Alumni Connections
Stephen P. Esmond Fund Carries on Ideals of Tatnall Teacher, Coach and Middle School Head Before there was a fund in his name, former Middle School Head Steve Esmond based his career on living and teaching the values of civility in the world outside the classroom. In appreciation of all Steve has done for The Tatnall School, Caroline Tatnall Ketcham ’58 and her husband, Rob, recently renamed what was known as the Ketcham Fund to the Stephen P. Esmond Fund in Steve’s honor. The fund, which is rooted in supporting the concepts of honor, civility and respect through targeted projects and activities, aims to amplify a critical component of Tatnall’s mission statement: “to help students discover what is true, pure, lovely and of good report.” “It’s a very modest nod of recognition to a teacher whose example we would all do well to follow,” says Caroline. Steve joined Tatnall in 1989 as an Upper School history teacher and assistant varsity coach for football and wrestling. A dedicated teacher and hard worker who welcomed new challenges, Steve wore many Tatnall hats, including Middle School teacher of an innovative social studies and language arts program, head football coach, and advisor and dean of students. He became Middle School head in 2002. Crucial to Steve’s teaching philosophy was his belief that education often happens outside the classroom. As a teacher, coach and mentor, Steve instilled this belief in all of his students. “His teams played the way he was,” says Fred Palfrey, Tatnall’s athletic trainer and a close friend of Steve’s. “His kids always do their best, play with sportsmanship and respect, and represent Tatnall extremely well.” In addition to being an inspirational and respected member of the Tatnall family for 26 years, Steve was instrumental in getting the Ketcham Fund off the ground. He helped shape how the fund allocates resources and recommended programs that would allow Tatnall’s students to develop new physical, emotional, social and technological identities.
“ The concepts of honor, civility and respect embody The Tatnall School, and I am proud to have my name associated with those qualities,” says Steve Esmond. “It means so much to me and all the people I had the chance to work with during my time at Tatnall.”
“Steve jumped right into the whole concept of enriching the curriculum with the Ketcham Fund, as it was certainly a reflection of what he had been doing with Tatnall students for more than 20 years,” says Caroline. To date, the fund has supported various programs, including the Center for Spiritual and Ethical Education, the Center for Sport Psychology and the recent African drumming and dance artist-inresidence program. Says Caroline, “We hope that this fund will carry on the values Steve so powerfully embraced at the school for many years to come.” The Tatnall community continues to send its support and positive healing thoughts to Steve and his family. For more information on how you can support the Esmond Fund, contact Tatnall’s Advancement Office at (302) 892-4335 or development@tatnall.org.
Spring 2016 :: Tatnall Today :: 27