The Academy Magazine - Fall 2018

ACADE M Y

NORFOLK ACADEMY MAGAZINE

FALL 2018

ADVANCING INNOVATION

ACADEMY

NOR FOL K ACADEMY M A G A Z IN E

[ CONTENTS ]

FALL 2018 HEADMASTER

Dennis G. Manning DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Esther M. Diskin ASSISTANT HEADMASTER FOR DEVELOPMENT

Dr. Grayson Bryant EDITOR

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Esther M. Diskin EDITORIAL BOARD

Ruth Payne Acra ’86 Jeff Danielson Kathy Finney Beth Manning David Rezelman Jennifer Rodgers ’97 Toy Savage ’71 Aubrey Shinofield Lauren Smith Gigi Cooke Tysinger ’87 Sean Wetmore ’86 Charlotte Zito ’99

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PHOTOGRAPHY

Peter Finger Knox Garvin Steven Goldburg ’04 Don Monteaux Stephanie Oberlander Woody Poole Lauren Smith DESIGN

Cheney & Company

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DEFINING LEADERSHIP: THE CAMPAIGN FOR 2028

Success Defined

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INNOVATION SPOTLIGHT

There’s Nothing Mini about Mini-mester

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COVER: Alek Sas ’18 is airborne during the Upper

School dance show this spring, as the dancers performed to excerpts from The Greatest Showman.

Dance Master Elbert Watson talks [on page 38] about spurring innovative thinking with his students and in his choreography and performances. Photo

by Stephanie Oberlander.

Norfolk Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, color, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, employment policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletics, or other schooladministered programs.

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ADVANCING OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY

New Diversity, Equity, and Justice Statement

INNOVATION IN THE CLASSROOM

Marching for Justice

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CURRICULAR INNOVATION

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Upper School’s New Courses & Chances for a Deeper Dive

CO-CURRICULAR INNOVATION

Robotics

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THE SAVAGE CHRONICLES

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Days of the Round Table FROM THE CHAPEL

Norfolk Academy… Radical?

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BATTEN LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

Through Our Stories, We Build Empathy

FACULTY RETIREMENT

After 42 Years, English Teacher Patricia Hume Offers Lessons from an Educated Heart

GRADUATE PROFILES

Adavya Dhawan ’18 is Chosen as University of Virginia Jefferson Scholar Mila Colizza ’18 Receives Regional Recognition & Scholarship Award

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INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

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Are You Taking a Trip or Changing Your Lens on the World?

STUDIO & STAGE

Unseen for the Scene: An Inside Look Elbert Watson, “Keep that Sense of Play”

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Bulldog Athletics Adds a New Team to Its Ranks

ALUMNI HIGHLIGHTS

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IN THE GAME

Field Day Class Reunions Alumni Gatherings CLASS NOTES

Class Notes In Memoriam

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from the [ H E A D M A S T E R ]

DENNIS G. MANNING

Headmaster

Innovation: Answering our Philosophy’s Call to Experiment Judiciously Education unfolds as a gradual journey, and it often seems impossible to capture the moments in the life of each student, or even in the life of a school, when change occurs. I was recently reminded of this during a conversation with an alumnus, who recalled the campus in the late 1960s—when he was a student and the trees that line our driveway were just saplings. He graduated and embarked on his life’s journey, not returning until this spring for his 50th reunion.

He marveled at the campus transformation— delighted with the new buildings, of course, but more focused on the trees and the soaring canopy along the driveway, a natural archway more beautiful than any man-made architecture. After decades away, it seemed to him an awe-inspiring and sudden transformation.

This issue of the Academy focuses on innovation, a word that encompasses change and far more than that, taking in that essential sense of play at the heart of creativity. The school’s Philosophy and Objectives notes “the necessity for judicious experimentation with the new.” I have often pondered the linguistic precision of that remarkable pairing—judicious experimentation. Through it, we are called to try fresh approaches, to reinvigorate our work in helping each student toward the realization of his or her full potential. Yet, we must be judicious in so doing—that is, we must avoid trends or, worse yet, educational fads, and instead pause to deliberate and consider the impact of our inventiveness and how it will shape the children we teach.

Over the past decade, we can proudly say that our school has grown into a more diverse learning community. Our school’s new Diversity, Equity, and Justice Statement, which gets its official launch this fall and is introduced in this

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issue, recognizes the strength inherent in our diversity. The statement directly reflects language in our Philosophy: “We are committed to the enrollment of boys and girls who show promise of intellectual curiosity and who come from families of varied social, economic, religious, ethnic, and racial backgrounds,” and “We strive to make [students] aware of their role in creating a just society.” You will also read about our in-depth exploration of the Civil Rights Movement.

Our curriculum is changing: The Middle School’s new Mini-mester has reshaped the way that our Middle School students finish the school year, and our Upper School will offer an array of new courses this fall, giving students more opportunities for a “deep dive” in areas of interest. In these pages, you will find a Chapel Talk from Derek Melvin ’01 about the “radicalism” of Norfolk Academy; an interview with Dance Master Elbert Watson about keeping his creative spark over many decades; insight from Toy Savage ’71 about the way that the Youngkin Refectory is renewing our family-style lunches; and an account by David Kidd about a storytelling exchange for our all-school Seminar Day, led by the Literacy Fellows.

Yes, innovation is in the air at Norfolk Academy, and that is due in no small measure to the transformation wrought by Defining Leadership: The Campaign for 2028. Throughout this school year, we will celebrate the campaign’s close; it was an extraordinary success by every measure. We hope you will be joining us in these moments of jubilation and profound gratitude!

It is fitting that we come together in this Year of Friendship to celebrate and honor this school, which brings all of us together as one united Norfolk Academy family. ◆

[ D E F I N I N G L E A D E R S H I P ] The Campaign for 2028

Success Defined WHAT PROGRAMS, RELATIONSHIPS, AND INITIATIVES WILL BUILD TOMORROW’S LEADERS? HOW DO WE ENHANCE OUR CURRICULUM TO ENGINEER GAME-CHANGING BREAKTHROUGHS? HOW CAN OUR ENVIRONMENT SUPPORT STUDENTS’ DRIVE TO LEAD? With three questions, Def ining Leadership: The Campaign for 2028 took flight, embracing a bold, future-oriented vision to conscientiously shape the school as it approaches its tricentennial.

The answers to these questions lay at the heart of the Academy’s purpose and fueled the goals for Def ining Leadership: The Campaign for 2028. Not only would this campaign invigorate the campus aesthetic, it would fund programs and build the endowment to revitalize our educational program for upcoming generations.

Years of careful planning were coupled with steadfast leadership: John Gibson III ’78 and Peter Ill led the campaign’s quiet phase; Chris Perry, Jack Ruffin ’82, and John Wynne Jr. ’94 led the public phase. Strategy and vision propelled Def ining Leadership to unprecedented levels of success. By June 30, the campaign had exceeded its initial goal of $65 million, ultimately raising over $68 million for endowment, capital projects, and operating support.

The campaign added $20 million to the Academy’s endowment, strengthening the singular Batten Civic

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[ D E F I N I N G L E A D E R S H I P ] The Campaign for 2028

and Global Leadership Program and providing additional support for faculty salaries and financial assistance.

Our new campus hub, the Massey Leadership Center, offers expansive new space for important programs and our leadership initiatives, ranging from our international partnerships to college counseling to student-run clubs and organizations. The modern, light-filled study rooms were in constant use, as students swiftly settled into new routines, enjoying the whiteboard walls for demonstrating equations or collaborating on projects. The Youngkin Refectory celebrates the long-held Norfolk Academy tradition of sharing a family-style meal around a table, allowing our community to come together as one. The WynneDarden Stadium establishes a new theater for our athletic teams, as students continue to develop their leadership skills outside of the classroom. It also provides a media space for our new athletic broadcasting program, dubbed NA TV, which

allows students to gain firsthand experience operating cameras and commenting on games. At the entrance to our campus, a new turf field for field hockey and lacrosse provides an extraordinary resource for competition.

The final construction project, the Lower School expansion, opened in August, adding over 30,000 square feet for our Lower School performing and studio arts, as well as an expanded creative space for our Engineering, Design, and Innovation program (EDI). The sounds of musical instruments and children’s voices rise from the performing arts classrooms on the upper level, while students can be seen building rockets and weight testing their popsicle-stick bridges down below.

With these phenomenal additions, the Lower School learning environment has been transformed.

The Lower School expansion offers new space for the Engineering, Design, and Innovation program, and more space dedicated to the fine arts, including new classrooms for art and music, and large practice rooms upstairs for orchestra, band, and chorus.

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The new Massey Leadership Center creates an architectural focal point and hub of student activity at the center of campus.

The new Wynne-Darden Stadium, the first project completed in the Defining Leadership Campaign, continues to excite studentathletes and fans alike.

This fall, the class of 2028, the Academy’s 300th anniversary class, enters third grade. In their few years as Bulldogs, their educational environment has been elevated by the generosity of the Norfolk Academy family. As a result of the Defining Leadership Campaign, the entire campus has been remodeled to inspire sustained improvement, curricular innovation, and programmatic excellence. Every day, Norfolk Academy Bulldogs interact with teachers and peers in spaces designed to inspire creativity, collaboration, and purpose. The energy created as a result of these relationships demands that Norfolk Academy continually reassess how we can best prepare our young people to thrive in an uncertain world that demands compassion, grit, flexibility, and innovation.

The tremendous contributions inspired by Defining Leadership: The Campaign for 2028 have served to reaffirm Norfolk Academy’s position of strength and leadership as an educational leader in Hampton Roads, the Commonwealth, and beyond. Our purpose, mission, and work in the lives of young people will continue with vigor and inspiration. ◆ Dr. Grayson Bryant is Assistant Headmaster for Development.

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There’s nothing

about Mini-mester

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[ I N N O VAT I O N S P O T L I G H T ]

Mini-mester allows students to forget about grades and deadlines and learn for the sake of simply doing something new. The support from the NA community and surrounding area physicians is remarkable. They all told the students that life is hard enough and working toward goals is not easy. But, regardless of how tough something is, if it is your passion, then work toward it… Seeing kids smile about a job well done with an ultrasound or a suture keenly stitched made the time fly so quickly. The overall pride that was felt by the kids was palpable. The fact that they didn’t want the last day of school to end was priceless.

ELIZABETH GLASSMAN, MIDDLE SCHOOL BIOLOGY TEACHER SUTURES, SCALPELS, AND SCOPES, OH MY!

At a time of year when many students simply want to finish school, we are redefining students’ sense of when learning begins and ends with the Middle School Mini-mester. This new culmination to the school year seeks to upend an old paradigm by designing a more dynamic close to the year—one that celebrates and extends the year’s learning and sparks curiosity over the summer.

Inspired to deliver real-world learning by tapping the passions of our Royster faculty, the Middle School piloted the inaugural “Mini-mester” in May 2017, and we kicked off Mini-mester 2.0 on May 30, 2018. With a vibrant faculty that shares a deeply relational approach to teaching, we put out a call for our teachers’ best ideas. We asked: • What are you passionate about?

• What are our students interested in?

• How can we inspire lifelong learners?

The ideas came pouring in! Mini-Med School, Life Skillz, Rockets: to Infinity and Beyond, and The Physics of Roller Coasters were just a few. Nearly 30 were proposed (some teachers proposed multiple selections!) and shared with students to allow kids the opportunity to narrow the field to a more manageable 15. With a final ranking of course selections and some nimble scheduling by Assistant Middle School Director Trish Hopkins, students dove into this immersive, real-world learning experience with enthusiasm. One eighth grader exclaimed, “This is better than summer!” after her second day of Mini-mester.

With nearly 990 exams to administer, grade weighting to balance, and three divisional schedules to navigate, it took hours of planning and some philosophical debate before our Mini-mester took

shape. Our discussions affirmed that a symbolic shift away from heavily weighted final exams toward authentic learning opportunities was age-appropriate and inspiring, though final exams remained with less impact on the overall average. We were thrilled to see relationships deepen and passions ignite in shoulderto-shoulder learning among teachers and students.

Mini-mester gave our faculty the opportunity to dream and innovate, beta-testing experimental pedagogy, incorporating travel and experiential learning. In short, we are thrilled to see that Mini-mester combines the best of traditional conceptions of education with forward-looking course design.

With two Mini-mester sessions now accomplished, our most ambitious dreams are being realized. Our students are engaging in authentic learning experiences, building bonds of shared purpose with our faculty. As faculty have been encouraged to explore experiential learning initiatives and forward-looking teaching practices, the most effective ones make their way into our curriculum. By working collaboratively across disciplines and divisions, our teachers are invigorated and complement each other to provide outstanding learning experiences.

As the school year comes to a close and students bound toward the archway for summer experiences to engage their attention, their learning is not finished; rather, they are spurred onward along new avenues of exploration. ◆ Matt Sigrist is the Director of the Middle School.

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[ I N N O VAT I O N S P O T L I G H T ]

The learning that takes place during Minimester is very much a process of exploration. There’s room to go down rabbit holes and work through missteps. It’s a really genuine approach to learning. I hope that it prepares our students to be confident when they’re out in the world and there’s no textbook to lay out what they need to know.

LYNN PAUL, BATTEN LIBRARY DIRECTOR, BUILD A BETTER CITY

Seventeen kids from the refugee community showed up to the Boys & Girls Club on Tuesday evening and immediately roared with excitement as they met our group and saw a collection of donated soccer cleats and shin guards. The excitement continued as we all walked onto the soccer field for a friendly match. Brennan, one of our students, befriended a young boy named Rwean before the game. As the game progressed, Brennan had an opportunity to put Rwean in a scoring position…

Brennan led Rwean toward the goal, passed him the ball, and Rwean kicked it past the goalie for a goal! Everyone smiled with joy as Rwean and Brennan charged down the field, smiles on their faces and hands in the air. At that moment nobody considered the differences between our two groups, but embraced the love and joy of a simple game between friends.

Avery Britt ’22 participated in a course that builds on lessons from the school’s Latin curriculum. The course prepares students to travel to Italy, where they explore connections between the ancient world and modernity in

THE ITALIAN ODYSSEY

NICK MERKLIN, FORMER MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH AND SCIENCE TEACHER, SOCIAL CHANGE THROUGH SPORT

The students were exposed to a variety of games, including ones that focused on collaboration, strategy, team-building, and deduction. After we played a game, the students reflected individually and collectively on positive and negative aspects of the game and came up with changes to heighten the playing experience. Our week culminated in two days of game design, which transformed our previous gaming experience into an imaginative exploration and eventual production of an original game. The seven design groups made prototypes, gave presentations, and invited other design teams to try out their games.

MATTHEW ROBERTSON, MEDIA SPECIALIST IN BATTEN LIBRARY, BOARD GAMES FOR THE WIN! 8

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Students like Jenny Vazquez Paramo ’23 got a new lens on campus in

NOT-SO-BASIC PHOTOGRAPHY

Sam McDaniel ’23 and Olivia Levy ’23 dive into the world of health care in

SUTURES, SCALPELS, AND SCOPES, OH MY!

Students including Jasmine LeClair ’22 explored the parameters of what can be defined as music, and then tried writing their own compositions in

WEIRD MUSIC

Making copper spoons by hand was just one activity in a course that took students back to the craftsmanship of the colonial era in

BECOMING PAUL REVERE

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[ ADVANCING OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY ]

New Diversity, Equity, and Justice Statement Reflects School’s Philosophy Our School’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Justice E pluribus unum: “Out of many, one”

Norfolk Academy believes that the diversity of our community leads children to develop a greater sense of understanding, empathy, and responsibility. Our school strives to foster a climate of belonging, so that each member of our Bulldog family feels secure, respected, and valued as an individual. To that end, the school seeks to provide unrestricted access for all students to the enriching relationships and array of experiences that define a Norfolk Academy education. Our hope is that our students and graduates will carry forward these principles to create a just society where all people have the opportunity to flourish.

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An Inside Look at the New Statement The new “Diversity, Equity, and Justice Statement,” which is featured here and which will be presented to students across divisions in the fall, is the result of numerous people’s work on diversity and inclusion initiatives at Norfolk Academy over the years. It is important to recognize that this was not the work of one solitary person. Our writing committee of five—comprised of the faculty members quoted below—have all served on previous diversity and inclusion committees representing a larger constituency of faculty and staff. The five of us came to this writing process with ideas and priorities that emerged from those earlier experiences, and with a charge from Mr. Manning to creatively express the school’s expansive vision of diversity.

We began our work together by reading aloud (quite slowly) the Norfolk Academy Statement of Philosophy and Objectives and then posting words and phrases that we thought spoke to issues central to our purpose: to affirm the school’s commitment to embracing people from diverse backgrounds and to promoting equity and justice. Over the course of several months, we wrote multiple drafts, agreed that one draft best incorporated our highest priorities, and parsed it out word by word.

It was a deliberate process, and through lively debate and time for reflection, we were able to achieve a consensus. Once we had our “final draft,” we presented it to Mr. Manning, and he shared the statement with the Board of Trustees, the Alumni Association Board, the Parent Advisory Council, and the faculty in each division. The statement underwent a few more changes, particularly with the addition of the epigraph, E pluribus unum: “Out of many, one,” the motto chosen by a Congressional committee in 1776 for the Great Seal of the United States. The statement has become an entity unto itself, one that we hope is both affirming and inspirational. —ari zito This statement sets the expectations for all members of the Norfolk Academy community. The committee intended to communicate the idea that we value diversity of all kinds and strive to instill the values of equity and justice in our students.

I believe that the final statement fulfills the original intention in a manner that is both eloquent and timeless.

JENNIFER RODGERS TEACHES ENGLISH IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BREAKTHROUGH AT NORFOLK ACADEMY.

Any text dealing with the terms “equity” and “justice” has the potential for misinterpretation. Our statement cannot be misinterpreted. Our statement is clear and unwavering. Its language is both bold and comforting. Words like “belonging” and “Bulldog family” and “unrestricted access” are at the core of what we, as a community, are all about.

WARREN WARSAW TEACHES FRENCH IN THE UPPER SCHOOL AND IS CHAIRMAN OF THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT.

The values presented in this statement are timeless. Being in an environment where you feel “secure, respected, and valued as an individual” is not something that will fade with time. I appreciate the forward-thinking of the statement that focuses on our collective hope for our students and graduates to “carry forward these principles to create a just society.”

LAKISHIA BIGGS TEACHES RESEARCH SKILLS IN THE LOWER SCHOOL AND IS AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE LOWER SCHOOL.

Throughout history and still today, people are denied opportunities simply because of their birth, which is to say those circumstances of family and economics beyond any child’s control. This statement articulates the school’s commitment to a vision for the future—the “just society”—an ideal that we hope will motivate our students and graduates.

ARI ZITO TEACHES ENGLISH IN THE UPPER SCHOOL, IS AN ASSISTANT COACH FOR VARSITY BOYS BASKETBALL, AND THE JUNIOR CLASS DEAN.

I love the presence of the word “empathy” in the first sentence, as I believe empathy is the most important trait that a person can cultivate in the journey toward good character. I believe the work of “creating a just society” begins with empathy, for if we can truly see the world through another’s eyes, who among us could deny another person’s right to full respect and fair treatment? The statement is forceful in its principles and in its optimism.

ESTHER DISKIN TEACHES ENGLISH IN THE UPPER SCHOOL AND IS DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS.

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marching

for justice

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[ I N N O VAT I O N I N T H E C L A S S R O O M ]

then & now NONVIOLENCE IS A POWERFUL AND JUST WEAPON. INDEED, IT IS A WEAPON UNIQUE IN HISTORY, WHICH CUTS WITHOUT WOUNDING AND ENNOBLES THE MAN WHO WIELDS IT. IT IS A SWORD THAT HEALS. — DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

History is the study of the past. By definition, this seems to imply that the events we study have concluded and are wholly distinct from the present.

Students, and especially younger scholars, tend to make this mistake in history class. Therefore, as teachers, we often stand in front of the room and repeatedly emphasize that historical events still affect us today. Lately, we have been exploring new and successful approaches to helping younger students understand and feel the impact of history on the world around us. (Perhaps that’s why we prefer the term “social studies,” which defines itself more liberally as “the study of human society.”) A good example of this is the Civil Rights Movement, which the second and sixth grades study during the second semester.

In the 2017–18 academic year, the entire Lower School adopted the issue of social justice as the central theme around which all of our social studies lessons revolve. Each grade level crafted a defining question, such as: “How can we work together to create change?”

In the second grade, they asked, “How can citizens in a community show respect for others?” Sixth graders pondered, “Whose story is not being told?” and “Can an individual make a difference in history?” Using social justice as a framework for studying the past, students realized that the struggle continues today.

They thought about history, but they also thought about themselves, about society, about how they can help each other, and how they can make this world a better place.

At the beginning of each year, the second and sixth graders are paired off as “buddies,” coming together to play math games, share favorite books, and enjoy activities that help build a sense of community within the Lower School. Developing a shared civil rights activity made perfect sense. In their classrooms, the second graders focus on civil rights leaders, while the sixth graders examine issues of social justice throughout their yearlong study of the twentieth

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[ I N N O VAT I O N I N T H E C L A S S R O O M ]

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century, including the Harlem Renaissance, the Great Migration, female suffrage, the growth of the NAACP, the integration of the military after World War II, and, of course, a detailed exploration of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. As part of their studies, groups of sixth graders become “experts” on a specific event, such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Freedom Rides, or the Norfolk 17, and then teach the rest of the class. This reinforces the research, design, collaboration, presentation, and independent learning skills that they have been working on all year.

Second and sixth grade teachers developed the Civil Rights March four years ago, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the March from Selma to Montgomery. Since then, teachers have continued to develop and expand the unit. The Civil Rights March is a prime example of students working together to solve a real problem: creating a just society. The students marched their way through a morning of lessons that 14

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focused on the difficult journey to justice for many, and they kept these questions at the forefront: “What can one person do to promote change?” and “How can we achieve social justice peacefully?”

The experience involved multiple learning stations spread throughout the Lower, Middle, and Upper School buildings. Signs along the route, which were created by the Middle School Cultural and Ethnic Awareness Club (CEAC) and the Upper School diversity club (UNITID), displayed authentic messages carried in the original Selma March. Each learning station was designed to encourage the second and sixth graders to think critically and collaboratively.

At one station, buddy pairs used iPads to answer questions from literacy tests that blacks in the South faced in order to register to vote. Students’ apathy grew with the impossibility of each new question. “I’m just guessing, because I’m getting them all wrong anyway,” stated one second grader. The unfairness clearly resonated.

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In another station, the buddies worked together to sequence a collection of milestone events in the Civil Rights Movement. Aside from the expected Emancipation Proclamation, Brown v. the Board of Education, and Rosa Parks’s infamous arrest, one event was when Norfolk Academy actually integrated.

(It was in 1970, if you are scratching your head.)

In another station taught by Dance Master Elbert Watson, movement challenges encouraged collaboration among peers as they acted out phrases from Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. The dance performed by Watson at the conclusion had a more intense impact, as a result of the students’ kinesthetic experience with these same words.

As a finale, second grade teacher Valerie Thornton unveiled a beautiful quilt packed with drawings about civil rights leaders, all created by the second graders using fabric markers. Quilts were a significant part of the Underground Railroad, with hidden messages for escapees. This art project followed group work in

1 Walking in their version of the Selma March, sixth and second grade girls display the American flag and signs. 2 Drew Bryant ’28 carries a sign replicating one in the original Selma March. 3 Jediah Motley ’28 takes a brief break before returning to identify the Civil Rights timeline. 4 Lucy-Gage Zimmerman ’28 and Lily Stockwell ’24 attempt to answer questions from literacy tests that were required to register to vote. 5 Sixth and second grade students reenact the Selma March. 6 Cole Chavez ’28 attempts to correctly order a Civil Rights timeline.

which each child wrote about an aspect of a civil rights leader’s life; the writing was assembled into a book that the young authors read to their sixth grade buddies.

Throughout our unit of study, the students have responded with surprise after hearing of unfair treatment and some examples of civil disobedience.

“Dr. King was arrested for ordering a sandwich?!” “He went to jail almost 30 times?!” In a child’s eye, the absurdity seems clear. They have something to teach us, we believe. We hope this exposure to brave leaders who used “necessary trouble,” as U.S. Representative John Lewis calls it, will pave the way for our students to feel empowered to do the same in the face of unfairness. These are our civil rights leaders of today. ◆ Elizabeth Driskill teaches second grade and Cosby Hall ’93 teaches sixth grade social studies.

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[ C U R R I C U L A R I N N O VAT I O N ]

Upper School’s New Courses & Chances for a D E E P E R D I V E

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Q&A WITH ASSOCIATE HEADMASTER LINDA GORSLINE The Upper School opens the fall of 2018 with more curricular changes underway than have happened in decades. The spirit of “judicious experimentation with the new” is driven by many factors, above all a desire by students to learn and do more.

The changes include advanced courses in English, a new class in organic chemistry, topic specialization in the political science course for seniors, and a shift in Latin instruction that will reshape foreign language options.

Associate Headmaster and Director of the Upper School Linda Gorsline, who spurred the changes and then organized the schedule as it took on even more permutations, offered some thoughts on this significant and ongoing restructuring of the Upper School experience:

Q: What is the motivating factor for this curricular expansion?

We see a hunger in our student body to explore more and do more. As new faculty enter, you also see eagerness to explore new areas that enhance what we are doing.

We are seeing this inventiveness by Upper School faculty, as they look for ways to enhance a department or offer a deeper dive within a discipline.

Q: In what ways do these changes reflect the school’s philosophy, with its emphasis on “the value of traditional teaching methods as well as the necessity for judicious experimentation with the new”?

We haven’t done a wholesale revamping of any one department or course. We went into this with a strong college prep, liberal arts program. We are trying to put courses in play to allow students with deep interest in something to pursue it without specializing. And all of these require hard work from our students.

Q: What prompted the introduction of an organic chemistry class, which is typically a college course?

Our Medical Scholars program continues to thrive; we have more than 60 students involved. What they are hearing from doctors that they meet, and what we hear from our recent alums, is that organic chemistry is the “weeding out” course for pre-med students. We want to give our students a leg up, as we do in calculus.

We are preparing our students even more for college, so that they can walk in and not feel “This is the class that everyone fails!” but rather “This is what I took in high school.”

Q: What is happening with Latin, which has long been a two-year requirement that started in 7th grade?

With Latin moving a year earlier, starting in 6th grade, students will be able to complete the two-year requirement and begin a modern foreign language in 8th grade. That opens up some exciting possibilities! First of all, students who complete Latin through Latin 5 will now be able to count that toward graduation credit for a foreign language; until this year, it had counted only as a second, elective language. Students will be able to complete five years of modern foreign language study; the fluency that will happen by senior year will be incredible.

Finally, students will be able to complete the three-year requirement of a modern foreign language by 10th grade, opening up new opportunities for things to study in their final two years of Upper School.

Q: The senior year Political Science course will offer specialization in the first semester with a choice of American Political Foundations, Constitutional Law, or Nationalism in the Modern World, and all seniors will take the second semester American Government capstone course.

Yes, the resounding opinion of teachers in our History Department was that a civics course is in order! How do you operate as a citizen in a democracy? It offers an opportunity for students to say, “I am interested in that topic” for the early part of the year, and then the second semester is a capstone for our seniors, who walk out of here with the right to vote… a huge responsibility, by the way.

Q: The English Department is changing the 10th grade course, which will now explore British literature in the first semester and American literature in the second semester. Juniors and seniors will be in classes together, with an array of courses offered—such as Literature of the American West, The Harlem Renaissance, and The Marriage Plot— some with an “advanced” classification.

That’s a lot of change!

There is more diversity of authors, many ethnicities and many challenging topics approached through the lens of literature!

The close-knit nature of our community offers the chance to do this mixing of juniors and seniors with very little risk. If anyone can handle a change in routine, it is teenagers! There is real excitement for the classes to be mixed.

Q: Any thoughts on the road ahead?

We offer students so much in terms of real-world experience—Fellows, service clubs, international travel. I have always hoped for a curriculum that allows us to make those connections seamlessly with what is going on in the classroom. You have to first learn about it, then launch out and do something that relates to what you have done in the classroom. It all begins with great teaching. ◆ Interview conducted by Esther Diskin, Director of Communications

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ro bo tics 18

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o o cs [ C O - C U R R I C U L A R I N N O VAT I O N ]

The team competes under the permanently assigned registration number “8095,” even though members build a brand new robot each year.

ROBOTICS TEAM EARNS RECOGNITION FOR INNOVATION AND KEEPS BUILDING

The passion for robotics is contagious: this year the Robotics team was the largest it has ever been, consisting of 33 students. For a team that started in 2012 with a few intense enthusiasts, who often worked on weekends in garages and around kitchen tables, the rapid surge in popularity is a bit astonishing, even as it is clearly fueled by hard work and the sense of fun that pervades the team’s activity.

The 2017–18 team was led by captains Daniel Prohaska and Chai Hibbert, both members of the Class of 2018 and participants on the Robotics team for all three years of Upper School. The team competes in the FIRST Tech Challenge, one of the competitive divisions of the FIRST organization, founded by inventor and entrepreneur Dean Kamen, which brings more than 500,000 students into the field of robotics with its annual competitions at various levels of expertise. The 2017–18 FIRST Tech Challenge, Relic Recovery, was introduced with a video featuring NA’s own Hibbert, who was selected in May 2017 as one of only 20 winners of the Dean’s List Award; she received her award at the international championship event in St. Louis.

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[ C O - C U R R I C U L A R I N N O VAT I O N ]

8o95

Dream Design build compete

The team, which competes as “8095,” a permanent number assigned when the team registered for FIRST competition, participated in two qualifying tournaments. At the Eastern Virginia Qualifying tournament in Newport News, the team was awarded the Rockwell Collins Innovate Award for their excellent robot design and engineering notebook. At this event, they also qualified for the state competition by being a member of the winning alliance. At the state competition, the team reached the playoffs as the fourth place alliance team captain. This is the second year in a row that the team has reached the playoffs of the state competition and only the third time ever that NA has advanced to the state competition. Such a feat requires an enormous level of commitment. Team members regularly work late into the evening, come in on weekends, and work during their free bells to prepare for these events.

In addition to competing, the team is also turning its focus toward improving the educational experience of its members. To this end, they are creating a set of tutorials to teach students about design, circuitry, programming, and more. This fall, they are reprising the Lower School Robotics enrichment that they started last year; Middle School students are also invited to join the team.

Because of the tremendous growth of the team and the addition of Middle School members, the team is undergoing some transformation. The newly coined Norfolk Academy Robotics Program will provide students a framework for learning about robotics through hands-on experiences. A subset of the program, consisting of experienced members of the robotics program, will commit to being members

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of the competitive team. These students will continue to participate in the FIRST Tech Challenge. Other students in the program will develop their own projects and look for opportunities to solve problems in the NA community with the skills they develop.

This program is proving to be a superb training ground for students interested in STEM fields. In the last two years, graduates have gone on to major in computer science and engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and nuclear engineering. With the expanded program we hope to reach more students and provide a larger range of experiences that can help students develop the skills they need to succeed in STEM programs in higher education and, eventually, in their professional lives. ◆ Dr. Robert Call teaches physics in the Upper School and serves as faculty advisor for the Robotics Team and the school’s competitive team for Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Math, and Science (TEAMS).

TOP LEFT Kevin Duan ’19, Nathan Williams ’19,

and Daniel Prohaska ’18 operate the robot at the Virginia State Championship.

TOP MIDDLE Daniel Prohaska ’18 works on the robot at a head-to-head match-up.

TOP RIGHT Sportsmanship is an aspect of FIRST competitions; team members, including (left to right) Brammy Rajakumar ’19, Daniel Prohaska ’18, Kerri Thornton ’20, Scarlett Baughman ’19, and Chai Hibbert ’18, give high fives to referees.

OPPOSITE The NA robot at the 2017–18 competition. It is rebuilt annually with features to meet new competitive challenges.

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THE

savage

CHRONICLES

Days of the Round Table The Youngkin Refectory

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No, this isn’t about King Arthur. It’s about Glenn Youngkin ’85 and his wife, Suzanne, whose generous gift allowed the trans­ formation of our refectory. And, in particular, it’s about the new round tables that have taken the place of the old squaredoff ones in use since at least the construction of the lunchroom on the Newport Avenue campus in 1924. While at first glance moving from rectangles to circles seems trivial, a closer look reveals a couple of fundamental changes, and in this author’s consideration, improvements.

When I became a student here in 1960 (is that even possible?), we sat for lunch at long, narrow tables that accommodated six students on each side, a senior at one end and a Master at the other. The tables could be wedged in fairly closely together because only one student, the poor soul nominated to act as waiter, was allowed up. With little foot traffic in the room there was little need for aisles. Besides, there was never any choice as to the meal.

We ate simply but heartily in those days. The basic rotation of main courses featured classics such as beef stew, sliced Spam, sliced turkey with loaves of sliced white bread and industrial-grade gravy (the much beloved “bread/gravy” feast), a dish that longtime dietician Mrs. Sidney Wigg called “chop suey,” and of course on every Friday, fish sticks. This latter practice lasted many years after the Papal Encyclical of 1962 allowed Catholics to eat meat on Friday. Some traditions die hard.

There were paper napkins, plastic cups, tin pitchers of water, and a stick of butter on each table. You ate family style and perhaps conversed with one or two of the boys facing you, but that was about it. At Lower School lunch Mr. Cumiskey would ask a blessing and make post-lunch announcements, and at the next session, Mr. Massey would do the same. It was predictable and comfortable but never really convivial. They even took pains to alternate teachers and seniors at table ends, so that each senior would have a teacher at his end of the table to both his right and his left. And by definition, 12 of 13 students at each table had their backs directly facing half of the boys in the room.

As times have changed, and particularly with the arrival of the Meriwether Godsey food providers, the Youngkin Refectory teems with different offerings, from gourmet salads to yogurt bars to deli counters and on and on. There is a main course that can take over the room when it’s popular, like macaroni and cheese, but the concept of one waiter bringing a second plate of Spam slices is long gone. We need to move and interact.

And by putting students, ten at a table facing each other, and therefore reducing to almost zero the number of students facing directly away from each other, we have completely changed the nature of discourse at those tables. Among other things, it makes it harder for the naturally shy to hide. I sit at a table with a delightful mix of boys and girls; while we often talk to those sitting nearby, we all see and acknowledge each other. It’s just a few minutes every day, but the difference in the feel of person-toperson interaction is real and positive.

There are a few practical difficulties with “round,” including the issue of maintaining order when there is no teacher at a particular table. After all, when you reduce it to ten per table, there are more tables than teachers. And then there is the unresolvable issue of the left-handers who will have to bump elbows with their righty neighbors, when under the old scheme there were two corners at each table to accommodate the southpaws. But these are minor issues at best.

The absolute best change takes me back to a theme I have been focusing on repeatedly in recent musings. By taking away a single “Mom” or “Dad” at the head of each table and relegating faculty members to a seat no different in status from any student, we have taken another step to convince those students that we, faculty and students, share a common enterprise. Ironic, isn’t it?

To change tables to a circular geometrical shape that by official definition has no sides, we have indicated to students and faculty alike that they are all on the same side.

King Arthur understood this as he placed his loyal knights around a round table. And while it is a real stretch to call the Youngkin Refectory “Camelot,” at, say, Middle School lunch, the lyrics of the title song of the Broadway musical of that name nevertheless ring true:

… in short there’s simply not A more congenial spot For happy ever-aftering Than here in…

You get the point. ◆

Toy Savage ’71 teaches history in the Middle School. Follow his blog at www.thesavagechronicles.org. A recent post has his in memoriam tribute to LEFT The Youngkin Refectory today, featuring new seating, high ceilings,

Mrs. Lucille Sebren.

expansive buffets and salad bars, and round tables to facilitate conversation.

TOP The refectory, circa 1960, before the merger with The Country Day

School for Girls and the move to 1585 Wesleyan Drive in 1966.

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from the [ C H A P E L ]

Norfolk Academy… Radical?

DEREK MELVIN ’01, AN EXECUTIVE AT MORGAN STANLEY IN NEW YORK, DELIVERED A CHAPEL TALK THAT INTERPRETED THE SCHOOL’S EDUCATIONAL IMPACT IN A WAY THAT CAUGHT EVERYONE—ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS, AND STUDENTS—BY SURPRISE. HIS TALK, SLIGHTLY ABRIDGED HERE, CONTINUES TO REVERBERATE WITH ITS FRESH PERSPECTIVE ON OUR NEARLY 300-YEAR-OLD SCHOOL.

… I’ve found myself increasingly thinking about Norfolk Academy and the impact it had on me personally, the impact it had on my family, and the impact it has had on the broader Hamptons Roads community. Many different words and phrases kept popping up in my head: Old. 1728. Wealthy. Best.

Bulldog. Honor. No surprises there. But there was one word that best defined both my perspective of and experience at NA: That word is… RADICAL. A reasonable person might ask, “How can an institution that is older than the United States be seen as radical?

How can a school that still separates boys and girls for the first four years be described as radical?

How can a place that has been forcing teenage boys to wear neckties and khaki pants for sixty years be viewed as radical?

Well, as much as I love the students, the answer is, and I suppose, always has been, the faculty.

The men and women who teach at this school every day are the ones who put the art in liberal arts.

For me, coming home to NA meant returning to the place where the adults who taught us each day never pretended that their lives were blank slates. They respected tradition but refused to be boxed in by it.

They recognized their authority but did not abuse it.

Realizing that the world outside of 1585 Wesleyan could be a different, harsher, and often more complex place, our teachers brought their life experiences into the building. They pushed us outside of our comfort zones and dared us to form our own thoughts and opinions, to defend them against our classmates and colleagues, and to change those opinions as our own life experiences widened our perspectives.

I spent eleven years at NA. And I’ve spent the last sixteen years away. Yet there are still snapshots and 24

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moments that I can see so clearly. I want to give you three quick examples and explain how those memories have guided my own life and career.

The first took place in August of 1995. I was 12 years old and the same height then as I am now. It was my first day of seventh grade and I was especially excited because my world geography teacher—Sean Wetmore—was the “coolest teacher in school.” He was 25 years old. He had gone to UVA. And he was back teaching at his alma mater. He spent that first class telling us some of the basics about his life: he loved Pearl Jam and lacrosse, and he had once broken up with a girl because she didn’t cry during the movie Field of Dreams.

But then he went a step further. He told us about the best day of his life and the worst day. The best took place on this campus. It involved him coming back from an injury to score the winning goal during a varsity soccer match. The worst, though, was the day in which he had to deliver the news to his brother that his fiancée had been killed in a car accident.

As a seventh grader, it is easy to imagine a world in which you score the last second goal. You can close your eyes and picture yourself on a date with a cute girl, or watching your favorite band live at UVA. But twenty two years later, I remember that story from Mr. Wetmore’s class being the first time I realized that growing up would also mean enduring tragedy, delivering difficult news to loved ones, all while supporting them through their worst times. It was also the moment that I realized a cool, “jock” teacher could win his students’ trust by opening himself up to them.

And in a world where it seems like our corporate and political leaders often prize the perception of “toughness,” a teacher’s willingness to lead with his heart still seems like a radical idea.

LEFT Derek Melvin’s parents,

the Hon. Kenneth Melvin, a Portsmouth Circuit Court judge and former member of the Virginia House of Delegates, and Sylvia Hodges-Melvin, with Derek Melvin and Headmaster Manning.

RIGHT Left to right: Faculty members Linda Gorsline, Pat Hume, and Sean Wetmore gathered with Derek Melvin ’01 after this chapel talk.

The second memory took place during the first Multicultural Day that the Cultural and Ethnic Awareness Club (now UNITID) planned during my junior year. The 1990s were a period of heated political debate about issues revolving multiculturalism, diversity, affirmative action, gender and LBGT rights.

But here at Academy, we had struggled to break through to the broader school community. But then we got lucky. Linda Gorsline, the woman who taught me the most complex math I would ever learn, volunteered to attend a three-day, out of town conference devoted to diversity in the private school system. The sessions were intense and often pushed us attendees to come to terms with our own blind privileges and assumptions.

When we returned to campus, Mrs. Gorsline did two things that changed the arc of how we dealt with such issues during my time at NA. First, she told us that hearing so many stories from diverse faculty and students at other schools had helped deepen her resolve about the work that needed to be done at Academy. Second, she helped CEAC secure the financial and administrative resources necessary to expand multicultural day from a speech and a seminar into an interactive exploration of our individual and collective identities. From her and others, we learned that the key to affecting change is unending, incessant, radical empathy.

My third and final memory is about one of the teachers I’ve known the longest and involves one of the touchiest subjects in America. Eric Acra, my junior year U.S. History teacher, spent a week covering the Civil War. His thesis was simple: that while there were many issues which divided the Union and the Confederacy, all of the essential points of disagreement

ultimately revolved around the question of slavery.

Each day I came into class and watched Mr. Acra consistently and effectively debunk the arguments of those who tried to separate slavery from the Civil War. As one of only three black students in my graduating class, that meant a lot. He did not appeal to emotion or guilt, or try to tug on our heartstrings.

Instead he used facts, figures, and the historical record to assert that the greatest nation on earth almost tore itself apart because it never fully reconciled its ideals with its original sin. That is a pretty radical thing to do at the eighth oldest school in the country, 100 miles from the capital of the Confederacy, surrounded by some of the oldest and most prestigious families of Virginia.

Twenty years later, after all of these incidents, I am thankful to the faculty and administrators who helped shape an environment where we could have these debates, demonstrations, and discussions. And to all of you students—my fellow Bulldogs—trust me when I say that years from now, what you are learning right now from your teachers and coaches will matter.

They’re preparing you to shape a world that is too often devoid of effective leadership; a world that could use a heavy dose of the traits that have made Norfolk Academy one of the best schools in the nation: vulnerability, empathy, and radical exploration of the truth.

So “GO, BULLDOGS” and thank you for welcoming me home. ◆ Derek Melvin ’01 is an executive at Morgan Stanley in New York.

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FACULTY AND STUDENTS LEARN ANEW THE POWER OF STORYTELLING

Through Our Stories, We Build Empathy

TOP Seminar Day 2018, organized by the Literacy Fellows of the Batten Civic and Global Leadership Program, involved all students and faculty in a story exchange. BOTTOM LEFT Elizabeth Johnson, co-director of the Literacy Fellows, laughed with students during Seminar Day. BOTTOM MIDDLE Upper School English teacher and college counselor Kathy Hobbs shared a light moment with Upper School chemistry teacher Dr. Tenaya Vallery. BOTTOM RIGHT Keynote speaker Barbara Hamm Lee, producer of the WHRO public radio program Another View.

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[ B AT T E N L E A D E R S H I P P R O G R A M ]

Teaching is a very social job, one where you have to partner’s tale aloud, temporarily “becoming” the partner, engage people around you seemingly all of the time. The seeing and speaking the other person’s tale as if it were mostly silent work of preparing lessons and grading gets his own. Through such a process, Narrative 4 believes done in the midst of swirling social interaction, and that people can learn radical empathy, which builds Norfolk Academy teachers, like teachers everywhere, find compassion and changes how people act in the world. themselves constantly in contact with others. Despite all Reflecting on our small community’s story exchange, of this social interaction, teachers do not get to really Price Hall, Director of International Programs, said, “It speak with each other as often as we should. We are often was a powerful reminder of our humanity—we each have isolated in our divisions or departments, aware but stories of achievement, failure, loss, and relationships unattached to the life beyond these invisible walls. A that have influenced who we are today. When I sat down story exchange is one way to remedy that, and the Year of in our small group today, I looked around and already felt Listening seemed to be a perfect time for such work. so much respect for my colleagues in the room. However, The Norfolk Academy faculty gathered for a story when I left at the end of the day, I loved these people and exchange for our professional development day in early our Norfolk Academy community even more.”

January. Teachers told each other a story about a transforWe also collectively realized that our students need mative moment from their life as a student or as a for us to hear their stories, and they need our empathy teacher, and then reconvened as a group to share those and listening to help their transformation. The more we stories. This work led to the publication this can know ourselves and each other, the spring of a book of essays, “Why I Do What I better we can all teach and learn. We are all AR E Y E Do”: A Norfolk Academy Story Exchange in the so lucky to be a part of this Norfolk TH Year of Listening. It also prepared faculty to Academy community, and we hope the facilitate Seminar 2018, an all-school event essay collection will give its readers a OF organized by the Literacy Fellows, during glimpse into some of the individuals who which students shared their own stories. make this institution so special.

ING LISTEN The work that faculty did that day was In an age when our cellphones, our inspired by a pioneering organization called tablets, and our Twitter feeds can someNarrative 4. Established in 2012 by Lisa times feel like the only way to connect, we Consiglio and novelist Colum McCann, Narrative 4 is a do radically important work when we speak and listen to “global network of authors, educators, and students who each other face to face. In the Year of Listening, we knew use the power of personal story to build empathy and that as we listened to each other’s stories, we would grow spark collaborative change.” Their vision is that the closer as a community. Public radio producer and host empathy generated by an exchange of stories can create Barbara Hamm Lee, our keynote speaker, told students meaningful change in building communities, and they and faculty what she has learned through a career of have worked to make that vision a reality in communities interviewing people and eliciting their stories.When you around the world, in places that have seen tensions rise listen completely, you don’t just listen with your ears, she to dangerous levels: Haiti, the Middle East, and Los said. “You listen with everything.” After her inspirational Angeles, for example. talk, students jumped into the story exchange with full The storytelling process designed by Narrative 4 enthusiasm. unfolds in an unusual way: Individuals meet in pairs, Although each of us may think we already know our sitting in a quiet space. One person tells a story, story, the act of telling it to another person, and having prompted by a question or a topic, while the other person the listener write that story down, takes our own underengages in “deep listening.” The listener cannot interstanding of our experiences to a new place. Of course, rupt; if the storyteller falters, or seems to need there are more stories to be told. We hope this is just the encouragement, the listener may offer it succinctly: “Tell beginning of the conversation. ◆ me more.” After one story has been told, the roles swap, and the listener shares. When the pair returns to the Dr. David Kidd, Upper School English teacher and English group—typically no more than 20 people—the stories Department Chairman, also serves as co-director of the Literacy are retold in a remarkable way: Each person tells his Fellows of the Batten Civic and Global Leadership Program.

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[ F A C U LT Y R E T I R E M E N T ]

After 42 Years, English Teacher Patricia Hume Offers Lessons from an Educated Heart

‘‘ Despite her formidable reputation as a coach for senior and valedictory speeches, Mrs. Hume opened her Vespers speech to the Class of 2018 and their parents with a surprising confession: “Like many of you, I have a fear of public speaking.” Yet her deeply moving speech revealed that she had subjected herself to the meticulous preparation that she expects from her students, and her words drew a sustained ovation and some tears.

Here is an excerpt.

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My first task was to decide what I wanted to say.

I’m not sure that I have any words of wisdom or advice that you have not heard me say before, such as “avoid procrastination, go to class every day, do your homework (especially all the reading you will have)” and “put your phones away and actually talk to people.” But then I remembered what First Corinthians urges us to do—to use our voices to edify, console, and encourage, which I hope to do tonight…

As a graduate of Norfolk Academy, you have received an outstanding academic education that most assuredly will prepare you to be successful in college and in your later careers. You have also been taught to be strong, honorable, and active citizens of the world. Tonight, however, I would like to speak to you about what Virginia’s Poet Laureate Tim Siebles calls “the education of the heart.” By this he means the often intangible lessons you have learned through what you have read and through the experiences you have shared with others. I am pretty sure that in the years to come, you will not remember what grade you received on your Wuthering Heights paper, your Credo, or your senior speech. You will not remember who won which graduation award, what your SAT scores were, or how many points you scored in a game.

What you will remember are the relationships that you have forged with your families, friends, teachers, and coaches.

I know this is true from personal experience. In my 42 years at Norfolk Academy, I have taught almost three thousand students. I cannot tell you a single thing about what grade anyone received. What I do remember are the moments I spent sharing in their lives. These memories include the sixteen parents and five current faculty members in tonight’s audience whom I taught, as well as the countless older siblings who have already gone off to college and successful careers. This past year, I remember the laughter we

shared, your warm “hellos” each morning, and the funny little things you said and did, including your crazy, wild Halloween costumes and the rebirth of the mullet movement. And none of us will ever forget the incredible, best-ever senior prank—the mariachi band. No class will ever be able to top this in the future!

I remember the kindness you showed one another, the way you always supported each other during academic, athletic, or fine arts events. We sometimes do not realize that everything we do or say affects not only our own lives but the lives of others as well. Every time you have given someone a helping hand or shown a friend that you care and understand, every time you have spoken a gentle word, you have helped someone find beauty, happiness, and contentment.

These memories that I have just described are what makes this class so incredibly special.

To prepare for tonight, I returned to a book I read in 1995, Higher Sanity by Lawrence Brown. In his book, Brown provides a credo that applies to all of us who have gathered in this theater tonight. Seniors, as you prepare to enter a new chapter in your lives, I hope that you will remember a few of these precepts.

First, give more to the world and take less. Take pride in what you create, not in what you buy or own.

Listen to your heart and do the right thing for its own sake. In all the world, the only thing you really have control over is you. Make decisions that will show you care more about others than about what you will receive. Most of all, never stop believing that the things you want most deeply lie within your grasp. As Stephen Hawking once said, “Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. There is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters only that you not give up.” To me, these words embody the “education of the heart” that you have received at Norfolk Academy.

TOP Pat Hume was meticulous in her role of preparing graduates for their pre-graduation photos, as she distributed bouquets to the girls and pinned boutonnieres on the boys, including Lawson Montgomery ’18. BOTTOM Patricia Hume, known to colleagues as “Pat,” stops by the senior lounge to chat with the Class of 2018. Seated in foreground, left to right: Carson Yeates, Jimmy Peccie, and Perry Smith.

Give more to the world and take less.

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[ F A C U LT Y R E T I R E M E N T: P AT R I C I A H U M E ]

Tribute from Dr. David Kidd

‘‘

Dr. David Kidd, Chairman of the English Department, has worked with Pat Hume for 22 years, and in those years, she grew to be “a good friend, a mentor, a colleague, and, quite honestly, a daily source of inspiration.” An excerpt from his speech at her retirement ceremony: In Pat’s class, students study William Wordsworth’s poem “Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey, On Revisiting the Banks of the Wye during a Tour,” or more commonly referred to as simply “Tintern Abbey.” The poem is a philosophical meditation about many things, especially nature, memory, purpose, and the individual’s ability to find meaning in solitude and reflection, and I reread the poem just the other day when I thought about how to talk about Pat Hume’s work and how to say goodbye to her.

These lines from Wordsworth’s great poem fittingly describe the experience of being taught by her: with an eye made quiet by the power Of harmony, and the deep power of joy, We see into the life of things.

As they finish their study of that poem, Pat tells her students that they need to find their own personal “Tintern

Abbey” moments in their lives, to live intentionally, cultivating the opportunities for such a moment. Taking that advice to heart, my daughter went on a trip to China through Norfolk Academy’s wonderful exchange, looking on the other side of the globe for a way to live out what Pat Hume had taught her in room 539 of the Tunstall division.

She could not wait to get back to tell Ms. Hume that she had had her “Tintern Abbey” moment by the Great Wall.

Pat Hume’s true curriculum is not limited to any particular space, and her legacy is a living one that will continue to do good in the world through the lives of those students she has taught and changed.

Although Tunstall 539 may very well be Norfolk Academy’s Tintern Abbey, it’s not because of any special arrangement to the bricks and the mortar, the chalkboard, the Hamlet posters, the worksheets stapled to the bulletin boards, or the mysteriously cultish baby shower parties that announce the arrival of Wuthering Heights research essays.

That room is a sacred place to us all because it is where Pat Hume taught over three thousand young men and women to live up to the highest ideas that William Wordsworth envisioned. Pat has truly helped us all acquire “an eye made quiet by the power / Of harmony, and the deep power of joy” so that we can all “see into the life of things.”

’’

Tribute from Charlotte Zito ’99

‘‘

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Upper School English teacher Charlotte Zito ’99 gave a chapel talk to honor Mrs. Hume, once her teacher and now her colleague in the English department. An excerpt from her speech: The Operation Smile vision statement asserts, “We believe all children deserve to be treated as if they were our own.” I think this quote from an organization that Mrs. Hume has been dedicated to for so long fits her perfectly, as she has been treating children as if they were her own here at Norfolk Academy for decades. If you have ever walked down the English hallway, no doubt you have seen Mrs. Hume sitting with a student, listening to his or her concerns and offering sage advice.

When I was a student at Norfolk Academy, she looked after me in so many ways… I loved volunteering for Operation Smile as a student at Norfolk Academy, and I got to serve as president of the Happy Club during my senior year. Mrs. Hume taught me about global health

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before any program like that existed at Norfolk Academy.

She helped me to see beyond the sheltered life I lived in Hampton Roads and realize my global responsibility.

Another great lady, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, meditated on the nature of global responsibility in her Book of Common Sense Etiquette, observing, “True patriotism springs from a belief in the dignity of the individual, freedom and equality not only for Americans but for all people on earth, universal brotherhood and good will, and a constant and earnest striving toward the principles and ideals on which this country was founded.” Mrs. Hume teaches her students that their patria, or country, is the country of humanity, not bound by the limits of one nationality. She has traveled around the globe with Operation Smile, helping others to recognize that true love of humanity springs from a belief in the dignity of all people and that American ideals cannot exist without goodwill across the globe.

’’

[ G R A D U AT E P R O F I L E S ]

Adavya Dhawan ’18 is Chosen as University of Virginia Jefferson Scholar Talk to Adavya Dhawan ’18 for a little while, and you’ll notice a word that pops up fairly often: transformative. It’s a word he applies to many activities that have shaped his educational journey at Norfolk Academy; the Honor Council, Global Affairs Fellows, the Cross Country team—all have been transformative, shaping the arc of his life in ways that he can clearly delineate.

In May 2018, Dhawan was named a Jefferson Scholar at University of Virginia, one of only 36 selected recipients for one of the most highly selective merit scholarships in the nation. Nine of those students are from Virginia, and only one other student hails from Hampton Roads.

Candidates for the scholarship must undergo a rigorous, highly competitive, multi-stage selection process. This year, nearly 2,000 students were

nominated for the scholarship, and 116 finalists were invited to take part in a four-day competition at UVA. Dhawan has been a representative on the school’s Honor Councils since seventh grade, and he served as the chairman during his senior year. The Honor Council taught him to listen and empathize, something “that no other leadership role has taught me.”

Time spent in the Global Affairs Fellows of the Batten Civic and Global Leadership Program transformed his understanding of diplomacy and international politics. The group’s summer trip to Peru was a “wake-up call” for him about the discrimination faced by indigenous people. He also found a way to share his passion for business in projects for the Fellows program by teaching financial literacy to some classes and in the Middle School’s Mini-mester.

As he fondly recalls his journey at NA, Dhawan looks forward to the adventure ahead at UVA, and is anticipating numerous intellectual discussions and stories of fantastic experiences with his fellow Jefferson Scholars. ◆

Mila Colizza ’18 Receives Regional Recognition & Scholarship Award Mila Colizza ’18, who is attending Yale University this fall, was one of four scholarship winners in The Virginian-Pilot’s Scholastic Achievement Program. She received the Taste of India scholarship for $5,000, and her achievements were highlighted in an article in the newspaper’s special section.

During her time in the Upper School, Colizza has been a Global Affairs Fellow of the Batten Civic and Global Leadership Program, and she has traveled to Russia and Peru as part of her work in the Fellows program. In the newspaper article, she spoke about the Fellows’ trip to Peru, in particular their visit to the rural community of Patacancha, where the local women

practice ancient weaving techniques. She has also made repeated visits to Honduras, accompanying her mother, Dr. Ann Schwentker, on medical missions; during those trips, she has observed surgical procedures and helped organize supplies and entertain young patients.

Colizza was a co-valedictorian of the Class of 2018, along with Jack Kilduff, who is attending the University of Virginia this fall. In her speech, Colizza said that the senior class had made its mark “because we operate as a plurality, and because through the many, many years of cooperation, we have developed into a family. We have learned humility, the ability to relinquish the greatness of oneself in order to embrace and further the greatness of a group, because true greatness happens when we set the bar for “average” extremely high. We must take that ability with us, and strive to replicate this communal elevation.” ◆

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[ I N T E R N AT I O N A L P R O G R A M S ]

Are You Taking a Trip or Changing Your Lens on the World?

PARTNERSHIP WITH “WHERE THERE BE DRAGONS” INVIGORATES NORFOLK ACADEMY’S APPROACH TO TRAVEL

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The best experiential education comes with collaboration and partnership. For so long Norfolk Academy’s International Programs have enjoyed relationships with partner schools in Germany, France, Spain, Argentina, and China, through which generations of life-changing relationships have developed. More recently, we have sought relationships with reputable organizations designed specifically to collaborate with schools like Norfolk Academy to allow our students access to approaches that enrich these experiences.

Where There Be Dragons, a leader in cross-cultural education, fostering leadership, self-exploration, and global citizenship since 1993, is one organization that has served the development of our programs in significant ways. From providing our students with stand-alone cultural immersion programs to thorough professional development for our faculty leaders, Where There Be Dragons has provided exactly what our school has needed: true partnership in innovative, immersive, and experiential education.

When we first inquired into their services, Where There Be Dragons impressed us by offering to visit our school and learn about the goals for our program.

Simon Hart, Director of School Partnerships, met with several program directors at NA, shared the Dragons story and philosophy, and even taught a class! By doing so, he displayed essential qualities of any strong partner—a willingness to listen and understand exactly what we needed. Our partnership has subsequently thrived, and we have begun to infuse some of the organization’s best practices and philosophy into all of our international and experiential programming, from our traditional reciprocal exchanges, to our servicelearning opportunities, to the Batten Civic and Global Leadership Program’s Fellows Programs and Leadership Lab. A cultural shift has occurred so that student and faculty participants no longer see each experience as a trip that starts when they board an airplane to head abroad and ends when they disembark back in Norfolk, but as a complete program with essential work to do before and after the “trip.” Each program has introduced critical pre-trip activities to allow for tone-setting, goal-setting, team-building, understanding of context and cultural norms, and language practice; each program has also incorporated important individual and group reflection activities during and after their time abroad. Most notably, Dragons’ concept of transference, or bringing the experience back home in an authentic way, challenges our faculty directors and students to share their experience and their personal growth as they transition back to their day-to-day lives in Hampton Roads. Post-program

reflection activities help students understand their transformative experience and absorb a new way of looking at the world and understanding their place in it.

While on the ground abroad, we strive to enhance student ownership over their experience by having daily leadership roles determined by the students themselves before departure. These can range from “Leader of the Day” to “Navigator” to “Camel” (keeps everyone hydrated) to “Scribe/Blogger/Tweeter.” There has been more than one occasion when the day’s Navigator takes the group in the opposite direction on public transportation only to realize the mistake after a significant time has passed. The group always asks the faculty leaders, “How did you let us go in the wrong direction for that long?!” It is in moments like this, however, that our students are building the skills to become confident and competent travelers. Several parents have commented that on a subsequent family vacation, their child has taken the lead in navigating for the family and helping to make decisions on where to stay and where to eat—somewhere “local” that they can’t find at home!

At the end of each day, the Leader of the Day facilitates a reflection on the day, during which every student and faculty shares their “rose” (highlight) and “thorn” (low point) of the day and the whole group shares “pluses” and “deltas” on the group and also on the Leader of the Day’s performance. Giving constructive criticism to peers and receiving it is yet another skill honed through these exercises, one that complements the work NA teachers accomplish in the classroom.

The Where There Be Dragons approach and philosophy have enhanced NA’s own approach to leadership development. As we are seeing firsthand in our students and faculty alike, experiential educational opportunities that are rooted in and support the core NA curriculum are not only valuable but are effective in developing the leadership and character traits we espouse as an institution: integrity, empathy, selfawareness, self-reliance, cultural competence, and responsible service to others. We look forward to seeing immersive, innovative, and experiential educational opportunities at Norfolk Academy continue to expand in the coming years, as we utilize the high-impact framework designed in partnership with Where There Be Dragons. ◆ Price Hall ’02 is Director of International Programs and Assistant Director of the Batten Civic and Global Leadership Program.

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[ I N T E R N AT I O N A L P R O G R A M ]

TOP Andrew Thetford and Will Brooks (Class of 2019) write reflections in their journals on the Great Wall of China during a transference activity at the end of their time in China, summer 2017. BOTTOM Max Steingold, Ingrid Benkovitz, Andrew Thetford (all Class of 2019) begin transference activities on the Great Wall of China before their return home stateside, summer 2017.

NATASHA NAUJOKS, CHINA PROGRAM COORDINATOR: What I value most about our partnership with Where There Be Dragons is their commitment to safely push students beyond the boundaries of their comfort zones in order to promote personal growth and self-awareness.

FACULTY PARTICIPANT IN 2016 WTBD PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT RETREAT: I especially liked how [the retreat] focused on gratitude, awareness, tone setting, and reflection. Really breaking down why we do this for our students and how we can make it a lasting experience. This was the best professional development programming I have enjoyed in twelve years at NA. BRAMMY RAJAKUMAR ’19, PARTICIPANT IN CHINA PROGRAM 2017: This program changed my life. It transformed my perception of China, changed my views of others, and increased my belief in myself.

INGRID BENKOVITZ ’19, PARTICIPANT IN CHINA PROGRAM 2017: My three weeks spent in China are undoubtedly the 21 most unforgettable, exciting days of my life. Filled with adventures, day in and day out, the program was a learning experience, disguised in fun excursions and wonderful relationships. I left China a more confident traveler, leader, and friend and for that I am forever grateful.

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TOP Mihir Damle, Will Brooks, and Brammy Rajakumar (all Class of 2019) spin prayer wheels while visiting a Buddist Monastery in Lashihai, Yunnan Province, China.

MIDDLE Max Steingold, Sebastian Singh, Cole Jordan, and Kevin Smedley (all Class of 2019) guest teach an English lesson at a primary school in Lashihai, Yunnan Province, China. BOTTOM Cole Jordan, Class of 2019, reflects in his journal on the Great Wall of China during a transference activity at the end of his time in China, summer 2017.

Photos by Steven Goldburg ’04.

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STUDIO

stage

TOP Noah DeLorenzo ’20 illuminates the stage by manually maneuvering the spotlights.

MIDDLE Daniel Prohaska ’18 (foreground) was the unspoken leader of the light crew during the 2017–18 productions.

BOTTOM Kedar JohnsonSmith ’20 checks the sound board up in the booth.

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Unseen for the Scene: An Inside Look “Pay no attention to

that man behind the curtain!”

The famed line from L. Frank Baum’s classic The Wizard of Oz has been recited countless times by actors in high school productions, including the 2017 production at Norfolk Academy. For those who work backstage, that line holds particular resonance. Rarely seen and predominantly in the shadows, they know their work can make or break a show.

Norfolk Academy’s musical production teams depend on students who go unseen.

These teams consist of carpenters, costume designers, stage managers, prop artisans, choreographers, construction crews, and lighting and sound crews. They are present at every practice, rehearsal, and performance. While they often receive a curtain call at the conclusion of the performance, they rarely get the spotlight—and to them, that is just fine.

Veteran production team member Daniel Prohaska ’18 knows the behindthe-curtain workings better than most.

While giving a tour of the lights in the scaffolding, he is quick to throw out cautionary warnings for where to step, and he reflexively maneuvers around layers of lights while rattling off different setups: “There are three (lights) over the stage, two over the house, over 400 that we work with…” Daniel has spent his time in various productions as a leader on the lighting team, working as a lighting designer, board operator, and general crew member. And while he gives off an air of total confidence in his ability to control the lights, he confesses to getting preshow jitters.

“The first show is always the hardest and a little daunting,” he said. “Two weeks prior to the show we hold a tech week to work out all the kinks. That doesn’t mean we avoid all challenges. On one of our

preview days, one of our lights blew out.

I switched it out quickly so no one noticed, but, to me, half the stage just went dark.”

Members of the lighting team look up to Daniel. He started working in lighting design when he was in the ninth grade, and has more experience than anyone in the group. When he first started, he found a mentor in Anders Christofferson ’16, who helped him learn the role. Now, he is passing along what he learned to other members of the team.

“It is a cool, eye-opening experience to have people look up to you, working under your guidance,” he said.

Kedar Johnson-Smith ’20 is another student who has been involved with the fine arts program at NA. He joined the sound production team in the winter of 2014 in time for the 2015 performance of Singin’ in the Rain. Having now been involved in four winter musicals, two plays, and numerous concerts, Kedar is a natural leader for the newcomers on the sound team.

“Some of my team had worked in other roles before, but not sound,” said Kedar.

“Others had not even seen a show before; it was my job to bring them together to create something wonderful. It is very rewarding for me to hear that many of them, if not all of them, will be continuing this next year.”

Student leaders like Daniel and Kedar serve as enthusiastic mentors to incoming students on the production crew, said Mrs. Olivia Arnold ’13, stage manager for the 2018 winter musical, Seussical, and former teaching associate in the Fine Arts Department.

“Seeing the strong student leaders in each group train and work with their peers, that was exceptional to witness,” said Mrs. Arnold. “They are teaching real world skills. It’s more than just learning from a textbook—they could build a career out of what they are doing.”

Jasy Nelson ’21 and Elizabeth Taddeo ’21, newcomers to the sound production team, attest to Kedar’s leadership skills.

“There was a camaraderie among the production team members,” said Elizabeth. “I felt like we were a family.

Kedar was definitely our team leader. We would go to him if we had any questions.”

It wasn’t always smooth sailing. “There was a learning curve,” said Jasy. “I was initially scared to give feedback to the people in the booth. But it eventually became second nature. By the time our last performance came around… well, I might have shed a few tears.”

Kedar also felt that tug of fellowship with the cast and crew. He recalled an instance where everyone, including the professional band and orchestra, sang an impromptu rendition of “Happy Birthday,” catching him by surprise.

“There is a very strong bond between us as a sound team, and it is even shared with the cast, even though we don’t see them as much,” he said. “That bond between us is something I am very proud of.”

The junior seeks to expand his role beyond that of supervising the sound team.

His goal is to provide help and share his experiences and responsibilities with the rest of the team.

Kedar’s passion for the work is evident, and it is no secret that he will be continuing his work with the sound team and in other capacities within the Fine Arts department. He made his acting debut in Something’s Rotten in the State of Denmark, the 2018 spring play. Luckily, the student leader still has two full years left to assist groups of students entering the production team, although that does not stop him from looking ahead.

“I will definitely be continuing with sound in the future,” said Kedar.

“I envision making a career out of it.” ◆ Lauren Smith is the Communications Specialist.

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stage

TOP Elbert Watson and Sherah Powers perform “The Wounds Within,” a dance from a much longer suite, Hymn for the Brave and Fallen, which examines the human toll of war upon individuals.

MIDDLE Elbert Watson leads students on the NA dance team during after-school practice. LEFT TO RIGHT behind Mr. Watson: Tori Walker, Alayah McIntosh, and Erica Washington, all members of the Class of 2018.

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AN INTERVIEW AND EXPLORATION OF INVENTIVENESS IN THE ARTS

Elbert Watson, “Keep that Sense of Play” Always a creative force, Norfolk Academy Dance Master Elbert Watson, who began his professional career as a principal dancer with The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, has in the past year leapt into new territory in his choreography and dancing. A partial list of his projects: • After attending a conference organized by the Holocaust Commission of Tidewater, he was inspired to research Kristallnacht and choreograph a dance about a young girl experiencing that event.

• He choreographed an entire series of dances, Hymn for the Brave and the Fallen, examining the human cost of war.

He and his (adult) troupe, The Elbert Watson Dance Company, performed those pieces at the Slover Library and at a sold-out show in Kill Devil Hills, and he continues to develop new dances in the series.

• He performed a dance that he had recently choreographed to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

• He danced twice with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra.

• He was recognized in the AfricanAmerican Trailblazers Honors Program at Slover Library as a leader in the arts.

Throughout this creative outpouring, Watson has kept to his daily rhythms, teaching dance classes to Lower School students, coaching the dance team with Middle and Upper School students, choreographing dances for Seussical the Musical and Lower School plays, and conducting flexibility classes for athletic teams and faculty members. He recently shared his insights about constantly seeking new horizons in his artistry.

Q: How has your approach to creativity changed from when you were a young dancer with Alvin Ailey, or when you began choreographing dances yourself ?

It is one and the same! Watching the kids I teach, I am reminded—you always need time to play! As adults, we get so busy, and we don’t have time to do that… I get most

of my creative ideas while doing other things—sweeping the porch, brushing my teeth, things like that. I get ideas. I have uncluttered my life. If I am always going somewhere or in the studio, I can’t have ideas. We can lose our sense of play.

Q: “The Wounds Within,” a dance that is part of your suite of dances, Hymn for the Brave and Fallen, depicts a Vietnam veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

What was your creative process?

I researched African-American men in the military. A lot of them could not get deferments; they went from the streets right into battle. They didn’t talk about it, because it was seen as weak. I also researched PTSD… The wound is something you can’t see, and family members don’t know how to react. As I put the dance together, the two chairs onstage became a room and then became the cockpit of a helicopter. Those chairs were sturdy! I moved in the mirror, stood on them, and created the dance around those chairs.

Q: How important is research?

If I am telling a story, I am also educating.

You can get into character and entertain, but also deliver information. Even when I danced to Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, I did research about the speech.

For example, he was so inspired in the moment, that he gave a different speech than what he had planned. I must have listened to the speech over 500 times—all summer! I had to really hear it. I played it at home, in my car; I immersed myself in it.

Q: How do costumes shape your performance?

Design is important! People like the story, and over the years, I have used costumes to help with that. With Dr. King’s speech—the suit was crucial. It was a suit that had belonged to my father. I have seen people do a dance like that in tights, but it doesn’t work for me. Dr. King was a stately person,

and it is a stately speech. I carry myself differently in the suit.

Q: Where does the music figure into your creative process?

The first thing is that it has to make me move. I can be in the grocery store and hear music, and I dance down the aisle!

You figure, I have to play it 100 times or more, when I choreograph, so I have to love it. The music is part of the canvas. The music has to be a sensation—it pulls the audience in. The audience has an experience, not just entertainment.

Q: Do you need solitude?

It’s very important. In solitude, I am not bound by time. I work best when it is quiet.

When I go home, there is no music and sound. I have time to process and think.

Q: What is the connection between your spiritual life and your creativity?

Everything I do must have integrity. What I create is an extension of who I am as a person and my faith… I pray about a lot of things, and my faith is essential, because it grounds me. It makes me responsible for what I present. My job is to teach fine arts. People should leave as better people after they attend one of my productions.

And I know that I am a model for young people daily.

Q: How do you teach creativity?

It’s my belief that we all have it! We all do!

You provide an environment where it’s okay to make mistakes. It’s also okay to express what you feel, not what I want, as the teacher. Sometimes I give them a prop, and we have a conversation about it before we dance. Most of us do what we think we should do. You have to keep that sense of play! Where do we lose that? ◆ Interview conducted by Esther Diskin, Director of Communications

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in the [ G A M E ]

Bulldog Athletics Adds a New Team to Its Ranks Cheers from the crowd below could clearly be heard, even in the press box at Virginia Wesleyan University. The handful of Upper School students crowded inside could sense the energy, while experiencing their own anxious anticipation. They would not be taking to the field for the Boys Varsity Soccer TCIS Tournament Finals, yet thousands of fans would be depending on them. Cameras were turned on and computer streams were monitored. With a deep breath, they leaned closer to the microphone. Their clock had started.

The introduction of Athletic Broadcasting in the fall of 2016 has spurred excitement among Bulldog fans and inspired students to pursue the activity not just for an arts credit in the Upper School, but to consider it as an extracurricular that may lead to further study of media or communications in college.

Broadcasting has brought more fans for the Bulldogs, allowing family and friends who live at a distance to get swept up in the action. Views for a broadcast game in most Academy sports typically vary from a couple hundred to nearly 1,000. However, a big game can produce a surge: 2,098 views were recorded in the 2017 Boys Varsity Lacrosse game against Cape Henry Collegiate in the TCIS finals at Virginia Wesleyan College.

Carter Furr ’17, a University of Virginia sophomore majoring in media studies, decided to give broadcasting a try in the winter of his senior year. He started as a color commentator alongside play-by-play professional Robbie Adams. It did not take long before Furr realized he had found a new passion, one strong enough to make him reconsider playing varsity lacrosse during the spring in order to be a play-by-play announcer in his final semester.

“I played lacrosse for ten years,” said Furr. “It really came down to, ‘I can make more of an impact on the school if I’m in the athletic booth and not on the field.’ I definitely felt like I was making a positive difference for the school.”

Furr began his collegiate career at the University of South Carolina before transferring to the University of Virginia. While he was at USC he joined SGTV, a student-run talk show. His love for broadcasting has fueled his desire for a career in media. He also had the advantage of spending time talking with Jack Ankerson, announcer for the Norfolk Tides and a man whose voice, according to many locals, is synonymous with area sports. Furr also spent numerous hours partnering with Adams, who told Furr that studying broadcasting could take him along many different paths.

“What I really respect about a good leader, is really sincere honesty,” said Adams. “I told them right off the bat that I’d give them honest feedback. The kids picked up on that. They bought in and gave it everything I asked of them to bring smiles to people’s faces.”

Furr is not the only one who took advice from Adams.

The original six students who joined the broadcasting team in its inaugural season gained support from both Adams and Ed Patterson, who serves as director of academic technology, Upper School film studies teacher, and athletic broadcasting manager. The group included Eleanor Lilly ’18, Colby Worden ’18, Will Klena ’19, B. Gray Randolph ’19, Andrew Thetford ’19, and Ells Boone ’20.

Their first semester introducing athletic broadcasting was a learning curve. They were using tripods and folding tables, setting up in the rain while attempting to keep the equipment dry, and using a generator to power their streaming capabilities. Now, they are well above the ground, with cameras perched above them to capture the entirety of the playing fields.

“We started off doing whatever games we could, schedule permitting,” said Patterson. “The students also had to learn to be forthright and to stay neutral—being both an analyst and a friend—along with the technical side.”

Patterson was the reason some of the students joined.

Randolph, who has participated as part of the camera and tech (continued on page 42)

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TOP Left to right: Callum Krishna ’18, Carter Furr ’17, and Eleanor Lilly ’18 look on intently while providing commentary during a Varsity Basketball game.

BOTTOM LEFT Ed Patterson, director of academic

technology, Upper School film studies teacher, and athletic broadcasting manager, and Ells Boone ’20 work together to cover the girls soccer program in May 2018.

BOTTOM RIGHT Ed Patterson, Will Klena ’19, and play-by-play professional Robbie Adams joke around in between takes while covering different games.

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in the [ G A M E ]

(continued from page 40)

crew during both fall seasons, had taken his class prior to joining the team. “I always loved film class,” said Randolph. “So I figured I would enjoy broadcasting. You can earn one half credit when you join two seasons, although it never felt like work or a burden. This course was my gateway to broadcasting, and I might never have had the opportunity to try it.”

There have been thrilling moments: A clip he filmed, accompanied by commentary from Boone, landed on USA Today’s Play of the Week. Boone attended a sports broadcasting camp in Baltimore and ponders working for ESPN someday. Thetford, who shoots a lot of the camera work, said he, too, might consider extending this into a career.

While the original six students all felt trepidation before their first few broadcasts, Lilly had a slightly different set of reservations: she was the only girl joining the team. Yet Athletic Director Aubrey Shinofield had reached out to her directly to encourage her to try it.

“It was not on my radar, but it was so perfect for me,” said Lilly. “I brought this confidence to the mic because it felt liberating for me. I think of it as just having a conversation with someone and not worrying about how many people are tuning in on the other end.”

Lilly’s sister and father are both big sports fans who have taught her a few pointers over the years. So she had the sports knowledge necessary, and found that everyone fell into their roles relatively quickly. “We became a family,” she said. “Mr. Adams even came to my senior speech. We just grew closer, which makes the whole experience easier.”

It takes a lot of pre-game preparation work to be fully knowledgeable. Adams will spend time in the week leading up to the competition pulling statistics from different coaches, breaking down film and statistics with the students, and anticipating all of the nuances that could affect the outcome of the game.

While most of their work was successful, the team has had their share of mishaps. Both Lilly and Klena recall a time when they were filming a soccer game, but the streaming was not functioning properly. The team scored an incredible goal within the first three seconds of play; they did not get it on film, much to their dismay. “There are a lot of high blood pressure moments, but it is a good skill to know how to do the best in situations you can’t always control,” said Klena.

Athletic broadcasting is giving all students an entirely new avenue for participating in the athletic community and developing new skills. “Every student at NA should give (athletic broadcasting) a shot,” Klena said. “It’s flexible and there are roles for everyone— they want you to succeed.” ◆ Lauren Smith is the Communications Specialist.

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Norfolk Academy Winter BOYS AND GIRLS SWIMMING Norfolk Academy’s Swim and Dive Teams had an extraordinary finish at the 2018 State Championship: The Boys Team won the championship by a substantial margin, while the Girls Team came in second to the Madeira School by a mere half point, 294 to 293.5. Both boys and girls set state (and school) records in the 200 freestyle relay. The team of Spencer Ryan ’19, B. Gray Randolph ’19, Guil Ware ’20, and Will Wilson ’18 set a record of 1:24.45 (set in prelims), while the team of Liza Ware ’18, Abigail McCammon ’19, Kayla Wilson ’22, and Callie Dickinson ’18 finished at 1:34.78. The times of both teams qualified for All-American recognition. In addition, the 400 freestyle relay of Kayla Wilson, Liza Ware, Marin McKee ’22, and Callie Dickinson earned All-American status. Will Wilson won the state championship in the 100 butterfly and the 200 freestyle. He also holds two school records for the 200 freestyle and the 100 fly, and is a member of two relay teams with new school records. Callie Dickinson won the state championship in the 200 individual medley and the 100 backstroke, and her times in those events qualified her as an All-American.

CREW TEAM BOYS LIGHTWEIGHT 4 Boys Lightweight Four captured their first state championship with a first place finish at the Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association (VASRA) regatta. They continued to make school history when the boat finished sixth in the nation at the Scholastic Rowing Association of America (SRAA) Championship. Senior coxswain Katie Debbas ’18 led the team of junior rowers, including Peyton McNider ’19, B. Gray Randolph ’19, Will Klena ’19, and Destin Rodgers ’19 to victory. The team was led by coaches Nick Conner (father of Drew Conner ’05) and Angela Nelson ’08.

& Spring Teams Capture State Titles BASEBALL

GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD

The Varsity Baseball Team were runners-up in the DI Baseball Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA) State Championships. They battled against a tough St. Christopher’s team, a team that went 24–1 for the season. It was the Bulldogs’ first ever visit to the State Championship.

Olivia Newsome ’18

captured the 100-meter (12.75) and 200-meter (26.88) state titles, and finished in second place in the triple jump and third place in the long jump. ◆

1 Girls 200 freestyle relay: (L to R) Callie Dickinson ’18, Liza Ware ’18, Kayla Wilson ’22, and Abigail McCammon ’19 broke state and school records in the 200 Freestyle Relay.

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4

2 Boys Lightweight Four Crew, pictured after winning the State Championship: (L to R) Coach Angela Nelson ’08, Will Klena ’19, Peyton McNider ’19, Katie Debbas ’18, B. Gray Randolph ’19, Destin Rodgers ’19, and Coach Nick Conner.

3 The Boys Swimming and Diving Team was jubilant after winning first in the state.

4 The Varsity Baseball

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5

Team were runners-up in their first visit to the State Championship.

5 Greer Gill ’18, The Virginian-Pilot’s Female Athlete of the Year, helped lead the Field Hockey Team to its third state championship in four years.

She will play for University of Virginia starting this fall.

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6

6 Olivia Newsome ’18 is shown competing in the long jump. She placed third in the state in this event.

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[ FIELD DAY ]

Bulldogs on Board, April 2018

Field Day Golf Tournament

Field Day Opening Reception: Art Gallery, Antiques & Adornments, Love & Elbow

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[ FIELD DAY ]

Bulldog Bash, May 2018

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[ FIELD DAY ]

Bulldogs on Board, May 2018

Bulldogs on Board with Field Day Fun! With two energetic Bulldog parents at the helm, Susan Gill (mother of Ainsley ’14 and twins Halle ’18 and Greer ’18) and Katherine Richardson (mother of Lindley ’17 and Ben ’18), the annual Field Day on Saturday, May 5, was a huge hit. This year’s theme, “Bulldogs on Board,” playfully riffed on the fun of board games; the rallying cry “Let the Games Begin!” brought out the competitive nature in students, alumni, faculty, staff, and new Bulldog families, as they participated in games and races. As the longest-standing community event at the school, having been established in 1891, the day raised money for need-based financial aid and programs that directly impact the educational experience for all students.

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[ ALUMNI ]

Class Reunions

’68

The Class of 1968 enjoyed a wonderful 50th Reunion dinner hosted by Dubby and Susan Wynne, along with Rhonda and Lynn Durham.

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’73

The Class of 1973 offers many thanks to Robert and Kristin Jones for hosting a beautiful, beachfront 45th Reunion gathering.

’78

The Class of 1978 gathered at the home of Molly and Peter Ill to celebrate their 40th Class Reunion.

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[ ALUMNI ]

Class Reunions

’83

The Class of 1983 says thanks go to Griff and Peggy Jones for once again hosting the mighty class, this time for their 35th Reunion dinner!

’88

The Class of 1988 spent a wonderful evening for their 30th Reunion at the home of Jeff and Beth Parker.

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’93

The Class of 1993 set record numbers as they attended their 25th Class Reunion, held at the beautiful home of Jenny and Travis Ward.

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[ ALUMNI ]

Class Reunions

’98

The Class of 1998 gathered for their 20th Class Reunion at the new Smartmouth Brewing Pilot House in Virginia Beach.

’03

The Class of 2003 hosted their 15th Class Reunion at O’Connor Brewing Co. in Norfolk.

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’08

2008: Many thanks to the Kitchin family for hosting the 10th Class Reunion for 2008.

’13

2013: The Class of 2013 hosted their 5th Class Reunion gathering at Smartmouth Brewing Company in Norfolk.

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[ ALUMNI ]

Gatherings

Alumni Career Connection Program interns and sponsors at the annual Summer Internship Luncheon, July 2017

The Cornerstone Society Oyster Roast at Sandra and Ashby ’57 Taylor’s home on the Eastern Shore, October 2017

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Alumni care package parties are an excellent way to reconnect with parents of college-age alumni, October 2017

NA alumni enrolled at the University of Virginia attended the Batten Leadership Forum, December 2017

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Gatherings

The Young Alumni Holiday Bulldog Bash was hosted at Smartmouth’s Pilot House, December 2017

The Alumni Association hosted the Career Prep Day for college alumni, January 2018

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Rhae Adams ’08 was the guest speaker for the Amazing Alumni Luncheon Series, April 2018

Parents of college-age alumni gather to assemble care packages for the students, February 2018

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Gatherings

NA Lacrosse alumni reunited for a game and the 1978 Lacrosse Team was celebrated at the Alumni Lacrosse Reunion during Alumni Weekend, May 2018

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Howard Hoege, president and CEO of the Mariners’ Museum, spoke at the annual Alumni Spring Luncheon, May 2018

Local alumni had a rendezvous at the Chrysler Museum, May 2018

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[ ALUMNI ]

Regional Reunions

NEW YORK ALUMNI of all ages gathered at the Princeton Club in New York City, September 2017

ATLANTA AREA ALUMNI The Capital City Club served as the site for the reunion, October 2017

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RICHMOND ALUMNI supported the Bulldogs as they took on the Collegiate Cougars in football, October 2017

LOS ANGELES AREA ALUMNI The Belmont was home to the reunion, January 2018

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Regional Reunions

SAN FRANCISCO ALUMNI enjoyed their reunion downtown, January 2018

RALEIGH / DURHAM ALUMNI with Headmaster Dennis Manning at the Washington Duke Inn, February 2018

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D.C. AREA ALUMNI The University Club was the site of the reunion, March 2018

RICHMOND ALUMNI The Country Club of Virginia was the setting for the formal reunion, May 2018

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1 Stan Young ’70 at about 11,000 feet in Colorado on an elk-hunting trip last September. Doing reunions in May won’t conflict with hunting anymore!

2 Pronce Morrow ’70 with her husband, Rick, and their daughters, Liz and Cornelia, and their families. Liz, Scott Raney ’02, and Scotty Raney are to the right,

and Wyn Raney is in Rick’s arms. 3 Chip ’70 and Cathy Beaman, Bill ’70 and Pam Reed, Joan Frazee, Bob ’70 and Susan Hume, and Anne Reed Harper ’70 4 Bill Nusbaum ’73 was honored to be one of five 2018 recipients of the Humanitarian Award given by the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, Tidewater

Chapter, in March. 5 Michael Trueblood ’73 is the proud grandfather of six: Emelia is the eldest and the lucky cowgirl pictured here with him in June 2017 at the Winchester cattle auction. Michael also reports a new hobby, woodworking. He has been taking classes and making furniture. 6 Michael Via ’73 had a wonderful get-together with Coach Trickler, Brian Trickler, Rip Montague, and classmates Pat Baker ’73, Woody McDowell ’73, and Mel Cruser ’73. 7 Class of 1978 reunion at Washington & Lee vs Washington College, featuring Jesse Bacon ’78, Latane Ware Brown ’78, Tom Ritter ’78, and Tommy Semeler ’78 8 Last August, Sue Monroe Gordon ’76 was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the Principal Deputy Director for National Intelligence.

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alumni profile

| Bob Powell ’80

Exploring Nature’s Power to Inspire ROBERT POWELL ’80 STUDIES HOW TOURISM AND OTHER INFORMAL EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES CAN INSPIRE PEOPLE TO CONNECT WITH—AND PROTECT—THE NATURAL WORLD.

Robert Powell ’80, a professor and Director of the Institute for Parks at Clemson University, rafts down the Grand Canyon.

Robert Powell sees public lands as invaluable resources for their recreational value and health benefits, as well as opportunities to understand the natural world and make a spiritual connection to place. The parks tradition in the U.S. has been the entry point for developing an environmental ethic in an era of urbani­zation.

“Way back in 1865, Frederick Law Olmsted really saw that these natural places were instrumental to human health and wellbeing, and I truly believe that it still applies today.” It’s a legacy that has been important globally.

Powell focuses on two areas of research. He studies the impact of informal environmental education primarily in national park and ecotourism natural settings—experiences that take place in a “free-choice” environment that can improve connection to nature, interest in science learning, environmental literacy, and stewardship behaviors.

Environmental education program­matic approaches that work best are those that provide a holistic story, focusing on what’s unique and compelling about that location but is also relevant to an individual’s life.

Part of learning is a social undertaking, and talking with friends and teachers, mentors and parents is important in the process.

His second focus, which has evolved from his graduate studies at Yale, is on managing tourism to deliver conservation benefits to protected areas and local people in and around those parks.

About his time at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, Powell says, “When I returned to school, I was 38 years old, and I had been working in the ecotourism industry for about 20 years. I was really interested in taking those practical experiences and learning how we might do ecotourism better—to deliver economic benefits and also protect the natural environment.”

In addition to his teaching and research, Powell has worked in the U.S. and Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Vietnam to develop plans for national parks and protected areas, focusing on balancing tourism development with resource protection, while also providing opportunities for local people to participate and benefit from that economy.

This profile of Robert Powell ’80 (Yale F&ES MEM ’01, PhD ’05) is adapted from an interview with Kevin Dennehy, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. Used with permission.

For the full story, go to environment.yale.edu/ news/article/from-ecotourism-to-academia-robertpowell-explores-natures-power-to-inspire/.

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1 Andrew O’Brien ’00 and his wife, Alicia, welcomed their daughter, Theresa, into the world in December 2016. 2 John Bain ’00 and his wife welcomed a baby boy: Fulton Charles Bain was born on November 21, 2018, weighing 6 lbs., 12 oz. 3 Anzu, daughter of Anthony Faulkner ’02, is about to become a big sister!

Baby number two is due in September 2018. 4 Naomi Sternlicht Silkowitz ’02 and her husband, Jeremy, welcomed a baby girl, Ilani Renee Silkowitz, on May 1, 2017. 5 Maggie Freshman ’00 and her husband, Jake, and their sons on their first of possibly many trips to Disney World 6 August 26, 2017, was a golf outing for the Brendan Looney Foundation. A few Bulldogs showed up for the outing, including Betsy Looney, Matt Hage ’01, Colin Looney ’19, Drew Duffy ’20, Brian Striffler ’07, and Scout ’13 and Neil Duffy. 7 Eddie Carver ’03 and Laura Robson shared their story of serving as Peace Corps volunteers and journalists in Madagascar, to kick off the 2018 Middle School Mini-Mester. 8 Mason Kramer ’03 and his wife, Katerina, in Tokyo, Japan 9 Ryan Simone ’03 and Margaret Wilcox ’05 were married in Norfolk, VA, on July 29, 2017, with many Bulldogs in attendance. 10 Ashley Hays ’04 and her husband welcomed their first son, Harrison, on November 19, 2017. 11 Blake, daughter of Lindsay Hewit ’04 12 Classmates Jessica Chou ’04 and Christie Kellam Snodgrass ’04 met in Hawaii.

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alumni profile

| Maggie Pecsok ’14

Maggie Pecsok ’14 Wins Princeton University’s Top Prize for Undergraduates

Shortly before her graduation from Princeton University this spring, Maggie Pecsok ’14 was named a co-winner of Princeton University’s 2018 Moses Taylor Pyne Honor Prize, the highest general distinction conferred on an undergraduate.

Pecsok, the daughter of Drs. Tom and Ella Pecsok of Virginia Beach, is concentrating in psychology and pursuing a certificate in cognitive science. The Pyne Honor Prize, established in 1921, is awarded to the senior who has most clearly manifested excellent scholarship, strength of character, and effective leadership. The prize has been won by a list of luminaries, including Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Pecsok shared the Pyne Prize with John “Newby” Parton of McMinnville, TN. In a February 20 news release from Princeton, Ms. Pecsok’s thesis advisor, Sabine Kastner, professor of psychology, said, “Maggie is the most outstanding undergraduate student that I have had the privilege to mentor and teach in my (almost) 18 years at Princeton. In her junior paper and senior thesis, she has worked on exploring the behavioral and neural

bases of neurodevelopmental disorders such as dyslexia, attentional deficit disorder or dyspraxia. Many of us have witnessed Maggie’s beautiful service in the name of humanity, trying to make the world a better place for children who struggle.”

While at Norfolk Academy, Ms. Pecsok was a high-flyer, quite literally: she starred as Peter Pan in the school’s musical production of that name, and at graduation, was awarded the musical theater award and the Elizabeth Parker Reynolds Senior Science Award. She continued to scale the heights in college, not only with her academic work, but also as a member of Princeton’s climbing team and Peak Potential Princeton, a community service climbing program for children with disabilities.

Pecsok will spend two years at Yale University researching multiple sclerosis in the neuroimmunology department. She plans to pursue a career as a physician scientist.

This article is based on a longer piece from Princeton University about both Pyne Prize winners, which can be found at www.princeton.edu/news.

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1 Boys basketball alumni had a great time with basketball coaches and former teammates during their annual reunion. 2 Girls basketball alumnae enjoyed

a friendly game against members of the 2017–18 team. 3 Ian Tembe ’13, Scout Duffy ’13, Barclay Freeman ’13, and Parker Kal ’13, classmates of the late Kyle Hutchins ’13, at the dedication of a bench in Kyle’s memory on Norfolk Academy’s campus. 4 Sarah Nelson ’13 is currently living in Hanover, Germany, as a Fulbright scholar. 5 Alumni girls’ lacrosse players caught up with coaches Blair Monaco, Meredith Doxey ’87, and Ruth Acra ’86 for lunch in December. 6 Tyler Holmes ’14, Shawn Simmons ’14, and Greg Washington ’14 spent time catching up when Columbia University competed against the University of Pennsylvania during football season. 7 Jimmy Parsons ’14 in Alaska, where he spent time as an education intern for Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge. 8 Robbie Berndt ’14, David Pyle ’17, and Connor Yager ’16 experienced another season of being teammates while playing for UVA’s Club Lacrosse team. 9 Matilda Francis ’15, JT Luker ’15, Alexander Singh ’15, Sloane McTavish ’15, and Amy Kislyakov ’15 were awarded Intermediate Honors at UVA Fall Convocation last fall. 10 Ben Woodard ’15 enjoyed a visit with his family, in Wyoming. 11 Julie Luecke ’16 is in Morocco, where she is studying French and Arabic.

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Norfolk Academy and the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy hosted a joint dinner event for NA alumni attending UVA, at Garret’s Great Hall, on December 5. Thirty NA alums were greeted by Headmaster Dennis Manning, who thanked the hosts and provided a brief school update, highlighting the Batten Civic and Global Leadership Programs. Sean Wetmore ’86 then implored students to continue exploring their “why” by viewing their education at UVA as an extension of the foundation they received at NA, focusing on the commitment we all must embrace to better the communities we inhabit. Dean Allan Stam then outlined why students might consider applying to the Batten School, followed by a panel of Batten Ambassadors who shared their experiences in the program.

After a lively Q&A between our students and the panel, the group gathered for a picture in the Great Hall.

in memoriam Mr. Toy D. Savage Jr. ’38 Mr. Jim Shoemaker ’50 Mr. John M. Ryan ’54 Mr. Kermit C. Ackiss Jr. ’55 Mr. George B. Powell Jr. ’57 Mr. John M. Baillio ’60 Mr. Edward Montgomery Wood ’67 Mr. John Marvin Frazee ’70 Dr. Philip N. Light ’74 Mr. Thomas D. Elder Jr. ’79 Mr. Charles M. Cooper Jr. ’86 Mr. C. Austin Joy Jr. ’89 Mr. Thomas Philip Benns ’90 FORMER FACULTY

Mrs. Clara Bell Gurkin Mr. Christopher P. Ross Mrs. Lucille Sebren

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parting SHOT

THE YEAR OF FRIENDSHIP

The language of friendship is not words but meanings. It is an intelligence above language. —Henry David Thoreau, A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers

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