The Column, Fall/Winter 2023 (Issue 9)

Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill

fall 2023 | issue 9

Faithful

EDITOR

Nathan Clendenin | nclendenin@tsdch.org GRAPHIC DESIGN

HEAD of SCHOOL

Katie Stokes

Chip Denton ASSOCIATE HEAD of SCHOOL

Jez McIntosh

BOARD of TRUSTEES 2022–2023

Jeff Lloyd, Chair Harmony Garges, Vice Chair Jason Deshayes, Treasurer Marsha Ebert, Secretary John Hand Jason Deshayes Sandy Kennedy Jim Lamont Leland Little Ruthie Lyle Aaron McKethan Paul Robbins Jay Thomas Didi Wong Chip Denton (ex officio)

CONTRIBUTORS

Ashley Cade Nathan Clendenin Dana Crain Chip Denton Davis Nichols ’26

Janet Ray Claire Schutte ’25 Carrie Sippy Ashley Weinard

COVER ART

Liza Crissman ’25

If you would prefer to receive The Column electronically, please let us know by emailing us at communications@tsdch.org.

Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill publishes The Column twice annually, in fall/winter and in spring/summer.

Printed in Durham, NC, by AdResources, Inc. Share any article from this issue virtually: www.trinitydch.org/thecolumn

MISSION

The mission of Trinity School is to educate students in transitional kindergarten to grade twelve within the framework of Christian faith and conviction—teaching the classical tools of learning; providing a rich yet unhurried education; and communicating truth, goodness, and beauty.

© Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill All rights reserved 4011 Pickett Road, Durham, NC 27705 919-402-8262 • www.trinityschoolnc.org

Notice of Nondiscriminatory Policy as to Students. Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, or sex in the administration of its educational and admissions policies, offers of flexible tuition, or execution of athletic or any other school-administered program.

TABLE of CONTENTS

From the Head of School Steady 2

God’s Faithfulness in Beauty (as well as in the messy, unexpected, and imperfect) 22 Creative Community 24

Non Nobis Trinity’s 2023–2024 School Verse: Zephaniah 3:17 4 God’s Faithfulness Through the Years 6 Why We Give: The Pinelli Family 10 Awakening the Historian Within: A Journey to Discover the Love of History 12

Rich and Unhurried

Nature Is Unhurried 26 Traditions That Tie 28 Capstone to Career: Allison Dear ’16 30

Known and Loved Truth, Goodness, and Beauty

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Teacher’s Pet 32

Faith in Action: A Glimpse into Upper School Student Organizations 18

Embracing “I Am Third” 38

God’s Faithfulness in the Act of Creation 20

Alumni News and Notes 40

steady letter from the Head of School

All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

Psalm 25:10

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hat do Epaphras (Colossians 1:7), Tychicus (Ephesians 6:21), Onesimus (Colossians 4:9), and Timothy (1 Corinthians 4:17) all have in common? They are all commended for their faithfulness. They are loyal and trustworthy, others rely on them, and they have been obedient and true for a long time.

Trinity has its own gallery of long-serving, loyal folk. Among our amazing faculty and staff, we have some who have been here for more than twenty years: Laura Sayre, our Director of Information Technology; Janet Ray, our Director of Arts; Cheryl Blake, one of our school nurses; and Serena Whisenhunt, Middle School Language Arts teacher. And almost two dozen others are serving Trinity into their second decade of employment. This long obedience in the same direction is not something for us to take for granted.

Faithful people pedal long distances. Trinity is blessed to have people in our community who have stayed true to the mission of the school for decades.

These faithful employees have seen Trinity through most of its nearly thirty years. From the pioneer days of the 1990s, to the growth of the 2000s, through the Great Recession and into the 2010s and the launching of our Upper School, through a pandemic and into the 2020s–these people have proved loyal and trustworthy to promote Trinity’s mission across many generations of students and families.

Schools need new people and fresh perspectives, but we also need grounding in our past and in the stories that have gone before us. Trinity’s Board of Trustees is made up of 13 people, and some of them are relatively new to the school. But I am grateful that we also have people like Jim Lamont, Jeff Lloyd, and John Hand,

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who have served various stints on the Board across the three decades of the school. That kind of institutional memory is so important for a school’s flourishing.

You will have a chance to meet more faithful Trinity folk in this issue. Our editor of The Column, Nathan Clendenin, reflects powerfully on the faithful chain of learning that runs from his own experience in school through to his own children’s learning and his lifelong pursuit of truth. Ashley Cade writes about some Trinity traditions, which are vessels carrying the culture and values of the school faithfully through successive generations of students. Junior Claire Schutte has honored the student manager/intern program, another place where we see loyalty and trustworthiness embodied.

The faithfulness of these people is not a cause for boasting—Paul shreds that idea in Romans 3. No, our faithful service is the only sensible and appropriate response to the great revelation of God’s faithfulness, which has been the central proclamation of the Bible from its beginning (Genesis 24:27) to its end (Revelation 19:11). Ours is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations (Deuteronomy 7:9), and Jesus Christ is the Faithful One (Revelation 3:14), the “faithful high priest” (Hebrews 2:17). All of our obedience is but thanks to God for his loyal and trustworthy covenant love for us.

Non Nobis,

Chip Denton, Head of School

NON NOBIS | Trinity School

Trinity's 2023-2024

school verse The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.

He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.

Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)

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TRUTH, GOODNESS, and BEAUTY | Trinity School

Each year, the senior class gathers before the school year starts to decide on Trinity’s school verse. This

year’s seniors chose Zephaniah 3:17. Here is what some of the students had to say about this verse, and watch the video for more of their insights.

“This verse gives me great comfort. I feel like as a senior, I’m being evaluated for everything I do. To know that God is with me through it all and that God is not going to rebuke me, even though I may feel rejected, and that God delights in me is my favorite part of the verse.”

Abigail Vaughn

“Everybody’s looking for someone for comfort, for protection, for someone to help fight their battles. You know, he’s always here. He’s looking at me even when I don’t pray to him or talk to him. So it’s something beautiful to think about that he’s just singing over us and rejoicing over us. It makes you feel like, I’m wanted, I’m significant.”

Kyler Buxton

“All the chaos that’s happening, the turmoil. Everybody just seems to be going through something, and just understanding that he has everything under control at the end of the day, regardless of what’s happening—that completely changed my perspective of everything that’s going on. I know that at the end of the day, he knows what’s coming, and he will send his Son back.”

Zachary Powery

“Having the image of a protector and a warrior…that God is so strong and so powerful, but he uses that power to love us, that is really important.”

Amelia App

Listen to the seniors reflect on Zephaniah 3:17 trinitydch.org/verse 5

TRUTH, GOODNESS, and BEAUTY | Trinity School

NON NOBIS | Trinity School

God’s Faithfulness at Trinity Through the Years

By Ashley Cade

God’s faithfulness abounds in many areas at Trinity School, but nowhere so great as in the people he uses to grow and bless our school.

We celebrate his faithfulness through the work of three Trinity community members. Collectively, these people have contributed 66 years of their time, creativity, flexibility, and dedication to the mission of Trinity. Through their lives we catch a glimpse of God’s faithfulness as it is woven into their stories.

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Serena Whisenhunt 22 Years

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erena Whisenhunt is a cornerstone in the Language Arts and Theology departments at Trinity. She began her journey 23 years ago as the seventh grade Bible teacher and, now, teaches eighth grade Language Arts, serves as the Coordinator of Middle School Spiritual Life, and chairs the Theology department. Serena has witnessed God’s faithfulness in tangible and intangible ways over the years—through building and staff growth, the loss of dear community members, and the celebration of lasting traditions that unite us. “I remember when the Turkey Bowl included a Thanksgiving feast. I recall eighth grade white-water rafting trips, bus rides to Williamsburg and DC, and the anticipation of launching our Upper School,” she recalled.

Serena saw the construction of the South Building firsthand, as well as the HUB and the Brent Clark Building, which were named for her dear student and her col-

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league. She so beautifully honors their memories and praises God’s faithfulness with her words: “Both Blake [Hubbard] and Brent’s legacies, literally built into our campus, remind me daily that God is sovereign. The sorrow of losing them is not the final word, and God is always doing a new thing.”

Because of her deeply rooted faith and her passion for teaching, Serena begins each year with fresh eyes, fresh ears, and a fresh heart. “God loves me and calls me to manifest to others his grace, his mercy and goodness, his truth and his love,” she explains.

"I am a child of God before I am a teacher, and to nurture both callings in one place, where Jesus Christ is intentionally glorified, is a tremendous blessing.”

Louise Holland 15 years

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he mission of Trinity school is to teach the classical tools of learning, provide a rich yet unhurried education, and communicate truth, goodness, and beauty, all within the framework of Christian faith and conviction. This mission is an invitation to something special and unique that attracts people like Louise Holland, who began as a Trinity parent but became an integral part of the school’s fabric over her 15 years on the faculty. When her three children started at Trinity, Louise served as a room parent and valuable volunteer. She helped with Hot Lunch, supported in the classroom, and served on the playground committee. Longtime members of the community may remember Trinity’s ninth and tenth benefit auctions, which Louise chaired and cochaired. She recalls that one of the very first auction items listed was “ironing clothes”! Today Louise serves as a TK teacher, and many of her now-grown students look back with fondness on their time in her class.

Trinity's focus on the whole child allows students and teachers to explore the world through truth, goodness, and beauty. Louise says that this approach has helped her better understand her children, appreciate their strengths, and recognize their flaws. It allows her to celebrate that every child is made in the image of God and embrace the family that she has created at Trinity.

Louise sees God’s faithfulness through the faith of the Trinity community. In the face of great loss and personal grief, she says that her faith grows “because of the unwavering faith that has been sustained throughout the Trinity community.” The Bible speaks of this faithfulness in Romans 8:28, she says: “God says that he will work all things together for the good of those who love him.” This is the faithfulness that Louise has experienced at Trinity through the years.

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NON NOBIS | Trinity School

Laura Sayre 26 years

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aura Sayre has served in official and unofficial roles over the past 26 years at Trinity. In this time, she has blessed the community with her versatility and flexibility as she uses her gifts and talents to meet the needs of the school. Laura found Trinity through “God-incidences” (not coincidences) and, while she is currently the Director of Information Technology, she is also deeply woven into the day-to-day lives of our students. Whether handing a student their hot lunch, serving as resident school historian, or simply being the “if-it-breaks-I-fix-it” lady, Laura says, “Doing this work for the Lord, not affirmations nor accolades, is evidence of his faithfulness to do a good work through many seasons.”

In her years at Trinity, Laura has witnessed God’s faithfulness guiding her through various roles. She stands in amazement at the learning that takes place every day and the growth in people as they live out our mission.

As it says in Ecclesiastes 3:14, “What God does (here) endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it.” The IT department’s preparedness for the

Covid shutdown was a testament to this. She says, “He built our IT team and moved along school initiatives to prepare us for those long days and weeks at the end of the 2019–2020 school year.” These initiatives began in 2015 when Trinity’s Digital Learning Initiative (DLI) was launched. “The DLI put digital tools in the hands of all our students, TK–12, along with IT staff to support them. And it provided amazing instructional support and consistent learning opportunities for our faculty. We spent many years working through hiccups and kinks and learning curves, which laid a foundation for our faculty to pivot their amazing teaching skills through digital platforms,” she recalls. God clearly prepared the IT department so they could rapidly advance the transition to digital learning in that time of need. What a faithful God we have!

Laura has watched learning unfold in amazing ways through the years, allowing the children to be children who learn in a safe and fun atmosphere. The students at Trinity are surrounded by people who care about their physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. She concludes, “Trinity is a place to learn who God is and who God created each of us to be, both for the student and for those who work here.” This is truly an example of God’s faithfulness to the Trinity community.

ASHLEY CADE, who is in her third year at Trinity, works as a learning specialist supporting our

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Middle School students. She relocated to Durham, NC, in 2020 from St. Louis, MO. She has three children, two of whom are at Trinity in the third and eighth grades. She loves spending time with her family and their Labrador Retriever, Haven Grace, as well as running, hiking, reading, cooking, and traveling.

NON NOBIS | Trinity School

NON NOBIS | Trinity School

Why We Give The Pinelli Family

“In life, we have huge enemies…

Money is one of those things, and it haunts us. Being generous fights against that.”

The Pinelli family poses for a photo outside the home of André’s first American host family, the Winberrys.

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NON NOBIS | Trinity School

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he Pinelli family’s Trinity story started long before seventh grader Arthur (’29) was born. In the late winter of 1993, Arthur’s father, André Pinelli, had just left Brazil to live as a foreign exchange student on a farm in Salem, a small town in north central Arkansas near the Missouri border. The next few months began a decades-long journey of community, faith, and generosity that led André and his family to North Carolina.

André’s journey began with the Winberry family and the daily operations of their farm. Alan and Linda Winberry, along with their son Justin, were André’s host family.

“When we woke up, we would start,” André recalled. “I remember going out to the barn with Justin first thing in the morning to work.” It was an education in the culture of the rural south and the start of a friendship that radically transformed André’s faith journey. “Before moving to Arkansas I didn’t believe in Christ,” André explained.

“He was like a fairy tale to me.” That changed as Alan Winberry mentored him and their relationship grew. “I call him dad now because he is my second father. We are still very close,” André said.

Alan took a special interest in André because he wasn’t a follower of Jesus. “I started hearing all these preachers when I would go to church with the Winberrys on Sunday, and I started to think Jesus was more than just a fairy tale,” he recalled. “I started to think Jesus really existed.”

One day, André shared his new conviction with Justin, and the two decided to get baptized together.

When André moved back to Brazil later that year, he had a new perspective on life and a commitment to Jesus that would shape his family and career. André met his wife,

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NON NOBIS | Trinity School

Helê Pinelli, and started working in different entrepreneurial ventures, including the ownership of Brazil’s largest Subway franchise and a private law practice. André believes that his life has been directed and shaped by the Lord. “The Lord has given me so much. I want to be generous with what he has given me.” André continues, “In life, we have huge enemies… Money is one of those things, and it haunts us. Being generous fights against that.”

André often shares the story of a missionary who visited his church in Brazil and made an appeal to the congregation for resources and prayer. The missionary smuggles Bibles into high-security countries. Andre remembers, “I settled in my heart on an amount of money to give to the missionary. But the Lord said, ‘I want you to give this amount.’ I replied, ‘But I don’t have that!’” André had often worried about finances and resources before he was a Christian; God changed that. “When I understood it was God’s voice, I understood and wasn’t worried anymore,” he said.

Now André is back in the United States with Helê, Arthur, and Arthur’s sister, Lorena. Last year, André and Lorena were Duke’s first father-daughter pair to graduate together from the university’s Master of Laws program. André hopes that his children learn to walk with Christ and that their trust for him grows just as his did.

“The best thing I can do is pass all these stories and my faith along to Arthur,” André said. “[The one] who convinces is the Holy Spirit. I have a long drive planned soon with just me and Arthur. Maybe I should talk to him about this.”

NON NOBIS | Trinity School

Awakening the Historian Within:

A Journey to Discover the Love of History

By Nathan Clendenin

Though I’m the editor of this magazine and on staff at Trinity, I’m writing this piece primarily as a Trinity parent. One night while tucking in my Middle School son, SJ, for the night, he remarked, “Dad! We’re about to get to the end of the Civil War and IT’S GETTING TENSE!” My heart received that exclamation with such joy, mainly to see my son excited to love history, but also for reasons more closely related to my own history with the subject.

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NON NOBIS | Trinity School

“If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.”

– Rudyard Kipling

I had what I’d consider a pretty great education. Attending a boarding school in Indiana where my father was on faculty, I was well prepared enough for college to earn a merit-based scholarship. But the love and appreciation for history I did not pick up. In my schooling, the “story” part of history was totally lost amidst the memorization of dates and events. I never looked forward to any history class, because I was bored. There was a nagging part of me that yearned for greater meaning and context to the events I was studying, but I never found it.

This is why I am so thrilled by the approach of our humanities teachers at Trinity. Whether staging re-enactments 13

of historical trials or taking students out of the classroom to historic sites, they’re coupling cultivation of curiosity about the past with practical skills to uncover primary sources. They convert history from a tedious and passive activity to one of exploration, excitement, and discovery.

In early October, the eighth grade students hopped on a bus to visit Historic Stagville, a designated state historic site that preserves the vestiges of one of North Carolina's most expansive plantations. Their history teacher and guide on this exploration, Spencer Dicks, says about the endeavor, “We want our students to grapple with some of the troubling aspects, stories, and systems from the past.

But we also want to embrace the perseverance, resilience, courage, and ingenuity of individuals who found ways to fight against injustice and bring about positive change.”

Historic Stagville is dedicated to teaching about the lives and work of the 900 people who were once enslaved there.

Stagville safeguards a portion of this 30,000 acre plantation, encompassing the preservation of original slave quarters constructed in 1851, a colossal barn dating back to 1860, and the Bennehan family residence, which was erected between 1787 and 1799. This is a setting for rich learning. I enjoyed speaking to some of the students after the trip to hear their stories.

Blaise Booker remarked, “Experiencing the humid air, feeling the texture of the walls and wood, and knowing the truth and reality of Stagville is something I do not want to forget.” While at the site, students were invited to sit quietly and sketch what they saw.

Julienne Rivers had this to say about that experience: “Seeing how my ancestors lived with tight quarters and unjust treatment was eye-opening. I feel empowered that they accomplished so much. Sitting down and drawing the house they built with its hand-made bricks helped me see the big picture, thinking about how much hard work and sacrifice they had to make.”

Maeve Quigley also noted the difference between classroom and experiential learning. “Walking on the same ground as former enslaved people was totally different than learning about it in class. Seeing the chimney they built themselves, including fingerprints that are frozen in time, brought things to life in a whole new way.” Those

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fingerprints on the chimney proved a memorable moment for many students. Shiloh Wong shared, “[The fingerprints] showed the human side—that people were really forced to work there. And I was surprised to learn that people worked on that plantation as sharecroppers until the 1970s.”

The saying that those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it can apply on many levels here.

First, it gives me hope that the coming generation is learning about the past, delving into its horrible injustices, all while coming away inspired by those who suffered. We see this echoed throughout the scriptures as God uses suffering to draw us closer to him.

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.

For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18, ESV) For me, the saying also hits another way. I absolutely love learning new things—that’s been a constant in my life. But since I didn’t learn to love history the first time around, I am eager and excited for another chance to join my four kids this go-around. I’m looking forward to the rich discussions ahead as we learn together. Coming to our living room soon: Ken Burns’s 11½ hour documentary, The Civil War.

Some of the students' sketches of the original slave quarters at Historic Stagville.

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NON NOBIS | Trinity School

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TRUTH, GOODNESS, and BEAUTY | Trinity School

Faith in Action:

A Glimpse into Upper School Student Organizations

By Davis Nichols ’26

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ling A samp ity's of Trin student ations organiz

student government worship planning team honor council student ambassadors student-athlete leadership team

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ave you ever attended a basketball game and wondered, “Who came up with the sportsmanship code that we follow?” Or have you ever wondered at an all-school chapel, “Who are the students who are helping with greeting?” I talked to four students from different student organizations about how they see that faith in God plays a role.

every game and meet is the best quality that it can be. Zach shares, “Whether it be formulating ways to improve fan support of our teams or finding solutions to make athletics more integrated in the life of the school, God has enabled these things to happen.”

Amelia App is a senior on the Worship Planning Team, the group that prepares our weekly Upper School worship times. They line up speakers, scriptures, and singers. Amelia says, “We have to plan worship times well in advance, and we don’t exactly know how that’s going to go. God confirms our faith by guiding us to make the right decisions about worship times and to find the right people to help our worship every week.”

Jack Larson is a junior who is a part of the Honor Council, which helps our Upper School students abide by the rules that they will not lie, cheat, or steal. At the first worship service of the year, students sign the Honor Code, saying that they will follow it. Jack says, “To me, God’s faithfulness represents the loyalty of God towards everyone. Through the Honor Council, I have seen this type of loyalty in every one of my fellow council members.”

Senior Gabrielle Bagley is one of the vice presidents of Student Government, the organization that helps create events for the Upper School. Gabby says, “Students can often feel alone at times at school. God uses student government as a vessel. We are able to host fun events, giving all high schoolers opportunities to bond and strengthen connections within our community, so no one feels isolated.”

Zachary Powery, a senior, is a member of SALT, the Student-Athlete Leadership Team, which makes sure that

As for myself, I am one of Trinity’s Student Ambassadors. This organization helps with a lot of activities around the school. Whether we’re taking new students on a tour, helping out at chapel, or working on social media projects, Student Ambassadors have a desire to help Trinity grow. God brings the right people to our school, and he guides us to help Trinity in the best way we can. He has a special way of working, using the Holy Spirit to guide us on to his path.

God’s faithfulness represents the loyalty of God towards everyone.

DAVIS NICHOLS is a sophomore in his 11th year at Trinity. When he’s not managing Varsity Boys

Basketball, running in Track, leading the Creative Writing Club, or helping with Student Ambassadors, he can be found listening to music or talking with friends. Davis loves to do all things creative with friends, which is why Yearbook is his favorite class, as he gets to share his passion for writing and art with friends.

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TRUTH, GOODNESS, and BEAUTY | Trinity School

lower School Arts

God's Faithfulness in the act of creation

By Ashley Weinard

In the words of a Trinity third grader, “Creating is wild, beautiful, extraordinary.”

During the first week of school, all of our Lower School students pondered the meaning of the word create in Visual Arts class. While “make something new” was probably the most common definition of create across the grade levels, there were many other insightful and inspiring responses that showed that our little people think and feel deeply about this gift God has shared with us: We create just like God created. – Kindergartner Get messy, have fun, make friends. – First grader Creating is a chance to see your reflection through art.

– Fourth grader Create means to turn dreams into reality. – Fifth grader We explored how creativity is not limited to the Art Studio, but is the way we are called to embrace all kinds of subjects and life experiences. God made each of us creative like himself, designing us with unique skills, imagination, and purpose for creating. In science, creativity is applied when Trinity students observe and document the texture 20

and lines on a leaf through a nature study. We see God’s incredible creativity when the geometric order of the universe is revealed in an integrated math and art lesson on pattern. In music, students use movement and sound to portray actions or compare the rhythm of different drumming techniques from cultures around the world.

In each case, God gives us the opportunity and ability to practice conceiving and producing something new, beautiful, surprising.

Take a few minutes to talk as a family about what create means to you. When have you felt creative lately? How might creativity be a sign of God’s faithfulness? Try creating something together—a song, drawing, poem, story, solution. You might (re)discover that creativity is part of who and how God made you. How we express that shared gift is what makes each of us unique and wonderfully made.

What does "create" mean to you?

“Create means to use my imagination to build something new, to express myself in various ways, and to do something fun outside of what is required or expected.”

“Create is to produce anything that appeases human desires and needs.

I usually associate God with the word create because he is the ultimate creator, and having that connection to have ideas inspired from him...you can’t get better than that!”

Trinity senior Abigail Vaughn, who is directing a Lower School production of Frozen Kids for her Capstone project

Jessica Holmes, Music Teacher (TK, Kindergarten, grades 6–8)

“We create when we use our minds and available materials to bring about a new, good situation or object that benefits others or ourselves.”

In creating, “what is inside a person structures what is outside within their reach, producing something fresh in a delightful, revelatory, and mysterious way.”

Rebecca Nolen, Lower School Art Assistant

Luke Ferguson, Music Teacher (grades 1–5)

ASHLEY WEINARD has been Trinity’s Lower School Visual Arts teacher since 2019. Before coming

to Trinity, she served as an art educator in the Durham Public Schools and in art museums around the country. She has three children, one of whom is a sixth grader at Trinity. In her spare time, Ashley likes to read, make pies, and plan vacations.

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TRUTH, GOODNESS, and BEAUTY | Trinity School

Middle School Arts

God's Faithfulness in Beauty (as well as in the messy, unexpected, and imperfect)

By Janet Ray

Psalm 50:2 tells us, “From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth.” This is a verse that wonderfully encapsulates that God's beauty and faithfulness can be found in the unexpected, the imperfect, and the messy and not-so-perfect moments. We witness the beauty of our Creator in our Middle School artists through their exploration of art.

Arts Exploration Drama Class middle school resource band “Get comfortable with failure” is the refrain in our seventh grade Arts Exploration Drama classes, where the beauty of creativity emerges when the students are given the freedom to explore, take big risks, and learn not only from the successful moments but also the not-so-perfect moments.

What a blessing when they see God’s faithfulness in our imperfection!

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Our Middle School Resource Band experiences God’s faithfulness through collaboration and newfound experiences. The partnership between experienced and novice musicians demonstrates the beauty of unity within the community, as they play different instruments together in a harmonious manifestation of God’s beauty. In this reflection of our roles as members of God’s family, the students experience the faithfulness of God while working together to make beautiful music.

eighth grade art Exploring visual art, eighth grade artists embarked on the challenging journey of creating a self-portrait.

They created a graphite grid on paper that guided them to draw the correct proportions of their face, hair, and shoulders. While attempting to find the right proportions for his nose, Caleb Dailey remarked how amazing it was that God made each one of us without a measuring grid, and all so incredibly intricate and different proportionally.

“ middle school Music “Starting each school year, I ask God to give me the wisdom and knowledge I need to teach my students well. God’s faithfulness is clearly demonstrated when I see our students enjoying the craft God has placed in my heart to love. What a blessing to watch the students encourage and uplift each other as they tackle playing, singing, moving and listening.”

– Jessica Holmes, Lower and Middle School Music Teacher

God’s faithfulness is clearly demonstrated when I see our students enjoying the craft God has placed in my heart to love.

”

weekly worship Colossians 3:16 reminds us to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Every Thursday, during our Middle School Sanctuary time, we witness students leading our weekly worship in both word and song. As we explore our theme for the year, “His Hymns and Ours,” we dive into the rich history of hymns, discovering the faithfulness of God throughout time. Students are learning to become instruments of God’s Word, stepping aside so that his truths are first and foremost, allowing those truths to dwell richly in their hearts through scripture and song.

Art teacher Missy Brinegar shows Liam Pointer (’29) how to throw on the pottery wheel.

In the process of discovery, mutual support, and embracing beauty, Middle School artists witness God’s faithfulness.

Through their performances, visual art, and music, God’s faithfulness becomes a part of our lives, a reminder of enduring beauty and grace.

JANET RAY, Trinity’s Director of Arts, knew from her first year at Charles E. Jordan High School

that teaching was her calling. She launched her career at Carrington Junior High before she took a 12-year break to focus on family. She returned to the classroom in 1999 at Trinity School. Guided by her faith, she draws daily inspiration from Isaiah 40:31, a testament to the strength and resilience she brings to her role.

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upper School Arts

creative community

By Carrie Sippy An Upper School Arts Update

A s you wander the halls of the Brent Clark Arts and Engineering Building, you observe art in many forms.

If you peek your head into Vocal Ensemble, you hear the beautiful words and harmonies of “Prayer of St. Augustine” floating heavenward.

Pop into the band room and you’ll see the Jazz Ensemble improvising beautiful solos that highlight their individual skills as they create music as an ensemble. A few doors down, Photography students capture the perfect shot and offer peer critique to better their skills. Then follow the laughter and sneak into a Theatre rehearsal, where students run lines or laugh at a new comedic choice in a scene.

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Painting by Kyren Smith (’24)

This student-created art is a wonderful testament to the God-given gifts our students and faculty possess. It is a demonstration of God’s faithfulness within people as they create art together. In Rachel Marie Kang’s book Let There Be Art she states, “We need community and, deeper still, we need creative community. We need to be reminded that our hearts, our art, all pine to point toward a greater purpose.”

Three students reflected on their time in the arts at Trinity, and their answers paint the picture of a faithful community of artists committed to their craft and creating art together.

Sophomore Luke Roth, a Theatre and Visual Art student, said, “I think that art requires a lot of faith, both in yourself and in others. When creating a work of art, having the support and faith of your friends and teachers is imperative to produce the best version of your masterpiece.”

Jazz Ensemble member Nicholas Raedy shared, “The arts at Trinity have taught me that when I perform music, it is not just for our entertainment, but it is directed towards the praise of God. Playing music in this very uplifting environment has reminded me that music is not ours, but is truly a gift of God.”

Alumnus Thomson Falk (’22) was a leader in the Theatre department, playing Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast during his senior year. Thomson explains, “I see faithfulness through the relationships that artists make with one another. The relationships that I experienced firsthand during my time as an artist at Trinity were ones that I look back upon with a fond mind and great memories.”

God faithfully provided our students and faculty with great talent. In them, we see a clear picture of God’s kingdom as the body of Christ comes together to use their gifts for God’s glory. May the offering of these talents be an arrow faithfully pointing back to the source of those abilities, the Giver of every good and perfect gift.

We need to be reminded that our hearts, our art, all pine to point toward a greater purpose.

Top Right: Lily Sen (’25), Caroline Chandler (’27), and Emma Kirk (’25), perform Arsenic and Old Lace.

Middle Left: Parker Zoubek (’24) works on a ceramic piece based on Good Night Moon.

Middle Right: Members of the Upper School Vocal Ensemble perform for the audience.

Bottom Left: Alina Ruffin (’25) and Mac Patton (’25) perform Arsenic and Old Lace.

Bottom Right: Lucy Harshbarger (’26) poses for Jane Linares (’27) in Photography 101.

CARRIE SIPPY, our Middle and Upper School Theatre teacher, is in her ninth year at Trinity. While

she is normally behind the scenes of Trinity’s productions, she loves the opportunity to stretch her performing muscles and has been seen locally in shows such as Julius Caesar, The Lightning Thief, Into the Woods, and The Little Mermaid. When not in rehearsals, she can be found cross-stitching, baking, competing at local trivia events, or hosting game nights.

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RICH and UNHURRIED | Trinity School

RICH and UNHURRIED | Trinity School

Nature Is Unhurried

By Nathan Clendenin

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I

t is hard to quantify exactly how much influence the late Charlotte Mason and her educational philosophy have on Trinity’s Lower School. A Welsh-born educator who lived most of her life in England, Mason was passionate about cultivating young minds and developed many principles we use at Trinity. One Charlotte Mason principle we see in practice is regular nature studies. She writes in her work Home Education, “Let them once get touch with Nature, and a habit is formed which will be a source of delight through life.”

bility to set up and clean up through the whole process.” Third grade teacher Mary Dondero adds, “You don’t always have to be doing something. You can just sit, wait, and think. And that’s a hard thing to do now in this world. That’s the beauty of the nature study; it gives a student time just to sit, think, and observe.”

What is a Nature Study?

The steps of a nature study are fairly simple. First, the class takes a walk outdoors. Students look at the natural world God provided and select an object to bring back to their class to paint.

Back at their desks they observe the object, employing a magnifying glass if needed. Next, each student begins creating and testing the colors they’ll need. This process can take a while, and though the class is encouraged to remain quietly focused, second grade teacher Melissa Hartemink notes, “Sometimes you’ll hear whisperings of ‘How did you make that great gray?’ and the reply, ‘Just add a little more white or a dab of brown.’”

Once the colors are ready, budding naturalists begin to paint the object as they see it. When they’ve finished, they might include the Latin name of the object along with their artistic signature to make their work a true piece of natural art. Each drawing goes into a book that travels with them throughout their time in the Lower School.

Reflecting on the process, Mrs. Hartemink says, “It doesn’t have to be a perfect representation of the object. That’s not what we’re going for, but it’s the experience and the process of painting what you see from nature. They also learn a lot of responsi-

"For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”

– Romans 1:20 That verse might be read with some skepticism, but it is the essence of unhurried nature studies. Can we really learn what we need to know about God from his creation? Can we truly see him in unhurried moments of observation? Perhaps this skepticism is the byproduct of a busy life. What an encouragement that our children learn this unhurried practice in their formative years at Trinity! May they inspire us to learn the patience and art of observing nature until God’s eternal power is clearly seen.

NATHAN CLENDEDIN serves in the Advancement Office as Trinity’s Assistant Director of Advancement

for Marketing and Communications. A husband, father of four children, and Trinity parent, he loves a great podcast and can be found listening while training for the annual Blue Ridge Relay.

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TRADITIONS that TIE

By Ashley Cade

Long-standing traditions established in Trinity’s Lower School connect us to our past while simultaneously giving future generations something to look forward to. Their annual rhythms unite our students through shared experiences that they will remember for years to come.

TRADITION

Pumpkin Patch (TK)

Louise Holland has taught Transitional Kindergarten for sixteen years and cherishes Trinity’s traditions. One of these beloved traditions is the Pumpkin Patch. Each year, Trinity creates a pumpkin patch atmosphere right outside the TK classroom. Students estimate the number of seeds and feel the cool pulp run through their hands.

Then they take home their pumpkin to see if it sinks or floats. These young learners make predictions about their pumpkins and discuss their findings the next day. The TK Pumpkin Patch remains a delightful way for students to experience autumn and learn the science behind floating pumpkins.

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TRADITION

spice day (grade 3)

Did you know that in medieval times pepper was used as currency to pay rent and taxes, or that spices were used as payment to cross another man’s land? Learning about the spice trade in third grade is part of a larger map-skills unit on the Age of Exploration.

Trinity’s third grade explorers use research, art, and presentation skills to learn that spices show wealth, preserve food, and cover up rotten smells. Their hard work culminates in a day of celebration fondly referred to as Spice Day, where students share foods that highlight a particular spice.

The taste and smell of Spice Day make this tradition truly memorable!

Shiloh Day is a long-held tradition in the fourth grade based on the novel Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. It is the story of an 11-yearold boy named Marty who finds a beagle that has been mistreated by its owner. In rescuing the dog, Marty discovers that life is complicated and filled with brokenness. Fourth grade teachers Ms. Moore and Ms. App navigate themes of dishonesty, responsibility, justice, and family. They lead students to recognize brokenness, the desire for healing, and God’s ability to fulfill that desire. Hands-on projects abound in this unit, as students collaborate to create a life-size comic strip highlighting the six most important scenes. They end the unit with a day of presentations depicting a scene or theme from the book. This tradition of Shiloh Day is a favorite of Trinity students.

ASHLEY CADE, who is in her third year at Trinity, works as a learning specialist supporting our

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Middle School students. She relocated to Durham, NC, in 2020 from St. Louis, MO. She has three children, two of whom are at Trinity in the third and eighth grades. She loves spending time with her family and their Labrador Retriever, Haven Grace, as well as running, hiking, reading, cooking, and traveling.

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RICH and UNHURRIED | Trinity School

Capstone to Career: Allison Dear

By Nathan Clendenin

ing art

winn award's n o s i l l

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Sample pages from Allison’s Capstone Project

T

he Senior Capstone project is an opportunity for Trinity students to showcase the interdisciplinary knowledge and skills they’ve gained throughout their educational journey at the point just before they launch off on their own. For some, their Capstone is a jumping-off point into a future career.

Allison Dear (’16) was able to combine a career interest in medicine with her love for creating art. Her project, “A Journey Through an Operation: Creating a Pre- and Post-operative Guide for Pediatric Surgery Patients at the Duke Eye Center,” involved creating a coloring

Duke as a nursing assistant (CNA). Now a student at the Duke School of Medicine, she seeks to combine her love of children and research in her future career.

In many ways, Allison’s educational arc at Trinity and beyond exhibits Trinity’s ideal: to cultivate in students a lifelong love of learning. To borrow from Trinity’s Expanded Mission Statement, “We want to challenge our students in a way that stimulates their natural curiosity, guiding their discovery toward personal, intellectual, and spiritual growth.” One of Allison’s Trinity teachers

It was a perfect opportunity to blend my love of medicine and art. booklet for children that explains the process of surgery from preparation to post-operation. Her father, Guy Dear, MB, ChB, who is an anesthesiologist at Duke, noticed that in the Eye Center there was a need for information for children having eye surgery. “It was a perfect opportunity to blend my love of medicine and art,” says Allison. Her booklet helps children feel calmer, knowing what to expect during the process of eye surgery, and it is still in use today.

After her time at Trinity, Allison went on to double major at Duke University in cellular biology and visual arts. While there she painted a mural in the hospital near where patients wait before surgery. The mural invites children to find the special characters hidden in the painting, which is a welcome distraction from their nervousness before going into surgery. After her time at Duke, she worked at Stanford University in a dermatology lab researching stem cells before returning to work at

remarked, “In War Lit we read a four-page excerpt from a book in class. That night she read the entire rest of the 400-page book. She went on to read every single other book I mentioned in the class, asking for further recommendations.”

Allison’s pursuit of art stemmed primarily as a stress release from the intensity of her STEM-related classes.

But driven by her desire to go beyond the superficial, she took every art class that Trinity offered. Her work was recognized by the National Scholastic Art and Writing Society with a Gold Key award. Previous winners include names you may have heard of, like Stephen King, Amanda Gorman, and Andy Warhol, to name a few. Janet Ray, Trinity’s Director of Arts, says, “Allison is prepared to offer healing, peace, and beauty to those around her.

We are thankful that Trinity could play a role in her passion for art.”

Allison's mural in Duke Hospital

NATHAN CLENDEDIN serves in the Advancement Office as Trinity’s Assistant Director of Advancement

for Marketing and Communications. A husband, father of four children, and Trinity parent, he loves a great podcast and can be found listening while training for the annual Blue Ridge Relay.

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KNOWN and LOVED | Trinity School

TEACHER’S PET

By Dana Crain

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KNOWN and LOVED | Trinity School

After a long day at work, our pets eagerly greet us with licks, nibbles, purrs, and dances. We also enjoy the sounds of feathered friends in our backyard and the calmness of our reptile and aquatic friends. We want to share some special stories about our Lower School faculty and staff’s beloved pets.

THE TRAVELING GECKO

Zeus the leopard gecko joined Mrs. Johnston in 2013 and made his classroom debut in 2019, wowing students with his unique features.

His diet includes shed skin. In 2021, Mrs. Johnston sought more family visits post-pandemic, and Zeus didn’t like being alone. He found a new home with Librarian Julie Burson, where he enjoyed books and crickets. In fall 2022, he became a model in Lower School Art, and art teacher Ashley Weinard and her son Owen welcomed Zeus into their family, along with a bunny named Coconut and cats Tilly and Foxy. Zeus went on vacations with the Mhoon and Clendenin families. They loved him so much that now he lives with the Clendenins. He shares his home with an aquatic frog named Gilly and two cats named Niko and June.

MRS. LIPFORD’S BUSTER AND DOT

During the pandemic, the Lipford family adopted a puppy named Buster. They named him after Mr. Andy Lipford’s grandfather to convince Andy that adding a puppy to the family was a great idea. A year or two later, they welcomed a mini-Aussie named Dot, described by Mrs. Kelly Lipford as a beloved hot mess!

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KNOWN and LOVED | Trinity School

MRS. WEINARD’S AXOLOTL

The newest member of Mrs. Ashley Weinard’s family is Finn, a leucistic axolotl, known for its perpetual smile. These aquatic salamanders, native to Mexico City, are renowned for their regenerative abilities and resistance to cancer, making them invaluable for scientific research. Finn enjoys biting fingers, eating salmon pellets, and doing backflips in his tank.

MRS. DONDERO’S LOUIE AND BOBO

Meet Louie and Bobo, the Dondero family’s playful troublemakers.

Known throughout her classes for their escapades, they’re professional eaters and sleepers.

Guests quickly learn to guard their food! These delightful doggies love digging to the earth’s center in search of moles until they get distracted by a passing rabbit.

(One time, they left a rabbit’s intestines in the front hall.)

Louie has eaten earrings, razor blades, and more, yet has remained unscathed.

MRS. GROFF’S SAINT NICK

The Groffs’ Christmas Eve–born dog, Saint Nick, is a Cavapoo (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Poodle mix). He celebrates his birthday on Christmas with a toy-filled stocking, though the words on it “I’ve been good!” are not 100% accurate. He loves belly rubs and playing fetch.

MRS. JOHNSTON’S AVA AND MYRA

In 2013, Mrs. Naomi Johnston and her family moved to Durham, NC, and adopted Ava, an Australian Shepherd, who became their constant companion on trips to New York, enjoying car rides and lots of snuggling. Freshly baked treats are her favorite. At 12, Ava continues to live a pampered life.

In February 2016, Myra, another Australian Shepherd, joined the family as a gift to Mrs. Johnston. Myra loves her family but struggles with social anxiety, making travel difficult. She adores her gray stuffed elephant and new toys, always expressing her thoughts. Myra’s best friend Dot, the Lipfords’ newest doggie addition, lives right next door, and any chance Myra gets, she runs and plays with her. Myra’s favorite snacks include bananas and popcorn.

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KNOWN and LOVED | Trinity School

MRS. BURSON’S POPPY

Mrs. Julie Burson’s beloved Poppy is turning four this month.

She adopted Poppy from the Orange County Animal Shelter, where she volunteers. Poppy’s favorite treat is whipped cream from a can, and she eagerly rushes over when she hears it. Once, Mrs. Burson tried to get Poppy to catch the whipped cream in the air, and it plopped on her face hilariously, leaving her very sticky and thrilled.

Their daily walks are a highlight, with Poppy enthusiastically checking in as the hour nears. When Mrs. Burson gives the signal, Poppy jumps up, ready to go.

MRS. WAKEFIELD’S ARAGORN, EOWYN, AND WINCHESTER In Mrs. Emily Wakefield’s household there are two felines, Aragorn (a black/white tuxedo cat) and four-year-old Eowyn (tan/gray), who are the best of friends. They love to play with each other, hunt for treats, and snuggle, and they have slowly been learning to tolerate their new dog sister, Winchester.

Winchester is 18 months old and loves hiking, car rides, and seeing her dog friends at daycare. Mrs. Wakefield’s husband didn’t want another Lord of the Rings first name, so she was given the middle name of Rohan!

MRS. CRAIN’S SPIKE, NUGGET VAN PIZZA, AND OTHER FEATHERED FRIENDS At the Crain Backyard Farm, last year’s second-grade Easter-hatched chicks are all grown up and just beginning to lay eggs. Their first eggs appeared around the time of Mrs. Crain’s September birthday. Her dog, Spike, is said to be the best chicken security dog ever! The light-yellow-colored chicken without feathers on her neck was christened Nugget Van Pizza by the second grade class. Her breed is a Turken, or “naked neck,” which is not to be confused with a crossbreed of a turkey. Turkenbreed chickens come from Transylvania and always lay brown eggs. They can tolerate hot weather and are big in size—and personality! Mrs. Crain thanks the second grade for assisting her chicken-tending hobby each year.

MRS. SCHAAD’S LUNA AND REMY Mrs. Schaad has two Goldendoodles, Luna and Remy, who are spending the fall semester with her and her family in Venice, Italy. Getting Luna and Remy over there with them was a feat (just ask Kelli’s husband), but she assures us it’s been worth it.

They love long walks along the lagoon, taking water taxis, and especially munching on the gelato!

MRS. STEISS’S BOUGIE Meet Mrs. Johanna Steiss’s turtle, Bougie. He is one year old and loves live minnows and pellet treats of dried river shrimp. He got his name from a diet for turtles that suggested serving them eggwhite omelets. He loves to bask on his platform during the day and sleep under it at night. Bougie also enjoys being bopped on the nose by Ruby, Mrs. Steiss’s daughter. He is single and ready to mingle down by the neighborhood pond.

There’s more!

Want to see more beloved Trinity teacher pets?

Find the post on Facebook or Instagram @TrinityDCH.

DANA CRAIN works in the IT department at Trinity, specializing in solving tricky tech issues for

teammates and students alike. Outside of school, she’s a knitting aficionado and avid camper who cherishes family time outdoors. Dana is also a poultry enthusiast, spending quality time in her backyard coop with her dogs, Spike and Matthew. Her latest read is Gods, Wasps, and Stranglers, which delves into the enthralling narrative of fig trees, intertwining their ecological, historical, and mythological significance.

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Embracing “I Am Third”

By Claire Schutte (’25)

“I Am Third” is a motto promoted by Trinity and one that student-athletes take to heart. More specifically, it’s a motto that the role of a Trinity sports team manager embodies. “I Am Third” means “First God, then others, then yourself.” Athletic Director Sophie Smith reflects on our school's ethos, stating, “Our motto represents an aspiration and a balancing act intrinsic to our identity. We navigate the delicate interplay between pursuing competitive excellence and fostering a spirit of service and humility.

This tension is vital.”

If you have seen students at the score table working the clock, in the stands jotting down stats, or helping the athletic trainer, then you have seen a team manager model the “I Am Third” motto. This year, the manager of the Varsity Volleyball team was a tenth grade student, Anna Fitzgerald. Anna had an important job to do. She attended every practice, encouraged the team, and helped everyone 38

grow. She was always in a good mood, even if the practice was at 6:30 in the morning.

During games, Anna was there to help with anything the coaches or players needed. She says, “I felt like a part of the staff.” Her favorite moment of the season was the team’s win during round one of States. She shared that the environment during that game was especially fun because she could see the team’s growth, something she’d had a huge part in. The service-based position of team manager is a great example of “I Am Third.” Anna realized the impact of serving, developed new friendships, and learned new skills—all because she was a team manager.

Intern for the Athletics Department is a new student position that opened at Trinity this fall. It is another place where students can practice the “I Am Third” motto. The intern helps Ms. Smith and the other athletics staff with

anything they need. Whether running the clock, line judging for volleyball games, or bringing water to the soccer field, the intern is there to help. Freshman Thomas McMurray and senior Ashlyn Lange have been the first to serve in this new position. Thomas volunteered to help Ms. Smith so he could see friends and meet others in Trinity athletics. Ashlyn says that she always seemed to be in the gym helping coaches, so the position of intern made her work official. She wrote, “I’ve always loved being helpful and truly think I’m meant to help people. Being an intern combines helping people and sports, two of my favorite things.”

Ashlyn explains that as an intern she must take care of others. But, while interns serve others, they also serve God. In short, they put “I Am Third” into practice. Thomas observes that being an intern “helps students learn in different ways outside of the classroom. It also helps to show other schools that Trinity is connected between its students and its faculty and staff.” This shows Trinity’s “I Am Third” motto to everyone!

“I Am Third” is more than a motto: it is the heart of our mission that we strive to embody.

There’s a piece of paper with hundreds of Trinity student-athlete signatures hanging outside of Ms. Smith’s office. It features the Trinity Lions Sportsmanship Code, which athletes must sign before each season. This code helps everyone understand what it means to be a Trinity athlete. The last three points of the code emphasize the importance of commitment, encouragement, and service– all part of the “I Am Third” motto. To truly be committed, encouraging, and live a life of service, students must put others first. Trinity’s team managers and interns do this every day and represent the “I Am Third” motto well.

Trinity Lions Sportsmanship Code I will do my best: To show reverence for God and govern my actions and words accordingly.

To treat others with respect and kindness, including teammates, coaches, officials, opponents, and spectators.

To build others up and promote the good of the school community.

To honor my own body and those of others by making healthy choices on and off the field, court, pool, greens, and track.

To pursue excellence in all I do.

To demonstrate good sportsmanship, integrity, and fair play at each and every practice and competition.

To be committed to every practice and competition, whatever my role on the team, with no unexcused absences.

To encourage and assist my teammates to become better athletes.

To go the extra mile in helping to set up and clean up, leading by example and service.

CLAIRE SCHUTTE is a junior in her sixth year at Trinity. She has two siblings, one a senior at Trinity,

who she loves to be with. When not playing volleyball, basketball, and soccer, or acting in plays at Trinity, Claire can be found baking, hanging out with friends, or listening to all sorts of music. Claire has loved reading and writing from a young age, which is why Humanities is one of her favorite subjects in school.

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KNOWN and LOVED | Trinity School

alumni News & Notes

Class of 2021

Class of 2022 Charlie Mario, a sophomore at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, FL, received his private pilot’s license in August, putting him another step toward his goal of being a commercial pilot.

Class of 2021 Abigail Hartemink spent the summer interning at Duke University’s Nasher Museum, with a focus on Ancient Peruvian textiles and art. She is currently spending the semester in Rome studying at the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies. She looks forward to returning to Durham in January to continue her junior year at Duke, where she is double majoring in classical studies and art history, with a concentration in museum theory and practice.

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KNOWN and LOVED | Trinity School

Briana Ballentine was named a 2023–2024 Aggie Success Leader for New Student Programs at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T). She’s excited to be leading and mentoring new students as they join the Aggie family. She also recently finished designing and art directing for a mural located outside a childcare center in Greensboro, NC.

Class of 2020 Kyle Nichols is a senior in college at the University of Maine at Presque Isle. He is still playing baseball for the university and has decided to take his fifth year of baseball eligibility. He changed his major to professional communications and journalism in hopes of becoming a sports journalist or sports commentator in the future. Go Lions and Go Owls!

Class of 2020 Gentry Wood is a senior at UNC– Chapel Hill majoring in sports administration. Last summer, he worked at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, and he is currently working for the NC Football Club and the NC Courage as a head brand ambassador.

Gentry has thoroughly enjoyed his time at UNC–CH, and this semester he was initiated into the Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society. He is back on Trinity’s campus this winter, helping coach the JV Boys Basketball team.

Class of 2018 Siobhan Powers started a new position as an IEP Pathways intern at the US Department of State. She is also a masters candidate at the American University School of International Service, where she is obtaining a degree in international relations with a concentration on US foreign policy and national security. Siobhan is interested in the international relations field, with a special interest in climate security.

Class of 2016

Class of 2019 This past spring, Annabel Smith graduated from Gordon College with a degree in art design and minors in psychology and communications arts. In August, she began the Master of Art Therapy and Creative Development program at the Pratt Institute in the heart of Brooklyn. While in New York City, Annabel will study what it means to be a multicultural art therapist, while integrating theory with practical clinical supervision and fieldwork.

This fall, Natalie Epps started a new position as a sports nutrition assistant for basketball and Olympic sports at Duke Athletics.

Ariana Motamedi began dental school this fall at the Adams School of Dentistry at UNC– Chapel Hill.

Riley Patterson, a UNC School of the Arts film graduate, spearheaded the movie She Follows Close Behind, which reached the semifinalist round of the Student Academy Awards. Riley, freelancing in Brooklyn since 2020, has contributed to notable projects like NBC Entertainment and New York Fashion Week. Certified in scuba diving and a skilled camera operator, she has worked on projects with Ed Sheeran, Lizzo, Seth Meyers, and the Apple TV show Severance. Her documentary premieres at DOC NYC, while The Fish Doctor premieres at the Austin Film Festival. Riley’s Trinity documentary on North Carolina philanthropy laid the foundation for her current work.

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Class of 2015

Jeanie Stouffer has moved to Oregon to pursue a doctoral degree in human development and family studies at Oregon State University.

She aspires to be a professor who conducts research in early childhood development, and her studies will take her a step closer to achieving that goal. Jeanie is always thankful for the support and encouragement Trinity provided during her time there.

Anna (Dengler) Schaad has started a new position as an associate in research at Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering. In this position, she works alongside globally minded individuals aiming to launch a Center for Sustainability and the Global Community at Duke. The vision of the Center imagines a future that is more equitable, just, resilient, and sustainable.

Class of 2012 Abby (Turner) Cox and her husband, Hunter, welcomed their first child, Eli, in April of this year.

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Tyler Eckstein was a part of the Men’s Basketball coaching staff at Furman University that went to March Madness last season for the first time since 1980. During the 2023 NCAA Tournament, Furman national news for its last-second thriller, KNOWN and LOVED | Trinity School

as the 13 seed Paladins upset 4 seed Virginia in the first round for Furman’s first win in the tournament since 1974. Tyler since has earned a promotion at Furman and now works in their athletic department as the coordinator of development operations.

Class of 2005 (8th Grade) MaryMac (Thielman) Hoehn and her husband, Matt, welcomed their second baby, Shepherd Maclyn Edward Hoehn (“Shep”), on October 13, 2023, at Duke Hospital.

The name holds biblical significance, echoing the Good Shepherd’s care. Their firstborn, Kit, is a proud big sister!

Class of 2004 (8th Grade) Living in Winston-Salem, Greyson (Ray) Bockman is an occupational therapist. Her husband, Alex, is a civil engineer. On May 22, 2023, they welcomed the arrival of their first baby, Wesley James Bockman.

Trinity friends for life, these Trinity graduates met up to show off some new additions. Pictured: Greyson (Ray) Bockman (MS’04) with baby Wesley; Ashley (Thompson) Albertson (MS’08); and Cookie (Arky) Sledge (’11) with Rosie.

Jenny (Denton) Bodnar lives in Durham with her husband, Nick, and their four children: Stone (8), Ford (6), Elle (4), and Bear (2).

Stone and Ford are at Trinity in the second and first grades, respectively, and spend time in class with the kids of a couple of other Trinity alums. It’s fun to watch things come full circle at Trinity.

alumni News & Notes

Class of 2003 (8th Grade) Christopher Ray and his wife Kaley live in Holly Springs with Liam (first grade), Lottie (almost 5), and Peyton (almost 3). Christopher is a senior finance manager at Infobox.

Kaley is a home manager, taxi driver, nurse, cleaning crew, cook, and whatever else it takes to keep the cart moving forward at the Ray house.

we want to hear from you!

Share your life updates with us at

trinitydch.org/alumniupdate Class of 2001 (8th Grade) Rob Fisher recently started Fisher Talent Group, a football (soccer) scouting nonprofit in Africa. He operates in the Kingdom of Eswatini (where he served in the US Peace Corps 2010–2013) and aims to launch in every African country. Fisher Talent Group discovers marginalized youth players (ages 10–18) in rural communities and builds player profiles around them through video and written reports. Then they promote their talent globally, utilizing an online database. To learn more about Rob’s nonprofit, please visit www.fishertalent.com.

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Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill

4011 Pickett Road Durham, NC 27705 trinityschoolnc.org

The

Turkey Bowl

Tradition The Turkey Bowl is an annual Trinity Middle School tradition that takes place during the week of Thanksgiving. This unforgettable kickball round-robin tournament is filled with fun and lots of competition! From when it first started in 2001 to now, it will forever be a memorable experience for our Middle School students and teachers.

Photos by Katie Crews and Roman Underwood (‘26)