Multum in Parvo, Spring 2023

Multum in Parvo

Dear Gunston Community:

In the famous Broadway musical “Rent,” the opening song poses the question: How do you measure the 525,600 minutes in a year?

By so many mathematical measures, the year at Gunston has been a wonderful success. We opened with 235 students—a new enrollment high. We played for four Eastern Shore Independent Athletic Conference (ESIAC) championships in the fall athletics season. Twenty-eight students were honored as AP Scholars and three as National Merit Scholars. The Chesapeake Watershed Semester saw another 12 students participate in the program’s fourth year of operation. Our Robotics team was one of the top eight teams in the Mid-Atlantic region. Meanwhile, our annual fund participation and fund growth are up, student retention is well over 90%, and nearly 100 students have shadowed to enter Gunston next year!

But perhaps the most notable change of measurement in the current year pertains to the physical size of Gunston’s campus. Led by our visionary Board of Trustees and after many years of stewardship, the school acquired approximately 40 additional adjacent waterfront acres from the Sollers-Bond family, more than doubling the size of our campus to 75 acres and securing one of the most beautiful natural independent school campus settings in the country. While it’s too early to measure how this acquisition might impact Gunston’s future, it’s a dramatic and exciting moment in the life of the school, and we’ll explore this subject in this year’s Multum.

While all of the mathematical success noted above is truly wonderful, the conclusion of the musical Rent’s opening song reminds us that we also need to measure each year in terms of how much “love” it generates. This year has seen a full return to all of the beloved traditions and rhythms of pre-pandemic Gunston. As I conclude my 13th year at Gunston, I must confess that I have loved this year like no other. People are reconnecting with each other without restrictions; our program has been uninterrupted by distance learning; and students and teachers are fully engaged in the activities they love to do: in the classroom, on the athletic field, in the arts, and across the diverse range of our extracurricular program. As always, thank you for your love and support of Gunston, and we look forward to seeing you on campus!

Warmly,

Board of Trustees 2022-2023

Patrick Shoemaker ’03, Chair

Joe Janney, P’21, Vice Chair & Treasurer

Megan Cook, P’22’24, Secretary

Mara Schmittinger, P’15, At-Large

Patricia Parkhurst ’88, P’18’21’23, At-Large

Jill Caron, P’17

Dr. Fernando De Leon, P’22

Greg Farley

Jeff Frederick, P’23’26

Isabel Hardesty

Chris McClary, P’21’23

Betsy McCown, P’11

Rick de los Reyes, P’23

Jim Shifrin, P’21

Dr. Nina WagnerJohnston, P’23’24

Board of Trustees 2021-2022

Patrick Shoemaker ’03, Chair

Joe Janney, P’21, Vice Chair

Megan Cook, P’22’24, Secretary

Mara Schmittinger, P’15, At-Large

Patricia Parkhurst ’88, P’18’21’23, At-Large

Jill Caron, P’17

Greg Farley

Rick de los Reyes, P’23

Chris McClary, P’21’23

Jill Meyerhoff, P’11’13 Dr. Nina WagnerJohnston, P’23’24

Gunston Parents’ Association 2022-2023

Irene Hansen, P ’23, President

Lori Hammond, P ’24, Vice President

Jennifer Runz, P ’24’25, Secretary

Julie Gillespie, P ’20’22’24, Sports Liaison

2023 Room Parents: Christine Amygdalos, P’20’23

Naté Pope, P’23, Krystal Algier, P’23’26

2024 Room Parents: Jennifer Runz, P’24’25, Micelle Hallmark, P’24, Lisa Callahan, P’24

2025 Room Parents: Jen Franks, P’25, Sarah Philippon, P’25, Dawn Speidel, P’25

2026 Room Parents: Joanna Pierce, P’26

Ildi Watkins, P’26, Lori Day, P’24’26

Gunston Parents’ Association 2021-2022

Irene Hansen, P’23, President

Dawn Clair, P’19’22, Vice President

Lori Hammond, P’24, Secretary

Julie Gillespie, P’20’22’24, Sports Liaison

2022 Room Parents: Tracy Campbell, P’22’23, Lisa Miller, P ’22, Stacey Sharpless, P’20’22

2023 Room Parents: Christine Amygdalos, P’20 ’23

Melody Melvin, P’23, Nate Pope, P’23

2024 Room Parents: Jen Brown, P’23’24, Micelle Hallmark, P’24

2025 Room Parents: Alyson Beasley, P’25, Rebecca Hanlon, P’22’25, Jennifer Runz, P’24’25

Editor & Creative Director: Marie K. Thomas

Contributing Writers: John Lewis, Caitlyn Creasy, Patrick Shoemaker ’03, Ronnie Vesnaver.

Contributing Photographers: Jessica Coner, Derrika Baughman, P’16’22’24’26 ’26 , Micelle Hallmark, P’24, Torrey Pocock, P’22.

contents

4 farewell

A letter from our Board Chair Patrick Shoemaker ’03, Green & White Awards, Disembarkation and Graduation.

10 welcome

Embarkation and Convocation.

14 news

Zach Mozher selected as National Merit Finalist, Gunston recognized for AP Computer Science Female Diversity, Gunston Robotics makes it to regional playoffs, athletic highlights, AIMS Accreditation and a BIG THANK YOU TO OUR PARENTS ASSOCIATION!

20 features

20 Building an Ecosystem: Prioritizing Adolescent Mental Health

More than any single thing we do at Gunston, it is the integrated totality of the academic, athletic, artistic, and social experience in a beautiful natural location that promotes adolescent mental wellness and resilience.

24 Gunston Campus Expands to 75 Acres with Land Acquisition

The acquisition of land includes a waterfront lot adjacent to Gunston’s current Corsica River shoreline and grows the campus footprint from 35 to 75 acres.

26 Chesapeake Watershed Semester by Ronnie Vesnaver

Join the new CWS team on their Fall 2022 semester journey!

32 class notes

32 Profiles:

Elli (Rewald) Merritt ’97 Publishes Novel

Stephen Harrod ’06: Success in Sound Production

Ethan Boone ’17 Wins MORS Stephen A. Tisdale Award

37 In Memory Of

38 advancement

Heron Annual Fund Highlights and a big shout out to all of our wonderful event sponsors!

chair of the board

Dear Gunston Community:

As the end of the academic year begins to come into sight, I’d like to reflect on the pace of change that has struck Gunston over the past three years. In this era of pandemic-induced resets, it’s easy to nod through news about transformational shifts that have been set into motion, both by external factors and through intentional strategic decision-making. In parallel with the many tactical adjustments made to provide the best student learning experience during the COVID-19 crisis, Gunston’s foot has been kept solidly on the strategic planning accelerator. A new campus master plan, new approaches to student mental health care, focus on the school’s long-term financial sustainability, AIMS re-accreditation, and expansion of the campus physical footprint are all major areas of change that are easily lost in the day-to-day or taken for granted.

Let’s focus on the campus footprint. More than doubling the size of Gunston’s campus is a major change, but without insight into the justification for this purchase, it’s difficult to make the news feel “real.” Naturally, one’s first question when hearing about the land purchase is: “What are you going to do with all that new space?” Indeed, prior land purchases, such as the 2015 acquisition that enabled the Heron House project, had immediate tactical benefits. This decision was different. As Gunston’s board completed the recent campus master planning process, several realities became clear. First, due to the school’s program and enrollment expansion, there was a near-term space need, mostly driven by outdoor athletics expansion. More importantly, we were reminded of some fundamental strengths that have impacted countless students over the years: our connection to the Chesapeake Bay through our waterfront campus, and our collegiate campus feel—graced with natural open spaces, Gunston’s outdoor space is untarnished by urban development.

At major inflection points throughout the school’s history, such as the structural shift from boarding school to day school, it has been difficult to anticipate how Gunston’s future would develop. However, as Gunston continues to increase its program depth and enrollment reach, the board has concluded that a campus expansion was the best way to preserve, over a period of decades or even centuries, essential elements that have impacted students and families through the school’s history. Thousands of feet of additional shoreline, sweeping new views of the Corsica river, and tens of acres of new natural space will ensure that future students will enjoy an unconstrained campus free of encroachment by residential development.

As the board enters its next phase of campus planning, I’m excited to see how this vision distills into action. Regardless of the specifics, I’m confident that the ingredients are in place for Gunston to serve its future students with the great campus resources that our students have enjoyed for over 110 years.

Thank you,

(Maggie) Miller, Danielle Simmons, Summer

Nina Friedman, Lexi Norman, Georgia Gillespie, Nora FauntLeRoy, Evelyn (Evie) Hagan, Lilly Santora, Anastasia Clair, Samantha LeCrone, Gracie Callahan, Ava Duvall.Third Row: James (Jimmy) Fraser, Joshua Campbell, Charlotte Cook, Lucy Bamford, Sofia Angarita, Sheila Groz, Cameron (Cami) Lord, Aidan Ireland, Nicholas Scribner, Matthew Sharpless. Fourth Row: Ashton Seaman, Alec Sanderson, Andrew Steele, John (Jack) Brady, Jude Smith, Leonardo (Leo) Santoboni, Sebastian Borland, Juyoung (Ju) Lee, Jian (Daniel) Dang, Adam Papadopoulos. Fifth Row: Robert Crow, Zachary (Zach) LaFleur, Colin Lang, Fletcher Parsons, Benjamin (Ben) Cunningham, Thomas Umidi, Rui (Spencer) Liu, Curtis (Andrew) Baughman, Noah Friel.

green and white awards DISEMBARKATION

“As a freshman, I was in a class with eight seniors and three juniors, without Abbey at my side. To be honest, I was intimidated. I felt incredibly out of place, and for that reason, I dreaded the class. But I also had a reason to look forward to it; I got to listen to what the seniors were saying. [...] what I learned from those conversations was that seniors weren’t these young adults with their futures all planned out, like I previously had thought. They were still kids like me, trying to figure out their lives. [...] As much as I’d like to say now that I know what the future has in store for me, I don’t. Nobody does. And that is what all of you graduating tomorrow should keep in mind. As much as it may seem that someone has it all together, you don’t know their whole story. Our mom always tells us, ‘Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.’ It’s easy to see the truth of the matter once it’s over, but you have to stay focused on what is in front of you. That is why I look forward to seeing where life takes all of you in the next four years, and congratulations once again to the class of 2022.”

– MAGGIE MILLER, VALEDICTORIAN ADDRESS

(Studying chemical engineering at the University of Pennsylvania.)

“Our hope was that coming to Gunston would allow us to grow into who we are today. That we could make friends and be part of the community, no matter what sport we played or classes we took. Gunston makes the promise that it is a welcoming environment, and they deliver. In high school, there are so many opportunities for kids to be mean, but here, kids choose to be kind.”

– ABBEY MILLER, VALEDICTORIAN ADDRESS

(Studying mechanical engineering at the University of Rochester.)

The following students were recognized with awards:

SENIORS:

Samuel A. Middleton Award (Valedictorian):

Abigail Miller & Magdalena Miller

The Gunston Award: Lucy Bamford

Leadership Award: Sofia Angarita

Diversity Leader Award: Ashley Escobar

Community Service (Marguerite Thomas

Service Award): Anastasia Clair

Moore Award for Improvement: Morgan Garner

The Faculty Award: Danielle Simmons & Isabella De Leon

Environmental Stewardship Award: Evelyn Hagan

The Anita Gruss Athletics Award: Jude Smith & Lucy Bamford

Fine Art Award: Nora FauntLeRoy

Music Award: Alec Sanderson

Theater Award: Kallena Kemp

Math Award: Abigail Miller & Magdalena Miller

Engineering Award: Robert Crow & Ju Lee

Science Award: Sofia Angarita & Samantha LeCrone

History (Capt. John P. W. Vest Award): Colin Lang

Spanish Award: Sofia Angarita & Ashley Escobar

English (Sandra Slacum Spears Award): Tessa Schut

English Language Acquisition Award: Rui (Spencer) Liu

Literature (Hila C. Ferguson Award): Adam Papadopoulos

Senior Paradigm Project Award:

Sofia Angarita & Kallena Kemp

Green Team Captains: Lucy Bamford & Colin Lang

White Team Captains: Paige Holmes & Jude Smith

JUNIORS:

Junior Symposium: Zacharia Mozher

Immersion Award: Jan Serraviñals

Megan V. Batdorf Award: Aaron Sanderson

Clare Poussard Award: Thomas “Cy” Johnston

Paul M. Long Award: Zacharia Mozher

The Marie Whittico Award: Damian René

farewell

111th Commencement Honors 53 Students

The Gunston School celebrated its 111th commencement on Saturday, June 11, honoring the Class of 2022 with a waterfront ceremony overlooking the Corsica River, as family and friends looked on. The procession began with Bagpiper Robert Wallace, followed by school faculty and staff, and then the graduating seniors. Head of School John Lewis then introduced the commencement speaker, Kristen Greenaway, the President of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM) in St. Michaels, Md.

“As each of you moves forward into the next phases of your life,” said Ms. Greenaway, “you will encounter incredible opportunities to explore and chart your own pathways. Some of you may have clear and focused journeys, while others may catch a strong breeze and head for new waters. Look for opportunity in whatever form it presents itself to you. And as you do that, I have three pieces of advice for you to carry forward: Have courage to take risks and make decisions; Be mindful, useful, kind, and show empathy for others; and Build the world you want to live in.”

Mr. Lewis and Gunston’s Vice Chair and Treasurer of the Board Joe Janney, P ’21 then presented each graduate with their diploma, individually handcrafted by faculty member Michael Kaylor on an antique letterpress.

This year’s senior class had a successful college admission season and worked hard to earn $7.8 million dollars in merit scholarships

Mr. Lewis began the previous day’s awards ceremony with thank you’s and one very special one in particular to the parents out in the audience.

“You’ve been extraordinary partners with us through some of the most difficult years in recent memory. This is a group of young people who possess a high level of responsibility, character, and independence. Their future is bright, and they wouldn’t be here without you.”

“And to the Class of 2022: “As a class, you’ve amassed as impressive an academic, extracurricular, social service, and athletic resume of any class in the history of Gunston—that’s not hyperbole—and you’ve done so with grace, fortitude, and fun. You’ve also pulled together impressively as a community of classmates, and thanks to you, I finish this year deeply optimistic, because Class of 2022—I know that your learning and leadership has just begun.”

Embarkation & Convocation

The Gunston School commenced its 112th year on September 8, with the annual Embarkation tradition, welcoming new students and employees to the community by boat. After exchanging a handshake with the Head of School, newcomers signed the school’s Honor Code, and made their way up the hill to greet fellow students and current staff and faculty. Parents and family members were invited to watch from the shoreline as students arrived. Once all new students and staff arrived by boat, they made their way to the Field House for Convocation. Student Body President Mekonnen Sahle-Selassie ’23 offered three pieces of advice to new students. “Find out who you are, get out of your comfort zone, and stay in the moment, for I promise you that these four years will go by so fast you won’t even notice it.”

Gunston’s Chair of the Board Patrick Shoemaker ’03 recalled his first day as a 9th grader in 1999. “I arrived on campus to Mr. Dize’s homeroom and was immediately welcomed. What previously seemed like a foreign place on the Eastern Shore started to feel like home on my very first day. In many ways, Gunston is a different place than it was 23 years ago, but our strong sense of community persists thanks to the dedicated faculty who make every student feel welcome.”

New students had the opportunity to get to know their peers well before the start of school during Gunston’s orientation and leadership retreats. Ninth grade students went on a two-day retreat at Camp Pecometh, where they spent the day and evening participating in various outdoor challenges and team building activities. They then returned to campus the following day, where they were joined by new upperclass students and current student leaders for informational sessions on central school values, technology, “Important Things You Need to Know,” environmental sustainability, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Running simultaneously, Gunston’s 7th Annual Leadership Institute invited student leaders from various clubs, student government, and athletics to gather and learn about leadership practices, set goals for the year, and to help facilitate activities for ninth graders.

Gunston’s Math Department welcomes Linda Jayne, who most recently served as the Math Department Chair and lacrosse coach at Kent Island High School. In addition to her longtime experience teaching Advanced Placement AB & BC Calculus, Jayne has written curriculum at the county and state level, and she’s been an advisor for the Mu Alpha Theta math honor society. She earned her B.S. in Mathematics from Frostburg, and a Masters in Administration and Education from Western Maryland College.

Also joining the Math Department is April Crandall. A recent transplant to the area from the Midwest, Crandall has nine years of high school teaching and tutoring experience, and recently taught a wide range of math courses at a high school in Missouri. She earned her B.S. in Secondary Mathematics from the University of Central Missouri and a Masters in Math from Northwest Missouri State University.

Simon Kelly ’05 joins the English Department after teaching writing courses at Villanova, Drexel, and Temple University. An avid cyclist who has spent time living abroad in Korea, he earned his B.A. from Guilford University in North Carolina, and a Masters in Education from the University of Pennsylvania.

Melissa (Mel) Skirkanich joined the Science Department as a Chesapeake Watershed Semester Environmental Science teacher in the fall and continues to teach courses in the spring on campus. Skirkanich most recently taught Biology and Environmental Science at Manassas High School in Virginia, and her experience includes roles at Leesburg Animal Park, Pathfinder Ranch, the Vermont Institute of Natural Sciences, and the Science Museum of Western Virginia. She earned her B.S. from Virginia Tech, where she studied abroad in Australia and New Zealand.

Caitlyn Creasy joined Gunston as the Assistant to the Head of School and Alumni Coordinator. She earned her B.A. at Washington College in Business Management and Communications and Media Studies with minors in Dance, and Art Management and Entrepreneurship. Most recently, she worked as the Director of Neighborhood Revitalization at Central Delaware Habitat for Humanity.

Natalie (Purpora) Reading ’16, has been appointed as our new Assistant Athletic Director for Waterfront Athletics, which includes head coaching duties for the crew team, and overall oversight for the waterfront athletics complex. She’s

coached rowing for several years at Gunston in addition to rowing during her time as a student, and playing and coaching at the college level for St. Mary’s College and the University of Maryland club team. She earned her B.A. in Sociology at the University of Maryland.

Gunston also welcomed five new trustees to their board of directors. Jim Shifrin, P’21 is the Director of Product Development and Innovation at Dixon Valve in Chestertown. He has a BSME in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and also serves on Gunston’s Buildings & Grounds Committee.

Dr. Fernando De Leon, P’22 is a pulmonologist with the University of Maryland Medical Center in Chestertown. He received his medical degree from Boston University and completed his fellowship, residency and internship at University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. He is board certified in internal medicine, pulmonary medicine and critical care. He also serves as a member of Gunston’s Health Advisory Team.

Betsy McCown, P’11 is the Associate Director of Echo Hill Outdoor School in Worton, Md. She earned a B.S. in Community Leadership and Development from Springfield College, Springfield, Mass. McCown is a former Gunston board member and a current Chesapeake Watershed Semester Advisory Committee member.

Jeff Frederick, P’23 ’26 is the General Manager/Vice President of Fred Frederick Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-RAM in Easton, Md. A graduate of the University of Maryland, he is also a member of Gunston’s Development Committee.

Isabel Junkin Hardesty is the Executive Director of ShoreRivers and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Harry R. Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology. She received a Master of Environmental Management from Duke University, where she concentrated in coastal environment and management, and a B.S. from Bucknell University with a major in animal behavior. Hardesty has worked closely with Gunston for nearly a decade on various campus grant-funded research projects.

EVENTS

The Golfing “fore” Gunston III fundraiser on May 2, 2022 at the Prospect Bay Country Club welcomed 108 golfers. The day’s winners include: Men’s First Place with a gross score of 55, Creg Fleetwood, Casey Grieves, Scott Sturgill and Josh Johnson, and Women’s First Place with a gross score of 75, Janell Frederick, P’23 ’25, Andrea Brock, Karen Tengwall, and Liz Bristner with a prize of Under Armour jackets and gift certificates to Prospect Bay’s pro shop. The winner of the Men’s Longest Drive was Chris Eakins, and for Women’s Longest Drive, the winner was Jen Matthews ’05, with a prize of a MV2 Golf bag and gift certificate. Closest to the Pin winner was Dave Connelly, with a prize of a Bat-Caddy X3R remote control cart, and Last Place Winners were Ginni Biondi, Vicki Dean, Heather Bacher and Liz Verhelle with a prize of brand new pickleball paddles and ball and Dick’s Sporting Goods gift certificates. SAVE-THE-DATE: May 1, 2023: gunston.org/golf23

On Saturday, October 22, Gunston held its signature fundraising event, welcoming nearly 250 guests to the Bull & Oyster Roast Attendees bid on more than 60 silent and live auction items ranging from original artwork, specialty gift baskets filled with local gift certificates, professional photography sessions, sports memorabilia, spa packages, and a wide variety of experiences, many of which were procured by Gunston’s Parents Association volunteers. The live auction featured a Paul Reed Smith SE Custom 24 guitar, a private yacht cruise, and getaways to Rehoboth Beach and Montego Bay. “This year we added a DJ and dancing to this event as well as line dancing lessons and it was a hit!” said Events Director Lynda Scull. Save-the-date: October 21, 2023.

The Heron Hustle 5K + 1M Fun Run took place on Friday, October 7. Coming in first place for the 5K under 18/female was Allie Fitzgerald ’24, followed by Zoe Buzzelli ’24 in second. For the 5K over 18/ female, first place went to Ronnie Vesnaver and second place went to Christie Grabis. For the 5K under 18/male, first place went to Aidan Trautman ’23 and second place went to Zach Mozher ’23. For the 5K over 18/male, Matthew Coffey took home first, followed by Noah Wood in second. Top winners in the one mile fun run (under 18/female) include Anna Szwaja ’24 (8:12) in first place, Caitlyn Myers ’24 (8:13) in second, and Jayci Frederick in third (10:50). For over 18/female, first place went to Ildi Watkins, P’26 (19:57) and for under 18/Male, first place went to Ben Watkins (9:25). Prizes included a special running armband and breakfast cards and gift cards to Dick’s Sporting Goods.

STUDENTS

Senior Zacharia (Zach) Mozher of Middletown, Del., has been selected as a finalist in the 68th annual National Merit® Scholarship Program, making him part of the top 16,000 high school students selected out of 1.5 million qualified applicants. National Merit semifinalists represent less than one percent of high school seniors in the United States and include the highest-scoring entrants in each state. Zach has been accepted to Princeton University as part of their Early Action program, but has yet to decide where he will attend college next year, pending additional decisions, although he does know he wants to study biology and is considering a pre-med track and eventually becoming a doctor.

The Gunston School is one of only 209 schools in the United States to be recognized for the College Board’s AP® Computer Science Female Diversity Award for expanding young women’s access to Advanced Placement Computer Science A (CSA). This award acknowledges 1,105 schools for their work toward equal gender representation during the 2021-22 school year. Research shows that female students who take AP computer science are more likely to major in computer science in college compared with matched peers.

Speaking of STEM, shortly after the last issue of the Multum was published, the Gunston Robotics Team advanced to the regional playoffs, narrowly missing a qualification for the school’s first-ever bid to the World Championships. The team finished 8th overall at Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, Va. against the 80 best teams in the region. “An FTC robotics competition is really about learning how to work together as a team to bring out the best contributions from each participant across many skill sets. In addition to building and programming, these skills include developing a game strategy, problem-solving, prototyping, communication between subgroups, branding, community outreach and team spirit,” said Dr. Ken Wilson. Gunston has the only active FIRST Robotics team on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

VISITING AUTHORS & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Gunston welcomed several speakers to campus over the last year including authors, poets, historians, community leaders, and industry experts in education.

ATHLETICS

In both 2022 and 2023, college-bound athletes comprised 10% of Gunston’s graduating class, beating the national average for the second year in a row. Nationwide, a little over 7% of high school athletes (about 1 in 13) will go on to play a varsity sport in college and less than 2% of high school athletes (1 in 57) go on to play at NCAA Division I schools.

In February of 2023, Gunston sent 18 swimmers to the inaugural ESIAC Swim Invitational at the YMCA in Cambridge, Md. Competing in 20 events against five other ESIAC schools, Gunston’s Boys team finished in first place!

CLASS OF 2023

Booth ’25, Noah Cook, Steven Booth, Madison, Jennifer and Michael Brown, Jean and Katherine René, Peter and Julie Rich, Nicole Wagner, Jim, Heather, and Aidan Watson ’25 and Carrie York.

Pictured (standing, l-r)

CLASS OF 2022

Standing

SPRING 2022 HIGHLIGHTS

Boys Varsity Lacrosse: Second Place ESIAC Championship

Coach Zach Hoisington and Assistant Coach Jeff Smith, P’18 ’22 ’24

• All-Conference Team: Josh Campbell ’22, Zach LaFleur ’22, Mekonnen Sahle-Selassie ’23 and Ben Cunningham ’22

• Honorable Mention: Jude Smith ’22

Girls Varsity Lacrosse

Coach Imani Black and Assistant Coaches Mark Callahan, P ’22, Ronnie Vesnaver and Mark FaunLeRoy, P ‘22

All-Conference Team: Nora FauntLeRoy ’22, Jenna Frederick ’23, and Sophia Kent ’24

Honorable Mention: Paige Holmes ’22

Sailing

Coach Tom Chafey and Assistant Coach Kate Larrimore ’16

• Placed first overall in three out of their five regular season regattas, two of which were MDISA Silver Level, Tier 2 Regattas where the team placed 3rd and 4th overall.

Crew

Coach Carter Law and Assistant Coaches John Wagner, Victoria Windmiller and Tammy Boone, P’17 ’21

Men’s and Women’s varsity took first place at the Gunston Invitational with Freedom Rowers and Notre Dame Prep.

SUMMER 2022 HIGHLIGHT

Maryland High School Triathlon State Champions

Coach Bobby Stephenson and Assistant Coach Tony D’Antonio

• Colin Hallmark ’24 (boys)

• Allie Fitzgerald ’24 (girls)

FALL 2022 HIGHLIGHTS

Cross Country Team: First Place ESIAC Championship

Coach Bobby Stephenson and Assistant Coach Moe Weimer

• Girls All-Conference Team: Grace Hanlon ’25 (6th), Allie Fitzgerald ’24 (3rd) and Zoe Buzzelli ’24 (2nd)

Honorable Mention: Louise Mulock ’25

Boys All-Conference Team: Zach Mohzer ’23 (4th), Aidan Trautman ’23 (3rd)

ESIAC Boys Runner of the Year (and finishing first overall): Colin Hallmark ’24

• Honorable Mention: Zach Steinberg ’25

Boys Varsity Soccer: Second Place ESIAC Championship

Coach Juan Angarita, P’22 & Assistant Coach Cam Angarita ’05

All-Conference Team: Jan Serraviñals ’24, Mekonnen

Sahle-Selassie ’23, Aaron Sanderson ’23 and Rowan Larkin ’24

Honorable Mention: Finn Theeke ’23

2022 ESIAC Player of the Year for Boys Soccer: Jan Serraviñals ’24

Girls Soccer

Coach Tony D’Antonio and Assistant Coach Lucas Leite

• All-Conference Team: Amber Tormey ’24

Honorable Mention: Maddie Algier ’23

Golf Team: Second Place ESIAC Championship

Coach Dave Bolyard and Assistant Coaches Dan Greaves and C.O. Johnson, P ’25

All Conference Team: RP Johnson ’25 and Paget Kellogg ’23

Honorable Mention: Jack Beasley ’25

Girls Varsity Field Hockey: Second Place ESIAC Championship

Coach Yvonne Gazelle and Assistant Coach Jen Matthews ’05

• All-Conference Team: Sophia Kent ’24, Layla Kent ’26, Grace Shepherd ’25, Lane Parkhurst ’23, and Julia McClary ’23

Honorable Mention: Lea Berling ’25

Field Hockey Coaches Association of Maryland (FHCAMD) All Eastern Shore Field Hockey Team: Grace Shepherd ’25

FHCAMD All Mid-Shore Field Hockey Team: Sophia Kent ’24, Grace Shepherd ’25, and Layla Kent ’26

Volleyball

Coach David Henry, P’20’23 and Assistant Coaches Jess Coner and Dr. Mariah Goodall

• All Conference Team: Jessica Hammond ’24

• Honorable Mention: Natalie Henry ’23

Sailing Coach Tom Chafey and Assistant Coaches Kate Larrimore ’16 and Simon Kelly ’06

The Junior Varsity Sailing Team ranked first in the Junior Varsity Mid-Atlantic Interscholastic Sailing Association League (MDISA) out of 31 teams.

The Varsity Team ranked 9th in the Varsity MDISA out of 27 teams.

Crew Coach Carter Law and Assistant Coaches John Wagner, Victoria Windmiller and Tammy Boone, P’17 ’21

Varsity Women took first place at Hidden River Chase in Occoquan, Va.

• JV Women took first place at Head of the Christiana.

WINTER 22-23 HIGHLIGHTS

Girls Varsity Basketball

Coach Brian Aikin and Assistant Coach Dave Robinson

Girls All-Conference Team: Julia McClary ‘23, Caitlin Myers ‘24

Honorable Mention: Sophia Kent ‘24

Boys Varsity Basketball

Coach Brian Aikin and Assistant Coach Dave Robinson

Boys All-Conference Team: Mekonnen Sahle-Selassie ‘23, Jonah Smith ‘24

Honorable Mention: Aiden Dunlap ‘24

Gunston Sails through AIMS Accreditation

This past November saw our decennial visit from the AIMS (Association of Independent Maryland and DC Schools) Accreditation Visiting Team.

Accreditation is an enormously important process. While Gunston is subject to many Federal and Maryland laws, we are supported by tuition, not government funds. Therefore, as a non-profit organization governed by a self-perpetuating Board of Trustees, we enjoy four unique “freedoms”: 1) freedom to craft our own mission, 2) freedom to determine our admissions and retention guidelines, 3) freedom to determine teacher credentials, and finally, 4) freedom from state textbook and testing mandates, which allows us to determine our own curriculum and academic program. Given these freedoms, we’ve committed ourselves to the mission that we all know and love:

The Gunston School offers an intellectually rigorous, highly personalized, and nurturing college preparatory educational experience. Valuing a healthy balance between mind and body, a strong sense of community, the creative process, and our connection to the Chesapeake Bay, Gunston strives to educate ethically and environmentally minded scholars, citizens, and leaders for our globalized society.

Importantly, however, our institutional and academic freedom does not liberate Gunston from accountability. Rather than being subject to evaluation from a state agency, we commit ourselves to an intensive review process by our state association. The AIMS accreditation process is involved, comprehensive, and highly rigorous. It involves meeting a wide range of high standards and benchmarks across every area of school life.

This decennial process began in 2020 with a two-year comprehensive Self-Study where we evaluated Gunston’s program in the realms of Mission & Values, Governance, Teaching & Learning, School Climate, Counseling, Personnel, Admissions, Finance, Health, and Plant & Operations. We gathered information and data, engaged a wide diversity of constituents, and this past summer, we formally submitted our 181-page report. Every administrator and teacher at Gunston was involved in this process and crafting the selfstudy document.

Our report was carefully reviewed by the AIMS Accreditation staff and our Visiting Team which consisted of five professionals from peer AIMS schools and our Visiting Chair,

Ms. Ereni Malfi, who is the Head of St. Paul’s School for Girls. The report guided the team’s inquiry as they made their intensive three-day visit. While here, they saw every teacher in action, interviewed a range of individuals and groups, and ultimately produced a several dozen page Visiting Team report including a number of commendations and recommendations.

Gunston will now produce an Action Plan to address the team’s feedback, and if this Action Plan meets the criteria of the AIMS Accreditation Committee, they recommend to the AIMS Board of Trustees that Gunston receive re-accreditation for another decade. Then, in five years (in 2027), our Visiting Chair will return to review our progress, and in 2030, we will begin the self-study process once again! While AIMS accreditation does not guarantee that every student will have a perfect experience at Gunston, families can be assured that accreditation by AIMS reflects Gunston’s compliance with association standards and our dedication to continuously strengthen our educational programs and teaching.

It is worth noting that this is the fourth time Mrs. Christie Grabis has internally chaired the AIMS Self-Study for Gunston (perhaps an AIMS school record!), and she guided the process with extraordinary diligence, care and grace. At the end of the visit, Ms. Malfi shared that she and her team “fell in love with the place” and noted “so many wonderful things happening here” with “everyone rowing in the same direction.”

The Gunston Parents’ Association fosters a vital partnership between parents/guardians and the school by promoting open communication, parent education, and community interaction through a multitude of programs and activities. In addition to GPA officers, class representatives provide grade-level support for students and parents and work to welcome new families. Our GPA is passionate about supporting the students, faculty, and staff both on and off campus. Every parent is an automatic member of the GPA and is invited to attend all meetings and participate in discussions. Here are just a few ways the GPA supports the school:

SUMMER/FALL

• Boat Captains for Embarkation and Disembarkation

• New Parent Orientation

• Annual GPA Tailgate/Picnic

• Admissions Ambassadors (welcoming new families)

• Teacher Appreciation Event (Fall)

• Event Support for fundraising events Bull & Oyster Roast and the Heron Hustle 5K (Day-of volunteering with set-up, break down, check-in, etc., soliciting for sponsorships, securing auction items and more!)

WINTER/SPRING

• Teacher Appreciation Event (Spring)

• Event Support for Golfing Fore Gunston

• Career Talks with Students

YEAR-ROUND

• Support for student events such as Homecoming, Spring Formal, and other dances

• Heron Fund Parent Ambassadors (Fundraising)

• Administrative assistance (helping at the front desk, answering phones, stuffing envelopes, creating decorations, writing thank you notes, etc.)

• Event support for smaller events such as Open Mic Nights, Night of the Arts, the annual Gunston Players’ Theatre production, In Celebration of Books, and more.

• Class coverage and substitute teaching

• Athletics (organizing tailgates and snacks, transportation, assisting with coaching and record keeping)

• Professional services including photography, videography and most recently, auctioneer services!

We have a wide variety of volunteer opportunities throughout the school year, at school and at home.

Contact GPA Coordinator:

Trish Rudolfs, P’18’20 at trudolfs@gunston.org

Building an Ecosystem: Prioritizing adolescent mental health.

Laughter floats down the hallway of the Long Academic Building, paired with the sound of feet stomping in unison to the rhythm of an upbeat song. Clapping and cheering follows as the song ends, and a group of out-of-breath students turn to each other and exclaim, “That was so much fun! Same time next week?” They pack up the laptop propped on a desk displaying the video of the dance they all just completed and wave goodbye to Millicent Sheets, Math Department Chair.

For 35 minutes every Friday, Gunston has a special extended advisory period called Community, Belonging and Leadership (CBL). Activities range depending on the day, weather, and advisor, but the overall goal remains the same — to provide increased student-advisor and student-to-student connection with the aim of promoting

purpose, meaningful discussion, and fun. These activities have included everything from outdoor activities such as disc golf, hikes, scavenger hunts, to art projects, yoga and more. A student favorite is advisory challenges where different groups challenge each other to some type of competition such as pictionary or a spelling bee.

“Another favorite is any kind of athletic competition,” said Ms. Sheets. “It really builds camaraderie, and because we have different age groups in each advisory, it fosters student-to-student mentorships. Many juniors and seniors spend their time giving advice and pointers to younger students on lots of things.” Additionally, each week focuses concurrently on different leadership positions within the Student Government Association, Class Meetings, and National Honor Society.

Another advantage of these small advisory groups is they serve as a safe space for students to have difficult conversations and ask questions without fear of judgment or embarrassment. “Community norms have been set in your advisory room and what is said in there stays in there,” explains Ms. Sheets. “Advisory is your home base. We build deep, meaningful relationships with our advisees.” Ms. Sheets is part of the CBL planning cohort that also includes Science Department Chair Adele Showalter, Science Teacher Sara Grantham, and Assistant Head of School Christie Grabis.

According to recent research by the Kaiser Family Foundation, the number of adolescents experiencing anxiety and/or depression has increased by one-third since 2016, with higher rates among girls. The adolescent suicide rate has risen by 62% since 2010, with a similar rise in rates of self-harm behavior like cutting. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death among teenagers. Finally, drug overdose deaths doubled from 2019 to 2020, even as the use of other substances (alcohol and tobacco) has recently declined.

Rigor,

In response to this, at the end of 2021 the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Children’s Hospital Association (CHA) declared a National State of Emergency in Children’s Mental Health.

Increased student-advisor and student-to-student connection.

• Training to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders.

• 10th grade students complete an adolescent depression awareness program through Johns Hopkins University.

of School

As a result, the school developed seven pillars of Gunston’s approach, including some meaningful changes made this year to support student development:

• Academics + Arts + Athletics

• Formal Orientation

Chesapeake Bay Studies

Gunston Experience & Wellness

Multi-year College Guidance Program

• Formal Learning Center with Academic Support

Clubs focused on community wellbeing include:

Mental Health Awareness Club

• Student Diversity Leaders Club

• Christian Athletes Club

• Gender Spectrum Alliance

student + parents + school + consultants

“As a school, we have reflected deeply upon how to respond to this crisis. Our approach to mental health seeks to respect the complexity of this issue, and to further develop our mental health ecosystem, working in close partnership with families and outside mental health professionals.”

–Head

John Lewis

Gunston’s program, culture, and campus have been intentionally created to reinforce psychological “protective factors.” These factors have been carefully studied and documented by psychologists over time: the promotion of healthy self-regard and reliable family support; a culture that supports academic and personal achievement; participation in clubs, sports, and religious activities; appropriate behavioral limits; a safe and supportive peer culture; and strong relational attachments to teachers and healthy adult mentors. Additionally, Gunston’s 75-acre waterfront campus plays a meaningful role in student wellness, as there is compelling research on the connection between access to green space and mental health.

Targeted social media education. Since 2012 (the year smartphone ownership exceeded 50%), trend lines associated with adolescent depression, anxiety, and suicide started bending dramatically upward. At the same time, trends associated with substance use, teen pregnancy, and risky sexual behavior went in the opposite direction. As we work to support our students as they navigate the relationship between technology and their social experiences, this year Gunston is partnering with The Social Institute (TSI). TSI offers engaging programming and school policy support, and their mission is to “empower students to navigate their social world positively…to fuel their health, happiness, and future success.”

3

Partnership with Freedom from Chemical Dependency (FCD). FCD’s research-based “social norms” approach provides students and the adults who care for them with the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to make intelligent, healthy choices about alcohol, tobacco and other drug use. Each year, Gunston invites FCD to campus for an engaging multi-day educational program, and we regularly conduct FCD’s Student Attitudes and Behavior Survey—an anonymous 50-question instrument built to scientifically measure students’ actual attitudes and behavior with regard to alcohol and other drugs, as well as their perceptions of the behavior and attitudes of their classmates.

Gunston’s curriculum and program also includes an orientation, The Gunston Experience Course—which focuses on personal, social, and academic growth—as well as a Wellness course, a multi-year College Guidance curriculum, a week-long Bay Studies outdoor learning program, and a formal Learning Center that provides academic support.

More than any single thing we do at Gunston, it is the integrated totality of the academic, athletic, artistic, and social experience in a beautiful natural location that promotes adolescent mental wellness and resilience.

4

Extended Advisory (CBL). Since our founding, Gunston’s advisory program has been a cornerstone of emotional support and connection for students. Over the past year, a team of Gunston teachers and administrators has been participating in a program led by notables like Dr. William Damon, who runs the Stanford Center on Adolescence, to further enhance our advisory programming. This year we are integrating a new extended advisory period called “Community, Belonging, and Leadership” (CBL), to provide increased student-advisor and student-to-student connection with the aim of promoting purpose, meaningful discussion, and fun.

5

Student-led clubs with a focus on community wellbeing. Some of our most impactful health and wellness programming is student-designed and student-led. Our Mental Health Awareness Club leads initiatives like our anti-bullying Unity Day and Mental Health Awareness Week. Our Student Diversity Leadership Club supports the values articulated in our Diversity statement, and coordinates our dynamic annual Global Awareness Day. Our Christian Athletes Club is a forum to explore the connection between athletics and spiritual values and ways to give back to the community. Finally, our Gender Spectrum Alliance offers a supportive space for students, and aims to mitigate the unique mental health risks faced by students in the LBGTQ+ community.

6

Mental Health First Aid For Youth. A number of our faculty and staff are certified in a national program sponsored by the National Council of Mental Wellness that instructs educators how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use

disorders. The training helps develop the skills needed to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or experiencing a crisis. Meanwhile, all 10th grade students complete an adolescent depression awareness program during The Gunston Experience offered through Johns Hopkins University.

7

Consulting Psychologist. Dr. Tana Clarke, Waypoint Wellness Center’s co-founder and CEO, is a clinical psychologist specializing in children and adolescents, and oversees all of Waypoint’s services. A Waypoint clinician is on-site weekly to meet with students individually, or in small groups, to help with their functioning at school. In addition, their team works closely with school staff to integrate wellness policies and programs into the school environment. This includes skills training for student mindfulness, self-regulation, stress management, and self-care; addressing peer conflict; identifying social, emotional, or learning challenges; crisis and risk monitoring and assessment; screening for the need for outside mental health services; and assisting with connecting families to necessary health services.

Although we live in an era where adolescent mental health is a significant public health concern, there is also a growing acceptance around speaking openly and supportively about mental health. Given the impact of mental wellness on long-term student outcomes, Gunston will continue to review and revise our programming as social changes and research suggest.

Gunston’s Mental Health Ecosystem and its initiatives are generously supported by a grant from the Murray Foundation.

“Gunston’s waterfront is central to our school’s identity, curriculum, and program. It extends a campus shoreline where so many students have thrived over the years, including me when I was a student here. Let me again acknowledge our Board of Trustees for their vision and skill over the past few months. This was a complex process, and the Board never lost sight of the acquisition’s long-term benefits to the school.”

Gunston Campus Expands to 75 Acres with Land Acquisition

In a two-phase acquisition, Gunston has secured an additional 40-acres of waterfront property adjacent to the campus. This new property was part of the estate of the late Carter (Middleton) Bond, the granddaughter of the school’s founder, Samuel and Mary Middleton, and she passed away peacefully at the age of 91 in early 2022.

This acquisition includes a waterfront lot adjacent to Gunston’s current Corsica River shoreline, and it grows the campus footprint from 35 acres to 75 acres. Overall, the recent two-phase expansion has expanded the school’s campus by 114%.

Gunston’s Board Chair Patrick Shoemaker ’03 noted, “Gunston’s waterfront is central to our school’s identity, curriculum, and program. It extends a campus shoreline where so many students have thrived over the years, including me when I was a student here. Let me again acknowledge our Board of Trustees for their vision and skill over the past few months. This was a complex process, and the Board never lost sight of the acquisition’s long-term benefits to the school.”

Shoemaker continued, “We owe a debt of gratitude to Mrs. Bond’s son, Wick Sollers, for honoring his mother’s love and connection to the school; to trustee Chris McClary, P’21’23 for his skilled management of the transaction process, and to our Head of School John Lewis whose long-standing personal relationship with Mrs. Bond and other members of the Middleton family have kept their family legacy alive.”

Mr. Sollers shared, “My family has a deep affection for Gunston School, and we have been gratified to watch its extremely positive trajectory under the leadership of John Lewis and his team. We are delighted—and my Mom, her sister Emily Durham, and their parents and grandparents would also have been delighted—that Gunston will be the steward of and use wisely the beautiful land that it has acquired from my family.”

“In the immediate term,” explained Head of School John Lewis, “we will use this additional space to serve our athletic, environmental education, and summer programs. In the longer term, now that we have further enhanced one of most beautiful independent school campuses on the East Coast, we will need to reshape

our campus master plan. Our ongoing goal is to serve as an essential part of the Queen Anne’s County and Midshore educational ecosystem for hundreds of students during the school year and through our Horizons and YMCA summer programs.”

Carter Bond spent her life amidst independent school education. Her father Atherton “Appy” Middleton was the former lacrosse coach at the University of Pennsylvania and headmaster of the St. Paul School for Boys. During the summers, Appy and his wife Catherine helped to operate Camp Gunston, then a popular overnight camp for students in the Mid-Atlantic region. Bond spent her summers on Gunston’s campus and remained closely connected to the school throughout the years. She was a graduate of Garrison Forest School and eventually became an athletic instructor at the St. Paul School for Boys.

Lewis shared, “My relationship with Mrs. Bond began during the first year of my tenure at Gunston. She shared fun and moving stories of the role Gunston’s campus played in the lives of young people during the middle of the 20th century. Although she resided in the Baltimore area, Gunston helped to shape her, and she always supported the school and our mission. We miss her, and we’re glad that her legacy to Gunston will endure.”

CHESAPEAKE WATERSHED SEMESTER

This year the program welcomed a new director, Ronnie Vesnaver (aka “Ms. V”) who transitioned into the role after a year serving as the humanities instructor for CWS in addition to eight years of experience leading environmental initiatives in the independent school world. Her move to Gunston was greatly influenced by the school’s commitment to the environment and its waterfront campus. She has enjoyed taking a lead on the many logistical pieces of the program while still being able to teach and travel with CWS students. Mel Skirkanich, (aka “Ms. S”) has joined as the new science instructor, from Manassas Park, Va., where

ORIENTATION 1

August

What: The orientation trip introduces the group to one another and the flow of the semester while also giving them a little taste of academic field work.

Who: Rafting guides & DNR staff

Where: The western headwaters of the watershed out in western Maryland and eastern West Virginia. The group rafted in Harpers Ferry, camped along the Savage River, learned about native trout populations and benthic organisms, and hiked Dolly Sods.

she taught environmental science and biology. Ms. S has a long career teaching at outdoor schools all around the country, building her acumen for teaching in non-conventional and hands-on ways. Ultimately, this dynamic duo is working passionately to design a program that helps students deeply connect with the Chesapeake Bay watershed—its beauty, the environmental questions it poses, and the possibility for change.

Follow along on this past semester’s overnight expeditions and day trips to see for yourself how students see, feel, and experience the watershed!

In the midst of the semester we also try to take advantage of Gunston’s amazing campus. Dr. Bill Schindler, P’26 and owner of Modern Stone Age Kitchen in Chestertown, Md., led the group in a foraging and plant identification workshop. Once students know the names of various plants, their connection to the land really starts to grow. Students leave the semester with a new appreciation for what they walk by every day.

BAY SCIENCE & CULTURE EXPEDITION 2

What: The Bay Science and Culture Expedition introduces students to the ecology and culture of the Bay by getting them out on the water to collect aquatic and marine specimens. Students bring their collections back to a graduate-level research wet lab. Students also explore the history and culture of the region by interacting with locals and making a visit to the wonderful Barrier Islands Center. If the weather holds out for us, these understandings are augmented when we make the trip over to Smith Island with CBF. This expedition is when students begin practicing their skills in observation by visual journaling.

Who: Virginia Institute of Marine Science staff, the staff at the Barrier Islands Center, and Chesapeake Bay Foundation education staff. Where: The Eastern Shore of Virginia in Wachapreague, Pungoteague, and Machipongo and Smith Island, Maryland.

“This trip showed me just how rich in biodiversity we are. I had no idea that puffer fish and seahorses lived in the Chesapeake Bay. I also recognized how fast environments can change. One moment we were catching large flounder but then about two minutes in the other direction we were catching small silver sides, flounder, and hermit crabs.”

LAND USE & ENERGY EXPEDITION

What: The Land Use and Energy Expedition is meant to expose students to the various ways that the land in the watershed has been used—coal mining, agriculture, forestry, conservation. The group visits a preserved mining village and abandoned mine and restoration sites that nonprofits are working to reclaim. They also explore local agricultural practices along the Susquehanna River.

Who: Bobby Hughes the Director of Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation, and long time educator, Ed Wytovich.

Where: Eastern Pennsylvania around Wilkes-Barre in the anthracite coal region.

4

URBAN CLIMATE CHANGE & COASTAL RESILIENCE EXPEDITION

November

What: The Urban Climate Change and Coastal Resilience trip asks students to envision the future as we face the impacts of climate change. During the experience the group learns about the environmental vulnerability of the Hampton Roads area and the implications that has for such an important port and urban region. The group connects with Norfolk’s Chief Resilience Officer, local high school environmental studies students, and representatives at Naval Station Norfolk to learn about the ways that the region is adapting to environmental changes. Ultimately, the group leaves with a much better understanding for some of the solutions moving forward.

Who: Kyle Spencer the Chief Resilience Officer for the City of Norfolk, CBF staff at the Brock Environmental Center, the teaching staff for Virginia Beach Public Schools Environmental Studies Program, and Ted Brown the Environmental Public Affairs Officer at Naval Station Norfolk. Where: The greater Hampton Roads, Va. area including Historic Jamestown, First Landing State Park, Nauticus, CBF’s Brock Environmental Center, and Naval Station Norfolk.

DAY TRIPS

Washington, DC Policy Trip

One of the unique and important things about the Chesapeake is that Washington D.C. is in the watershed. As a result, we are able to incorporate policy into our curriculum in a very meaningful way. Annually, the group makes a trip to D.C. to meet with Maryland Senator Ben Cardin’s staff to learn about the process of environmental policy making on the Hill. Then they head over to the Trout Unlimited headquarters to learn more about how non-profits and interest groups influence policy.

Kent County Farm Visits

Sometimes getting off campus also means getting a little dirty! In order to understand the health of the Bay, students need to learn about the impacts of agriculture. We headed over to Kent County to visit Trey Hill at Harborview Farms and Judy Gifford at St.Brigid’s Farm. Both of these farmers have adopted environmentally conscious practices and the students learn about the role that farming has to play in improving the health of the Bay.

CAPSTONE

And finally the group wraps up their semester with their Capstone Research Presentation! Each student chooses a topic to research and write about for the duration of the semester. The topic has to relate to the watershed in some manner, but other than that students choose based upon their own interests. After researching and engaging with the topic in an in depth fashion, the students present their findings to an audience on the final day of the semester. The event is the culmination of all they have learned and will carry forward with them. It is an amazing representation of the real world implications of the content the students have explored throughout their experience.

CONTACT:

Save the Date!

June 10, 2023: Gunston Graduation

September 30, 2023: All Alumni Reunion/Homecoming

October 21, 2023:

Bull and Oyster Roast

January 5, 2024: Winter Alumni Happy Hour

STAY IN TOUCH!

1) Follow us on social media

@gunstonschool

Groups: @gunstonschoolalumni

Gunston School for Girls Alumni

@gunstonschool

@gunstonathletics

@TheGunstonSchool

linkedin.com/school/gunston-school

2) Sign up for the Alumni eNewsletter (Beyond Gunston Road) or submit an update at gunston.org/connect or email ccreasy@gunston.org

3) Visit us

We love visitors! Drop us a line and let us know when you’re coming by OR come to one of our special events!

Back to Gunston Road ’22 Welcomes Alums

The Back to Gunston Road Alumni Weekend welcomed alumni from 1975 all the way through 2022. A large group from the Class of 1992 returned to campus to celebrate their 30th reunion, many visiting for the first time since graduation. The Friday evening gathering saw many tears of joy in particular where each reunion year was presented with a memento from their graduating year at Gunston.

This year’s activities included a “Nerd Squad” gathering for Trivia with Mr. Lewis in which Andrew Amygdalos ’20 showed everyone that he’s still the reigning human encyclopedia, a Mocktail Mixology lesson with Ms. Grantham complete with a special Gunston Alumni flask, a Make-Itand-Take-It Oyster Shell decorating session with Dr. Asprion, Rock-et with Dr. Wilson where participants built a rocket and set them off in Temple Field, as well personal tours of campus with Mrs. Grabis.

class notes

Elli (Rewald)Merritt ’97

Publishes Novel “One Step Closer”

Elli decided to return to her passion for creative writing, a passion that began with Mrs. Everdell’s Creative Writing class at Gunston.

1993

Mary Jeanne Robinson: “Eric and I originally met when I was a senior at Gunston. It was a holiday break and I was staying on campus. He and a bunch of Chestertown friends came to campus. I ended up dating him and ultimately went that spring to the Kent County High senior prom. We dated through to the following year and drifted apart during college. He was always a great memory of “my first boyfriend.” Recently, we reconnected.

It was almost therapeutic how, at such a difficult time amongst COVID, life changes, and family loss, we were able to reflect together as we caught up on each other’s life paths; from where we were as seniors on the Eastern Shore to where we had arrived both personally and professionally. He’s the love of my life. We eloped on June 19, 2022 and celebrated as a surprise with close friends and family at the new home we bought in Greenville, SC.

2009 & 2010

Elli (Rewald) Merritt ’97 attended Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology with a minor in sociology. Elli met her husband Rich in college, and after having two boys, she transitioned to being a stay-at-home parent. Prior to that, most of Elli’s career had been spent helping others find gainful employment.

It was during this time that Elli decided to return to her passion for creative writing, a passion that began with Mrs. Everdell’s Creative Writing class at Gunston. Elli recalls the moment that her short story, a story that covered a very dark topic, was read out loud to the class. “The entire class responded strongly to the story, mostly negative, some positive, but all intense. Mrs. Everdell taught me that though the reactions were intense and not all positive, it was my words that had caused them all to feel passionately enough to react as they did.”

In April of 2022, Elli proudly published her first book, called “One Step Closer.” This book, available on Amazon, is a fictional tale of one woman’s journey to start her family. Though the book was written as a fictional novel, it closely resembles Elli’s own difficult experiences trying to start a family, which required years of trying, a lot of money and the help of some amazing doctors.

Volunteer Opportunities

We are looking for alumni volunteers! Volunteers can help our office in a variety of ways - from being a class connector or representative, serving on a committee, helping with events, hosting events, and more! You do not have to be local to be an excellent volunteer. If you are interested, please reach out to Gunston’s Alumni Coordinator, Caitlyn, at ccreasy@gunston.org

Elli also contributed to a book entitled “Boy Moms: Collective Tales of Mothers and Sons” by Kara Forney, a compilation of stories that delve into all the joys and challenges of being a mom of boys. Many readers of Elli’s novel have described it as “funny,” “insightful,” and “the perfect book for someone struggling to start their family.”

“I wrote the book specifically to help other couples facing fertility challenges to gain insight into what they may face going through the process of in vitro fertilization,” said Elli.

She continues to write and is planning on publishing her next novel, the first of a trilogy called “The Widows,” in 2023. The Widows trilogy is a psychological thriller, with some undertones of mystery. The first of the three novels is currently in the editing stage and Elli can’t wait to get it published and to start the next book in the series. She is currently living in Florida with her husband and two sons. When not writing, Elli enjoys reading, playing piano, and playing games of all kinds.

Spotlights

If you are interested in being featured in our next Multum or on our website and social media pages, let us know! We are always looking for alumni to spotlight who have cool careers, interesting hobbies, or have recent achievements or accolades. Contact our Alumni Office to learn more.

2015

2016

Natalie (Purpora) Reading: “Dan and I met while in high school, through our parents actually. He surprised me on Green and White day that year to ask me to his senior prom at DeMatha and the rest was history. We were married on October 7th at the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club after more than seven years together.”

2018

Rongjie “Rose” Fan: “I am currently a Master’s student pursuing a degree in Food Science, after getting my bachelor in Food Science under the same department. Now I am doing research with fermented foods and testing their functionalities against cancer cells. I do like the working environment and the knowledge and opportunities the Master program is bringing to me. My goal as of now is to learn as much as possible in the graduate program: network with professors and food scientists from the industry; strengthen my knowledge in the diverse and fast evolving food industry. For a summer internship, I worked at a blueberry and peach orchard at Bennett Orchards.

Our college, the college of Agriculture and Natural Resources, sends out a weekly newsletter on news around campus, and some career development and internship opportunities, and this is how I found Bennett Orchards. It was a great summer helping out by the beach. I got to spend some time with friends and family after finishing working the early hours. As an agriculture/business intern, I worked with farmers markets, pick-your-own, and networked with other vendors along the Delmarva Coast which provided me great insights into the grass roots running of a business and into agriculture. The connection I made this summer is precious.”

Stephen Harrod ’06

Success in Sound Production

Stephen credits his ability to work collaboratively from his time participating in the performing arts programs at Gunston.

When Stephen Harrod ’06 graduated Gunston, he headed to Columbia College in Chicago, graduating with a bachelor of arts degree with a focus in filmmaking and production. “I’ve been involved in sound production for 10 plus years now,” he reflected. Production sound is responsible for capturing the audio of the actors’ dialogue as the film is being shot. He is currently based in Los Angeles, Ca.

“I am part of a team of crafts/trades/specialties sharing the area around the actors and working in an often-constricted space just out of the frame for a shot,” he explains. “A lot of the time I assume the role of boom operator (the person who holds the mic over the actor’s head). The boom operator must keep the mic in the best location to pick up whichever actor is talking and keep the microphone from entering the frame or obstructing lighting while moving within the crowded area just off camera. As actors move within a scene, many of those involved in filming have to move as well in what is frequently described as a kind of dance.”

Stephen has worked on short films, feature films, commercials, digital content and documentaries. Recent projects have included the British Academy Film Awards, a Skechers commercial featuring Snoop Dog, and a movie called The Apology, among other projects.

“My favorite [projects] are the ones that [are seen by] larger audiences, particularly feature length films. Any time you get to share story telling with a large group of people, it is a wondrous thing. You have the ability to connect in that way—to have people feel something [from a project] that you had a part in creating. Film making is highly collaborative and learning to work with and trust other people came from participating in the performing arts programs at Gunston. Much of this trust, which is so vital in film making, is based on instinct and the relationships you have with people around you.”

Stephen describes a pivotal moment in the path to his present career: “Seeing my brother Richard (class of 2003) in the Gunston Player’s Production of ‘Wait Until Dark.’ I’d always looked up to my brother, and I think

seeing him onstage made me realize that it was okay for me to be on stage too. So, when I went to Gunston I was very involved with the theater program under the guidance of Will Robison, Catherine Cunningham and Mark Wiening. I learned a tremendous amount about doing the plays every year and really found the spirit of camaraderie and discipline to commit to something. A lot of that comradery in pursuit of an artistic goal translates to filmmaking, and if you talk to people who work in the industry, many have theater backgrounds.”

“I think being exposed to that creative experience really set me on a path to work in the arts. While doing all the plays at Gunston I was also making my documentary films about them and that was kind of a jumping off point to really getting into filmmaking.”

Stephen is not sure what the future holds, “I work from project to project, and the time frame of each of them is different. It could be a day gig or it could last an entire month. I just try to be open to the challenges of each job and there are always challenges to work through.”

2018

Gillian Felton: “During my time at Gunston many of my peers knew that I was interested in the weather. My senior superlative was even “most likely to forecast the weather.” After graduating from Gunston, I began to pursue my bachelors degree in meteorology at the University of Northern Colorado. During the summer of 2021 I had the opportunity to participate in a 10 week long NSF funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at Colorado State University. During my time in my REU I participated in a research project about meteorological risk communications during Colorado’s Cameron Peak Fire, a record breaking wildfire that occurred in 2020.

I was able to present this research at the American Meteorological Society’s annual conference in Houston, Texas in January of 2022. Having the opportunity to present my research was an intimidating but enriching experience. In May of 2022 I graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with my bachelors degree in meteorology. This fall (2022) I returned to Maryland as a graduate student in the department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science at the University of Maryland. I hope to earn my masters degree in atmospheric science in 2024.”

2019

Anna Wolf is a senior at the College of Charleston studying communications, sociology, and Jewish studies. This summer, she was able to work at a local NBC news station as an intern. During the internship, she was able to help with a wide variety of tasks including research, helping to produce the daily shows, and writing for their website. By the end of the internship she was mainly working with the digital team, assisting with the website and social media. Anna is also a part of Martin Scholars, a special program through her school’s communications department. Through the program, she is able to access amazing mentoring experiences in the communications field.

Ethan Boone ’17

Wins MORS Stephen A. Tisdale Award

Ethan, who recently graduated from the Naval Postgraduate School, won the Military Operations Research Society (MORS) Stephen A. Tisdale Award for Graduate Research during the Fall 2022 quarter.

Upon graduating from Gunston, Ethan Boone ’17 joined the Naval ROTC program at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. There, he graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering and won the Military Operations Research Society (MORS) Stephen A. Tisdale Award for Graduate Research.

The Tisdale Award is presented quarterly to the Operations Research graduate whose thesis research presents the greatest potential for near-term impact on the security of the U.S. and its allies. Ethan’s project applied two different machine learning algorithms to the publicly-available Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) Project in an effort to identify what features are most important in predicting when an area is going to have an increase in violent events with fatalities.

“Using machine learning on the ACLED database, we were able to create models that provide these features to the stakeholders,” explained Ethan. “Additionally, we were able to provide a monthly prediction of whether an area is going to have an increase or decrease in violent events. Stakeholders were particularly excited about the insights that were provided that would not have been accessible when the data was in its raw format. [...] I was immediately drawn into [this particular] project because

Kylee Naumann ’16 & Ryan Redding ’17 Join Gunston Crew’s Coaching Staff

Gunston’s waterfront athletics program is very popular, as over a third of students participate in either sailing or crew. With such a robust program, we’ve made two new coaching additions, both of whom are Gunston Alumni!

Kylee Naumann ’16 (pictured left) and Ryan Redding ’17 (pictured right) are joining the Gunston Crew Coaching Staff. Both Kylee and Ryan rowed for all four years of their Gunston careers. Coach Naumann was an integral part of the Gunston team as a student. She was selected to compete at the Scholastic Rowing Association of America’s annual regatta for three years. During her senior year she

it addressed an immediate need within the DOD [Department of Defense], and it is something that needed to be built and delivered to stakeholders.”

Ethan reflected fondly on his time at Gunston, and is thankful for teachers like Mr. Linn and Mrs. Shephardson, who were “quite tough” and pushed him academically. He says that the homework in his classes made him well prepared for college and taught him how to separate “work time and play time.” He always knew he wanted to go into a military program of some sort, and is thankful for the opportunities he has been given. Particularly, the ability to attend the Naval Postgraduate School as a Shoemaker Scholar, a program for high-performing United States Naval Academy and Naval ROTC graduates waiting to enter the naval aviation pipeline. “Coming to NPS so early in my career [was] a great opportunity,” he said. “The exposure to the diverse backgrounds of my peers was very insightful as an ensign. I got exposure to and learned about communities across all branches that I would not have otherwise gotten.” Ethan is now located in Pensacola, Fla., where he is patiently awaiting the start of his flight school for the Navy.

In Memory Of ALUMNI

Pamela (Wynn) Newberry ’73 of Beverly Farms, Massachusetts and Gulf Stream, Florida passed away peacefully on January 2nd in Delray Beach, Florida.

Sarah (Reeve) Rowan ’84 passed away May 2, 2022 at age 56. She graduated from The Gunston School in 1984, and filled her time being a devoted mother and wife. Classmate Elizabeth Hopkins ’84 says “[Sarah] was in my class at Gunston School. She had a wonderful sense of humor and a huge heart of gold. Recently, I read what she wrote in my senior yearbook, and found it brought me such joy and great memories spent with her. She is riding her horse on the clouds in heaven going over jumps and having a blast.”

Dimitra Neonakis ’86 passed on March 26, 2022. She was an accomplished dancer, scientist, painter, poet, educator, and writer. She eventually returned to Centreville and taught dance at The Gunston School and started her own dance company. Shown through her long career as a teacher, Dimitra loved children and children loved her. She also enjoyed traveling and being outdoors.

FACULTY

Kathleen “Kakie” White was a teacher and Director of the Learning Center for The Gunston School for many years prior to retirement in 2003. She passed away in July of 2022, at age 86. Kathleen was truly the most gentle and compassionate soul that one could know, and her demeanor of caring for all affected so many across this globe to this day. She educated and influenced so many generations of people and remained a close contact to many.

FRIENDS

was also women's team captain, as well as an honors student. She was also a recipient of the Gunston Athletics Award, having been a member of both the rowing and basketball teams. She went on to continue her rowing career at St. Mary’s College of Maryland.

Coach Redding returned to Gunston this fall to be a tutor and substitute teacher. As a student athlete, he was the varsity coxswain. He then went on to coxswain for Washington College’s Men's Rowing Team.

Edward “Ed” Curran died May 15, 2022, in Williamsburg, VA. He was born in North Adams, MA on August 22, 1933. Ed grew up in Stamford, VT, graduated from Drury High School, North Adams, then graduated from Yale University in 1955 with a major in classics. He served on the boards of the Norwood School in Bethesda, MD, St. Patrick’s School in Washington, DC, and as an emeritus trustee of The Gunston School.

Highlights

In the last fiscal year (July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022), the generosity of our wonderful supporters provided an incredible degree of support for the school’s operating budget. We thank you for your support and dedication!

$370,697 Annual Fund

$199,415 Un-Designated

$82,184 Designated

$89,098 Special Events

Here’s a sample of what your generosity makes possible!

Here’s a sample of what your generosity makes possible!

UN-DESIGNATED GIFTS to the Heron Fund support the school’s operating budget, allowing us to offer students and faculty opportunities beyond what a tuition fee would typically pay for such as leadership conferences, robotic competitions, and the ability to establish and maintain treasured traditions such as:

UN-DESIGNATED GIFTS to the Heron Fund support the school’s operating budget, allowing us to offer students and faculty opportunities beyond what a tuition fee would typically pay for such as leadership conferences, robotic competitions, and the ability to establish and maintain treasured traditions such as:

Green & White Days

Green & White Days

Yearbook Reveal

Yearbook Reveal

Embarkation

Embarkation

Disembarkation + MORE!

Disembarkation + MORE!

DESIGNATED GIFTS can be spent only for a specific purpose, such as purchases including things such as scholarships, capital projects, on-the-water programs, and more.

DESIGNATED GIFTS can be spent only for a specific purpose, such as purchases including things such as scholarships, capital projects, on-the-water programs, and more.

ANNUAL FUND

New faculty laptops

Cultural Excursion Day

Donut Day for Students

Expanded classrooms in AB

New classroom furniture

New sound system for the gym

New radios for campus security

Heron Hustle 2021

Premier Race Sponsor - $2,500

Dani & Rick de los Reyes, P’23, Heron Hero

Fred Frederick Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, (Janell & Jeffrey Frederick, P’23’25) Heron Hero

Mile Sponsor - $1,000

Sugar Doodles Sweet Shop, Heron Hero (The Brown Family, P’23)

“Friends of Gunston,” Heron Hero

Gillespie & Son, Heron Hero, (The Gillespie Family, P’07’09’20’22’24)

St. Michaels Running Company, (Donna & Shawn Archambault, P’20)

Award Sponsor - $500

KRM Construction

Tidewater Physical Therapy, (Brian & Mandi Mielke, P’25)

Finish Line Sponsor - $150

Ildi & Mory Watkins, P’26

Trisha & Anthony Corbi, P’24

Mile Marker Sponsor

Joyce Keating - $100 (2-$50)

Choice Sponsor - $1,000

Triandos Chiropractic & Acupuncture (The Triandos Family, P’24)

Shore United Bank

Glenn Michael

Select Sponsor - $500

Ecotone, Inc. - Ecological Restoration

Patrick Shoemaker ’03

Dr. Laurie Lewis & John Lewis, Heron Hero

Dogwood Acres Pet Retreat on Kent Island

KRM Construction

The Riddle Family, P’21

Delaware Podiatric Medicine (Jake & Rebecca Hanlon, P’22) Kent School

Sirloin Sponsor - $250

Anchor Aquatics (JoHannah & Walter Weldon, P’25)

The Clair Family, P’19 ’22

The Hansen Family, P’23

KelStar Properties

Radcliffe Creek School

ImPRESSive Printing

Griswold Travel (Emily Griswold, P’24)

Avon Dixon Insurance Agency

The Sanderson Family, P’22 ’23

360 Automation Technology (Evan & Christine Evans, P’20).

Brisket Sponsor - $100

Shari & Ken Streichler

T. Dickey, P’24

Reliable Pest Control

St. Anne’s Episcopal School

The Thomas Family

The Day Family, P’24

The Algier Family, P’23

The Arthur Family, P’25

Bull Roast 2021

Grill Master Sponsor - $5,000

Dani & Rick de los Reyes, P’23, Heron Hero

Fred Frederick Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, (Janell & Jeffrey Frederick, P’23’25) Heron Hero

Friel Lumber Company (Jay & Gina Friel, P’22 and Jim & Mary Helen Friel)

Rockefeller Sponsor - $2,500

Emily’s Produce, The Jackson Family, P’16

Prime Rib Sponsor - $1,500

Gillespie & Son, Heron Hero, (The Gillespie Family, P’07’09’20’22’24)

“Friends of Gunston,” Heron Hero

Sugar Doodles Sweet Shop, Heron Hero (The Brown Family, P’23)

McAllister, DeTar, Showalter & Walker (Ryan & Adele Showalter, P’25 and Doug & Melissa Walker, P’25)

Dr. & Mrs. Amygdalos and Family, P’20’23

Precision Contractors (Lesley & Timothy Faff, P’23’26)

Golfing Fore Gunston III

Tournament Sponsors - $3,000

Dani & Rick de los Reyes, P’23, Heron Hero

Fred Frederick Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, (Janell & Jeffrey Frederick, P’23’25) Heron Hero

Atlantic Cruising Yachts, (Dawn & Christian Bent, P’25)

What’s Up? Magazine

Station Sponsors - $2,000

Friel Lumber Company

(Jay & Gina Friel, P’22 and Jim & Mary Helen Friel)

Alice Ryan ’75

Awards Ceremony Sponsors - $1,000

“Friends of Gunston,” Heron Hero

Gillespie & Son, Heron Hero, (The Gillespie Family, P’07’09’20’22’24)

Sugar Doodles Sweet Shop, Heron Hero (The Brown Family, P’23)

Contest Sponsors- $250-600

KRM Construction

Datalink

Refreshment Sponsors - $500

Kent School

KRM Construction

Callahan’s Gas & Appliance, (Dana & Mark Callahan, P’22)

Dr. Laurie Lewis & John Lewis

Mirando Chiropractic Center

(Kristy & Dr. Dominick Mirando, P’25)

Shore United Bank

(Amber & John Augustus, P’26)

Hole Sponsors - $150

Bob Sanderson & Michelle Montalbano, P’22,’23

Datalink

Dawn & Kevin Clair, P’19’22

Diane & Mark Freestate, P’98

Dogwood Acres

Ellen & Chris McClary, P’21’23

Regina & Dr. Fernando De Leon, P’22

Glenn Michael

Greta & Brion Umidi, P’19’22

Irene & John Hansen, P’23

Kristy & Jonathan Myers, P’21’24

Krystal & Mark Algier, P’23’26

Lona Sue Todd, Taylor Properties

Moorhouse Electrical Services, P’14’15

Palmieri & Shannahan

Reliable Pest Control

Sara Jane Davidson

Stephanie Ceruolo, P’23

The Thomas Family

Tony Drew

Tred Avon Wealth

How can you support Gunston?

Let us count the ways.

Our funding comes from two sources: The Gunston School is an independent school, organized as a not-for-profit and governed by an elected Board of Trustees.

YOUR PARTICIPATION

85% TUITION & FEES

15% CHARITABLE DONATIONS

Make an annual gift to the Heron Fund. Large participation numbers, especially among faculty, parents and our Board, show confidence in the school and can impact gifts from outside sources. Most foundations consider parent participation rates before donating funds to a school. Each and every gift is important and we are grateful for your support!

YOUR LEADERSHIP

Invest in the future of Gunston by making a leadership gift, serving on a committee, including the school in your estate plans, volunteering as a community advocate, and more.

Heron Fund Endowment Grants

Major Gifts

Special Events

YOUR SPONSORSHIP

The success of our events is entirely dependent upon the generosity of the community. You can support these events by serving on an event committee, purchasing tickets, donating an item to the auction, bidding on auction items, or considering an individual or corporate sponsorship.

Become a Heron Hero by sponsoring multiple events! Receive a discounted rate and year-long recognition. Individual event sponsorships are also available.

The following istings are based on all annual giving during The Gunston School’s Fiscal Year, (July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022). We do our best to make sure our records are accurate. If you believe there has been an error, please contact Jen Matthews at jmatthews@gunston.org.

The Mary Middleton Society ($10,000+)

The Arnold F. Baggins Foundation, Inc.

The Corsica Fund of the Mid Shore Community Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Rick De Los Reyes

Essex County Community Foundation

Fred Frederick Family Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Todd S. Gillespie

Gladwood Foundation

The Hawkins Fund

Mrs. Diane Lafferty

Mary Byrd Wyman Memorial Association

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Meyerhoff

In Honor of: Zach Hoisington

The Salmon Foundation, Inc

Thomas H. and Barbara W. Gale Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. John Wagner

The Eastern Shore Club ($5,000-$9,999)

Mr. and Mrs. James A. Clauson

The David Winton Bell Foundation

The Ferree Fund of the Mid Shore Community Foundation

Foundation For Tomorrow

Friel Foundation

Mrs. Marilyn Meyerhoff

In Honor of: Jill Meyerhoff

The 1911 Council ($1,000-$4,999)

Dr. and Mrs. Michael A. Amygdalos

Mr. Juan P. Angarita and Ms. Liana Anikina

Atlantic Cruising Yachts, LLC

Mr. and Mrs. Christian Bent

Mr. and Mrs. John Buzzelli

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Callahan

Mr. and Mrs. John Caron

Ms. Stephanie Ceruolo

Chesapeake Bay Outfitters

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin J. Clair

Dr. Landy Cook and Mrs. Megan Cook

Mr. Robert Dahl and Mr. Kasim Baihaki

David A. Bramble Foundation

The Dean Speier Family Fund of the Community Foundation for Palm Beach And Martin Counties

In honor of the Bat Mitzvah of Bea Lewis and the Lewis Family

Mr. James R. Dickey

Ms. Tine K. Dickey

Mr. N. Ben Dize and Rev. Karen Dize

Mr. and Mrs. Corey Duncan

Mr. and Mrs. Preston Everdell

Mr. and Mrs. John FauntLeRoy

Mr. and Mrs. Charles C. Fichtner

In honor of Ben Dize

In honor of the Fichtner Family

Mr. and Mrs. Mark M. Freestate

Mr. and Mrs. James E. Gillespie

Gillespie & Son Inc.

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Hallmark

Dr. and Mrs. Jacob Hanlon

Mr. and Mrs. John B. Hansen

Mr. and Mrs. Seth Hassett

Ms. Christina Henderson ‘81

Mr. and Mrs. Peter J. Hunter

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Janney III

Mr. and Mrs. James C. Johnson IV

Mr. Thomas Johnston and Dr. Nina Wagner-Johnston

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Kent

Kent School

KRM Construction

Mrs. Emily R. G. Larkin

Mr. John A. Lewis and Dr. Laurie Lewis

Mr. and Mrs. John A. Lewis III

In honor of Ernie Darling

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lutz

McAllister, DeTar, Showalter & Walker LLC

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher D. McClary

Mr. Robert McWilliams

Mr. Glenn W. Michael

In honor of Patrick Shoemaker ‘03

Dr. and Mrs. Dominick Mirando

Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Moorhouse

Ms. Catherine Murphy and Mr. Bryan McGrath

Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan L. Myers

The Parker Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Parkhurst ‘88

Mr. and Mrs. Torrey Pocock

In honor of Ainsleigh Pocock ‘22

Precision Contractors, LLC

Mr. William B. Price

Mrs. Elizabeth Pupke

Mr. Bryon Reilly and Mrs. Linda C. Reilly ‘75

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Rich

Mr. Leo Rocca and Mrs. Christine Rocca ‘54

Ms. Alice Ryan ‘75

Mr. Robert C. Sanderson Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Walter Schmittinger

Dr. Brenda Scribner

Mr. Patrick R. Shoemaker ‘03

Mr. and Mrs. Robert B. Shoemaker

In honor of Patrick Shoemaker ‘03

Shore United Bank

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Simmons

In memory of Barbara Myers, proud grandparent

St. Michaels Running Company

Dr. and Mrs. Donald Stranahan

Sugar Doodles

Dr. and Mrs. Nick Triandos

Kara Voight

Mr. and Mrs. Dane P. Ways

Susan Willock

Dr. and Mrs. Horace Wood

Youth Learning as Citizen Environmental Scientists

Headmaster’s Cirle

($500-$999)

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Algier

Anyonymous

Avon-Dixon Insurance

Mr. and Mrs. Patrick M. Bannon

Mrs. Sheila Barry

In memory of James Barry

Mr. and Mrs. Shawn Bell

Benevity

Mrs. Joe Buzzelli

Emily and Matt Coffey

Mr. and Mrs. Larry Crow

Datalink Interactive, Inc.

Dr. and Mrs. Fernando De Leon

Mr. and Mrs. Al de los Reyes

Mr. Brad Dean

Delaware Podiatric Medicine, P.A.

Ecotone

Dr. Ron Elfenbein and Dr. Heather Symons

Mr. and Mrs. Creg Fleetwood

Mr. and Mrs. John M. Grantham

Mr. Michael J. Higgins

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher I. Holmes

Mr. and Mrs. William S. Ingersoll

Mr. and Mrs. C.O. Johnson

Mr. and Mrs. Brandon Keith

Mr. and Mrs. Michael K. Kissel

Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Lang

Mrs. Cynthia Latimer ‘81

Llandaff Family Foundation

Mrs. Paul M. Long, Sr.

Mr. Sean Matthews and Mrs. Jennifer A. Matthews ‘05

Mr. and Mrs. Timothy E. McCluskey

Christine McWilliams

Mr. Jay Moore and Prof. Shirley Lin

Mr. and Mrs. Vance Morris

Mr. and Mrs. Justin Nonemaker

Mrs. Cecilia G. Orr

In honor of Christie Grabis and Anita Gruss

Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Overton

Mr. and Mrs. Peter G. Pappas

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Philippon

Mr. and Mrs. David Porter

Price and Gannon, Inc.

In honor of Ernie Darling

Mr. and Mrs. Kurt A. Reichardt

Mr. and Mrs. Ralph P. Riddle

Mr. and Mrs. John Riley

Dr. and Mrs. Christopher Runz

Mr. and Mrs. Chris Sadler

Mr. and Mrs. Mark A. Seaman

Serino Orthodontics

Mr. and Mrs. Kelly K. Sharpless

Mr. and Mrs. James R. Shifrin

Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Showalter

Mr. and Mrs. Chris Spurry

In honor of Sydney Nittle ’21 and Bates Nittle ’23

Mrs. Sylvia Strike

Marie & Stephen Thomas

Tidewater Physical Therapy

Mrs. Alexandra C. Totten

In honor of Edith Grassi

Mr. and Mrs. Brian Tyler

Mr. and Mrs. Brion D. Umidi

Mr. Christopher Wagner ‘04

Mrs. Judith Willock

Mrs. Catherine Windsor

Mr. Robert Wirts and Ms. Erin Foley

Ms. Olivia M. Wood ‘07 and Mr. Eric Stradley

Mr. and Mrs. James D. Wright

Corsica Fellows

($100-499)

360 Automation Technology

Mr. and Mrs. Ken Abbott

In honor of Katie Schiwy ’18

Mr. Jim Abell and Ms. Kimberlie Kerfoot

Mr. and Mrs. David P. Adams

Diana Albrecht

Amazon Smile

Anchor Aquatics, Inc.

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Archambault

In honor of John Arey ’03

Mrs. Pamela Arey

Mr. and Mrs. Tristan Arthur

Mr. Philip A. Ashley Sr.

Dr. Ryan Asprion

Mr. and Rev. John F. Babcock

In honor of Grace Marie Stallman ’07

Mr. Peter F. Baily

Eliot and Meghan Bamford

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Z. Basham III

Dr. and Mrs. Curtis A. Baughman Jr.

In honor of Andrew Baughman ’22

Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Baughman, Sr.

Mrs. Emily Beck and Mr. Ben Thacker

Mr. and Mrs. Lee Bergen

Suzanne G. Biondi

Valerie and Brian Birkeland

Ms. Meghan A. Bishop ‘09

Mr. and Mrs. J. Temple Blackwood

In honor of Christie Grabis

Ms. Amy Boertlein

In honor of Maximilian Pynn ’25

Mrs. Carter Middleton Bond

Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Boone

Captain and Mrs. James P. Borghardt

Mr. and Mrs. J. Donald Braden

Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Brady

Mrs. Meggan ‘91 and Mr. Mark Brennan

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Brown

Mr. Stephen Buchanan and Ms. Jennifer Buchanan

Mr. and Mrs. Marc Buckley

Mr. and Mrs. J. Tyler Campbell

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher J. Campbell

Mr. and Mrs. Steven Campbell

Mr. Charles T. Capute

Mrs. Anne Charles ‘61

Ms. Jane M. Clauson ‘07

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Clemens

Mrs. Priscilla C. Cooper

Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Corbi

Mr. Robert Crouch

Mr. and Mrs. Edward A. Curran

Mr. and Mrs. Anthony D’Antonio

Mr. and Mrs. Ernest A. Darling Jr.

Mrs. Sara Jane Davidson

Mr. and Mrs. Charles F. Day Jr.

Ms. Isabella S. De Leon ‘22

Sarah Dean

Mr. and Mrs. Louis Del Guercio ‘48

Ms. Nancy M. Dick

Dogwood Acres

Mr. Antony Drew

Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Duvall

Mr. and Mrs. Todd Ellis

Craig Engle

Evergrain Bread Co.

Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Faff

Ms. Frances B. Firth ‘73

Mr. and Mrs. Ron Franks

Mr. and Mrs. James Fraser

Mr. and Mrs. James Friel

Mrs. Joan Gaffner

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas H. Gale

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Grabis

Ms. Anita L. Gruss

Ms. Babette Gwynn ‘77

Melissa Haber

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Hagan

Mr. and Mrs. Eric Hamm

Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Hammond

Mr. and Mrs. Bernard O. Hardesty

Mr. and Mrs. Herman Harrison

In honor of Caeden Harrison ’24

Mr. Woodrow S. Harrison Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Darrell Hawkins

In honor of Andrew Baughman ’22

In honor of Quinn Baughman ’24

Dr. and Mrs. Ross I. Heisman

Mr. and Mrs. Peter D. Heller Jr. ‘03

In memory of Jacob Pratt

Mr. and Mrs. David Henry

Mr. and Mrs. Steven E. Hershey

Mr. and Mrs. David Hightower

In honor of Cooper Hightower ’23

In honor of Sawyer Hightower ’26

Mr. William Hodge and Ms. Eliza Niemann

Robert Holden

Mr. and Mrs. Bob Holden

Ms. Samantha Hollomon

Ms. Elizabeth D. Hopkins ‘84

Impressive Printing, Inc.

Ms. Holly Ireland

Carter W. Janney ‘21

Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Jayne

Mr. Austin A. Kana ‘05

Ms. Joyce Keating

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Keil ‘87

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Kent

In honor of Sophia Kent ’24

In honor of Layla Kent ’26

Christopher Kephart and Sara Grantham

Mr. and Mrs. Howard Kille

Mr. Douglas Kliever

Dr. John P. Knud-Hansen

Mr. Ted Kukorowski and Dr. Kimberly Oster

Mr. Joseph Lafferty

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Latorre

Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth M. Law

Mr. Dan Lebling

Mr. David LeCrone and Commander Lynda LeCrone

Mr. Jeffrey Leggett

Mr. Zhi Jian Lin and Mrs. Xiu Mei Peng

Dr. and Mrs. Frederick T. Lohr

Mr. Matthew Luckett

Mr. and Mrs. Steven MacGlashan ‘88

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Manion

Brian Marion

Kimberly A. Marion

Mr. Steven Marshall and Mrs. Dianne Marshall ‘75

Mr. and Mrs. William I. Mason Jr.

Mrs. April J. McClaskey ‘62

Dr. and Mrs. Jonathan McCollum

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew R. McCown

Mr. and Mrs. Patrick McCubbin

Mr. Michael McFarland

Mr. and Mrs. Edward M. McGlynn

In honor of Catherine Hansen ’23

Ms. Judy Melchiorre

Mr. and Mrs. James Melvin

In honor of Ava Melvin ’23

Ms. Rose M. Metcalf

Michael J. and Patricia K. Batza Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. John Miller

In honor of Abbey Miller ’22

In honor of Maggie Miller ’22

Mr. and Mrs. John G. Morony

Mr. and Mrs. Karim Mozher

Mr. William Mulock and Mrs. Elizabeth Stanton

Mr. and Mrs. James Nessly

Mr. and Mrs. Mark A. Newberg

Mrs. Pam Newberry ‘73

Ms. Anne Nielsen ‘58

Mrs. Gail Nittle

Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Norman

Mr. and Mrs. Mark E. Nuessle

Hon. and Mrs. John E. Nunn III

Mr. and Mrs. Brendan O’Neill

Mr. and Mrs. David Olds

In honor of Morgan Garner ’22

Mr. Erik Olson and Mrs. Tiffany Cloud

Mrs. Jenifer Owino

Mr. and Mrs. Phil Parish

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Parkhurst

Mr. and Mrs. Michael S. Phillips

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Porciello

Mr. and Mrs. Joel Potter

In honor of Grafton Howard ’19

Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Prell

Angela and Steve Price

Prof. and Mrs. Joseph Prud’Homme

Ms. Karen Pupke

Mr. and Mrs. Salvatore Purpora

Mr. Michael Pynn

In honor of Maximilian Pynn ’25 Radcliffe Creek School

Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Randolph

Mrs. Marjo Rasin

In memory of James Barry

Mr. and Mrs. Harold T. Reece

Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Reed

Reliable Pest Control

Kelly Renshaw

Mr. Michael Richards

Mr. and Mrs. Ken Rogers

In honor of Matthew Periconi ’24

Mrs. Allison Rogers

Ms. Patricia Rudolfs

Ms. Casey Santora and Mr. Peter Holland

Mr. William Schilling

Mr. and Mrs. Carl Seaman

Mr. John G. Shannahan IV ‘05

Dr. Martha Sharpless

Mr. Stephen E. Shenk

Mr. Jay Shepherd and Dr. Marissa Wallie

Mr. and Mrs. James C. Shipps

Ms. Christine Sinatra

Mr. and Mrs. Greg Smith

Dr. and Mrs. William B. Smith

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey E. Smith

St. Anne’s Episcopal School

Mrs. Nancy Stogsdill

Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Streichler

Mr. and Mrs. Peter A. Sturtevant, Jr.

Ms. Kay Sweezey

Mr. and Mrs. James B. Talbott III

Mr. Jeff Taylor

Mr. and Ms. David Thomas

Lona Sue Todd

Mr. John Tormey and Ms. Barbara Stortz

Tred Avon Wealth

Ms. Mary Reed Valliant ‘77

Laura Van Wie McGrory

Ms. Kimberly Vess

Mr. and Mrs. Howard B. Vreeland Jr.

In memory of Megan Batdorf

Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Walker

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Watkins Jr.

Ms. Diane Watkins

Mr. James Watson and Dr. Heather Watson

In honor of Aidan Watson ’25

Mr. and Mrs. John P. Ways

Mr. Moe Weimer

Mr. and Mrs. Walter Weldon

Martha Wheatley

Mrs. Ann K. White

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph K. White

Mr. Mark R. Wiening

Dr. Daniel Will

Mr. and Mrs. John F. Williamson

Mr. and Mrs. William H. Wilmer V

Dr. William Wilson and Ms. Mary Samuel

Ms. Georgeanna L. Windley

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Wootton

Mrs. Carolyn York

Dr. and Mrs. George M. Young

Mr. and Mrs. Brian Zottarelli