Connections, Winter 2023

Connections

What Defines an EA Student?

Students reached new heights during their Outward Bound trip.

mgodin@episcopalacademy.org

Editorial

Editor-in-Chief:

Michele Godin

Contributing Editors:

Rev. James Squire, Hon.

Kate LaBrake

Courtney Brinkerhoff-Rau P ’16 ‘19

Jessica Siso

Leigh Stewart Kathryn Ercole

Contributing Photographers:

Mark Tassoni

Ellen Erikson

Courtney Brinkerhoff-Rau P ’16 ‘19

Jessica Siso

Anna Safford ’09

Katherine Azar

James Quinn

BQ Pictures

Michael Leslie

Design: OpenHaus Studio

Production: The Chambers Group

T.J.’S TAKE

Investing in Our Students

Recently, 30 of our students competed in the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science Regional Competition. Every student earned a first- or secondplace award, with four earning perfect scores. The National Merit Scholarship Program recognized 30 students as some of the top PSAT test scorers across the country. Multiple Scholastic Art and Writing Awards were earned by 22 students, and our female computer science students took home first and second place (for the fourth consecutive year) at the regional Girls Hackathon event. These are just a few examples of academic accolades from this past fall and winter.

Many of these same students also passionately performed in our annual Dora Khayatt Music Competition. They are powerhouses on our athletic teams, community service leaders, Chapel Vestry members, and more. They are actively involved in school life, help to tutor and mentor our younger students, and represent our school with great pride.

I find myself in astonishment every day by the drive our students exhibit and the achievements they attain. In every corner of campus, you can find a multi-talented and unique individual who proudly wears blue and white and helps to carry on the tradition of excellence at Episcopal. Perhaps more important than their talents, our students are kind, empathetic, good kids of character. We hear it time and time again from members outside of our school community who share how impressed they are when they encounter an Episcopal student.

Our extraordinary students give us great hope for the future. So, in this final year of our Shape Tomorrow campaign, we ask for your help in investing in their futures.

Our community has generously supported tuition assistance initiatives throughout the years, but we can make an even bigger impact by growing our financial aid program. Our dream is for every intelligent and talented child within driving distance to believe an Episcopal education is a possibility, regardless of their family’s financial situation. We must continue to expand our program in order to make this a reality.

By bolstering our tuition assistance, we will not only heighten our impact on individual lives, but we will be able to design a student body that is both composed of the best and brightest students and accurately reflects the world they will one day lead. By surrounding our students with classmates who possess diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and talents, we elevate their learning community.

Once students are here, we must give them every opportunity to grow their knowledge, develop critical thinking and leadership skills, and discover new interests. We ensure they have access to ample books and supplies, innovative technology, the latest science equipment, musical instruments, pristine athletic facilities, industry experts, and experiential learning opportunities. We help them nurture their passions by offering independent study programs, fellowships, and access to niche coursework that might fall outside of our standard curriculum.

Finally, we must elevate our students’ learning experiences by recruiting the best teachers and supporting their growth. As the learning needs of our students evolve, so must our teaching approaches. In addition to our Center for Teaching and Learning and other in-house professional development, our faculty participate in more than 100 regional and national conferences and workshops each year. Supporting our teachers in finding effective ways to engage and inspire today’s students will help to shape the leaders of tomorrow and equip them with the skills necessary for their success.

As we invite you to help us invest in our students, we wanted to give you a glimpse of some of their present-day experiences. In our “What Defines an EA Student?” cover story (page 6), we delve into the lives of six students to explore what parts of the Episcopal experience help to define them. Choosing which students to feature was a nearly impossible task since every Episcopal student has an interesting story to tell.

In “Then & Now” (page 24), we take a look at how much our science programming has evolved and expanded throughout the last few decades. Our “Snapshots” showcase memorable experiences that students will surely reminisce about for years to come, and our feature articles celebrate the legacy and contributions of many teachers, coaches, and staff members. I am often humbled by the support of our community. Because of you, we are able to recruit and enroll incredible students and teachers and surround them with extraordinary opportunities to learn and grow. With your help, we were able to keep our campus open during the pandemic through investments in facilities, technology, and additional staff. Your generosity allows us the flexibility to invest in whatever student-focused priorities arise, and we could not be more grateful.

We hope this Connections issue helps demonstrate the powerful impact that philanthropy has on the student experience at Episcopal. We thank you all for helping us to shape tomorrow by investing in our students and school today.

Dr. T.J. Locke The Greville Haslam Head of School

REACHING NEW HEIGHTS

After a two-year hiatus, EA freshmen ventured to North Carolina for the annual Outward Bound School experience. During the trip, students learned to scale rock walls, hiked, and camped in the Blue Ridge Mountains. “The kids are stretched while on course and challenged to go beyond their comfort zone,” said Class of 2027 Dean Zach Richards, Hon. “They all get through it in the end and feel good about rising above these challenges. This builds resiliency that serves them well through Upper School and in life.”

Programs like Outward Bound are made possible through endowed funds and annual gifts to The Episcopal Fund. Join us in our final year of the Shape Tomorrow campaign, and help support unique student experiences. Visit episcopalacademy.org/shape.

What Defines an EA Student?

EA student /ē•ā•stū•dent/ noun

A multi-talented individual engaged in learning who refuses to be defined.

When prospective families visit campus, they often ask, “What defines a typical EA student?” In truth, it’s an impossible question to answer. EA students represent a wide breadth of different backgrounds, talents, passions, and perspectives. They are curious learners, kind friends, thoughtful leaders, courageous teammates, and visionary artists. They are fearless in the pursuit of their many interests, and cannot be defined by any singular label.

We asked six EA students about how their EA experience helps define them. Their answers were as varied as their individual personalities.

Saiyan Patel Kindergarten

With energetic music playing overhead, Saiyan Patel and his classmates quickly work to bounce a tennis ball, catch it in their buckets, and then race to the next tire. Physical Education (PE) teachers Mr. Ed Silvi, Hon. and Mrs. Colleen Bernabei, Hon. look on, shouting words of encouragement to each student. The curriculum is designed to help students develop fundamental gross and fine motor skills, cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, strength, and muscle coordination. Most activities focus on cooperative learning, student self-reflection, interpersonal skills, self-confidence, challenge, and risk in a safe environment.

While PE is Saiyan’s favorite class, he loves every aspect of his first year at EA. Mrs. Kempley Bryant, Hon. greets students each morning and invites them to join “Morning Meeting.” They learn about what the day has in store for them and participate in a fun community-building activity that helps them get to know their classmates better.

Saiyan enjoys going to all of his “specials” classes. He often brings home drawings from art class or a new library book that he got to pick out on his own. During recess, he loves visiting the playground and playing with all of his new friends. The weekly trip to the Class of 1944 Chapel is always a special treat. Saiyan loves practicing sign language during all of the hymns, an activity that replaced singing during the COVID-19 pandemic and remains today due to popular demand.

“He loves school and is excited to go every day. The teachers do such an amazing job of making the educational experience fun that the kids don’t even realize they’re engaged in a carefully thought-out curriculum,” shares Saiyan’s mother, Dr. Geeta Patel. “Every day, Saiyan comes home and is doing something new that he wasn’t doing the day before, whether it is related to a story he read in class or a song he sang in chapel.”

Saiyan and his brothers, Krish (3rd grade) and Dev (5th grade), love running into each other in halls. He cannot wait to be just like his older brothers one day. “I want to be on the soccer team and to play the trumpet like my brothers!” exclaims Saiyan.

All three Patel boys quickly established a circle of friends at EA. Dev’s friends have fondly nicknamed Saiyan “Little Little Dev” and run to give him a big hug when they see him at games and school events.

That sense of community has been felt by the entire Patel family. Geeta shares that everyone has been warm and welcoming and that EA Parents’ Association events and programs helped them get to know other families quickly.

“I feel that EA’s ‘mind, body, and spirit’ philosophy has everything a child needs to develop into a well-rounded and resilient person, while also fostering a deep sense of generosity and service to others. We want our children to be part of a supportive community and develop strong core values that will guide them throughout life,” says Geeta. “When they face a challenge, they can draw strength from the community. When they are at a crossroads, they can think back to living the Stripes. All of this will help them become more resilient, and EA delivers this at every level.”

Saiyan’s Favorite…

Subject: Physical Education

Sports:

Soccer, tennis, and basketball

Recess Activity: Swings and monkey bars

School Day Activity: Picking out library books

Chapel Hymn: “Shalom, My Friend”

Tradition:

Christmas Tree Lighting

Ella Christie 5th Grade

Lower School experience. Now in 5th grade, she and her fellow classmates serve as the leaders of their school, and they have ample opportunities to hone their leadership skills.

Each homeroom is assigned a day to volunteer to help at morning carline drop-off, which is one of Ella’s favorite activities. “We get to help open car doors and help all of the little kids with their backpacks and with finding their way to class,” explains Ella. “It is so fun to help out and get to say ‘Good morning!’ to everyone.”

Students also have the opportunity to help design the Lower School yearbook and serve on Chapel Council, another activity for which Ella eagerly volunteered. Students assist in leading Chapel services by setting up the altar, carrying in the cross and offerings, and delivering the readings.

Ella enjoys playing the drums for the Lower School Pep Band, which performs regularly at athletic competitions, pep rallies, and admission events. Additionally, as new families visit to learn more about EA, teachers and members of the Admission Office rely on the 5th graders to welcome parents who stop by their classrooms.

“I get to help out during PE class a lot. Sometimes it can be hard to figure out exactly what we are doing,” shares Ella. “I get to run over to say hello, introduce myself, and explain what activity we are working on. I love meeting new people and telling them about how much I love EA!”

According to Ella, there are many things that make EA special. First and foremost is the unique Chapel program, followed by the opportunity to explore different passions. An aspiring thespian, she was excited to perform in a recent production of Willy Wonka Jr. and looks forward to joining the Harlequin Drama Club in Middle School next year. She is also a competitive athlete and enjoys playing lacrosse and tennis.

“There are so many different things to try here,” she shares. “Even if someone is not that great at something, EA gives you the chance to try it out and to practice and get better. And, everyone cheers for you!”

Finally, Ella credits EA’s teachers and staff for creating positive experiences for each student. She has seen first-hand how much they care and how they are always willing to take time out of their day to help students.

While there are countless examples, the most recent for her came as she worked on the 5th grade’s Wax Museum project. Students complete research on a prominent figure from history, develop a poster, speaking notes, and costume, and then take on the persona and deliver a short presentation as visitors walk through their museum.

Ella found so much interesting information about Harriet Tubman during her research that she was finding it difficult to condense it all into the most salient points. She signed up for the after-school “Homework Help” program, and she finalized her project in two quick sessions through assistance from her teachers.

As she lists a few of her favorite people at EA—“Mrs. Foster, Mrs. Welch, Mrs. Berry, Ms. Tierney, Mrs. Cangi, Ms. Fitz, Nurse Garrity”—she smiles fondly while thinking about the positive impact they have had on her life and how they have inspired her love for learning.

Ella’s Favorite…

Stripe: Sportsmanship

Subjects: Art and Drama

Sport: Lacrosse

Chapels: Christmas and Thanksgiving

Place on Campus: Art room

Tradition: Halloween Parade

Hobby:

Singing

EA Memory: Performing in Willy Wonka Jr.

Luke Wright 6th Grade

When Luke Wright first started at EA in fall 2019, he quickly felt at home in his new environment.

“I remember that on the first day of school in 3rd grade, people invited me to sit at their table when I didn’t know anybody,” he says. “That was really nice.” The generosity extended to Luke on his first morning has been something he has never forgotten. In fact, he says it is his favorite memory. “I was at two smaller schools before EA, but I feel like I fit in better here because there are so many different types of people,” Luke shares.

Now a 6th grader, Luke is enjoying the new opportunities and freedoms that Middle School has to offer. “In Lower School, there was less homework and you didn’t switch classes as often, so it’s definitely been a little different,” he explains. “But my favorite part [of Middle School] is the freedom to walk to classes on your own.”

Besides the people, Luke thinks that the best part of being at EA has been having the ability to participate in classes and activities that nurture his Mind, Body, and Spirit. “Being involved in so many different things gives me many opportunities to try new things and see what I enjoy,” he says.

Academically, Luke has most enjoyed getting to pursue his love of writing in English class. “EA has given me all of the tools I need to succeed,” he said. “My teachers allow me to challenge myself as much as I need to.” He also has found a new love of robotics in his FIRST LEGO League class, an elective that involves building LEGO robots and then programming the robots to move, push, and lift, as well as participation in a FIRST LEGO League robotics challenge competition. “The FIRST LEGO League competition was enjoyable but challenging,” he explains. “In fact, the robotics room is one of my favorite places to be on campus.”

Athletically, Luke is excited to continue pursuing the sports he loves. This year, he is excited to participate in soccer, swimming, and tennis, though he admitted it was a tough call to decide between participating in swimming and squash during the winter season. “EA has so many different types of sports, and I really enjoy being a part of that team community,” Luke says. He also loves the tradition of Aurora/Vesper Day, which combines his love of school spirit with competitions and games.

Luke is also an active–and talented–musician. Though he played piano and drums when he was younger, he found a love for the tenor saxophone in 4th grade. “This year, I’m in both the regular band and the [auditioned] jazz band,” he explains. “Both have been so fun to be a part of, and I really enjoy playing saxophone, so that’s been a great experience for me.” Luke even had the opportunity to use his sax to accompany his classmates during the Middle and Upper School Winter Choral Concert.

While there is no telling what Luke might try next, one thing is for sure: he has an undeniable enthusiasm for being a part of the EA community.

Luke’s Favorite…

Stripe: Generosity

Subject: English Sport: Swimming

Chapel Hymn: “Go Down Moses”

Place on Campus: Robotics room or Burke Natatorium

Tradition: Aurora/Vesper Day

Dining Hall Delicacies: Grilled cheese and pumpkin pie

Teachers: Miss Maggie McGill and Mrs. Becky Eckberg

Julia Griffin 7th Grade

Julia Griffin came to EA in 2020 as a curious, spiritual, athletic, and driven 5th grader. Despite the challenges of attending a new school in the middle of a pandemic, like being unable to meet classmates in person due to remote learning, Julia tried many things and excelled academically and athletically. As she began 7th grade, Julia wanted to try something new—or, rather, something that was sparked years ago.

When Julia was nine years old, she went to see Matilda at the Walnut Street Theater and watched in awe as another nine-year-old girl took the lead. “It was awesome,” says Julia. “I was so inspired by all the lines the actress had to memorize!”

“My dad’s friend was a manager at the theater and showed me backstage after everyone left. He asked if I wanted to go on stage and sing a song for fun, and I said, ‘I’m going to do this someday.’”

With that memory in mind, Julia began this academic school year by auditioning for, and later landing, the lead role in the Middle School Harlequin Club’s production of Annie Jr

To Julia, Annie is more than a plucky lead character—she is someone with whom Julia can relate.

“Annie is a character who grows a lot throughout her story. I like playing her because it reminds me of my own experience of growth here at school,” she says. “EA has helped me grow as a person, giving me the freedom to make and stand by my own decisions, distinguish between right from wrong, and build confidence.”

Julia has grown a lot in her three years at EA, now serving on the Middle School Chapel Council and writing for the school newspaper in addition to her academics and her role on stage.

One of the most important values Julia learned from her parents at home and the religious sisters at her previous school is the importance of a “generous heart, a selfless spirit, and service to a cause or person outside of one’s self.”

It is clear that Julia’s future is bright, and we can only imagine what someone with her determination and confidence will accomplish at EA and beyond.

For now, though, she will channel her creative energies into the theater, enjoying the moment on stage that she has dreamed about since she was nine years old. However, she will have to share it—her three-year-old Australian Labradoodle, Ryder, is playing the role of Annie’s dog, Sandy.

Julia’s Favorite…

Stripe: Respect Subjects: English, Spanish, and Math

Activities: Chapel Council and Newspaper Club

Sport: Golf Chapel Hymn: “Be Thou My Vision”

Place on Campus: Chapel Tradition: Christmas Tree Lighting

Dining Hall Delicacies: Grilled cheese and tomato soup

Teachers: Mrs. Bert Howlin, Hon. and Mr. Mark Luff, Hon.

Saige Forbes 11th Grade

Saige Forbes has been off and running since she arrived at EA her freshman year. Intellectually curious and energetic, Saige knew EA was the school where she could hit her pace both academically and athletically.

“My transition was a little abnormal because I started during the COVID year. But unlike other schools, EA managed to have in-person classes, which made a huge difference for me as a new student.”

Saige quickly settled into life at EA, joining the field hockey and indoor and spring track teams and exploring her interest in computer science. “My favorite word is create. I just like the idea that you can create anything when you are programming, and I just like that openness and possibility.”

She quickly connected with her teacher, Mr. Matthew Davis, who helped feed her passion for computer science. “He is an essential piece. He really helps me dig deeper, ask more questions, and want to know more. I like that there is a concept you learn and then turn it around to program and create something of your own.”

This year, Saige is taking AP Computer Science A after tackling Introduction to Computer Science and CS Principles her sophomore year. She is a passionate member of the Girls in STEM club and was one of eight female students to win the prestigious NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Award last year.

Saige is also a big fan of her Honors English class led by Mr. Tony Herman. “Being around the Harkness table, which is new for me this year, I feel so insightful. It allows me to dig deep into what we are reading, ideas flowing, I love that class!”

Adding to her rigorous six-course load, she is taking graphic design through EA’s partnership with Global Online Academy. “Since creating things and computer science are my two favorite niches, I wanted to see how they fit together before I go to college because I would like to incorporate both into a potential job in the future,” says Saige. “Most work is asynchronous, and I use my free periods. I really enjoy collaborating through discussion and working with students from all over the world.”

Saige has come to appreciate attending Chapel every other day, saying it forces her “to be present.” This year’s theme, Become What you Believe, is especially impactful. “The theme is close to me because I struggled when I was younger with who I am and what I believe,” says Saige. “I am a bunch of things in one. Hearing the speakers is helping me understand that I am not one thing, I am multiple things.”

This multi-talented student-athlete has also found tremendous success on the track. She currently holds nine school records that include the indoor 55m, 60m, 100m, 200m, Long Jump, and 4x100m and 4x200m Relays. Outdoor Saige holds records in the 200m and Long Jump.

EA’s teacher-coach-mentor; model has been life-changing for Saige. “Everything here connects for me; it’s amazing,” reflects Saige. “The academics and athletics and having coaches that understand and support the academic rigor is unique. It really helps you manage both; you don’t have to pick because both are nurtured and supported equally.”

Saige’s Favorite…

Stripe: Sportsmanship

Subject: Computer Science

Sport: Spring Track

Place on Campus: Coote Honor Hall and the Annenberg Library

Tradition:

EA/Agnes Irwin Day

Dining Hall Delicacy: Brownies—“All day, every day!”

EA Memory: Going to the Penn Relays with the track team

Teacher: Mr. Matthew Davis

Thomas “TJ” Cadden 12th Grade

When asked what he believes he and his fellow classmates will reminisce most about one day, the indisputable answer for TJ Cadden is their senior football season.

To say TJ played a pivotal role in the team’s successful 9-1 season would be an understatement. As a wide receiver, he notched 49 catches for 659 yards and six touchdowns. With 1,527 all-purpose yards on the season, he also had two kick return touchdowns and returned two punts for touchdowns. As a defensive back, he returned one interception for a touchdown and logged 31 tackles and five pass break ups.

TJ’s contributions earned him many accolades, including Inter-Ac League co-MVP, First Team All Delco, and First Team All Inter-Ac. He was one of only 55 students across the state to be honored with the Mini Max High School Football Award, and he is committed to play Division I football for Bucknell University.

TJ’s fond memories focus less on his individual success, however, and more on the collective team. He is a staunch believer in the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. From their summer workouts, to time together in the team room, to their exciting victory against Malvern Prep, the theme of togetherness is apparent.

“The biggest lesson I will take away from the football program and my time at EA is the importance of working as a team,” he says. “When I was an underclassman, the seniors mentored us and always treated us as true members of the team, and we made sure to continue that this year.”

That sense of community is what drew TJ to EA. After participating in EA’s Meehan All-Stars developmental youth football program, he scheduled a visit to learn more about Upper School.

“The student who hosted me kept telling me about how helpful all the teachers were and how they really get to know you and make time for you,” he recalls. “The whole community felt so inclusive and welcoming. It just felt right.”

Four years later, TJ can attest that everything he experienced during that visit is absolutely true.

When asked to select a favorite teacher to present his jersey to on senior day, he had a hard time because his list was so long. Ultimately, he chose to honor and thank Mrs. Anna McDermott, Hon., who served as his freshman-year history teacher.

Described by coaches and teachers as a “rock star,” TJ is a natural-born leader. He described being nominated by his classmates to serve on the Esse Quam Videri Society as “a huge honor since only a few students are chosen.” This year, the student leadership group has focused efforts on celebrating EA’s teachers and reminding students to “Live the Stripes.”

TJ is also a talented baseball player and is excited for the spring season. The program had a successful 8-2 season last year, and TJ hopes the team can keep that momentum going and bring home a league title. He is thrilled to share one more high school athletic season with younger brother Michael, who also plays football and baseball.

With Commencement a few short months away, TJ reflects and knows that joining EA was the right decision. “There aren’t many schools like this,” he shares. “EA has so much to offer, and I hope future students will take advantage of every opportunity here.”

TJ’s Favorite…

Stripe: Gratitude

Subject: Math

Sport: Football

Chapel Hymn: “Episcopal, Episcopal”

Place on Campus: Football team room

Tradition: EA/Haverford Day

Dining Hall Delicacies: Nachos and cookies

EA Memory: Victory over Malvern Prep

Teacher: “All of them! I’ve never had a bad teacher at EA.”

GLOW IN THE ART

This fall, Lower School students studied the vibrant Mexican tradition of Día de los Muertos in Spanish and art classes. After students created colorful pieces, the collection of artwork was displayed in the Lower School drama room, which served as a beautiful and glowing homage to those who have passed. Students and faculty from across the entire school enjoyed touring the unique exhibit, which included traditional symbols of sugar skulls, calaveras, and candles.

Annual gifts to The Episcopal Fund help offset the costs of supplies and materials, empowering students to explore their artistic talents and interests. Join us in our final year of the Shape Tomorrow campaign, and help support EA’s impressive arts program. Visit episcopalacademy.org/shape.

A LEGEND, ON AND OFF THE COURT A LEGEND, ON AND OFF THE COURT

By Reverend James Squire, Hon.

DANIEL J. DOUGHERTY, HON. 1935-2022

We have read and heard much about his life in basketball, the stories he would tell, and the players that he turned into outstanding coaches, but there are even more people who knew nothing about the sport and were inspired by Dan Dougherty.

Our school motto at EA is Esse Quam Videri, to be and not to seem to be. Of all the types of people who Dan came across, he could not stand a phony. On the other hand, he was just as good at spotting someone who was real and genuine. Those are the people with whom he chose to surround himself.

We had lunch together frequently. One day, a lanky student who had just enrolled at EA came to our table. There was the usual interplay between Dan and his new basketball player with much joking around. As the student left the table, Dan turned to me and said, “Jim, he is the real deal.” That player was Wayne Ellington ’06, who went on to have a stellar career at the University of North Carolina and the NBA.

All of Dan’s players got the message from him that if you were not humble, he didn’t care how good of a player you thought you were. You had to get some of that humility stuff or you wouldn’t get much of his time. Humility and gratitude are where everything started and ended for Dan.

Dan’s code in life included always trying to do the right thing with no cutting corners. He taught math and enabled struggling students to be encouraged to be better than they thought they could be and do in his classroom. Putting forth effort on or off the court resulted in Dan working even harder to help you achieve success.

Dan was old school. In fact, he was old, old school. God threw away the mold once he created Dan. He saw life through the lens of black and white with little gray. Can you imagine a coach today requiring a student to leave practice if they said a curse word? If the word slipped out, they would quietly leave practice before Coach Doc could even lift his finger to point the way to the locker room. He taught them ethics by actions, not his words.

IF WE LISTEN CAREFULLY, WE CAN HEAR A BOUNCING BALL IN HEAVEN, AS COACH DOC HAS ARRIVED.

Dan cared little for his own achievements compared to the achievements of his students and players. Power was a foreign desire for him. He could care less about money, living most of his life in the same house for decades. Fame meant nothing because he was more focused on celebrating the fame of others who were part of his orbit. His watchwords were, “There is nothing that you can’t achieve if you don’t need to take credit.”

Dan was fun, which is step one to connecting with students. He loved being a matchmaker and bringing two people together who were secretly interested in one another. His basketball record could be matched by the number of students that he “matched” up to go to the prom, but first would be the kidding and then the red face. He was the best cure for a bad day.

He was family and faith first. I remember on 9/11, I got word that two of Dan’s children were possibly involved in that attack. Dan, Jr. was usually heading to the Twin Towers at the time the planes crashed. His son, Brian, was thought to be on a plane flying over the city about the same time. Dan and his wife, Mary Ellen, were caught where many others were caught that day—not knowing if their children were safe. Their fear and focus were palpable. Dan was delayed in his travel that day, and Brian’s plane flew over New York at a different time. Their parents could finally breathe again.

Dan and Mary Ellen were quite a pair. They were so similar in so many ways. I sat next to Mary Ellen during more basketball games than I could count. She offered ongoing commentary on what was going on in the game. That love and knowledge of the game is one of many places where they could connect at a deep level with so many shared values and a shared vision for their lives together.

There has been much written about Coach Dougherty’s basketball legacy, but many of us in the EA community had the good fortune of seeing Dan work behind the scenes in his private world, helping students and players. He accomplished far more in that domain than is celebrated in his public life working with kids. That’s why kids loved him. He never broke their trust, and they knew he wanted the very best for them. In kid world, the people who make the biggest impact are those who go above and beyond to help you without needing any personal recognition. This is what defines Dan’s true legacy.

God bless you, Coach!

ALUMNI MEMORIES

I always hated math and was scared and insecure about the subject. He changed that for me. He believed in me.

– Jennifer Hires ’95

I can picture his witty smile and steady, positive personality as though I saw him yesterday, even though it’s been over 25 years. While he wasn’t my coach, Coach Doc always made you feel like he was rooting for you.

– Margot Marsh Wanner ’97

He once made a classmate take notes through a window on the lawn at the Merion campus!

– Matt Lerman ’09

He seemingly knew everything going on around campus and took the time to ask each of us how we were every day. He would pull you aside after class if he sensed anything was off that day…It wasn’t just about the lessons of the classroom, but his lessons in showing kindness that really stuck with me.

– Caitlin Flannery Devlin Andreotta ’04

He taught teamwork, hard work, toughing it out through adversity, and compassion. He made me feel like an important part of every team and the EA community.

– John Morris ’88

Basketball practice with no out-of-bounds!

– Andy Person ’91

Coach Doc recognized my passion, drive, and sincere love of the game and ignored the rest. He told me what I needed to do to have a place in the program and celebrated me when I succeeded. “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take!”

– Blake Shafer ‘08

I was shaped into the man I am today, at least in part, by the wisdom that Mr. Doc imparted and the loving but firm way in which he challenged me and the other young men to be the best men—the best people—we could be.

– Omar Y. McNeill ’85

THEN & NOW: The Sciences at EA

“The science faculty were just…cooler,” he recalls with a laugh. “They had the quirkiness of scientists. They were more laid back than the other disciplines, and let students get away with more. I think the students respected that and didn’t take advantage of it.”

Now a microbiologist for the United States Department of Agriculture, Bradd researches the ecology of pathogenic bacteria to prevent these infectious agents from reaching the human population. As a student at EA, he was spending much of his time in Crawford Hill’s '70 biology lab in the Merion campus’s Greville Haslam Science Building.

“There weren’t many science extracurriculars or electives for K-12 students in the 90s aside from AP courses,” explains Bradd. “Instead, Crawford Hill always made time to be available to students to do little, interesting side projects

that he’d design based on the unit his class was studying. When we learned about DNA, he made an extra project where we could determine which mock subjects were related by examining their DNA fragments.”

EA’s extracurricular activities and elective offerings have greatly expanded across disciplines since the 1990s, with today’s opportunities in the sciences ranging from clubs like Girls in STEM, regional and state competitions like the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS), FIRST LEGO League robotics competitions, and electives like Cybersecurity and Astronomy.

Students also have access to scientific thought leaders. Through the Clare Foundation STEM Speakers Series, professionals ranging from astronauts to animators visit campus to speak to students of every passion. For students who would like to explore a scientific topic in much greater depth, The Lilley Fellowship offers the opportunity for students to curate an interdisciplinary project alongside a faculty advisor and later present their findings to their peers. Past science-based project topics included renewable energy, sustainable food systems, and more.

For Bradd Haley ’97, there was something special about the EA science department of the late 90s.

In addition to extracurricular activities, classroom technology has shifted greatly since Bradd’s student years. Students of the 90s studied breakthroughs like gel electrophoresis to separate DNA fragments, as used in Crawford Hill’s DNA side project. They also learned advanced concepts through hands-on wet labs, microscopes, and dissections. Today, classroom technology includes app-controlled temperature, oxygen, and conductivity probes, wireless physics carts with motion detectors, and powerful online resources. And while wet labs and dissections are still conducted, Upper School students can now harness brand-new technology to explore human anatomy through the Anatomage Table. Adopted by many of the world’s leading medical schools and institutions, this giant touchscreen operating table allows for virtual dissection of a lifesize, 3D human body.

Computer science concepts have also become more prevalent in science labs, as the lines between disciplines continue to blur. Pairing science lessons with coding skills taught in EA’s Computer Science and Engineering Department helps prepare students for careers like Bradd’s.

“A lot of people hear the word ‘microbiologist’ and imagine someone in a lab coat running samples, but really, I’m in front of a computer analyzing massive data sets 99 percent of my time every single day, and I can access the data I need from anywhere. That’s where science—at least biology—is headed: the computational aspect of analysis.”

While science labs continue to be transformed by technology and computer science principles, not all of the fun is in the classroom. Whenever possible, science teachers have brought their classes outside to learn about the environment. In the 90s, this meant examining trees on the picturesque Merion campus. Today, this is measuring energy output from exercise, studying soil and the rate of decomposition, or classifying rocks across the Newtown Square campus’s 123 acres.

The environment has taken an even greater role in the sciences over the past few years as the science community grapples with climate change. Following her Lilley Fellowship study on sustainability in the fashion industry, senior Ashley Kim was selected to attend the first Local Conference of Youth climate conference, where she helped draft a letter about the concerns of climate change to be submitted to the Conference of Parties.

Educators are also focused on climate change, according to Stone Family Science Chair Tom Cork. “We have to take [climate change] into account when approaching any science. For example, in chemistry, we must ask if labs and lab waste are sustainable. In biology, we determine how biodiversity loss impacts ecosystems.”

While so much has changed in science instruction over the years, from emerging technologies to the inclusion of computer science to the growing focus on sustainability, the foundation of scientific study has remained the same: Science challenges students to learn about the world around them, and these opportunities are unlocked by gifted teachers.

“A great science teacher is passionate about the subject and gets students to ask questions about their world,” says Tom. “Students with a great science teacher often don't realize they are being guided in this way and experience science learning scientifically—by gathering evidence, supporting their claims, and developing inferences, all with the teacher as a partner in this exciting work.”

“EA’s science teachers made everything interesting and fun,” reminisces Bradd. “Research science is such a niche field, and while none of my EA friends went into the field like I did, all of them had great experiences in the sciences at EA.”

Happy Retirement to Faculty and Staff

During the past two years, 12 members of the community retired after serving a combined 367 years at EA. Their contributions impacted thousands of students and spanned four decades.

“Our retiring faculty and staff have made such an incredible impact on the EA community,” reflected Greville Haslam Head of School Dr. T.J. Locke. “They exemplify what EA is all about.”

Lee Billmyer, Hon. served in many capacities during her 37 years at EA. Most recently, she was a beloved advisor and English instructor in the Upper School, where she taught Honors American Literature and Honors British Literature. As one of EA’s best writing instructors, Lee’s approachable teaching style and unparalleled knowledge of literature always resulted in energetic discussions in the classroom. Throughout her tenure, Lee served as an advisor for various clubs, including the Young Republicans, Tabula, and Scholium, led the college counseling department, and served as Assistant Head of Upper School. She was named a D’Ambrosio Fellow in 2019 in recognition of her unwavering commitment to her students.

Joanne Crystle was a treasured member of EA’s music department for 48 years. Early in her career, she served as an instrumental music teacher for the Lower School and then transitioned to a substitute teacher and accompanist. She shared her musical talents during hundreds of musicals, concerts, Chapel services, closing ceremonies, and more. Joanne focused on supporting student musicians, always keeping them front and center, while interweaving melodic lines that perfectly conveyed the musical message.

Dr. Julie Faude served as Lower School Psychologist for the past 24 years. In this role, she helped students explore their emotions in a healthy way, working with faculty to deliver differentiated educational approaches for a variety of learners, and partnered with families to navigate life’s many transitions. Over the years, Julie helped build emotional support networks, leveraged design thinking techniques to help solve classroom challenges, and helped expand the social and emotional learning curriculum. Julie was both a true expert in her field and a true joy to those she supported.

Joan Giancristoforo, Hon. served as Business Office Coordinator for 26 years. Fondly referred to as “Joanie G.,” she wore many hats and was instrumental in managing billing practices, student transportation, and more. Students always came first for Joanie, and she was a constant presence at many arts performances and school events, and she loved attending Commencement to say goodbye to the seniors and their parents. Her consistent kindness, positive attitude, and willingness to lend a hand were some of the many reasons Joanie earned the Staff Excellence Award in 2019.

Tom Greenwood ’67 served as a Middle School English teacher for 37 years. As a graduate of the Class of 1967, Tom experienced first-hand the positive impact a teacher can have on students. When he returned to EA, he embraced the teacher, coach, advisor, mentor model and placed equal attention toward honing his skills in each of these roles. Tom was known for setting a high standard of excellence and helping his students achieve success. During his tenure, he served as English department chair and head varsity coach for the boys’ indoor and spring track teams. Tom was a recipient of the Class of 1940 Award and Borkowski Coaching Award.

Marilyn Kistler, Hon. sparked students’ scientific curiosity in Lower School for 23 years. Her dedication to teaching and passion for the environment led to exciting outdoor lessons, highly engaging classroom experiences, and inspiring discoveries. As schools pivoted to STEAM programs in more recent years, she helped to ensure the science program was progressively aligned with a cross-curricular focus. An incredibly growth-minded educator, Marilyn always brought a calm and thoughtful presence to her classroom, and she was named a D’Ambrosio Fellow in 2020.

Tom Kossuth, Hon. inspired thousands of students as an exceptional math teacher, welcomed hundreds of new families to EA as Director of Financial Aid, and mentored many new faculty members. In his Upper School math classroom, he encouraged all students to embrace mathematics and successfully converted many students to math lovers over the years. During his 33 years at EA, he coached every season, including football, basketball, golf, and baseball. Tom may hold the record for coaching the most student-athletes in recent EA history and maintaining the most meticulous team stats. Tom received the Class of 1940 Award in 2012 in recognition of his devotion to EA.

Michele Mammele, Hon. dutifully served as the Admissions Office Assistant for 23 years. She wore many hats and was known for her logistical prowess when it came to admission events. She helped greet thousands of new families and helped oversee the Key Club, which was one of her favorite tasks because it allowed her to work with EA’s amazing student tour guides. Always a team player, Michele’s energy was infectious as she approached her busiest days of the admissions season with calmness and positivity.

Ellen Milewski, Hon. played a pivotal role in the Head of School’s office for 28 years. As administrative assistant to the past three heads, Ellen provided steadfast service and consistent support. She was known for her professionalism, school-first attitude, even-keeled disposition, and incredible sense of humor. Her attention to detail and ability to multi-task were unmatched, and she greeted every day with a smile and a “whatever it takes” mentality.

Paulette Petrie, Hon. inspired generations of students in the Lower School for 37 years. She showered her students with love, making each one feel special. The care and attention she offered to every child led to many of them coming back to visit her year after year. Paulette embraced reading and writing workshop in recent years and worked to further enhance her teaching techniques to benefit her students’ experience. Her students consistently emerged from her classroom as curious and confident learners.

Nancy Evans Reinhard, Hon. built a remarkable and incredibly impactful career over her 38-year tenure. Embracing the ideals and mission of EA in everyday actions, Nancy enthusiastically welcomed every role she was asked to serve, including coach, Athletic Director for girls’ programs, Assistant Head of Lower School, Head of Lower School, and—her favorite—teacher. Nancy was passionate about early childhood development and taught from a true inquiry-based stance, which helped her students embrace the power of curiosity. She is a recipient of the Class of 1940 Award and the Bishop William White Award.

Leslie Trimble, Hon. made a significant impact as an Upper School science teacher at EA throughout the past 13 years. Her infusion of problem-based learning consistently excited and challenged students, and her love for her students and thoughtfulness led to her being a highly sought-after advisor. Leslie single-handedly created the Environmental Science curriculum, helped design the Sid Buck Community Garden, and spearheaded the development of transformative service programs with EA community partners. She was a founding coach of the Middle School rowing program and enjoyed coaching the golf team.

THIRTY-FOUR STUDENTS EARN NATIONAL ACADEMIC ACCOLADES

Each year, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation names semifinalists and commended students based on performance on the PSAT in their junior year. The College Board also recognizes students for their academic achievements in the classroom and outstanding PSAT scores. This year, 16 students were named National Merit Semifinalists, 14 students received National Merit Commended recognitions, and four students earned College Board National recognitions.

Annual gifts to The Episcopal Fund help to fund EA’s annual operating budget, making countless unique opportunities and programs available to students. We invite the entire community to join this final year of our Shape Tomorrow campaign by making an annual gift online or via the enclosed, postage-paid envelope.

AURORA/VESPER DAY FUN

Middle Schoolers enjoyed an afternoon of friendly competition during Aurora/Vesper Day. While both teams put in great effort at stations such as Tic Tac Toe Race, Giant Gym Ball Relay, Softball Target Toss, and Tug of War, Vesper edged out Aurora to become this year's champion!

GRAMMY NOMINEE VISITS EA

Lower School students were treated to a medley of entertaining and interactive songs from children's author and Grammynominated musician Justin Roberts. After beginning the assembly with a reading of his latest book, The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade, about standing up for what is right, Justin went on to sing a variety of silly songs such as “Billy the Bully,” “Henrietta's Hair,” and “Willy Was a Whale.” The fun performance was generously sponsored by an EA family.

NEW PLAYGROUND TAKES SHAPE

Final preparations are underway for a brand-new playground, with a groundbreaking to take place in spring 2023. Traditional playground activities—slides, swings, zip lines, and a gaga ball pit—will be available, in addition to new natural features, like bogs, rocks, water ways, rock climbing, and more. The upcoming groundbreaking is possible due to the generosity of three EA families.

SERVING THE COMMUNITY

In addition to weekly service opportunities, students found many ways to help the community this fall. Days of service returned in Middle and Upper School, and Lower School students donated some of their Halloween candy to local organizations. Upper School students kicked off Spirit Week by packing snack bags for those fighting food insecurity, and students helped coordinate an annual turkey drive during Thanksgiving. The Upper School Vestry hosted the annual Can Drive and worked to match each grade with a specific community partner, resulting in thousands of donations of food and supplies.

ROHAN DALAL ’25 EARNS PERFECT SCORE

Sophomore Rohan Dalal is among the top scorers in the world on the AP Computer Science Principles exam. He was one of only 196 students to earn a perfect score on the challenging, college-level examination. Rohan discovered his passion for computer science in Middle School. "There are a lot of opportunities at EA to explore computer science. I had the opportunity to take the AP course, and it was a great experience. EA makes computer science very accessible, and I love the program that we have,” he said.

Stage&Studio

KICKING OFF FALL WITH SUMMER STUDIO

In an effort to continually showcase Upper School student artwork, seniors Eesha Ampani and Kirsten Regan kicked off the school year by curating an art gallery focused on the summer creations of EA’s student-artists.

Aptly named Summer Studio, the gallery exhibit in Turner Upper School’s Coote Honor Hall featured student submissions of visual art, while a prominently hung QR code directed visitors to the Summer Studio website featuring performing and literary art submissions.

“We got the idea for Summer Studio after talking with [Visual Art Department Chair] Mr. Sigel last May,” Eesha explained. “We were talking about how we could bring light to the pieces that are created on the artist’s own time in their solo studios.”

Eesha and Kirsten brainstormed over the summer about how they could “take advantage of the empty wall space at the beginning of the school year before studio classes begin to display their works.” From there, Summer Studio was born, and the curating of pieces began. In total, they received 39 submissions: 29 visual art pieces, seven performance pieces, and three literary pieces. “These opportunities to showcase the talents of our student-artists are important because it offers a platform for their works and expression to be seen and heard by others,” Eesha explained.

“They serve as motivation to student-artists after seeing the support they have from the EA community, inspire other artists to also share their work, and help to spark conversations between artists, peers, and other community members.”

FALL PERFORMANCES SET THE SCENE FOR FUN

This fall’s spectacular theatrical productions transported audiences from remote Scotland to a New York City orphanage.

DOMINO CLUB’S THE 39 STEPS

Mix an Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel and add a dash of Monty Python, and you have the intriguing, thrilling, riotous comedy, The 39 Steps. Performed by the Upper School Domino Club in the Ridgway Blackbox Theater, The 39 Steps followed a notorious fugitive from a London music hall north by northwest to Scotland’s most remote highlands. A cast of 17 actors played 40 characters in this fast-paced tale of an ordinary man on an extraordinarily entertaining adventure.

Scan to check out Summer Studio online!

HARLEQUIN CLUB’S ANNIE JR.

The Middle School Harlequin Club’s November production of Annie Jr. brought a classic story to the Carrafiell Family Theater. Adapted from the Tony Award-winning musical Annie, Annie Jr. follows a spirited Depressionera orphan determined to find her parents who abandoned her on the doorstep of a New York City orphanage. Through her adventures, Annie finds a new family in a billionaire, his personal secretary, and a lovable dog.

LIVING WITH THE ART SHOWCASES WORK OF SURFACE DESIGNER JESS JAHNLE ‘10

Surface designer, artist, and EA alumna Jess Jahnle ’10 kicked off the 2022-23 Crawford Campus Center Gallery season with her dynamic show, Living with the Art, in October.

The founder and designer of Yes Paper Studio LLC, Jess said that she always remembers being interested in drawing and painting. “I took a lot of drawing classes when I was in middle school and high school, and then took Honors 2D here [at Episcopal], where I learned a lot from [EA Visual Art Department Chair] David Sigel,” she said.

For David, having an alumna and award-winning artist back on campus was thrilling. “As our [art] program at Episcopal has grown, it’s been a pleasure being able to have such a talented group of alumni to reach out to and have them come back and share their art,” he said.

Following the gallery opening, Jess led David’s Honors 2D-Design IV-V art class in a workshop demonstrating how to create a repeating pattern. “The first original drawing is the most important part of the process,” she told students. “Learning the technical part can be figured out.”

“Jess is proof that you can find success and happiness in the arts if you are dedicated to following your passion and continuing in the pursuit of your practice by building upon the foundations learned,” David explained.

Jess graduated with a BFA in Painting from Maryland Institute College of Art in 2014 and earned a MS in Surface Imaging from Philadelphia University (now Thomas Jefferson University) in 2016. Her Philadelphia-based print design studio, Yes Paper Studio LLC, specializes in bold wallpaper and textiles.

Baseball

The 2022 season was one to remember. The team finished with a 16-4 overall record with an 8-2 split in league play, which was the best record in league play since 1983. Six players were honored with All-League honors, the most in program history. Another record that was shattered was stolen bases in a season, as the players swiped 101 bags at an 88 percent clip. Team camaraderie shined through as many of the games won were in come-from-behind fashion.

Boys’ & Girls’ Rowing

Spring 2022 was a season of positives. The EA Rowing team had a solid number of hard-working, experienced upperclassmen and two great groups of novice rowers. Student-athletes energetically practiced in early spring with impressive enthusiasm. The team competed in four of the five Manny Flicks, and EA rowers were ranked in the top five in seven of their eight boats going into the Philadelphia City Championships. Mother Nature intervened, and the championships had to be rescheduled. At the Stotesbury Cup Regatta, three boats competed with the girls’ 4x finishing 4th overall. EA was fortunate to have four boats continue for the final week to the SRAA National Championships. Two boats completed the weekend with two 5th places.

Girls’ Golf Inter-Ac Champions

It was a great spring season for the five returning and seven new members of the golf team. The team clinched the Inter-Ac Championship after playing six matches in the last two weeks of the season. The squad was undefeated in league play, and several players carded personal best scores. Six different players were low scorers in matches, and seven qualified for the Individual Championships. Clarissa Leung ’25 was the team’s low scorer, the low scorer for the league, finished 3rd at the Individual Championship, and placed 2nd in the PAISAA tournament.

Softball Inter-Ac Champions

After a good spring training trip, the team started strong with a win over The Baldwin School (11-0). That provoked a rivalry between the two teams, so to finish the season with a win against Baldwin (10-6) was the icing on the cake. The squad also logged a victory over Springside Chestnut Hill Academy (2-0), before dropping the second game. Resilience and determination paved the way for a successful end to the season, as the girls won against The Agnes Irwin School (4-2) and Germantown Academy (11-10), logged an impressive 16-3-1 overall record, and earned an Inter-Ac Championship title.

Boys’ Lacrosse

The team finished with a 7-3 record in the Inter-Ac, which included a big win over Malvern Prep. Other big games included an exciting overtime, come-from-behind win against LaSalle College High School, as well as victories against Avon Old Farms (CT) and Severn High School (MD). The team made it to the Inter-Ac tournament semi-final round.

Girls’ Lacrosse Inter-Ac

Champions

Inter-Ac MVP: Alexa Capozzoli ’22

The team slogan for 2022 season was “Locked In Together.” They played a rugged schedule, including games against St. Stephen’s St Agnes (VA), Hill Academy (CN), Holton Arms (MD), IMG (FL), PIAA-powerhouse Garnet Valley, and top-ranked Summit High School (NJ). The team ended the season ranked in the Top 25 National Rankings by USA Lacrosse. With an 11-1 record in league play, the girls took home the Inter-Ac Championship title for the 21st time in program history. Alexa Capozzoli was named league MVP.

Boys’ Tennis

The schedule was packed with great competition and amazing experiences. The weather impacted the non-league schedule, but weekends were full of tournaments against some of the top teams on the East Coast. A highlight included earning the Sportsmanship Award at the Delbarton Tournament. Sixteen top teams came to EA for the annual George Shafer Doubles tournament. This season will also be remembered for the most 4-3, 3-4 decisions in a league season. It was a competitive and challenging year.

Boys’ Track & Field Inter-Ac Champions

PAISAA Champions

It was a record-setting season as the team won the Inter-Ac Championship for the first time in 43 years. At the Penn Relays, the 4x400m relay team won the Inter-Ac race and then finished 3rd in the Philadelphia Championship race. The 4x100m relay broke the school record and qualified for the Northeast Championship (finishing 5th). At the Inter-Ac Championships, the team won by nearly 90 points ahead of the 2nd place finisher, scoring in 15 out of 16 events. The team ended the season with the first-ever PAISAA Championship, leading 2nd place by nearly 30 points. The team set six new school records.

Girls’ Track & Field

The girls ran to 2nd place at the Inter-Ac and PAISAA Championship meets. It was a wonderful mix of those new to the sport and those who have competed for four years. Five school records were set, and the chemistry and camaraderie were apparent from the start of the season. Avery Elliott ’24 and Saige Forbes ’24 were named co-winners of The Judy Krause MVP Award at the Inter-Ac Championships, which recognizes the top scorers in the girls’ division.

Fall 2022

FROM THE SIDELINES

Boys’ Cross Country Inter-Ac Champions

PAISAA Champions

Delco Champions

21st place at Nationals

Inter-Ac MVP: Michael Woolery ’24

MileSplitPA Coach of the Year: Jim Farrell ’82

It was a fall for the record books as the team ran to an undefeated season (10-0), earned three championships, and qualified for the National Championship for the first time in school history. The boys started strong with a 1st place win at the Paul Short Invitational, with EA’s top five runners finishing under 16 minutes. All seven varsity runners finished in the top 10 to win the Inter-Ac Championship. Michael Woolery ’24 won the race and was named Inter-Ac MVP. The squad also won the Delco Championship and the PAISAA Championship races, with all seven varsity runners placing in the top 14 spots. At EA/Haverford Day, EA runners swept the first eight places and won 14 of the top 16 positions. The top three finishers, Aidan McHugh ’23 (16:28), Dakin Ebmeyer ’23 (16:44), and Dawson French ’24 (16:51), all broke the school course record. The team earned its first national ranking in school history, a #2 state ranking, and proudly represented EA at the National Championship, placing 21st against the top runners from across the country.

Girls’ Cross Country

Highlights for the team include a 3rd place finish at the Atkinson Invitational and 3rd place at the Inter-Ac Championship race. The girls ran to 3-3 in dual meets. Over the course of the season, the team improved and set several personal records. During EA/AIS Day, the girls placed 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 9th, and 10th, coming up a tad short with a final score of 31-24.

Football

Inter-Ac MVP: TJ Cadden ’23

EA football ended a spectacular season with a 9-1 impressive record. The team set the all-time EA scoring record with 407 points on the season. TJ Cadden scored touchdowns five different ways, including kick return, punt return, interception return, rushing, and receiving. The 2022 season marked the fifth time in 130 years of EA football that the team won nine games. The team had a hard-fought final game of the year on EA/Haverford Day, where the final score was 21-19 Haverford.

Field Hockey Inter-Ac Champions

With eight new starters and a new head coach, it was a season filled with growth and learning for the field hockey team. The girls battled past Notre Dame twice and rival Agnes Irwin School three times. The final win came during sudden-death overtime on a soggy EA/ AIS Day. EA field hockey won its 15th Inter-Ac title and made it to the championship round of the PAISAA tournament against The Hill School. With 30 seconds left in regulation play, Hill scored for the win (3-2). The team ended the season with an impressive 17-3-2 record.

Boys’ Golf

PAISAA Individual Champion: Hunter Stetson ’24

Boys’ golf faced tough competition throughout the fall. Nonleague play was highlighted with wins over perennial powers St. Joe’s Prep and Radnor High School. In league play, junior Hunter Stetson finished 2nd in the season-long points race for MVP. He continued his stellar play into the postseason and won the individual PAISAA Championship with an outstanding -2 (70). The squad finished the season 15-21.

Boys’ Soccer

Boys’ soccer (11-7-2) notched a 5-5 record in league play, finishing 3rd in the Inter-Ac. The team recorded signature wins over The Lawrenceville School, Hill School, Holy Ghost Prep, and Radnor High School. The Churchmen swept Malvern Prep and split with Penn Charter, Germantown Academy and The Haverford School. On EA/Haverford Day, the quickest 80-minutes of soccer of the year was decided by a solitary goal scored by junior Ryan Sewell. The win marked the fourth consecutive year of victory on EA/Haverford Day.

Girls’ Soccer

Daily Times Girls Soccer Player of the Year:

Maya Naimoli ‘23

The team tallied some impressive stats throughout the fall season. They posted a single-season high of 61 goals in 20 games, allowed only 12 goals against, and had nine shutouts. A season highlight included a commanding 1-0 win on EA/AIS Day. The team battled a tough Springside Chestnut Hill Academy squad in the PAISAA finals but came up a goal short. The 2022 team will be noted as one of the strongest teams in program history.

Boys’ Water Polo

Boys’ water polo had a challenging and successful season. With an overall record of 14-14, and 4-4 in league play, the team played tough opponents at numerous tournaments. The team finished 2nd overall in Flight IV in the Beast of the East Tournament. Goalie Khoa Tran ’24 has established himself as one of the top goalies in the Inter-Ac. The team opened Inter-Ac play with a thrilling 16-15 win over Germantown Academy but lost to Malvern Prep and Penn Charter in tough matchups. The boys responded with an exciting 8-6 victory over Germantown Academy on Senior Day, an 11-9 win in the rematch with Malvern, and a 16-13 win over Penn Charter. EA finished 2nd overall in the league.

Girls’ Water Polo

Girls’ Tennis Inter-Ac Champions

A 12-0 record in league play is a testament to the talent and mental toughness of girls’ tennis. The squad won its 5th consecutive Inter-Ac Championship and kicked off EA/ AIS Day with a 7-0 sweep. The team consistently played at a high level and showed its depth. Coach Whitaker Powell, Hon. marked his 300th match as head coach. The team served up a 16-1 overall record, with the only loss against The Lawrenceville School.

Girls’ water polo found great success with a final record of 8-10 and 2-2 in Inter-Ac play. The girls developed as a team, played hard, and worked together. The team kicked off the season with the Battle of the Beltway at the U.S. Naval Academy and seized the opportunity to play one of the top girls’ clubs on the East Coast, the Navy Aquatic Club. The team made it to the Flight III Championship game of the Beast of the East Tournament but lost to a strong Exeter squad. Leading goal scorer Talia Thomas ’25 and the blocking prowess of Taylor Hammond ’24 made waves each game. Seeded 3rd overall at Easterns, EA played a hardfought game in the semi-final match-up with The Lawrenceville School but lost 15-11. The team had an impressive win over Germantown Academy during Easterns to finish 4th overall.

EA/HAVERFORD/AIS WEEKEND 2022

It was a banner weekend, as EA teams won six of the nine contests played against rivals The Agnes Irwin School and The Haverford School in November at home. The girls’ teams won their overall competition, 3-1, to keep the Banner. The tennis team swept the day, 7-0. Girls’ Cross Country ran through rain, mud, and fog, coming up a bit short with a final tally of 31-24. Soccer wasted no time getting on the board early and kept the 1-0 lead for the win. During a driving rainstorm, Field Hockey ended regulation play 0-0 against the Owls. Three minutes into OT, EA powered in a goal for the win as fans stormed the field to celebrate the banner day!

The boys narrowly lost winning back the coveted Sweater, 3-2. Sunny skies returned as Boys’ Cross Country had a record-setting race, sweeping the first eight positions, with the first three EA runners setting new course records. Water Polo battled until the end, but lost the contest, 8-18. Soccer took the field ready to even things up. The team held onto a crucial 1-0 lead to get the critical win. Tied up at 2-2, it came down to Football. It was a game of inches, with the Churchmen coming up short, 21-19.

After a 2nd place finish at the Nike Cross Northeast Regional race, the Boys’ Cross Country team competed in its first-ever Nike Cross National Championship with the top runners in the country. The squad earned a #1 PA ranking and won the Delco, PAISAA, and Inter-Ac Championships, and Jim Farrell ‘82 was named Cross Country Coach of the Year by MileSplitPA. Scan to hear more about the boys’ historic season.

Through the EA community’s generous support, student-athletes are thriving. New uniforms, state-of-the-art equipment, professional training sessions, and travel to compete against the best in the country offer an abundance of opportunity and success for EA athletes. Join us in our final year of the Shape Tomorrow campaign, and help support EA’s successful athletics program. Visit episcopalacademy.org/shape.

Notes Class

We love to hear from you! Submit your latest milestones, news, and updates to be included in a future issue of Connections. Visit episcopalacademy.org/classnotes.

Boston

EA VISITS ALUMNI IN NYC, BOSTON, AND D.C.

EA alumni connected this fall with classmates, friends, and teachers at several Shape Tomorrow regional receptions. In New York City, alumni gathered at The William. Greville Haslam Head of School Dr. T.J. Locke shared school updates and thanked alumni for their ongoing support and generosity. Head of Upper School Mike Letts, Hon. was joined by Peggy Kauh ’93 and Matt Bailer ’97 P ’26 ’28 ’31 ’34 for an intriguing panel discussion on the impact their EA education had on their careers and lives. In Boston, alumni met at Trillium. Board of Trustees Chair Beth Corrigan P ’17 ’19 led a compelling discussion featuring Upper School History Teacher Kris Aldridge, Hon., Lauren Patrizio Xaba ’97, and Sona Bardakjian ’21. The Washington, D.C. regional reception featured Computer Science & Engineering Department Chair Matt Memmo, Hon., Chéo Scott ’00, and Deirdre Meaney ’14.

Celebrating Our Newest Alumni: The Class of 2022

The Class of 2022 was celebrated and welcomed as EA’s newest alumni during Episcopal’s 237th Commencement exercises on Thursday, June 9, in the Class of 1944 Chapel. One hundred thirty-two students received their diplomas and are currently attending 84 colleges and universities worldwide.

Students were recognized for their accomplishments and congratulated by Dr. T.J. Locke, Greville Haslam Head of School; Father Tim Gavin, Hon.; The Rt. Reverend Daniel G.P. Gutierrez; Mr. Mike Letts, Hon.; and Mr. Sam Willis, Hon. Valedictorian Cecilia Murphy and Salutatorian Myles Davis welcomed guests and congratulated their classmates.

“Episcopal inspires its boys and girls to lead lives of purpose, faith, and integrity,” reflected Cecilia. “Although graduation is a bittersweet time, as we leave behind a place that has become our home and people that have become our family, we are well prepared to carve our own paths forward. Whether we direct, motivate, create, or teach, we will become leaders in our own right, able to inspire and empathize with those around us.”

“Episcopal’s culture has helped us become better students, better athletes, and, most importantly, better people,” shared Myles. “Through our faculty’s passion to support us, aligned with our focused commitment to excel in Mind, Body, and Spirit, our culture has been nurtured each and every day.”

1940s 1947

Bayard Fox has memoirs available for purchase on Amazon, including Fisherman, Rancher, Horseman, Spy: True Stories of a Life Well-Lived and Wind River Country: Hidden Heart of Wyoming.

1950s 1953

70 th Reunion Year

Don Pillsbury reports: “Me, I had an interesting time. In February 2021, I tumbled down a flight of stairs and smashed my right pelvis

CELEBRATING OUR BISHOP WILLIAM WHITE SOCIETY MEMBERS

This fall, members of the Bishop William White Society gathered at Lowry House, the Greville Haslam Head of School’s residence, for a special luncheon. In addition to hearing from a panel of current students and faculty, attendees were treated to a performance by the Vocal Ensemble.

The Bishop William White Society honors those who have documented a planned gift to the school by designating Episcopal as a benefactor in their will. Contact Patsy Porter, 484-424-1780 to learn more about becoming a member.

(not recommended). Five days in orthopedic ICU and three weeks in a recovery center. Fortunately, with the Work From Home era, my daughters could help out with the recovery at home. I am fine now; walk with a limp and do not need use of a cane around the house. And I can stoop which they said I would never do— Ha Ha—so I am pleased with my recovery. Sue and the kids are well. We now have a great-granddaughter and the youngest grandchild is off to college. Where did the time go?! Finally, I have the Ham radio station set up but have run into significant difficulties with an outside antenna. One setup in the attic leaves a great deal to be desired. I will see if I like it before I tackle the Zoning board of Review for an outside antenna.”

1957

1958

65 th Reunion Year

1959

Bruce Bennett’s poem, “Stopping by with Flowers,” was the winner of Plough’s 2022 Rhina Espaillat Poetry Award.

George ’60, Roland ’59, Ross ’57, and Bruce ’53 Watson had a great time at the Loyal Blues Brunch over 2022 Alumni Weekend!

1960s 1963 60 th Reunion Year 1965

Compiled by Stuart Christie: John Packer and wife Abby have moved into a new house they had built in Hawley, Idaho, close to their daughter and (according to John) “close” to their son in Colorado.

1966

1968

55 th Reunion Year

1970s

1970

Eight members of the Class of 1966, along with a few spouses, celebrated their 56th Reunion on July 24, 2022, in Maine at the home of Phil Gleason. Memories were shared, the conversation was scintillating, food and drink were abundant, and the group was treated to live music by Steve Davis and his wife, Nina, also known as “The Homebodies.”

1967

Don Best enjoyed dinner with members of the Class of 1970 in September at Veekoo in Berwyn. Also in attendance were a few friends from Haverford, and Don Wynne’71

Bill Garver wrote to say that he is now a licensed trolley operator. “Well, I am now officially an operator. I work 2 or 3 times per month. I invite anyone in the Scranton area to come take a ride with us. It is quite historic and a lot of fun.”

Since I’m a bit light on class news I thought I’d add a little historical note of interest that I came across in some reading this summer. As we all know, Bishop William White is recognized as the founder of EA in 1785. But what I also learned is that he raised funds to create a school for Black and Native American children, and helped establish the Magdalen Society in Philadelphia for “unhappy females who have been seduced from the paths of virtue and are desirous of returning to a life of rectitude.” Later, he helped convince the Pennsylvania legislature to fund the Pennsylvania Institution for the Deaf. Additionally, he served as Chaplain of the Continental Congress from 1777 to 1789. Pretty impressive!

Dick French spent a spectacular 15 days trekking in remote Patagonia in March 2022. Other than his guides, Dick didn’t see a sign of others or civilization for the entire trip!

1972

Jim Lawless and his wife, Marguerite, met up with Francis Littleton and his wife, Helen, for breakfast in Oslo when the Littleton’s ‘counterclockwise’ Scandinavian

Ron Rothrock married Kathleen Mott in Lake Paupac.

trip overlapped with the Lawless’ ‘clockwise’ journey. “Great fun to scarf down marinated herring while recounting the highlights of our recent reunion.”

1973

50 th Reunion Year

1977

1978

45 th Reunion Year

1980s

1982

NORMAN FITZPATRICK ‘80 AND ALLISON FITZPATRICK CAREY ‘06 DELIVER SPECIAL CHAPEL TALK

Retired Navy commander Norman “Norm” G. FitzPatrick ‘80, along with his daughter, Allison FitzPatrick Carey ‘06 (Chief Strategy Officer at SEI Private Banking and Wealth Management), were the featured speakers at this year’s Edward H. Vick, Jr. ’62 Veterans Day Chapel service. Mr. Brendan FitzPatrick, Hon., Norm’s brother and current EA 4th grade teacher, introduced them.

Norm opened by reading a poem about military children. “Dandelions put down roots almost anywhere and it’s almost impossible to destroy [them],” he shared. “Military children bloom everywhere the winds carry them. They are hardy and upright.” Norm was often deployed for long periods of time as a Navy helicopter pilot. “Military life is hard and the perception is real. It’s tough, and moving is tough,” explained Allison. EA was the eighth school she had attended when arriving in Upper School.

“There is so much you can’t control, but what you can control is your attitude and the decisions that you make to attack the new adventure and get the most out of the experience that you can,” she said. “As I got older, I quickly started to realize that while the community was supporting us here at home, they were really supporting my dad. Because he knew that we were taken care, he could do his job and serve our country.”

Norm currently serves as a senior vice president at Lazard Financial Institutions Group. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy and received a master’s in finance from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. He earned his Wings of Gold in 1986 and flew from numerous aircraft carriers during the course of his 20-year Naval career. A multi-sport athlete, Norm was inducted into The Episcopal Academy Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013.

Pete Hare, John Langfitt, and Keith Schnebly (left to right) met up for lunch in Waitsfield, Vermont, on a sunny afternoon in October. The three reminisced about their years at EA, particularly their “glory days” on the cross country and track teams!

Bill Bagnell had fun with Billy Bagnell ’06 and Joe Federico ’07 cheering on the Phillies during their World Series run!

1983

40 th Reunion Year

1985

Todd Pride was honored with the Conservation Achievement Award from Audubon Mid-Atlantic, thanks to his dedicated work as founder of the Mid-Atlantic Youth Anglers & Outdoors Program.

1988

35 th Reunion Year

1990s

1990

On a recent trip to the United Kingdom to participate in a Global Leaders in Law (GLL) conference in Oxford, Lori Hood Sanders met up with Jane Armstrong for lunch in a London park. Although the visit was brief, it was fantastic for the two to catch up.

1991

1997

The Rev. Dr. Stephen Butler Murray has accepted a call to serve as Senior Minister of the First Congregational Church in Nantucket, Mass. He previously served as President of Ecumenical Theological Seminary in Detroit, Mich.

1993

30 th Reunion Year

1995

Members of the Class of 1997, including Halik Carter, James Rich, Danny O’Donnell, Heidi Watson, Matt Meyers, Chas Peruto, Bradd Haley, Madeleine Delson, Kirsten Kraus, Liz McDonald, and Jordan Love, had a great time celebrating their 25th Reunion!

1998

25 th Reunion Year

1999

Katie Kurz and Alexis Longinotti had fun reconnecting at the Jersey Shore!

Kimberly Lowe McCalla was inducted into the Ohio State University Athletic Hall of Fame on June 11, 2022.

EA UNLOCKED PODCAST FEATURE EPISODE: MINDY MENKOWITZ SCHEIER ‘89

New York City fashion designer Mindy Menkowitz Scheier ‘89 is shaping the fashion industry through her Runway of Dreams Foundation and adaptive clothing designs. Her company, GAMUT Talent Management, connects companies and people with disabilities. Mindy recently sat down with Dr. T.J. Locke to share more about her personal journey and what led her down the path of designing adaptive clothing. Search for EA Unlocked wherever you access your favorite podcasts or scan the QR code to listen to the interview.

2000s 2003 20 th Reunion Year

2004

Caitlin Gondek Checchio welcomed her second child, Delaney Jane Checchio, on August 24, 2022. Caitlin, her husband Michael, and her other daughter, Charlotte, are doing well and are thrilled with the newest addition to their growing family.

Lexi Miller and her husband, Don Whitlatch, welcomed daughter Marguax to their family on January 17, 2022.

Alex Saggiomo was married on April 16, 2022, at the Fairmount Park Horticulture Center to the “best guy ever,” Henry Spear! There were many EA alumni in attendance, and the group had an absolute blast!

Caitlin Devlin Andreotta and her husband, Greg, welcomed their third child, Lacey Maeve, on February 4, 2022. Lacey joins big brothers Brayden and Nolan!

Renata Certo-Ware Vesey and her husband, Tristan, welcomed

JEN D’ANGELO ’06 DISCUSSES HOCUS POCUS 2 WITH STUDENTS

The 2022 spooky season was quite the celebration for Jen D’Angelo ’06. She attended the NYC premiere of Disney’s Hocus Pocus 2, a film that she had the honor of serving as lead writer. Although Jen is not new to the world of film and television, this highly anticipated sequel to the 1993 film Hocus Pocus was the first production she’s worked on of this scale. After graduating from EA in 2006, Jen went on to Northwestern to study screenwriting and perform stand-up in Chicago. Upon earning her degree, Jen moved to Los Angeles where she started working production assistant jobs and was “writing all the time” on the side. After getting an agent through performing comedy, she shared all of the scripts that she had written, which began to get passed around and launched her writing career. She eventually landed a job as a staff writer for Cougar Town and worked her way up to projects such as Young Rock, Solar Opposites, Happy Together, LA to Vegas, Workaholics, and Loosely Exactly Nicole

This fall, she spoke with Upper School Scholium editors and members of the Creative Writing Club via Zoom to tell her story and inspire the next generation of writers. While speaking about her journey from EA to today, Jen detailed her time at Episcopal and remembering how she loved to write comedy skits for the annual Can Drive and Scrooge Chapel, which helped begin her interests in script writing and stand-up comedy.

their son, Winston Wolfe Vesey, to the world on January 31, 2022. Winston is already a regular at the family brewery, Dock Street. When not there, he enjoys playing with his poodle, Hazel, and other friends from the Class of 2004 baby boom!

2005

alum and sister, Morgan Rees ’21, at Wake Forest University!

2008

15 th Reunion Year

Loren Mead and his wife, Sarah, welcomed their newest family member, Harriet Page Mead, to their family on February 13, 2022.

2009

Anna Strong Safford published a book of poems titled The Difference Is Spreading: Fifty Contemporary Poets on Fifty Poems

Caroline Hanamirian Merewether and her husband, Gene, welcomed a son, Gene, into the family in December 2021.

2010s

Brooke White, whose acting name is Brooke Hutton, recently starred in Cartas Para Axel. The film went through the festival circuit this year and was featured as Best LatinX film at the Phoenix Film Festival. It was also nominated for Best Short Film at Outfest, New York Film Festival, Barcelona Film Festival, and Los Angeles Diversity Film Festival, as well as several others.

2006

2011

2013

10 th Reunion Year

Robyn Farrell married Nate Heller on October 8, 2022. There were many EA friends and family members there to celebrate with them!

2016

Alex Burman has become an actor, comedian, and viral internet personality “Sayburm.” Alex has innovated his entertaining Instagram (@sayburm), TikTok (@saybeast), and YouTube (SAYBEAST) channels to become a place where people can laugh and large companies or local Philadelphia-area businesses (like the Philadelphia Union!) can market/ advertise themselves.

2017

Billy Bagnell checked in on his fellow

Haley Habenicht Farrar married Andrew Farrar in Chapel Hill, N.C., on September 10, 2022. It was incredibly special to have EA friends and parents celebrate them!

Audrey Lee is ecstatic to announce that her second book of poetry, Disjecta Membra, was published by 49 Winter 2023

Bottlecap Press in February 2022. The collection is the culmination of two years of work and is the followup to her first book, Probably, Angels (Maverick Duck Press, 2020). Copies can be purchased at bottlecap.press/products/disjecta and at Lot 49 Books and Records in Philadelphia.

2018

5 th Reunion Year

first full-time job at the Coastal Community Foundation of S.C. as an Executive Assistant. She has also continued to pursue poetry and has published two original books, been featured in an anthology, and even performed at major events for the city of Charleston.

2019

Olivia Dirks was part of the undefeated 2022 NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Championship-winning team, the University of North Carolina Tar Heels. UNC beat Boston College 12-11, and Olivia is to credit for one of those goals.

2020s 2020

Dominic Minicozzi is a media and communications major at Ursinus College. He currently works in sports broadcasting as an on-air personality and is the voice of Ursinus Football, Basketball, and Lacrosse.

2022

Jillian Rotman was named salutatorian of the Ursinus College Class of 2022. She is currently pursuing a J.D. at Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law as a Dean’s Merit Scholar.

Kelly Edwards, Hon., Kate Beinkampen, Kevin King, Mike Letts, Hon., and Harry Pusey had fun meeting up in Boston over the summer.

Tristan Whitaker (son of Brandon ’91 and Rory Schusler Whitaker ‘92), Andrew McMeekin (son of Andrew ’91 and Heather Flick McMeekin ’91), Charlie Maier (son of Rob, Hon. and Jen Maier, Hon.), and Jake Shaud (son of Carolyn Shaud ’89) celebrated together following Commencement.

Honorary

Emily Wingfield received a B.A. degree in history, moved to Charleston, S.C., and started her

Caroline Kelly was named to the 2022 U.S. U-21 Women’s National Team by USA Field Hockey.

Lee Billmyer’s children, Chad ’97, Amanda ’99, and James ’05, along with her husband and six grandchildren, surprised her by dedicating a chair in The Roger Annenberg Memorial Library in honor of her retirement after 37 years at EA.

Carl I. Denlinger, Hon.

Carl I. Denlinger, 91, passed away at his home on August 27, 2022. Born and raised in Lancaster County, Carl studied French language and literature at Franklin and Marshall College, the University of Chicago, the Sorbonne, and the University of Pennsylvania. From 1962 until his retirement in 1994, he taught French and was the head of the Modern Language Department at The Episcopal Academy. In 1993, Carl received a Presidential Scholars Program Distinguished Teachers Award, which was presented to him at the White House by President Bill Clinton. Carl was a stalwart member and volunteer in many capacities at the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia from 1966 until his death. He is survived by his wife, Arcenia Rosal; his children, Liz (Joy Ladin), her twin brother Fritz ’82, and Rebecca A.D. Pritchard ’86 (Rob Pritchard); his step-daughters, Maia Rosal (Seth Rosenthal) and Elissa Linowes (Mike Linowes); his ex-wife, Anne Slater; three grandchildren and three stepgrandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Daniel J. Dougherty, Hon.

Daniel J. “Coach Doc” Dougherty, 87, passed away on October 24, 2022. Dan’s basketball coaching career spanned 40 seasons, including St. Pius X (1959 – 1961), Malvern Prep (1962 – 1966), Penncrest (1976), and Episcopal Academy (1977 – 1997, 2001 – 2010). During his 32 seasons at Episcopal, Dan’s teams earned 11 Inter-Ac championships, and his 2005-06 team went 27-4, including a perfect 10-0 in the Inter-Ac, and yielded two NBA professional athletes. For his efforts that season, Dan received the FedEx National Coach of the Year Award, and he was inducted into Episcopal’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009. At the collegiate level, Dan was an assistant coach at Villanova under Jack Kraft (1967 – 1971), before moving on to become head coach at Army (1972 – 1975), succeeding Coach Bob Knight. Also an accomplished math teacher and advisor, Dan was a positive influence on countless students, many of whom remember him for his storytelling and integrity, both on and off the court. He retired in 2010 as one of the all-time winningest coaches in Philadelphia high school basketball history. Many of his former players recently established an endowed scholarship fund at Episcopal in his honor. Dan is survived by his wife, Mary Ellen Dougherty (nee Hockenbury); his children, Kathleen Marshall, Dan ’80 (Sandy), Mike ’83, and Brian ’92 (Megan) Dougherty; his grandchildren Billie Marshall ’02 (Michael Ellis), Chelsea Makransky ’02 (Matt), Kieran Marshall ’06 (Chelsea Walrath), Kylie (Harrison Finberg), Zachary, Summer, Mia, and Connor Dougherty; and great-grandchildren, Mason, Molly, Austin, Jack, and Lincoln.

Marjorie Lois Rigby Earnest, Hon.

Marjorie Lois Rigby Earnest, 78, passed away peacefully on July 20, 2022. Born to Margaret and James Nelson Rigby, she was raised in Media and graduated from Media High School in 1961 and later Rider University in 1963 with an Associate of Arts degree. In 1973, she married the love of her life, John Joseph Earnest III, and raised two children. She loved her job as an administrative professional at The Episcopal Academy. Marjorie is survived by her children, John J. Earnest IV (Jennifer Pearce) and Suzanne E. Earnest; her brother, James Nelson Rigby (Barbara Rigby); and her grandchildren, Brianna, Emma, Anna, Jack; and her four grand-cats.

Michael J. Hickey Jr.

Michael Hickey, 52, passed away unexpectedly on August 13, 2022. Mike is the father to Logan, Reece ’22, Garrett, and Quinn, who love and miss their dad more than anything. He was a devoted father, teacher, and baseball coach. A standout football and baseball player for Malvern Preparatory School, Mike was recruited to play both sports at Dickinson College. There, he earned a degree in economics, followed by a master’s degree in physical sciences from West Chester University. Mike spent the first 15 years of his career as a physics and chemistry teacher and baseball coach at Malvern Prep, where he was named Coach of the Decade by The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2010. He then spent five years coaching EA’s varsity baseball team and the past four years as a physics teacher and baseball coach at The Lawrenceville School. The players, families, and students of “Coach Hick” became an extension of his family. He cared tremendously for their success both in the classroom and on the fields. Mike had endless corny jokes, was the king of old school rap, and had puns ready for every conversation. Mike is survived by his parents, brothers, nieces and nephews, and countless cousins. Mike’s legacy and proudest moments came from being the father to his four amazing boys. Lynda, Logan, Reece, Garrett, and Quinn are so grateful for all of the love and support from our Episcopal Academy families.

Anita Wood Kneass

Anita Wood Kneass, 92, passed away on July 15, 2022. Born to Vincent and Eleanor Wood, Anita graduated from Lower Merion High School and, after a year in college, married DeWitt Clement, who tragically died in a car accident. Anita later worked as a kindergarten teacher at Episcopal Academy and then married George Bryan Kneass. Anita was an avid gardener and worked and volunteered for numerous organizations, including the Women’s Exchange, Frontier Nursing, the Gardener’s Garden Club, the Memorial Garden, and St. David’s Episcopal Church. She loved to travel with her children, led an active lifestyle, and enjoyed competing in the Dunwoody leagues of croquet, pool, ping pong, and putting. Anita is survived by her children, DeWitt, Anne, Susie, and Strickland; grandchildren, Ashley Conner Wilkinson, Maggie Conner Finn, Kevin Byran Laursen, and Kelsey Anita Laursen; and her great-grandchildren, William and Anne Margaret Wilkinson and William Durham Finn.

Curtis A. Lauber

‘63

Curtis A. Lauber, 77, passed away on July 24, 2022, after a battle with lung disease. Born to Sally and Edmund Lauber, Curt graduated from Episcopal in 1963 and went on to study English at Duke University. After graduation, he returned to Episcopal, teaching English and coaching soccer for 16 years. From 1972 to 1981, his teams won five outright Inter-Ac championships, sharing another, and compiling a phenomenal 127-19-27 (wins-losses-ties) record. In 1972 and 1980, Curt’s teams went unbeaten in the Inter-Ac, while his 1977 Inter-Ac Championship team compiled the best win-loss-tie record (15-1-1) ever by an Episcopal eleven and set a record for least goals allowed in a season. In 2005, Coach Lauber was inducted into Episcopal’s Athletic Hall of Fame, and many of his former players recently established an endowed scholarship fund at Episcopal Academy in his honor. Curt was beloved by his former players and many cite life lessons that they learned during their time with him. He went on to coach soccer and assist with fundraising efforts at Swarthmore College, followed by a few years of fundraising work for the Devereux Foundation, before moving to the West Coast. Curt continued his love for soccer, watching U.S. and international games throughout his life. He was interested in learning about wine, Eastern philosophy, the written word, and his family. He spent much of his later years participating in the Mankind Project. Curt is survived by his two children, Kirsten (Dan) Santore and Reed Lauber; his three grandchildren, Henry, Jack, and Lucas; and his two nieces, Sara and Kate.

Meg Hollinger, Hon.

Margaret “Meg” Hollinger was many things in her life outside her family—a singer, an actress, a writer—but to the EA community, she was best known as a prolific fundraiser. Meg served as Episcopal’s Director of Development from 1990 to 2012 and was instrumental in obtaining the funding for the school to move from Merion to its current home in Newtown Square.

Meg built strong relationships with EA’s alumni and drew them closer to the school. She worked hard to change the mindset of the institution to evoke a culture of giving. Along with establishing some systems and protocols, Meg’s focus was on the long-term process of relationship building and engaging our graduates. Under her leadership, EA launched Connections to bring the EA community together, established the 1785 Bowl in recognition of extraordinary generosity, introduced the Advocate Council for leadership donors, initiated the Bishop William White Society for Planned Giving, facilitated a Senior Class Annual Fund, and placed more emphasis on reunions, especially the 50th. It was through Meg’s encouragement that Episcopal undertook a strategic planning process in the late 1990s, which resulted in the decision to secure land in the west for a future move. The task force grappled with questions about what an ideal school would look like and how to ensure that the school’s motto was an accurate and honest characterization of Episcopal. As a result, the Board of Trustees finally made the bold decision to move the entire school to Newtown Square. The question was how.

With Meg’s unfailing energy and persistence, in 2008, the school moved to the new campus, free of debt and with a respectable and ever-growing endowment. As Dick Lowry ’54 said, “There was an awakening among the stakeholders, including the alumni, regarding the need to financially support the school. Building the new campus helped to create that culture which by some people’s standards is still in an embryonic state…it wouldn’t have begun to flourish without the requirement to support the move to the new campus.” This was a pivotal time for the school, and Meg was at its center. More than anything, Meg loved her family and is survived by beloved husband (and long-time EA faculty member) Chip; sons Jake ’93, Jobey ’95, and Josh ’00; daughters-in-law Elizabeth, Victoria, and Yu; and grandchildren Elason, Grant, Charlie, Kaje, Greta, and Olivia. She is also survived by her brothers, Anthony and John McGarry. We know Meg is smiling down on Grant ’32 (3rd grade) and Greta ’35 (K) as they flourish in EA’s Lower School.

A. Bruce Mainwaring ’44

Bruce Mainwaring’s generosity of spirit, sparkling sense of humor, and innate kindness uplifted all who knew him. In 1938, Bruce won a competition to join the St. James Church Boys’ Choir which included a scholarship to EA. He became a member of the EA community in 6th grade. That was the year that the Upper School was performing HMS Pinafore, a Gilbert and Sullivan production. One of the upperclassmen fell ill and was unable to perform, so Bruce was drafted to play the role of Buttercup. He stole the show, and his classmates dubbed him with the nickname, Buttercup, which he kept throughout his life. While best known for his beautiful singing voice, Bruce also played soccer, debated in Junto, participated in the Rifle Club, and was editor of the literary magazine at Episcopal. After EA, Bruce went to Swarthmore College and the University of Pennsylvania as part of the Navy’s V-12 program. Once WWII ended, he was at Penn full-time as a math major. He loved being a part of Penn’s Mask and Wig and met his wife, Peggy, there. They both became trustees many years later and were deeply involved with the university’s wellbeing.

Bruce enjoyed a long, successful career in manufacturing, serving as founder and CEO of three firms in the field of precision metal tubing. He and Peggy were fellow explorers, traveling the world together and broadening their love of learning, opera, the arts, and fly fishing. Few have worked more tirelessly and effectively for the non-profit institutions of the greater Philadelphia area than Bruce Mainwaring. Noted for his ability to see to the heart of problems, he harmonized groups and collaborated with exceptionally talented people. Among the organizations that benefited from his generosity are the American Philosophical Society; The Boy Scouts of America (Valley Forge Council); The Episcopal Academy; International House; The Mask and Wig Club; and the Philadelphia Orchestra.

As a mathematics major in college, Bruce had a life-long interest in science. In 2001, he founded The Mainwaring Archive Foundation, an organization exploring alternatives to scientific dogma. Bruce served as chair of the board of advisors of Penn’s Museum of Archeology and Anthropology and chaired its 21st Century Campaign. Peggy and Bruce established endowments and scholarships connected with financial administration and conservation of the museum’s collections. Additionally, they supported Penn’s School of Nursing, the Morris Arboretum, the Medical Center, the Institute of Contemporary Art, the Libraries, the Annenberg Center, and the School of Arts and Sciences. At Episcopal, he established both the Mainwaring Music Fund and the Bruce Mainwaring Scholarship Fund, in addition to being the lead donor for the Class of 1944 Chapel.

As Dr. Jeremy Sabloff, Director of the University Museum during Bruce’s Chairmanship, observed, “on a personal level, Bruce has an intellectual curiosity, boundless interest, and a thought-provoking and stimulating view of intellectual matters. He’s incredibly widely read… a true Renaissance man.”

He is survived by his beloved wife of 74 years, Margaret (Peggy) Redfield Mainwaring; his children, Susan Mainwaring Roberts, Scott Mainwaring, Elizabeth Mainwaring Daniels and their spouses Anthony Roberts, Susan Benedict, and Michael Daniels; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Alumni

1939 Heyward Wharton

August 3, 2022

1942 Robert H. Bensing

February 28, 2023

1942 Paul Kitchen

January 28, 2023

1944 A. Bruce Mainwaring

September 6, 2022

1946 Richard B. Keller

September 13, 2022

1947 John F. Hess

June 26, 2022

1947 Richard G. Mecaskey

September 28, 2022

1947 Henderson Supplee III

August 23, 2022

1947 Roger M. Whiteman

June 7, 2022

1948 Lawrence Barroll

March 28, 2021

1948 Dr. James H. Hardy III

Date unknown

1948 James D. Robins

September 25, 2022

1949 William Z. McLear III

February 20, 2022

1950 John B. Rettew, III

February 23, 2023

1951 John F. Buchanan III

July 26, 2022

1951 James W. Schumacher

February 13, 2023

1951 Frederick A. Tucker Jr.

May 20, 2022

1954 M. Curtis Young

November 14, 2022

1955 Jacob D. Lindy

November 7, 2022

1955 John S. Lloyd III

September 20, 2022

1955 Ralph T. McLean

February 23, 2021

1955 Christopher Shaw Jr.

January 11, 2022

1955 Thomas W. Trainer III

June 17, 2022

1956 E. William Ross Sr.

April 25, 2022

1959 Richard S. Earle

August 2, 2022

1959 Fred G. Wright

August 31, 2022

1960 Allan M. Chagan

September 19, 2022

1961 Richard D. Schwarz

June 5, 2022

1963 Curtis A. Lauber

July 24, 2022

1967 J. Keath Fetter

October 24, 2022

1969 Brian F. Leary

February 21, 2023

1969 Christopher S. Pitt

December 24, 2022

1972 Robert A. Fisher

February 7, 2023

1975 John S. Trickett

October 11, 2021

1976 Paul S. Rasmussen

October 24, 2021

1978 Thomas C. Rosica Jr.

October 18, 2021

1987 William E. Parke IV

August 31, 2022

1994 John M. Phelan Jr.

May 19, 2022

1997 Mona Mahboubi

February 17, 2023

2003 Andrew Ahrensdorf

December 31, 2022

2007 Earle Blair Fox IV

April 27, 2022

2012 Stephanie M. Pino

October 4, 2022

Honorary Alumni & Former Faculty

Carl Denlinger

August 27, 2022

Daniel J. Dougherty

October 24, 2022

Marjorie Lois Rigby Earnest

July 20, 2022

Michael Hickey

August 13, 2022

Meg Hollinger

April 15, 2022

Anita Wood Kneass

July 15, 2022

Roberta H. Morrison

January 24, 2023

Suzanne Zeleznik

January 22, 2023

* This list represents notifications that Episcopal Academy received through February 28, 2023.

Archives From the

Four Delightful Decades of Scrooge Chapel

For today’s students, Scrooge Chapel is more than a cherished holiday custom—it’s a time to gather with friends before Winter Vacation and watch faculty and staff deliver over-thetop performances while dressed up as the year’s funniest cultural icons.

Yes, EA’s annual retelling of A Christmas Carol is anything but traditional. From the Jersey Shore’s Snooki (Sunshine O’Donnell) spraying her black bouffant as she chronicles Scrooge’s past Christmases, to Jacob Marley (Rev. Bert Zug ’78) taking the form of Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce dressed as a Mummer in his 2018 Super Bowl victory parade speech, the cast of surprise characters played by EA faculty and staff always puts a hilarious spin on the classic story. It wasn’t always this outlandish. Scrooge Chapel began in the early 1980s, when then-Director of the Arts John Muir, Hon. wanted to refresh EA’s long-running Christmas Pageant. He kept the hymns and included a new program—the retelling of the Dickens classic by EA teachers. At first, the retelling was true-to-text, with teachers like Peter Vennema, Hon. playing a haunting Jacob Marley in his iconic robes and chains. However, it did not take long for teacher-actors to begin adding their own creative flourishes by playing the roles of the ghostly visitors as increasingly zany characters. The original Scrooge, Tony Brown ’71, would wear a Haverford scarf through the production until he swapped it for an Episcopal scarf as he

came to his great epiphany. One year, Cheryl McLauchlan, Hon. performed as the Ghost of Christmas Present while dressed as an actual Christmas present. Another year, Chuck Bryant, Hon. played the same role with a thick Scottish brogue. By the mid-2000s, these ghosts took on the characters of pop culture icons that students love today.

While most of the cast changes every Christmas, certain roles have their own traditions. Despite each being over six-feet tall, Bob Bishop ’58, and later Matt Essman, played Tiny Tim. The past three Heads of School, Jay Crawford ’57, Ham Clark, Hon., and T.J. Locke, each played the boy who buys the goose at the close of the play. After the tragic passing of beloved EA teacher and longtime Jacob Marley portrayer Marc Mandeville, Hon. in 2010, Rev. Bert Zug ’78 took over the role in honor of his close friend. The prized role of Scrooge has been played by Tony Brown ’71, Paul Rosenberg, Hon., John Powell ’70, and, today, Molly Konopka, Hon. Take a look at some of Scrooge Chapel’s most memorable characters, or watch a retrospective about this fantastic holiday tradition by scanning the QR code.

“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all three shall strive within me.”

– Ebenezer Scrooge, A Christmas Carol

Jacob Marley Through the Years

Ebenezer and Eloisa Scrooges

The Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future

Peter Vennema, Hon. (1990s) Marc Mandeville, Hon. as Don Corleone (2009)

Rev. Bert Zug ’78 as Darth Vader (2012)

Rev. Bert Zug ’78 as Jason Kelce (2018)

Molly Konopka, Hon. with T.J. Locke (2017)

John Powell ’70 takes his final bow (2015)

Paul Rosenberg, Hon. with Ham Clark, Hon. (2004)

Kelley Bethoney, Hon. as Eleven from Stranger Things (2017)

David Sigel, Hon. as Bob Ross (2018)

Gina Buggy, Hon. as Edna Mode from The Incredibles (2019)

Lee Billmyer, Hon. as Marvel’s Black Widow (2021)

Rob Maier, Hon. as Buddy the Elf (2015)

Holly Johnston, Hon. as Elsa from Frozen (2014)

Niall Doherty, Hon. as Ironman (2013)

Sunshine O’Donnell as Snooki from Jersey Shore (2011)

The Episcopal Academy

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