust him headfirst into the management world, with a roster of clients in the NBA. “It gave me my first experience of what it's like to work at an agency,” Ephraim says. He researched sponsorship opportunities and pitched clients to brands, and was able to land two endorsement deals for one of Catalyst's clients, Iman Shumpert.

In late 2022, Ephraim secured a second internship—one that helped him hone the storytelling skills that are so necessary for marketing and on-court agents. The Black Fives Foundation is an organization dedicated to telling the history of African-Americans in basketball, before the NBA was founded in the 1940s. “There's a whole history of basketball before that, that's not really told,” Ephraim says. “It's kind of a lost history.” The Black Fives aims to change that through an online museum, curriculum materials, and merch

partnerships with big-name brands like Puma. Ephraim went to an event put on by the organization and ended up meeting its founder, Claude Johnson, who offered him a paid marketing internship. Ephraim worked with the Black Fives on an initiative they had with the Big East conference, helping those schools plan out their programming for things like Black History Month.

While working with Black Fives, Ephraim also had a contract with the NBA's Utah Jazz, where he served as a Web3 project consultant. One of Ephraim's college teammates, Riley Demps, had graduated a year prior and was working for the Jazz, helping the team explore marketing through Web3, or what some know as the metaverse. Riley brought Ephraim on to help market the technology, which includes a virtual locker room where fans can interact with players. Ephraim's job was to get Jazz fans excited about the burgeoning technology. All three roles—with the Jazz, the Black Fives, and Catalyst —allowed Ephraim to hone his management, negotiation, and marketing skills, a combination that would eventually land him a job at WME.

An opportune meeting

But not right away. Post-graduation life found Ephraim applying “everywhere” and reaching out to contacts, trying to secure a full-time job in the sports management industry. “One thing about the sports entertainment industry in general, it's very competitive. A lot of people want to work in these industries,” he says. “I wasn't getting that much success.” At least, he wasn't at first. Then, in conversation with a former NYU professor, Ephraim found himself at a panel as part of NYU's Sports Film Festival. One of the panelists was Carlos Fleming, who had decades of experience at WME and a deep roster of clients like Venus Williams. After the panel, Ephraim approached Fleming, telling him a bit about his own background and asking if they could have a phone call in the near future. “At that point, I didn't know much about Fleming's background besides reading his bio,” Ephraim says. “I just

wanted to talk with him and learn more about what he does.” When Ephraim emailed Fleming to set up the phone call, Fleming did him one better—forwarding his information to HR and getting him an interview for an open assistant role Fleming had. “I never actually got a phone call with him,” Ephraim says, laughing. He's humble about what got him there— “just kind of meeting or being at the right place, it worked out.” Of course, it's more than that—Ephraim's years in the sports marketing world and prowess on the basketball court couldn't have hurt, either.

What's next?

You might say Ephraim is good at making plans—he ran plays as a point guard, for one, and graduated from St. Stephen's and St. Agnes with a very clear and specific plan for what he wanted to do professionally. And now, as you might expect, Ephraim has big plans for what will happen down the road. Five years from now, he'd like to have completed law school with a J.D. in hand and be working as an on-court agent. “That would be the vision,” he says. “That I have my own clients that I'm representing in the NBA.” One thing is clear—whatever he does in the future, Ephraim's experience running point will make him great at it.

Advice for Job Hunters

It sounds cliché, but you need to build your network out as much as you can and take advantage of existing networks. Think about companies and or careers that interest you, and then find ways to build contacts in these areas. Attend industry events and reach out to people on LinkedIn. Before calls, be sure to do research and be prepared with questions. Remember to follow up after these calls so that people know you are genuinely interested in maintaining a relationship. I believe that creating real conversations and connections are ultimately what is important.

It's Never Too Late Karen Washington Franklin '73 returns to Georgetown University to write the end of her college story.

BY MELISSA ULSAKER MAAS '76

Karen Washington Franklin not only loves history, she has made some history of her own. In 1973 she was the second Black student to graduate from St. Agnes School, and this past spring on May 20, she graduated from Georgetown University at the age of 68. In 1978 with just three courses yet to complete, she left Georgetown with the hope of returning in a few years. Those few years stretched into a 45-year hiatus, but she never stopped thinking about concluding her educational journey.

Going Beyond Boundaries

Karen is no stranger to hardship, but she has an optimistic outlook and an unshakeable strength that comes through her faith in God. Her parents divorced when she was four and it took some time before her mother, who was a housewife,

could regroup, start working, and support Karen and her brother. For a while they lived with family. “I was fortunate that my aunt and uncle lived in a nice neighborhood with a good integrated school,” Karen says. “Even after we moved, we were able to use their address and I continued to go there and to stay in that better school system.”

In the fifth grade Karen's appendix burst and she missed almost four months of school while she recovered. She clearly remembers her father bringing her three challenging books to read, “The Scarlet Letter,” “Jane Eyre,” and “The Odyssey,” and she was determined to finish them.

“I was only 10 going on 11!” Karen exclaims with a glint in her eye. “It took me a couple of years to finish them, but I read them.” Karen loved to read, and despite living in government housing without much money, she didn't feel

deprived. “I was young and I had my mother's undying love,” Karen says. “I felt secure, self-confident, and happy.”

Karen's intelligence was undeniable and her mother wanted her to have the best education possible. She did well in school and on standardized testing, which led to better opportunities. “I was offered a scholarship to Foxcroft School, but it would not have started until the 10th grade,” Karen recalls. “So, in ninth grade my mother sent me to St. Agnes, where I was a very contented boarder.”

Karen thrived at St. Agnes and always felt accepted. “I was overjoyed to be at St. Agnes, because I was a nerd who loved learning,” Karen says with a smile. “In some schools that would require you to stand up for yourself and I wasn't good at that.” She immersed fully in school life. She was on the Disciplinary Board, the Honor Board, and the Student Council

Photos courtesy of Georgetown University

for all four years. Karen joined the Guild, the drama club, Amard, the Spanish and Literary clubs and she was on the volleyball team. She worked on Shearings and the U.N. team for three years with Dr. Marjorie M. Norris, who taught history and had a profound impact on Karen.

“Dr. Norris was one of the few women I knew at the time who had a Ph.D.,” Karen says. “She actively encouraged my love of reading and of history. It was because of her that I started reading the newspaper every day. She made me realize that what you read in the news today will be history later on.” In addition to creating the four-year Ages of Man program that coordinated the curriculum for history, English, art, and music, Dr. Norris taught her students to think critically, logically, and thoroughly and to work under extreme deadlines. Despite being a very tough teacher, she twice received the highest honor given a faculty member, the dedication of the yearbook, Lambs Tale.

Academically, Karen appreciated the small classes and individual attention. She studied hard, had excellent grades, and was a National Merit Semifinalist. Her transition to Georgetown was smooth and Karen continued to do well. Initially she pursued an interdisciplinary major in urban studies that required coursework in economics, history, and geography. Due to a disagreement with the adviser on the format of her thesis, Karen switched her major to economics, which meant she couldn't fulfill all of her required courses by the end of her senior year. “I had the intelligence to get into Georgetown and do well, but I didn't have the support system, advice, or guidance to help me make it through the last year,” Karen says. Pressures outside of school didn't help. “At the age of 20 I didn't apply for any more scholarships and I was aging out of my mom's health insurance. I watched her work and sacrifice for me and felt it was time for me to support myself.”

Karen landed a job she loved, working in the Superior Court. She started as a bailiff in the courtroom, moved on to an indictment clerk, and later became a courtroom clerk—all without knowing

how to type. “All the paperwork was done by hand,” Karen says. “After 38 years, the system was eventually computerized, which was one of the reasons I retired in 2015!”

It's Never Too Late

In between serving on her Homeowners Association Board and the SSSAS Alumni Association Board, and volunteering to help with political campaigns, Karen's thoughts drifted to her unfinished degree. As she looked into the possibility of returning to college, all the stars began to align. There were challenges, but her family jumped in to help her get started and succeed. She still doesn't know how to type and admits that she isn't particularly computer literate, so her niece set up her computer, showed her where her assignments were, and how to navigate the online system. She introduced her to Google's voice typing function so she could do her papers.

Additionally, Karen knew she was going to have to pass a statistics class, which she had failed to do before she left Georgetown. “One of the reasons I decided to go back to college was I knew my cousin could help me with statistics,” Karen confides. “To help prepare I took a college entry level math class, but she tutored me as well.” Her nephew helped her with the final challenging class she

had to complete on sociological theory, involving readings from Friedrich Nietzsche and W.E.B. Du Bois. Karen maintained a 96% grade point average, while more than two dozen students less than half her age dropped the course.

Karen was the oldest graduate in the Class of 2023. When Karen crossed the stage in May to receive her degree in sociology from the Georgetown University College of Arts & Sciences, her family was there to cheer and support her. She was joined by her husband, Guy Franklin, her two children and grandchildren. Her sister, Shawyn Patterson-Howard, who serves as mayor of Mount Vernon, New York and president of the African American Mayors Association, made the trip to D.C.

Karen and Guy are celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary this year, and Karen says his support was invaluable to her. With Guy's love and encouragement, she was driven to finish to set a good example for her younger family members, and her sense of accomplishment is amplified by their support of her ambition to earn her degree and hold it in her hands. “My motto now is it's never too late,” Karen beamed. “It's not about pursuing employment in the field you study. It's not about what you study. It's all about the fact that you started out to do something and then you finished it.”

LEADING THE CHARGE

Spotlight on Our New Alumni Association Board President, Erin McConnell '99

BY MELISSA ULSAKER MAAS '76

Erin McConnell describes herself as introverted, compassionate, committed, and quirky. For someone who is introverted, she doesn't sit on the sidelines or take a passive path. In fact, she is very engaged, involved, and definitely committed.

Erin is an 11-year veteran Saint, entering SSSAS in first grade. After graduating in 1999, she attended Barnard College and received a bachelor's in art history. She began work as a litigation legal assistant, working for four different law firms before moving to the legal department at American Express eight years ago.

Erin not only directly supports the chief litigation counsel, serving as her chief of staff, working on complex litigations, regulatory investigations, and internal investigations, she is their U.S. pro bono coordinator, developing legal pro bono opportunities for her colleagues across the U.S. with law firm and legal service organization partners.

Erin met Upper School English Teacher Avi Gurland-Baker while still at SSSAS in her senior year. Avi had attended the Oxbridge Program at Oxford University, a summer program that was popular with SSSAS students, and he became acquainted with several

of Erin's friends. He came down from New York City to visit for a weekend and they met in the Black Box Theater. As Erin says, “After an unreasonable amount in long distance telephone bills over the subsequent months, we decided to give it a shot since I was going to New York for college. The rest is history!” She and Avi have three children who attend SSSAS, Alex '29, Charlie '31, and Stella '34. In addition to serving on the Alumni Association Board for four years, Erin has enjoyed being a room parent and volunteering to help at Lower School events.

Between parenting, volunteering,

and working Erin doesn't have much spare time, but when she does you might find her quilting, reading, or watching all the documentaries the streaming services have to offer on archaeology or paleontology.

Q. In Traditions 1999, you were called “the queen of over-commitment.” Do you still take on lots of responsibilities? What drives/inspires you?

A. Wow, way to call me out. I do, in fact, still take on a lot of responsibilities. I have always firmly believed that if you are involved in something, you give it your all. It's very important to me to leave the place I inhabit a little better. In high school, that largely translated into working with Jim Marvin (former Performing Arts chair), Jean Hunt (Upper School art teacher), and all of my friends to grow our theater program and put on great productions. In my life now, that means working to support the Saints community, which has become a home for my family as both a school, an alma mater, and an employer, as well as taking on a leadership role in Art on the Avenue, an annual art and music festival in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria, where we live. I love working to create opportunities to bring people together in ways that create joy.

Q. In what ways did your SSSAS education prepare you for college and life beyond?

A. My education at SSSAS was superb. I walked into a college that was exceptionally demanding academically, and I knew how to do what was expected of me. I also knew, from my years at SSSAS, that to do well required focus and effort. Those lessons have carried forward with me through every job I have had. Focus, effort, hard work, and good writing skills take you a long way—and I learned all of those lessons at SSSAS.

Q. Did any of your teachers have a profound or lasting effect on you?

A. Jean Hunt introduced me to a life-long love of art and inspired me to major in art history. Former English Teachers Sherley Keith and Gail Wolf

in Middle School taught me how to transition my voracious reading to a love of literature and the ability to analyze text. Jim Marvin gave me a home away from home. Spending every day after school with my closest friends, creating and laughing and learning with him, was the highest point of a difficult time of my life, and for that I am profoundly grateful.

Q. What values from SSSAS have stayed in your life after graduating?

of the songs that made its way into the rotation was “Seek Ye First,” a song I sang in Lower School chapel when I was young and now sing with my children still in Lower School chapel. So we have come full circle. I have a lot of those moments with my children now, and it's a really beautiful feeling having shared experiences 30+ years apart.

Q. How long have you already served on the AAB and what motivated you to take on the role of AAB president?

A. As a student, SSSAS taught me the value of a rigorous education and the responsibility of being part of a community. The rigorous education has carried me to where I am, but I live the responsibility of being a member of my various communities every day, and those responsibilities are extremely important to me.

Q. What is it like being a current parent who is also an alumna?

A. There are little things that stick with you from your childhood that you don't realize are there. For instance, when I had my first child and would sing lullabies and rock him to sleep, one

A. I joined the AAB in 2020, and, like most leadership positions I find myself in, I was asked to be president and answered the call. When your community asks you to step up, I feel it's important to do your part. I also thought it would be a great way to be involved in the school community in my own sphere, independent of my student children and teacher husband.

Q. What areas would you like to focus on as AAB president over the next two years?

A. I have two primary goals for my term as AAB president: expanding engagement and philanthropy. On the

Former Drama Teacher Jim Marvin and Erin McConnell

first point, I want to grow the number of Saints alumni who engage with the school and with each other. We are working on developing opportunities where smaller groups of Saints with a common thread can come together and connect. This can take the shape of regional events, identitybased events, or interest-based events. We want our school and alumni community to be relevant for everyone because the value of being a part of the Saints community does not end with graduation and can extend into our professional, personal, and family lives as we move on in our lives. Secondly, I want to expand alumni service to the Saints community. This can take the form of traditional financial philanthropic contributions, but it also can and should take the form of alumni coming back to engage with current students. We have had several successful examples of this kind of alumni service in the last couple of years, and we are excited to grow those opportunities.

Q. Do you foresee any challenges in your role, and how do you plan to address them?

A. The biggest challenge is locating and reaching out to those alumni who have been less or not engaged with the Saints community and to convince them that there is value in connecting with the school and the alumni community. We all have very busy lives, and I completely understand why many would choose not to look backwards when we are all moving forward so quickly. However, I do firmly believe that there is value in connections made across your life—both with people and institutions—and I am hopeful that we will be able to articulate that value to our alumni community. Whether it's networking for professional reasons, recommendations for schools for your kids, or resources when moving to a new city, there is something to be said for having a connection like the

Saints community to reach out to when in need.

Q. What advice do you have for recent graduates as they transition into the alumni community?

A. My biggest piece of advice to recent graduates is to stay connected. When I graduated from SSSAS, I thought I was leaving Alexandria, Va., for good, never to return. I made no effort to stay in touch with people, but I have been very blessed that there are a number of life-long friends who did not let me disappear. You never know when these people you grew up with will make an important comeback in your lives. I have had Saints friends in every city I have ever lived in. When my father died 14 years ago, it was a Saints friend with whom I was able to fall apart. And it's a Saints friend who keeps my daughter in the most fashion-forward hand-medowns. And now I am sharing the joys and chaos of parenting my children with Saints I grew up with. You never know when these people will make an impact in your life, and the more connected you are the richer that impact (and the impact you make) can be.

Q. How can alumni make the most of their connection with the school and fellow graduates?

A. Engagement. Engagement. Engagement. Attend our events. Chat with people. Exchange phone numbers. If none of our events are the kind of thing you would be interested in, reach out and tell us what would be meaningful to you. We are a small group, and we are open to ideas from everyone. Also, be available for connection—for a current student who may be in your field, or a young alum who went to your graduate school, or a fellow alum who is moving from another part of the world with their family and would love to know where the best tacos are or need a recommendation for a plumber.

Q. Is there anything else you would like to share with the alumni community or the broader school community?

A. It has been a gift getting to

know SSSAS again as an adult. It is really meaningful to me to be able to experience all of the wonderful traditions and goodness of the school that I have known my whole life, while deeply appreciating how the school has changed and grown in ways that have made it an even better place. I am honored to play a small role in helping to continue moving the ball forward to help the school achieve its goals of being a nurturing, inclusive community of learners.

ACTIVITIES AT SSSAS

Traditions Yearbook 11-12 (Co-Editor, 1999)

Ironclad History Journal 10-12 (Co-Editor, 1999)

Gender Equality Club 9-12 (Co-President, 1999)

Drama Club 9-12

• Actor in “The Martian Chronicles” (Fall 1995)

• Played six characters in “Search of an Author” (Fall 1996)

• Held various backstage roles including stage manager, student director, and ticket queen

New Additions

(Listings received prior to October 15, 2023)

Alumni

Chris Wochok '97 and Lindsay, Riley Noelle, February 15, 2023

Tony Jenifer '04 and Michelle, Maya Blake, October 23, 2022

Kristen Smith Fredericks '04 and Derek, Dawson Carl, March 28, 2023

Nick Magallanes '04 and Downey, Nicolas, Jr. “JR,” April 4, 2023

Lauren Abramson '04 and Brigitte, Liam Alexander, 2023

Jen Holden Hollingsworth '05 and Thomas, Quinn Holden, March 18, 2023

Jennifer Aronica '05 and Thomas Lee, Henry Lee, June 14, 2023

Alex Couture '06 and Franziska HauckCouture, Christopher Paul, December 12, 2022

Robin Baxley Hawkins '06 and David, Elizabeth “Elle” Worrell, June 13, 2023

Cassie Griffin Gordon-Grant '06 and Conrad, Griffin, 2023

Daniel Dziuban '07 and Kati Ruark, Samuel Keegan, November 6, 2022

Katherine Denkler White '07 and Mike White '07, Logan Woods, April 13, 2023

Sally Klose Gallagher '08 and Dennis, Anna “Annie” Klose, June 12, 2023

Stephen Upton '10 and Annabelle, Isabelle Keating, June 12, 2023

Kate Redding Vaughn '10 and Christopher Vaughn '10, Fallin Frances, July 10, 2023

Cal Perfall '10 and Rebecca, Iris, September 11, 2023

Faculty and Staff

Nana Osei (Sage Assistant Food Service Director) and Grace, Braylen Asamoah, February 26, 2023

Alexandra Mooskin (Middle School Science Teacher) and Sean Muzzio, Maeve Olivia, May 18, 2023

Ashley Stone (Director of Campaign and Major Gifts) and Michael Kline, Alexander Michael, May 25, 2023

Riley Noelle Wochok

Maya Blake Jenifer

Dawson Carl Fredericks

Anna “Annie” Klose Gallagher Fallin Frances Vaughn

Maeve Olivia Muzzio-Mooskin

Alexander Michael Kline

Henry Lee

Elizabeth “Elle” Worrell

Logan Woods White

Samuel Keegan Dziuban

Braylen Asamoah Osei

Weddings

(Listings received prior to October 15, 2023)

Alumni

Carter Foote '06 and Chris Clements, May 13, 2023

Everton Batista '08 and Shaye Torres, March 17, 2023

Emily Sellon '08 and Everett Epstein '09, October 14, 2023

Margaret Craib '09 and Andrew Phillips, April 29, 2023

Emma Oxford '09 and Bradley Treece, June 24, 2023

Margaret Lukens '11 and Jarrett Turner, May 21, 2022

Chris Forsgren '11 and Sarah Upson, February 18, 2023

Rebecca Dickerson '11 and Mathias Heller '11, March 18, 2023

Molly Bailey '11 and Will Hutton, June 17, 2023

Virginia Fergusson '14 and Blake Calcei, July 15, 2023

Mollye Lent '14 and Matthew Santulli, August 12, 2023

Katie Slacin '15 and Geoff Grau, June 10, 2023

Faculty and Staff

Dylan Lawroski (Middle School History Teacher) and Sathy Ramaji, June 24, 2023

Kim Dubansky (Middle School Physical Education Teacher) and Jamie Ferrigno, July 25, 2023

Tim Dodds (Upper School Science Teacher and Associate Dean of Students) and Anna Viragh, September 9, 2023

Chris Clements and Carter Foote '06

Emily Sellon '08 and Everett Epstein '09

Molly Bailey '11 and Will Hutton Mathias Heller '11 and Rebecca Dickerson '11

Margaret Craib '09 and Andrew Phillips

Mollye Lent '14 and Matthew Santulli

Dylan Lawroski and Sathy Ramaji

Sarah Upson and Chris Forsgren '11

Kim Dubansky and Jamie Ferrigno

Bradley Treece and Emma Oxford '09

Anna Viragh and Tim Dodds

In Memoriam

(Listings received prior to October 15, 2023)

Alumni

Mary “Welby” Plaskitt Brown '39

August 13, 2023

Nancy Downes Means '48

June 7, 2023

Judith “Judy” Yeaman Walthall '50 May 18, 2023

Norma “Skitsi” Simpson Rein '50

mother of Kemper Rein-Warren '80 and Mac Rein, Jr. '76, September 25, 2023

J.C. Herbert “Herb” Bryan, Jr. '59

April 1, 2023

Clyde Lamond, III '59

husband of Beth Kouns Lamond '61, brother of Robert M. Lamond '67 (deceased), John Lamond '63 (deceased), and Rev. Thom Lamond '62 (deceased), June 1, 2023

Philip “Phil” Johnson '59

husband of Suzanne Warfield Johnson '59, father of Tom Johnson '85 and Liza Johnson Duncan '88, July 11, 2023

Melissa “Missie” Montague Smith '63 April 12, 2023

Richmond “Richie” Dellastatious '64 brother of Dee “Deidre” Dellastatious Myers '67, March 13, 2023

Ann Moore Milnor '69

June 19, 2023

Richard “Rick” Eudy, II '73

husband of Valerie Smith Eudy '73, brother of Brandt Eudy '79, July 3, 2023

Mark Meiss '74

November 2022

Paul Gambal '77

brother of Alex Gambal '75, June 22, 2023

Philip “Phil” Savarie '84

brother of Andy Savarie '82, August 16, 2023

Neha DeWakar '18

sister of Maya DeWakar '15, Neil DeWakar '13, and Anjuli DieWakar '11

July 8, 2023

Friends and Family

June Lavington

mother of Susan Lavington '86 and Victoria Lavington '88, April 24, 2022

CDR James “Jim” Hurston

husband of Jean Hoppe Hurston '62, February 1, 2023

Michael Lavington (former Board of Governors)

father of Susan Lavington '86 and Victoria Lavington '88, March 9, 2023

Mary Lou Titus

mother of Olivia Titus Dalu '90, Katherine Titus '91, and Clarke Titus '96, wife of Clifton “Clif” Titus, Jr. (former faculty), March 18 2023

Janet “Jan” Callies Foster

mother of Nick Foster '24, April 6, 2023

Betty Slattery Egger

mother of Steve Spear '66, April 8, 2023

Katherine Preston

mother of Dave Preston '68, grandmother of Michael Preston '92, Lauren Preston White '95, and John Preston '95, April 13, 2023

Col. Charles R. Petty, USMC (Ret.) father of Charlotte Petty '03, May 19, 2023

Mariana Ippolito

mother of Isabella Garcia-Ippolito '23 and Nico Garcia-Ippolito '21, June 3, 2023

Louisa Dawson Smucker

mother of Philip Smucker '79, June 16, 2023

Stephen “Steve” Siwek

father of Andrea Siwek '07, Jane Siwek '19, and Jessica Siwek '99 (deceased), June 26, 2023

Dr. Khosrow Matini father of Lily Matini '99, July 23, 2023

William “Emerson” Teer husband of Alison Lukes Teer '95, July 26, 2023

Jessica “Jessy” Schroth

mother of Thiago Schroth-Uehara '29, August 18, 2023

Edward Lifmann father of Heather Lifmann Elkins '01, August 22, 2023

Roberta “Bobbie” Shaw Thomas mother of Griff Thomas '77, Shaw Thomas '81, and Anne Thomas '79 (deceased), grandmother of Seth McClelland '00 (deceased), former spouse of Henry A. Thomas '52 (deceased), August 22, 2023

Capt. Charles “Chuck” Fellows father of Dave Fellows '77, Pete Fellows '79, and Andy Fellows '82, husband of Alix Fellows (former coach), August 24, 2023

Joseph “Joe” Lastelic father of Cecile Lastelic Phillips '87, Steve Lastelic '93, and Elizabeth Lastelic Copeland '96, grandfather of Carroll Phillips '18, Lily Phillips '20, and Victoria Lastelic '32, August 27, 2023

Albert “Lin” Grosvenor, Jr. brother of Beth Grosvenor Boland '67, October 10, 2023

Em Sutton Rusch mother of Ted Rusch '87, October 15, 2023

Jake Currie, IT Specialist, passed away on August, 6, 2023 after an extended illness. Jake joined St. Stephen's and St. Agnes in 2007, and worked primarily at the Lower School. Jake was well known around school for

JACOB “JAKE” WILCOX CURRIE

November 4, 1981-August 6, 2023

his warmth, his positive spirit, and his big smile. When approached with a tech challenge by any member of the community, Jake showed infinite patience as he solved their problem. His kind and gentle nature made everyone feel comfortable and supported.

During his time at SSSAS, Jake also touched the lives of students as a varsity football and junior varsity boys basketball coach. He was always willing to lend a hand to the athletic program behind the scenes and could be counted on to run the clock for basketball games. Jake enjoyed dressing up for Halloween, volunteering to help at the SSSAS

Win Palmer, former SSSAS faculty member, passed away on August 31, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pa. Win joined the Saints community in 1980 and during his time at the school, he served as a sixth grade teacher, head basketball

booth at the USA Science and Engineering Festival, accompanying Upper School students on a trip to Cuba, and buying lots of treats at the annual fourth grade bake sale. Jake had a great sense of humor, spreading joy and fun everywhere he went, and was cherished as a good listener and a friend.

Outside of work, Jake enjoyed kayaking, hiking, biking, traveling, and spending time with friends and loved ones. He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Hoke Currie, Jr.; his sister, Margaret “Meg” Currie-Coyoy (Luis ); nephew, Emilio and niece, Marisol; many aunts, uncles, cousins, and his partner, Heather Pritchett.

WINTHROP “WIN” RICHARD PALMER

March 10, 1958-August 31, 2023

coach, assistant baseball coach, and athletic director. In addition to basketball and baseball, Win coached freshman and junior varsity football.

In 1988 Win received the St. Stephen's Alumni Association Faculty Excellence Award, an award that recognized the outstanding contributions made by a member of the faculty each year. George Harrison '70 presented him with the award, saying, “Win takes the time to counsel these students relentlessly and makes them feel special; he shows warmth in the classroom as well as on the playing field.”

Win was voted Coach of the Year by the Alexandria Sportsman Club

in 1987, and the Interstate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year by the Washington Post in 1989. In 2019 he was inducted into the SSSAS Hall of Fame as the coach of the 1987 Varsity Basketball team.

Win is survived by his sons, Matthew Palmer (Nina Palmer) of Philadelphia, PA, and Tyler Palmer (Melissa Palmer) of Charlotte, NC; and two siblings, Julie Palmer of Brookline, MA and Jeff Palmer (Mimi Zolan) of Bloomington, IN. He is also survived by many loving nieces, nephews, in-laws, cousins, and friends. He was predeceased by his beloved wife of 35 years, Dawn Nicholson Palmer; and his sister, Beth Palmer.

400 Fontaine Street

Alexandria, Virginia 22302

If the addressee no longer lives at this address, please contact the school: 703-212-2720 or atoman@sssas.org

SAINTS GIVING DAY!

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

SAVE THE DATE

Show your love for St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School on February 27 with a gift through The Saints Fund during this once-a-year philanthropic event. Your gift helps all Saints students thrive! When you support SSSAS, you help ensure that our students are known, nurtured, challenged, and inspired to succeed. The strength of our community starts with you!

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Make your Saints Giving Day gift early at sssas.org/sgd