"Trojan Voice" Magazine, Spring 2024

FACULTY FOCUSED

Our esteemed educators are partners in the journey of nurturing young minds at TVS! p4

THE TVS MISSION

Trinity Valley School has four main objectives for its students: fine scholarship with its fulfillment at college; the development of wide constructive interests; intelligent citizenship; and spiritual and moral development which promotes lasting values.

MANAGING EDITOR & CREATIVE DIRECTOR

ASHLEY ROBINSON

COPY EDITOR

KATHRYN DAVIS ’89

DESIGN

SARAH RADICELLO | RADICELLO CREATIVE

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

MICHAEL BRANSCOM PHOTOGRAPHY

DAN BRYANT PHOTOGRAPHS

MICHAEL CARLSON ‘03

SZALAN ELLIS

JAKE FELTS

KIRSTEN GALLON PHOTOGRAPHY

ELLEN JACOBS ‘14

ASHLEY ROBINSON

DR. MICHAEL ROEMER

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

NNENNA ANYADIEGWU ‘24

TARA BIBB

ROBIN BURROUGHS

DR. DONALD CARLSON

MICHAEL CARLSON ‘03

JOHN MARK CONNALLY ‘24

ASHLEY CYNKIN

KATHRYN DAVIS ‘89

SZALAN ELLIS

LISA GRIDER

SOFIA KLEIN ‘24

BLAIR LOWRY

EMILY MANDEL ‘24

DEREK REINHOLD

ASHLEY RIEMITIS ‘16

ASHLEY ROBINSON

DR. MICHAEL ROEMER

MARCY ROTEN

JEFF SNYDER

Spring 2024 Volume XXXII Number 2

Trinity Valley School | 7500 Dutch Branch Road Fort Worth, TX 76132 | 817.321.0100 | tvs.org

Trinity Valley School’s Trojan Voice is published twice a year. Please contact Ashley Robinson, Director of Strategic Marketing & Communications, with any questions, comments, or suggestions regarding this publication at robinsona@tvs.org.

Trinity Valley School is an independent, co-ed, college-preparatory, day school for students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12. The school admits students of any race, color, national or 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 disability, race, color, national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. © Copyright 2024 by Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth, TX 76132-4110

ACADEMICS

HEAD'S LETTER | PAGE4

ACADEMIC SUPPORT TEAM | PAGE6

CUM LAUDE SOCIETY | PAGE8

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY | PAGE9

FOCUS ON FACULTY | PAGE18

ALUMNI

TVS FOR LIFE | PAGE56

INSPIRING THE FUTURE | PAGE62

CLASS NOTES | PAGE70

THE ARTS

YEARBOOK | PAGE32

ATHLETICS

STRENGTH & CONDITIONING | PAGE26

BOYS’ GOLF | PAGE28

GIRLS’ SOCCER | PAGE29

EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION

EXPLORING NATURE’S CLASSROOM | PAGE36

GLOBAL EDUCATION

WHAT’S SPECIAL? | PAGE39

INSIDE THE ARCHES

XPLORE: SUMMER AT TVS | PAGES5,25,35,48

CLASS OF 2024 | PAGE14

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY | PAGE30

LUNAR NEW YEAR | PAGE31

RETIRING FACULTY & STAFF | PAGE42

HIGHLIGHTING OUR COMMUNITY | PAGE46

ANNUAL FUND | PAGE49

BACK TO HIGH SCHOOL AUCTION | PAGE52 ON THE COVER: Our esteemed educators are partners in the journey of nurturing young minds at TVS! P4

BLAIR R. LOWRY Head of School

FOCUS ON FACULTY

Welcome to the latest edition of the Trojan Voice, where we focus on the enduring impact of our faculty members which resonates across generations of families, alumni, and cherished grandparents alike. In this issue we are excited to share the essence of our school community - the unwavering dedication and transformative influence of our beloved faculty.

For current families, our faculty members are educators and trusted partners in the journey of nurturing young minds. From the first day of Pre-K to the final steps across the graduation stage, our teachers, coaches, and mentors guide, inspire, and empower each student to reach his or her fullest potential. Their tireless efforts in the classroom, on the field, and in every corner of our campus create an environment where curiosity thrives, passions are ignited, and lifelong friendships are forged.

To our esteemed alumni, the memories of their time at Trinity Valley School are intertwined with the indelible mark left by our dedicated faculty. Whether reminiscing about a favorite teacher who sparked a love for literature, a coach who instilled the values of teamwork and perseverance, or an art instructor who encouraged creative expression, the influence of our faculty members continues to shape their lives long after graduation. Their mentorship transcends time, leaving an enduring legacy of excellence and compassion that alumni carry with them wherever they go.

And to our beloved grandparents and extended TVS family, whose unwavering support and love form the bedrock of our School community, our faculty members represent the embodiment of cherished values and traditions passed down through generations. As they witness the profound impact of our teachers on the lives of their grandchildren, they are reminded of the timeless importance of education, mentorship, and the bonds that unite us as a School family.

As we look to the future, we are filled with optimism and excitement for what lies ahead. The dedication and passion of our faculty members, combined with the resilience and enthusiasm of our students, ensure that the future is indeed bright. Together, we stand stronger than ever, united in our commitment to academic excellence, personal growth, and creating a positive impact in our community and beyond.

In the following pages, we invite you to join us in celebrating the remarkable stories of our faculty members—the dedicated educators, coaches, and mentors who have touched countless lives and continue to inspire generations of students to dream, achieve, and make a difference in the world.

Per Aspera ad Astra,

XPLORE XCLUSIVES FOR TVS STUDENTS DEREKREINHOLD,DIRECTO R OF AUXILIARYPROGRAMS

TVS Auxiliary Programs is looking forward to the best season yet of XPLORE: Summer at TVS!

In addition to the 150+ camps and programs open to the entire community, Trinity Valley School families have exclusive access to an amazing suite of TVS-only options this summer. These programs are all deeply rooted in the School’s mission statement: “fine scholarship with its fulfillment at college.”

We hope that your student benefits tremendously from one or more of the following programs:

Waves of Fun (Pre-Kindergarten)

taught by: Dana Child, Shannon Collins, Diane Kee

Pocketful of Miracles (Kindergarten)

taught by: Kate Monroe

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (Kindergarten)

taught by: Kim Pierce, Hallie Pritchett

Jump Start First Grade

taught by: Grace Crumley, Alban Sanders

Jump Start Second Grade

taught by: Alex Perryman, Alyson Zabriskie

Jump Start Third Grade

taught by: Laura Everett, Kearstin Thomas

Jump Start Fourth Grade taught by: Larissa Sosa

Jump Start Upper School (9th grade) taught by: Monica Gonzalez

Jump Start Geometry (9th-10th grade) taught by: Robin Burroughs

Jump Start Algebra II (9th-11th grade) taught by: Robin Burroughs

Jump Start Advanced Placement Calculus AB (10th-12th grade) taught by: Roy Gover

Online Spanish IV (for credit) (11th-12th grade) taught by: Steven Landkamer

TVS ACADEMIC SUPPORT TEAM

JEFF SNYDER, ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL

As a school that spans Pre-K through 12th grade, we have the privilege of fostering learning across many changes and understandings in our students' academic and personal development. As each class’s educational journey progresses, our teachers gain insight into each student’s strengths and challenges, and we sometimes learn of a range of neurodivergent needs through professional diagnosis. These diagnoses, in turn, allow us to better serve our students' educational experience while also helping parents determine what additional resources might be needed. Trinity Valley School is committed to providing a multifaceted, authentically challenging educational experience prioritizing safety and belonging, academic

Trinity Valley School’s philosophy is that teachers are the first and best resource for students in need of learning support.

aspiration, and life-long personal development, and this commitment, in combination with improved science and understanding around neurodivergence, has guided the development of our TVS Academic Support Team.

From its inception, the TVS community has embraced the uniqueness of each student and relished the important role that teachers play in inspiring and educating students wherever they are in their educational journey. As a natural extension of this ethos, the Academic Support program at TVS exists to champion the strengths of neurodivergent students and to support their unique needs through a teambased approach involving students, their families, faculty, staff, and other experts. Trinity Valley School’s philosophy is that teachers are the first and best resource for students in need of learning support. With some exceptions, learning support primarily takes place in classrooms. Academic Support personnel supplement the role of classroom teachers by facilitating individual interventions for students, collaborating with faculty and staff, partnering with families as needed to monitor student progress, and acting as liaisons among members of a student’s “team.” At TVS, we now have three dedicated faculty members who are committed to facilitating the greatest potential growth for our mission-aligned, neurodivergent students. These three faculty members, all former classroom teachers, possess a range of credentials and experiences, and at the heart of their commitment to our students is an empathy and expertise that allows them to take great care in helping students and families navigate the challenges

Karen Knight, Anna Ross, and Shelbea Malik

that come with a neurodivergent diagnosis. Additionally, their dedication to continuous professional growth and learning, along with their genuine enthusiasm for working with students and faculty, is both contagious and inspiring. TVS is fortunate to have Anna Ross, Karen Knight, and Shelbea Malik supporting our students and faculty each and every day.

ANNA ROSS leads our TVS learning support efforts as Academic Support Coordinator. Anna’s experience spans years of teaching upper-school English and directing the academic support program at a previous school. She is completing her fifth year at TVS, and until this year, she facilitated all academic support for students in grades 5-12. Anna holds a B.A. in English education with reading and Spanish as supporting fields and a M.Ed. with Master Reading Teacher & ESL certifications. She now leads our Academic Support team development and policy implementation, facilitates academic support

In academic support, encouragement is especially vital, and our team is committed to fostering our students’ confidence in their native ability to learn: to absorb and apply information, to adopt effective paradigms and transferable skills.

for students in grades 5, 6, 11, and 12, and coordinates all standardized testing accommodation requests. Anna shares that she is inspired by the care and competency of our TVS teachers, and she is deeply gratified by the opportunity to be a resource for students, families, and colleagues. Of the work in which she engages each day at TVS, Anna states, “One of the most important aspects of our work—teachers’, coaches’, administrators’ work— is encouragement: to help students see their intelligence, their gifts, their ultimate value. In academic support, encouragement is especially vital, and our team is committed to fostering our students’ confidence in their native ability to learn: to absorb and apply information, to adopt effective paradigms and transferable skills. We do this by bringing their attention to what they do well

already, and working to increase their capacity by setting thoughtful goals and identifying strategies to meet them.”

KAREN KNIGHT joined our Academic Support team as MS/US Academic Support Specialist at the start of this school year. Her previous experience spans nearly two decades of teaching lower-, middle-, and upperschool students as well as working as a school counselor. As a result, Karen brings a unique perspective to the progression of executive functioning skills across all grade levels, along with a deep understanding of the overlap between neurodivergence and other social-emotional needs. Karen holds three degrees from TCU, including a B.A. in Spanish, B.B.A. in marketing, and a M.Ed. in elementary education. Additionally, she has a M.S. in counseling psychology from Tarleton State University. Moreover, she is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a National Certified Counselor (NCC). Karen enjoys “working with students to identify their strengths and what IS working to leverage those strengths to rise up to challenges they face.” Her consistent mantra is, “Let’s figure it out together!”

Before coming to TVS, SHELBEA MALIK began her career as a first- and second-grade teacher, a path which inspired her later love of reading instruction and intervention. In the TVS Lower School, Shelbea has both taught and provided learning intervention and enrichment for first grade, developing a reading assessment to monitor student growth throughout the year. In a new role this year as LS Academic Support Specialist, she oversees Lower School student learning plans and continues to provide direct intervention and enrichment for our firstgrade students. Shelbea holds a B.S. in interdisciplinary studies with EC-6 and ESL certifications and an M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in reading. She is also trained in the Orton-Gillingham methodology, a multisensory structured literacy approach to reading. In reflecting on her work with TVS Lower School students, Shelbea says, “As an Academic Support Specialist, I am extremely passionate about working with all students, in particular neurodivergent students. It is an honor to watch my students grow academically and see their selfconfidence soar. Reading is the foundation of all subjects, and I love watching students’ faces light up when they realize they just read and understood it!”

2024 INDUCTEES CUM LAUDE SOCIETY

The Cum Laude Society was founded in 1906 to honor superior academic achievement in secondary school. As stellar academic students, inductees must exhibit the characteristics of (from the Greek) Areté (Excellence), Diké (Justice) and Timé (Honor). The president of the TVS Chapter is Dr. Don Carlson.

SENIORS

David Bormann

Tiernan Dunne

Maura Kahuda

Sofia Klein

Nicole Krylov

Xin Li

Alan Lin

Ella Sinnott

Samantha Unell

Travis Zavaleta

JUNIORS

Sameer Bhatti

Caden George

Maria Isabella Lee

Courtney McCracken

James Rosell

Neal Shrestha

Alexander Siede

Tejas Sukesh

TVS WELCOMES ONE SENIOR & 47 JUNIORS TO THE ALBERT M. GOGGANS CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY

MARCH 4, 2024

Margaret Aldrich

Olive Andrews

Preston Barretto

Sameer Bhatti

Sami Bismar

Mae Blouin

Preston Brown

Laura Callen

Claire Cammack

Benton Cantey

Ava Casto

Aubrey Chiarelli

Zoe Davis

AJ Deem

Beckett Drennan

Finn Drennan

Mary Fahy

Caden George

Grace Gibson

Will Hegi

Wyatt Horton

Evan Hurtado

Johanna Ivy

Reese Kennedy

Stella Klein

Bea Lee

Hudson Lewis

Jessica Lucas

Robert Masterson

Mary Blair

Mayfield

Ruthie Mayfield

Courtney McCracken

Hailey Murrin

Carson Ng

Ben Ngishu

Olivia Parks

Maddi Reaves

Rowan Regan

Lexie Roberts

Jimmy Rosell

Sophie Sable

Kaylee Shaw

Maddie Spence

Riley Stayton

Reed Strickland

Ethan Ta

Hannah Timson

Collier Ursprung

SCHOLARSHIP

SOFIA KLEIN

I was asked to speak today about one of the four pillars of the National Honor Society: scholarship. At first, I didn’t even know how to approach this speech as I kept asking myself, what does this value even mean? The words “scholarship” and “scholar” get thrown around a lot. In school, we hear about great scholars who won Nobel prizes and shaped different fields. Or we think about a knowledgeable teacher who we might consider a scholar in their area of study. But what does it actually mean to be a scholar? What do you have to do or accomplish to reach this level of achievement and recognition?

After some consideration, a scholar to me is someone who shows determination and a constant commitment to learning. It’s as simple as that. It’s someone who shows passion in their areas of study and excitement when experimenting, understanding, and asking questions. It is not simply someone who achieves academic success. Scholars have a drive in them to excel in their studies and learn and grow from the challenges

Scholars have a drive in them to excel in their studies and learn and grow from the challenges and setbacks they will face. Although sometimes difficult and stressful, the enjoyment they gain from learning fuels their desire to understand more. This, therefore, creates a system and habit of continual growth that’s inspiring because the world around them becomes an excess of opportunities.

and setbacks they will face. Although sometimes difficult and stressful, the enjoyment they gain from learning fuels their desire to understand more. This, therefore, creates a system and habit of continual growth that’s inspiring because the world around them becomes an excess of opportunities. The best scholars do not have a goal of simply making good grades, but rather a goal of gaining knowledge, improving their skills, and building a brighter future for themselves. By doing this, the desired grades will naturally follow as a result.

All of us here today are undoubtedly scholars. I want to congratulate all of you for making it to this point and reinforce that every one of you has a bright future ahead of you because of the value of scholarship you share. This society is not just a title, but a testament to your individual dedication and potential. With that being said, welcome to the National Honor Society, where your pursuit of scholarship is not only acknowledged but greatly appreciated. I hope your academic journey will continue to unfold by asking a surplus of questions and continuing to find joy as you gain more valuable knowledge throughout your lifetime.

SERVICE

EMILY MANDEL

On this momentous occasion, we are not just here to celebrate academic excellence; we are recognizing a commitment to something that goes beyond individual achievement, a dedication to serving others that embodies the very essence of belonging to a community. Today, we have the distinct privilege of inducting a select group of students into the National Honor Society, individuals who exemplify the ideals of scholarship, character, leadership, and, perhaps most significantly, service.

Service lies at the heart of the National Honor Society's mission, reminding us that true greatness cannot be achieved merely by what we do for ourselves, but by how we use our talents and abilities to benefit those around us. It is a reflection of our collective responsibility to make a positive impact on the world, and through the work each of you has done, you have begun to demonstrate your commitment to service.

Whether it's volunteering at local shelters, working in the food bank, or writing letters for veterans, you

have shown a willingness to go above and beyond, to commit your time and effort selflessly, and to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

Service is not just about the hours we log or the projects we undertake; it is about the values we embody and the impact we have on those around us.

You have each spent many hours dedicated to helping others and doing so with the full schedule of a high school student is no small task. I applaud the work you have done this far and encourage you to continue to do so.

Through college and your career, you will develop and enhance unique skills that are fundamental to who you are. Take the time out of your busy life to use them for the good of others. Allowing service to become a fundamental part of your identity will provide you with a sense of purpose that cannot be obtained elsewhere.

The students we honor today have not only dedicated their time and energy to serving others, but they have also inspired and empowered those around them to do the same. They have led by example through LLS teams or taken charge of donation drives. Simply by showing up, they have demonstrated the power of service in creating positive change in our communities and beyond. Share your love for service and your impact on the world will soon follow.

Through college and your career, you will develop and enhance unique skills that are fundamental to who you are. Take the time out of your busy life to use them for the good of others.

To the inductees, I offer my heartfelt congratulations on this well-deserved honor. May you continue to serve with passion, integrity, and humility, and may your actions inspire others to join you in the important pursuit of making the world a better place.

LEADERSHIP

NNENNA ANYADIEGWU

When I think of a leader I think of a person who encompasses characteristics that have the power to change the world. Kindness - a quality that allows you to connect with people. Determination - a trait that keeps you going even when times are tough. But most importantly I value curiosity in a leader - an intentional desire to learn more about the current state of the world and its holding. A leader can assign, a leader can defy, but most importantly a leader must always ask "Why?"

Why must children study in separate schools just because of their skin color? Why do women not have the right to vote? Famous leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Susan B. Anthony questioned the current state of the world and were not complacent with what they lived in. Most importantly to enact change, they listened to the needs of others and their concerns, a key part of leadership.

Many see leaders as all-knowing or the most powerful, but leaders gain their place by listening and questioning their followers. After all, leaders stand to serve their followers. A leader is a listener and sees value in other opinions. As you look around at your classmates, many of you are leaders of clubs, sports teams, theater productions, and service groups in our community. Bringing a group of individuals together to make a team,

...a leader is an action taker, one who does not sit around and wait for things to fizzle out. Change only ensues if an action takes place. It can be hard to stand up against wrongdoing, or even gather a group of peers to challenge a standing claim, but nothing will get done if no one acts.

it is your responsibility to listen to their needs, concerns, and suggestions. You have your strengths and those around you have theirs. Why not combine them to become an even greater group, an even greater team, or an even greater production? Including multiple perspectives on an issue that needs to be resolved will ultimately help you fulfill your question “Why?”

Finally, a leader is an action taker, one who does not sit around and wait for things to fizzle out. Change only ensues if an action takes place. It can be hard to stand up against wrongdoing, or even gather a group of peers to challenge a standing claim, but nothing will get done if no one acts.

I challenge you all in your Upper School careers and beyond to become leaders. Simply ask, listen, and do. Do not be complacent with the current state of a situation if you see wrong. Listen to those you lead to grow your mindset and find solutions. And finally, do. Do what is not only right for yourself, but also for others.

CHARACTER

JOHN MARK CONNALLY

It is with great pleasure and pride that I stand before you today to speak about one of the most essential qualities a person can possess: character.

As we gather here to celebrate the induction of these remarkable individuals into the National Honor Society, we not only recognize their academic achievements but also their unwavering commitment to upholding the principles of character that define this distinct community.

Character is often described as the moral and ethical fiber that guides our actions, shapes our decisions, and defines our interactions with others. It is the foundation upon which integrity, honesty, and compassion are built. It is the compass that guides us through the complexities of life, ensuring that we stay true to our values and principles, even in the face of adversity.

As an example of someone who upholds character, I would like to honor Trinity Valley’s own James Scott. Throughout his career at TVS, he has managed to foster the young minds of those he

teaches, inspiring a longing to learn. Similarly, he maintains a patient and thoughtful demeanor that ensures each individual he comes across feels they have long been friends.

A notable fact any prior students of Mr. Scott will recall is how much they have learned about various other TVS alumni in his classroom. Though the stories remain a comedic staple for his history classes, this highlights a more meaningful aspect of Mr. Scott's character: intentionality.

From being a world-class runner in his younger days to teaching overseas, Mr. Scott's active and calculated approach to each of his tasks has helped him yield success.

I encourage all the students being honored today to commit to a similar degree of effort in their lives. Take the path less traveled and continuously push yourselves to be the best possible you. Nothing worth working for has ever come without the work.

Each and every one of the students being honored tonight has demonstrated outstanding character in numerous ways. Whether it be academic success, displays of empathy, or steadfast dedication to serving their communities, these individuals have exemplified the highest standards of moral excellence.

In a world that can sometimes seem chaotic and uncertain, the importance of character cannot be overstated. It is character that gives us the strength to persevere in the face of challenges, the courage to stand up for what is right, and the humility to acknowledge our own shortcomings.

As members of the National Honor Society, you are not only scholars but also leaders and role models within your school and community. With the honor of induction comes the responsibility to uphold the principles of scholarship, leadership, service, and, of course, character.

I urge each and every one of you to continue to cultivate and nurture your character as you embark on this new chapter of your academic journey. Let your actions speak louder than words, and let your character be a beacon of light that inspires others to follow in your footsteps.

Congratulations to the newest members of the National Honor Society. May your commitment to character continue to shine brightly as you strive for excellence in all that you do.

FIRST ROW (L-R)

Shaila Sapkota

Lily Keisler

Fatima Chaudhary

Berkeley Moore

Jessica Wu

Sofia Maldonado

Isabel Johnson

Mary Claire Masterson

Angelyn Mitchell

Chelsea Morrow

Peyton Vlasow-Gillen

Lanie Lorimer

SECOND ROW

Nathan Smitherman

Alex Swienton

Neel Koney

Campbell Mikulencak

Marin McAlister

Emerson Smith

Sofia Klein

Gabi Boll

Sophie Rose Mock

Griffin Donnell

Emily Mandel

Taryn Parker-Richmond

Jane Holloway

Sammye Unell

Zara Selod

Ava Bryant

Audrey Clyma

Ari Ahdieh

Novyn Sek

Grant Pierce

THIRD ROW

Adam Buhman

Nnenna Anyadiegwu

Mary Beth Barham

Ellie Sinnott

Grace Hackworth

Cindy Li

Fara Adesanoye

Ashton Green

Eleanor Walker

Millie Mefford

Gaby Kremer

Arden Grant

Nicole Krylov

Vinny Worsley

Anna Zhou

Maura Kahuda

CONGRATULATIONS

Abby Everett

Tucker Howell

Morgan Goldman

FOURTH ROW

Foster Good

Collin Snyder

Ben Gerstle

Evan Trivedi

Travis Zavaleta

Zach LaComb

John Mark Connally

Drew Corder

Matthew Bekish

Brett Mills

Lauren Lynch

Luke Williams

Carter Lea

Stewart Sloter

Cannon Aragon

Pearson Payne

Winn Smith

Brady Meek

Charlie White

Bradyn Engfer

BACK ROW

Christian Bowman

Sam Looney

Tiernan Dunne

Blaine Skains

Will Austin

Sam Bumgardner

Max Barber

Reese Kennedy

Rob Fulghum

Britt Urbaniak

Rainer Williams

Will Scott

James Hart

Campbell Martin

Charlie Anderson

Rohan Johnson

Ben Kenner

Nathan Markel

Brooks Sartain

Nicholas Charette

Nick Zelissen

Alan Lin

David Bormann

Benjamin Levy

TVS CLASS OF 2024!

FACULTY

FACULTY

MAKING AN ENDURING IMPACT

FOCUS ON FACULTY

ASHLEY ROBINSON, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS AND ASHLEY CYNKIN, TCU COMMUNICATIONS INTERN

The teachers and staff here at TVS create a strong foundation for the vibrant academic and social landscape of this school. This article delves into the diverse experiences and passions that drive some of our remarkable educators forward.

DANE COBB

TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT MANAGER/ LACROSSE COACH

From making sure that teachers and staff have what they need at a moment’s notice to working with Upper School athletes on the lacrosse team, Dane’s influence at TVS is truly campus-wide! Dane is particularly interested in technology because he recognizes that it is rapidly changing the way we interact every day. He says that technology has a huge influence on the way corporations are run, including schools, and he likes the idea of using technology to help others. Dane values coaching lacrosse at TVS and describes his experience mentoring and working with the lacrosse guys as “wonderful,” especially when he gets to fist bump them when they pass in the hallway. He values making meaningful connections with students and parents. Dane’s favorite thing about TVS is that he gets to interact with all parts of the School through both technology support and athletics, and his work with the students is what he enjoys the most. It is rewarding for him to see athletes grow into people of great character.

LURITTA DUBOIS

UPPER SCHOOL HISTORY/ SOCIAL STUDIES INSTRUCTOR

Reflecting on her own experiences as a student, Luritta endeavors to embody the type of instructor she wished to have, striving to avoid the mistakes she observed her teachers making. She is passionate about fostering an environment where students who are enthusiastic about learning can seize the opportunities presented to them to receive the best possible educational experience. "I want them to become not only accomplished scholars but also exceptional individuals," she asserts. Of great importance to Luritta is emphasizing the significance of African-American culture and history. She feels a deep connection to this history and wants to spread her knowledge and likeness of it to future generations. Luritta believes that her students can come to a new understanding of not only themselves, but also the world around them, when they understand the significance of the past. "My motivation stems from the desire to see them grow into great humans," she says.

BRIAN JOHNSTON

MIDDLE SCHOOL SPANISH INSTRUCTOR

Collaboration is extremely important to Brian Johnston, Middle School Spanish teacher. Brian loves working with the other teachers on the seventh-grade team, especially his fellow teacher, Jennifer Webb, who teaches the Mind Makers. Through his coaching of the soccer team, he also gets to work with the Athletics department and mentor students through student life outside the classroom. Brian loves when he gets the chance to participate in theater productions with other staff members like Dr. Don Carlson. Brian is constantly upbeat and energetic! Outside of TVS, he is particularly interested in music. He plays piano and guitar, and he also enjoys writing music.

DR. DON CARLSON

UPPER SCHOOL ENGLISH INSTRUCTOR

Don sincerely appreciates the sense of support and trust he gets from administration at Trinity Valley. Now in his 31st year at TVS, he has seen many leadership changes here. Don shares that support and trust is something for which to be grateful, as that is not always the case at other schools. It sets TVS apart!

After graduating from college, he became an English teacher at a high school in Dallas. From there, he determined that he wanted to go to graduate school to dive deeper into the realm of English and literature. He then began teaching at TVS and quickly felt that teaching was not his job; it was more of a calling. Don says teaching at TVS is different and that the campus has a spirit that represents the closeness of the community here.

LAURA ST. JOHN LOWER SCHOOL ART INSTRUCTOR

Laura always had a passion for art and working with children, so serving as a Lower School art teacher put together those pieces naturally and has been highly rewarding for her. This is her 18th year teaching, but she says there is nowhere like TVS, where she is completing her eighth year. Her own three children are students here, and Laura knows they are in good hands because of her confidence in their teachers. She appreciates the freedom she enjoys to be creative with her curriculum as well as how happy her colleagues are to be here. Laura says she finds motivation in discovering new projects for her students. She loves collaborating with her fellow Lower School teachers, especially Pauline Medlin, the music teacher. She says that there are many teachers in the Lower School with a vision for art, which makes collaboration and interaction fun. Laura continues her passion for art outside of the classroom. She has two published children’s books that she wrote and illustrated herself. She believes that books are wonderful ways to incorporate art into lessons. Laura hopes her students learn more about the wide variety of different careers in art. She wants her students to understand that art is not limited to being their favorite subject in school, but that they can pursue a career and fulfilling life with art at its core.

CHRISTIAN

GEHMAN

UPPER SCHOOL PHYSICS INSTRUCTOR

Christian grew up in Germany, and his interest in physics began in high school. He was intrigued by figuring out how things work. Pursuing a career in teaching was suitable for him because he loves that “young person energy” that his students bring to the table. Every day is fresh and exciting, and it is the connections he builds with his students that keep him motivated. Christian values the student-teacher dynamic here at TVS. He says it has a strong “same team” dynamic where students and teachers work together. Christian is inspired by his students who struggle in a subject like physics, but do not give up and drop the class. Seeing them stay and work even harder until they see results makes him feel optimistic. Besides physics, Christian has a particular interest in the game of poker. He says the game is a microcosm of life itself and has many valuable lessons rooted in it. He enjoys sharing these lessons with his students, and he in fact stays in touch – and coordinates game times –with some alumni who share the interest.

ASHLEY OWENS

MIDDLE SCHOOL MUSIC INSTRUCTOR

Ashley Owens has been teaching for 25 years, 10 at TVS. She began her career teaching after-school piano lessons but transitioned into teaching in schools when her own children began school. Ashley is motivated by the enthusiasm her TVS students have about music. She loves knowing that her students enjoy what she teaches and that her class provides a break from their academic stresses. Her students learn to study and appreciate music from a fresh lens. Ashley collaborates often with the fifth-grade teachers. This spring, she worked with the STEM teacher on an innovative project where students designed their own instrument along with another project where the students worked on coding to make an electronic instrument. Ashley shares that some of her favorite moments as a music teacher have been observing a student realizing for the first time that he or she has a good voice. She values seeing this spark in confidence that every so often leads the student to audition for choir and be accepted. Ashley advises those who are seeking a career in music education to follow their passion and actively pursue it. She says, “If this is what you love, the risk is well worth the reward.”

ERIN MITCHELL

LOWER SCHOOL, SECOND-GRADE INSTRUCTOR

Erin Mitchell is a second-grade teacher here at TVS. She was inspired to become a teacher because she loves working with children and appreciates that every day is different. For her, each day brings new challenges and opportunities to make a positive impact on her students. The support she receives from the TVS community motivates Erin to continue teaching and inspiring students year after year. Erin finds joy in the positive atmosphere among everyone in the Lower School, which further fuels her motivation to make a difference in her students' lives. Erin collaborates most frequently with the other second-grade teachers. This partnership is essential because it fosters a team-oriented environment where new ideas are exchanged and effectiveness is enhanced. Erin says, “Flowers are my jam!” and elaborates that if she could create a class to be implemented, it would be floral design. This interest was sparked by her mother who is a Texas Master Gardener. Erin describes herself as having a green thumb and loves having fresh flowers everywhere to add a little beauty to everyday life.

ROBIN BURROUGHS

UPPER SCHOOL CALCULUS INSTRUCTOR

Robin Burroughs is an Upper School pre-calc and honors pre-calc teacher who wants her students to believe that they can do math! She understands that what she teaches is not every student’s favorite and can even be scary, but she is inspired to engage and encourage students in the subject she loves and understands well. Robin is motivated by witnessing her students’ successes and breakthrough moments. She says strengthening her relationships with her students as she sees them develop is what she enjoys most about being a teacher at TVS. She also looks forward to engaging with students on the TOE trips. Robin is excited to partner with the other Upper School math teachers, not only for collaborating on new ideas for more engaging lessons but also because they all inspire each other to support the students to do hard things. Outside of school, she loves getting outdoors and spending time with her family. Robin is especially fond of camping as she feels it is a break from the chaos of daily life.

LAURA MONTGOMERY

ASSISTANT MIDDLE SCHOOL HEAD

Laura Montgomery has been in the field of education for 20 years, and this is her 10th year at TVS. She has taught eighth-grade science and seventh-grade math and now serves as the Assistant Middle School Head. Laura is motivated to continue her position by the relationships she forms with not only her students but with the TVS faculty as well. She emphasizes that these relationships and bonds are what makes this school feel like a family. Laura collaborates most frequently with Head of Middle School Julie Knudsen, emphasizing Julie’s willingness to go above and beyond in supporting her students and faculty. Laura's favorite hobby outside of school is cooking. She particularly enjoys working her way through her latest cookbook, The Divine Dish, and sharing recipes with her friends. She finds fulfillment in the creative process of cooking and sharing delicious meals with others.

DANIEL AUDI

MIDDLE SCHOOL SPANISH INSTRUCTOR

Daniel Audi is an eighth-grade Spanish teacher in his fifth year at TVS. He fell in love with teaching language through an internship he had teaching English in Turkey for two years. He asserts that teaching fits him like a glove! Interacting with his students is his favorite part of teaching, particularly when they are able to see a perspective through language that is brand new to them. It delights him to see when something finally makes sense to a student, inspiring a new sense of confidence. He wants all of his students to believe they have a good mind; this belief in themselves makes all the difference. Daniel is thankful to have a strong eighth-grade team that works together very well. This is one of the many reasons he loves coming to Trinity Valley every day and never dreads Mondays! Outside of school, Daniel enjoys spending time outside. He finds relaxation in hiking, camping, and being in the woods.

DIANE KEE

PRE-KINDERGARTEN INSTRUCTOR

From a young age, Diane Kee knew she wanted to be a teacher … nothing else interested her. Diane is a Pre-K teacher at TVS and adores working with the four- and five-year-olds. Diane says students at this age are joyful and have their eyes wide open to take in everything they can learn. She enjoys seeing her students start their day happy, exuding pure joy. Diane has an authentic love for teaching and enjoys thinking of new ways to bring excitement and a love of learning to the children. The sense of family and the supportive community at TVS is one of Diane’s favorite parts about being a teacher here. Diane is amazed to see how much her students can accomplish in one year. The amount of growth she is privileged to witness is truly rewarding. Diane is grateful to be among great colleagues and friends in her Pre-K teacher team. Outside of school, Diane enjoys cooking and collecting recipes. She always looks forward to experimenting with new flavors, especially when she is cooking her comfort food.

DR. BRANDON CLINE

UPPER SCHOOL LATIN INSTRUCTOR

Dr. Cline teaches Latin from introductory to AP levels and is in the process of implementing a classical civilization course within the social studies curriculum. He was inspired to become a Latin teacher due to his deep-seated passion for classics. Dr. Cline has been teaching at TVS for six years, before which he taught at the University of Chicago. He finds fulfillment in nurturing relationships with his students and witnessing their growth over time. To him, teaching is not just a profession, but a vocation where his personal passion for the ancient world converges with the needs of the contemporary educational landscape. Dr. Cline loves getting to share his enthusiasm for Latin with his students, who he says are very self-motivated and intellectually curious. Lately, much of Dr. Cline’s focus has been on growing the School’s competitive Latin program and team. It has been a real joy for him to witness their growth and how successful they have been. Dr. Cline’s favorite way to decompress and enjoy time outside of teaching is by playing board games. He says he has dived into the rabbit hole the last couple of years and has become a board game geek. To him, it is the perfect way to relax and have fun while also challenging the mind with the puzzle nature of games. He loves finding ways to incorporate games into his teaching.

MUSICAL THEATER CAMP

JUNE 10-29, 2024 // MR. DANIEL MONTGOMERY OFFERED BY

In keeping with the mission and philosophy of Trinity Valley School, our Auxiliary Programs exist to develop our students’ wide constructive interests by expanding and enriching their academic, creative, and athletic horizons. TVS Auxiliary Programs aim to develop upstanding and empathetic leaders by building authentic partnerships with the Fort Worth community, creating meaningful opportunities for TVS faculty and students to learn and serve, and co-constructing solutions to needs in the community.

MEET THE DIRECTOR OF

STRENGTH CONDITIONING &

MICHAEL CARLSON '03, DIRECTOR OF SPORTS MEDIA

Much of the Trojan Athletics department’s recent success can be traced back to a commitment from the School to strength and conditioning. Trinity Valley hired its first full-time strength and conditioning coordinator in the summer of 2021. Since that time, the Trojans have competed for 15 SPC Championships, winning 10 of them. Trinity Valley’s latest addition to the Athletic Department is new Director of Strength and Conditioning, Shane Trotter.

Shane, who started full time in February, began his career at Mansfield as a history teacher and coach. While coaching football, Shane noticed a need in the weight room. “Being someone who was health minded, I had read a lot of research on best practices,” he said. Coach Trotter observed that the football weight room regimen could use a little tuneup. “The team’s training was kind of random and wasn’t following the latest research.” Eventually, Shane approached his friend who ran football weights about changes that needed to be made, and Shane was asked to make the necessary changes and run the room from there on. Excited, Shane prepared a new, research-based program for the football team.

To this point, Mansfield ISD did not have any strength and conditioning (S&C) positions on its five high school campuses. In spring of 2014, Shane wrote and pitched the proposal for S&C positions for the ISD. It took time for the proposal to process, but in the fall of 2015, Shane began his full-time role as Mansfield High School Strength and Conditioning Coordinator. During this time, Coach Trotter also wrote the MISD Vitality Initiative, which led him to run a health-based pilot program on two MISD elementary campuses.

After eight years in this role, Shane noticed a new opportunity. “A friend of mine mentioned in December that Trinity Valley had an S&C opening. Having gone to TCU, TVS had always been on my radar. I was excited about the opportunity because I knew about the great academic programs and the reputation the School had, and I was ready to explore what TVS had to offer.” The Athletics department was equally ready to explore what Shane had to offer.

During the interview process, it became clear for Shane what he wanted to do. “In my interview, I noticed a positivity among the staff and an energy of possibility. People liked hearing new ideas and dreaming about what could be. Also, there was the wonderful family feel. The coaches were proud to share athletes and to work with the other coaches. Everyone ate lunch together and knew about each other’s lives and families. I was so impressed with the balance between high standards and loving support.” A few short weeks later, the Trojans were welcoming Shane as one of our own.

Since his February 1 start date, Shane has been hard at work establishing the culture of the weight room, teaching the basics and setting the expectations of what a Trojan athlete looks like. “Working with the kids, I’ve noticed how much they like to be coached and to ask questions. They don’t just want to be told what to do. They like to know the ‘why.’ They like to be coached.”

Shane’s goals at TVS are simple: develop wellrounded student athletes and provide them with the tools to succeed in life, and be here for a long, long time. Both will take time, but Shane and Trinity Valley are very confident that he will be triumphant in both.

FACTS ABOUT SHANE TROTTER

Grew up in O’Fallon, Illinois

Attended TCU from 2009-2012

Author of the book Setting the Bar: Preparing Our Kids to Thrive in an Era of Distraction, Dependency, and Entitlement (2021)

Married to Neely Trotter who was 2022-2023 Teacher of the Year at Boren Elementary (MISD)

Has two kids, Ace (7) and Brix (5)

BOYS' GOLF

After going undefeated last season and winning the SPC 3A Championship, the boys' golf team looks to repeat this year. Last season saw many milestones from the past fall, including the lowest individual round score and the lowest team score in School history.

Senior Morgan Goldman says, “We feel we’re as talented as last year’s team, but not as experienced.” After losing two seniors from the 2023 team that were major contributors, the team added sophomore Logan Bettinger and juniors Philip Pritchett and Finn Drennan to the rotation to go along with senior returners Morgan, Brady Meek, Pearson Payne, and Sam Bumgardner.

The boys went into last season thinking it could be special. After their record-breaking season, Goldman says they know they’re capable of more. “This year our goal is to defeat the 4A schools at SPC as well. TVS golf has been an incredible experience; we’re just hoping we can go out and finish the right way.” If they accomplish their goal of being repeat SPC Champions, it will complete the greatest run in TVS boys' golf history, as they will match the 1996 and 1997 SPC Championship teams.

At winter SPC in Houston, on a cool wet day in February, the girls' soccer team defeated Houston Christian 3-1 to complete their repeat as SPC 3A Champions! The team waited on the Kinkaid side field as they watched the SPC 4A championship game go into overtime, then penalty kicks, delaying the start of their game, the last SPC game of the day, by over an hour. Being away from home, soaking, the girls took the field against the #1 seed Houston Christian. Most of the other TVS teams already on their way back to Fort Worth, mostly parents and TVS administrators cheered feverishly as the girls took a 1-0 lead in the first half behind an early goal from Audrey Deem. The entire first half, it seemed, would be played on the Houston Christian side of the field, but the Trojans were denied on several other shots and went into halftime with the 1-0 advantage. In the second half, the Trojans kept the pressure on but were struggling to break away for another, until Audrey Deem came through with her second goal of the game! Desperate, Houston Christian went on the offensive, but stellar defense led to a quick counter attack and goal by Rowan Regan, putting the nail in the coffin at 3-0 with two minutes left in the game! A stoppage time goal by the Mustangs meant nothing, and soon the final whistle sounded and the field was stormed by the Trojan soccer team completing back to back championships for the first time since the 97-98 and 98-99 seasons!

SOCCER

IMPACTING FORT WORTH’S UNSHELTERED COMMUNITY ON MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY

“Everyone can be great, because everyone can serve.” - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

On Friday, January 12, 2024, students and faculty gathered to remember the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and engaged in service learning for Trinity Valley’s second annual MLK Day of Service!

The TVS Office of Equity, Inclusion, and Community planned a morning that allowed for cross-divisional collaboration, meaningful service, and reflection on intelligent citizenship in our community.

Our focus this year was housing insecurity in our city. Students had the opportunity to create hygiene kits for distribution by the DRC Solutions Street Outreach Team to people living unsheltered in Tarrant County. DRC Solutions staff members were on hand to receive these kits.

Anthony Cooper, TVS sixth grader, kicked off the Day of Service by speaking about Dr. King. Older students

partnered with younger students as buddies worked on this project. All students and faculty then joined together for a picnic lunch in our central courtyard.

Trinity Valley School was proud to partner with DRC Solutions on this project!

Tony Wilson, LMSW and COO of DRC Solutions, shared, “We are thrilled to have the support of the students, parents, faculty, and staff of Trinity Valley School. The DRC Street Outreach Team visits with approximately 2,000 individuals living unsheltered each year, and hygiene kits are always needed. Thank you to TVS for this amazing service project. Your efforts will bring comfort to people as they journey towards housing of their own.”

LUNAR NEW YEAR

On Monday, February 12, we welcomed the Lion Dance group on campus. Lion Dancers put on an incredible performance for our students. We were so excited to celebrate Lunar New Year with our entire school!

Also, students in all grade levels who are studying Chinese practiced their dragon dance throughout campus!

YEARBOOK

PICKING COLORS, FONTS, AND THEME

As they looked through magazines, Jane Holloway (12) and Sophie Mock (12) found inspiration. The staff met a week before the first day of school to brainstorm the design of this year’s book. We ultimately decided to do a different color for each season of the year, and then as a group, we picked out which colors we thought represented each season best. As for fonts, our editor-in-chief, Lauren Lynch (12) picked out a couple of fonts from Adobe and then we tested them out together during class time. We came to a consensus of one headline font and one font for copy and captions. Lastly, around September the staff came together to pick a theme.

CREATING THE LADDER

A yearbook ladder is a thorough list of each spread that will be in the book placed in the order in which it’s printed. Creating the ladder is the job of our editor-in-chief, Lauren Lynch and our yearbook advisor Mrs. Marcy Roten. Lauren says, “To start, we looked through past books to count all the events that must be covered, for example, sports, musicals, and people pages. Then we made a rough

MARCY ROTEN, ART DEPARTMENT CHAIR

BEHIND THE SCENES

draft of events we wanted to cover that may have not been highlighted in past years. In each season, we left a couple extra spreads without any event assigned so that we could add more stuff closer to the actual dates. Creating the ladder was kind of like putting a puzzle together.”

TAKING AND EDITING PHOTOS

As Lexie Roberts (11) edits her photos from boys' basketball, she gets a credit for the week. Every week we are expected to take photos at one or two events, depending on how many events took place. Once the photos are taken, we upload them into our folder in the yearbook staff’s shared Google Drive.

MAKING A SPREAD

While in class, Mary Beth Barham (12) and Campbell Mikulencak (12) play with different design layouts for Varsity boys' basketball and Varsity girls' soccer. We used Adobe InDesign to create all of our spreads. Seniors got to pick which spreads they wanted before juniors, and then whichever spreads were left were assigned by Mrs. Roten or Lauren Lynch. All spreads were designed on a grid and followed a set of design rules on the placement of pictures and captions.

CC LIBRARIES

In order to keep consistency through the entire book, we had a joint library connected to Adobe InDesign. Editor-in-chief Lauren Lynch and yearbook advisor Mrs. Roten joined together to make headline packages, mod designs, and copy and captions for each section.

INTERVIEWING TO WRITE COPY AND CAPTIONS

In the photo to the right, Mary Beth Barham interviews Alayna Bhaloo (9) for her spread. After picking pictures and making a layout, the staff adds captions for each picture and writes copy. The copy should be a story about the event that is being represented on the spread. Captions are shorter versions of the copy and are usually three sentences including what happened in the picture, complementary information, and a quote. Some spreads, like this one, do not follow this specific pattern for copy and captions.

ROUND TABLE EDITS

Round table edits are a way for everyone to share their input on each spread and give constructive feedback. About once every month, we spend class time reading each other’s copy and captions, looking at layouts, and pointing out small details that may have been missed. By the end of class, each person’s spread is marked up with new ideas and corrections.

PROOFS

Before every spread is officially submitted for printing, Mrs. Roten and Lauren Lynch send in PDFs of spreads that are practically finished. Walsworth sends back proofs of these spreads that show exactly what it would look like printed in the book. Once we receive the proofs, final corrections are made, Novyn Sek (12) would make sure all names are spelled correctly, and mistakes are caught before the final submission of each spread.

DEADLINES

To keep on track, we must submit to five different deadlines throughout the year. Our first deadline was 80 pages due October 23 which mainly consisted of senior photos. Our next deadline of 110 pages, due by December 5, included the senior ads and all summer spreads. Then we had a deadline on January 23 with 110 pages due where we submitted all the people pages and the majority of fall sports. On February 20, to meet 110 pages, we submitted the rest of fall and half of the winter spreads. Finally, the entire book was submitted on March 19 with the final 102 pages including layouts for spring and the entirety of winter events.

LATE NIGHTS

The final weeks before the book was due, we stayed at school making final edits. A week before the final deadline, we stayed at school until 2 a.m. working on finalizing layouts and making sure all the written information was accurate. To make work nights more fun, staff member Novyn Sek (12) would bring us various snacks, including the class favorite, Flamas. We enjoyed listening to music while we worked. Staying late was a staff favorite because a lot was accomplished, while also being a lot of fun.

INTERVIEW EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

LAUREN LYNCH ’24

WHAT HAS SURPRISED YOU ABOUT BEING EDITOR?

Going into this year I was expecting that all my time would be taken up by yearbook and I would be overwhelmed with stress. I have found that is not the case!

IF YOU COULD START OVER AND GIVE YOURSELF ADVICE, WHAT WOULD THE ADVICE BE?

I would tell myself to focus on one thing at a time, to slow down and build off of what I know I want rather than trying to incorporate every idea I could.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE HARDEST PART OF BEING EDITOR?

The hardest challenge has been teaching the new members all the rules, because there are just SO many.

WHAT HAVE YOU ENJOYED ABOUT BEING EDITOR?

I have enjoyed feeling more connected to my community this year. Seeing faculty or students and being able to know what activities they are involved in makes me really happy! I am probably most excited to see all of our hard work given to TVS and see how something we put so much effort into can bring our community together.

WHAT UNEXPECTED CHALLENGES HAVE YOU FACED? HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THEM?

I think the most unexpected challenge was spelling and grammar errors. Last year I noticed we had many mistakes with copy and captions, so I tried to make it my goal to improve those. Mistakes are inevitable, but we have focused heavily on name checking, and Mrs. Roten and I have taken extra time to check grammar.

Interviews by Ashley Riemitis ’16

In keeping with the mission and philosophy of Trinity Valley School, our Auxiliary Programs exist to develop our students’ wide constructive interests by expanding and enriching their academic, creative, and athletic horizons. TVS Auxiliary Programs aim to develop upstanding and empathetic leaders by building authentic partnerships with the Fort Worth community, creating meaningful opportunities for TVS faculty and students to learn and serve, and co-constructing solutions to needs in the community.

EXPLORING NATURE'S CLASSROOM

SZALAN ELLIS, DIRECTOR OF EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION

TOE is unique in that we have the opportunity to work with every division and see teachers and students interact with one another outside the classroom. These experiences offer students the chance to see their teachers in a different light. This is only possible if faculty are willing to push themselves outside their comfort zones alongside their students. Luckily, TVS is packed with amazing faculty that do just that. Our program would not be possible without help from every member of the Trinity Valley faculty. Every teacher has an impact on TOE, whether it is teaching a selective course during a trip, exploring with the students, using the TOE pavilion to instruct a class, or spending nights away from their own family to help with a TOE trip. We are incredibly grateful to get to spend time with each of these remarkable people and witness the impact they have on our students.

Dr. Angela Buffington , LS science teacher, has a love of science that shines through when she is talking to our fourth graders on TOE trips. She spends time showing them native insects and teaching them what items from nature one can and cannot eat. She even brings out her telescope to show the students the night sky up close.

Amanda Collins, US science teacher, found an arrowhead on an archeology dig day at our test pit site at Buttermilk Creek Ranch where we are searching for artifacts of the Clovis people. Mrs. Collins has learned so much about archeology over the past few years and has shared this newfound love and passion with our students.

Wood ,

class

Dr. Philip Taylor worked with his class to create a new balance block for our fifth graders to use on their TOE trip to help students work on communication skills.

Erin McNabb, MS science teacher, and Dan Betsill , MS American studies teacher, facilitate groups of students navigating their way around Enchanted Rock. They search for points of interest using compasses, learn about geology, go caving and rock climbing, and so much more.

We love having our fearless Middle School leaders Julie Knudsen and Laura Montgomery join us to spend some time exploring with the kids and building relationships. They are an incredible help on the trips in so many ways!

Jeff Snyder, Assistant Head of School, loves to share his love of the outdoors and climbing with students and faculty. He always keeps his time spent with everyone light and full of laughs.

Lynda

US math teacher, brought her math

to the ropes course to decompress after days of studying hard to prepare for a math test.

Maggie Knapp is always willing to join us on TOE trips and lead kids all over Enchanted Rock or wherever we need her. She is an endless source of energy and positivity.

Erin Mitchell , Alyson Zabriksie , and Alex Perryman , second-grade teachers, join their students in learning about fossils, dinosaurs, and how to find a quiet space to enjoy nature.

Anna Ross is an incredible presence to have around our students on the TOE trips as she helps them find joy in the small things around them. She is constantly looking for new ways to connect with students and we love anytime she is able to join us on TOE trips

As many people in our TVS community know, Mark Cox , MS math teacher, has a passion for biking. He joined Ellen Jacobs to take our students on a TOE Selective trip to mountain bike at the Trails of Aledo on a beautiful Saturday morning.

WHAT’S SPECIAL ABOUT GLOBAL EDUCATION AT TVS? OUR TEACHERS!

DR. MICHAEL ROEMER , DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL EDUCATION

One of the most unique aspects about a TVS Global Education is our International Assistant Teacher (IAT) Program. Since the fall of 2012, TVS teachers have partnered with almost 70 IATs from Belgium (1), Denmark (24), the Netherlands (23), Sweden (8), and Switzerland (12). To serve as a Mentor Teacher for one of our IATs, a TVS teacher spends time with an aspiring teacher to help that IAT plan lessons, reflect on what worked and what did not in those lessons, discuss similarities and differences within our education systems, share our culture, and learn about theirs. What often happens in the days and weeks of working together is that the TVS teachers – being the sharing and compassionate people that they are – open up their hearts to our Global Guests as home-hosts or by taking them off campus to enjoy parts of the Metroplex. These lessformal outings include conversations about family life, food, politics, sports, and all kinds of cross-cultural comparisons.

I am grateful to our TVS teachers who are willing to spend time mentoring and supporting our IATs each year and who model a genuine interest in various cultures for our students!

Working with our Global Guests means different experiences for different teachers, and here are some of the highlights that our teachers shared with me this year.

In the Lower School, the third-grade team – Mrs. Everett, Mrs. Sloter, and Mrs. Thomas – spent two weeks with “Mrs. Julia,” a Swedish student-researcher who was here to learn about our math programs. The third-grade team reported that we have so much in common when we take the time to get to know people from other cultures.

Mrs. Everett said, “I was struck by one of the things that Julia said while we were having lunch together. We were teasing her that she was going to be very grateful for the peace and quiet on the airplane trip home to Sweden after being stuck with us in Texas in the thick of preparations for Charlotte's Web. Julia said, ‘I have learned that teachers are the same everywhere. You

give everything you can to your students, and then somehow find a way to give even more. I am leaving here so inspired by you. Thank you for accepting me so quickly and completely.’ ”

Mrs. Sloter added that after Mrs. Julia observed several parentteacher conferences, she remarked, “Parents worry about the same things … here and back at home [in Sweden]: friendships, social and emotional growth, behavior, and academics.”

Mrs. Thompson’s gratitude echoed that of her colleagues. “Julia immediately became a part of our team. I really appreciated her willingness to help during our Charlotte’s Web rehearsals by playing the music and being there to support the students,” she said.

In the fourth grade, Mr. Melton and Mrs. Sosa mentored Mr. William Bundgaard (Danish Assistant Teacher) in social studies and language arts. About her Danish Assistant Teacher, Mrs. Sosa shared, “William fearlessly said ‘yes’ to every Texan opportunity, enriching his teaching journey and adding invaluable life experiences that will undoubtedly pay

Julia with third-grade students

off in his future career. This willingness to try new things led him to the Scat Jazz Lounge in Sundance Square, where he said, ‘I never thought I’d be sitting in an underground jazz club in the middle of Fort Worth, Texas!’”

Mr. Melton added, “Mr. B, as the kids endearingly referred to him, was a joy to have in class. He immediately connected with our students and became an integral part of our day. The class thoroughly enjoyed learning that Mr. B served as a Royal Life Guard for Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II!”

In the Middle School, Mr. Churchward (sixth-grade global studies) also worked with William for three weeks. Mr. Churchward helped him prepare interactive lessons about Denmark, and outside of school, Mr. Churchward invited William to play on his soccer team. One night Mr. Churchward and Mr. Waldmann (sixth-grade math) took William and a Swiss Assistant Teacher (Ms. Laura Leuzinger) to Billy Bob’s to introduce them to the “world’s largest honky tonk.” We learn so much about our own culture when we share it with others!

Mr. Churchward shared, “I always value the opportunity to learn from and alongside our International Assistant Teachers. Working with William was certainly no exception to this! Mr. B., as he was affectionately known by our students, jumped right in from the first day he was here to assert himself as a helpful presence in the classroom. Students immediately felt comfortable with him and enjoyed his lesson on Denmark and its Royal Family. Outside the classroom, he truly embraced the characteristics of adventure and exploration. Whether it was trying his first-ever macaroni and cheese, hitting the dance floor at Billy Bob’s in a cowboy hat and boots, or playing with me in my Thursdaynight soccer league, William was up for anything! William brought a can-do spirit and overall warmth that will be remembered.”

Also in the Middle School this year, the seventh- and eighth-grade American Studies teachers (Mr. Betsill, Mrs. Newton, Mr. Ellis, and Dr. Wood) worked with two Swiss ATs (Ms. Laura Leuzinger and Mr. Veljko Nikolic) from January 15 to February 9. Laura and Veljko told me how the Middle School felt surreal each day because of how happy the students and teachers are and how eager the students are to learn. For me, this a true sign of the dedication of our teachers and the friendships they have with each other and that they extend to our Global Guests. As a perfect example, Dr. and Mrs. Wood (US Math) homehosted William for three weeks, taking him as far as Houston and San Antonio – and this was not their first time to host an IAT!

Mr. Ellis said, “Veljko gave a fantastic lesson about the history of neutrality in Switzerland and how it predates the existence of the country itself. He also presented the students with some historical situations in WWI that could be seen as compromising that neutrality and allowed them to discuss what they thought.

“Laura did a great job of describing the culture of Switzerland and the unique situation in which that country finds itself, being sandwiched between several distinct countries. She showed the students how this has an impact on the country’s languages and how the citizens interact with one another.

This page top- bottom: William Bundgaard, Mrs. Sosa, Mrs. Clayton (fifth-grade language arts), and friend; William at a soccer game; and William with friends at Billy Bob's Opposite page: Aron Åsman with students in Upper School

“One fun memory was having legitimate Swiss bankers for our stock market simulation!”

Mr. Betsill added, "Laura and Veljko were delightful. I was very impressed with how focused they were while observing my classes. I also really enjoyed how eager they were to interact with students and the Fort Worth community. I think Billy Bob’s and Costco were a big hit!"

Mrs. Newton shared, “I loved meeting Laura and Veljko. They were genuinely excited about everything we had to show them. Laura loved that my classroom looked like the American classrooms she had seen on TikTok!”

Finally, I’d like to show my gratitude to three Upper School faculty: Mrs. Snyder and Mrs. Gonzalez, who worked with Mr. Aron Åsman (Swedish AT) in their ninth- and 10th-grade English classes, respectively, and Mr. Sessa (US Theatre & Spanish), who home-hosted him for two weeks. Unsurprisingly, conversations among them ranged from lesson prep and types of assessments to favorite foods, forms of government, linguistics, and more.

Mrs. Snyder commented, “Having another teacher in my room was an excellent way for me to help and share great teaching skills with someone else, and knowing I was influencing a future teacher, it was also a way for me to rethink and freshen up how I teach certain texts or topics.

“He made us laugh when trying out a Texas accent or talking in a deep Swedish accent!”

By opening their classrooms and homes to our International Assistant Teachers, TVS teachers are making global connections and friendships, they are honing their teaching craft through cross-cultural discussions and self-reflection, and they are helping their students see the world through different lenses. These are opportunities not found to this extent at other schools anywhere else in Texas, and I am truly grateful to our teachers who say “YES!” to mentoring, home-hosting, and befriending these soon-to-be-teachers each year.

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR TVS MENTOR TEACHERS AND FACULTY HOSTS OVER THE YEARS!

70 Teachers/Coaches Since 2012: Stacie Adams (MS English), Blake Amos (former LS PE), Dan Betsill (MS American Studies), Manish Bhatt (former US Social Studies), Melissa Black (former LS Art), Bill Buck (MS Art), Sylvia Bussey (US Spanish, retired), Anna (MS Theatre, retired) & Don Carlson (US English), Ryan Churchward (MS Global Studies), Tina Clayton (MS Language Arts), Jane Cooper (LS, retired), Pat Cooper (MS Science, retired), Mark Cox (MS Math), Grace Crumley (LS), Tim d’Auteuil (LS, retired), Rachel Davidsaver (former MS Chinese), Luritta DuBois (US Social Studies), Peter D’Brass (MS Social Studies, retired), Crystal Dover (former LS/ MS PE), Mary Mac Elliott (MS Humanities, retired), Ryan Ellis (MS American Studies), Laura Everett (LS), Brian Fleming ’03 (former MS Geography), Tawanna Flowers (former LS/MS PE), Julie Fry (MS Science), Leslie Garcia (LS, retired), Carry Hansen (former MS Science), Tina Harper (former MS Social Studies), Kathy Heller (MS Math), Judy Holloway (LS Music, retired), Gail Hutchinson (LS), Diane Kee (LS), Kyle Kennedy ’89 (LS/MS PE), Jared Knight ’04 (former MS Global Studies), Diane Malone (LS, retired), Leanna McLaughlin (former US Social Studies), Louise Matherne (former US Social Studies), Erin Mitchell (LS), Kate Monroe (Kindergarten), Laura Montgomery (MS Science), Harriett Moore (Kindergarten, retired), Tosha Morales (former LS/MS PE), Lourdes Nedrelow (former LS Spanish), Susan Newton (MS American Studies), Kelly Nickell (former MS Music), Ashley Owen (MS Music), Claire Pearce ’01 (LS/MS PE), Alex Perryman ’06 (LS), Courtney Prescott (former LS), Robin Preston (MS Science), Nancy Rea (Kindergarten, retired), Hillary Relyea (US Social Studies), Derek Reinhold (MS Math), Brandon Risenhoover (former US Social Studies), Kory Robertson ’89 (US Social Studies, retired), Geoff Sahs (former MS Humanities), Gene Sessa (US Theatre/Spanish), Allison Shapard (Admissions, former LS), Elise Sharpe (former MS Humanities), Bill Shelton (US Social Studies, retired), Jude Sloter (LS), Kearstin Thomas (LS), Val Underwood (LS/MS PE), Matt Waldmann (MS Math), Carol Watkins (LS), Donna Weth (LS), Lynda (US Math) & Ed (MS American Studies) Wood, Alyson Zabriskie (LS).

RETIRING FACULTY & STAFF

12 YEARS

BILL BUCK, MIDDLE SCHOOL ART TEACHER

by Marcy Roten

I have enjoyed having Bill Buck as a colleague and friend. Bill is always ... positive and patient, and he has a kind heart and a wonderful sense of humor. Over the years I have seen his continuous devotion to his students. He guides them by asking thoughtful questions that allow them to think outside the box and is careful to not always give them an answer right away. Bill, you will be missed by your students and colleagues. I wish you well as you retire and hope that you find new and exciting things in life to fulfill your time.

17 YEARS

SANDY McNUTT HEAD OF LOWER SCHOOL

by Jeff Snyder

As teachers and administrators, we each enter the field of education hoping to positively impact the lives of our students. This motivation encompasses our desire to help children and adolescents flourish as learners and ultimately discover their own intrinsic worth as valuable contributors to society at large. Trinity Valley School Head of Lower School, Sandy McNutt has navigated

her 46 year career with this notion as her north star. Ms. McNutt knows every child in the Lower School by name, and in turn, every child knows that she cares deeply for them and their growth as learners. The volume of students impacted by Ms. McNutt at TVS and in Arlington public schools is truly countless. Over the last seventeen years at TVS alone, she has shepherded more than 1500 students through their lower school years, and in her 29 years as a public school teacher and principal this number is exponential. It is quite common to attend an event in Arlington and very quickly discover that many of the individuals attending have had their lives enriched by Ms. McNutt, a fact substantiated by Arlington ISD choosing her as the namesake for its newest elementary school in 2017.

With her colleagues, Ms. McNutt’s attention to caring for teachers as professionals and more importantly as people, is inspiring. She has an uncanny way of knowing what nudge and guidance we all need in order to be the best version of ourselves before we even realize it, and her daily interactions with teachers and staff are shaped by her intent to foster a supportive environment where teachers feel valued, respected, and empowered to thrive.

With parents, she is equally empathetic and nurturing, and her artful way of offering advice and support without judgment leaves families with the tools necessary to help their children flourish. In addition, Ms. McNutt’s constant wisdom distilled in her weekly “Love from the Lower School” letters reminds us what is most important in school and in life.

Ms. McNutt attributes her success in educational leadership and in life to the valuable lessons she learned from the kindness and generosity of her mother and father, qualities that extend across her very tight-knit

34 YEARS

JOHNNY MILLER, INTERIM DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS, DIRECTOR OF MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETICS, PHYSICAL EDUCATION

by Michael Carlson ’03

For 34 years, Johnny Miller has been a staple of Trinity Valley Athletics. In the classroom, Johnny has always been a teacher who cares deeply about the kids. The same is true as a coach. After two years as an adjunct assistant coach at TVS, Johnny was hired as the head varsity baseball coach in 1989. Johnny built the baseball program into one of the winningest programs at Trinity Valley. Coach Miller won 400 games in his head coaching career, including the SPC

family of numerous siblings, nieces, and nephews. In retirement, Ms. McNutt looks forward to significant time traveling and fellowshiping with her family.

To say it plainly, Ms. McNutt is legendary, first in the city of Arlington and now at Trinity Valley School. The legacy she has left will no doubt continue to impact each of us as we ourselves attempt to bring out the best in those around us. Ms. McNutt, you have our heartfelt and deepest gratitude for your dedication to the students, families, and faculty of TVS. You have made us better.

Division 1 Championship in 2002 which included defeating nationally ranked Episcopal High School in the semifinals before going on to defeat Casady in the championship game.

Coach Miller is no one-trick pony, either. Before being named Middle School Athletic Director in 2011, he had coached field hockey, girls' basketball, football, volleyball, and has since helped in Middle School field hockey, interim head varsity field hockey coach, Middle School softball, and Middle School baseball. Johnny is also the TVS grill master, firing up the grill on campus for burgers, hot dogs, and pancakes on campus for TVS games and athletic events (you should try his ribs, too!).

Johnny has shown care for the TVS student athlete, not just through all of the teams he has coached, but the youth camps he has led, the PE classroom, and all of the administrative work he has done to make sure our Trojans have the best athletic experience possible. He’s at Middle School lunch checking in on the Middle Schoolers, and even though he hasn’t taught Lower School PE in years, he’s still outside the gym giving them high fives as they walk back to their classrooms. He has been a tireless worker, an inarguably successful coach, and a good friend to all who have come through the TVS Athletics department. Johnny will be deeply missed at Trinity Valley School.

PHILANTHROPY

PHILANTHROPY

PARTNERS IN THE JOURNEY OF EDUCATION

HIGHLIGHTING OUR COMMUNITY

TARA BIBB, PRESIDENT, TVS PARENTS’ CLUB

The Parents’ Club continues to focus on building community and providing opportunities for engagement for Trinity Valley families. The new semester kicked off with the second All-Parent Open Board meeting of the year. Head of School Blair Lowry opened the meeting with a School-wide update, including summer plans for a new Lower School library (to be located in the current Lower School Great Hall) as well as renovations to the Middle and Upper School library. Ms. Lowry also shared the Administrative Leadership Team’s new year’s intentions to be purpose driven and focused on a growth mindset.

The well-attended meeting concluded with a presentation from our Trojan Outdoor Experience (TOE) leaders, Szalan Ellis and Ellen Jacobs ’14. TOE trips are designed to build year over year, Pre-K through 12th grade, to gently nudge students out of their comfort zone in a safe, supportive environment. Each grade-appropriate TOE program focuses on self-advocacy, teamwork, communication, preparation, reflection, and leadership.

Each month, the Parents’ Club Board highlights a TVS program or department to speak to Board members. Regular updates are also provided from Division Heads and the Head of School. To better inform all members of the Parents’ Club (every parent at TVS) about the work of the Board, the minutes from each Parents’ Club Board meeting are now publicly available and accessible through the Trojan Columns weekly e-newsletter.

One of the highlights of each semester is the opportunity to express our appreciation for the TVS faculty and staff. In February, the Parents’ Club treated the faculty and staff to a catered baked potato bar luncheon on Parent-Teacher Conference Day. Parents LaToyer Houston, Hollin McWilliams ’97, and Claire de Vilder coordinated the event.

Grants for Greatness (G4G), the signature program of the Parents’ Club, uses money raised each year through our Gallery Night or Auction event to fund many of the “extras” that make TVS so special. This year’s Grants for Greatness committee is chaired by Sarah Klein and Katherine Wolman. Earlier this year, the committee approved nine grants that will benefit our students, faculty, and staff. Among the grants awarded were:

• Choral risers for all Middle and Upper School choir classes. This grant was done in partnership with the Arts Booster Club.

• A joint effort between G4G and the Parents’ Speaker Series committee to bring international author and speaker, Karen Young, to campus during the 202425 school year to speak with TVS students, faculty, and parents about ways to address the increasing anxiety in children.

• A dyslexia simulator and book collection for Lower School teachers and students to create awareness and understanding of this common learning difference.

Other items include an additional 3D printer in the Upper School, recording studio time for choral and instrumental music students, and new outdoor furniture for the Alumni Courtyard to be enjoyed by all students and faculty.

TVS Speaker Series: Dr. Kelly Jameson

Below are other Parents’ Club highlights from spring ’24:

• The uniquely TVS joint Middle School Social/Speaker Series event had something for everyone. Middle School families connected over pizza before the students enjoyed an evening of improv and sleuthing to solve a “Mystery at the Talent Show” coordinated by Parents’ Club volunteers Katrina Washington and Maddy Simmons. While the Middle School students were enjoying those activities, the Parents’ Speaker Series welcomed back the very popular psychologist Dr. Kelly Jameson who shared important reminders around self-care through her presentation titled “Me First: The Science of Real Self-Care in the 21st Century.” The Parents’ Speaker Series Committee is chaired by Anne Wright and Whit Wolman.

• Emily Nichols and Brittany Rico created an incredible TVS tablescape at the annual Design Inspirations luncheon held at Ridglea Country Club. The theme TVS: Growing A Legacy featured cheerful fresh flowers and greenery, student-created ceramic flowers, and beautiful embroidered napkins, all on a backdrop of TVS plaid.

• Auction chairs Lynsie DeCet and Noel Nolet took parents Back to High School for this year’s biennial Auction benefiting the Parents’ Club and the Grants for Greatness Program. Parents from all grade levels came together for dinner, dancing, and plenty of bidding on live and silent auction items and teacher experiences, all in support of TVS. See photos on page 53!

• Each day of Teacher Appreciation Week (April 29-May 3) was coordinated by the Parents’ Club Board. Teachers received breakfast, snacks, letters, and more throughout the week to remind them how much families value the time, energy, and love they pour into their students.

• Finally, on May 10, Parents’ Club volunteers Markus Kypreos ’96 and Drew Brigati ’04 will coordinate the McNutt Olympics – this year’s theme for the annual Lower School Field Day, celebrating our beloved Head of Lower School Sandy McNutt on her upcoming retirement and previewing the soon-to-come Summer Olympics in Paris.

Top: Design Inspirations Luncheon.

Middle: Table decorated by Emily Nichols and Brittany Rico. Bottom: New risers purchased by Grants for Greatness.

In keeping with the mission and philosophy of Trinity Valley School, our Auxiliary Programs exist to develop our students’ wide constructive interests by expanding and enriching their academic, creative, and athletic horizons. TVS Auxiliary Programs aim to develop upstanding and empathetic leaders by building authentic partnerships with the Fort Worth community, creating meaningful opportunities for TVS faculty and students to learn and serve, and co-constructing solutions to needs in the community.

ANNUAL FUND GIFTS ENSURE TVS FACULTY NEVER STOP LEARNING

LISA GRIDER, DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT & STRATEGIC INITIATIVES

Passionately curious is a description that aptly fits most educators, including members of the Trinity Valley School faculty. Whether sharing books and articles on the latest trends in education or chatting with colleagues over lunch or a quick cup of coffee, many TVS faculty and staff members proudly refer to themselves as “lifelong learners.”

TVS is not only proud of that growth mindset among faculty and staff, but actively encourages continuous learning by funding an array of professional development opportunities for educators at all stages of their careers. Financial donations to the TVS Annual Fund contribute approximately $1 million to TVS’ operating budget, which in turn provides the necessary funding for teachers, coaches, and administrators to continue to enhance their skills and hone their educational craft.

“Our educators actively pursue fine scholarship – long after they have finished their college degrees. They nurture their own wide, constructive interests. They earnestly challenge themselves to maintain intelligent citizenship and they eagerly rise to the challenge of living up to their personal and professional values. As educators, we know the importance of walking the walk if we want our students to do the same.”

Assistant Head of School Jeff Snyder, who leads TVS’ program of faculty and staff professional development, sees this continuous adult learning as a driver of educational excellence that the School provides its students. “Our faculty, staff, and administrators model – almost daily –the words in the TVS mission,” Mr. Snyder said. “Our educators actively pursue fine scholarship – long after they have finished their college degrees. They nurture their own wide, constructive interests. They earnestly challenge themselves to maintain intelligent citizenship and they eagerly rise to the challenge of living up to their personal and professional values. As educators, we know the importance of walking the walk if we want our students to do the same.”

According to Mr. Snyder, the TVS budget supports faculty/staff continuing education in myriad ways. The

three largest segments of the Professional Development budget are:

Conferences & Seminars

During the 2023-24 academic year, 70 TVS faculty and staff attended more than 45 conferences, seminars, and consortiums across the United States and abroad. Earlier this year TVS’ Middle and Upper School math faculty attended a conference hosted by the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) in Seattle, Washington. The group included Jennifer Webb, Heather Garcia, Kathy Heller, and Matthew Waldman from the Middle School and Marzie Price and Lynda Wood from the Upper School. The TVS team that attended the conference worked together to create greater alignment of the TVS math curriculum across grades and divisions and to develop shared objectives and measurable outcomes for our students.

Last summer, a number of Lower School faculty members traveled to Santa Barbara, California to a conference hosted by Learning & the Brain® . The conference’s topic was “Executive Skills in the Classroom: Applying Strategies to Help Students Improve Executive Functions.'' According to Assistant Head of Lower School Donna Weth who was one of the TVS attendees, executive skills for lower-school students (at TVS and elsewhere) include time management, organization, study skills, focus and more. “These

those skills in children as part of the daily classroom routine. “The program was fantastic and inspired us to be very intentional in how we teach our students to organize their desks, take notes, and move between different tasks and assignments. By doing this, we know that our students heading into Middle School are prepared to succeed.” In addition to Mrs. Weth, other TVS faculty members attending the conference were Jannet Campos, Chinua Melton (fourth grade) and Jude Sloter (third).

Looking ahead to summer 2024, Middle School mathematics faculty Mark Cox will be honing his teaching craft in the Netherlands as part of TVS’ Global Education program. Mr. Cox will be visiting several locations throughout the country, observing and guiding middle-school math teachers and student-teachers who are pursuing education degrees from Inholland University. For the past three years, TVS has hosted a group of student teachers from Inholland University’s campuses throughout the Netherlands.

Pursuit of Advancement Degrees

“During COVID, professional development opportunities were almost nonexistent, so our educators are hungry for opportunities to listen, to learn, and to become even better teachers and coaches.”

are skills that do not come ‘naturally,’” Mrs. Weth said. “We have to be intentional about teaching these skills and helping children to exercise those skills in order to be successful not just in Lower School, but for the rest of their educational journey.” The featured speaker at the conference was highly regarded pediatric neuropsychologist George McCloskey, Ph.D., who offered the TVS team practical strategies for developing

Beyond conferences and seminars, some TVS educators take their continuous learning to a more formal level by pursuing master’s and doctoral-level degrees. Those who join the TVS faculty or staff with a bachelor’s degree are encouraged to pursue advanced degrees or additional credentials, and most of those who do so receive financial support from TVS for a portion of their tuition costs. According to Mr. Snyder, this year there are five faculty members receiving tuition assistance for the pursuit of advanced degrees. “Entering a master’s or Ph.D. program when you have a full-time job, and in some cases, a family, is never easy,” Mr. Snyder says. “These programs also come with significant financial costs. Providing funds for our faculty to continue their education is an investment – both in them and in the future of the School.”

Lower School music and choir teacher Pauline Medlin is one of the TVS educators currently receiving support for additional education. Mrs. Medlin is working toward a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies at the Cook School of Leadership at Dallas Baptist University. As part of her work, she is in the midst of conducting research

on the topic of servant leaders and followers. Mrs. Medlin credits TVS as being integral to her continuing education, both financially and academically. She says, “Because of this remarkable opportunity TVS has supported, I am a better educator and innovator both in and out of the classroom.”

On-campus Faculty Collaboration

Each year, TVS faculty and staff devote four working days to on-campus professional development and continuing education. These “PD days” may include outside speakers, small-group work by academic discipline (math, social sciences/humanities, etc.), and larger-group work specifically for each division (Upper, Middle, Lower).

Highlights this year included a full faculty/staff session featuring educational technology expert Luyen Chou who shared practical applications for Artificial Intelligence tools for all grade levels. Mr. Chou was able to dedicate time to the faculty and staff while he was on campus for the TVS Parents’ Speaker Series, as his speaking fee and travel costs were shared between the School’s professional development budget and the Parents’ Club budget.

During the February professional development sessions, faculty focused on curriculum mapping across divisions. This ongoing project ensures that our students, at all grade levels, are building skills each year that are essential to success in college and beyond.

Another way the School’s operating budget – and the Annual Fund – help support TVS educators is the awarding of summer mini-grants. One example of these

grants is funding for Upper School history teachers Hillary Relyea and Bill Cohoon to work throughout last summer to reframe and rewrite the entire curriculum for ninth-grade history (world history). Ms. Relyea and Mr. Cohoon’s grant proposal acknowledged that students in their respective classes were not always learning the same content, developing the same skills, or being evaluated in the same way. To address this, the two teachers dedicated time during the summer (when they were not being paid) to create a single curriculum that would better prepare all students, by the end of the ninth grade, to be prepared for a wide variety of history options in 10th grade.

Mr. Snyder points out that the success of Ms. Relyea and Mr. Cohoon’s mini-grant collaboration has inspired other faculty members to consider other sorts of collaboration with fellow teachers. “The great news is, the demand from our faculty and staff for professional development is exploding,” Mr. Snyder says. “During COVID, professional development opportunities were almost nonexistent, so our educators are hungry for opportunities to listen, to learn, and to become even better teachers and coaches. They are passionate learners – and teachers. Without the support that the TVS operating budget gets from gifts to the Annual Fund, meeting the professional development needs of our educators would be impossible!”

We need you!

TO SUPPORT THE TVS ANNUAL FUND

Your gift provides vital funding to the School’s operating budget, which supports all we do – from teachers’ salaries and classroom equipment to campus maintenance and security. Every gift matters!

Use this QR code to make your gift before June 30th! Thank you!

Pauline Medlin, Lower School music and choir teacher

BACK TO 2024 BACK TO

TVS PARE N T S ’ CLUB AUCTION

Thanks to your generous support, we were able to generate revenue of over $175,000 at the TVS Auction! We are so grateful to our sponsors, donors, volunteers, purchasers, and attendees. You went BACK TO HIGH SCHOOL with us, and helped us make a tremendous difference at TVS through Grants for Greatness. Thanks for dancing the night away with Poo Live Crew - you ROCK!

BY:

PRESENTED

Photo Credit: Canon Sawyer Photography

VALLEY

ALUMNI

ALUMNI FOSTERING LIFELONG LEARNERS

TVS FOR LIFE: ALUMNI WHO WORK AT TVS

KATHRYN DAVIS ’89, DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS

WE POLLED OUR FACULTY/STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE ALUMNI OF TVS AND ASKED A FEW QUESTIONS. FOLLOWING ARE SOME OF THEIR REPLIES. ENJOY SEEING THE THEMES WITHIN SOME OF THEIR ANSWERS AS WELL AS SOME VERY UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES ON WORKING AT THEIR ALMA MATER!

KILEY BRANNON ’00

REGAN McDONALD GILSTRAP ’01

MICHAEL CARLSON ’03

ELLEN JACOBS ’14

KATHRYN DAVIS ’89 KYLE KENNEDY ’89

“WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ASPECT OF WORKING AT TVS?”

IT'S FAMILY. Always has been. As a student you are provided with the "TVS magic” but coming back to work and being on the other side of things is a whole different kind of magic. Being the one who helps provide the TVS love and family aspect to others is incredibly gratifying in so many ways.

CLAIRE LAWHON PEARCE ’01

Having a sense of COMMUNITY.

ASHLEY RIEMITIS ’ 16

Probably working with my dad [Don Carlson]. Even though we're in different departments, it is great that I get to see him every day. Getting to do the same with my mom [Anna Carlson] for my first year here was great, too.

MICHAEL CARLSON ’03

THE TVS FAMILY/ COMMUNITY. There is no other family like it! I also love that I get to truly do what is best for kids, whatever their needs are, I am able to meet them in the classroom.

ALEX PERRYMAN ’06

THE PEOPLE. My colleagues, the families I work with and our great kids make every day special and a joy to come to work. I also love working where my daughter goes to school!

REGAN McDONALD GILSTRAP ’01

Working with highly motivated students in an atmosphere where teachers and their peers recognize the importance of their academic focus and the amount of time and effort that it takes to be a high-performing student.

TAYLOR STRONG ’00

My favorite part of working at TVS is that I get the opportunity to learn how to weave current gradelevel curriculum into our TOE trips. I have really enjoyed planning the TOE trips in conjunction with current learning objectives and figuring out ways to implement them into adventure education programming.

ELLEN JACOBS ’ 14

My favorite aspect of working at TVS has been that I have gotten to come to school with my children for all of their school days. I got to watch them start Kindergarten, then cross the stage at graduation.

AMY COTTRELL ROSS ’ 97

“WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST UNUSUAL THING ABOUT WORKING AT TVS?”

CALLING MY TEACHERS/ COACHES BY THEIR FIRST NAME. I still slip up and call Kelly Mrs. Dintino. And I am always still calling Johnny Miller and Kyle Kennedy, "Coach."

ALEX PERRYMAN ’06

Walking into the division offices! It still feels like I am breaking the rules.

REGAN McDONALD GILSTRAP ’01

The funniest thing about working at TVS as an alum is all the flashbacks I get from walking down the Upper School halls. I will randomly get supervivid memories of flash raves, or the time when the class of 2012 brought a couch into the halls. It like walking down memory lane every day.

ELLEN JACOBS ’ 14

Seeing my senior composite photo and all of my family’s photos outside my classroom every day.

TAYLOR STRONG ’00

CALLING MR. SCOTT "JAMES" AND MRS. PRESTON "ROBIN" was definitely weird, and 19 years later I still have a hard time with it. Another weird thing would be now being in a disciplinarian role and not just running amuck like I used to do - ha!

CLAIRE LAWHON PEARCE ’01

Teaching the kids of my friends as well as the kids of people that knew me as a child when my parents were teaching them.

MICHAEL CARLSON ’03

I have worked in every division of the school in some manner. I have taught Spanish to PK, K, 1, 2, 4 in the LS, 7thgrade Spanish in MS, sponsored Cheerleading and Student Council in US, and worked part-time in Athletics while in college.

AMY COTTRELL ROSS ’ 97

CLAIRE LAWHON PEARCE ’01

ALEX PERRYMAN ’06

“WHAT HAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED YOU THE MOST ABOUT WORKING AT TVS?"

Usually when you are on the other side of things and get to see what happens behind the scenes, it ruins what it felt like as a student. Not TVS, not here. It's just as much fun working here as it was going here.

CLAIRE LAWHON PEARCE ’01

I came to TVS in 5th grade so I have really enjoyed working with the Lower School and planning TOE programming with them because it is all new to me!

ELLEN JACOBS ’ 14

How many employees are alumni or connected to alumni. It is so fun seeing old friends all over campus every day.

TAYLOR STRONG ’00

I was worried that the TVS I knew as a student was not the "real" TVS behind the scenes. But I feel the same connection as an employee as I did as a student.

REGAN McDONALD GILSTRAP ’01

Not really surprising, but I really enjoy getting to work with everyone in the Athletics department here. I played for Johnny and David, had Val as a teacher, grew up with Claire, and knew Kyle from my time here. I love working with them, as well as everyone else in the department. It's been a great time for me and my family.

MICHAEL CARLSON ’03

It was easy to be friends with my former teachers. I thought they were great teachers then, and now I get to be friends with them as an adult.

AMY COTTRELL ROSS ’ 97

AMY COTTRELL ROSS ’97

ASHLEY RIEMITIS ’16

PAUL PRICE ’88

“WHAT IS SOMETHING NEW AT TVS SINCE YOU WERE A STUDENT?"

FOUNDERS DAY! I love that the entire School comes together just to celebrate TVS!

REGAN McDONALD GILSTRAP ’01

I like the increased focus on service to the community. The fall day of service, spring day of service, and MLK service project help anchor the School to our larger community. Students get to see and experience some parts of the Fort Worth community that they otherwise would not, and the community gets to see what our students are capable of when they work together for a larger goal.

TAYLOR STRONG ’00

I love the common spaces! I also love the hammock stand that students can use during their free periods.

ELLEN JACOBS ’ 14

I like the FOUNDERS DAY celebrations. I particularly enjoy seeing the retired faculty.

AMY COTTRELL ROSS ’ 97

FOUNDERS DAY is a good one. It's fun to have a day set aside to really think about Mr. Seleny and all that he sacrificed to bring us all together in that moment of celebration as an entire school.

CLAIRE LAWHON PEARCE ’01

I love the TOE Pavilion! What a cool thing to have on campus for our students!

MICHAEL CARLSON ’03

I love the buddies that our students get when they begin in Kindergarten! It is so cool to watch them grow and celebrate with the older students.

ALEX PERRYMAN ’06

TAYLOR STRONG ’00

RACHEL BUCHANAN THOMPSON ’00

TVS is still a family first, that truly looks out and cares for one another. People offer to help one another, both within the TEACHING COMMUNITY AND THE PARENT COMMUNITY. People look to go above and beyond to offer help when needed.

ALEX PERRYMAN ’06

How great it is to hang out in all the outdoor spaces around campus with your classmates and friends on nice spring days!

ELLEN JACOBS ’ 14

Some of the best educators I had are still here for my own children to experience: Mr. Scott and Dr. Carlson were my teachers, but Mme. Dodson, Coach Underwood and Mrs. Preston were all here then, too. I didn't have them as teachers, but my kids did.

AMY COTTRELL ROSS ’ 97

“IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD?”

THE COMMUNITY support!

MICHAEL CARLSON ’03

SENSE OF COMMUNITY and family.

ASHLEY RIEMITIS ’ 16

Gump Day!

CLAIRE LAWHON PEARCE ’01

Mrs. Preston. Now she is teaching my kids. Someday, I expect she will be teaching 5th-grade science to my grandkids.

TAYLOR STRONG ’00

“WHAT IS AN ASPECT OF TVS THAT HAS REMAINED SINCE YOU WERE AT TVS?”

I am so fortunate to teach at TVS and spend my career giving back to the school that gave me so much in such a short amount of time! There is nowhere like TVS and I love calling it home!

ALEX PERRYMAN ’06

The 2001 composite picture is the most prominently placed in the Upper School (for good reason and NOT due to mere chronological order). With my graduation year on my nametag, prospective families love to point the composite out as we walk by. So I see all of my 2001 classmates on a daily basis - and we haven’t changed a bit!

REGAN McDONALD GILSTRAP ’01

Coming back to TVS has been a very happy time for me. I love the fact that I get to give back to a place that gave me so much growing up.

MICHAEL CARLSON ’03

INSPIRING THE FUTURE:

2024 TVS ALUMNI AWARD HONOREES

KATHRYN DAVIS ’89, DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI

RELATIONS

On Saturday, April 20, the TVS Alumni Association hosted its annual Alumni Celebration and Awards Ceremony. The ballroom at River Crest Country Club was filled with Trinity Valley family and friends to admire and applaud the passions, accomplishments, and personal impacts of alumni, alumni parents, and a beloved teacher. The TVS enthusiasm was electric and palpable as alumni spent an evening with classmates and teachers who helped define their TVS journey, alumni parents reconnected, and friends from the TVS community participated in this very special night to remember. Read below about the 2024 honorees:

TVS RISING STAR AWARD

Given to one or more alumni who, in the first 15 years after graduation from TVS, is distinguishing him/ herself through professional, personal, volunteer, or service endeavors.

ELLEN JACOBS ’14

Ellen Jacobs began her TVS educational adventure in 2006 when she joined as a fifth grader. Little did she know that her first weeks at TVS would lead to a transformative experience—a class-wide camping trip that ignited her passion for the great outdoors. Those initial days spent on TOE trips would become an annual highlight, shaping her path for the next eight years.

Beyond the campfire and hiking trails, Ellen thrived in sports. Field hockey, basketball, and track—she embraced them all, weaving physical activity into her academic journey.

Duke University beckoned, and Ellen answered the call. There, she delved into Public Policy, focusing on environmental issues and historical context. Her summers took unexpected turns, like the time she ventured to Maine for one last hurrah before adulthood. Spoiler alert: It wasn’t her last hurrah.

Ellen’s professional journey unfolded in the outdoor education and experiential learning realm. She started by leading week-long backpacking programs for schools, eventually overseeing two different 70-day camping semesters for college students. From fall 2020 to spring 2021, Ellen spent more than 310 days camping with students.

Many of these days were spent as a guide at Kroka Expeditions where between spending time in the front and backcountry with her students, she lived off the grid in a small town in New Hampshire. All of the meals she cooked with her students were made over fire, and she saw first hand how empowering young people to take risks is incredibly important in education.

Her favorite memories? Paddling 220 miles of Lake Champlain in a voyageur canoes alongside middle- and high-school students; a two-week bike-packing expedition where farms served as pit stops for sustenance; and a nine-day paddling adventure in Blue Hill Bay, Maine, where lobster bartering became an unexpected skill.

However, Ellen’s passion transcends the physical. She is on a mission to nurture resilient, empathetic, and kind students. As the Assistant Director of Experiential Education at TVS, she champions innovative ideas. Ellen’s excitement for growth and learning knows no bounds, and she eagerly anticipates the opportunities that lie ahead.

In Ellen’s world, education isn’t confined to textbooks—it’s about forging connections, embracing challenges, and savoring the wild beauty of life’s expeditions.

THE JUDITH SULLIVAN KINSER ’76 TVS DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS / ALUMNA AWARD

Given to one or more alumni embodying the TVS mission and recognized for their professional, personal and community contributions beyond TVS.

DANNY SCARTH '79, IN MEMORIAM

Danny Scarth grew up in east Fort Worth. He entered Trinity Valley School as a fifth grader in 1971 and graduated as a beloved member of the Class of 1979. While at TVS, he played football, basketball, baseball, and tennis, in addition to running track. He also served on the Student Council. He attended Trinity University in San Antonio, where he injured his neck playing football as a freshman. This injury left him paralyzed from the neck down, but Danny did not let this setback slow him down or stifle his ambition. After a lengthy rehabilitation, Danny transferred to Texas Christian University, where he received his bachelor’s degree in 1983. He married his wife Lucretia later that year. Their family includes two sons and two grandsons.

Danny was a Principal at Riverwood Management, a consulting firm focused on civic engagement and real estate development. He was formerly the Executive Director of Hope Media, a video production and media services organization.

In May 2006, Danny was elected to the Fort Worth City Council representing District 4, where he served until June 2015. He served on various boards and committees during his tenure on the City Council. Danny was honored when the city of Fort Worth named a civic award after him. The Danny Scarth Trailblazer Award recognizes a person who has raised awareness of living a life of value with a disability and has made impactful changes in the Fort Worth community that improve the life of and opportunities for persons with disabilities.

Prior to joining the City Council, Danny served on the City of Fort Worth Facilities Master Plan Committee and the City of Fort Worth Gas Drilling Task Force. Danny was a long-time board member of Turning Point, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing outdoor adventures for the physically challenged, and a member of the Expanco Board, an employment and training organization serving persons with disabilities.

Danny passed away on Thanksgiving Day 2021 at the age of 60.

THE JUDITH SULLIVAN KINSER ’76 TVS DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS / ALUMNA AWARD

Given to one or more alumni embodying the TVS mission and recognized for their professional, personal and community contributions beyond TVS.

KATHERINE HARRINGTON, M.D. '99

Katherine Harrington grew up in Fort Worth and joined Trinity Valley School in fifth grade. In high school, she participated in Varsity cross country, soccer, and track. She won MISC in Cross Country, 800m, and 1600m in 1998 and 1999. Her soccer team was the SPC champions in 1998 and 1999. She won the TVS Athlete of the Year and the Jack Remualdo award in 1999. Her club soccer team, Texas Image, was the Miami Orange Bowl champion in 1998 and the US National runner-up in 2000. She was one of the seven finalists for the Davey O’Brien award for the top scholar-athlete in Texas in 1999. She was recruited and went on to play soccer at Stanford, where she won the Pac-10 championship in 1999 and 2002. She was a three-time All-Pac-10 All-Academic selection and a second team Verizon All-American All-Academic selection in 2002.

Her love of heart surgery was launched by a junior year field trip in Mrs. Paulose’s AP biology class where Katherine watched Dr. Manny Nazarian, father of fellow Class of 1999 alumna Rachel Nazarian, perform open heart surgery. She started working as a full-time surgical assistant at Harris Methodist Hospital in all surgical disciplines in the summers, which only confirmed her love of heart surgery. During this time she participated in several surgical mission trips to Guatemala with HELPS International. While an undergrad at Stanford, she joined Dr. D. Craig Miller’s laboratory. She performed open heart surgery in sheep to elucidate the mechanisms and treatments for mitral regurgitation. She was accepted into Stanford Medical School and continued her work in the lab throughout that time. Due to her extensive work already in heart surgery, Stanford petitioned for and Katherine was accepted as the first “integrated” cardiac surgical resident in the country. This program is six years of cardiac surgery training directly from medical school as opposed to the traditional pathway of five years of general surgery and then a two- to three-year cardiothoracic fellowship. This has grown around the country since that time, and now approximately 50% of training programs offer integrated spots. While in medical school and residency she continued to play semi-pro soccer with several teams and also joined The Olympic Club soccer team. With them she won the Amateur US National Championships in 2014 and won Bronze in the Master’s World Championships in New Zealand in 2017.

After graduation from residency, she was thrilled be able to return to the Metroplex and joined Baylor Scott and White, The Heart Hospital Plano, one of the largest heart surgery programs in the country. This year they were one of only two programs in the country which received the top 3-start rating in all five cardiac surgery categories by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. She specializes in the treatment of thoracic aortic disease (aneurysms and dissections) and aortic valve disease. She has a special interest in bicuspid aortic valve disease and aortic valve repair. She is on the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Aortic Task Force and has authored several national guidelines for surgical treatment. She is one of the few surgeons in the country who perform the Ross Procedure and is a sought-out proctor and speaker for this.

She also has extensive training and experience in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). She is the Medical Director of the TAVR service at The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano. She is a nationally renowned speaker in TAVR and is on the Advisory Board for several of the TAVR companies. She is actively involved in clinical trials for surgical valves, transcatheter valves, and thoracic endovascular stenting. She publishes extensively on these topics.

In 2012 she married Spencer Dornin, a native Californian, whom she was able to convince to move to Texas. He was on the USA National Water Polo Team and played professionally for nine years. He now runs and manages his own water polo and swimming club, Pegasus Aquatics. He is also a coach at St. Mark’s School of Texas. She has two children, Livingston, 8 years old, and Harrison, 6 years old, who are currently enrolled at Lamplighter School in Dallas, and Katherine hopes they eventually will enroll in an SPC school.

THE TVS ALUMNI SERVICE AWARD

Given to one or more alumni for outstanding service to TVS and to the Trojan Alumni community.

GRANT UNDERWOOD '14

As a 13-year student, Grant Underwood fully understands what it means to be a Trinity Valley Trojan. During his time at Trinity Valley, he spent countless hours supporting athletics both on and off the field. His junior year, he was awarded the Jan Butner Memorial Award. This award is given annually to the junior student who best displays the qualities of enthusiasm, dedication, and class in the support of athletics. In addition to supporting athletics, Grant was a student leader on many TOE trips.

After his time at TVS, Grant continued on to Tarleton State followed by the University of Mississippi. He began his career in commercial real estate in 2016 when he joined Wingert Real Estate. Shortly after, he transitioned to Emerson’s Commercial Real Estate where he became a partner in the company. In 2023, Grant was presented an exciting opportunity and joined a local commercial real estate firm, Ellis & Tinsley Inc. Grant was named a top commercial real estate agent in 2023 by Fort Worth Inc.

In addition to his career, Grant is a valued member of the Trinity Valley Alumni Association Board where he attends regular meetings and is the Annual Fund Alumni Committee chair. He is always looking for ways to improve the School and spends countless hours serving at different events. Additionally, Grant is a member of Christ Chapel Bible Church where he volunteers his hours serving people in the community.

In 2021, Grant married his high school sweetheart, Megan Gallagher Underwood. They welcomed future Trojan twins, William and Avery Kate, in January 2024.

TVS ATHLETICS CIRCLE OF HONOR

A collaborative effort of Trinity Valley’s Alumni Association and the Department of Athletics, the Circle of Honor recognizes one or more former student-athletes, TVS coaches, or TVS teams whose accomplishments and impact exemplify Trojan Athletic excellence.

GRETA CARTER KWEDAR '04 / SOCCER

Greta Kwedar has been passionate about sports since she could walk. Her athletic career at TVS included multiple SPC championships in field hockey and as a member of the track and field 4x800 SPC championship relay team coached by fellow honoree Kyle Kennedy ’89. But soccer is the centerpiece of her athletic career. She closed out her time at TVS as a 2003 SPC champion in soccer, while outside of school her club team the Dallas Texans finished as a finalist in the National Championships and played for the ODP State of Texas team.

Greta began her college soccer career at SMU, where she was a two-time WAC champion. She then transferred to The University of Texas where she won back-to-back Big 12 titles, during one of which she scored the game-winning penalty kick. In her final season, she had the great honor of serving as team captain while graduating with a degree in early childhood education.

She has been working for the last 12 years at a charter school called Austin Achieve. She has worked at every level of the school, from math teacher to assistant principal to principal, and currently serves as a college seminar teacher in the High School. All 12 years, she has led the school’s boys’ soccer program, often traveling deep into playoffs. This past year was their best result, making it to the Sweet 16 in the UIL 4A State Tournament.

Greta is married to Greg Kwedar ’03 and they live together in Austin with their 16-year-old son Michael, oneyear-old daughter Anne, and dog Luna.

KYLE KENNEDY '89 / VOLLEYBALL

Kyle Kennedy had no idea when he entered TVS as a first grader that he was at the precipice of a journey that would span far beyond the 12 years leading to graduation. While attending TVS, he was a standout student, served as freshman and senior class president, and enjoyed an impressive athletic career on every court or track he encountered.

He is very proud to have been a successful three-sport athlete at Trinity Valley. By the time he graduated, he had seven straight first team All-SPC honors: three in track & field, two in volleyball, and two in basketball. His senior year, he served as captain of all three sports. He still holds the School record in the 300 hurdles (1989) and was part of the 4x400 record-holding relay team from 1987 with Mark Roy, Luis Andrade, and Chris Pencis, all members of the Class of 1987.

Kyle attended The University of Richmond. While there, he maintained his athletic interests and was AllConference in the CAA (Colonial Athletic Association) in the 400 hurdles his junior and senior seasons, during both of which he was the captain of the University of Richmond track team.

In 1993, he received a BS in business administration (accounting). Following graduation, he returned to Fort Worth and began volunteering as a coach at TVS. Eventually, he realized that coaching was a true passion, and he has served for 27 years as head boys’ volleyball coach and 24 as head track and field coach. He has especially fond memories of “The Wolfpack,” a TVS team that set the SPC record in the 4x800 in 2015 (it still stands!) and made Coach Kennedy understandably proud. David Dintino ’16, Elliot Blake ’15, Ethan Phelps ’17, and Johan Cheah ’15 demonstrated their prowess in what Kyle called “a remarkable performance and a deserving finish to an outstanding season.”

The TVS men's volleyball teams have seen enormous success through the years. Under Kyle's leadership, TVS claimed the SPC championship in 2006, 2007, 2019, and 2022 - an impressive and well-deserved feat.

Kyle loves sports too much to limit his athletic involvement to coaching! After college, he played and continues to play competitive beach volleyball. In 2014 at the age of 43, he qualified and played in his first two professional beach volleyball tournaments with the National Volleyball League.

He remains ardently enthusiastic about his profession and is still awed by what he observes daily. “The TVS student athletes not only inspire me to continue to compete at a high level, but they amaze me with how talented they are, day after day, year after year,” he says.

TVS HONORARY ALUMNUS / ALUMNA

Given to a member or members of the Trinity Valley School community in recognition of faithful and distinguished leadership, service, and generosity to TVS and the Alumni Association.

ANGELA AND DR. DAVID DONAHUE

In the late summer of 1978, Angela and Dave first met at a patient's bedside in Chicago's Children's Memorial Hospital. After they married the next year, Dave’s neurosurgery practice journey took them to Memphis, TN and Washington, DC. In 1996, Dr. Jack McCallum, eager to secure help at Cook Children's Medical Center, invited David to join his practice. A thorough school search resulted in Ben entering 8th grade at TVS and Kevin matriculating as a 7th grader at Fort Worth Country Day School. Wyatt occupied his "preschool" years at Reading Friends. Angela spent several years ferrying children to three different schools! By the time Wyatt was ready for kindergarten and primary school, his parents knew that Trinity Valley would be a good fit. Indeed, Wyatt proved to be a "13- year TVS student."

The Donahues credit Jane and Mark Schoomaker and sons Matt and Peter, their TVS “link family,” for successfully integrating them into the TVS community. The two families remain close.

Ben enjoyed soccer, track, and cross country, serving as co-captain his senior year. The "Our Children Our City" organization honored Ben with the Youth Volunteer Award in appreciation for his TVS community service hours at the Ronald McDonald House. Wyatt too enjoyed his sports, including football and soccer, earning the 2011 "Comeback Player of the Year" and the 2012 "Trojan Heart" awards, respectively. Wyatt was also a National Merit Commended Scholar. Both of their TVS students loved the TOE program, relishing both domestic and international trips. That unique TVS “family” support touched even Kevin, their non-TVS student, when Mr. Dennis Fleming called Kevin himself to offer congratulations for scoring a touchdown for Country Day.

Angela's career in nursing sick children gave way to the demands of running and caring for family, but her commitment to public service never wavered. A catalog of honors testifies to the ways she found to serve: Cook Children's Woman’s Board Volunteer of the Year; Tanner Company's Legacy Award for Volunteerism; Boy Scouts of America Pack 21 Volunteer of the Year; Ronald McDonald House of Fort Worth's "Crystal Heart;" Tarrant County Alliance “Rising” and “Shining” Star Awards; and Cook Children’s Golden Heart Award. Angela's duties have included: President of the Texas Medical Association Alliance; President of the Tarrant County Medical Society Alliance; President of the Cook Children's Medical Center Woman's Board; President of Jewel Charity Ball; President of the Ronald McDonald House Board; and President of CASA of Tarrant County. She serves on the boards of the Fort Worth Lecture Foundation, Rutledge Cancer Foundation, Jewel Charity, Tarrant County Medical Society Alliance, and the Texas Medical Association Foundation. After Wyatt's graduation, Brett and Caryl Cochrum's invitation to work with them in their Family Practice Clinic finally drew Angela back into clinical nursing.

David's public service began with enlisting as a Naval Reserve Surgeon in the PRIMUS program. He served as a staff neurosurgeon at the National Naval Medical Center on many occasions, including in Bethesda during Desert Storm. For 10 years thereafter, as a Physician Reservist, he served at duty stations both at home and abroad teaching and providing clinical aid. His service in Fort Worth primarily involved work as a pediatric neurosurgeon at Cook Children's Medical Center until his retirement in 2021. In 2013, colleagues at Cook awarded him the "Gold-Headed Cane Distinguished Consultant" award. His work with thousands of sick children allowed him to share valuable experience via scientific papers and book chapters. He received The Texas Epilepsy Foundation of Texas "Outstanding Service Award." Other privileges have included serving as President of the Tarrant County Medical Society, who eventually bestowed their "Doctors' Doctor" award, the "Gold-Headed Cane," to him in 2023; he was also the recipient of the Cook Children's Physician Network's "Above and Beyond" award, the Texas Surgical Society's "Jack E. Thompson Award for best scientific paper by a new member," and recognition as a Physician Mentor by UNTHSC. He holds adjunct faculty appointments at UNT and TCU medical schools and serves on several Cook Children's Medical Center System committees. He maintains emeritus status in several neurosurgical specialty societies.

Throughout all these years, Angela and David have maintained ties with TVS, its faculty, and its students: Angela fulfilling the countless tasks of room mother, football-concession and soccer mom, Booster Club Board member, Annual Campaign, and Parents' Club Board member. She served as a Senior Room parent at both TVS and FWCD! David has accompanied countless domestic and international TOE trips (both with and without his sons!) over the years as the "trip physician." David's most recent TOE adventure involved accompanying the 8th-grade Washington DC trip in 2022.

Angela and David's greatest honor is being "Lala and Poppy" to their five grandsons. The Donahues are most proud of the Wyatt Donahue Memorial Trail gracing the TVS campus perimeter which allows the community to savor the outdoors, enjoy the satisfaction of physical exertion, and embrace fully the joy of life.

THE STEPHEN SELENY AWARD FOR TVS DISTINGUISHED FACULTY

Given to one or more members of the TVS faculty or staff in recognition of their contributions to sustaining the mission and educational philosophy of Trinity Valley School.

ROBIN PRESTON

Born in a small town in southern West Virginia, Robin Preston never dreamed that one day she would be an invaluable mainstay at a school in Fort Worth, TX. Robin attended West Virginia University, married, and transferred to Indiana State University in Evansville. One day, a wise science professor encouraged her to add a science minor to her degree, a move that directed the path her life would take.

Graduating cum laude in December 1980, Robin moved with her husband to Fort Worth to start their careers. While driving around looking at lots on which to build their future home, Robin kept passing a small school on McCart. She decided to apply to teach at Trinity Valley School, and the rest is history! Gerry Kramer hired Robin in 1981 to head up a newly envisioned science laboratory for grades 1-4. The funds for that plan never materialized, but Gerry Kramer and Stephen Seleny recognized this young teacher to be just who was needed to teach science and math in 5th grade in conjunction with Mary Nell O’Connell, who taught English and history. There Robin has remained, building a science curriculum that impacts every other grade level and instilling herself as a TVS lynchpin and legend. Along the way, Robin taught not only her 5th-grade classes but also 7th-grade Texas history. Her students had to inform this West Virginian that El Paso is not in the northern Panhandle and that, yes, Texans “remember the Alamo” even though they lost the battle!

Throughout her illustrious career, Robin has been fully invested in TVS. Her son Kent was a 13-year student, graduating in 2008. Serving in roles such as Junior Historian Sponsor for 7th grade, cheerleading sponsor for both Upper and Middle School for many years, and 8th-grade DC trip sponsor alongside Jean Daiker, Robin has jumped in feet first to contribute to TVS life. She continues to be a beloved teacher whose understanding of TVS and its students. Her present duties as 5th-grade science teacher and grade-level coordinator allow her to hold her students spellbound as she tells them she loves to “blow things up” and that they need to worry if she lowers her voice!

Robin was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 35. She became actively involved as the TVS race captain for Race for the Cure, and her team received first place recognition for several years for having the largest number of participants in the school team category. Her largest team rallied at 585 members! The Susan G. Komen Foundation awarded her the Robin Preston Grant for her endeavors on behalf of its causes. "The grant is really an honor for the Trinity Valley Community," says Preston. "While I may have been the catalyst for action, it took the willingness of the TVS family to support and participate in the RACE that has resulted in the establishment of this grant." For more than 30 Octobers, Robin’s 5th-grade students have tied pink ribbons on the fence surrounding first the McCart and then the Dutch Branch campuses to honor Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Awards are strewn throughout Robin’s TVS career. She received the Kay Newton Distinguished Faculty Award and the Gary Krahn Educator Award for Leadership and Creativity. Robin was featured in Fort Worth magazine as a Top Teacher in Fort Worth, and TVS students dedicated the 2014 yearbook to her.

In her 43rd year as an invaluable member of the TVS faculty, Robin Preston brings the same energy, enthusiasm, love of science, and joie de vivre to her beloved students as she did in 1981. She exemplifies the School’s motto, “per aspera ad astra,” and sets the bar high for both her peers and her students.

ALUMNI CLASS REPS

1967 Class Rep Needed

1968 Barney Holland bholland@holland1928.com

1969 Class Rep Needed

1970 Chris Stadler jcstad2@gmail.com

1971 David Miley David@TheMileys.net

1972 Class Rep Needed

1973 Deborah Horan dlhoran@mac.com

1974 John Neyland john.neyland@yahoo.com

1975 Francie Richardson Allen frallen@aledotravel.com

1976 Martha Harper martharents@sbcglobal.net

1977 Class Rep Needed

1978 Carol Stucker Carr Carol.Carr@northhighland.com

1979 Mike Atkinson mike@mmallc.net

1980 Christine Stucker Klote ............................ christine@s-steel.com

1981 Walter Stucker walterstucker@yahoo.com

1982 Class Rep Needed

1983 Sandra Standefer skshome@aol.com

1984 Class Rep Needed

1985 Janet Kelly chafterall@gmail.com

1986 Michael Appleman mgappleman@utexas.edu

1987 Mark Jones markjonesmd@gmail.com

1988 Molly Guynn Jones mollymoonjones@gmail.com

1989 Kathryn Davis kathryndavis@sbcglobal.net

1990 George Mills georgemills72@gmail.com

1991 Wallace Bubar wwbubar@gmail.com

1992 Melissa Minker Miller TXMink@aol.com

1993 Angie Elkins Ezell allezell@hotmail.com

Melissa Williams Hoskins melissahoskins@me.com

1994 Class Rep Needed

1995 Patrick Pate cppatejr@gmail.com

1996 Brandi Barrett Wubbena bbwubbena@gmail.com

1997 Nancy Park Minkler nancyminkler@gmail.com

1998 Mary Hazelwood Barkley mbarkley@canteyhanger.com

1999 Beth Harwood bethsharwood@hotmail.com Amar Tanna ATanna@barbnet.com

2000 Class Rep Needed

2001 Jennifer Bley Sweeny jennifer@blumenfeldsweeny.com

2002 Class Rep Needed

2003 Class Rep Needed

2004 Erin McDonald erin.mcdonald86@gmail.com Maggie Pine Bellinger mpbellinger@gmail.com

2005 Maddie Dickerson maddie.m.dickerson@gmail.com

2006 Margaret Baird Lynn margblynn@gmail.com

2007 Kelley Clark Morris kelley.c.morris@gmail.com

2008 Morgan Wade morganmadisonwade@gmail.com

2009 Ellen Clarke ellenmclarke@sbcglobal.net

2010 Rohail Premjee Rohail.Premjee@outlook.com

2011 Claire Allen Jones mrs.clairemjones@gmail.com

Chris Morris cjmorris2015@yahoo.com

2012 Adrienne Gamez adriennegamez4@gmail.com

2013 Austin Henyon austinhenyon12@gmail.com

2014 Madelon Allen madelonallen@gmail.com

2015 Bainbridge Allen bain.allen@icloud.com

Katie Matson katiematson1@gmail.com

2016 Cannon Brumley csbrumley@crimson.ua.edu

Kailey Dow kaileydow@yahoo.com

2017 John Shipp johnshipp2021@gmail.com

2018 Allison Byrd allie.byrd123@gmail.com

Emma Stack emmaastack@gmail.com

Luke Vasquez ........................................ vasquezluke@gmail.com

2019 Sabra Belott sabra0292@gmail.com

2020 Izzy Hoskins izzyhoskins@me.com

2021 Lauren Yonke laurenyonke@gmail.com

2022 Class Rep Needed

2023 Sophia Hernandez hernandezsk11@gmail.com

ALUMNI NOTES

If your email and home addresses are not current with TVS, please update them ASAP by emailing Kathryn Davis at davisks@tvs.org or calling 817-321-0118. Thank you for staying current with the School!

CLASS OF 1972

Roy Horan: I spent almost three weeks with my daughter Hilary in Nepal in October 2023. We spent a few days in Kathmandu. We went on a 12-day trek in Langtang National Park including climbing the 18,045foot Yala Peak. It was a trip of my lifetime, especially being able to share that much time with Hilary.

CLASS OF 1984

Stephen Hewitt: “I am still at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The pandemic saw my research expand well beyond cancer, and I am now a COVID/ long-COVID researcher as well. Our daughter, Merrill, is a junior in college at Parson’s Paris, a division of The New School. Her brother, Spencer, is in the 7th grade at The Field School in Washington, DC.” Condolences to Steve and his sister Sarah ’92 on the loss of their father, Richard, last May.

CLASS OF 1986

Torin Moore: On November 1, I became the Assistant Dean for Academic Success & Career Planning in the School of Public Health & Health Sciences at UMASS!

CLASS OF 1993

Abi Abel: Hello Trojan Family! After enjoying a wonderful career in musical theatre and a career playing polo, I am very excited to announce that I will graduate from law school and sit for the Bar this year! The most recent Moot Court Policy and Legislation Competition in D.C. went extremely well and was an amazing experience. I look forward to every moment life brings with excitement and curiosity, eager to take

on each and every challenge and discover what there is to learn. Love and gratitude to my TVS family.

CLASS OF 1994

Angela Ivory Collins: Craig and I will celebrate 27 years of marriage in May. Our twins, Lauren & Morgan, are sophomores at A&M; however, Lauren has opted to step away for a bit. She’s serving as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is assigned to Peru. Morgan also has chosen to serve as a missionary and has been assigned to Sacramento, California speaking Spanish. Her assignment begins in June. It’s exciting, but a little hard on a mom’s heart. ;) Our senior, Will, is also headed to A&M in the fall. Sophomore Andrew raised a steer with our school’s FFA program - it’s quite an experience and involves the whole family! He actually showed his steer at the Fort Worth Stock Show, so it was a bit of a full-circle moment for me. Eighth grader Caroline continues to adjust as the house gets quieter. She’s a ton of fun and enjoys some of the perks of being the youngest. I stay busy managing all of the above, teaching a teen Bible study class, and volunteering with several organizations.

CLASS OF 1997

Nancy Park Minkler submitted the following class updates: Andy Lewis recently switched law firms. He’s now at Rainey & Wortmann practicing oil and gas law and loving it. His wife Amanda is still at the North Texas Community Foundation, and their boys Will and Cole are doing great at TVS. Kristi Wilson is also in Fort Worth. She and her partner Drew bought a ranchette in Hico, Texas and have been restoring a historic rock house there that dates to the mid-1800s.

1. 1972 Roy Horan 2. 1972 Roy Horan and daughter Hilary 3. 1972 Roy Horan and daughter Hilary 4. 1993 Abi Abel in Moot Court 5. 1993 Abi Abel in Moot Court 6. 1994 Collins famiy

When it’s done, it will make for a great weekend retreat for them. Her son Hudson Hawkins (Former Trojan from the Class of 2019) was recently honorably discharged from the Army and is on his way to flight school to become a commercial pilot. He’s got some proud parents! I reached out to Rush Vann recently when a friend of mine in Austin signed up for PreFix, a home repair subscription company that he helped found. He and his wife Rachel are enjoying watching their daughter Avery toddle towards her second birthday. Courtney Pestarino Orrock, her husband Chad, and their daughter Collins continue to live up in the Pacific NW. Courtney is currently serving as the President of both the Board of Trustees for the Anacortes Public Library and The Holding Space Wellness Cooperative. She is also involved with Her Competitive Advantage, an organization that connects current and former collegiate female athletes with companies and recruiters. Chad continues to serve as the head of the Gaming Division of US Bank. Collins (4) is truly a PNW kid, playing and running outside in shorts when it's 40 degrees and raining. And running has become a family affair - Chad will be running the Boston Marathon in April, Courtney will be running Ragnar NW Passage this summer, and Collins loves trail running and participates in Sunday trail runs with Courtney and other grown-ups! Kiley Grantges is also in the Pacific NW. After 20 years as an elementary art teacher, mainly in Austin, Kiley moved to Astoria, Oregon (Goonies never say die) with her partner Ryan 1½ years ago. She is in the process of building a small art and writing side business as she explores new professional pathways, and Ryan is an acupuncturist in town at Watershed Wellness. Astoria has proven to be the smallish coastal adjacent community they each were looking for; their days are filled with enjoying its charming beauty, gorgeous hikes, and road trips. I, Nancy Park Minkler, am still in Murphys, California in the Sierra Nevada Foothills, practicing law, mostly business litigation, for a firm in San Francisco. My oldest, Eliot, is enjoying third grade. My youngest, Julian, was excited to start kindergarten this year, but very quickly started asking why weekends aren’t five days. My husband Michael has embraced his role as youth sports coach, coaching the boys’ soccer and baseball teams. His nightstand is stacked with books like The Science of Hitting by Ted Williams. Thanks to everyone who submitted an update. I hope everyone else is doing well.

CLASS OF 2007

Jeffrey Watson: I moved to Dallas to serve as Vice President of Communications for the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA Tour). In my first year with the pro tour, I partnered with the Goodyear Blimp to cover a PPA Tour event for the first time, built a court on top of the Seattle Space Needle, led the communications for the merge between the top two pro pickleball entities, and earned the sport coverage on ESPN SportsCenter, USA Today, The Washington Post, CBS Mornings, Fox and Friends and many more top-tier outlets.

CLASS OF 2012

Katie Sheets Connolly: I married Nick Connolly in January!

CLASS OF 2014

Dani Shewmake Mathisen: After suffering a tragic loss in 2021, Matt and I welcomed our rainbow baby girl on January 22, 2024. Emerson Marie (Emmy) was born in Honolulu, HI where I am doing my ObGyn residency. My co-residents did the C-section together with my favorite songs playing. There has never been more singing, dancing, happy screaming, or jumping in an operating room. Proud grandmother is Karen Grant-Roberts ’84.

Megan Gallagher Underwood and Grant Underwood: We welcomed our twins, Will and Avery Kate, on January 10th!

CLASS OF 2015

Katherine Cummings Johnson: In May 2023, I started my new job at Kimbell Royalty Partners, where I get to assist Christal Strong Miller ’08, my 7thgrade field hockey coach at TVS! I also joined in on some of Macy Clayton's awesome workout classes at Smart Barre on Camp Bowie. She is the best instructor!

CLASS OF 2016

Jason Kenny: In May, I will graduate from the University of Michigan Law School — home to the national champion Michigan Wolverines. After taking the Bar this summer, I will start as an associate at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in Dallas, Texas.

7. 1997 Minkler Family 8. 1997 Orrock Family 9. 1997 Vann Family 10. 1997 Hudson Hawkins, son of Kristi Wilson

11. 2007 Jeff Watson and World No.1 Pickleball Player Anna Leigh Waters at the Goodyear Blimp base in California

12. 2007 Jeff Watson on Fox and Friends celebrating National Pickleball Day 13. 2012 Katie Sheets marries Nick Connolly

14. 2012 Katie and Nick Connolly 15. 2014 Emerson Marie Mathisen 16. 2014 Emmy Mathisen 17. 2014 Avery Kate and Will Underwood 18. 2014 Avery Kate and Will Underwood

TRINITY VALLEY SCHOOL

7500 Dutch Branch Road Fort Worth, TX 76132-4110

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