Stone Ridge Centennial Magazine by Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart

Our Centennial.

Winter 2023

Stone Ridge Magazine

From the Head of School

The Stone Ridge Magazine

100 Years of Sacred Heart Education

Produced by the Office of Marketing and Communications at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart for alumnae, parents, students, and friends of the School.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Stone Ridge

What does Stone Ridge mean to you?

Outstanding Alumnae Awards

Commencement Class of 2023

A Centennial Celebration

The Project Approach: Lower School

Leadership & Faculty News

In Memoriam

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Catherine Ronan Karrels ’86 ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS, MANAGING EDITOR

Keri Rasmussen

VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR & PHOTOGRAPHY

Caitlin Myler Taylor ’98

DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

Michelle Akaras

CONTRIBUTING STAFF WRITER

Brenda Funk

HEAD OF LOWER SCHOOL

Sandy Gillespie

DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS

LaRita Gordon

DIRECTOR OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

Kim Johnson

HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL

Malcolm McCluskey

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

Eric Osberg

ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL

James Purse

HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL

Alex Sundman

PUBLICATION DESIGN

Alston Taggart, Studio Red Design

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER WITH VEGETABLE-BASED INKS IN A 100% WIND POWERED FACILITY.

Send any letters, comments, or suggestions to communications@stoneridgeschool.org @stoneridgesacredheart

@gatorssr

Winter 2023

November 2023

Dear Stone Ridge Community, What an incredible journey we embarked on together last year as we celebrated Stone Ridge’s Centennial. This magazine highlights some of the activities on campus as well as some reflections on this milestone. I hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I did. Yet these pages cannot possibly convey the abundant pride and joy that we experienced last year in reflecting on the history, heritage, and mission of our beloved School. It was a year of sharing stories and memories, expressing gratitude, and also imagining what lies ahead. As part of the International Society of the Sacred Heart that is currently represented in more than 40 countries around the globe, Stone Ridge’s origin was partly in response to requests from families who had experienced Sacred Heart schools in other parts of the country and the world. In 1923, Mother Clara Sands and the Religious of the Sacred Heart opened Convent of the Sacred Heart at 1719 Massachusetts Avenue near Dupont Circle. Within a few years, it became evident that they were outgrowing the facility, but it wouldn’t be until 1947 that a new location was found, approved, and purchased. The Religious of the Sacred Heart moved to the Hamilton family estate here at Stone Ridge in September 1947 with 125 students and 25 nuns. Much of the original property was farmland and continued to operate as a farm in those early years, with classes taught in all the nooks and crannies of Hamilton House. In 1949, a new academic building was added, and over the decades, that construction was followed by several additional wings, the gymnasium, the Upper School building (which has been recently renamed after Anne Dyer ’55, RSCJ), the natatorium, numerous iterations of fields, and most recently, the Mater Center. With our home in the DC region, national politics and national news have always impacted the life of this School in a particular way. Over our history, 17 Presidents and their administrations have occupied the White House and shaped the local and national culture over time. The March on Washington in 1963 took place in the midst of the Second Vatican Council. Therefore, just when the Society of the Sacred Heart and Catholic Church were updating many practices in response to the modern world, so too we were called to mission identity work around social justice and justice education. 2

Stone Ridge Magazine

The ’70s presented much change in the role of women in our society, and Stone Ridge’s curriculum and programming continued to evolve accordingly. Stone Ridge gained an even stronger reputation as a school where young women were graduating well prepared for a wide range of professional pursuits, and our alumnae were breaking barriers and helping change the role of women in society. The ’80s, ’90s, 2000s and beyond saw a deepening commitment to excellence in all programming— academics, athletics, the arts, service/social action, STEM programming, and so much more. Stone Ridge had solidified its reputation in the marketplace as a leader in girls education; as an innovative Catholic school sending forth service-oriented leaders into top-rate colleges and universities and then into every professional industry. Our foundress, Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat, had the vision of making Christ’s love known in the world through the vehicle of education. Today we thrive as a remarkable educational institution—rooted in the five Goals of Sacred Heart education, with deep and solid roots built on the foundation of the charism, values, tradition, and spirituality of the Religious of the Sacred Heart. As we reflect on the beauty of this milestone celebration, what I find most touching is the memory and the ongoing reality of the PEOPLE who made this place what it is and make it what it is today. Our students, parents, Trustees, benefactors, and alumnae are an incredible community of courageous leaders, with diverse backgrounds, passions, and gifts. We are particularly indebted to the faculty and staff members who have brought life to this mission over 100 years. If the Sacred Heart tradition is the soil in which we are rooted, the faculty and staff are the water and sunlight that nourish the seed of growth within each and every student entrusted to our care.

From the Head of School

CENTENNIAL STEERING COMMITTEE Archives: Carla Bosco ’89 Communication: Stacy Springer Liturg y: Kathryn Heetderks Student Programming: Luisette Diaz and Kathryn Gillick ’89 Susan Brewer ’87 Kasia Demaree Sister Anne Dyer ’55, RSCJ Ingrid Feigenbaum Dana Iandoli ’92 Catherine Ronan Karrels ’86 Eileen Mayer ’70 Lesley Sheldon Leigh Warfield

A very special thank you to those who dedicated countless hours to make sure the events and celebrations throughout the centennial year were a success. Scan the QR code for a complete listing of our Centennial Committees.

I would be remiss if I didn’t say a word about my own gratitude for the blessing of this School in my life. My parents chose Stone Ridge for me when I was entering first grade in 1974, and as I reflect on our School’s history of 100 years, I marvel that my personal connection at Stone Ridge has been for almost half of that time. As a child, Stone Ridge provided me with a caring place to learn, stretch, grow, and gain courage and confidence. I found many of my best friends here, women who are my steadfast companions through all the ups and downs that life has thrown our way.

where all feel a deep sense of belonging? How will we respond and adapt our mission and educational program in a way that is both timeless and timely?

As your Head of School for the past 15 years, I could not be more proud of our students and what this institution represents, nor could I be more aware of how important and meaningful our mission is in today’s world. The work we do here together matters. Now, as we enter into this second century of Sacred Heart education at Stone Ridge, we have an opportunity to ask big and bold questions about what our path will look like as we blaze forward. Who will be part of our future, as we continue to build a diverse community that celebrates the unique gifts of each person? How will we continue to build the kingdom of God by creating and sustaining a culture

I want to thank all of my colleagues and the volunteers who served on last year’s Centennial Steering Committee. Their names are listed on this page, and we are deeply indebted to them for their hard work and joyful enthusiasm.

Dear Stone Ridge Community

It’s invigorating to consider what will come next, but one thing I know for sure. This next chapter will rely on all of you—our alumnae, past and current families, past and current faculty and staff, grandparents and other friends of the School. You have a place at our table, and we need you to keep showing up for the next generation of Stone Ridge students.

I hope to see you on campus this year, and again, I thank you for your ongoing support. Go Gators,

Catherine Ronan Karrels ’86 Head of School

Winter 2023

CELEBRATING 100 Years of Sacred Heart Education By Sister Clare Pratt ’57, RSCJ

“ Faithful to the Goals and Criteria as they continue to be updated in response to the needs of the world, Stone Ridge will continue to prepare girls to grow into women who will make a difference in the world.” —S ist e r C l a r e P r at t ’57, RSCJ

“ T he Sacred Heart never asks that we become perfect all at once, but that we work at becoming so day by day as God gives us grace and light.” —S a i n t M a de l e i n e S op h i e B a r at

Stone Ridge Magazine

Y LIFE AT STONE RIDGE BEGAN IN September, 1951 when I entered the Sixth Class (Grade 7) thanks to my maternal grandmother whose piano now sits in the parlor next to the Chapel in the Hamilton House. An Episcopalian, Clare Wade Safford wanted her eldest granddaughter to go to “the best Catholic school in Washington.” Upon learning that, my Grandmother Pratt, who, though not a Sacred Heart alumna, had become a Child of Mary, said, “Why of course, Stone Ridge!” Grandmother Safford paid my first year’s tuition of $500 which my father, a lawyer in a small Washington firm, with a wife and four children to support could not afford.

One of my keenest memories from my Middle School years is beginning the day with Morning Prayer. As we knelt by our desks in the Study Hall, facing the back here there was a large statue of the Sacred Heart, we recited together the Morning Offering of the Apostleship of Prayer. Then, Mother Veronica Cotter called out in a loud voice: “Sacred Heart of Jesus” and we responded in chorus “Set the WHOLE WORLD on fire with Your LOVE.” She repeated it twice again and we made the same full-throated response. The seeds of my vocation to be a Religious of the Sacred Heart were planted in that Study Hall and to this day it is a sacred place for me.

Celebrating 100 Years

G100 Years

“ Preach by the example of your lives rather than by words. Example is the very best sermon.” —S a i n t R ose P h i l i p p i n e D uch e nse

Stone Ridge was only 28 years old when I arrived. The only building was the Hamilton House with its recent extension whose lower floors housed the Refectory (dining room) and basketball court. With the community of RSCJs teaching most of the classes, the lay faculty numbered fewer than ten and sat together for lunch at an old dining room table in the Refectory. In the Upper School, a single Science class was offered Senior Year, taught in the small building behind the Hamilton House, and the one teacher taught Biology one year and Chemistry the next. Although there was a tennis court, the only competitive sports were basketball and field hockey. Besides being the venue for basketball games, the gym gathered us for Prîmes each week and became a theater for plays and musicals performed on a plywood stage put together for the occasion. Now, 72 years later, as we celebrate Stone Ridge’s Centennial in the midst of a transformed campus, a greatly enlarged faculty and student body enriched by increasing diversity, a mind-boggling curriculum, athletic offerings to meet every desire and ability, we can ask: What has kept Stone Ridge “on course,” faithful to the vision and conviction of St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, that in order to bring the Love of the Heart of Jesus to the world girls needed to be educated? Some traditions have endured.

100 Years of Sacred Heart Education

Stone Ridge still sings “Cœur de Jésus,” and enjoys goûter and congés, but fidelity goes much deeper than well-loved traditions. I think we can confidently say that it is embracing and living the call expressed in today’s articulation of the original Plan of Studies, known since 1975 as the Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart education. While the five Goals of Faith, Intellect, Social Awareness, Community, and Personal Growth have been CONSTANTS, every fifteen years, (1990, 2005, and 2020) with the reflection and input from all the Sacred Heart Schools in the United States and Canada, the Criteria have been updated to respond to the world which our students are being called to live in and to transform by their love. And every five years each Sacred Heart School holds itself accountable through a Self-Study and Visit by a Team composed of Sacred Heart Educators: a Head of School, a Trustee, a member of a leadership team, and a faculty member. Insights gained from the Visiting Team are incorporated into an Action Plan, pertinent to the world of today, faithful to the Sacred Heart Charism. Just as no one could have foreseen in 1923 the Stone Ridge of today, we can’t predict what will evolve in the next 100 years. What we can be sure of, however, is that if Stone Ridge is faithful to the Goals and Criteria as they continue to be updated in response to the needs of the world, Stone Ridge will continue to prepare girls to grow into women who will make a difference in the world. What gives me joy and confidence is the realization that from little ones to Fourth Academics our Faculty are inculcating the Goals and the students are living them. In her Reflection at the end of the Mass on May 26, celebrating the Feast of St. Madeleine Sophie, Ella Hunter ’23 expressed this so well, speaking of “the Goals we all know so well by now as they are ingrained in our minds since the moment we step on campus.” The Washington Archdiocese’s Graduation Edition of the Catholic Standard included an article: “In essays, Stone Ridge seniors reflect on their school’s centennial.” What did Natalie Starmann and Gracie Cooper focus on? The impact of the five Goals of Sacred Heart education on their lives. As I read their words, I once again heard Mother Cotter calling out “Sacred Heart of Jesus” and from the depths of my heart I responded “Set the WHOLE WORLD on fire with Your LOVE!” ❤

Winter 2023

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS

Centennial Liturgy

We pray to the Lord—Loving God, hear our prayer. For public authorities and community leaders, may they be guided by wisdom and compassion to work for the common good of all, and may the gospel message of love and hope transform every corner of the world.

For peace, may the peace of Christ reign in our hearts, families, communities, and the world, and may we be instruments of peace and reconciliation in our daily lives.

For justice, may we be artisans of hope, who uphold the dignity of every human person, especially in the marginalized and vulnerable, and work towards a society that is just, equitable, and inclusive.

For all of the local and international organizations, that Stone Ridge has partnered with through our service and Social Action programs. May they receive the support and resources required to successfully meet the needs of those they serve, and their relationships continue to be marked by an evergrowing spirit of mutual respect, reciprocity, and collaboration.

For the Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, its history, and its future, may we be faithful students of the legacy and traditions of the Sacred Heart. May we continue to grow and thrive as a Catholic school that is committed to academic excellence, spiritual formation, and service to others.

For the members of the Society of the Sacred Heart, those who have gone before us and those who continue to inspire us with their lives of faith, compassion, and service, we give thanks. May the RSCJ continue to be filled with the courage, confidence, and contemplative spirit needed to share Sophie’s transformative vision of love.

For alumnae, may they continue to be a source of inspiration and support for our school, and may their lives be a testament to the values and teachings they’ve received at Stone Ridge.

Anne Foley ’73

Sr. Suzanne Cooke, RSCJ

“ For a century, Stone Ridge has been a beacon of hope and inspiration, empowering young women to embrace the values of Sacred Heart education and to serve the world with love and compassion. Today we gather to honor our rich heritage and express gratitude for the past and support for our future.” —S ist e r A n n e D y e r ’55, RSCJ

Celebrating 100 Years

From left to right: Sister Kata Simon, RSCJ; Sister Vicky Rajca, RSCJ; Sister Anne Dyer ’55, RSCJ; Catherine Ronan Karrels, ’86, Head of School; Sister Suzanne Cooke, RSCJ, Provincial of the Society of the Sacred Heart US-C Province; Sister Clare Pratt, RSCJ, ’57, former Superior General of the Society of the Sacred Heart and Current Trustee; Sister Marilyn McMorrow, RSCJ; Sister Helen McCullough, RSCJ.

“ Today we give thanks for the legacy of St. Madeleine Sophie Barat and the Religious of the Sacred Heart, whose charism and sponsorship continue to guide and animate our School. We also celebrate and give thanks for the contributions of the many students, alumnae, parents, faculty, staff, trustees, and friends who have passed through these doors, those with us today and those who have gone before us.” —M r s . C at h e r i n e R ona n K a r r e l s ’86, H e a d of S c hool

For the class of 1973, as they celebrate their 50th reunion and recount the moments in friendship that have shaped their lives, may they continue to be a source of inspiration and support for one another. We remember especially the souls of Ana Silva ’73 and Mary McKie ’73. For those in our community who are sick, may they experience the healing touch of Christ, and may they find comfort and strength in the prayers and the support of their family and friends. Centennial Liturgy

For those in our community who have died, may they rest in the peace of Christ and may their families and loved ones be comforted by the hope of the resurrection. For the centennial Class of 2023, as they prepare to graduate, may they be guided by the Goals of Sacred Heart education. May they be blessed with wisdom, courage, and a deep sense of purpose as they pursue their dreams.

For the Class of 2035, may they be blessed with a love for learning, a spirit of curiosity, a deep sense of wonder for God’s creation, and a commitment to help others in need. May they always be guided by the Goals of Sacred Heart education and continue to grow in faith, hope, and love. ❤ Winter 2023

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS

Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation

Mass

ACH J A N U A R Y, S T O N E R I D G E R E C O M M I T S I T S E L F T O the work of justice, peace, and stewarship of God’s creation at our annual “Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Mass.” January is a fitting month for this recommitment as it is a time when our community honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and when we pray for the inherent dignity of all human life, from conception to natural death. This Mass takes place during Catholic Schools Week, a national celebration of Catholic schools’ commitment to faith, excellence, and service. Grade 8 students receive a special blessing on this day, as they begin their transition to Upper School and as many prepare to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. They also receive a special pin to wear on their kilts; a symbol that is intended to remind them of the love and support they have from God and the Stone Ridge community on these important steps in their journey. ❤

Stone Ridge Magazine

Celebrating 100 years Celebrating 100 years

MULTICULTURAL FEST

Goal IV Day

Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation

Mass

Winter 2023

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Stone

TO N E R I D G E ’ S CO M M ITM E NT TO D I V E R S IT Y, E Q U IT Y, and inclusion (DEI) is comprehensive, extending its reach to faculty, staff, students, parents, board members, and alumnae. Guided by the year’s theme, “Goal V: Personal Growth in an Atmosphere of Wise Freedom,” the DEI office continued to align diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts with the School’s mission, vision, and Sacred Heart identity. The primary objectives of this work included: connecting Catholic social teachings with DEI initiatives, building strong relationships with students, faculty, staff, parents, and board members, and supporting faculty and staff professional development. DEI efforts were multi-faceted, spanning institutional programming, faculty and staff development, board engagement, and student programming. DEI practitioners collaborated with division heads to address curriculum needs, promote affinity and interest clubs, enhance student advisory programs, and orchestrate school assemblies. The Board of Trustees DEI Committee, which includes trustees and alumnae representatives, gathered several times to support the administration in developing and evaluating DEI goals and initiatives. The School’s calendar featured a robust array of DEI-related events, including all-employee and equity team meetings, affinity group gatherings, and Better Together parent diversity group events.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2022-23 SCHOOL YEAR These endeavors underscore Stone Ridge’s dedication to creating a vibrant and inclusive educational community, spanning across every institutional level. The School’s Strategic Plan has been updated and recalibrated to incorporate the “12 Commitments of Racial Justice” from 2020. This ensures that the commitments are aligned in the appropriate pillar and phase of the Strategic Plan as it relates to equity and inclusion. Stone Ridge faculty and staff dedicated themselves to comprehensive professional development and DEI initiatives. Seven all-employee DEI meetings delved into a range of critical topics, including the School’s cultural norms, fostering respectful dialogue, best practices in hiring, and equity work guided by Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Belonging (DEIJB) Consultant Martha Haakmat. A few highlights from these sessions include: • The development of “Goal IV Gathering Agreements” for employee meetings to articulate norms for meetings grounded in best practices of transformational dialogue and the Sacred Heart charism.

Stone Ridge Magazine

• Faculty and staff engagement around the topic of implicit bias and its impact on the hiring process. • B uilding language and leadership skills for equity and belonging through mission aligned objectives with Ms. Haakmat’s guidance. Stone Ridge educators attended the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) annual People of Color Conference (PoCC) to share and learn about effective teaching and leadership practices in DEIJB education. The Equity Team focused on cultivating habits and skills for a more inclusive school environment, guided by the book “The Identity-Conscious Educator” by Liza Talusan. Adult affinity groups gathered five times to continue their work in providing spaces to support staff and faculty of shared identities. The Eliza Nesbit Contemplative Center opened in January 2023 through a generous donation from the Stone Ridge Parent Association (SRPA). The center is designed to be a simple, warm, and inviting environment for students and employees of all faiths to gather for reflection and prayer. The focal point of the room is the large metal Tree of Life, an image common in many different faiths.

Celebrating 100 years

e Ridge DEI IN THE DIVISIONS LOWER SCHOOL Lower School students fostered diversity and inclusivity through their Gators Read Alouds and DEI Storytime initiatives. Grade 4 students led a wonderful Lower School Assembly on the canonization of six Black American Catholics. Cultural enrichment activities continued as Grades 1 – 4 attended the play “The Day You Begin” at the Kennedy Center.

The Better Together parent diversity group series continued to focus on rich discussions related to the framework of our equity, justice, and belonging efforts in our Stone Ridge community. Parents gathered several times throughout the year to meet the new DEI Team members and to learn about the updated DEI structure at Stone Ridge. Additionally, they shared their hopes and dreams for future equity and belonging initiatives at Stone Ridge. DEI practitioners worked diligently to plan engaging student programming, special assemblies, promote awareness and appreciation of heritage and history months by generously sharing valuable resources such as book lists and displays, lesson plans, and various online materials with the School community. The School’s ongoing commitment to inclusivity is further underscored by its recognition as a No Place For Hate® school, a distinction awarded by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), highlighting the active efforts to address bias and bullying through inclusive classroom discussions and activities.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Stone Ridge

MIDDLE SCHOOL Middle School students committed to promoting cultural awareness and combating bias by creating informative presentations covering a range of topics, including Native American Heritage Month, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Lunar New Year, Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, and the exploration of stereotypes. Students led discussions about the film “Soul” and its significance, particularly highlighting the importance of jazz in the Black and African-American community and its influence on contemporary music. Middle School Diverse Book Clubs for both Grades 7–8 and Grades 5–6 encouraged thoughtful discussions and exploration of diverse literary perspectives among their peers. UPPER SCHOOL Upper School students were engaged in initiatives aimed at fostering diversity and promoting inclusivity. They organized and participated in the Student Diversity Leadership Conference, themed “Our Renaissance: Exploring Identities and Healing through Community,” demonstrating their commitment to understanding and celebrating diverse identities within the school community. The Upper School also witnessed the impactful work of the Student Diversity Coalition (SDC) and Diversity Cultural Groups (DCG), which played pivotal roles in nurturing a more inclusive environment. Upper School students led the planning and execution of “Goal IV Multicultural Day: Centennial Celebration of Culture,” aimed at celebrating diversity and belonging within the School. ❤

Winter 2023

We invite you TO EXPLORE THE STONE RIDGE CENTENNIAL WEBSITE . Browse through the timeline and discover key moments in the School’s history. Learn more about Stone Ridge’s journey of 100 years of educating women of faith and purpose in the DC metro area.

ANNUAL REPORT

Now Available Online!

Thank you for your generous support! You have given your time, talents, and treasure to students and programs of Stone Ridge. We are so very grateful. Stone Ridge developed an enhanced platform to convey our philanthropic narrative. Additionally, we have dedicated ourselves to Goal III by responsibly managing the earth’s resources, opting to release the Annual Report digitally. Explore the Stone Ridge Digital Annual Report now! ❤

www.stoneridgeschool.org/annualreport PASSKEY: gratitude

OUR STONE RIDGE

Community

We invite you

Winter 2023

AlumnaeStone Ridge

What does Stone Ridge mean to you?

N CELEBRATION OF OUR CENTENNIAL YEAR, WE ASKED alumnae across the decades to reflect on what Stone Ridge means to them. Within the following testimonials, common themes emerge: Stone Ridge is a place where alumnae dedicated themselves to their faith which has sustained them throughout their lifetimes, where they forged lasting friendships, and gained the foundation to become empowered leaders within their communities today. These alumnae exemplify how the five Goals of Sacred Heart education are a roadmap for life. Timeless and timely, the Goals unify Sacred Heart graduates across the world.

K AT H Y J O H N S T O N H U T T O ’ 7 3 Having just celebrated our 50th reunion along with Stone Ridge’s centennial anniversary, I’ve had a lot of time to think about what Stone Ridge means to me. First and foremost, Stone Ridge has given me many lifelong friends for whom I am very grateful. We keep in touch with each other and visit as often as possible—a remarkable feat in today’s world. Attending Stone Ridge in the 1960s and early 1970s put our class in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, Vatican II, the space race, JFK’s assassination and the Cold War. Stone Ridge helped us navigate these social changes and challenges as mature, caring and thoughtful young women. We became determined to make positive contributions to, and changes in, our world. To this day, I can’t walk past a piece of trash or throw away something that can be recycled. I spend every day hoping to be the best I can be and always to be kind towards others. I credit Stone Ridge—of course along with my family and faith—with much of this awareness and effort. Having three younger sisters follow me at Stone Ridge and also teaching Grade 7 there from 1978– 1979, I had the unique opportunity to see that Stone Ridge’s traditions and whole-person education continued to shine bright. After my April 2023 reunion weekend visit, I was happy and impressed to see the Stone Ridge community’s continued deep mark on young women and our world.

Stone Ridge Magazine

Lindsay Bratun’14 right

L I N D S AY B R AT U N ’ 1 4 Stone Ridge was my first exposure to female leadership at the highest level of an organization. The faculty, students, and administrators demonstrated high standards of how to achieve personal growth, contribute to a community through action, and how to be respectful towards others that upgraded my vision and standards for myself. It meant a total shift in how I saw women in roles in the world around me and guided my own community involvement and leadership after high school. Stone Ridge makes me feel grounded and supported when I’m with SR friends, current students, past parents, faculty, and members of the community. It is a reminder to be true to myself. It welcomes me back for Mass with friends and family, to see how the School has grown and to reflect on my own goals. It is a place where love is abundant. It exemplifies new heights of achievement, it is a call to serve others, it is a tradition that endures. It is a guide to embrace lifelong learning, forgiveness and personal growth. It is a prideful stop on a hometown tour, it is a fond memory of barbecues, outdoor DJs and dance parties at congé, it is a triumphant story about a field hockey victory. It is an old friend, a new friend, and a friend that is to come.

Celebrating 100 years

E LIZ ABETH CORMACK THETFORD ’ 72

Arjetta Oliver White ’88 middle

A R J E T TA O L I V E R W H I T E ’ 8 8 In 1984, I was introduced to Stone Ridge by the leadership teams of the Black Student Fund and Higher Achievement Program (HAP). Upon my shadow visit, I was skeptical, unsure if this all-girl, Catholic school environment was a good fit for this urban Baptist, a proud product of DC Public Schools. My mother, however, was resolved. So, I joined the Class of 1988—the best decision I ever made. The high school experience is one of the most special journeys in life. And mine did not disappoint. The culture, curriculum, and characters embodied within Stone Ridge allowed me to embrace my authentic self through faith, friendships, and leadership—the core of the woman I am today. First, Stone Ridge encouraged an unashamed acceptance and demonstration of my faith. My belief of, trust in, and loyalty to God, has sustained me, taught me to remain focused on Christ through life’s journey, and to endure through all seasons of life while visibly demonstrating love, compassion, empathy, and service in this chaotic world. Second, Stone Ridge shaped my closest friendships. For almost 40 years, my un-biological sisters have been a fortress; they have supported, encouraged, and prayed for me. I trust these women with my heart, my deepest secrets, and proudest accomplishments. Though miles and obligations prevent us from seeing one another as often as we desire, our bond is unbreakable. Finally, Stone Ridge developed my leadership skills. As first-year class president, I quickly realized communication, flexibility, and accountability, as fostered through the five Goals of Sacred Heart education, were necessary skills to encourage and empower others to pursue and reach common purposes. So, what does Stone Ridge mean to me? Stone Ridge is where the strong, fiercely independent, spiritual, insightful woman I am today was birthed! What does Stone Ridge mean to you?

As I sit down to write these paragraphs, I find that words cannot express the profound impact Stone Ridge has had on my life. Reflecting on my time at Stone Ridge, it is impossible to separate the School from the extraordinary friends I made and teachers who taught me during my four years. The girls I had the privilege of sharing my high school years with were not only fun and interesting, but also incredibly intelligent. I have such fond memories of chatting (and gossiping) with girlfriends as we walked to class or after school, and then sharing and debating challenging ideas in class. Those same girls provided unwavering support for me during some of the more challenging moments in my life. Friendships I forged during those transformative years have stood the test of time, enduring even as we celebrated our 50th, 60th, and (shh) almost-70th birthdays. Beyond the incredible camaraderie among the students, the faculty at Stone Ridge played an instrumental role in shaping my life. Among them, Sister Anne Dyer ’55, RSCJ, is a beloved role model for me. I cannot overstate how lucky I am to have grown under her guidance and mentorship, both during my years at Stone Ridge and beyond. One summer—years after I had graduated and started my own family in London, England—Sr. Dyer visited me and I organized a dinner for Stone Ridge girls in the city. Everyone was so happy to reconnect and share time together and with Sr. Dyer—a real testament to the power and enduring nature of Stone Ridge relationships. Fast forward to our recent 50th reunion. As I attended the weekend event, I was filled with awe and admiration for my fellow alumnae. My Stone Ridge classmates have made such incredible accomplishments in diverse fields and far-flung places—from successful careers to flourishing personal lives, I was so happy to see the ways Stone Ridge’s foundation of faith and intellect affected each one of us. As we chatted and shared stories, I found one common thread—all were a “Stone Ridge” girl—one who I recognized and truly admired. Winter 2023

STONE RIDGE ALUMNAE

R O S E M A R I E C A L A B R O T U L LY ’ 0 3

Rosemarie Calabro Tully ’03 right

To me, Stone Ridge means curiosity. As a student at Stone Ridge, the environment was nurturing—facilitating the ability to push myself academically, challenge myself spiritually, and grapple with the importance of community and social justice. My four years at Stone Ridge were marked by a sense of exploration into new languages, literature, friendships, and career paths—a curiosity that stays with me today. I’m forever grateful for my formative time as a Gator, and the lasting impression that the Goals of a Sacred Heart education left on me.

MARIEL RICO ’09

SHANNON BOLAND BURKHART ’94

Whenever I think of who I am today and how that relates to my time at Stone Ridge, it always comes down to one word: goals. On the surface, I learned how to lead organizations simply through the existence of the five Goals of Sacred Heart education. I was president of a chapter of American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) during my senior year of college. That role allowed me to create an active community for our students and the university through my knowledge of goal setting. When I entered the workforce, I established a mission for a science experiment integration program for a suborbital rocket. I came out of Stone Ridge with an absolute understanding that good leadership needs explicitly stated mission statements and goals.

It is wild for me to think that Stone Ridge has been a part of my life for more than 40 years. Not only from the standpoint of jokingly wondering how I can possibly be old enough to have an Upper Schooler, but from a sense of wonder and gratitude for the more than four decades of gifts my Sacred Heart education has provided me.

But more meaningfully, I have often reflected on the five Goals of Sacred Heart education and incorporated them into my own life. Before Stone Ridge, I understood the woman I wanted to become but had no basis on how to get there. The Sacred Heart Goals became that basis. I am dedicated to an active and personal faith in God through prayer. Having a deep respect for intellectual values inspired me to go to graduate school for my Master’s in Aerospace Engineering. My commitment to service has led me to work with Days for Girls International, a nonprofit dedicated to preparing and distributing reusable menstrual products so girls can pursue their schooling with hygiene and dignity. I strive to

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Growing up with three brothers, my thirteen years spent at Stone Ridge provided me with friends who became sisters. My teachers instilled in me the confidence and academic skills that have guided me to rewarding positions in politics, communications, and now in the non-profit sector. Sacred Heart traditions became my own and hundreds of core memories were made on campus, including marrying my husband in the Sacred Heart Chapel 23 years ago. I am grateful and proud that my two girls are now at Stone Ridge—and I hope that the five Goals that have shaped me into the person I am today will have the same profound impact on them. Stone Ridge to me is my foundation and my launchpad and what will always feel like a second home.

embody Christian values through how I treat others. And I am always looking for opportunities for personal growth through any challenges I may face. I do not think I fully understood the privilege and good graces of Sacred Heart education when I was attending Stone Ridge, but I can feel its value and blessings to this day. I am truly grateful for its guidance in my life. ❤

Celebrating 100 years

Calling all Alums! GET THE STONE RIDGE ONLINE ALUMNAE APP Download the “Graduway Community” App from the App Store and then search for Stone Ridge. CONNECT Find and reminisce with fellow graduates, see what they have been up to and stay in touch. GIVE BACK Introduce, employ, and offer to act as a mentor to our graduating students. EXPAND Leverage your professional network to get introduced to people you should know.

e R

RECONNECT WITH OLD CL ASSMATES SR Connects allows you to both reconnect with old classmates and use the trusted Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart environment to expand your professional network. By fully integrating with social networks, and cultivating a culture of helping and giving back, you will be amazed by the vibrant Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart community! ❤

Your Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart Online Community

connect. discover. unite.

STONE RIDGE ALUMNAE REUNION WEEKEND Welcome back to the classes ending in 4s and 9s! Reunion Weekend 2024 is a two-day celebration for you to reconnect with your classmates and fellow alumnae; rediscover what Stone Ridge means to you; and reunite for your Reunion. We hope you will join us for your special milestone Reunion!

April 26–27, 2024

April 26: Class of 1974 50th Reunion Luncheon and Class Parties April 27: Reunion Celebration

Connects The SR Connects: Mentors program provides a platform for meaningful interaction and engagement between alumnae and current students. Alumnae participants and presentation topics will reflect a range of ages, experiences, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and professions. It is important to have alumnae involved in the day-to-day life of the School and for students to see, through the example of our alumnae, the amazing possibilities and opportunities they can pursue after leaving Stone Ridge.

The goal of SR Connects: Master Class is to provide continuing education, bring alumnae together, meet alumnae where they are in various ages and stages in their lives, and to create networking opportunities. The classes will cover a wide range of topics led by alumnae experts in their field throughout the year.

We want YOU!

Are you interested in being a part of the SR Connects: Mentors program or teaching a SR Connects: Master Class? Do you want to engage with students or alumnae about your professional journey, or on a specific topic or about a special skill? Please contact Michael Anne Cullen at macullen@ stoneridgeschool.org or 301-657-4322 ext 1608. ❤

If you have any questions or would like to help encourage your classmates to attend, please contact Michael Anne Cullen ’95, Director of Alumnae Relations, at 301-657-4322 ext. 1608 or macullen@stoneridgeschool.org. ❤

Alumnae Stone Ridge

Winter 2023

All-Alumnae REUNION 2023 The Class of 1973 celebrated their 50th Reunion during the 2023 Reunion weekend festivities, held in April.

Stone Ridge Magazine

Celebrating 100 years

STONE RIDGE ALUMNAE

Alumnae Stone Ridge

Winter 2023

STONE RIDGE ALUMNAE

2023 Outstanding Alumnae Award Recipients

H E O U T S TA N D I N G A L U M N A E A W A R D S R E C O G N I Z E alumnae who have made significant contributions to their community or profession. The 2023 Outstanding Alumnae recipients demonstrate a dedication to the Goals of Sacred Heart education, commitment to excellence in their life’s work, a loyalty to Christian values, and selflessness in service to others.

“As we celebrate our centennial, we pray for God’s blessing, and look to the future with hope and optimism, knowing that the Holy Spirit will nurture and guide us throughout the next 100 years. Stone Ridge’s G O L D E N O U T S TA N D I N G A L U M N A commitment to excellence MARIA SHRIVER ’73 and dedication to the Goals Maria Shriver ’73 Takes on Alzheimer’s reported for is a mother of the first time ever that women are and Criteria of Sacred four, an Emmy at an increased risk for the disease. Heart education will surely and Peabody Today, the Women’s Alzheimer’s award-winning Movement at Cleveland Clinic is the inspire generations of young journalist and preeminent organization focused on women to come.” storyteller, a women and Alzheimer’s in the world.

seven-time New York Times best-selling author, an NBC News Special Anchor, the founder of the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement at Cleveland Clinic and Shriver Media, and co-founder of the mission-driven brain health and wellness brand, MOSH. She is also the host and moderator of the Radically Reframing Summits in partnership with Sounds True. A trailblazer for empowering women, Shriver uses her voice and her platforms to advance some of our nation’s most pressing issues affecting women and women’s health. In 2010, she broke new ground when, in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association, The Shriver Report: A Woman’s Nation 20

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She also worked tirelessly on behalf of women and families, particularly those living on the brink of poverty, during her time as First Lady of California from 2003–2010. Shriver’s life and career are driven by her fervent belief that everyone has the ability to be an “Architect of Change” and make the world a better place. Her media company Shriver Media, and its newsletter The Sunday Paper, elevates the voices of today’s greatest hearts and minds and is a roadmap to living life “Above the Noise.” Shriver’s latest books, “I’ve Been Thinking” and its companion “I’ve Been Thinking… The Journal” offer wisdom, guidance, encouragement, and inspiration for those seeking to create a meaningful life of their own.

—S ist e r A n n e D y e r ’55, RSCJ

O U T S TA N D I N G A L U M N A D R . I L O N A KO P I T S ’ 9 3 Dr. Ilona Kopits ’93 was a Stone Ridge Gator for eight years. During her time there she was active in yearbook, Social Action, campus ministry and now most recently helping to plan the 25th reunion. Upon graduation, Ilona attended Tufts University where she majored in Biology and minored

Celebrating 100 years

YO U N G O U T S TA N D I N G A L U M N A JORDAN DE VE AUX ’18 Jordan DeVeaux ’18 answered her call to preach at the age of 12 and gave her first sermon entitled “The Ultimate Invitation” at the 7 Last Words Youth Service at Ebenezer AME Church at the age of 14. Throughout high school, she continued to pursue the life of ministry in addition to her studies, praying to God for wisdom along the way. Jordan recently graduated from Towson University majoring in Psychology with minors in Gerontology and Family and

Human Services. Jordan is pursuing her Master of Divinity at Duke University in North Carolina with a focus in theology and medicine. She aspires to ultimately explore a career in geriatric social work with a specialty in hospice care. She serves as a pastoral associate at the Riderwood Senior Living Community in Silver Spring, MD, in their Interfaith Office of Pastoral Ministries. Jordan is the immediate past president of the Towson University Student Government Association and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

in American Literature. She then completed a master’s in Public Health at Boston University before heading to medical school at Loyola University in Chicago. She went on to complete her residency in Family Medicine at Boston University and Boston Medical Center, the former public city hospital, providing care to the low-income poor neighborhoods of the city. During her training, she took part in medical trips to both Guatemala and Ecuador, further inspiring her to focus on underserved communities without access to adequate health care. Her passion also remained caring for older adults

and she completed her geriatrics fellowship at BU in 2008. She is a clinician educator for geriatrics trainees and her past research interests include falls assessment, Alzheimer’s disease and evaluation of function and disability. She precepts primary care residents in their longitudinal geriatric outpatient clinic and heads the PACE rotation for the BU Geriatric fellowship.

2023 Outstanding Alumnae Award Recipients

Beyond her leadership roles, she cares deeply about the intersections of intellectual inquiry and spiritual practice. She serves and worships

Dr. Kopits is also a primary care physician at the Uphams Elder Service Plan/PACE organization in Boston, a program that provides health care to low-income seniors

at Kingdom Fellowship AME Church, under the pastoral leadership of Rev. Matthew L. Watley in Silver Spring, MD. Jordan also serves as the Second Vice President of the Connectional Young People’s and Children’s Division of the AME Church and recently published the fourth installment of the Spiritual Senses Self Denial Devotional Series. In 2020, she launched the Agape Answers Podcast where she aims to foster a safe space for young adults to come and lay their burdens down through approachable and responsive conversation about the walk of faith, living a kingdom lifestyle, and relevant social issues impacting young people today.

allowing them to age in place at home instead of in nursing homes. She has had an active role in developing the program’s first supportive housing unit in collaboration with the Boston Housing Authority. She was a scholar at the Tideswell Leadership in Aging Program at UCSF in 2017 where her practicum project focused on this topic. Her education and experiences at Stone Ridge shaped her path and continues to inspire her to put social awareness into action. She is thrilled that her daughter now attends Newton Country Day School. ❤

Winter 2023

COMMENCEM

Carley Amorosi · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA Kate Aronson · UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND Samantha Aronson · BOSTON UNIVERSITY Caroline Bailey · DARTMOUTH COLLEGE Isabella Baldwin · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY Caroline Baltazar · FORDHAM UNIVERSITY Katharine Barnett · PURDUE UNIVERSITY Iliana Bassin · GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY Hannah Bazer · RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE Mercedes Bilbao · SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY Elizabeth Blee · FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY Audrey Bohi · COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON Amanda Brille · GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY Clara Caffrey · CORNELL UNIVERSITY Isabel Campino · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI Julia Capuano · WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY Ebony Chambers · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH Madina Ciolino · BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY Grayson Conway · UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME Grace Cooper · ROLLINS COLLEGE Vanessa Cummiskey · UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA Dakota Dorsey · SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY Catherine Duckenfield · FORDHAM UNIVERSITY Phoebe Ernst · UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE

Stone Ridge Magazine

Marina Filas · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Sarah Friedrichs · COLBY COLLEGE Caroline Gallagher · DUKE UNIVERSITY Erin Gemmell · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN Liza Goetcheus · PROVIDENCE COLLEGE Zoe Greene · SPELMAN COLLEGE Emily Hammack · LOYOLA UNIVERSITY MARYLAND Alice Harper · SMITH COLLEGE Lauren Harrington · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI Luke Heetderks · XAVIER UNIVERSITY Hannah Herndon · BOSTON COLLEGE Caroline Hickey · WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY Isabelle Hirschberger · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH Elle Hogan · UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, CHAPEL HILL Claire Hohman · TULANE UNIVERSITY Mary Hollensteiner · HARVARD UNIVERSITY Ella Hunter · UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME Alliana Jansen · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK Elizabeth Jarrett · SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY Katherine Kappaz · UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME Alexia Karvelas · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI Linda Kelly · SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE Mao Kobayashi · DUKE UNIVERSITY Madeline Koger · COLGATE UNIVERSITY Celebrating 100 years

MENTClass of 2023

Olivia Kraus · COLBY COLLEGE Annabelle Lee · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK Darby LeFaivre · CLEMSON UNIVERSITY Alison Lynn · COLLEGE OF THE HOLY CROSS Yanit Marcus · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Haley Matan · UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, CHAPEL HILL Michelle Mazzara · THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY Lyden Moore · VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY Maya Morvis · UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN Emma Mulford · CLEMSON UNIVERSITY Fiona Murphy · BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY Kayla Murphy · BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY Margaret O’Brien · COLGATE UNIVERSITY Gabrielle Olumilua · THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY Alana Parchment · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Catherine Patterson · GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY Sophia Payne · COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY Anya Pilgrim · UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA Madeleine Pilkington · UNION COLLEGE Ellen Priest · LEHIGH UNIVERSITY Rosemary Purcell · JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY Reagan Raffo · FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY Carolyn Ramirez Rubio · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY Sydney Rose · NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY Commencement 2023

Maya Saad · THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY Arabella Sainty · SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY Grace Sarafidis · OBERLIN COLLEGE Maria Schramm · UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND Erin Shannon · COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY Nina Sinkford · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Lucy Smith · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO, BOULDER Gisele Sonnier · PRINCETON UNIVERSITY Natalie Starmann · UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME Kathryn Stevens · RUTGERS UNIVERSITY Sophia Strandberg · BARNARD COLLEGE Madeleine Stubner · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA Marguerite Sullivan · TULANE UNIVERSITY Eleanor Sun · PRINCETON UNIVERSITY Jenné Sy · FORDHAM UNIVERSITY Lauren Tucker · COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY Olivia Vassiliou · NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY Julia Vaughan · COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY Olivia Vaughan · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK Charlotte Weimer · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA Corey White · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Eleanor Williams · CLEMSON UNIVERSITY Natalie Yang · DUKE UNIVERSITY Tyne Young · CLEMSON UNIVERSITY Winter 2023

THE CENTENNIAL CLASS of 2023

Tracing Our Steps

Excerpts from Valedictorian Eleanor Sun

O MY “CENTIES,” THANK YOU FOR being the best classmates I could ever have asked for, and a special shoutout to our leaders, Iliana, Julia, Olivia, and Ebony, for all of your work in making our time here so memorable. As our last few weeks here have wrapped up, I have heard one sentiment echoed by many of my peers—we love our class. While we each have our friends that we gravitate to, I love how I can always talk and laugh with anyone who happens to be around. I love how we cheer each other on at the top of our lungs for even the smallest things, like making a tensecond announcement at assembly. I love how we never fail to lend each other a hand. To borrow the words of my childhood idol, Winnie the Pooh, “how lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” As we prepare to begin the next chapter of our lives, I would like to end with some advice for the future. I think back to a quote from Heraclitus that I used in my college essay. He said, “the only constant in life is change.” It’s definitely on the philosophical side of things, but I think he was right all those years ago. We are leaving Stone Ridge to follow our own paths now. Whether we are excited or apprehensive about it, change is imminent for all of us. And while I can’t assure that you will always like it, I can leave you with what I have learned over the years about not just handling but embracing change. The summer before fifth grade, my mom told me that she was taking a work assignment in China for a year, and that my brother and I would be coming with her. It meant leaving

“ Our time at Stone Ridge has given us the tools and ability to do this, as we have been guided and shaped by the Sacred Heart Goals into confident and compassionate young adults.” —E l e a nor S u n ’23

my friends, my school, my home. Even if it was only for a year, I was not happy at all. I had never easily accepted change, and to be honest, I still often don’t. I like having a plan, and I don’t like it when that plan goes wrong. But the thing about change, and life in general, is that you don’t always get to call the shots. No matter how much you may plan, you cannot possibly be prepared for everything. The only thing you can control is your reaction. As ten-year-old me complained to my mom about what a disservice she was doing me, she told me in true mom fashion that I would be thankful for the opportunity by the time it was over. And, as hard as it may have been to admit, she was right. In China, I made new friends, I had fun playing sports just as I had before, I tried all sorts of amazing foods that I still dream about sometimes, and I visited lots of family that I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to. There were

Stone Ridge Magazine

Celebrating 100 years

definitely tears shed along the way, but I came to embrace the change that I had been faced with. Sometimes, we are afraid of change because of its uncertainty. We are scared to dive into the deep end because we can’t see the bottom clearly. Sometimes, you don’t have a choice. Change can come along and push you right in. But, if it doesn’t, I urge you to take a deep breath, fill your lungs, and take the plunge. The water might be cold. There might be moments where you feel like you are drowning. But, if you just start to move around, you’ll warm up. You’ll become less and less uncomfortable, and eventually you may find yourself peacefully floating at the surface. Now, where am I going with this? We are about to move on, away from home, and into unfamiliar environments. For some of us, this is the biggest change we have ever faced. We certainly do not know what the deep end holds, but that is perfectly normal. You don’t need to have everything figured out, because, as hard as you can try, you never will. But, wherever you go, I encourage you to commit—dive in, jump in, slide in, maybe even cannonball in—whatever works for you. Our time at Stone Ridge has given us the tools and ability to do this, as we have been guided and shaped by the Sacred Heart Goals into confident and compassionate young adults.

hall with hundreds of unfamiliar faces, take a chance. Find an empty chair at a table, sit down, and introduce yourself. Explore the deep end—join a cooking club, cheer on the basketball team, audition for an a capella group, play intramural flag football, volunteer for the local community, take a challenging class—whatever piques your interest. But, most importantly, remember to have fun while doing it. What’s the worst that could happen? If you start to feel like you’re drowning, give a shout, and the people sitting here around you will pull you up. Don’t let a fear of sinking stop you from jumping in, because then you’ll never know how it feels to float. Class of 2023, I am so proud of you and of the journey we have traveled together. Even though our paths will now split, we can always trace our steps back to find our past intersections from our time here. I cannot wait to see and hear about all of the amazing things you are up to at our reunions (and on my Instagram feed). In the meantime, go out into the world and embrace the change that faces you. Thank you, and go Gators! ❤

When you enter a class with twenty times as many students as you had here, raise your hand. Don’t be afraid to answer or ask questions. When you walk into a dining

Tracing Our Steps

Winter 2023

100 YEA

Tracing Our Steps

Winter 2023

“ The Sacred Heart never asks that we become perfect all at once, but that we work at becoming so day by day as God gives us grace and light.” —S a i n t M a de l e i n e S op h i e B a r at

1935

1923 In September, with the blessing of the Bishop of Baltimore and Washington, the Religious of the Sacred Heart open the Convent of the Sacred Heart School at 1719 Massachusetts Avenue in Washington, DC.

1800 Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat founds The Society of the Sacred Heart in Paris on November 21, with the motto “One Heart and One Soul in the Heart of Jesus.” At the age of twenty, she and three other young women consecrate themselves to “make known the revelation of God’s love.”

The first Alumnae Association is formed. The Alumnae Association’s active involvement in the School is essential for the life and growth of the Sacred Heart family.

“ Speak little, pray much, go onward always, let passing things pass by, holding only onto what is eternal.” —S a i n t M a de l e i n e S op h i e B a r at

1818 Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne brings the Society of the Sacred Heart to the United States and establishes a school in St. Charles, Missouri, which continues today. By 1850 there are more than 80 Sacred Heart convents and schools across the nation.

1925

1946

Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat is canonized. During her sixty-five years of leadership, the Society of the Sacred Heart grows to 3,500 members and expands to the Americas. Her feast day is celebrated annually around the world on May 25.

On October 25, the Religious of the Sacred Heart purchase the Stone Ridge estate in Montgomery County, Maryland. Originally owned by George Hamilton, Sr., Rev. Mother Louise Hamilton, RSCJ, brokers an agreement for the property with her brother, George Hamilton, Jr., after their father’s passing. The official move to Stone Ridge occurs Labor Day weekend, 1947.

A Centennial Celebration 1963 1947

1949

The First Father’s Club debuts and sponsors the School’s first graduation dance for the seniors and their parents. This dance is a precursor for Très Bien Ball, the formal induction of the Fourth Academic students into the Alumnae Association.

On May 24, Archbishop Patrick O’Boyle officiates the blessing and grand opening of the new 1949 wing. The new addition provides dedicated classroom space to accommodate the growing enrollment.

A new gym and auditorium are completed. Bishop Philip Hannon formally blesses the newest building on February 1.

1959 In the spring, a new school wing opens with increased classroom space, a new cloister on the third f loor, renovated rooms for the boarders, and a spacious refectory with a modern kitchen.

1948 In the fall, the Blue and Gold Teams are established. Throughout the year, these teams build community and spirit through competition and various activities, culminating on Father-Daughter Field Day, when the team that has garnered the most points is recognized.

1949 The Christophers, named for Saint Christopher, is formed. Their purpose is to “go and teach all” through works of Christian charity in the community at large. Their motto, “Faith In Action,” is put into practice through the numerous clubs that made up the Christophers including a Social Club, the Liturgical Choir, St. Vincent’s Orphanage, the Christ Child Society, the Home for Incurables, and the Catholic Cooperative Advisory Council. The Christophers lay the foundation for the Social Action program.

1975 The Goals and Criteria for Sacred Heart education in the United States, inspired by the life of Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat, are first published. Today, these five Goals continue to be the guiding principles of Sacred Heart education in the United States, and their criteria are refined and expanded to ref lect the challenges of an evolving and changing world.

1996 1988

1976 A new addition to the gym is completed with a volleyball court, a weight room, and lockers.

On July 3, Blessed Rose Philippine Duchesne is canonized in Rome. In Washington, DC, a special Mass in honor of Saint Philippine is celebrated at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on November 17. Each Sacred Heart School in the United States, including Stone Ridge, creates a colorful banner that is carried in procession down the center aisle of the National Shrine. Stone Ridge’s new Junior Children’s Choir sings during the celebration Mass.

The Upper School’s Academic Building is opened on October 19, when Bishop Alvare Corrada del Rio blesses the newest wing. The building not only adds more classrooms for the Upper School, but also administrative offices, a media center, a larger library, computer and foreign language labs, and an assembly room. A third gym is also completed with a weight room, gymnastics room, as well as music and drama rooms. During the Cor Unum • One Heart Campaign, the building is named the Anne Dyer ’55, RSCJ, Academic Building.

“ I would regret dying before having built a public oratory dedicated to the Sacred Heart in this country.” —S a i n t R ose P h i l i p p i n e D uch e sn e

1983 I n a distinctive break with the past, the directorship of the School transfers from the Province of the Religious of the Sacred Heart to a Board of Trustees. The Board establishes and communicates policy for the School, supports the administration in its implementation of policy, reviews the School’s programs, provides leadership in philanthropy, and maintains the fiscal integration in the operation of the School.

1997 Summer CampUs begins and is an immediate success. It begins with 40 campers and has grown to welcome over 700 participants each summer. Summer CampUs empowers children to expand their horizons and discover new interests while gaining confidence and making new friends.

1994 A new field is completed and named the Harkins Athletic Field in honor of the first Chairman of Stone Ridge’s Board of Trustees, Thomas P. Harkins, who served from 1963 to 1988.

1998 The Sacred Heart Chapel in Hamilton House is restored to its original glory. The sanctuary of the Chapel served as a family prayer chapel for the Hamiltons, housed in what was then their ballroom. The stained glass windows in the sanctuary are original to the home, and the stained glass windows in the Chapel were brought from the Convent of the Sacred Heart at 1719 Massachusetts Avenue.

2001 An eight lane, twenty-five yard, heated, competition sized swimming pool becomes the latest addition to the School’s athletic facilities. Four years later, after the completion of a retractable roof, heated locker rooms, spectator seating, a bell tower with a nineteenth century cast iron, golden school bell, and many other amenities, the Stone Ridge Aquatic Center is dedicated on Field Day, June 2005.

2021 The Mater Center opens for the 20212022 school year. It includes a first-class commercial kitchen and café with a dining hall that doubles as an all-school sacred space for Mass and community gatherings. In addition, the Mater Center houses a theater, performing arts space, musical instruction classrooms, and visual arts studios. The Center is a social hub for students with open spaces throughout the building for studying, meeting with teachers, and bonding with friends.

2000

2004

The Stone Ridge community celebrates the Bicentennial of the Society of the Sacred Heart. Students and alumnae participate in a National Day of Service, alumnae sponsor a legacy tea commemorating the first social event held at the School, and the entire community joins together for Mass. The festivities culminate on November 21, with the blessing of a prayer grotto and garden before the School joins an all-Sacred Heart network teleconference.

The Religious of the Sacred Heart move to an off-campus home in the neighborhood and the vacated cloister space on the fifth f loor is renovated into usable space for the School.

2005 A new visual arts center opens in the fall on the top f loor of Hamilton House adjoining the photography and ceramic studios. This spacious, light-filled atelier complete with rooftop venue, is a great boon to student creativity.

2015 Gator Field is dedicated on March 23. The new turf field provides first-rate facilities for the field hockey, soccer, lacrosse, and physical education program for all Stone Ridge students.

Strong

Stone Ridge Magazine

Celebrating 100 years

THE CENTENNIAL CLASS of 2023

Marked with Resilience Excerpts from Salutatorian Caroline Gallagher

O O D M O R N I N G T O E V E R YO N E gathered here today! For the family and friends who do not know me, my name is Caroline Gallagher, and I am so honored to be speaking to you all. I am going to start by talking about the foundation of our education here at Stone Ridge: the five Goals of the Sacred Heart. They are as follows: a personal and active faith in God, a deep respect for intellectual values, a social awareness that impels to action, the building of community as a Christian value, and finally, personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom. The mission of any Sacred Heart School is to make sure its students try their best to fulfill these Goals in their time at school, and later in life.

But can the unique circumstances and accomplishments of the centennial class be confined to these five Goals? While the Goals provide an eloquent framework for success, I think that our class — C a rol i n e G a l l agh e r ’23 has gone far above and beyond what they articulate. In fact, I don’t even have time to list the ways in which we exceeded all five Goals. So I am just going to focus on my favorite one, the one that I feel most closley relates to the exceptional spirit of our class—Goal IV.

“ T he centennial class is particularly marked with resilience, immense school spirit, and genuine love for the School and each other.”

Goal IV is the building of “community,” which, in my opinion, is not an expressive enough term to describe what our class has built. We have not just formed a community, but have created tight-knit friendships and bonds that I honestly think will last lifetimes. The centennial class is particularly marked with resilience, immense school spirit, and genuine love for the School and each other. After we had endured the distractions of our lives at home and the difficulties provided by online school, our class was determined to make the most out of our junior and senior years, and I believe that is when we truly started to become more than just classmates. 32

Stone Ridge Magazine

The school spirit of our class leaders is infectious, and whether you were falling off the diving board and getting disqualified, like myself, or winning the ISL championship for the first time in history, like our lacrosse team, you would always see friends and classmates cheering you on in the stands. The most notable way in which the Class of 2023 has surpassed the conditions of Goal IV was through the spirit of gratitude that we possess. In fact, I have a theory that the most used phrase at Stone Ridge from 2019–2023 has been “thank you.” After every single class, no matter how intriguing or filled with monotonous note taking, my classmates and I always said thank you to our teachers. If you do the math, it tops out at around 175,000 “thank yous.” In this spirit of gratitude that is so definitive of our community, I would like to tack on a few more “thank yous,” this morning. Firstly, thank you to Mrs. Karrels, Mr. McCluskey, Dr. Downey-Vanover, Ms. Diaz, and Ms. Curry. You all have put in so much work, not only to give us an amazing education, but to make our time here special, and we all truly appreciate that. Thank you, to our class leaders—Iliana, Julia, Olivia, and Ebony, for your enthusiasm, endless brokering of senior privileges (especially out to lunch), and all of the hard work you put in to make our senior year special. You guys definitely succeeded. Thank you, to all of the Upper School teachers for your passion and care. One of the things I love about Stone Ridge are the student-teacher relationships. I have always felt your dedication to our success, and I am incredibly appreciative of that. I am particularly grateful to Mr. Ishikawa, for all of the hard work you put into teaching us math, but also for your fascinating stories and invaluable advice. Thank you to the college office—Ms. Allen, Ms. Sweeney, and Mrs. Harkins. You all guided us through college admissions with kindness and enthusiasm. Your doors (and Ms. Sweeney’s couch) were always open for us to come in and talk about anything from editing our essays to picking out prom dresses, and we all truly appreciate that.

Thank you to all of the family and friends gathered here, for showing up and presumably stressing out over the first come first serve seating. To my mom and my dad, thank you for funding many of my morning Starbucks runs, but much more importantly, for your truly endless support. I love you both so much and I couldn’t ask for anything more. To my little brothers, Cian and Colin, thank you for helping me destress with your humor and kindness. Your support helped me more than you will ever realize, and I am so grateful that you didn’t wear Jordans to Très Bien.

Marked with Resilience

“ T he school spirit of our class leaders is infectious, and whether you were falling off the diving board and getting disqualified, like myself, or winning the ISL championship for the first time in history, like our lacrosse team, you would always see friends and classmates cheering you on in the stands.”

Finally, thank you to the people we are all celebrating, the Class of 2023. I truly loved coming to school because of you. I can point back to the exact — C a rol i n e G a l l agh e r ’23 moment in which I realized just how much I would miss you all, and it was unfortunately on the last day of school. We were all packed into the senior lounge, having been released from our last classes ever. It was around 80 or 90 people in a small classroom, and people were squished together, but everyone was happy, either talking or singing along to the music provided by the beloved disco speaker. Charlotte suggested that we take a picture, since we all just happened to be there. The photo wasn’t planned or organized for Instagram, and yet everyone was in it. It was a candid expression of the friendships that our class had formed. That picture made me realize just how special the love our class has for each other is, and I don’t think I will experience anything like it again. So thank you to the sophomore who we forced to take that picture, and thank you to the Class of 2023 for making this celebration so bittersweet. Go Gators! ❤

Winter 2023

THE CENTENNIAL CLASS of 2023

Roadmap for Life

Introduction by Head of School, Catherine Ronan Karrels ’86 Speech Highlights from Sister Anne Dyer ’55, RSCJ

HEN WE STARTED DISCUSSING WHO would make the perfect commencement speaker for our centennial year, only one person came to mind—Sister Anne Dyer ’55, RSCJ.

Stone Ridge, Sister Dyer began a new chapter and moved to Nantucket to join her twin sister Bea. Once there, she joined the administration at Nantucket New School as the interim Head of Lower School and as a literary specialist.

With more than 75 years of personal history in various roles in our School community, there has simply never been an individual who has had more impact on our School. Anne Dyer arrived at Stone Ridge in September of 1947 as a 10-year-old student. She graduated from Stone Ridge in 1955 and went on to attend Wheaton College. She then entered the Society of the Sacred Heart. In October of 1959, she was assigned to Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, followed by Eden Hall in Philadelphia. Sister Dyer returned to Stone Ridge as the Upper School Dean of Students in June of 1968 and was later appointed Head of Lower School and then Headmistress in 1984.

Though it was supposed to be a short-term role, they talked her into staying and she held that position for 14 years. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees of St. Philomena School, which is our Sacred Heart School in Rhode Island, and on the Board of Trustees for Sacred Heart Academy in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. In 2021, the Upper School building was renamed the Anne Dyer ’55, RSCJ, Academic Building to recognize and honor the unparalleled impact that she had on the growth of Stone Ridge.

She served as Headmistress for 22 consecutive years, while simultaneously earning her master’s degree from Manhattanville College and a second master’s from the University of Notre Dame. Sister Dyer’s leadership contributions are far too numerous to list. She supervised the construction of several new facilities, including the Upper School building, the swimming pool, a gymnasium, playing fields, and the renovation of numerous additional spaces, including the Chapel and our daycare facility. Most importantly, she shaped the values and nourished the potential of generations of Stone Ridge students. In 2006, after more than 50 years from the date of her first arrival at

Having attended Stone Ridge as a student myself from 1974–1986, I have a long personal history with Anne Dyer. She was my Head of Lower School and later my Head of School. To the students who were enrolled at Stone Ridge during her tenure, she was known for her deep spirituality, her love of the arts and writing, her vision for excellence, and her passion for providing exceptional opportunities for girls. She was also known for being a nun with some serious style, with her hair always swept up in a bun and outfits always pulled together with her signature, high-heeled shoes. It is an absolute pleasure for me to welcome to the podium a true Stone Ridge legend, Sister Anne Dyer. ❤

Providing them with what she called their ‘final class’ at Stone Ridge, during her remarks Sister Anne Dyer ’55, RSCJ, asked graduates to reflect on their takeaways from their Sacred Heart education by reflecting on the Goals of Sacred Heart education as a roadmap for life. 34

Stone Ridge Magazine

“ When you go on to your next institutions of higher learning, you are going to find other graduates of Sacred Heart schools and you’re going to connect like magnets because you’ve all shared an education with the same philosophy. As Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat said, ‘If you come to a school of the Sacred Heart, you become a child of the Sacred Heart and you will always thus be known by God.’” —S ist e r A n n e D y e r ’55, RSCJ

GOAL I A P E R S O N A L A N D AC T I V E FA I T H I N G O D “ … Only God can give you your faith, and it’s something to be grateful for. Faith is a gift.”

GOAL II A DEEP RESPECT FOR INTELLECTUAL VALUES “ When you get to college, and you have a deep respect for intellectual values… Are you going to write those papers yourselves or is somebody else going to write those papers for you?”

GOAL III A SO C I A L AWA R E N E S S W H I C H I M PE L S TO AC TI O N “ As I listen to you and listen to other Sacred Heart graduates, I hear you say so often—’It’s the Social Action program at Stone Ridge that really changed my life.’ … You’ve formed a habit of community service. Will you continue that habit in college and in life?”

GOAL IV TH E BU I LDI NG OF COM M U N IT Y A S A CH RISTIAN VALU E “ The building of community is something that you are called to do when you get to college. Will you build community or will you tear it down?”

GOAL V P E R S O N A L G R O W T H I N A N AT M O S P H E R E OF WISE FREEDOM “ Will you continue to grow for the rest of your lives in freedom? And will it be wise? Never stop growing. We can continue to grow for the rest of our lives.” —Sister Anne Dyer ’55, RSCJ Winter 2023

THE CENTENNIAL CLASS of 2023

Awards & Honors VALEDICTORIAN Eleanor Sun SALUTATORIAN Caroline Gallagher

Awards of Distinction FOUR YEAR COMMITMENT AWARDS GOAL I: FAITH

In Honor of Anne Dyer ’55, RSCJ Grace Cooper GOAL II: INTELLECTUAL VALUES

Eleanor Sun

GOAL III: SOCIAL AWARENESS

In Memory of Mary Hogan Leslie ’64 Grace Sarafidis GOAL IV: BUILDING COMMUNITY

Kathryn Stevens

GOAL V: PERSONAL GROWTH

Linda Kelly

THE CITIZENSHIP AWARD Gabrielle Olumilua THE CARDINAL’S AWARD Natalie Starmann THE PARENTS AND ALUMNAE AWARD Caroline Bailey

Athletic Awards BONIFANT-WILLSON AWARD FOR BEST ALL-AROUND ATHLETE Corey White STUDENT-ATHLETE AWARD Erin Gemmell SPIRIT AWARD Iliana Bassin, Nina Sinkford SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD Natalie Starmann, Natalie Yang STUDENT-ATHLETE LEADERSHIP AWARD Liza Goetcheus, Olivia Kraus, Eleanor Sun KEVIN DUFFY GATOR STRONG AWARD Emma Mulford

THE PHILIPPINE DUCHESNE AWARD Carolyn Ramirez Rubio THE BARAT AWARD Gisele Sonnier

“ As children of the Sacred Heart, we are each called to live not only for ourselves, but to make the world a better place.” —M r s . C at h e r i n e R ona n K a r r e l s ’86, H e a d of S c hool

Stone Ridge Magazine

Celebrating 100 years

Awards & Honors

Winter 2023

THE CENTENNIAL CLASS of 2023

TO N E R I DG E I S PROU D O F TH E COU NTLE SS student-athletes who have taken their passion for playing sports to college with them to participate on teams for their universities. Seventeen members of the Class of 2023 committed to playing at the varsity intercollegiate level—for many the highest level of competition in their respective sports. #GatorStrong ❤

Stone Ridge Magazine

Celebrating 100 years

College Athletic Signings Commitments (Pictured left to right)

Olivia Kraus · Lacrosse · COLBY COLLEG E Liza Goetcheus · Swimming · PROV I DENCE COLLEG E Samantha Aronson · Soccer · BOSTON U N I V ERS IT Y Hannah Bazer · Field Hockey · R ENSSEL A ER

POLY TECH N IC I NSTITUTE

Marina Filas · Rowing · U N I V ERS IT Y OF M I N N ESOTA Grayson Conway · Rowing · U N I V ERS IT Y OF NOTRE DA M E Mary Hollensteiner · Basketball · H A RVA RD U N I V ERS IT Y Alison Lynn · Tennis · COLLEG E OF TH E HOLY CROSS Anya Pilgrim · Gymnastics · U N I V ERS IT Y OF FLORI DA

Centennial Class of 2023

Amanda Brille · Lacrosse · G EORG E TOW N U N I V ERS IT Y Michelle Mazzara · Diving · TH E OH IO STATE U N I V ERS IT Y Corey White · Lacrosse · U N I V ERS IT Y OF V I RG I N I A Sarah Friedrichs · Volleyball · COLBY COLLEG E Eleanor Sun · Swimming · PRI NCE TON U N I V ERS IT Y Lauren Tucker · Swimming · COLLEG E OF W I LLI A M & M A RY N OT P I C T U R E D :

Sarah Friedrichs · Volleyball · COLBY COLLEG E Erin Gemmell · Swimming · U N I V ERS IT Y OF TE X A S AT AUSTI N

Winter 2023

Gator Strong

Stone Ridge Magazine

Celebrating 100 years

AthleticsSTUDENT LIFE

Winter 2023

ArtsSTUDENT LIFE

Rising A

Stone Ridge Magazine

Celebrating 100 years

Celebrating Arts Accomplishments DRAWINGS OF STRINGED INSTRUMENTS Pia Mauton-Smith

MUSIC FOR ALICE Gabrielle Klein

ALL STATE BAND; ALL-EASTERN ORCHESTRA Taylor Bowen-Longino

SUPERIOR RATING FOR GUILD INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION Sofia Grzybicki

Artists

Class of 2023 College Arts Programs Mercedes Bilbao · Physics and Fine Arts SA NTA CL A R A U N I V ERS IT Y

Dakota Dorsey · Creative Writing and Photography SY R ACUSE U N I V ERS IT Y

Luke Heetderks · Musical Theater X AV I ER U N I V ERS IT Y

Maddy Pilkington · Astronomy and Theater U N ION COLLEG E

College Athletic Signings Commitments(Pictured left to right)

Winter 2023

Congé ST. MADELEINE SOPHIE BARAT

Stone Ridge Magazine

Celebrating 100 years

College Athletic Signings Commitments(Pictured left to right)

Winter 2023

The Project ApproachLower School

Kindergartners Delve into Kitchens

AST YEAR WAS ESPECIALLY exciting for the kindergartners as they enjoyed eating lunch in the beautiful Mathews Dining Hall daily. While sitting in the bright, airy, and cheerful hall, the students began noticing exciting activities going on in the kitchen—chefs using large shiny appliances, a cool conveyer belt for the dishwasher, fun tools and utensils, and delicious aromas coming from the ovens and stoves. This curiosity led to many conversations and questions about the kitchen, which inspired them to choose “Kitchens” as their spring Project Approach topic of the year.

The Project Approach, implemented in both Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten, is a research-based program where children participate

BY B R E N DA F U N K

in an in-depth investigation of a real-world topic. Through this investigation, students are challenged to apply their skills, knowledge, and strategies to research their topic and share their findings. Before their investigation, the kindergartners asked questions such as: What appliances cook food? How does the dishwasher work in the dining hall? How is the dining hall kitchen different and the same as my kitchen at home? What do kitchens look like around the world? And how is food kept cold and hot? These questions offered excellent jumping points into their work. To begin the project, kindergartners took an exciting tour of the Mater Center kitchen to observe the equipment and learn about the roles of the kitchen staff. They then used their artistic skills to create an observational drawing of a piece of kitchen equipment that sparked their interest, followed by an exciting kitchen-centered activity—baking cookies! Field-site visits are excellent ways for children to thoroughly investigate a topic and meet members of the community who are professional subject-matter experts. Thanks to the graciousness of the Movsessian family, the kindergartners received a behind-the-scenes tour of their Classic Bakery in Gaithersburg, which specializes in Middle Eastern and Eastern European baked goods. After the tour, they decorated cupcakes with the delicious icing made right at the bakery. Experts also visited the classroom throughout the semester. Lower School French Teacher Christine Watkins made crepes with the class; Middle School Religion Teacher Lauren Winkler showed the kindergartners how an old-fashioned apple peeler works; Middle School English/Language Arts Teacher Katrina Newman taught the students about her bakery business while making delicious candy pretzel rods with the students; and, Kindergarten Teacher Kathryn Inch ’05 demonstrated the benefits of an air fryer by showing the kindergartners how to make french fries.

Stone Ridge Magazine

Celebrating 100 years

Project Work includes hands-on activities, investigations, and explorations that build interdisciplinary skills, including literacy, numeracy, science, art, and social studies. Literacy skills were built upon by creating a class web, where students updated their project findings by using newly learned vocabulary terms for kitchen appliances, tools, and professions. Literacy was also reinforced when students were tasked with writing personal stories about kitchens. Researching kitchen tools used worldwide expanded their knowledge of other countries and cultures. And, when Lower School Science Specialist Patricia Fort invited the students to the STEM classroom to make ice cream, they were introduced to fascinating scientific findings such as freezing and melting points and the mechanisms of how refrigerators keep food cool. Project Work is creative and fun! When tasked with building model kitchen tools and appliances, the children eagerly worked with Lower School Art Teacher Maureen O’Connell to sketch drafts of their planned project, mold them out of clay or build them out of cardboard, and then paint their creations, resulting in miniature realistic items one would find in a kitchen. Perhaps the most significant life lesson learned through Project Work is the satisfaction felt when one prepares, plans, creates, builds, and completes a task. Parent Suzan Heshmati witnessed her daughter Ellia’s thrill at participating in Project Work throughout the semester. “Ellia has learned so many skills through this process,” said Mrs. Heshmati. “Aside from the content she explored, she learned about the research process, data collection, analysis, and, most importantly for me, collaboration. She’s definitely excited about learning, and that is what we wanted her to take away from her Kindergarten experience.” The final phase of every project is for students to share what they have learned with others. Parents and other members of the Stone Ridge community were invited to their classrooms to receive a tour of their completed

Kindergartners Delve into Kitchens

Project Work. Of her experience at the culmination, Mrs. Heshmati and her husband were incredibly impressed with the students’ work. “The culmination was such a beautiful experience as a parent,” she said. “From the onset, Ellia took on a leadership role, guiding us through the process of what she’s learned and describing what she’s made. Obviously, we are proud of the work she’s accomplished, but most importantly, she’s proud of herself! She believes she is an expert in kitchens!” Project Work is transformational, teaching children skills they will use well beyond Kindergarten while reinforcing Goal IV of Sacred Heart education (the building of community as a Christian value), demonstrating the importance of community and collaboration. “I am amazed at how much of the information that Ellia learned throughout the project she has retained and recalled months later, well into the summer,” said Mrs. Heshmati. “She has been transferring her classroom learning to her life experiences. We notice this at restaurants with open kitchens or when we’re cooking together at home, and she asks for specific tools. Having toured the Stone Ridge kitchen, she shared how great it was to have observed the staff who she sees at lunch daily behind the scenes using very large equipment to prepare food for the students. What an excellent demonstration of how much work goes into caring for our community and how essential the kitchen and staff are to nurturing students. As a parent, you want to teach these somewhat abstract concepts to your child, and they’re organically built into this real-world model of learning.” ❤ Winter 2023

STEAMSTUDENT LIFE

Stone Ridge Magazine

STEM educators from Kazakhstan visited in the spring to attend lunch chats and round table conversations, and observe lessons. These educators were some of the very best STEM teachers in Kazakhstan who were accepted to a highly competitive program to study in the U.S. for six months through a long process that involves the U.S. State Department, The George Washington University, and the government of Kazakhstan. It was a pleasure to learn more about their experience, their current studies, and their research—and to be part of sharing our loving practice of STEM education with the world.

Winter 2023

We invite you to express your affection for Stone Ridge by generously contributing to The Stone Ridge Fund. By supporting The Stone Ridge Fund, you play a vital role in nurturing our students and fostering our faith community. Your contributions also empower our esteemed faculty and facilitate the growth of our academic, arts, and athletic initiatives. When you choose to contribute to the fund, you create life-changing opportunities for each and every student, enriching their lives on a daily basis.

EVERY GIFT MATTERS. With your generosity, you ensure Stone Ridge can continue doing what it does best for future generations.

You Make it T

HE STONE RIDGE FUND PROVIDES SUPPORT to our students and faith community, empowers our faculty, and facilitates the growth of our academic, arts, and athletic programs. Each contribution plays a pivotal role in fortifying our community. Rooted in the enduring and timely Sacred Heart Goals, Stone Ridge takes pride in celebrating over a century of nurturing students into community leaders endowed with faith, intellect, and self-assurance... and none of this would have been possible without your invaluable support.

Stone Ridge thrives through the collective investment of our community’s time, talent, and resources. You have a direct impact on our esteemed faculty and students. ❤ 50

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Celebrating 100 years

GIVING

hen you make a gift to The Stone Ridge Fund, you are supporting each and every student at Stone Ridge. The Stone Ridge Fund meets needs in the year they are provided and serves as the philanthropic life blood of the School.

The Stone Ridge Fund enables us to keep our tuition accessible and maintain our programs and facilities. Gifts to The Stone Ridge Fund support the people and programs that encourage each student to realize her potential and take on new challenges.

100% of our Faculty and Staff are committed to increased Professional Development to deliver an exceptional learning experience as well as evolving our campus culture to ensure it is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. Professional Development directly impacts the curriculum and learning experiences of our students.

Possible. GIVING SOCIETIES

Stone Ridge seeks to inspire a lifelong love of learning in each student. Increased technology allows us to provide a curriculum that ensures our students are engaged in meaningful and openended dialogue designed to foster intellectual curiosity.

WAYS TO GIVE O N L I N E : www.stoneridgeschool.org/giving V E N M O : @StoneRidgeDonations P H O N E : 301-657-4322 ext.1614 M A I L : 9101 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814

Très Bien Circle

$25,000+

Head of School Circle

$15,000+

Sacred Heart Circle

$10,000+

Duchesne Circle

$5,000+

Barat Circle

$2,500+

• Donor Advised Funds

Benefactor

$1,500+

• Matching Gifts

Sponsor

$1,000+

• Combined Federal Campaign

C O N TAC T ebeckler@stoneridgeschool.org

for information regarding: • Gifts of Stock

• IRA Assets • Bequests The Stone Ridge Fund

Winter 2023

LEADERSHIP & FACULTY NEWS

Celebrating Our 2023 Barat Medal Recipients Excerpts from Head of School Catherine Ronan Karrels ’86 speech in May 2023.

HIS IS ALWAYS ONE OF MY FAVORITE NIGHTS OF THE year, as it offers a chance to gather with significant leaders in our community for a night of gratitude and celebration.

Every single person gathered in this room is a Stone Ridge leader—whether you are a parent, past parent, current or past Board member, or employee— you have supported and strengthened Stone Ridge through your philanthropic support, your volunteerism, your intellect, your work.

The Barat Medal recognizes those leaders who have made a significant difference and who have helped shape the destiny of the School. It is the highest honor that Stone Ridge presents to any non-student of the School.

M A R Y W I L L I A M S S C H A L L E R ’ 61

M A R K A N D S U Z A N N E M ATA N

Mary Williams Schaller ’61 is a dedicated member of the Stone Ridge alumnae community and a passionate ambassador of Sacred Heart. A lifelong, published author with a gift for storytelling and writing, Mrs. Schaller took a long trip down memory lane by writing “The House on the Hill, A History of Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart,” completed in 2011.

Lifelong Washingtonians Mark and Suzanne Matan have been dedicated supporters of Stone Ridge with their time and philanthropy. They have been part of the Stone Ridge community for 14 years since their daughter Haley enrolled in Pre-Kindergarten in 2009.

While Mrs. Schaller's books and other works have been published in countries around the world, she wanted to “give back” to Stone Ridge in a way that was special to her and did so by providing Stone Ridge with its history in manuscript form. In honor of the Stone Ridge Centennial, Mrs. Schaller updated “The House on the Hill” to include the most recent decade of Stone Ridge history. She has also served on the Centennial Communications Committee. We are so grateful for her thorough research and diligent efforts to preserve the history of Stone Ridge. In this centennial year, it is a great honor to recognize her for helping our School tell the beautiful stories that have shaped this community.

The Matan's unwavering support of Catholic education is reflected in their daughters’ educations, as well as their own. In addition to their strong engagement at Stone Ridge, Mr. Matan also sat on the Board of Directors of Gonzaga and served as President of the Board of Directors for the Visitation Academy in Frederick, MD. The Matans played a significant role in both the Gators Go Turf Campaign and the Cor • Unum Campaign, which were pivotal in transforming the campus and enhancing the sense of community at Stone Ridge.

Ss Projects like the Mater Center and Campus Walk are indeed truly transformational projects in the life of the School. They rely on the collective vision and leadership of so many stakeholders and so many individuals coming together. Mr. and Mrs. Matan are two of our philanthropic leaders who made both of these projects happen. Mr. Matan's expertise in land development was helpful as we bounced ideas around in early stages, and their willingness to be early leadership investors in both projects helped us not only to meet our goals but also to inspire others to give generously.

Stone Ridge Magazine

Celebrating 100 years

S E A N A N D LE I G H WA R F I E LD Sean and Leigh Warfield have served in many capacities at Stone Ridge since their daughter Madison ’26 started in Grade 1 nine years ago. Mrs. Warfield, a Senior Director for Human Resources at the American Chemistry Council, and Mr. Warfield, a Senior Director at Tishman Speyer, have taken on major leadership roles within the Stone Ridge community through their involvement with the Stone Ridge Parent Association (SRPA), Father’s Club, and the Mentor Family Program. Mr. Warfield served on the SRPA's executive committee from 2019 to 2021 and then founded the Athletics Committee for the Father’s Club and took on the role of Athletic Coordinator in 2021. In this role, he has helped spearhead Gator Game Days, Breakfast of Champions, The Swamping of the Competition event, and so much more. Anyone who has participated in Father’s Club events in recent years knows how critical this group is to building community within our parent body. And with the mission of connecting with their daughters and supporting one another as dads, it is a group that brings a very unique and powerful dimension to our community life.

2023 Barat Medal Recipients

Mrs. Warfield has volunteered for many roles over the past nine years, including serving as a class representative, Chair of the Christmas decorating committee, and Chair of the Middle School Activities Committee. She has worked with the Admissions office as a volunteer for many Open Houses and served as a mentor to new families in both the Middle and Upper Schools. Over the past two years, Leigh has served a very important role at Stone Ridge, that of President of the Parent Association. She assumed the role at the height of the pandemic and committed herself to continue the important work of building community even during a time when parents and students were socially distanced. In her first year as president, she helped organize community-building events over Zoom, and upon entering her second year as president was able to implement a robust calendar of events that brought together our community in a variety of much-needed ways. ❤

Winter 2023

LEADERSHIP & FACULTY NEWS

Welcome Our Newest School Members

FRONT: Ms. Rebecca McCleary, Ms. Candace Vaccarella, Ms. Colleen O’Leary, Ms. Sonia Chintha, Ms. Anissa Wills. BACK: Mr. Shelton

Higgins, Ms. Kimberly (Kim) Johnson, Ms. Stephanie McGrail, Ms. Michele Carpenter, Ms. Isabel Gonzalez, Ms. Jessica (Jess) Murtagh, Ms. Stephanie Wilson. NOT PICTURED: Mrs. Bridgette Groden, Ms. Tulasi Leonard

KIM JOHNSON Ms. Kim Johnson joins Stone Ridge as the Director of Institutional Advancement. She has served as the Executive Director of Development at Mount St. Mary’s University and has worked in Institutional Advancement at Frederick Community College, concluding as the Assistant Director. Ms. Johnson has overseen gift officers, alumni engagement, research, and advancement services. “Arriving on the Stone Ridge campus, I had an immediate sense of the blending of history and tradition with growth and forward vision,” Ms. Johnson says. “I am thrilled about the opportunity to collaborate with the present families, students, faculty, and alumnae in order to effectively uphold our mission and Sacred Heart Goals as we embark on the second century of Stone Ridge.” In her free time, Ms. Johnson volunteers with the non-profit Woman to Woman Mentoring, and serves on the pastoral council of St. Katharine Drexel Catholic Church. She holds a BA in Marketing from Marshall University, a Master of Education in Counselor Education from Georgia Southern and an MBA from Mount St. Mary’s. She is also a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE). ❤

Stone Ridge Magazine

Celebrating 100 years

Celebrating Years of Service E

ACH YEAR AT OUR ST. MADELEINE SOPHIE BARAT LITURGY, we celebrate members of our Faculty and Staff who have completed milestone years of service to Stone Ridge or to the Sacred Heart Network of Schools. 5 YE ARS OF SERVICE

15 YE ARS OF SERVICE

Dr. Katherine Bain, Mrs. Carla Catalan, Mrs. Dana D’Avella, Dr. Jessica Gaughan, Mrs. LaRita Gordon, Ms. Christine L’Hermine Watkins, Mr. Sky Lesnick, Dr. Amber Ludwig, Mr. Evans Mullan, Dr. Ana Maria Ramirez, Ms. Krystyna Sibilska

Ms. Michele Cofiño, Mrs. Elizabeth Cunha, Mrs. Catherine Karrels ’86, Mrs. Julie Ott ’99, Ms. Sharise Robinson, Mr. Ken Woodard

10 YE ARS OF SERVICE

Mrs. Katherine Balaban, Mrs. Flavia Huber, Ms. Marlen McKinney, Ms. Chantell Prestcott-Hollander, Ms. Abby Winek

20 YE ARS OF SERVICE

Mrs. Gillian Amoako-Atta, Ms. Kate Bigler, Ms. Caitlin Taylor ’98, Mme. Cecile Worth 25 YE ARS OF SERVICE

Mrs. Sandra Blakeslee, Ms. Teresa Romero, Mrs. Nancy Wiegand 30 YE ARS OF SERVICE

Mrs. Kathryn Gillick ’89

BRE NDA E NG LISH Brenda English retired from Stone Ridge at the end of the 2022-23 school year. Mrs. English began with Stone Ridge in August 2015 and has served with distinction as both K–8 and 5–8 Math Department Chair, as well as seven years as a Middle School math teacher. After announcing her retirement, students shared what is was like to be in Mrs. English’s class. “ Mrs. English always builds a welcoming community in her classroom, and even when people don’t love math class, she helps them to love math.”

“ Mrs. English is always so calm and understanding; her good vibes are definitely contagious.”

“ I love the way Mrs. English teaches math. She really makes me realize I enjoy figuring things out on my own, and that I can do hard things.”

We celebrate Mrs. English’s dedication to Catholic education, the education of girls, and for the generations of mathematicians she has taught throughout her career. ❤

Leadership & Faculty News

Winter 2023

IN MEMORIAM Julia Agnes Timm Bryson Mother of Molly Bryson ’89

Samuel Johnson Brother of Stan Johnson, Upper School Faculty

Maureen O’Connor Carnathan ’55 Mother of Margaret Carnathan ’80

Ann C. Jones Mother of Elisa Jones Geier ’75, Grandmother of Gabriele Geier Wright ’03

Tim Collins Husband of Ellen Ruby Collins ’64 Lillian Conaghan, RSCJ Sister of Patricia Conaghan Redmond ’54 Patrick Conway Father of Grayson Conway ’23 Jennifer Jeffries Crawford ’80 Aunt of Amanda Jeffries ’08 Ernestine Davis Grandmother of Mariah Edelin-Gough ’14 Emily Charles Donahue Mother of Mimi Charles Brault ’79 Jan Dunn, RSCJ Former Board of Trustees Member Marie “Pippa” Potter Eibel ’89 Cathleen Hiser Farr ’57 Sister of Nancy Hiser Eastham ’54 (deceased), Linda Hiser Hall ’59, Sharon Hiser Powell ’62, and Norma Hiser Meyer ’63, Mother of Charlotte Hiser Smith FisherSR and Sarah Farr ’94 Gloria Flanagan Mother of Kerry Flanagan ’10 Marie Louise Broussard Freeman Grandmother of Amber Ludwig, Upper School Faculty and great-grandmother of Lydia Otero ’31 and Cecilia Otero ’34 Stephanie Johnson Garrett ’88 Dorothy Elizabeth Schutten Guste Mother of Melanie Guste, RSCJ, Board of Trustee Member Kelin Baxley Hansley ’99 Nick Hardwick Stepbrother of Jamie Golembiewski, Middle and Upper School Faculty Ann Clyde Hart ’65 Yoko Hashimoto Sister of Aya Tanaka, Little Hearts Faculty Sharon Landreth Illoway ’61 Sister of Tracy Landreth ’77

Stone Ridge Magazine

John Edward “Jack” Lynch Husband of Helen Craig Lynch ’55 Gerald Aloysius Malia Husband of Kaki Carolan Malia ’53, father of Cathy Malia Higgins ’78,Carrie Malia Taylor ’79 and Elizabeth Malia Calhoun ’83 (dec.), grandfather of Madi Taylor ’14 Monique Laffly Marcus Mother of Julie Marcus Haffey ’10 Jayme Marooney Husband of Daniella Morinigo Marooney ’07 Jo-Ellen Mason-Foley Mother of Casey Robertson, Upper School Faculty Michael J. McInerney Father of Caroline Williams ’88, brother of Margot McInerney ’64, cousin of Kate McInerney Morris ’78 and Carolyn McInerney ’68 Marjorie Miller Mother of Katie Miller Ross ’93 Mary Frances O’Connor Moriarty ’48 Thomas Mulquin Father of Katherine Mulquin ’11 Marie Cissel Neuhauser Mother of Nancy Wiegand, Lower School Admissions Tom O’Hare Past Middle School Faculty P. David Pappert Father of Wendy Pappert Stanislav ’84 and grandfather of Elizabeth Stanislav ’18 Tarasenko Ludmila Pavlovna Mother of Katya Balaban, Upper School Faculty Dr. Michael Petite Father of Jennifer Petite Sirianni ’84 Daniel Plaine Father of Caroline Plaine ’08 and Meredith Plaine ’11 Norma Quirós de Moscote Mother of Giovanna Basney, Middle School Faculty, Grandmother of Alyssa Basney ’33 and Alanna Basney ’31

Lee Ann Robertson Mother of Will Robertson, Upper School Faculty L. Joseph “Joe” Rubino, III Brother of Evelyn Rubino Butler ’91, Maggie Rubino Pilkington ’96 and Mary Ellen Rubino ’05 Isabel Sanchez Mother of Maria José Bravo-Cubillàn, Middle School Faculty and grandmother of Sophia Cubillàn-Bravo ’24 James Brady Scherer Husband of Mary Anne Clarke ’72 Boyd Berkeley Sibert, Jr. Father of Amy Sibert Lovett ’80 Florence Cahill Stanley ’68 Afsar Tadayyon Mother of Reyhaneh Khaze, Upper School Faculty Maria Lucia Trujillo Mother of Yvette Trujillo RoseSR and Sara TrujilloSR, Grandmother of Bella Trujillo-Lederer ’13 and Josie Trujillo-Lederer ’19 Kathryn Walsh Mother of Bridget Riley

Celebrating 100 years

TOM O’HARE The Stone Ridge community mourns the loss of Mr. Tom O’Hare, a beloved Middle School history teacher from 1979 to 2019. Mr. O’Hare passed away on August 25 at his home in Alexandria, VA. Throughout his 40-year tenure at Stone Ridge, Mr. O’Hare was known for his passion for history and his unwavering dedication to his students. Many alumnae fondly remember the 3D map of the world on his classroom wall. It was a popular project completed by his students for decades. He stressed the importance of civic engagement with his students, helping them to learn more about the electoral process through mock elections and classroom debates. He was a huge fan of "Star Wars" and would expertly weave stories from the series into his lesson plans. Mr. O'Hare was also a treasured colleague. He loved playing the lottery and, for decades, built community and a sense of hope by organizing a lottery pool for the Stone Ridge faculty and staff. He was a man of quiet faith who often asked for prayers on behalf of others in our School. Mr. O'Hare was a proud alumni of Gonzaga College High School and his Jesuit education clearly had a lasting impact on him. He touched so many lives in our wider Stone Ridge family, and he will be remembered and cherished as a dear friend and teacher to many. Click on this QR code to read some of their memories

After his passing, numerous alumnae and current and past faculty and staff reached out to share their memories and stories of Mr. O’Hare and his lasting impact. ❤

“ Mr. O’Hare is one of the teachers I had at Stone Ridge that I most clearly remember. He was able to connect with us 7th grade girls in a way that kept us engaged and excited to learn. He will be missed by the class of 1991.”

“ He was extremely knowledgeable about history —Elena Kupchik ’91 and always encouraged us to participate and write the “ He was so supportive of my basketball endeavors, even though best we could. He was also I was short. He actually MADE a fake hand attached to a extremely funny while doing so. headband for me to wear — to pretend like it was in my face to He was one of the best teachers practice with! He was great — I became a history teacher too!” I ever had at Stone Ridge.” — Leigh Schroeder Salvage ’88 —Ilse Hahne ’20

“ Mr. O’Hare was a hilarious, tough but fair teacher and one of my absolute favorites. Even with his tough exterior, he had a heart of gold — a soft spot for his students and their success — and I will miss him dearly.” —Caroline Cullen Barker ’06 OurMemorium In Newest School Members

Winter 2023

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