Spartan magazine, Winter 2020

T H E

M A G A Z I N E

Winter 2020

Environmental Education at its Best

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S T E P H E N’ S

E P I S C O P A L

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SNAPSHOT Middle School students advocating for care of creation

CONTENTS WINTER 2020

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2 Head Lines 3 In Community 4 Environmental Education at its Best 14 Spartan Life 22 Alumni News 20 head of school Christopher L. Gunnin

chief marketing and communications officer David E. Perryman

managing editor Anne Marie Becka

class notes editor Michelle Geo Olmstead

design Ellen Buckmaster, Bucko Design

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contributors Michelle Andrews, Chris Caselli ’82, John Dugan, Kat Erben, The Rev. Todd FitzGerald, Claudio Fox, Melody Harman, Troy Lanier, Jacquelyn Mouton-Johnston, Michelle Geo Olmstead, Lisa Orr, Charlton Perry, Chelsea Richards, Annie Wilkerson, Victoria Woodruff Spartan magazine is published twice a year for constituents of St. Stephen’s Episcopal School.

Copyright © 2020 St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

subscription information and address changes Joanna Sarrett, jsarrett@sstx.org or 512.327.1213 x158

P H OTOS COVER: Gabby Hoo, 10th grade boarding student, practices her rope work in the school’s Devil’s Canyon Wilderness Program TOC: Construction of the Straw Bale House; Middle School students enjoying treats at the Spartan Block Party; Class of 2004 at the 2019 Alumni Reunion Barbecue

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H E AD LIN ES

Winter 2020

CONTINUING OUR IMPORTANT WORK “My wish for you is that you continue. Continue to be who and how you are, to astonish a mean world with your acts of kindness. Continue to allow humor to lighten the burden of your tender heart…. And by doing so, you and your work will be able to continue. Eternally.”

— maya angelou

This summer I came across Maya Angelou’s poem “Continue.” It resonates so powerfully with me as I go about my life and work on The Hill that I have kept a copy on my desk, within arm’s reach, in my office. For me, this poem has been a timely and timeless reminder.

As a head of school, I spend a fair amount of time looking forward, imagining what St. Stephen’s should be in the future. Our current strategic plan, Spark 2023, guides us in thinking about the school community that we want to be by the year 2023. A recent campus master plan project also has guided many members of the faculty to imagine how our programs might grow in the next two decades and what facilities we should construct in the next 20 years to support student programs and community life.

Such future-focused work is critical for school communities that strive to grow and strengthen the impact they have on the world. But so, too, is the process of reminding ourselves who we have been as a school and what enduring ways of being remain essential to our campus life and culture.

The year 2020 marks the 70th year of St. Stephen’s Episcopal School. Throughout this academic year, I have found myself reflecting on our school’s remarkable history of educating Spartans who care for others and the world. In a community like ours, in which our foundational values and traditions of excellence still prevail, it is exciting to acknowledge that what we always have done is worthy of being preserved, if not treasured, today and beyond.

I trust that you will find that we, in the spirit of Angelou’s poem, continue to uphold much of what always has been at the heart of the St. Stephen’s experience. I hope that while you read about our current and future sustainability initiatives you will see that in many ways, we carry on the bold vision of the Rt. Rev. John Hines and other early founders. Hines would be pleased to know that our dedication to the recovery of humans continues. While that may look a bit different today, as we move into our 70th academic school year, we continue to be a school community that does this important work one day and one Spartan at a time.

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—christopher l. gunnin, head of school

I N COMMUN IT Y

Spartan Magazine

BISHOP RYAN

Visits St. Stephen’s (left to right) Head of School Chris Gunnin, Bishop Kathryn Ryan and the Rev. Todd FitzGerald

On Oct. 17, St. Stephen’s was pleased to host the Rt. Rev. Kathryn Ryan, newly elected bishop suffragan of the western region of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. In addition to meeting with

school leaders and enjoying lunch with the campus community in the dining hall, Ryan spoke to students in morning Chapel services.

Toward the end of Upper School Chapel, students presented her with a commemorative wooden plaque, which they designed and engraved in the school’s Project and Idea Realization Lab. In creating the intricate design, ninth graders Emmie Casey, Meredith Clay and Jackson Price, along with 11th graders Bo Parham and Isabella Villarreal, emulated the cross that Ryan designed and wore when she was ordained in June.

In her new role, Ryan oversees 60-plus Episcopal congregations in the Diocese’s western region, whose diversity, she noted, is one of the area’s greatest attributes. “I don’t think we always appreciate how different Waco is from Matagorda or how different St. Stephen’s is from El Buen Samaritano,” Ryan said of the Austin-based nonprofit that assists Latino families across Central Texas.

“This diversity creates so many opportunities for connections and collaboration, but diversity without inclusiveness is irrelevant,” she noted. “It’s easy for us to go about our daily lives and not notice people who are different from us, not try to understand what motivates them — what their needs are and what their hopes are. By exploring these things, we find the common connections that make us want to work together to serve the common good.”

Ryan also reflected on the enduring value of Episcopal schools, particularly their importance at this time in history. “The Episcopal outlook in general believes in the inherent dignity of every person and the sacredness of God’s creation,” she said. “We are called to love God with all of our heart, mind, strength and soul, and to love our neighbors. We live in a world, and certainly in a society, where those principles cannot be taken for granted.

“Episcopal schools are trying to form young people for the sake of the world: people who can live in the world, respect others, work for the common good and care for creation,” Ryan noted. “While Episcopal schools are not unique in this intention, I think we are uniquely effective in doing these things.”

As chair of the St. Stephen’s board of trustees, Ryan is excited to lead a group charged with school governance and advocacy. “There are several things that make St. Stephen’s distinctive in a very interesting way,” she observed. “The combined boarding and day programs give us a very diverse student body. We are able to help form responsible global citizens in a very practical and credible way by working with students from all over the United States and the world.

“I think the uniqueness of St. Stephen’s goes to something even older and deeper,” she said. “Bishop John Hines had a vision to form a school that was co-educational and racially diverse because he wanted to give students the kinds of experiences that would help them lead across cultures.

“And then there’s the place!” she added. “When you talk about care of creation, our students understand that concept in a different and more profound way when they are able to step out of the classroom and into such a naturally beautiful campus.”

Upon her departure from campus, Ryan said that she looks forward to building strong relationships throughout the school community and getting to know our members even better.

—david e. perryman, chief marketing and communications officer

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Thoughtful Stewards of the Planet Carbon. An essential element. When combined with other elements, such as hydrogen and oxygen, it serves as a building block for life. Yet when excess amounts of carbon compounds, such as carbon dioxide (C02), are emitted into the atmosphere, the results can be catastrophic for all living things.

More than a decade ago, scientists around the world set a clear bar for preserving our planet: Ensure the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere does not exceed 350 parts per million (ppm), the threshold for “safe” levels. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in May 2019 carbon dioxide in the atmosphere exceeded 414 ppm.

Scientists predict that at the current rate of increase, the level of atmospheric C02 will exceed 900 ppm by the end of the century.

When scientists warned again about the environmental implications of having exceeded 350 ppm, Spartans answered the call. On Sept. 20, 2019, they stood with others around the globe and called upon our nations’ leaders to “Act Now!”

As far back as 1950, when St. Stephen’s was founded, our core values have included living as ethical citizens of the world.

We are called upon to be good stewards of the earth and all its people.

Guided by the meaningful work of previous generations of alumni, current Spartans have embraced this ethos. Middle School students tend the school’s bee hives and gardens. Upper School students compost dining hall food waste and recycle used goods across campus. We collect rain in tanks for watering, use low-energy lightbulbs in classrooms and dorms, donate food prep scraps to pig farms, and carry reusable water bottles and mugs.

But our faculty does the real heavy lifting. They teach students about the importance of bees to the global food supply, the repercussions of extreme weather patterns on animal migration, the effects of monoculture farming on animal health and the land, how microplastic pollution affects marine life and people’s access to clean water, and the current and future ramifications of global warming on life as we know it, both around the world and on The Hill.

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St. Stephen’s students, faculty and alumni applying the final outer layer of plaster to the Straw Bale House

A History of Environmental Action During the 1995–96 school year, more than 100 St. Stephen’s students, alumni, faculty/staff, parents and other community members built an outdoor and environmental education center on campus. Using environmentally sustainable techniques, they constructed a house out of wood, straw and stucco.

The “Straw Bale House” has served as a training space and jumping-off point for numerous adventures throughout the past 25 years. It is still used today for environmental club meetings, rope climbing practices and more. From daily mountain biking trips on our campus and free-weekend hiking trips through the Hill Country, to spring break canoe camping in the canyons of the Big Bend, boarding and day students alike have come to know Texas and beyond. Combinations of students, faculty and parents have traversed the slot canyons of Utah, rappelled into the caves of the Appalachians, climbed the granite peaks of the High Sierras, backpacked in the Sierra Madre Oriental in Mexico and mountaineered in the snow-capped volcanoes of the Andes.

Reflecting on this barn raising, Elizabeth Hamilton ’99 recalled, “Learning to use a power saw and a nail gun and working side by side with my teachers and classmates is one of my fondest memories of St. Stephen’s. I still use my building skills and am fearless when it comes to tackling new projects. More importantly, I draw on the resilience and perseverance that insanely ambitious project taught us all.”

What convinced the school’s administrators at the time to greenlight a project like the Straw Bale House? A big part of it was that our students showed outstanding leadership and initiative in this area.

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Early campus recycling efforts in the mid-1990s

In the early 1990s, two separate but symbiotic and overlapping groups were founded at St. Stephen’s: The Environmental Action Group (EAG) and the Outdoors Club (OC). These later morphed and became known as the Devil’s Canyon Wilderness Program (DCWP). Students in the EAG launched the school’s first Earth Day in 1994. When a new dorm was proposed, they attended planning meetings and consulted directly with the architects on eco-friendly building techniques and materials, convincing the architects to use solar-preheated water in the dorms. Reminiscent of the compost work being done by the Green Goblins environmental club today, students hand built a recycling center for the school. And just as present-day students lead DCWP trips, these students planned multi-day treks into the wilderness. So when told they could build their own building, they ran with it.

As St. Stephen’s faculty are wont to do, a number of faculty went above and beyond their job descriptions to assist students in the EAG and OC. Then-ceramics teacher Cap Brooks gave us the confidence—and a year of weekends—teaching our community how to build a house. Present day faculty members, such as Miriam Murtuza, Jim Woodruff, Jim Crosby ’70, Dean Mohlman,

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Rick Pearson, Gretchen McCracken Inman, Rebecca Gibbs and Chris Caselli ’82, invested countless hours in building the house and even more time leading weekend, spring break and summer trips in the programs.

Throughout the years, faculty have taken on official leadership roles in outdoor education and, had they not taken the reins, the program easily could have withered into non-existence. Mark Livsey served as co-director and helped bring a top-notch climbing wall to the school. Mike Davis led trips that incorporated land policy studies, rancher interviews and archeological visits. In addition, former history teacher Charlton Perry, who grew up skipping stones on Barton Creek, now leads DCWP. Notably, thanks to sustainability initiatives in the Spark 2023 strategic plan, the school has made the impactful move of creating a full-time outdoor education director position, which Perry has embraced.

On the environmental education front, current teachers Lisa Orr, Wallis Goodman and Shelley Sallee have taken active roles in leading members of the school’s Green Goblins environmental group and others through important Earth Day and climate change initiatives.

Students on a caving trip near Monterrey, Mexico, in the early 1990s

Spartan Magazine

OUTDOOR EDUCATION INITIATIVES “Historically, St. Stephen’s has done a good job of offering both advanced and appealing outdoor activities for students who are highly motivated to engage with the natural world,” said Charlton Perry, inaugural director of outdoor education. “However, we were missing opportunities for the general student population to participate in outdoor programs.

“Needless to say,” he added, “the new position has allowed me to start laying the groundwork for significant new outdoor recreational and educational opportunities for all our students.”

Only half-way through his first year in the role, Perry already has chipped away at the wall dividing indoor and outdoor learning. Early in fall term he worked with Middle School faculty to develop new nature-based social, emotional and learning offerings. The faculty could not be happier, as research has shown that nature-based activities can help improve students’ attention, as well as their ability to deal with anxiety, stress and other social issues.

Perry also has partnered with Upper School biology teacher Dean Mohlman on a new Field Research Station, a program that allows students to participate in hands-on project-based research using our school land and its diverse natural resources. Throughout the fall students worked to identify and eliminate invasive species on campus, clearing space for bird migration, as well as analyze and survey plant and animal species across campus.

As I reflect on the current iteration of St. Stephen’s outdoor environmental education programs, so many more endeavors beg to be explored in depth: the longtime eighth grade rite-ofpassage trip* to Big Bend; Johnny Wilson’s science department trips to the Davis Mountains, now formidably led by Danielle Horton; and Dean Mohlman’s new Field Research Station, which enables students to utilize the school’s 370-acre campus for project-based field research.

These stories fall into a broader category, a defining characteristic of our school, which is the connection that students and faculty have with each other outside the limestone walls of the traditional classroom. We spend time together and get to know one another as people, which in turn engenders respect for each other and our shared humanity. I have found that, for me, some of the best ways to make this happen are letting young people advocate for their future, enabling them to take the lead and getting them outside.

The Field Research Station is only one offering in the Land Management Program, which eventually will include campus visits by wildlife biologists and ecologists who, in addition to speaking with students, will work with Perry on ways to integrate land management further into the curriculum. Complementing these activities will be additional off-campus offerings, including overnight campouts at state parks and weekend day trips to Bamberger Ranch Preserve and Shield Ranch, two facilities that follow best practices for ethical land stewardship and natural resource conservation.

Charlton Perry and Dean Mohlman teaching land management

—troy lanier, science instructor

*Provided through an annual gift from G.R. White Trust, Bart Wulff ’64 and fellow trustees sstx.org

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Lessons on the Environment In the new era of “OK, Boomer,” I often wonder how to educate students about the true impact of the climate crisis without leaving them filled with anger and a sense of impending doom.

My St. Stephen’s colleagues and I grapple with this challenge frequently: How do we inspire our students to act now in the urgent fight to reverse the ecological devastation caused by earlier generations, including our own? It is a double-edged sword, but one many St. Stephen’s teachers are willing to fall on in the belief that our students can—and will—do better.

Our students are worried, but they are also effective problem solvers. Middle School English teacher Vicki Woodruff sees heartfelt anguish among sixth graders who read the dystopian novel “The Other Side of the Island” by Allegra Goodman. They express fears about the fate of big mammals in their lifetime. They all know and worry about the Great Pacific garbage patch. More

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Winter 2020

importantly, they begin asking the question, “What can we do to prevent this future?” In Global Connections those same sixth graders eagerly share solutions with history teacher Octavia Sadler. Inspired by “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer, students research such solutions as solar paint, windmills in the ocean and reduced-waste shipping. They also share personal stories and challenge each other to consider their stances on varying topics. For example, what if it actually takes more energy to produce an environmentally friendly product?

Obviously, these are hard problems to solve, but their teachers have made the problems real and their learnings significant. I listened in one day as Sadler explained that 65 engineers work for the young Dutch inventor Boyan Slat, trying to innovate sea sweeps to capture plastics in the ocean. As I watched the students’ faces, I imagined them refining their sense of what it takes to save turtles and fish from microplastic pollution. The topic crosses over from history to science class with Kindy Verderber, who has them assess the turbidity of water samples—the degree of opacity due to suspended particulates. “If we have to clean up water, it raises questions about why it’s not clean,” Verderber explained. Similarly, Lisa Orr’s EcoLiteracy class provides a framework for solutions by showing how students can foster nature’s cycles, sequester carbon and create habitats—lessons that get real (and real tasty) when they turn their garden produce into leek soup and pesto.

Spartan Magazine

St. Stephen’s “fierce commitment to the land” has been woven into our mission since the school was founded in 1950. Sustainability is as much a part of our community ethos as our commitment to diversity. However, our academic curriculum and campus culture have yet to make environmental devastation as pronounced—but that has started to change. Middle School science and health teacher Rick Pearson has eighth graders watch the film “Paris to Pittsburgh” and hold their own roundtable discussion on topics such as forced human migration, carbon production and sequestration in agriculture, as well as predicted climate changes stemming from global warming. Pearson knows that focusing on problem-solving is the best way to ward off the doomsday scenarios.

Upper School science teacher Lauren Murphy tasks her students with addressing these issues on a campus level. Her environmental science students created a campaign to urge school members not to idle their cars. And Jennie Gray ’93 teaches her art students the many ways graphic design can influence viewers. Her students have used this knowledge to create impactful posters demanding a reduction in consumer waste, such as paper coffee cups and plastic straws.

Students need to understand the data to develop their personal stances, so teachers focus on facts not politics. Upper School math teacher Kurt Oehler ’93 asks his statistics students to gather data from our disused campus well, which is monitored by the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District. They use real-time data from a sensor in the well to explore the connection between rainfall amounts in different parts of Austin, nearby groundwater flow and their correlation to the water level directly beneath our campus. Biology students also assess data on carbon emissions and the impact of global warming on biodiversity.

Inspired by Brown University’s Choice Curriculum, St. Stephen’s Upper School history students use data to study global warming.

In spring term teachers will include MIT’s Climate Interactive’s simulators, which create interactive, scientifically rigorous tools that help people make connections, play out scenarios and discover solutions to environmental issues. These simulators enable our students to watch graphs change in relation to the levers they pull for various countries to reduce emissions, prevent deforestation and promote carbon sequestration to hit the 2-degrees Celsius target of the Paris Agreement or the 1.5-degree mark that scientists warn will still cause significant impact. If students make no change in the simulator, the graphs indicate the untenable rise of 4.2 degrees by century’s end.

Saving the planet requires local action, but on a global scale. The

international mix of our students enables them to gain a sense of this from varying perspectives. For example, a student from China recently shared with classmates how the purchase of a “new energy car” in China enables the owner to skip the “plate lottery” system and drive sooner. Another student with relatives in India explained that millions of people there already buy most of their food without added packaging from local markets. Issues of equity and social justice become even more real as students, assigned to represent different countries, debate questions of obligation.

What do countries emitting the most greenhouse emissions owe vulnerable places like Haiti, Tuvalu and Kenya, which bear the brunt of the sea-level rise, desertification and severe weather? Who is responsible for climate refugees or for shared commitments in the Paris Agreement?

Education to enact change is never easy. But when alumni from the Class of 1968 returned for their 50th Reunion last year, they had much to say about how their St. Stephen’s education equipped them to be agents and supporters of change, to bring civil rights dreams closer to reality. Turning massive economies and systems toward more sustainable paths will take many committed and informed people. The learning taking place in our classrooms today will help determine whether current students will return in 50 years to say they were prepared to help address the climate challenge of their era and moved us closer to a more sustainable future.

—shelley sallee, ph.d., history department chair

PHOTO (opposite page, left to right) Maya Patel, Kate Moriarty, Julia Milliken, Eloise Clay, Wiley Halloran, Graham Marye, Luke Mabley, Ben Oehler, Charlotte Payne and Rhett Berger enjoying pesto made from herbs grown in the Middle School garden; Tina Zhao and Ivy Fan study campus land

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Discovering the Divine on Earth: A Homily God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.’ (Genesis 1:28)

I grew up hunting in flooded rice fields, freshwater marshes and bayous in my home state of Louisiana. When sinking blinds or laying brush for camouflage, we were careful to never damage the wetlands. My father taught us to respect the limits for game and never unintentionally threaten the birds’ habitat.

I learned these sporting rules at 10 years old, and the same ones applied to hunting deer, as well as fishing for bass and running trotlines. Without even being aware, I was learning a particular manner of living on the planet—of being in relationship with the natural world.

At that time, my relationship to nature could have been characterized as respectful. I think I saw the earth and its resources as elements of the natural world to be enjoyed and appreciated.

And because I lived in a place where it was normal for people to hunt and fish and hike and camp, I thought I could join a long line of Louisiana sportsmen and play in the outdoors indefinitely.

All of that changed for me when I moved to Chicago to attend divinity school. It was not that I became an urban person when I left the South and moved to the Windy City. I actually missed the bayous, wetlands and marshes of home terribly during those years. What changed for me was a new understanding of how I see the world that was grounded in a Christian ethical framework.

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During seminary, for the first time in my life, I was required to interrogate my faith and beliefs. Our professors challenged our naive convictions and pushed us to clarify what we believe and why. It was during this time that my relationship with the natural world was challenged and expanded by my theology professor, a wise and gentle scholar named Jim from inner-city Baltimore.

Jim invited me to see how my respect for the swamps and bayous of my home was largely superficial and, therefore, fell short of anything like theological conviction. The central problem in my thinking was that I had reduced all of God’s creation to an object to be enjoyed, as opposed to a subject to be revered. I had held the theological belief that humans were created in the image of God, but Jim pushed me to consider if the cypress tree, the wood duck, the red fish and the buck were also images of God, sacraments of divine presence in the world.

Certainly humans have a unique position in the world, but I have come to believe that position carries with it immense responsibility. The responsibility we inherit hinges upon two words: subdue and dominion.

The command to subdue the earth and have dominion over living things has been misunderstood and misappropriated by humans for centuries. For generations, these Hebrew verbs have been

Spartan Magazine

The Rev. Todd FitzGerald shares his love of nature with daughter Stella, Class of 2020

What characterizes your relationship to the planet?

And does your way of living on the planet accurately reflect that relationship? used to justify a relationship with the earth that can be described as one filled with violence, subjugation and control. Fortunately, current scholarship is reexamining these ideas and advocating a theological engagement that treats the planet as a sacred subject worthy of honor, worship and reverence.

For example, to subdue and have dominion in the Hebrew is to cultivate, to bring creation to its fullest potential. When God commands humans to relate to the earth in these ways, the command is neither to do violence to the earth nor to deplete resources. These verses have nothing to do with abusive control.

As a Christian, I believe that the Bible provides a guide for how I should live in the world. The teachings in the Bible offer a framework by which I might evaluate all of my decisions, all of my actions and all of my beliefs. Like faithful Jews and Muslims, other people of the book, we allow the sacred text to guide our

actions, force us to face our missteps, seek to heal and restore, and renew our commitment to live in right relationship with other humans and all of creation.

The command to subdue the earth and have dominion, I now understand, is more about reverence. Put simply, if my relationship with the planet is rightly ordered and grounded in my ethical framework, then it should be one characterized by reverence.

I now see all living things on the planet as sacraments of God’s presence in the world. A mallard descending, a pine tree swaying and a bass jumping from the water—all images of the divine worthy of honor and worship.

—the rev. todd fitzgerald, school chaplain

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Matthew Kim is fascinated with worms. Red worms, to be exact. In addition to quickening composting, they reduce food waste, create nutrient-rich fertilizer and help protect our planet from carbon dioxide emissions.

Advocating for Action

An 11th grader who came to St. Stephen’s in sixth grade, Kim has used his appreciation for invertebrates to help our school drastically reduce dining hall waste while improving our air quality and the environment. A true citizen of the world, Kim co-founded the Austin Climate Coalition and was a driving force behind the city’s participation in the Global Climate Strike on Sept. 20, 2019. In the following essay, he provides insights into the mind of a climate humanitarian.

I began thinking about climate-related issues during gardening class in seventh grade, when I started learning about vermicomposting—composting with worms. This led me to buy a pound of red worms and take care of the worm colony for two years. However, I started to become more directly involved with these issues once I joined the Green Goblins environmental club three years ago. This year I am one of the co-presidents.

I do a lot of gardening as a hobby, mainly growing fruits and veggies that I like. Every year, I grow watermelon and cucumbers. I also have begun to grow loofah and asparagus, which have both been very fun.

Matthew Kim and Felix Halloran tending the school’s compost bins

As a gardener, I thought it would be cool to learn how to compost the school’s food waste and learn more about how to become more environmentally friendly. I got my friends to join Green Goblins and compost with me, slowly improving the composting system to accommodate all of the food waste from school lunch periods and dinner. Now everybody composts their food; it has become a norm within the St. Stephen’s community.

It’s amazing how much two years of teaching people composting can change the way they think about food waste.

In addition to Green Goblins, I have been a part of student government (StuGov) for three years now. I was class president in ninth and 10th grades, and now I am vice president of the executive board. Both groups have helped to shape my identity and increased my leadership experience. With StuGov, I feel much more confident and empowered. Without Green

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Spartan Magazine

Gobs, I would never have felt the desire to reach out to Austin’s environmental community.

I was one of the main organizers of the climate strike. To prepare for this, I participated in the Climate Reality Leadership Corps., which is an organization that hosts three-day conferences to teach people how to become a climate leader and help their communities fight climate change.

For the strike, I worked outside of school, meeting with different legislators and organization leaders to discuss the strike and ask for community support. I also contacted a number of media sources so that they would be present and able to document the strike.

I started working with other high school students in Austin to plan the strike at the beginning of summer. Once the school year started, we met online more often to discuss what we were working on and what we hoped to accomplish at the strike. We eventually created the Austin Climate Coalition, which we founded to connect all of the environmental organizations in Austin and to get them to work together for the climate.

I believe the climate crisis is the most important issue in our world, because it literally affects every person and every living organism on earth. Decades of research indicate that we need to reduce our carbon emissions and the pollutants in our environment to keep the earth from dying.

In the future, I want to go into something related to international affairs, because I want to be a political leader and create positive change. I already have become involved in local politics, and I want to do more than just protest.

I see so much fighting within the government around the climate movement. The climate issue is highly partisan, but it should not be because it is a humanitarian issue. We need to think of ourselves not as the citizen of a state but as a citizen of the world.

PHOTO (left to right) Green Goblins Katherine Cline, Kate Goodman, Sarah Courtney and Matthew Kim

GOBLINS DOING GOOD “Nature has no waste,” explained Lisa Orr, sponsor of the Green Goblins environmental club. “Composting just speeds up what nature does on its own; it pulls carbon dioxide from the air, mixes it with waste and turns out nutrient-rich soil.”

In the 10-plus years since Orr helped establish the Green Goblins on campus, its members have led countless critical changes to how our school interacts with and cares for the natural world.

In addition to managing 31 composting bins daily, the club’s 60 student members have led an array of campus recycling programs, made reusable ceramic mugs to replace paper cups and worked to preserve rainforest lands. They also recently paired up with students in Lauren Murphy’s environmental science class to initiate a “no idle zone” campaign to reduce carbon emissions on campus.

Equally important, they have been tireless in their efforts to educate school members about the devastating effects of climate change and importance of sustainability.

It can be dirty work, both physically and emotionally. “Sometimes we have to pick dirty forks and used retainers out of the compost, but it is worth it to reduce our community’s carbon footprint,” explained senior Kate Goodman, co-president of the Green Goblins.

“The mission of Green Goblins is to enact environmental change both within the school community and the world,” Goodman explained. “However, I also feel a significant ‘unassigned’ responsibility to push our school in a more sustainable direction.

“We have a tendency to look at statistics about carbon emissions and say, ‘Oh, it’s the large corporations that actually hurt the environment,’ but we all need to seriously think about our role as consumers of these corporations.”

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SPARTAN Life

EVENTS CLUBS CULTURE CELEBRATIONS AWARDS TALENT SPORTS HOLIDAYS ACHIEVEMENTS SUCCESS

The Crossroads of Form and Function Campus is typically quiet during the summer months, but last August the lower level of Becker Library was abuzz with activity. Crossroads, as the heavily trafficked mixed-use space is nicknamed, was completely remodeled for the start of school―thanks to last year’s successful Make It Happen auction, the “paddles-up” portion of the Parents’ Association’s annual Spring Swing fundraiser.

“The community raised just over $100,000 for the renovation,” explained Chief Financial Officer Cindy Stadulis. “Improvements included installing new flooring and furniture, painting walls and ceilings, consolidating storage spaces, and upgrading the bathrooms. We also upgraded the faculty offices and added student and faculty carrels.

“We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to take on these targeted Make It Happen projects, as they benefit the entire school community in both academic and social settings,” added Stadulis, who praised the hard work of parent Melinda Young, last year’s Make It Happen chair, as well as all the parent volunteers and generous donors who helped make the fundraiser so successful.

“This really was the perfect project, as the upgrades complement the library renovations that took place the previous summer,” said Stadulis, who noted that many of the same design elements from the library remodel were used throughout Crossroads, including the color palette, flooring style and furniture. “The look of the two spaces is much more cohesive now.”

The redesign fulfills a wide range of community needs. In addition to providing dedicated space for students to meet with faculty and learning specialists, the new furniture can be reconfigured easily for club meetings and study groups. There is even a floor-to-ceiling white board on one wall for creative brainstorming. “Making Crossroads a more interactive academic space also allows the library to become a more focused study area,” Stadulis said.

The summer renovations all were completed by the start of school, but Stadulis said Crossroads remains “a work in progress.” Moving forward, administrators will review proposals to update the landscaping behind

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The renovated Crossroads was renamed for Kathryn Respess; original artwork by Elizabeth Zepeda and 12th grader Declan Maguire hangs in the space

the building and install more energy-efficient windows in the front faculty offices. “New landscaping will further enhance the beauty of The Hill, the heart of our campus,” she said.

Perhaps the most significant change to the space is its new name, Kathryn Respess Crossroads, in memory of the beloved history teacher and dorm parent who taught at St. Stephen’s for 50 years.

“We wanted to honor her close relationship with students in this space,” explained Head Librarian Cynthia Bartek, who directed the renovation.

“She collaborated with and supported students throughout her long tenure at the school. I think she would smile knowing this shared space reflects her natural approach to teaching.”

Spartan Magazine

PHOTO Bryson Gibbs, Simon Meyers, Nicolas Prieto, Jimmy Jacobs, Rex Gilliland, Ian Redmond, Alexander Agrawal and Tate Rhee

Spreading Kindness Across Campus Members of the St. Stephen’s kindness committee kicked off Kindness Week (Nov. 4-8) by setting up special “Appreciation Stations” in the dining hall, Gunn Hall and Becker Library.

Each station included pens and colorful note cards that students, faculty and staff could use to write a message of appreciation to someone in the school community. Notes could be either anonymous or signed. Members of the kindness committee distributed the notes across The Hill to Upper School recipients. The Upper School tri-fold boards were designed by Katherine Wilkey, a 12th grade boarding student. Middle School students posted their notes to a large tri-fold board in the lobby of Gunn Hall.

Later in the week, Middle School Spartans also “chalked the walk” by sharing inspirational messages along school walkways in brightly colored sidewalk chalk. Members of Middle School Student Government, led by President Evy Langdon, were instrumental in implementing and supporting these activities.

Kindness is our school’s “theme” for the academic year. The yearlong school theme initiative was introduced in 2014 in an effort to focus our school community on a common positive goal. In addition to dedicated theme weeks and activities, such as this year’s Kindness Week, members of the theme committee present theme-focused Chapel talks and host special guest speakers on campus throughout the year. To date, yearlong themes have included Peace (2014–15), Respect (2015–16), Beyond Tolerance (2016-17), Listen (2017–18), Welcome (2018–19) and Kindness (2019–20).

This year’s kindness committee members are Michelle Andrews, Beck Arnow, Cynthia Bartek, Kathy Coe, Jim Crosby, John Dugan, Todd FitzGerald, Billal Lyzzaik, Jordan Mendelson, Jessica Shi, Claire Simmonds, Sarah Todd, Katherine Wilkey, Edbert Wu and Yixuan Zhou. Many thanks to everyone who participated in this uplifting program, which spread good cheer across campus throughout the week.

Spartans Craft Soap to Support Haiti St. Stephen’s students and teachers lovingly crafted handmade soap to support the school’s ongoing relationship with St. Etienne Episcopal School in Salmadere, Haiti. The Soap for Salmadere project is led by math instructor and alumnus Kurt Oehler ’93, who crafts bars in small batches with the help of Upper School students. Middle School students lend a hand with packaging and sales.

Located in the remote countryside near the Haitian border with the Dominican Republic, St. Etienne was built in 2003 with funds raised by the St. Stephen’s community. Our school’s 16-year partnership with St. Etienne enables more than 400 students in the Central Plateau of Haiti to receive a pre-kindergarten to ninth grade education.

Soap for Salmadere is available for purchase at all Haiti-related campus events, including the upcoming Haiti on The Hill event in May.

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Spartans Win Seats on All-Region Orchestras

Chapel Team Installed

Five St. Stephen’s students auditioned for and won seats on the Texas Music Educators Association’s (TMEA) all-region middle school and high school orchestras. Selected students included eighth grader Meghan Chia (violin), 10th graders Natalie Kim (cello) and Jael Dammann (viola), and 11th graders Carson Murtuza-Lanier (violin) and Matthew Kim (violin). These all-stars performed with the all-region orchestras at Lake Travis Performing Arts Center in late November.

“It feels amazing to win a seat in the orchestra,” said Chia, who first learned to play violin in fourth grade but started playing more consistently after she enrolled at St. Stephen’s in sixth grade. She typically practices four times a week. “I started playing again so I could join the school orchestra.

“The audition process was extremely nerve racking, because I was playing for the judges in front of many other students,” she explained of her TMEA tryout. “Before my turn to play, both my hands were shaking, and I could feel my pulse through my whole body. I am so thankful to Mr. Moon for preparing me so well,” she said of John Moon, St. Stephen’s director of orchestras.

Early in fall term, the Rev. Todd FitzGerald held a special Chapel program to install and recognize the 14 Upper School members of the Chapel leadership team, which helps plan and assists with daily services.

“This team represents the whole student body,” FitzGerald said. “They include faithful Christians, members of other faith traditions and others who have no faith tradition; boarding and day students; and three different Upper School grade levels.

“These students have stepped forward to serve,” he added. “In what way can you contribute this year? Whether you are a member of a sports team, theatre ensemble or student government, participate in something greater than yourself.

“In the scriptures, Jesus taught that when we lead, we lead best when we serve―not for our own advantage, but for the advantage of all,” FitzGerald said.

The 2019‒20 Chapel team includes 10th graders Ben Hale, Natalie Kim and Quari Robinson; 11th graders Matthew Kim, Salma Mohamed, Ebube Oraelosi, Bella Salazar-Harper, Chelsea Saucedo and Eliah Ugarte; and 12th graders Sierra Coffey, Rusty Courter, Emma Hou, Safwan Naviwala and Jinho Rhee.

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Meghan Chia

Spartan Magazine Photo courtesy of Claudio Fox

Matilda Triumphs In their first major production of the year, the Middle School theatre company, Delight in the Good (DIG), took on the triumphant tale of “Matilda.” The rousing musical, based on the Roald Dahl novel, is about an extraordinary girl with a vivid imagination and quick mind who dares to take a stand and changes her destiny. DIG’s spirited thespians and crafty crew put on four productions in mid-October to rave reviews.

“The kids had been hard at work on the show since pre-season musical camp way back in August,” said Jeremy Sweetlamb, Middle School theatre director.

“Along the way, they learned about teamwork, self-confidence, and the value of long-term planning and preparation.

“Theatre is not just about the final product, even though that is the only thing the audience sees and judges,” he added. “The process itself is more important than the performance, because so much hard work and time is poured into the production. Along the way, the actors and crew members must confront many personal obstacles in order to deliver an incredible show.”

Students Get Psyched About New Club Last fall two members of the Class of 2020 led a Chapel talk on the topic of mental health awareness and the importance of reducing the stigma surrounding mental health issues.

During their talk, the students also introduced “Get Psyched,” a new student group that meets during club time on Wednesday mornings.

Early agenda items included identifying mental health resources and online movements, such as www.okaytosay.org, and developing a school-wide destigmatizing campaign that includes posters and lunchtime discussions. Club members also plan to connect with other student groups with shared goals.

Sweetlamb noted that he enjoys working with Middle School artists because they show the greatest amount of improvement in the shortest time. “I get to see them grow up over the eight-week rehearsal period and then over their three-year journey as an artist, and that’s really special.”

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Government. “It was one of the first things Kathy Coe told me about,” she said. “Her excitement for the annual Marbridge prom, which the school hosts each spring, made me realize how truly amazing a community it must be. I have fallen in love with the organization and the residents’ positivity and sense of fun.”

Prewitt said she organized the Olympic competition because she wanted to share her appreciation for Marbridge residents with other Spartans.

“Each year, when we are leaving the prom, everyone seems to feel positive about the world and the people in it,” she explained. “On the bus ride back to campus, everyone’s spirits are high. I wanted to bring that feeling to our campus—to host the residents at our ‘home’ and thank them for sharing their home with us each spring.”

Abbie Prewitt Reveals Olympic-Size Heart Early in the school year, 11th grade student Abbie Prewitt showed she has heart on and off the field when she roused her field hockey teammates to host an Olympic competition for residents of Marbridge, a nonprofit living community for adults with a range of cognitive disabilities.

During the two-hour competition, field hockey players and their Marbridge friends divided into teams, created squad names and a cheer, and played a number of games together in Clayton Gym. The Olympians shot basketballs, ran an obstacle course and relay races, and played floor hockey, of course! The exciting community-building event concluded with a special awards ceremony for the visiting athletes.

A three-year varsity team member, Prewitt conceived and organized the event with the support of her teammates and coach. “Abbie’s leadership and initiative in planning the Olympics Day was phenomenal,” said Chelsea Richards, director of the field hockey program. “From recycling past Spartan jerseys to awarding medals at the end of the day, her attention to detail and compassionate heart made the event a success. I am so glad she shares her passion for service with the hockey program. The event really made an impact on the Marbridge residents.”

Prewitt, who started playing field hockey at St. Stephen’s in sixth grade, first became involved with Marbridge as a ninth grade member of Student

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Prewitt said she also thought the athletic event would help students start the school year on a positive note. “There aren’t a lot of moments when we have the opportunity to engage with others in the Austin community in such a fun, enriching way,” she noted. “It’s hard to be around such amazing individuals and not adopt some of that positivity in your own life.”

According to Coe, director of Middle School athletics, St. Stephen’s has a long history of partnering with the nonprofit. More than a decade ago, the varsity football players teamed up with Marbridge players for joint practices, and we invited them to one of our home games. In addition, our 10th graders volunteer at the facility every school year. Spartans also regularly invite residents to campus to play board games, work on crafts and share a meal in the dining hall. However, the capstone event of the year for everyone is the Marbridge prom, which our students have hosted for the last eight years.

“What originally started out as students ‘just needing service hours’ became so much more,” Coe noted. “Our students make a real connection with the residents and look forward to seeing them at different events.

After a while, students let their guard down and show their own vulnerability. I think it gives them a sense of humility and appreciation for their own abilities.”

Although Prewitt appreciates the importance of community service, she believes the time she spends at Marbridge is different. “Selfishly, after participating in service work at Marbridge, I always seem to walk away having gained more than what I gave,” she said. “The experience has had a direct impact on my life.”

Spartan Magazine

Middle School Fall Sports Wrap-Up What a season for the Middle School Spartans! More than 175 student-athletes competed this fall, participating in one of five sports offered—cross country, field hockey, flag football, tackle football and volleyball. Students enjoyed local and regional competition, and some Spartans even brought their league hardware back to The Hill.

The Spartan cross country team trained hard this fall under the direction of coaches Octavia Sadler and Peter Menacker. The runners participated in two practice competitions and four official meets. When asked about the season, Coach Sadler said: “Our runners worked hard and inspired their coaches all season long!” St. Stephen’s hosted the Austin InterParochial League meet in late October, and the Spartan sixth grade and seventh grade boys’ teams both finished second.

Spartan field hockey came out in full force this year with coaches Louise McNutt ’07 and Emily Roussel. The Purple team never wavered in their enthusiasm. This sixth/seventh grade team kept their energy up and never failed to offer inspiring halftime pep talks to their teammates. With solid fundamentals under their belts, the crew ended the season with four wins, two ties and two losses. The Red team competed in the Central Texas Middle School Field Hockey League and made their way to the top spot in the league.

The Red and Purple sixth grade flag football teams had an exciting season, collectively scoring more than 335 points in 15 games. Coaches Jay Patterson and La-Mont King noted considerable progress from August to November. Coach Patterson beamed with pride as he summed up the season: “Coaching Spartan flag football is always a privilege! Both teams exemplified high levels of sportsmanship, competitiveness and character on the field.” The Spartans faced off against each other twice this fall, and each team claimed a victory. Both teams made the AIPL playoffs as the second and third seeds.

The Middle School Saints came together this season to play six-person tackle football. This fast-paced, high-scoring style was a thrill to watch and, according to the team, even more fun to play. Coaches D.J. Johnson ’09 and Kelton Malone were happy with their players’ efforts throughout the season. “I couldn’t be more proud!” Coach Johnson said. “These guys showed just how tough they are and reminded me how important it is to have fun while competing.”

In just the second year of Middle School boys’ volleyball, the Spartans fielded two teams. A joint record of 9-1 made for a winning season.

The sixth/seventh boys’ only had one loss early in the season. Coaches Brian Poppinga and Preston Achilike were impressed with the players’

enthusiasm and commitment to their teammates. Coach Achilike put it best when he said, “In an almost perfect season, our players showed us that the future of boys’ volleyball is right here in our Middle School.”

On the girls’ side, more than 40 Middle School athletes competed on four girls’ volleyball teams led by coaches Karrie Poppinga, Kerry Gehring, Shara Ward, Marite Ibañez and Alix Lacelarie-Kautz. The teams collectively played more than 45 matches, and their progress on the court was evident. Coach Poppinga noted, “Big growth and a taste of competition made this a successful season!”

—chelsea richards, sports information director

PHOTOS (top to bottom) Middle School football players; Spartan girls volleyball team

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Fostering Community Engagement St. Stephen’s excels in academics, which is one of the main reasons parents choose the school for their children. As parents grow more familiar with school life, what becomes equally evident is the strong spirit and sense of place shared by community members.

I am continually inspired by the enthusiasm of the student body, humbled by the talents of the faculty and staff, and awe-struck at the energy of the parent base. There is so much community support and encouragement at every performance, athletic game, school program and Parents’ Association (PA) event. Although I could cite numerous examples of great community engagement, I want to highlight two in particular.

First, this year we were able to offer a special shared Homecoming/Alumni Reunion experience thanks to the incredible coordination of Athletics, Advancement, administrators and the PA. It was a true homecoming for our alumni and a real reuniting of our campus in which students, alumni, faculty, staff and families all came together to celebrate Spartans, forever!

Homecoming began with an all-school pep rally in Clayton Gym. The Thunder Drummers welcomed everyone while members of Student Government handed out purple t-shirts with the pep rally logo. Faculty competed against students in a number of playful contests, and every fall sport was recognized. Following afternoon classes, everyone was invited to the Spartan Block Party. Held on the old softball field, this family-friendly event offered karaoke, pies-in-the-face, waterslides and a very popular funnel cake food truck. Campus was alive and buzzing with excitement, and we were all proud to be Spartans.

As afternoon turned into evening, focus turned to the Campus Cookout, where everyone could grab a bite to eat under the trees before the big games. The tradition of breaking bread with those in your community is a gift. The fact that we had so many alumni, students and faculty, and parents at the cookout made it a truly memorable and meaningful experience. After eating, everyone headed off to one of the numerous home varsity athletic events, including field hockey, girls’ volleyball, boys’ volleyball and Saints football.

Another great example of community engagement is a Spark 2023 strategic plan initiative—the PA’s Spartans Engage Mentoring and Internship Program. Spartans Engage creates exciting new networking opportunities

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for students and alumni through internships and educational partnerships.

Involvement can be a one-time coffee or Skype call with a student, a short-term job shadow, an ongoing mentorship and/or an internship opportunity. Lunchtime workshops, discussion panels and group coffees are also potential areas for engagement.

The PA will continue to identify new engagement opportunities with the hope of creating a career-information network and platform for both students and alumni. If you are interested in becoming involved in this initiative or would like additional information about the program, please feel free to contact me at papresident@sstx.org. Our team would love to hear from you!

On behalf of the PA, I would like to extend my deepest appreciation and gratitude to every member of the St. Stephen’s community. Your engagement and spirit enrich the lives of our students and all the community experiences we share and cherish!

—anne wilkerson, pa president, 2019–20

Spartan Magazine

One United School Community Since the Annual Fund kick-off breakfast in late September, this year’s campaign has been characterized by excitement and inspiring Spartan participation. As you know, the Annual Fund is the cornerstone of school fundraising because it helps close the financial gap between tuition and the actual cost of educating each student. That gap is $2,600 per student. Closing the gap through gifts to the Annual Fund not only provides important funds for the school’s operating budget, it enhances the St. Stephen’s experience for every student.

PHOTO (clockwise from top right) Annual Fund Parent Chairs Kat and Jim Erben; Andi Yorio, Laura Burkhart and Analea Holland; Brad Miles, Charlie Cole and Eric Natinsky; Connie Heyer and Katherine Wallin; Rebecca Krauss and David Houston

To aid in this year’s fundraising efforts, 67 dedicated and enthusiastic parent volunteers have given their time and energy to help make the campaign a success. Our goal this year is for every member of the school community to make a gift so that we have 100 percent community participation. Toward this end, the parent volunteers have sought to increase parent participation by encouraging gifts of any amount. No gift is too small. To date, our overall parent participation numbers are up, and Annual Fund gifts and pledges continue to come in.

Jim and I feel so fortunate to be part of the St. Stephen’s community, and we have been honored to serve as this year’s Annual Fund parent chairs.

We frequently use the word “community” to describe the school, because we feel it truly depicts what St. Stephen’s means to our family.

We believe that the school provides our son Jess, an 11th grader, incredible opportunities—not only academically, athletically and musically, but in his personal growth and belief in service as well. We support the Annual Fund so that Jess and all the other incredible fSt. Stephen’s students can continue to thrive in this unique and extraordinary school on a hill.

If you feel the same as we do, then please support the Annual Fund. If you have not pledged or given yet, please consider doing so now by going to www.sstx.org/givenow. Thank you for participating!

—kat and jim erben, parent annual fund chairs, 2019–20

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Mark Your Calendars for Reunion 2020

Sept. 25-27, 2020. Alumni from all class years are welcome and encouraged to attend. Please join us!

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Spartan Magazine

REUNION 2019 Pioneer Spartans Dinner Reunion weekend kicked off with the Pioneer Spartans Dinner, held at the Bowen Fine Arts Studios on the evening of Friday, Sept. 27. This annual event celebrates the classes that graduated 50-plus years ago from St. Stephen’s. This year’s dinner was attended by more than 80 people. The Pioneers were welcomed by Head of School Chris Gunnin, reminisced with classmates and friends, and were treated to an extraordinary performance by the school’s Madrigal Singers. A special addition to this year’s festivities was the opportunity to honor alumna and former director of alumni relations and planned giving, Lou Porter Bailey ’71, who founded the Pioneer Spartans Dinner event.

Leadership Luncheon At the Leadership Luncheon in Scanlan Gallery on Saturday morning, class representatives, members of the Legacy Council and Spartan Society board members were honored for their volunteer leadership. Gunnin introduced Nancy Wilson Scanlan ’59, the keynote speaker. Gunnin noted that her devotion to St. Stephen’s is unparalleled. Scanlan served on the board of trustees for 10 years and championed faculty members, academics, boarding life and the school’s great architecture. After her service on the board, she served as a member of the campus committee.

She came to St. Stephen’s as a boarding student from Beaumont, Texas, in 1955. At her graduation ceremony, she received the Bishop’s Medal, which is awarded to the senior who maintained the highest academic standing throughout their junior and senior years. She also had time to be a cheerleader. Following graduation, she went on to study art history at Smith College. She returned to The Hill in 1985 and taught visual arts in the Upper School, as well as eighth grade art history.

Scanlan has supported St. Stephen’s for decades through generous gifts to the Annual Fund, capital campaigns and the endowment through planned giving. An Austin philanthropist, she has supported KMFA radio, Harry Ransom Center, Save our Springs Alliance, Planned Parenthood, Westcave Preserve, Austin museums and Women & Their Work. She is also a renowned photographer, mentor and world traveler.

Scanlan’s legacy has continued at St. Stephen’s with her two children, Wilson Scanlan ’93 and Laura Scanlan Cho ’89, her beloved goddaughter, Sarah Gill ’02, and her thirdgeneration Spartan grandchildren, Callie Cho ’19 and Eliza Cho (ninth grade).

PHOTOS (opposite page, clockwise from top): Lou Porter Bailey ’71, Christine Aubrey and Julie Buckthal Person ’71; Welcome sign; Head of School Chris Gunnin, Anne Johnson Moultrie ’69 and Laura Scanlan Cho ’89 (this page, top to bottom): Kathryn Miller Anderson ’71, Jack O’Quin ’67, Karen O’Quin and Gaye Holcomb Evert ’70; Bonnie Wulff, Alan Fenton, Arthur Wright ’64, Bart Wulff ’64 and Toby Sackton ’64; Jeannette Schaleben Cook ’58, Lynne Storm ’55, Page Allen ’60 and Nancy Wilson Scanlan ’59; The Madrigal Singers

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Alumni Round Table Saturday afternoon, Spartan alumni gathered for an informative, thoughtprovoking and reflective conversation about the value and direction of affinity groups at St. Stephen’s. Yvonne Adams, director of equity and inclusion, provided an overview of the purpose and importance of affinity groups and facilitated a round-table discussion featuring panelists from the alumni community who represent various affinity groups. Panelists shared stories about their time at St. Stephen’s and reflected on their experiences. Round-table panelists included Rudy Green ’71, Emily Hummel ’86, Claire Fenton Simmonds ’93, Yasmine Smith ’12, Jennifer Sturley ’13 and John Williams ’74. Following the discussion, attendees participated in break-out sessions led by Virginia Cumberbatch ’06, Virginia Talley ’97, Caitlin Sweetlamb and Greg Bravo-Bonetti. To view the discussion, please visit the school’s YouTube channel.

Alumni Barbecue A record number of alumni and their families reconnected with classmates, faculty and staff at the annual Alumni Barbecue on Saturday evening. Kids of all ages enjoyed the Kid Zone, featuring games, a balloon artist and face painter.

On Sunday, Reunion 2019 closed with a special service in Chapel with boarding students. Following the service, alumni were invited to brunch in the dining hall.

PHOTOS (clockwise from top left): Panelists Jennifer Sturley ’13, Yasmine Smith ’12 and Claire Fenton Simmonds ’93; Kathryn Miller Anderson ’71, Katherine Brogan Enyart ’73 and Willie Goffney ’74; Greg Bravo-Bonetti, Virginia Cumberbatch ’97 and Caitlin Sweetlamb; Panelists Emily Hummel ’86, Rudy Green ’71 and John Williams ’74; Moderator Yvonne Adams, director of equity and inclusion

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PHOTOS (clockwise from top left): Anthony Yen ’83 and Charles Warlick ’83; the Class of 2009; Dean Mohlman and Will Hale ’99; Class of 1994; Daniel Allen ’09, Alan Downey ’09, Rick Pearson, Jason Hachett ’09 and Adam Long ’09

Spartan Magazine

Thank you to all alumni who attended Reunion events on campus. St. Stephen’s is grateful that you came back to The Hill to reconnect with classmates, teachers and friends. We hope you had a fun weekend. Thanks go, as well, to all of the alumni class representatives and party planners from the classes ending in ’04s and ’09s.

We are tremendously appreciative of your efforts on behalf of your class and alma mater. Thank you for making Reunion 2019 special for your classmates.

To see additional photos of the weekend, please sign up for the Spartan Alumni Network at spartanalumninetwork.com. The 2019 Reunion slideshow can be found on the school’s YouTube channel.

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Alumni Leadership: In Their Own Words

Having the privilege of attending St. Stephen’s has enriched all parts of my life — mind, body and spirit. Such privilege gives me a sense of duty to serve the institution that gave me so much. I love being part of our big Spartan family and want to support and enhance our relationships with one another and the school with fellowship and connection.

—mallory boyle ’04, secretary, spartan society board litigation paralegal, 3M

St. Stephen’s gave a lot to me as a student and boarding resident, and I think it is important to give back in any way I can.

— james carter ’13, member, spartan society board ph.d. candidate, columbia business school

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The Spartan Society Board is the governing body of the alumni society at St. Stephen’s. It aims to serve the alumni population at large, working in tandem with the director of alumni relations to best meet the needs of Spartan alumni of all ages. The Spartan Society Board has an active role in alumni proceedings and has the opportunity to influence programming and alumni communications. We asked members of the board to share their reasons for serving.

When I was a student at St. Stephen’s, and shortly thereafter, I could not really conceive of the impact that my education and experiences would have on me. I was worn out and, honestly, a little burned out from working to meet the challenges of the school’s rigorous education.

But when I got to college, I was surprised when one of my freshman roommates approached me to ask me how to write a paper. How to write a paper?! That was just one of many immediate glimpses I would get into how St. Stephen’s teachers, staff and classmates had all helped prepare me for the next steps in life. That preparation was not solely academic.

Spartans do not just talk the talk; they walk the walk with intentionality and commitment when it comes to diversity, community and service.

— jennifer stayton ’85, president, spartan society board radiohost and anchor, KUT 90.5

St. Stephen’s had a transformative effect on my life. I was encouraged to be inquisitive and to question the world, and through that, I learned how to think critically and holistically. Perhaps most importantly, St. Stephen’s gave me the freedom to explore and learn about myself and find my voice. I learned what matters most to me and worked to become a better person. The successes I have enjoyed since high school have come from the foundation that St. Stephen’s laid. I want the school to continue to be a transformative experience for others. The world has changed a lot in the 10 years since I graduated, but the principles that St. Stephen’s instilled in me are still essential in today’s world.

— chetan panda ’09, alumni chair,st. stephen’s annual fund investment associate, dimensional fund advisors

Spartan Magazine

The Spartan Society Board is actively seeking new members. If you are interested in serving, please contact Michelle Geo Olmstead at molmstead@ ssxt.org.

Spartan Society board members Eric Neuhaus ’04, Mallory Boyle ’04, Jennifer Stayton ’85 and Jeannette Schaleben Cook ’58; not pictured: James Carter ’13 and Chetan Panda ’09

PHOTO

St. Stephen’s played an integral role in shaping the type of person I am today. I hope my continued involvement with the school helps support meaningful alumni engagement, creating special opportunities for students to grow and learn.

—eric neuhaus ’04, member, spartan society board entrepreneur, developer of carbon-neutral, eco-focused funeral home services

I am involved with St. Stephen’s for the same reason I am still involved with my extended family. They are the two aspects of my life that ground New Director of Alumni Relations me. I attended St. Stephen’s for just two years, but they were pivotal In early August the Advancement years in my life. I made lifelong friends I still know I can always turn to Office was pleased to welcome Michelle Geo Olmstead as the new for advice, support and camaraderie. My class was deeply influenced full-time director of alumni relations. by our senior ethics teacher, Mr. Hutchins. He was a profoundly sincere A seasoned alumni relations and development professional, Olmstead individual, and he seemed determined to pass his most valuable served most recently as director of alumni relations at Breck School, a insights on to us. He said we should never hesitate to tell another co-educational Episcopal day school individual that we love him or her, because that is the most valuable gift in Minneapolis, where she managed an array of alumni engagement programs we can ever give. To this day my classmates do that, and when we do, and activities. She would love to hear we mean it. That, in my opinion, is what sets St. Stephen’s apart from from each of you and learn about your Stephen’s She can be Spartan SocietySt. board membersexperiences.

Eric Neuhaus ’04, Mallory Boyle ’04, other prep schools—a profound sense of community.

Jeannette Schaleben Cookat’58molmstead@sstx.org and Jennifer Stayton ’85 or reached —jeannette schaleben cook ’58, member, spartan society board retired real estate broker and high school teacher

512.327.1213 x178.

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Class Notes The Class of ’59 celebrated their 60th Reunion with an event at the YO Ranch Headquarters near Kerrville, Texas, in early May. They had a great turnout!

Attendees included Rella Brooks Allred, Howie Cockrill and Catherine Cockrill, Peter Hartman, Burdine Johnson and Christophe Venghiattis, Linda Knapp Kelly and Art Kelly, Robin Borglum Kennedy and John Kennedy, Robert Knight and Betty Knight, Jane Jordan Lacy, Karen Fife Payne and Gene Payne, Tom Romberg and Peggy Romberg, Nancy Wilson Scanlan, James Sigler and Shelley Sigler, Charles Sumners and Robin Sumners. It was wonderful for the class to be all together, sharing pictures and stories. Those who were unable to come were missed.

1961 The new film by Terry Malick, “A Hidden Life,” received rave reviews at the Cannes Film Festival. The film hit theaters on Dec. 13, 2019.

1963 In 2018 Julia Cauthorn went from being president and chief compliance officer of the small firm Texan Capital Management Inc. to becoming a shareholder and portfolio manager in a much larger firm, Chilton Capital Management LLC. She has a 1.5-mile commute, which takes five minutes when River Oaks Baptist School is on vacation and 15 minutes when school is in session.

She has no plans to retire at this point, especially since she is no longer personally liable to the SEC for her firm’s mistakes. Cauthorn traveled to Mexico City and Puebla with her son, Will Sommers, and his wife, Vicky Lai, in April. They live in NYC. He is a programmer with RentTheRunway, and she is in marketing at Google.

1967 In retirement, Abby Johnson Buhle uses her time to work on immigration justice and coordinates volunteers for her local Interfaith Sanctuary Coalition.

She volunteers at a Unitarian Universalist church, where she teaches English to an asylum seeker who has been in sanctuary for more than 19 months.

Buhle goes on Jericho Walks (silent marches) around the local ICE building and attends vigils. For fun, she and her husband go to two French conversation circles. Her home life includes sending political email correspondence with her 42-year-old son, Eric, a biologist in Seattle, and caring for her 30-year-old son, Peter.

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Bambi Buhler Carter and Monty Carter moved to a smaller house near downtown Spokane, Wash., last year. The couple enjoys the very walkable neighborhood, but they miss views of the Little Spokane River. Last summer they made a longer than usual road trip. They ventured through Oregon, the California Bay Area, San Diego and across the Southwest. While in California, they visited their son, Slaton, in Berkeley and Bambi’s brother in San Diego. Bambi and Monty made it to Austin in time to celebrate two of their grandchildren’s high school graduations. Their grandson, Cade, will attend Gonzaga this fall! They are looking forward to him being in Spokane. While in Texas they spent time with Daryl Hause Tanner and George Tanner at their ranch outside of Fredericksburg. They had a great time driving through the Hill Country before it became too warm. They left Texas at the end of May and took a route back to Washington without seeing much of any interstates. All told, they put about 7,000 miles on the Subaru! Bambi and Monty also saw Norie Clarke this summer. She attended a Unitarian Church conference in Spokane, and they talked her into staying with them. There was a lot of catching up to do, as the classmates had not seen each other in at least 40 years.

Kate Chanock is retired and recently moved to a new home. She spends a lot of time with her grandchildren, meeting them at school and walking them home. She has also taken up botanical illustration classes! It is not a career move; she just likes plant paintings.

Last summer Norie Clarke attended the Unitarian Universalist Church’s national assembly in Spokane, Wash. After learning that Bambi Buhler Carter and Monty Carter live there, she changed her plans, cancelled the reservation at doggie daycare and parked her RV outside of their home. The classmates walked with Arthur the cockapoo to the convention center each day along the Spokane River. She truly enjoyed her time in Spokane with its lovely downtown area and parks.

Earlier this summer, she was in Austin to join the family

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caravan to Port Aransas to celebrate her mother’s 95th birthday. Clarke has continued her work in social justice through her church and other local organizations. She is currently focused on the climate crisis and reuniting children with their parents at the border.

Blackie Jones plans to sell his house in Baytown, Texas, and move to the Austin area. Although plans have been underway for the move for about seven years, he has made a bit of progress by disconnecting his land line. His sister, Mary Margaret, who owns a landscape architecture firm in New York, recently completed a park just off Red Square in Moscow that features seven biospheres representing the seven areas of Russia’s huge land area. Closer to home, the firm designed Discovery Green in Houston.

Many years ago, Janet Meek read “The Third Wave” by Alvin Toffler, who predicted the information revolution and coined the phrase “electronic cottage.” Meek really liked the idea that she could stay connected with the world and transact business while enjoying off-the-grid living in a relatively remote rural area. She keeps up with technology—with some resistance—and runs her businesses from a little cabin in the woods in Hunt, Texas. For the past 10 years, the Internet has helped her research alternative health modalities to deal with breast cancer. Returning to work at the U.S. State Department in 1999 helped improve her computer skills.

After retiring in 2005, she returned to Kerrville, Texas, and then eventually Hunt. She closed major business deals without ever having to leave home. She also began to use social media to keep up with children and grandchildren. However, about the time she mastered Facebook, everyone was using Twitter and Instagram.

Meek finds it hard to keep up, but loves being able to subscribe to the Washington Post and the New York Times and keep up with current events so easily. She remembers how hard it was to get a copy of the Times in Hunt in the 1990s. Her latest venture involves further upping her game. She is about to self-publish a book on

JOIN THE ALUMNI BOOK CLUB This book club provides an opportunity for St. Stephen’s alumni to read interesting books and discuss them in an online community.

Sign up to today to help us pick our next book at https://sstx.pbc.guru.

her experiences as a midwife in the 1990s called “Birth Wild and Sacred.” She considers the work she did as a midwife to be more important than anything she did in the State Department, so it is time to share some of the things she learned. The book is a companion to the guided meditation series for pregnancy and birth called “Opening the Way.” She is currently working on her social media presence and new website, but for additional information please go to yanaguana.org.

Randy Parten and Mike Childers Parten ’69 split their time between east Texas and Houston with more and more time spent in east Texas. She has gone back into the horse business with nine horses despite the fact they feel they are both too old to ride. He is setting up the world’s largest electric train, although he finds it considerably painful to crawl around under a large plywood table and find the tiny little hole he drilled for a wire 20 minutes ago. With the birth this summer of Brooks Perry Parten, the pair have 12 grandchildren combined. The happy parents are Austin Parten ’01 and Faith, whose life is laid out for them for the next couple of decades. The Partens find themselves working more and more for the doctors who constantly warn them of their ill health with the same enthusiasm as an auto warranty robo-caller but, like the robo-caller, they mostly ignore it or refuse to answer. Parten would love to hear from members of the Class of 1967.

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Renn Rhodes is fully retired after 30 years as chief financial officer of an international leasing company. He spent time in offices all around the world, but mostly in Singapore for the last 10 years. Now he is doing all sorts of volunteer gigs, including serving on the board of trustees of Grace Cathedral, the Episcopal cathedral in San Francisco where he is head of the buildings and grounds committee and serves on the finance committee. Every Tuesday Rhodes mentors small business owners and serves on the board as treasurer of their co-op building in San Francisco. He wonders how he ever had time to work! Rhodes and spouse Marty have been doing more traveling the last few months since Marty retired from his position as chief executive officer. He is now enjoying his time as a part-time lawyer for hire. The couple traveled last summer to Athens after a few days in Istanbul and four days on their friends’ boat based on Mykonos. They had a fun time meeting up with Bambi Buhler Carter, Monty Carter, Daryl Hause Tanner and George Tanner for several days last October in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. Rhodes also had a nice visit with the Tanners in Corpus Christi, Texas, in March, when he was visiting his 93-year-old stepfather in nearby Rockport. He enjoyed the best crab cakes there!

Daryl Hause Tanner cannot stop humming the refrain, “When I was 70,” reflecting on it being a welcome time of life. She enjoyed a fine celebration with Renn Rhodes, Monty Carter and Bambi Buhler Carter in Oregon’s pinot noir country. She then made a beautiful journey, driving the coast with the Carters. In late September Tanner and her husband, George, traveled to Italy, where she painted and he explored in Citta della Pieve, near Florence and Perugia in Umbria. The couple plan to take a February river cruise on the Mekong Delta with Ama Waterways. Tanner’s career focused on education from Montessori 2-year-olds through college art students. At 50, she went back to graduate school and received an M.S. in counseling, then an M.A. and M.F.A. in studio art from Texas A&M. She retired from there as an adjunct professor of studio art, and said she definitely prefers 2-year-olds! She and George have been married 47 years and have moved 26 times. The couple have been in Corpus Christi for 37 years and love their life there.

They travel when they can and enjoy their children and

four grandchildren. Ben, 40, is a veteran of Amazon and recently took a job with TreeTop Foods in Chicago.

Daughter Kathleen, 36, is a crafty litigator/probate attorney in Houston with Crain/Caton. The pair enjoy their four grandchildren, Luke (8), Caroline (7), Tanner (4) and Madison (1).

Larry Weeks will retire as a rector in the Episcopal Church in 2020. He plans to continue working since two of his boys, Elliot and Will, are still in college.

1968 In September Clarke Heidrick was honored with the Distinguished Citizen Award by the Capitol Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. The award is presented annually to an individual who embodies leadership, service and helping others.

1971 Walter Adams teaches at the Universidad del Valle de Guatemala and works with a local co-op of artisans to develop goods from agave fiber. In December they displayed products at a fair in Chile.

Longtime friends Kathryn Miller Anderson, Jane Dryden Louis ’69, Julie Buckthal Person, Claire McKay Ewert, Lou Porter Bailey and Andy Fraser met on The Hill in early September to enjoy being together. They reminisced, watched the students as they walked to Chapel and felt the breeze rustling through the beautiful trees. The group sat in front of what was the library when they were students and Lou’s mother was the wonderful librarian. The day they visited would have been Mrs. Porter’s 95th birthday! Fraser noted that when they were students and saw alumni walking around campus, they were not ever as old as they are now!

These alumni are so appreciative of the friends they made while at St. Stephen’s and of the teachers who made their school life so meaningful.

Kathryn Miller Anderson and Larry Anderson are happy to announce the birth of their fourth grandchild, Georgie! She is the daughter of their daughter,

REGIONAL ALUMNI GATHERING

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John, and daughter-in-law, Jessie, were approved to be adoptive parents, so they are now waiting to find out who they will welcome into their family. McMeans is super excited and hopes they find out soon so she can start grandparenting.

Michael Mehaffy said it was great to see so many at the 45th! He left Austin for Stockholm to work on the partnership with the UN-Habitat for the World Urban Forum amongst other things. He then went to Yale to give a lecture to Will Goetzmann’s class! He then headed up to Harvard to help moderate at a conference on cities at the Kennedy School before heading back to Stockholm. Mehaffy returned to Portland to be with his family for the holidays. He has a new book coming out on pattern languages that will be launched at the World Urban Forum. He hopes to see many of you at the 50th!

Kathryn Miller Anderson ’71, Jane Dryden Louis ’69, Julie Buckthal Person ’71, Claire McKay Ewert ’71, Lou Porter Bailey ’71 and Andy Fraser ’71

Emily Meador ’00, and her wife, Natasha Barker.

Georgie is named after Meador’s grandfather, George Dee Meador ’70. Anderson said it was wonderful having so many classmates at Reunion this year! Please remember that some very generous classmates have donated to our travel fund, so if you would like to come to our 50th Reunion and could use some financial help getting there, please let her know.

Lou Porter Bailey enjoyed seeing so many classmates at Reunion this year! She is thankful to everyone who came and hopes if you were not able to attend that you will please come next year, or at least in 2021 for their 50th Reunion! She said they have a wonderful class and a great class representative, Kathryn Miller Anderson.

On behalf of the Class of 1971, she thanks Anderson for all she does!

Larry Jones attended the Pioneer Spartans Dinner to help recognize Lou Porter Bailey and see classmates from 1971! He reported it was an incredible experience to honor a great Spartan and his Buda cousin. Earlier in the year, Jones ran into Tom Touhy, Debbie Touhy and their friends who were visiting Texas from Marin County, Calif. The couples stayed in the guesthouse at Jennifer’s Gardens, also known as the oasis of Fred Myers’ wife, Jennifer. The reconnected friends enjoyed time at the Saxon Pub and laughed at all the connections they had in common. Jones and Tuohy shared memories and reflected that this chance meeting had to be the work of Stephanie and Lauren.

1973 Chip Andrews and Antoinette Andrews reported that their son, Giles, is a freshman at Cleveland State University (CSU). He is a student-athlete playing NCAA Division 1 lacrosse and a physical therapy major. To

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As a slightly late celebration of their 33rd anniversary, Mike Peters and his wife, Suzie, spent a few weeks in British Columbia. He reported that it was a great time to visit — cool weather, beautiful scenery and the lowest rates of the year. He hopes everybody is well and happy!

1976 Lissa Burnette still plays with horses. She also finds side hustles to make extra money and have fun. She was recently cast in a John Deere commercial in which she drove a zero-turn mower and galloped a horse across the landscape. She is unsure when the commercial comes out, so keep your eyes on the green John Deere if it pops up on the screen. She said that moving to Blanco, Texas, has been a challenge. However, after living on and off of her family’s ranch since she was born, she feels it is always an adventure.

Jim Chriss ’73 and Chip Andrews ’73

Andrew’s delight he discovered his St. Stephen’s roommate of three years, Jim Chriss, is a professor of sociology and criminology at CSU and has published six books and has another coming out soon. During his week in Cleveland, Andrews moved Giles into his dorm and had dinner with Chriss and his beautiful daughter, Ariana, who will graduate from CSU next year and then head to graduate school. Chriss took the time to show them the beautiful Cleveland suburbs. The former roommates enjoyed catching up and look forward to seeing each other throughout the next four years.

They plan to go to some Indians games as well. Chriss promises he will attend their 50th Reunion.

1974 Ann McMeans enjoyed seeing everyone who attended their 45th Reunion in September. She hopes that there will be a much bigger turnout for the 50th! They missed those who could not make it. McMeans’ older son,

1981 Last summer Philip Doig visited with Cynthia La Rue ’82 in Nicaragua. La Rue’s family has a long history in the Jinotega region. Her family left the country during the revolution, but recovered their land in the early 2000s. After her father rebuilt his coffee farm, she chose to return to Nicaragua and has been running her own coffee farm for the last several years. Doig found it fascinating to see how she runs her farm and to witness how she takes care of the whole process of coffee cultivation. He currently serves as dean of students in the Upper School at St. Stephen’s.

1982 David Silverberg reported that 2019 was a wild year. He changed schools and now serves as counselor at Winfree Academy in Irving, Texas. He is excited to work with high school kids again! Silverberg will soon start his LPC internship so he can pursue a career in sports psychology.

His son, Ryan, started at Navarro College and is majoring in music. He is a sax player who specializes in jazz. His

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1990 In October the book “Time Zero” by author Carolyn Cohagan hit No. 1 on the Children’s Dystopian Fiction list in the United Kingdom and No. 2 in Australia.

1994

Philip Doig ’81 and Cynthia La Rue ’82 daughter, Jessica, is a freshman at Grand Prairie Fine Arts Academy, where she is a vocal music student. Silverberg’s wife is still doing her thing as a massage therapist and wellness expert. The couple had the opportunity to travel to South Africa with her company last year. He said he keeps his St. Stephen’s diploma on his office wall as a way to motivate his students.

Benjamin Richards received the U.S. Department of Commerce Gold Medal for his role leading the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) Fisheries’ Automated Image Analysis team. The medal is the highest honor award of the Department of Commerce. Since 1949 the award has been presented by the secretary of commerce for distinguished performance. The award is presented to an individual, group or organization for extraordinary, noble or prestigious contributions that impact the mission of the department and/or one or more operating units.

The group was honored for working across NOAA line offices to develop the Video and Image Analytics for the Marine Environment (VAIME) and CoralNet toolkit.

This is the first automated image recognition software using advanced computer vision and machine learning technology for the marine environment. Scientific programs across NOAA have begun using the toolkit, resulting in immediate cost savings of 50 percent in processing time with more precise, consistent and timely scientific information to enhance knowledge, discovery and more confident decision-making for ocean stewardship.

Ben Richards ’94

1995

Then and Now: Kirk Florence ’83 and Grant Little ’83

1983 Roommates their senior year at St. Stephen’s, Kirk Florence and Grant Little reconnected in Los Angeles in October. Florence and his wife, Elizabeth, hosted Little at a gala to raise funds for myotonic dystrophy at Paramount Studios. The Spartans had not seen one another since Florence’s wedding, which was 20-plus years ago! His mom provided the duo with a picture from their time at St. Stephen’s.

1987 Cathy Simmons loved catching up with Emily Hummel ’86 last March during a brief trip to Austin.

Last summer Simmons hosted Almaz Sullivan ’89 and her beautiful family at her home in southern Burgundy.

Ben Chan and his wife recently had the pleasure of sharing and comparing memories of St. Stephen’s with Bill Livingood ’54 and his wife, Marilyn, at the Explorers Club’s annual Lowell Thomas Award weekend. The gala was held in Washington, D.C., to honor distinguished individuals at the forefront of exploration. Chan joined the club, met Marilyn and then found out she was married to Livingood, a fellow Spartan. Chan said it is a funny example of how small the world is and also a testament to the school that its traditions and founding spirit still remain despite a 41-year span between the two Spartans. Livingood sends his best regards to the school family.

Bill Livingood ’54 and Ben Chan ’95

LIBERTY ROAD CYCLE EXCURSION In June St. Stephen’s Director of Outdoor Education Charlton Perry will host a Spartan Alumni Liberty Road Cycle Excursion. The 16-day biking adventure will explore Liberty Road (La voie de la Liberté), which commemorates the route of the Allied forces from D-Day in June 1944.

The trip begins in Sainte-Mère-Église in the Manche département in Normandy, France, travels through France and then northwards to end in Bastogne, on the border of Luxembourg and Belgium. If you would like additional information about this alumni trip, please contact Perry at cperry@sstx.org.

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ON BEHALF OF PRIOR, CURRENT AND FUTURE SPARTANS...

THANK YOU. We want to express our appreciation for your planned gift to St. Stephen’s Episcopal School. But We May Not Know About It. Please tell us if you have included, or intend to include, St. Stephen’s in your will or trust, or as a beneficiary of your IRA, retirement account, bank account or insurance policy.

Your commitment automatically makes you a member of the St. Stephen’s Legacy Council, a treasured group of alumni and friends who are helping to make the St. Stephen’s experience possible for future generations of Spartans.

To schedule a confidential conversation or to learn more, please contact Melody Harman, director of planned giving, at 512.327.1213 x125 or mharman@sstx.org.

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ALUMNI WINTER GAMES

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The 2019 Winter Games, Alumni vs. Spartans, were held on Dec. 18. The event celebrates athletics at St. Stephen’s and invites alumni to participate in friendly competitions with current Spartan athletes.

During the annual event Brooklyn Nets center and power forward Jarrett Allen ’16 was honored with the retirement of his Spartan jersey number. Thank you to St. Stephen’s Athletics and event chairs Erin Florence Jones ’86 and Adam Jones for making the evening so much fun.

on their tandem bike. The next day Jake O’Hare, Gus Kilgore, Charlton Perry, Matt Vale and Daniller-Varghese attended a Devil’s Canyon Wilderness Program reunion.

2012 Mariam Elnozahy was named to Apollo: The International Arts magazine’s 40 Under 40 – Middle East. Elnozahy is curator of Townhouse Gallery in Cairo.

Sunny Thompson ’00 with husband Chetin Durak

2000 “We are Everywhere: Protest, Power and Pride in the History of Queer Liberation” by Matthew Riemer and Leighton Brown details the photographic history of the movement. In the acknowledgements, Riemer noted the support provided to him by former St. Stephen’s teachers Laura Camp and Kathryn Respess.

Sunny Thompson married Chetin Durak in a hillside garden overlooking Lady Bird Lake in Austin on Sept. 1, 2019. The happy couple reside in Washington, D.C., where Thompson is associate general counsel and vice president of Sunrise Senior Living.

Katherine Neidhardt, Rebecca Gibbs and Audrey Blood ’09 at the Travis Heights Art Walk

2003

2009

In October St. Stephen’s Upper School math teacher Rebecca Gibbs ran into Leland Dyer in Marfa, Texas. The two enjoyed catching up.

2008 Artist and community organizer Miriam Conner was profiled last fall in EASTside magazine.

For more on what Conner has been up to, please go to her website miriamconner.com.

Ashley Lujan-Hernandez graduated with a master’s degree in China studies from Zhejiang University in June 2018. She received job offers in Hong Kong and Austin, but was in search of something new and still had a craving living abroad. Luckily, she had gathered enough clients doing Chinese-to-English translations on various topics, primarily engineering and legal documents, that she could pursue the life of a digital nomad for a while. That path led her to Berlin, where she learned German. After eight months of studying, she has achieved working-level proficiency. Now that she has completed the language requirements, she is pursuing job opportunities in Berlin, working at China-focused think tanks. Lujan-Hernandez said it has been a “wild transition” to move from China to Berlin. Although it has been more challenging than she initially expected, she is getting the hang of it and starting to understand the culture and society more. Initially, she had expected Europe and Berlin to be similar to the United States and less similar to China. She now feels that it is an interesting middle ground that she is still unwrapping — one she would like to focus on more as she pursues professional opportunities or a possible Ph.D.

Faculty members Katherine Neidhardt and Rebecca Gibbs caught up with Audrey Blood at the Travis Heights Art Walk in November.

2010 While traveling in Turkey last summer, Henry Chan met up with classmate Audrey Wozniak in Istanbul.

Max Daniller-Varghese and Caitlin Watkins ’09 got married on Sept.14, 2019. They exited the reception

Henry Chan ’10 and Audrey Wozniak ’10 in Istanbul

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community. Late last summer Allen hosted an annual event that provides 50 back-to-school haircuts for kids in the community. St. Stephen’s honored Allen by retiring his jersey at the annual Alumni vs. Students Winter Games on Dec. 18, 2019.

Natalie Ray was elected Phi Beta Kappa as a junior at Occidental College.

Last summer Natalie Vaz, who runs a fishing business in Alaska, rescued an injured moose calf. The story was featured on thealaskalife.com.

2018 Congratulations to the yearbook editors of the 2018 Deacon, Anna Sheinberg, Cameron Watkins, Grace Atwell and Sarah Buchholz, for having their cover art recognized nationally in the 33rd edition of “Yearbook Yearbook” for its outstanding design.

Jake O’Hare ’10, Gus Kilgore ’10, Charlton Perry, Matt Vale ’10 and Max Daniller-Varghese ’10 at a DCWP reunion

2013

SPARTAN ALUMNI NETWORK

Congratulations to Kofi Asante for being featured in Forbes Magazine. After successfully launching Powerloop at Uber Freight, Asante was offered an executive position at another innovative startup company. In January 2019 he became director of strategy and business development at Elroy Air in San Francisco. Asante has joined a phenomenal team with chief executive officer and co-founder David Merrill, co-founder Clint Cope, and a group

of brilliant engineers from MIT, Stanford, Rice and Georgia Tech. Elroy Air is building an autonomous airplane that can deliver supplies in both the most remote and congested areas. They aim to increase the quality of life by unlocking the potential of aerial deliveries domestically and internationally.

2016 Brooklyn Nets star Jarrett Allen has made a name for himself on and off the court. As a philanthropist, he is well-known for giving back to the local Brooklyn

Connect instantly with more than 6,000 St. Stephen’s alumni around the world with our new online directory. Sign up now at https://spartanalumninetwork.com. > Locate and reconnect with fellow Spartan alumni, faculty and staff > Introduce, employ and serve as a mentor to fellow Spartans > Expand your professional network > Post job openings and find job leads

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2018 Deacon yearbook editors Anna Sheinberg ’18, Cameron Watkins’18, Grace Atwell ’18 and Sarah Buckholz ’18

2019 Chloe Lawrence enrolled at Denison University in Granville, Ohio. She joined a writing club called hercampus, which gives her the opportunity to publish articles online twice a month. She recently heard Beto O’Rourke speak at The Ohio State University. Although she did not get to see him in the main building, due to a maximum-capacity crowd, he took a few minutes to speak to all the students who did not make it in. Afterwards, he gave Lawrence a high-five! It was definitely a highlight of her first semester, and she looks forward to voting for the first time in the upcoming election!

In Memoriam The Rev. Samuel Todd ’58

On Oct. 3, 2019, the Rev. Samuel Todd ’58 passed away. He was a beloved member of the St. Stephen’s community and loving father to Sam Todd ’86, Elisa Ellis Todd ’90, Miranda Todd ’96 and Peter Todd. He received an A.B. cum laude in philosophy from Harvard University in 1962 and studied theology at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, where he received an M.Div. in 1965. He was ordained an Episcopal priest in 1966.

He served at a number of churches in Texas and New York, retiring from Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church.

He was then appointed founding academic dean of the Iona School for Ministry. A memorial service was held for Todd on Nov. 2, 2019, at Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas.

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Springs, Texas. She attended elementary and junior high school there before enrolling at St. Stephen’s, where she was a strong student, athlete and cheerleader.

LeMaistre graduated from The University of Texas at Austin and was a member of Pi Beta Phi. She then received her M.B.A. at Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas. She worked as a teacher in Carrizo Springs and San Antonio. She taught math and later was a special education teacher certified in American Sign Language. LeMaistre is remembered as a loving daughter, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, teacher and friend. Her memorial service was held on Aug. 29, 2019, in Carrizo Springs.

Thetis Clay Gardner LeMaistre ’72 Thetis Clay Gardner LeMaistre ’72 passed away on August 15, 2019. She was preceded in death by her parents, Thetis Campbell Sanderford and Edward O’Meara Gardner, and her sisters, Megan G. Pipes and Erin G. Bowman. She is survived by son Court McLeod LeMaistre and his wife, Jessica Lowe; son Collin O’Meara LeMaistre and his spouse, Robyn LeMaistre; daughter Caitlin Rinehart; and four grandchildren. Other survivors include her three sisters, Tara Gardner Eastland, Sean Gardner Turner ’70 and Dana Gardner Wilson ’76, and their families. Thetis and her sisters grew up in Carrizo

Jane Adams Shearer Calhoun, Former Teacher

Carey Spence Gunn Venditti ’86

Stroud Kelley ’66 Stroud Kelley ’66 passed away on Aug. 6, 2019. After graduating from St. Stephen’s, Kelley received his B.A. in history and J.D. from The University of Texas. Early in his career, he served as committee counsel and special counsel to the Texas House of Representatives. After a successful career in private law practice and oil and gas exploration, in 1987 he joined the legal department of the Texas General Land Office, where he held several positions, including deputy general counsel and special counsel for energy policy. In 1999 Kelley moved to Prague, Czech Republic, where he was an international legal and business consultant in oil, gas and power sector reform in a number of countries. He was active in Texas politics and in the Texas and Travis County bar associations. In his spare time, Kelley was an avid gardener and fisherman, especially on Devil’s River at Dolan Falls. He is survived by his daughter, Frances Kelley Ozaki of Tokyo, Japan. Kelley was honored at a memorial service on Aug. 29, 2019, at Woodlawn Cemetery in Timpson, Texas.

Robinson III; and their two sons, her beloved nephews, Bremond and Reed. She will be missed by many in the St. Stephen’s community. A celebration of life was held for Venditti on Jan. 26, 2019.

On Jan. 11, 2019, Carey Spence Gunn Venditti ’86 passed away. She was a special friend to the St. Stephen’s community and to the class of 1986. Her good friend, Mei Lisa Thompson ’86, described Carey as a friend to all and a true free spirit. Venditti went to The University of Texas and then to law school at Catholic University’s Columbus School of Law in Washington, D.C. Eventually, she settled back in Austin and went into the family business, real estate law. In her final project as senior partner and head of real estate department at DLA Piper, she helped broker the 100-acre land deal with Apple for her beloved city of Austin. Venditti was proud of their contributions to the community, which fueled her support of local nonprofits. She served on the executive board of the Austin Symphony Orchestra, the Management Committee of Urban Land Institute (ULI) and as a mentor and advisory council member of The University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business Real Estate Investment and Finance Center. In 2018 she was named district council chair for ULI. She was the first woman to be selected for this position and went on to found the Women’s Leadership Initiative.

In July 2013 Venditti married Eric Venditti and fulfilled a lifelong dream of being married in the American Cathedral in Paris. Eric’s daughter, Eleanor, rounded out the family of three. They eventually added a few dogs to make it a family of five. She is survived by her husband and stepdaughter; her father, Bill Gunn; her sister and brother-in-law, Ceecy Gunn Robinson ’83 and George

Longtime educator Jane Adams Shearer Calhoun passed away on Oct. 3, 2019. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tulsa and received her master’s degree in theology from Seminary of the Southwest in Austin. She was one of the first two women admitted to this seminary. She went on to teach for 10 years at St. Stephen’s, where she also served as a house mother. A devoted teacher, Calhoun spent nearly 40 years pouring her heart and soul into teaching children of all ages and backgrounds. Her work left an everlasting impact. In 1980 she began her teaching tenure with Austin Independent School District as a special education teacher at Johnston High School and later O’Henry Middle School, where she worked until her retirement in 2002. A service honoring Calhoun’s life was held on Oct. 19, 2019.

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T H E

M A G A Z I N E

O F

S T.

S T E P H E N’ S

E P I S C O P A L

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Alumni Class Representatives Winter 2020

Will Brewster ’51 brewsterwilliam34@gmail.com

Shannon Powers Flahive ’96 spowers1@austin.rr.com

Fred Heldenfels ’52 fheldenfels@gmail.com

Tina Bentsen Henrichson ’96 kbentsen@austin.rr.com

Edna Noel Heldenfels ’53 fheldenfels@gmail.com

Elizabeth Anne Sykes Rains ’96 earains1109@yahoo.com

Michael Hines ’54 poppyhines@msn.com

Cam Beesley ’97 leardsfool@gmail.com

Colin Phipps ’55 colin@phippsfarm.com

Jared Hockema ’98 jhockema@mac.com

Ellen McCorquodale Martin ’56 ellenk.martin@aol.com

Rebecca Hollis Diffen ’99 bdiffen@mcguirewoods.com

Ruth Wilson Witten ’57 ruthwitten@aol.com

Claire Browder ’00 clairebrowder@gmail.com

J.P. Bryan ’58 BryanJ@teai.com

Katharine Bayer ’01 kittybayer@gmail.com

Tom Romberg ’59 tromberg@me.com

Juliet Frerking ’01 frerking@gmail.com

Pat Fatter Black ’60 ggpat77@gmail.com

Kean Tonetti ’02 stonetti@gmail.com

Steve Jolly ’61 stevejolly@mindspring.com

Brian Kaufman ’04 brian.r.kaufman@gmail.com

David Sanders ’62 rdavidsanders@msn.com

Eric Neuhaus ’04 ean2324@gmail.com

Julia Cauthorn ’63 julia@texancapital.com

Rachel Katz ’05 rpk228@gmail.com

Joiner Cartwright ’64 joiner.cartwright@gmail.com

Sarah Cromwell Sheppard ’06 sarahhcromwell@gmail.com

Arthur Wright ’64 arthur.wright@tklaw.com

Selina Strasburger ’06 selina.strasburger@gmail.com

Dianne Duncan Tucker ’65 ddtuck@aol.com

Cole Arledge ’07 cole.arledge@gmail.com

Helen Candler Miller ’66 hcm@postoakfarm.com

Anne Buckthal Chilton ’07 anne.buckthal@gmail.com

Randy Parten ’67 jrparten@parten.com

Amanda Kushner ’08 amandakkushner@gmail.com

Robert Henderson ’68 rehenderson@nvcc.edu

J.J. Botha ’09 johannbbotha@gmail.com

Josh Harrison ’69 JHarrisonLaw@aol.com

Chantal Strasburger ’09 chantal.strasburger@gmail.com

Kathryn Miller Anderson ’71 zjmiller1513@gmail.com

Carlotta Garza ’10 carlotta.garza@gmail.com

Darrell David ’72 darrell.s.david@gmail.com

Omar Yaghi ’10 omaryaghi2@gmail.com

Douglass Anderson ’73 dlalaw@hotmail.com

Ryann Young ’10 rhy9@cornell.edu

Ann Rhodes McMeans ’74 armcmeans@gmail.com

Lindsay Redman ’11 llredman93@gmail.com

Dr. Mary L. Brandt ’75 mary.l.brandt@gmail.com

Henry Sikes ’11 WHSikes1@gmail.com

Sylvia McIntyre-Crook ’75 sycrook1@cox.net

Gray Twombly ’11 Twombly.Gray@gmail.com

Dan Norton ’76 daniel@danielnorton.com

Alia Yaghi ’11 alia.yaghi1@gmail.com

Robert Ettinger ’77 robert@ettlaw.com

Yosua A. Husodo ’12 yosua.adiyasa@hotmail.com

Mark Tucker ’78 mrtucker@mindspring.com

Helen Elizabeth Old ’12 helenelizabeth1@me.com

Carroll Lively Reeser ’79 carroll@reeser.net

Caroline Pringle ’12 carolinepringle93@gmail.com

Erica Peters Stafford ’81 Erica.Stafford@bvcpa.com

Jake Politte ’12 jake.politte@rocketmail.com

Charlotte Stuckey Brigham ’81 charbrigham@gmail.com

James Carter ’13 jamesterelcarter@gmail.com

Wendy White Naughton ’82 wendy.naughton@gmail.com

Annie Nordhauser ’13 lisa.nordhauser@gmail.com

Laura Mears Mirecki ’83 Lauralynn787@gmail.com

Nathan Goldberg ’14 nathangoldberg@college.harvard.edu

Suzanne Cantarino Pfeiffer ’84 SuzannePfeiffer@austin.rr.com

Jaclyn Horton ’14 jaclynlhorton@gmail.com

Libbie Walker Ansell ’85 libbieansell@gmail.com

Jim Old ’15 jamesold1@mac.com

Chris Breckwoldt ’86 cbreckwoldt@sstx.org

Nick Goldreyer ’16 nick.goldreyer@gmail.com

Catherine Hoey Randall ’87 caterandall@sbcglobal.net

Allie Goldreyer ’18 allie.goldreyer@gmail.com

Mark Rowe ’88 markrowe@henna.com

Blossom Maduafokwa ’18 bdm2140@barnard.edu

Jonathan Quander ’89 jdquander70@gmail.com

Andrew Yow ’18 david.andrew.yow@gmail.com

Joe Frisz ’90 joe.frisz@enovapay.com

Wyatt Gill ’19 Wyatt.gill912@gmail.com

Liz Fleming Powell ’91 lz.powell@gmail.com

Tom Guan ’19 guantomy@gmail.com

Monika Powe Nelson ’92 giantmonsterprincess@gmail.com

Greta Katsner ’19 gretakastner@gmail.com

Davis Baldwin ’93 rdbaldwin@mac.com

Chloe Lawrence ’19 chloelawrence512@gmail.com

Catherine Cook Weiss ’94 cmcook76@aol.com

Lucy Schmidt ’19 lucyschmidt88@gmail.com

Seth Alley ’95 sethalley@msn.com Ben Chan ’95 eyethump@gmail.com Hawkins Li ’95 hli3@yahoo.com Beth Cockerham Mack ’95 semack77@gmail.com Ann Strauser Palmer ’95 Annstrauserpalmer@gmail.com Rhea Benbow Thomas ’95 rheabt@gmail.com Meghan Alexander ’96 MAlexander@AlexanderAtty.com

36

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

The classes of 1970, 1980, 2003 and 2017 need a class representative.

If you are interested, please email Michelle Geo Olmstead at molmstead@sstx.org.

Care in Action

Environmental Education at its Best

Class Notes Submissions We encourage alumni to share personal updates with us for Class Notes. Spartan alumni are contacted by their Class Reps several times a year for news and information. For assistance contacting your Class Rep or to submit news directly by email, please contact Michelle Geo Olmstead, director of alumni relations, at 512.327.1213 x178 or molmstead@sstx.org.

Class Notes also can be submitted directly online at www.sstx.org/alumni/. Select the “Stay Connected” box.

For help finding your Class Rep, please visit our Alumni webpage at www.sstx.org/alumni.

We welcome high-resolution photographs with your Class Notes submission. Please send a JPG format in the largest size possible (at least 900 pixels; image 3 inches wide at 300 dpi). Please include the full names and class years of everyone pictured.

Spartan magazine editors reserve the right to edit or omit any information submitted.

Get Social! Connect with St. Stephen’s and your classmates online.

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Facebook: StStephensAlumni

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Twitter: StStephenSchool LinkedIn: St. Stephen's Episcopal School Alumni Private Alumni Facebook Group: facebook. com/groups/StStephensAlumniGroup If you have not received emails from the Alumni Office recently, we may not have your current email address.

Please send your information to molmstead@sstx.org so you do not miss invitations to events and news about your classmates. Thanks!

Spartan Magazine

one gift. one hundred %

ANNUAL FUND

This year we have one simple goal:

one gift—of any amount—from everyone!

The St. Stephen’s experience is truly transformative. We nurture students’ curiosity and creativity while providing the support and guidance they need to expand their knowledge, explore new interests and pursue their dreams.

Providing exceptional learning and growth opportunities every day takes hard work—and a lot of support.

That is why we ask all members of our school community to make a gift to the Annual Fund every year.

St. Stephen’s Annual Fund directly supports the school’s annual operating budget, which is why 100 percent participation in the Annual Fund is so important. So if you make only one gift to the school each year, please support the Annual Fund, First!

www.sstx.org/annualfund

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID AUSTIN, TEXAS PERMIT NO. 2556

6500 St. Stephen’s Drive Austin, Texas 78746

If you receive multiple copies of this publication or have updated address information to share with us, please send an email to jsarrett@sstx.org. Thank you!

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Pass it along to a friend or colleague or recycle.

PARTING SHOT Alumni from the Class of 2009 enjoying the view during Reunion 2019