The projects are the medium we use to drive the message of communication and collaboration.
Seventh graders, including Teddy ’30, top, and Elliott ’30, right, see how far and accurately they can launch their “rockets” under the watchful eye of Teacher-coach Afek Taragan.
TRIBUTE: “HERR” CHRIS NELSON
With an Energetic “Yes!” or a Hearty ”Ja!“
Nelson Took on Myriad Roles
For 44 years, Upper School German Teacher Chris Nelson was a man in motion at Norfolk Academy.
He led 16 exchange trips to CopernicusGymnasium in Löningen, which included a traditional bike ride around the town, hikes through the countryside, and navigating public transportation in Berlin. When the German students came to Tidewater, he got them out in nature, exploring the beaches, tidal wetlands, and more.
As founding director of the Chesapeake Bay Fellows, the first of the five Fellows programs, he led students on marathon kayaking excursions in the Bay, and in the Hudson River and the rivers of Maine.
An all-around athlete and a collegiate hurdler, he coached track, basketball, soccer, and crew — working as the crew team’s shipwright as well.
In recognizing Nelson’s myriad contributions to the school at a Board reception and at the final faculty luncheon, Head of School Travis Larrabee noted that he had never hesitated when the school called on him. “Chris is someone who — when the school had a need and asked him to help — he said ‘yes.’ That enthusiasm, that willingness to say ‘yes’ and the commitment that followed from it, is something to honor.”
As a result, Nelson served in an astonishingly varied array of roles over four decades, including stints as a P.E. teacher, Director of International Programs, Director of Summer Programs, Field Day coordinator, Assistant Director of the Upper School, and Director of Campus Sustainability. A skilled carpenter, he
applied his skills to campus tasks, whether cubbies for the sixth-grade wing, bookshelves for the Head’s office, or a dock at the Norfolk Botanical Garden for the crew team, whose boats he also repaired. (This spring, in honor of his retirement, the crew team surprised him by naming a boat the Herr Nelson.)
For over two decades, Nelson also played a crucial role at Graduation: His booming baritone — matched by his precise diction — announced the full formal name of each senior, marking the moment when each one stepped across the stage to receive congratulatory handshakes and a diploma.
A native of Quincy, Massachusetts, Nelson came to NA as a German teacher in 1979, and he worked in partnership with the late Frau Katherine Holmes to build tremendous enthusiasm among students for learning German; In 2007, the school’s German program was recognized by the Advanced Placement College Board as the best in the nation.
Nelson was the driving force behind the enduring success of Academy’s German Exchange Program with Copernicus-Gymnasium, building deep friendships with faculty at the school, including the founding faculty member on the German side, Jürgen Wiehe. In 2023, he helped organize the 50-year anniversary of the exchange, celebrated with concerts and galas involving an exchange of about 70 German and American students and more than a dozen faculty.
In an essay that he wrote for the “Festschrift,” Nelson quoted Mark Twain about the value of travel in opening one’s mind; he used that to reflect on his own
44years
delight in the exchange experience: “Twain appreciated the value of travel, the perspectives and life-changing experiences culled from walking and living in the shoes of another. There is no more certain nor miraculously eye-opening path to peace and understanding among the peoples of the world.”
This spring, Nelson completed the official exchange transition: Upper School German Teacher Kelly Dewey Haynes ’04, a proud graduate of NA’s German program, is now the leader. Nelson traveled to CGL for a farewell visit with Head of School Larrabee, who was visiting for the first time — and they shared a convivial gathering with former Headmaster Dennis Manning and CGL’s leader, Herr Ralf Göken.
In 2010, Nelson was also tapped to lead the Chesapeake Bay Fellows, which served as an incubator for the pioneering educational approach of the Fellows, a blend of research, interdisciplinary thinking, and experiential learning. With his deep passion for the Bay and for boating, he was the perfect person to lead students on marathon kayaking excursions, environmental research, and nonfiction reading — and in so doing, he fostered their own understanding of the water’s crucial role in the global ecosystem.
In all he’s done, Nelson has brought positive change to the Academy, as Larrabee noted: “Chris, you’ve poured your energy, heart, and talents into this place and its people… You will be missed deeply and remembered with admiration and gratitude.” ◆
Staff Report
Chris Nelson served at Norfolk Academy for 44 years, in a wide variety of roles. Most notably he taught German and guided the Exchange Program with Copernicus-Gymnasium to enduring success.
OPPOSITE LEFT: Nelson and Elisabeth Rüve, who taught English at CGL, collaborated for many years on the exchange program. They are pictured on the Copernicus-Gymnasium Löningen campus during Nelson’s final exchange trip this spring.
DR. JESSE ANDERSON ’75
Lessons on L &J Gardens, Norfolk Academy’s
Historic Neighbor
BULLDOGS FROM TWO GENERATIONS CAME TOGETHER ON FEBRUARY 26 TO PRESENT A BLACK HISTORY MONTH LESSON ABOUT THE IMPORTANT HISTORY OF A NEIGHBORHOOD JUST ACROSS THE STREET FROM NORFOLK ACADEMY: L&J GARDENS.
Dr. Jesse Anderson ’75, the first Black student to attend Norfolk Academy, spoke to Upper and Middle School about the discriminatory housing practice of redlining, and his upbringing in L&J Gardens, now on the Virginia Landmarks Register. Anderson went on from NA to Morehouse College and the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine, and returned home to join his father’s podiatry practice.
Anderson was introduced by his daughter, Whitney ’26, and shared reflections during an onstage interview with editors of The Belfry Noor Swanson ’25 and Leo Tang ’25.
Discrimination during the Jim Crow era combined with media coverage reinforced misperceptions that Black neighborhoods were poor and the inhabitants were not educated, Anderson said. L&J Gardens, started by a Black developer and a group of investors,
was a neighborhood for Black professionals; it was solidly middle class and nearly every adult there had graduated from college and many had graduate degrees. After Anderson’s parents enrolled him at the Academy in 1970 as an eighth grader, he demonstrated that point to his new friends, particularly his football teammates, by welcoming them into his home.
“That was a bond! They were my brothers,” Anderson said.
Two of those friends, Richard Diamonstein ’75 and Tom Nicholson ’75, joined students in Johnson Theater for the presentation. The Class of 1975 was a close-knit group, Diamonstein said to Anderson and the audience, and Anderson helped forge that love. “You were an important part of our education.” ◆
Mike Connors is the Digital News and Social Media Specialist.
2009 GRADUATE COMPETES IN GOLF’S MASTERS & U.S. OPEN
Beck on the Big Stage
A hallmark of the Norfolk Academy educational experience is the growth and development of Bulldog student-athletes.
That growth stems from the core belief that for every student, the integration of the physical, mental, and social that naturally occurs within a sports environment has the potential to transcend differences, create community, and build leaders.
Evan Beck ’09 is just one example of the success of Norfolk Academy’s athletics model. More than 16 years after graduating, Beck continues to shine in both athletics and business. He is an Associate Portfolio Manager at Brown Advisory in Washington, D.C.
In April, he competed in the biggest event in professional golf, The Masters.
On September 26, 2024, Beck, a Virginia Beach native, defeated Bobby Massa at the 43rd U.S. Mid-Amateur final at Kinloch Golf Club in Manakin-Sabot, Virginia. With his decisive win, Beck earned an exemption into the Masters, as well as the 2025 U.S. Open, held in June at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania. He also earned a spot on the prestigious 2025 Walker Cup Team, which competes in September in California.
Organized by the USGA as the leading annual golf tournament in the United States for post-college amateur golfers, the Mid-Amateur schedule consists of two days of stroke play followed by knockout match play with the top 64 competitors. Beck’s margin of victory in the final was the event’s largest since 2005. As a runner-up in the 2023 tournament, this victory was
especially sweet, as Beck said immediately after his triumph.
“To get all the way there and come up short is gut-wrenching,” he said. “To be able to push through and prove that you can do it yourself, more than anything, it’s pretty awesome.”
Making the victory even sweeter, Beck gained honors as the first golfer from the Commonwealth of Virginia to raise the trophy.
Beck is no stranger to receiving accolades for his golf acumen. As a 2013 cum laude graduate of Wake Forest University with a degree in finance, he was named a GolfWeek and GCAA PING All-American twice, along with twiceearning All-ACC honors. ◆
Nancy Chandler ’23 has worked as a Development Office intern in 2024 and 2025.
Evan Beck ’09 competed in both the Masters and U.S. Open golf tournaments this year after winning the U.S. Mid-Amateur in 2024.
State Champions
Norfolk Academy enjoyed a stellar winter 2024–25 athletics season, as nine student-athletes won state championships and two teams finished on the medal podium in their state meet.
Boys swimming and diving and girls indoor track both finished second at their VISAA state championships in February. In addition, girls swimming and diving won a Spirit Award at its state meet.
Add to that hardware five team TCIS tournament championships, and it was a most successful winter. As Director of Athletics Chad Byler said in an assembly in March: “As we close this successful winter athletic season, I want to take a moment to express how immensely proud we are of our achievements as Bulldogs. Throughout the season, we have exemplified the core values of our athletic program — toughness, respect, commitment, and spirit — both on and off the field.”
Let’s give a Bulldog three-clap to our winter state champions:
Indoor track: Chance Stuart ’25 (shot put), Josie Saffold ’25 (300-meter dash), Taylor Kulow ’27 (high jump)
Swimming: Jude Carroll ’25, Adam Fairchilds ’25, Spencer Thompson ’25, Blaise Van Slyke ’25 (400 free relay); Fletcher Creech ’25, Spencer Thompson ’25, Blaise Van Slyke ’25, John Benton ’27 (200 free relay)
But winter was hardly our only successful season. Fall saw Field Hockey win a VISAA state championship for the second straight year!
And congratulations to our spring state champions: Chance Stuart ’25 (shot put) and Taylor Kulow ’27 (high jump). ◆
Taylor Kulow ’27, top, and Chance Stuart ’25, bottom, both won track and field state titles in the winter and spring. Boys swimming won two winter state titles, in the 200 and 400 free relays. In the fall, field hockey won a second straight state championship.
TEACHER-COACHES TURN TO TECHNOLOGY TO GAIN AN EDGE
Hudl Provides In-depth Data in a Hurry
When Norfolk Academy Varsity Football Coach Steve Monninger was a young assistant at Middlebury College, just starting out in the profession, one of his responsibilities was breaking down game film.
That task was tedious, to say the least. Monninger would spend hours on end watching film on VHS tape and documenting each play using pencil and paper, for both his own team and future opponents. He studied who was in the right and wrong position; what plays worked and why; and what might be successful in the next game.
Coaches, athletes, and sports fans of a certain age know such effort was once commonplace and necessary for success.
“Film is everything to a football coach,” Monninger said.
Breaking down that film is now much easier for Monninger and all Academy coaches. For the past several years, NA’s Athletics Department has offered a computer program called Hudl that provides high-quality video and statistical analysis.
Quickly.
“It gives me a really good sense of the game,” said Ryan Tucker, varsity boys lacrosse coach and a Middle School history teacher. “It also saves time. You have to be efficient.”
Hudl is valuable not just to coaches. They can share video and insights it provides with student-athletes to prepare them for the next game or identify areas where they need to improve.
Tucker played lacrosse at national power UVA, then played the sport professionally for a few years. When he played, coaches would give him scouting reports that could be several pages long. That overflow of information can overwhelm young athletes, Tucker said. With Hudl, he
can identify a few points to emphasize with each individual player.
Monninger does the same. He typically takes Hudl’s data and gives each studentathlete two or three things to work on.
“The whole goal is to help the guys play fast and not get bogged down,” Monninger said.
Here’s how Hudl works: Cameras are placed around Burroughs Gymnasium and outdoor playing fields — one is mounted on Wynne-Darden Stadium, where the lacrosse and football teams play. With a subscription, video from the cameras goes into the Hudl system, which produces data and reports, and can build clips or playlists and create highlights, which is beneficial for student-athletes who want to play in college.
Hudl is useful not just for games. Monninger can finish a practice around 5:30 PM, and be watching the practice film that same night.
For Friday night games, the Hudl analysis is available by the time the varsity team is in at 10 AM Saturday for workouts and position meetings.
Norfolk Academy’s athletics program has enjoyed much success, both in terms of championships (the football team has won three straight TCIS titles) and sending student-athletes on to compete in college; a school-record 29 made college commitments from the Class of 2025. (In addition to being a teacher-coach, Monninger works in College Counseling with his focus on student-athletes.)
Hudl is not the only piece of technology contributing to that success, Monninger noted. Strength and Conditioning Coach Paul Carrezola employs systems — TeamBuildr and OVR Performance are two — that help studentathletes understand how to get into better shape and improve their play.
Such technology is beneficial for every athlete at every level, Monninger said.
“This is for everyone,” he said. ◆
Mike Connors is the Digital News and Social Media Specialist.
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, OCTOBER 29, 2024
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, NOVEMBER 14, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C., JANUARY 28, 2025
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, MARCH 27, 2025
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, MARCH 28, 2025
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, APRIL 3, 2025
CARE PACKAGE PARTIES, OCTOBER 7, 2024, AND FEBRUARY 3, 2025
OCTOBER 23, 2024
BOARD CHAIR’S CELEBRATION,
THANKSGIVING ATHLETICS GATHERINGS, NOVEMBER 2024
YOUNG ALUMNI HOLIDAY PARTY, DECEMBER 19, 2024
YOUNG ALUMNI LUNCHEON, JANUARY 6, 2025
HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE, DECEMBER 11, 2024
CORNERSTONE SOCIETY RECEPTION
WITH ANDREW LAWLER ’79, APRIL 1, 2025
[ ALL SCHOOL ] Field Day & Opening Reception
OPENING RECEPTION, APRIL 26, 2025, AND FIELD DAY, MAY 3, 2025
1952
▸ THE GARNETT (GARNETTWINDSORS@AOL.COM) 1953
▸ (CLASSNOTES@NORFOLKACADEMY.ORG) 1954
▸ (CLASSNOTES@NORFOLKACADEMY.ORG) 1955
▸ (CLASSNOTES@NORFOLKACADEMY.ORG) 1956
▸ BILL SPICUZZA (BILLSPICUZZA@GMAIL.COM)
1957
▸ ASHBY TAYLOR (CLASSNOTES@NORFOLKACADEMY.ORG) 1958
▸ (CLASSNOTES@NORFOLKACADEMY.ORG) 1959
▸ BEAU WALKER (MONTROVILLE@GMAIL.COM) 1960
▸ JAY FYFE (JFYFEPACK@GMAIL.COM) 1961
▸ ED LEVIN (EROSSLEVIN@VERIZON.NET) 1962
▸ BOB COLE (OCOLE66@GMAIL.COM) 1963
▸ (CLASSNOTES@NORFOLKACADEMY.ORG) 1964
▸ (CLASSNOTES@NORFOLKACADEMY.ORG) 1965
▸ (CLASSNOTES@NORFOLKACADEMY.ORG) 1966
▸ MARK FLAHERTY (MOFLAHERTY1@COX.NET)
▸ ERIC HAUSER (ERICAHAUSER63@GMAIL.COM) 1967
▸ JOHN DONAHOE (JOHNDONAHOE007@AOL.COM) 1968
▸ (CLASSNOTES@NORFOLKACADEMY.ORG) 1969
▸ (CLASSNOTES@NORFOLKACADEMY.ORG) 1970
▸ ROGER THOMAS (YOGAMAN558@GMAIL.COM)
1971
▸ SAM BROWN (CLASSNOTES@NORFOLKACADEMY.ORG)
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▸ HEATHER HOLLOWELL (HOLLOWELL17@COX.NET)
1973
▸ MICHAEL VIA (LAXSTX05@GMAIL.COM)
1974
▸ SUSAN SMITH (TENORUKEGIRL@GMAIL.COM)
1975
▸ CHARLIE NUSBAUM (CNUSBAUM@NUSBAUMINSURANCE. COM)
Whensoldiersgo through hostile territory, they needtoknowwhatthey mightencounter. Shropshire'steamsbuild sensorsandrobots thatcanmove through spaceandidentifydangers.
In 2021, helandedthejobwith Booz Allen Hamilton. Hecomesfromamilitary familyandhasfriendsin thearmed services,andquicklyrealizedhewaswhere hewassupposedtobe.Hedescribes himselfasaquiltmaker, weaving together differentaspectsofeachtasktocreate the bestresult. "Solvingcomplexproblemsthat matter;'hesaid.
Inaddition tothatimportant work, Shropshire isan adjunct professorat George MasonandhasspokentoBatten LeadershipProgram Fellowsmultiple times. Hetellsstudentsthatiftheyhavea sincereinterestinEDI, they shouldgofor it.There areplentyofjobsandthefieldis growing.
Hisadvice: Learnbeyondtheclassroom. Goonlineand watchvideos,get comfortable experimentingonyourown. Whenaresumelandsonhisdesk, helooks fordifferentiators-projectsstudentsdid that producedreal world results.
Mike Connors isthe Digital News and Social Media Specialist.
SoccerStaronLeadershipandTeamwork
Angela Hudes Mangano '96, astandout student-athleteatNorfolk Academywho wenton tobecomeanOlympicsoccer star,returnedhome onFebruary 18as a speaker for theNorfolk Forum,the oldest publiclysubscribedspeaker series inthe nation, andtheBulldogs turnedout in force tocheerheron.
HudesManganonetted 204 goals at NA,easilythetopscorer(boysorgirls) in theschool'sstoriedsoccerhistory.Shewas theVirginian-Pilot FemaleHighSchool AthleteoftheYearin1996, hersenior year.Beyondthat,shewasamulti-sport athleteand SeniorClassPresident. She wentontosuccessat UVA, whereshe studiedanthropologyandearnedfirst-team All-ACCsoccerhonorsfourtimes.
She became a two-time Olympic gold medalist for U.S. Soccer, and a two-time WorldCup bronze medalist. Shewas the U.S. Soccer Foundation's 2009 HumanitarianoftheYear. Afterher professionalplaying career she stayed in thesports world,serving aspresident of theWomen's Sports Foundation and a televisionanalyst forESPN, Fox, and NBC, among numerous other entrepreneurialendeavors.
ManyBulldogswhohadguidedheron her journeyandcelebratedhermany successeswereintheaudience, including former Headmaster JohnTucker, Athletic Director ChadByler, formerGirlsVarsity SoccerCoachKevinSims,currentVarsity SoccerCoachRichPeccie, andLower SchoolP.E.TeacherandVarsityField Hockey Coach MaryWerkheiser.
"Those lessons, thoseattributes, the experiences I hadthrough the teachers and thecoachesinthe HamptonRoads area at NorfolkAcademy,BeachFC;' Hudes Mangano reflected inan interview before thespeech, "allofthosepeoplecontributed massivelytowhoI amas apersonandnot justwhoI was as asoccerplayer....I want tosaythankyou,thankyoutothecommunityforsupportingme."
Esther Diskin is the Director ofCommunications.
Angela HuclesMangano'96
I Hunter Jensen 'oo
Creative Flexibility as aTech Entrepreneur
Apopular andbelovedmemberofthe Classof 2000, Hunter Jensenhasalways been a Renaissance man.Thecreative education and relationship formationhe experiencedatNorfolkAcademygavehim theskillsheneededtofoundthe San Diego-basedcompanyBarefoot Solutions, afull-service interactive agencythat createsand managesfirst-classdigital products acrossawiderangeofindustries.
HisadviceforBulldogswhoare interestedinthetechnologyindustryisto paycloseattentiontotrends,because everythingtechnologicalischanging at breakneckspeed. One ofthemostdesired skillsofapotentialhirewillbetheabilityto adaptandlearnnewtechnologiesquickly.
