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VOLUME V ISSUE II A PUBLICATION OF SAINT MARY’S HALL
FALL 2010
BACK
y SCHOOL
SAINT MARY’S HALL
THEN AND NOW
MASTER TEACHERS p2 COMMENCEMENT p17 DONOR HONOR ROLL p46
A MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
Dear Saint Mary’s Hall School Community:
Welcome to the 2010 – 2011 school year. We are excited about our returning students
and families, as well as the new members of our school community.
• To our new families … welcome to SMH
• To our returning families … welcome back
• To our alumni and supporters … thanks for continuing to be a part of your school
This year we are committed to making your educational experience the best it can possibly
be. The level of excellence you expect from SMH truly comes from the level of excellence
shown by SMH faculty members. Exceptional schools are special places because of
their teachers. I often use this quote, “No school can exceed the quality of its teachers!”
Truer words have never been spoken in the context of what makes a great school.
We are very proud of the teachers who teach your children and grandchildren. They
have expertise in their fields. They have achieved many honors for their professional
competence and accomplishments. They care about your children beyond the realm
of the subject they teach. They work hard to help your children become the best and
most prepared individuals they can be. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Nothing
great was ever accomplished without enthusiasm.” Our teachers are enthusiastic.
Every one of you can easily think back to those special teachers that changed your life
for the better. We have a school full of those teachers. Thank you for allowing us the
opportunity to have our teachers share in the lives of your children and grandchildren.
We are all blessed to be a part of this special place … Saint Mary’s Hall.
Bob Windham
Head of School
CONTENTS
VOLUME V ISSUE II
SAINT MARY’S HALL
Head of School
Bob Windham
2010 – 2011 Board of Trustees
Mrs. Ruth K. Agather—Assistant Treasurer
Mr. Carlos Alvarez
Mr. Edward H. Austin, Jr.*
Mr. Keith D. Booke - Secretary
Ms. Ruth McLean Bowers*
Mr. J. Bruce Bugg, Jr.
Dr. Ronald K. Calgaard*
Dr. Mark M. Casillas
Mr. Lloyd A. Denton, Jr.—Vice-President
Mrs. Elizabeth M. Hart—Alumni Council President
Mr. Ronald J. Herrmann*
Mrs. Karen J. Hixon*
Mrs. Robert E. Kelso (Betty)*
Mr. Sylvan S. Lang, Jr.—Treasurer
Mrs. Kathleen E. LeFlore—Assistant Secretary
Mr. Randall T. Mays—President
Mrs. Connie M. McNab—Chair
Mr. Fred W. Middleton
Ms. Shamila Behal Nayar
Mrs. Elizabeth M. Roberts
Mr. Jeffrey A. Rochelle
Ms. Ruth Russell
Mrs. Shannon M. Turner
Dr. Alice Viroslav—Capital Campaign Chair
* Trustee Emeritus
Editor
Elizabeth (Liz) A. Thompson
Photography
Melanie Rush-Davis
Graphic Design
Clockwork Studios
10
SAINT MARY’S HALL
THEN & NOW
35 MIDDLE SCHOOL
2 SPECIAL NOTES
24
32
AROUND THE HALL
36
LOWER SCHOOL
37 FINE ARTS
UPPER SCHOOL
40
ATHLETICS
About The Shield
The Shield is a publication of Saint Mary’s Hall in
San Antonio, Texas. The Shield is published twice
annually for parents, alumni, and contributors
to the school.
The Shield would like to thank faculty and staff
for contributing information used in the
articles throughout this magazine.
If you have any questions or comments about
The Shield, or if you would like to submit an
idea or information for a future issue, please
contact the editor at [email protected].
44 ADVANCEMENT
46 DONOR HONOR ROLL
69 ALUMNI
ON THE COVER: Unidentified photo. Circa 1949.
Saint Mary’s Hall THE SHIELD 1
SPECIAL NOTES
MASTER TEACHERS
WA L L O F FA M E
In 2002, Saint Mary’s Hall established a unique and exciting way to reward outstanding
teachers for the positive impact they have had on our community. Every year since then, four teachers (one from each division,
along with one at-large selection) have been selected to receive this special honor. The recipients are announced at the Founders’
Day celebration and are each presented with a check for $10,000.
Selections for the Master Teacher Awards are based on nominations from parents, students, and fellow teachers of Saint Mary’s
Hall. Nominations are evaluated based on outstanding performance of a teacher in any or all of the following areas:
• Personification of the core values of Saint Mary’s Hall
• Curriculum implementation
• Support of school activities outside of the classroom
• Teaching effectiveness
• Personal impact on a specific student, their family,
or the school as a whole
Take a look at our past winners. These teachers are a reminder of what it means to be a “Master Teacher.”
Class of
‘02
Jamie Fox
Ralph Howell
Rick Riordan
Suzanne Weaver
Carol Brown
Brett Brunner
Sharon Moa
Hilary Tompkins
Sharon Goodwin
Anita Lynn
Teri Marshall
Amy Read
Class of
‘03
Class of
‘04
2 THE SHIELD Saint Mary’s Hall
Class of
‘05
Christian Cicoria
Dr. Stephen Johnson
Deborah McInerney
Kathy Rigsby
Franklin Bell
Claire Damarodas
Kathy Fetzer
Katharine Kerr
Eric Gyer
Donna Inscore
Sharon Moa
Amy Williams-Eddy
Dr. Jay Jacobson
BJ Pyrc
Kathy Rigsby
Jill Wagner
Anne Allbritton
Paul Gage
Patti Nicoll
Deborah Walker
Class of
‘06
Class of
‘07
Class of
‘08
Class of
‘09
Saint Mary’s Hall is proud to have such an illustrious group of Master Teachers
whose innovation and commitment help shape our students now and in the future.
SPECIAL NOTES
Peggy Pittman Mays
Fund
Claire Damarodas
g
Teacher Excellence
Grant Recipients
Sharon Goodwin
In
2008, alumna Peggy Pitman Mays (Class of ’53),
made a generous gift to Saint Mary’s Hall to establish
The Peggy Pitman Mays Fund for Teacher Excellence.
The gift provides a consistent and dependable source of income
for teachers to study a variety of topics in various locations that
benefit not only their own personal growth and development
but also that of their students.
Last year’s recipients used their summer grants to pursue learning
opportunities that will impact SMH students, the school as a
whole, and themselves. Take a look at how the 2009 recipients
spent their summer:
Claire Damarodas: This summer I attended a seminar named,
Crossroads of the Revolution. During the seminar, we delved
into the question, “What happens when a major worldwide
event takes place in your backyard?” Based in Concord,
Massachusetts, with Minute Man Park serving as our main
campus, we looked at how the towns of Lexington and Concord
became targets, scenes, and symbols of action igniting the
Revolutionary War, thus culminating in the creation of our
nation. Daily trips to historic areas, the ability to view and
study primary source documents, inspirational speakers, and
scholars freely sharing their research, immersed me in the history
of the New England colonies and enabled me to see the role
the “common man” played in these historical times. Finally,
we looked at Transcendentalism through the lives of Concord
writers (Thoreau, Hawthorne, and Emerson).
Sharon Goodwin: This summer, I traveled to Peru with the
Global Exploration for Educators Organization (GEEO). A
total of 15 American educators toured Inca ruins in Cuzco,
Ollantaytambo, Pisca, and Machu Picchu. We also toured the
Inca Museum, the Coricancha Museum, Pre-Columbian Art
Museum and several other museums in Cuzco. In addition to
learning about the Inca civilization, we had the opportunity to
teach English, geography, math, and art at the Ollantaytambo
and Ccaccaccollo elementary schools.
Plus, we lived with a host family in Ccaccaccollo, which immersed
us in the daily lives of Peruvian village people. This trip was
particularly satisfying, as I was able to participate in a community
service project crafting a traditional adobe kitchen stove. I am
excited to have lived this experience, as it will allow me to transform
my Form 7 classroom lessons on the Incas. Not only do I have a
better understanding of this special culture, but I can also share my
experiences with my students as they learn about the Incas through
real-world examples and interesting photos.
position-cambre toward the barre, fourth position-cambre away
from the barre, and in fifth, to the back. Maestro ...” The piano
accompanist begins to play, and the International Cecchetti
Teachers Workshop is underway.
During July, I had the opportunity to attend the Cecchetti
Council of America’s Summer Teacher Seminar at Hope
College, Michigan. The Cecchetti Method provides a foundation
in ballet that is of the highest caliber and truly supports the vision
of the Saint Mary’s Hall Fine Arts Department. I was among
approximately 70 ballet teachers at the barre from six countries
with more than 30 others observing.
Cheryl Merlock (on left)
Jennifer Harge (middle)
Will Underwood
Jennifer Harge: This summer I was invited back to Italy to
participate in the Pro Danza Italia Choreographer’s Workshop.
Specifically, I had the honor of being one of two people chosen
worldwide to participate in this exclusive event. The workshop
challenged us to create a dance piece, which we named “On My
Quest to Find.” The theme dealt with religion and faith, and
different ways people incorporate spirituality into their lives. I
was greatly inspired by the breadth of religious art throughout the
country, most notably the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo in Siena,
Italy. The process was very rewarding and I had access to many
mentors, including the prestigious Pro Danza faculty. When we
completed the workshop, we had the opportunity to premiere
our dance piece in Rosignano, Italy.
In addition to the Choreographer’s Workshop, I attended daily
technique and composition classes in contemporary dance forms.
This year’s instructors were Amy Chavasse (Modern-University
of Michigan), Edisa Weeks (Modern-Princeton University),
Ana Lambrada (Afro-Cuban-Cuba), and Moreno Mostrado
(Hip Hop-Italia).
Cheryl Merlock: “Good evening class. We’ll begin with our
left hand on the barre in first position; take two demi plies, a
grande plie, releve and lower, cambre forward; repeat in second
Moving through the exercise, I could barely contain the
excitement of being there, unbelievably grateful for the
opportunity given to me by The Peggy Pitman Mays Fund For
Teacher Excellence to attend. Throughout the week, I attended
more than 23 classes and seminars, enjoyed a reception on the
shores of Lake Michigan, and traded classroom ideas with this
very talented group.
Returning to San Antonio, I felt refreshed and equipped with
new tools to be a quality teacher. I know I will be able to apply
what I learned to help produce quality students who have a lifelong appreciation for this art form.
Will Underwood: The number of students looking for an
education in film and video production and the number of
schools offering these courses are increasing dramatically. That is
why I felt drawn to collaborate with other artists by attending the
Film and Video Teachers’ one-week course in Rockport, Maine.
The workshop explored the technology, methodology, and
practical aspects of student productions. The course covered the
use of DV cameras, Final Cut Pro and other editing software.
It was exciting for me to participate in this experience. We had
the opportunity to complete many hands-on exercises as well as
“test-drive” various camera systems including new HD DSLR
cinema techniques, software, and production tools. We also
reviewed textbooks, examined training videos, manuals, and
discussed and practiced critique methods as the class screened
the work that each participant completed during the week. Even
though the class days were long, I loved being able to work with
such talented peers and amazing instructors. Thanks so much
to Saint Mary’s Hall, the Pittman Mays family, and the grant
committee for making this possible!
SPECIAL NOTES
WHERE
ARE THEY
NOW?
Saint Mary’s Hall takes prides in preparing
students in all aspects of life. In this special section,
we take a look at students whose time at Saint Mary’s
Hall helped shape them and influence them to
become educators.
Dr. Carey Clements Rote (Class of 1975)
“When I was a student at Saint Mary’s Hall, my mother told
me, ‘You should approach your education as if it were your
job. You have to go, so you should make the most out of it by
working as hard as you can.’ I took her advice and it certainly
has paid off for me” says Carey.
When asked to sum up her education at Saint Mary’s Hall,
Carey responds, “All that I am was shaped by your institution.
SMH really helped shape my destiny. I think I was the first
person at SMH to take the Advanced Placement Art History
exam … I made a five on the exam!”
Carey is part of a Saint Mary’s Hall legacy. Her mother, Ellen
Maverick Dickson, graduated from SMH in 1947 and her
sister, Ellen Clements Wade, graduated in 1974. Her nephew,
Lewis Clements, will graduate in 2013.
When Carey graduated from Saint Mary’s Hall in 1975, she
knew exactly what she wanted to study. Graduating cum laude,
“When I was a student at Saint Mary’s Hall, my mother
told me, ‘You should approach your education as if it
were your job. You have to go, so you should make the
most out of it by working as hard as you can.’ I took her
advice and it certainly has paid off for me.”
with a bachelor of arts in art history from Texas Christian
University, she began an academic journey that would lead to
her recognition as an expert on Pre-Columbian art.
After earning her doctorate from the University of Texas at
Austin, Carey joined the faculty of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
During her time there, she has been involved in many arthistory activities. She has written numerous articles, one book,
presented more than 60 papers, consulted on 13 different art
projects, and curated five art exhibits.
Carey’s involvement in academics is not just found at the college
level. She has been a table leader for the Advanced Placement
art history exam, she is on the test development committee for
the College-Level Examination Program, and she has presented
numerous seminars at AP summer institutes.
Grey Lyn Prowse Alaniz (Class of 1990)
When Grey Lyn Prowse Alaniz graduated from Saint Mary’s
Hall she decided to stay in Texas and work on achieving the
goals she had set for herself. After graduating summa cum
laude from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in 2004, Grey Lyn kept
her dream to live at the beach in mind. Gaining experience
as a special education teacher in the Southside and Spring
Branch Independent School Districts and as a special education
department chair in Katy ISD, Grey Lyn’s dream finally came
true when she accepted a teaching position with the Flour Bluff
Independent School District. “Now I live on the water and I
can take my boat out on sunset cruises or go waterskiing,” says
Grey Lyn.
Although she is certified to teach several different subjects,
Grey Lyn views her work teaching children with ADHD,
Autism, Apert Syndrome, mental retardation, and other
learning disabilities as a calling. “I love working with students
with disabilities. It has been a true learning experience,” she
says. “Every single one of my students has touched my life in
a special way. Thanks to Saint Mary’s Hall, I actually became a
devoted academic type.”
Grey Lyn is currently working on her master’s degree in special
education and will finish in the spring of 2011.
“Thanks to Saint Mary’s
Hall, I actually became a
devoted academic type.”
SPECIAL NOTES
Jill Fleuriet
Dr. Jill Fleuriet, was a boarding student at Saint Mary’s Hall
from 1985 – 1987. She says, “It was the first time that I
was simultaneously challenged academically and valued for
my intellectual curiosity.” She credits SMH teachers Ruth
Frederick, Jean Littleton, Marilyn Rindfuss, Brian Kaestner,
and Ilene Arbetter for that. According to Jill, “Saint Mary’s Hall
provided the foundation I needed in order to accomplish my
professional goals. I gained a confidence that encouraged and
sustained me in my undergraduate and graduate school careers.”
Her intellectual curiosity led Jill to Harvard University where
she earned a bachelor of arts in anthropology.
After graduating from Harvard, Jill began teaching middle
school in Ramona, California. It was there that she decided to
pursue a graduate degree in anthropology. Over the course of
eight years, Jill earned master’s degrees in anthropology from
San Diego State University and Stanford University, and a
doctorate in anthropology from Stanford.
“Saint Mary’s Hall provided essential parts of
the foundation I needed in order to accomplish
my professional goals. I gained a confidence
that encouraged and sustained me in my
undergraduate and graduate school careers.”
Today, Jill is an Associate Professor in the Department of
Anthropology at the University of Texas at San Antonio. In
addition to teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses
in anthropology, Jill is a prolific researcher and writer. She has
served as an advisor to both master’s and doctoral students. Jill
is also a peer reviewer for six academic journals.
Jill’s advice to SMH students … “In college, take one course in
a discipline that promotes diversity (say, anthropology) in order
to get a completely different perspective of the world.”
Dr. Steven Vokes (Class of 1993)
The Vokes family has been a part of Saint Mary’s Hall since
1950 when Carol Cooper Vokes (Class of 1962) enrolled.
Carol’s three children, Steve (Class of 1993), Kathleen (Class
of 1996), and Eve (Class of 2008) followed in her footsteps.
A Campbell Scholar at Saint Mary’s Hall, Steve Vokes had a
keen interest in science. After graduating from Saint Mary’s
Hall in 1993, Steve earned a bachelor of arts in biology from
Swarthmore College. In 2002, Steve earned a doctorate in
molecular biology the University of Texas at Austin, and
from 2003 – 2008, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow at
Harvard University.
Although Steve teaches at the University of Texas at Austin, he
is primarily a researcher in developmental biology. His major
research interests lie in understanding the transcriptional and
cis-regulatory mechanisms underlying cellular specification
during the process of embryogenesis. Steve’s research has led to
the publication of 16 articles. (Research in Steve’s laboratory
“Saint Mary’s Hall did
a great job of preparing
me for college.”
is supported in part by a Basil O’Connor Fellowship from the
March of Dimes Foundation.)
For more information on Steve Vokes’ research, go to
http://www.sbs.utexas.edu/vokes_lab/index.html.
Without hesitation, Steve attributes his interest in science to the
foundation laid by SMH teachers, Carol Brown and Brian Kaestner.
As Steve recalls, “Saint Mary’s Hall did a great job of preparing
me for college.”
Steve’s advice for SMH students …“If you have a strong work
ethic and focus, it will take you far in life.”
SPECIAL NOTES
SPORTS
THEN
SMH Sports Record
Over the past 30 years, the face of competitive athletics has
changed dramatically at Saint Mary’s Hall as it has progressed
from an all-girl school (with only four competitive teams) to a
coed school with 31 interscholastic teams.
1980s
During this time, Saint Mary’s Hall continued to be an allgirl school and as such they competed in soccer, volleyball,
basketball, tennis, and club lacrosse. By the late 80s the school
added softball, golf, cross country, and track.
In the fall of 1987, Saint Mary’s Hall admitted boys into the
Upper School and organized the first competitive boy’s soccer
team. In 1988, the school added boy’s tennis, track, cross
country, and basketball.
1990s
The school revived the sport of field hockey which had remained
dormant for more than a decade. In 1992, boy’s lacrosse was
organized, and the boys played their first competitive game in
1994. During that same year, boy’s baseball began competing, and
in 1996 boy’s wrestling was added to the list of sports offered at
the school.
A Time for Growth
The Upper School athletic program has come a long way
since its humble beginnings of just a few sports and a small
coaching staff (fewer than a dozen). Saint Mary’s Hall is now
a very competitive program comprised of 31 teams and a
coaching staff of almost 60. The school also turned another
page in its sports history this year with the addition of an
Upper School football team.
& NOW
In the past ten years, participation has increased dramatically
in every sport from 298 students in the 2001 – 2002 school
year to almost 400 students today! Saint Mary’s Hall has been
a member in good standing of the Southwest Preparatory
Conference (SPC) since 1966 and has accumulated 27
Conference titles, as well as three state championships (in boy’s
lacrosse). In addition, SMH is recognized for more than 300
All-Conference Awards, 142 All-South Zone awards, and more
than 20 national awards. Many of our students have been
recognized by the San Antonio Express-News as members of
the Private Schools All-Area Teams.
The SMH “Hall of Fame” in the gym hallway honors 36 graduates
who have gone on to distinguish themselves in college athletics
with another 20 graduates whose names will be recognized in the
very near future.
With the unveiling of a new mascot, the addition of JV
football, and other varsity teams ready to flex their muscles at
the SPC tournaments, 2010 – 2011 promises to be an amazing
year and will carry on the proud tradition of SMH Athletics.
Athletic Program Stats
SPC Titles: 27
All-Conference Awards:
More than 300
All-South Zone Awards:
Approximately 142
National Awards:
More than 20
SPECIAL NOTES
Fine Arts
THEN
SAINT MARY’S HALL HAS LONG BELIEVED
in the importance that the arts play in a well-rounded
education. The study of the fine arts develops students
who are creative; think critically, spontaneously,
and flexibly; speak well in public; possess emotional
intelligence; are collaborative; and are confident
individuals who not only enjoy and appreciate art, but
are skilled young art makers.
S
tudents of the late 1800s and early 20th Century were
often trained in the traditional arts of elocution and
music. As Saint Mary’s Hall grew, so did its arts programs.
Music at Saint Mary’s Hall has long been a source of pride and
continues to be so today with its 77 member Children’s Choir,
the Lower School Orff Ensemble, Select Choir, the Upper School
Vocal Ensemble, Middle School Bands, Upper School Jazz Band,
and the new strings orchestras. Drama was, in recent memory,
only a part-time after-school program. The SMH Drama, Theater
Arts, Technical Theater, and Competitive Drama Programs now
& NOW
have students participating in drama classes and productions in
all three divisions. Visual Art is a popular and diverse program
with a vertically aligned curriculum covering drawing, painting,
sculpture, ceramics, art history, digital video, and photography.
The SMH dance program began in the old dorm rooms 28
years ago, and now boasts of the beautiful Center for the
Terpsichorean Arts in the Tobin Performing Arts Complex, with
more than 350 students participating in dance annually. Speech
and Debate is one of our youngest programs having grown by
82 percent in the last two years.
Today’s dedicated Saint Mary’s Hall fine arts students continue
to win state and national awards, as well as receive college
scholarships for their participation in the arts. SMH has one of the
largest and most qualified fine arts faculty in the region, making
Saint Mary’s Hall South Central Texas’ number one choice for
the study of the arts in a rigorous academic setting. For more
information on the arts at SMH, visit www.smhall.org/arts.
SPECIAL NOTES
WELCOME
BACK
FIRST DAY
OF SCHOOL
?
who IS THE
BARON
Not only will SMH begin a new tradition in
sports this fall with the addition of football, but
we will also begin a new era with our renewed
school mascot.
SMH proudly announces that the 131 year-old
search for the SMH Baron is over.
Our school was “mascot-less” from 1879 until the 1970s. Over
the years, several mascots were adopted including Snoopy from
the Peanuts cartoon. The mascots chosen never really took off
for one reason or another. Two years ago we started working
on a plan to create a personification and a logo that would
illustrate what a Baron really was.
A committee of approximately 25 student representatives from
Upper and Middle School was formed. The committee worked
hard to determine and define who the SMH Baron is and what
he embodies from a student’s perspective.
Baron the Mascot
Birthplace: Cleburne, Texas
Height: 6ft
Background: He comes from a long line of professional
mascots. Rumor has it his cousin is Sparty, the Spartan
for Michigan State.
Goals: To help elevate
SMH school spirit to new
heights and to be the best
in the business!
Predecessors: Snoopy, Snoopy &
the Red Baron, and the Bobcat.
The Baron plans on attending athletic events and other schoolrelated functions.
Help us welcome the Baron. When you see him, give him a warm SMH welcome!
SPECIAL NOTES
Ben McMurray Golf Classic
Attention all golfers and Baron sports enthusiasts! Help us
raise funds vital for the Ben McMurray Scholarship and SMH
Athletics by participating in or volunteering for the 2010 Ben
McMurray Golf Classic.
When: October 25, 2010 at 8am & 12:30pm
Where: Quarry Golf Club
Who: SMH Parents, Grandparents, Students,
Alumni, Family, and Friends
For more information, contact Laura Baker
at (210) 483-9218 or [email protected].
Register today at www.smhall.org/golfclassic
Sponsorships Available:
Presenting Sponsor: $10,000
Front Nine Sponsor: $7,500
Back Nine Sponsor: $7,500
Golf Shirt Sponsor:
$5,000 SOLD
Hat Sponsor: $5,000
Dinner Sponsor:
$3,500 SOLD
Driving Range
Sponsor: $2,500
Practice Green
Sponsor: $2,500
Goody Bag Sponsor: $2,500
Breakfast/Lunch
Sponsor: $2,500
Hole Sponsor: $1,800
—multi-available
Beverage Cart Sponsor: $1,500
—two available
SMH Team Sponsor: $800
Ben McMurray Memorial
Sponsor: $500
—multi-available
FOUNDERS’ DAY
The annual Founders’ Day celebration is a day to honor those who have positively impacted
Saint Mary’s Hall. Since 1999, Saint Mary’s Hall has honored trustees of the school whose faith, vision, and determination have
set the school on a course of service that has brought continued success and recognition through the Founders’ Day Award.
In addition, Master Teacher Awards are presented to faculty members who have distinguished themselves with exemplary service
and extraordinary performance leading to the progress of their students.
When: November 8, 2010 at 8:30am
Where: Zeller Outdoor Theater
Who: Saint Mary’s Hall Community
CONGRATULATIONS!
Class of 2010
O
n May 28, Saint Mary’s Hall held its 130th
commencement ceremony at Laurie Auditorium.
A total of 84 students participated, as Dr. Ruth E.
Berggren, Director of the Center for Medical Humanities and
ethics at the University of Texas Health Science Center, spoke
to the graduates about the importance of community service.
She commended the seniors for having more than 9,000 hours
of community service, the most of any graduating class!
Senior Class President, Harry “Hank” Graves Leeper III, also
gave a very heartfelt speech to his fellow classmates, where he
spoke about the important role Saint Mary’s Hall has played in
preparing them for their future. “At the end of the day, we have
all been given the tools to succeed and our foundation has been
laid through our advantageous and invaluable time at Saint
Mary’s Hall. Are we not indeed the recipients of great fortune?
It is incumbent upon all of us to excel and I trust that we will.”
Overall, the Class of 2010 was offered more than $7,620,636
in merit-based scholarships to more than 166 colleges and
universities.
In keeping with tradition of presenting the Head of School
with a keepsake, seniors gave Head of School, Bob Windham,
Matchbox cars as they shook his hand upon receiving their
diploma. Lucky for him, he was able to “store” them in the
sleeves of his robe.
SPECIAL NOTES
Class of
2010
Special Awards
Longevity Award: Alex Huff, Audrey Hughes, Allie Trigoso,
Anna Dar, Cody Halff, Morgan Riklin, Danny Bonacci, Nico
Bonacci, Valerie Dukes, Jimmie Gillum, Olivia Hart, Matthew
Vance, Blair Brady, Cara Comfort, Corinne Daniell, M.E.
Jonas, Ainslee Macnaughton, Nadia Nayar, Courtney Spalten,
Connor Stoll, Katy Zimmerhanzel, Thomas Cocke, and
Camilla Morrison.
Academic Awards
• English: Louisa Carrigan Fitzsimons Howard
• Fine Arts (Visual): Matthew Thomas Cunningham
• Fine Arts (Performing): Donald Nicholas Bonacci III
• Foreign Language: Matthew Briggs Bewley
• Social Sciences: Claire Elise Goodrich
• Math: Brian Prescott Triana
• Science: Brian Prescott Triana
Bishops’ Christian Citizenship Cup: Anne Marie Helbling
Jamie Armstrong Bennett Award: Brent Spicer,
Assistant Head of School (Upper School)
“At the end of the day, we have all been given
the tools to succeed and our foundation has been
laid through our advantageous and invaluable
time at Saint Mary’s Hall. Are we not indeed
the recipients of great fortune? It is incumbent
upon all of us to excel and I trust that we will.”
—Harry “Hank” Graves Leeper III,
Senior Class President
COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES—CLASS OF 2010
(As of May 27, 2010)
Alex Alvarez
Wesleyan University
Julian Casillas
Trinity University
James Arana
Massachusetts Institute
of Technology
$148,000 McDermott Scholarship
Sami Cleland
Pomona College
Thomas Cocke
Franklin College Switzerland
Zack Ashmore
Duke University
Cara Comfort
University of Washington
Connor Baine
Baylor University
Katie Cortes
Ashton Ball
Columbia College, Chicago
Drexel University
$100,000 Academic Scholarship
Hunter Barrett
University of Mississippi
Charlie Cross
Carleton College
Whitney Bennett
California Institute of Arts
Matthew
Cunningham
Columbia College, Chicago
$40,000 Presidential Scholarship
Matthew Bewley
Harvard University
Ryan Daly
Connecticut College
Alex Blow
University of Southern California
$185,736 NROTC Scholarship
Corinne Daniell
Sewanee: The University of the South
Danny Bonacci
Trinity University
Anna Dar
University of Texas at Austin,
Plan II Honors Program
Nick Bonacci
Trinity University
John Dobson
Blair Brady
Tufts University
University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
Tad Brittingham
University of Texas at Austin
Rory Donovan
Zachry Bruchmiller
Middlebury College
California Polytechnic
State University
C.C. Buford
College of Charleston
Valerie Dukes
Texas Christian University
SPECIAL NOTES
Lola Espinosa Ealy
Fashion Institute of Design
& Merchandising
Danielle Hruska
University of Southern California
Robby Flannery
Trinity University
Alex Huff
University of Texas at Austin
Audrey Hughes
Furman University
Thomas Gelo
Southern Methodist University,
Hilltop Scholar
$30,000 Distinguished Scholarship
$6,000 Meadows Artistic Scholarship
Christina Hull
Yale University
$10,000 USAA Employee
Dependent Award
Rachel Geurin
University of Oklahoma
$2,500 Scholarship
Caroline Jakubowski
Trinity University
$40,000 President’s Scholarship
James Gillum
Florida Southern College
M.E. Jonas
Princeton University
Claire Goodrich
Williams College
Harneet Kaur
Cody Halff
Trinity University
Occidental College
$100,000 Dean’s Scholarship
Olivia Hart
Colorado College
$20,000 Presidential Scholarship
Bernie Kellogg
Rice University
Paige Kerr
Andres Hasfura
Massachusetts Institute
of Technology
University of Texas at Austin,
Liberal Arts Honors Program
Mason King
Vanderbilt University
Sara Hayden
Birmingham-Southern College
$48,000 Foundations Award
Chris Kraemer
Annie Helbling
Duke University
$218,000 Robertson Scholarship
Southern Methodist University
$10,000 Rotunda Scholars Award
$74,000 National Merit Southern
Methodist University Award
Douglas Henry
DePaul University
Joseph Labatt
Louisa Howard
University of Virginia,
Echols Scholars Program
Audrey Leeka
Washington University in St. Louis
Hank Leeper
Trinity University
Jake Lewis
George Washington University
Ainslee MacNaughton University of Colorado at Boulder
Parker Shea
Denison University
$32,000 Alumni Award
Alexis Sherman
Northeastern University
Aubrey Sirtautas
Rice University
$63,200 Trustee
Distinguished Scholarship
Brandon Smith
Yale University
Francesca Smith
Harvard University
Allison McCarroll
Texas Tech University
Ana Maria Merlo
Olivia Mora
Carnegie Mellon University
Camilla Morrison
Rhodes College
$5,000 Rhodes Scholarship
Nadia Nayar
George Washington University
Courtney Spalten
Abby Nickle
Hendrix College
$16,000 Odyssey Honors and
Distinction Award for Professional
and Leadership Development
Kevin Stacy
St. Edward’s University
Connor Stoll
Middlebury College
Brian Triana
Addison Old
Vanderbilt University
Alejandra Trigoso
Lorena Ortega
Florida International University
Trinity University
$20,000 Dean’s Scholarship
Andres Reyes
Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey
Audrey Turner
Hampshire College
Morgan Riklin
Vedanti Upadhyaya
Trinity University
Grayam Sailor-Tynes
Davidson College
$30,000 Scholarship
$14,000 National Merit
USAA Scholarship
Carlos Uribe
Boston University
Himanshu Sharma
Dartmouth College
$2,500 National Merit Scholarship
Paul Vance
Katy Zimmerhanzel
Sweet Briar College
$44,000 Betty Bean
Black Scholarship
SPECIAL NOTES
WELCOME
to
JEFF HEBERT
&
JULIE
HELLMUND
Saint Mary’s Hall Welcomes a new Assistant Head of Upper School/
Dean of Students and new Director of Admission.
Jeff Hebert has been named SMH’s Assistant Head of Upper
School/Dean of Students. Jeff began his teaching career in 1990
coaching middle school football at a parochial school in Dallas.
He taught lower school enrichment classes in first through
fourth grades and served as director of Summer on the Hill at
the Greenhill School in Addison, Texas. In 1997, Jeff spent a
year in London, England playing the role of “Mr. Mom” to his
three year-old daughter Alex. For the last ten years, Jeff has
served as the Head of Upper School, college counselor, and
history teacher at the Canterbury Episcopal School.
When asked about Saint Mary’s Hall Jeff said, “I am very
excited to be a member of the Saint Mary’s Hall community.
What impresses me most about SMH is the standard of
excellence instilled in each student, as well as our diverse
community. Our student body is a collection of uniquely
gifted and talented young men and women, and it is my goal
to help every student find the spark that helps each become a
self-directed student who learns for learning’s sake. As a diverse
community, we strive to promote respect and appreciation
for cultures, traditions, ideas, and opinions that are different
from our own. A liberal arts education is necessary for a literate
mind, and a literate mind is essential for success in our rapidly
expanding global economy.”
Jeff holds a bachelor of arts from Louisiana State University
and a master’s in education, with an emphasis on teaching the
gifted and talented, from Southern Methodist University. He is
also a member of the Pi Lamda Theta National Honor Society.
“I am very excited to be a member of the Saint
Mary’s Hall community. What impresses me most
about SMH is the standard of excellence instilled
in each student as well as our diverse community.
Our student body is a collection of uniquely
gifted and talented young men and women, and
it has always been my goal to help every student
find the spark that helps each become a selfdirected student who learns for learning’s sake.”
—Jeff Hebert
“When I was given the opportunity to join
Saint Mary’s Hall, I grabbed it. SMH combines
an engaging academic environment with a
warm, welcoming community. I found this
combination irresistible.”
—Julie Hellmund
Saint Mary’s Hall would like to welcome Julie Hellmund to
our family as the new Director of Admission. Julie is responsible
for recruitment and enrollment of students new to SMH. She
also works hand-in-hand with each division to ensure students
are placed where they are best suited.
Julie has a wealth of experience in the Admission arena. For
the past 15 years, she has worked at The American School in
Mexico City, Mexico, first as a teacher, and later as the director
of admission, financial aid, and parent relations.
She enjoys meeting prospective parents and sharing the great
opportunities available at Saint Mary’s Hall. “When I was
given the opportunity to join Saint Mary’s Hall, I grabbed
it. SMH combines an engaging academic environment with
a warm, welcoming community. I found this combination
irresistible. The admission process is designed to be a thoughtful
exchange of information. We get to know children through
developmental screenings and academic testing, as well as by
gathering parent and current teacher perspectives. This helps us
determine whether we feel a child will succeed and grow in the
academic environment at Saint Mary’s Hall.”
Julie graduated with a bachelor of science degree in education
from The University of Illinois. For many years, she taught
middle school social studies and English in Austin, Texas.
Make sure you stop by and get
to know Jeff and Julie.
AROUND THE HALL
Linda Abati and Barbara Bertoldo
hosted the Texas Library Association
Dinner at Saint Mary’s Hall. Linda Abati and
Barbara Bertoldo (along with their assistants,
Gerri Walls and Shangruti Desai) hosted
a dinner for more than 100 Texas private
school librarians and visiting dignitaries from
the Texas Library Association and National
Story Telling Alliance. Both librarians led
tours through their respective libraries and
discussed best practices used at Saint Mary’s
Hall. The evening included story-telling by
Lower School students (directed by Sharon
Moa and Mary Ann Blue).
Robin Begley joins Saint Mary’s Hall as the
new Foreign Language Department Chair
and Upper School Spanish teacher after 10
FACULTY
& STAFF
UPDATES
years at Mary Institute and St. Louis Country
Day School (MICDS) where she served as a
Spanish teacher. She has taught virtually
every level of Spanish, from beginning
Spanish through Advanced Placement
Spanish Language and Advanced Placement
Spanish Literature. She will be responsible for providing schoolwide leadership, guidance, and coordination
in the development of foreign language
curriculum within the department, between
departments, and between divisions. She will
also serve on the Curriculum Council.
Vanessa L. Bessler joins SMH as Head
of Lower School Dance and Montessori
Spanish teacher. Vanessa has a master's in
business adminstration from Barry University,
a Postgraduate degree in Education, and
a bachelor of arts degree. She started her
dancing career very early as a student at the
Joffrey Ballet School in New York. She has
studied, danced, and taught all around the
world. She will be responsible for directing
the Lower School dance program. In addition
to her dance duties, Vanessa will also teach
introductory Spanish in Montessori classrooms.
Peggy Johnson received the William W.
Fleming Award at the state Texas Association
Jonathan Eades, Debra Girgus, Sam Hamilton, Jeff Hebert,
Laura Ingoldsby, Mack Magill, Sam McCrary, and Liz Thompson
for College Admission Counseling (TACAC)
attended the 2010 Whipple Hill Training Camp in Manchester, NH. The
conference. The award was given “in grateful
training focused on how to utilize the academic portions of the web
recognition of unquestioned excellence in
site in addition to design, web site management, and communications.
counseling young people in the transition from
high school to college.”
Welcome New Staff
Jane Adamiak, Upper School
Carol Parker Mittal has been chosen as
a participant in the Power of Art Workshop.
The Rauschenberg Foundation hosted the
Social Studies
Jennifer Arce, Upper/Middle
School Assistant
Eli Lozano, Custodian
Edward McPherson, Middle &
Upper School Ballet
Doroteo Mendoza, Safety &
workshop in Washington, D.C. where teachers
Donna Benton, Custodian
visited the “Lab School” and learned about
Jose Cantu, Custodian
Julie Perez, Custodian
teaching students with learning disabilities
Leticia Cardona, Maintenance
Anthony Petrucciani, Upper
through the arts. Carol was one of only 32 art
Mary Champion, Database
teachers from 22 states (and all grade levels
public and private) selected to attend.
Manager/Scheduler
Phillip DiPiazza, Middle
School Speech & Upper
She also exhibited her watercolor paintings
School Debate Teacher
at the Lotus Gallery during July and August.
Heather Dobbins, Woodwinds
There was a tea reception and gallery talk by
Anthony Ganze, Custodian
the artist on July 24.
Rosario Guajardo, Custodian
Kutina Hardaway, Custodian
Margie Hunter, Custodian
Duzie Queen received the Houses of Gods
Javan Johnson, Assistant
Plant Management Coordinator
School Field Hockey Coach &
Lower School PE
Kevin Pleshko, Middle
School Teacher
Maerene Randall, Custodian
Emerson Stuckart, Extended
Care Assistant
Andrew Thornton, Associate
Speech and Debate
Elsa Tonone-Sala, Middle School
Spanish Teacher
Grant from the National Endowment for
Technical Theater Director
Austin Walker, Custodian
the Humanities. The grant was given to 25
& Lighting Designer
Genni Wenrich,
teachers from across the nation to investigate
Heather Killmeyer, Assistant
life in ancient Rome by studying ancient
Technical Theater Director &
readings, then investigating on-site their
Lighting Designer
Montessori Assistant
homes, temples, baths, and tombs. Duzie
studied in Maryland, the Bay of Naples and
Retirements
Rome, Italy.
Hortenica Lopez
James Venhaus’ new play Broken Record
had its world premier at the Overtime Theater
in San Antonio in August and September.
James is the author of 16 plays including
his work for young actors, published by
Playscripts, Inc. His plays have been produced
in theaters across the country.
AROUND THE HALL
Passport (2)
T
R
O
P
S
S
A
P
2010
DESTINATION
Saint Mary’s Hall
When SMH Airlines landed late in the evening on May 7, 2010, all passengers agreed that it was
one of the most extraordinary trips they had ever embarked upon.
E
xcitement for Passport 2010: Destination Saint
Mary’s Hall began in early January as Perry the Passport
gnome began visiting SMH classrooms. Perry bonded
with students and teachers by participating in a wide variety of
educational and extracurricular activities from lessons and story
time, to dodge ball and the Upper School formal dance!
By April, Perry fever spread to SMH parents and beyond,
boosting tickets, table, and sponsorship sales. The race was
on for the Passport Committee to plan an unforgettable trip.
Passport Chair Jamie Fox and her flight crew worked overtime
to achieve the perfect itinerary! Two weeks prior to May 7, the
flight crew launched an exciting online auction designed to
replace the traditional silent auction. More than 300 people
registered to bid on 293 items. The auction closed on May 5,
raising a staggering $100,816!
On the night of Passport, passengers donned “first class” attire
and checked in outside the athletics complex to receive their
boarding pass for the flight. Guests mingled in the upper gym
“waiting area,” enjoying hors d’oeuvres and delectable offerings
from multiple carving and slider stations. Form Packages and
Passengers on SMH Airlines enjoyed first-class food and fun at Passport 2010!
other special items were also available for bidding while the
beloved hand-made Form quilts were auctioned off just prior
to “boarding” SMH Airlines in the Lower Gym.
As passengers presented their boarding pass to the flight
attendants and boarded the “airplane,” they knew they were in for
an incredible journey! The Passport Committee had transformed
the gym with SMH and airplane themed decorations. Photos
from Perry’s adventures with the SMH community scrolled on
four giant screens while passengers sampled their desserts.
Finally, it was time to stow all baggage and prepare for take-off.
Emcee and SMH Parent, Brent Barry, introduced head flight
attendant, Jamie Fox, who directed everyone’s attention to the
hilarious flight safety video, produced by SMH faculty members
James Venhaus and Will Underwood. The parody of airplane
safety videos, performed by SMH students, informed passengers
on safety and bidding procedures.
Once pilot Bob Windham was onboard and had signaled for
take-off, the auction kicked off with the Best of Live drawing.
The exciting Live Auction followed, offering amazing trips to
Acapulco, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and the FM
Ranch. Bidding became heated for both the Spurs and Ted
Nugent experiences, but bidding for the coveted SMH parking
spaces was almost too hot to believe!
After raising an astounding $166,000 in the live auction,
it was time to watch the touching “Everyday, Someday”
video highlighting SMH’s seven core values and the priceless
experiences and opportunities that accompany an SMH
education. Bidding for “Fund A Mind” followed immediately,
raising funds for student scholarships and faculty enrichment
through The Peggy Pittman Mays Fund for Teacher Excellence.
Guests raised their bid cards with enthusiasm until donations
totaled $89,000. The emotion in the room was electrifying and
was capped off by the ever exciting Free Tuition Raffle drawing.
After the whirlwind flight, passengers disembarked knowing
they had just positively and profoundly affected life at SMH
for their children and faculty.
Passport 2010 will forever be celebrated as one of the
best auction galas, adding to the rich 30-year history of
successful and memorable auction parties. Net proceeds
totaled more than $465,000!
Congratulations to Jamie Fox and flight crew, as well as to all
who contributed their time to make Passport 2010 sensational.
We couldn’t have achieved such success without all of our
sponsors, donors, bidders, and volunteers. Thank you!
AROUND THE HALL
GRAND DAY
AT THE HALL
Montessori/Kindergarten kids perform for their families in a concert created
especially for the occasion.
Grand Day is a heartwarming experience for grandparents and their
grandchildren of all ages.
G
rand Day at the Hall is always a truly memorable
day on the Saint Mary’s Hall campus as grandparents
and other special friends arrive for classroom visits,
student performances, and fellowship with SMH students and
faculty. Each year, the number of visitors on Grand Day grows.
This year more than 200 grand guests arrived to enjoy the
festivities in each division.
Montessori/Kindergarten students displayed exquisite artwork
at their annual art show and after classroom visits, wowed the
audience with their spring concert in the Coates-Seeligson
Theater/Chapel. Special guest speaker Rick Riordan reminisced
about his cherished relationship with his grandparents while
speaking to Forms 1 through 5 students and guests. Form 1
students rounded out the morning by performing an entertaining
fashion show in “Español.”
Middle and Upper School guests were treated to a student
showcase spotlighting the performing arts during a special
assembly. Following the assemblies, Middle School guests joined
students in the dining hall while Upper School guests enjoyed
lunch in the east gallery of the theatre surrounded by a visual
arts display.
Mark Your Calendars!
Grand Day at the Hall 2011 is scheduled for April 21, 2011.
Don’t miss out on what is sure to be another “grand” day! Be
sure you are on the mailing list to receive more information
about Grand Day by giving us updated contact information.
Visit www.smhall.org, login to the SMH Portal, and click on
the “Grandparent Information Update” link.
2010 RECEPTION
A reception honoring this year’s scholarship recipients was
held on the evening of April 7. Saint Mary’s Hall trustees,
administrators, donors, students, and parents gathered to
celebrate the following recipients:
The Major General Daniel S. and Mrs. Ruth Taylor Campbell
Scholarship
RECEPTION
'10
REWARDS STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENTS
A HELPING HAND
One of Saint Mary’s Hall’s most important goals is to provide
financial aid to the families of qualified students. Every year
approximately 13 percent of Saint Mary’s Hall students receive
grants to offset the cost of tuition—giving young people (who
might have been left behind) the opportunity they deserve to
reach their potential.
Each year the Board of Trustees allocates a percentage of the
operating budget to support financial aid. In addition to needbased grants, a number of independently donated scholarships
are awarded annually to Upper School students.
Scholarship: Ethan Ausburn, Mitchell Huffstickler, Leiah
Mendiondo, Pavan Patamalla
Sally and Glen Ramsdell Scholarship: Sam Callahan,
Nancy Ding, Kevin Tai, Katie Uhler, Hans Uy
Earl Bill Scholarship:
Ben Kellogg, Austin Triana
Jamie Armstrong and John Mirza Bennett Leadership
Award: Robyn
Straus and Hannah Viroslav
Ben McMurray Scholarship:
Paige Cheatham and Grant Rascoe
L.D. Ormsby Foundation Scholarship:
Shay Petty
Scholarship recipients are among Saint Mary’s Hall’s most
outstanding students and upon graduation often receive merit
scholarships from the finest colleges and universities. None of
this would be possible without the commitment of our Board
of Trustees and generous support of the Saint Mary’s Hall
community. If you have any questions about the grant process
or the scholarship awards, please contact the Admission Office
at (210) 483-9234 or [email protected].
AROUND THE HALL
New Family
PICNIC
Welcome to SMH … New Family Picnic
O
n a beautiful May evening, the SMH community came
together to welcome new students for the 2010 – 2011
school year. Hosted by the Office of Admission, new
families were invited to a Mexican themed dinner on the front
lawn. Current families and more than 50 members of the faculty,
staff, and administration came out to greet the newest members of
our school and make them feel welcome. As festive music played
from the bell tower, parents and teachers got to know each other
while many students played with water guns, sidewalk chalk,
soccer balls, and bubbles. With the help of a jubilant face painter
and a balloon animal-making clown, fun was had by all!
Thank you to everyone who came out to show our new families
what the Saint Mary’s Hall community is all about and welcome,
new SMH Barons!
EVENTS
AROUND
THE
HALL
The National Art Honor Society presented
rising star and San Antonio artist, Alex
Rubio to students. Alex is an established
local artist, who spoke to students about
his art, the importance of mentoring,
and showed examples of his community
and collaborative art projects. Alex has
exhibited work at ArtPace, the McNay, and
Blue Star Contemporary Art, just to name
a few. His collaborative murals can be seen
throughout San Antonio.
SMH students had the unique opportunity
to participate in an extended chapel for
a presentation by the group “Invisible
Children.” A young woman from Uganda
named Lillian spoke with students and
presented a film. Her comments and the
film focused on the humanitarian crisis
of children soldiers in Uganda today and
about the ways our students can help with
this cause.
SMH collected $2,731 to help those in Haiti.
SMH introduced several donation boxes and
hosted several bake sale events in an effort to
collect money to donate to Project Medishare
and their important work in Haiti. Award winning author, Kimberly Willis Holt, presented a
program and read to Lower School Students.
Dr. Ruth Berggren spoke to Middle
and Upper School students to promote
National Doctor’s Day. Dr. Berggren
shared stories from the front lines of the
earthquake in Haiti and showed videos
of the aftermath of the earthquake and
the steps being taken to help.
AROUND THE HALL Upper School
EVENTS
UPPER
SCHOOL
The SMH Model United Nations
(MUN) team traveled to New York
City to attend a MUN conference
at Columbia University.
Richard Ryan met with Upper School
students to talk about the dangers
and pitfalls facing teens today. Richard
is a nationally known and highly
respected drug and alcohol addiction
expert and counselor.
Upper School students attended a luncheon/lecture
hosted by the World Affairs Council titled, “Lessons from
a Long War: The U.S. in the Middle East.” Ambassador
Ryan C. Crocker, former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Pakistan,
Syria, Kuwait & Lebanon and Dean, George Bush School of
Government & Public Service Texas A&M University was the
guest speaker.
SMH Students attended the Trinity
University Distinguished Lecture
Series. Students had the opportunity to
see award-winning journalist, Thomas
Friedman, speak at Trinity University.
Among other topics, he spoke about
the need for an energy revolution.
Students participated in Bishops’
Day, which celebrates intramural
activities within each division.
Students choose which “bishop”
to represent: Capers (yellow) or
Elliots (blue).
ISSUES DAY 2010:
Who’s Watching You?
In March, SMH held its annual Issues Day event. Issues Day is an in-depth discussion of an intellectual and timely topic.
The junior class was responsible for choosing a relevant topic, and they chose, “Issues Day 2010, Social Media: Who’s Watching
You?” A panel of experts was tapped to talk about Internet privacy and social media, explain how social profile information is being
used, and how to protect ourselves against this information having negative effects. Guest Speakers included:
• Jamie E. Hine, Attorney Advisor to Federal Trade Commission Commissioner Pamela Jones Harbour
• Benson Hendrix, Public Relations Specialist for the University of New Mexico
• Erica Newland, Policy Analyst at the Center for Democracy & Technology
• Geoff Livingston, co-founder of Zoetica
Special thanks go to Mr. Joe Shurgot for his sponsorship and support of our students in their efforts to present this special event.
Also, a big “thank-you” to the moderator, Mr. Gilbert Mathews. Mr. Mathews is an SMH Upper School parent and is the CEO
and founder of Lucifer Lighting Company.
AROUND THE HALL Upper School
SMH Students Say
Hawaii
Aloha to
In June, 46 Upper School students and nine chaperones traveled to
Hawaii for field studies in Marine Biology, granting one semester
of macro biology credit to students. The program provides an
opportunity for hands-on exploration of every aspect of marine
biology from oceanic features to marine organisms. The course
allowed students to interact and really see what they were studying.
In Hawaii, these students spent two weeks on the Big Island at
Hawaii Prepatory Academy in Kamuela, and the surrounding
areas. Each day was filled with class time, labs, and exciting
adventures. Activities included snorkeling, scuba diving, night
labs, and trying to master the hula dance.
The highlight of the trip was diving and snorkeling with the
gentle giant manta rays! The scuba divers sat on the bottom
of the ocean, campfire style, pointing flash lights towards
the surface. The snorkelers floated above the divers pointing
their flashlights down. All of these lights attracted plankton,
a delicious delicacy for manta rays. The manta rays swam
gracefully around eating the plankton and showing everyone
their unique structure and maneuverability. Several students
remarked, “This is the coolest thing I have ever done in my
whole life!”
View the student’s journal at: http://www.smhhawaii.com
AROUND THE HALL Middle School
EVENTS
MIDDLE
SCHOOL
SMH Middle and Lower School
students spent many hours
practicing for the Getting
Excited About Robotics
(G.E.A.R) competition. This
year’s competition scenario,
Up and Atom, simulated
students and “their robots”
working at the Large Hadron
Supercollider under Geneva,
Switzerland. Students built
and programmed robots to
“repair the Hadron Collider.”
Students celebrated the end of the year with a
variety of Senate sponsored Spirit Week activities
that included collecting flip flops for Haven for
Hope. The week culminated in a spring Middle
School dance held in the Saint Mary’s Dining Hall.
Jennifer Sharpe Potter, Ph.D., M.P.H spoke to SMH Middle
School parents about the misuse and abuse of medications.
The presentation, called “Who is Minding the Medicine
Cabinet?” focused on what medications are most risky, who
may be most vulnerable to misusing them, why all parents
should be mindful of the risks associated with their misuse,
and strategies for taking “universal precautions” when these
medications are in your home.
The Middle School awarded the following students with the
2009 – 2010 Spirit Awards: Sabrina Rodriguez, Bri Springs,
Helen Shaper, Emily Lang, and Dallas Cortes. Middle School
students are nominated for the Spirit Award by the Middle
School Faculty, and students vote for the award based on
the following characteristics: consideration, courteousness,
contributions, cheerfulness, and cooperation.
For the first time ever, the Middle
School National Junior Art Honor
Society (NJAHS) participated
in the annual Sand Fest in Port
Aransas, Texas by building sand
sculptures! NJAHS sponsor and
Middle School art teacher, B.J. Pyrc,
organized the trip for the group.
AROUND THE HALL Lower School
EVENTS
LOWER
SCHOOL
Students in Montessori/Kindergarten
and Form 1 celebrated the 100th day
of school with many special festivities
including counting, making different
groups of 100, and dressing up as 100
year olds!
Mrs. Hinson’s Montessori students had a Fiesta
Parade featuring special fiesta hats and floats
created by the students. Visits from King Antonio
and El Rey Feo helped to make Fiesta week at the
Lower School full of fun and frivolity. El Rey Feo
talked about the importance of education and
honored many students and faculty members. Kindergarten students honored faculty
members by inviting them to attend
the annual Beatrix Potter Tea Party.
Faculty members were greeted by
their personal hosts/hostesses and
served tea and scrumptious treats.
Students also read their guests Beatrix
Potter books, showed off their artwork,
and initiated great conversations.
Form 3 students were treated to a virtual
tour of the WWII Museum in New Orleans.
The topic studied was The Home Front,
and students learned many facts about the
participation of communities in the United
States during the war. They interacted
virtually with a real museum tour guide
making the students feel as if they were
actually in New Orleans at the museum.
Lower School students relaxed on Bishops’ Day
by playing games. The weather was rainy, so
they had a great time indoors.
FINE ARTS
FINE ARTS
Makes the Grade
Competitive Speech
and Debate
New directions for the SMH Speech and Debate Program include
the addition of two outstanding coaches. SMH is proud to welcome
Philip DiPiazza who will teach Middle School Speech and Upper
School Debate. Philip comes to SMH from the University of Texas
at San Antonio (UTSA), where he was the Assistant Debate Coach
working in Policy Debate. Prior to joining the teaching staff at
UTSA, he was a Cross Examination Policy Debater for UTSA,
where he was a Double Octo Finalist at the National Tournament
of Champions and a National Debate Tournament Qualifier.
Also formally joining the coaching team is Andy Thornton, who will
be working with Eric Geyer (Speech/Competitive Drama Teacher),
Dance
Marcia Holliman, who founded the SMH Dance Program 28
years ago, retired last May. The Lower School dance production,
“Alice in Wonderland,” was her final farewell to her beloved
SMH students. As a special tribute to Ms. Holliman and
Dr. Kathleen Tenniswood, who also retired this spring, Tino
Valles (Dance Teacher) choreographed a special good-bye piece
featuring Upper School dancers, some of whom had been with
Ms. Holliman since Montessori Dance.
Replacing Marcia as the Head of Lower School Dance is Vanessa
Bessler. Vanessa, a proud mom of two new Lower School boys,
and is a former Prima Ballerina with the Panama National
Ballet. She has taught ballet at the National Ballet of Panama,
Northern Kentucky University, and for Cincinnati Ballet. She
has her master's in business adminstration from Barry University
in Miami, and studied dance at schools throughout the world
including the Joffrey Ballet and Royal Academy of Dance.
The 2010 – 2011 school year promises to be another exciting
season for Saint Mary’s Hall Fine Arts students. SMH offers
a wide range of arts courses and opportunities from which
students will learn more about themselves and the world
around them. Take a look at the “lesson plan” for the year!
as an Associate Speech Coach. Andy, a former National Forensic
League National Champion in both Humorous and Dramatic
Interpretation, has his bachelor of fine arts in acting from North
Carolina School of the Arts. He is also a well-regarded stage actor,
and Philip is considered one of the top judges on the circuit. We are
excited to be adding their talents to our Speech and Debate faculty.
The SMH Speech and Debate program also celebrated two
milestone achievements this past spring, claiming its first
State Championship and first National Finalist. In March,
SMH took First Place in Duet Acting at the Texas Forensic
Association State meet. In May, the team traveled to California
and won Second Place in the nation for Duet Acting at the
National Individual Events Tournament of Champions.
SMH has also been selected as the host site for the 2011 National
Individual Events Tournament of Champions to be held in May.
Also new to the SMH
Dance Faculty is Edward
McPherson, who is teaching
Middle and Upper School
Ballet. Edward was the guest
artist in the spring 2010
Middle/Upper School Ballet
“Don Quixote,” as well as
2009’s “Coppelia.” He has
taught ballet for the University of California-Davis, Indiana
University, Indiana Ballet, and Applegate Dance Company.
His performing experience includes Ballet Austin, Ballet West,
Sacramento Ballet, Peoria Ballet, Utah Ballet, and the National
Chorographers Initiative. Edward’s formal education was at
Interlochen Arts Academy and Indiana University.
We are delighted to have the opportunity to build upon
our past and explore new directions in ballet under the
leadership of Vanessa in Lower School and Edward in
Middle and Upper School. Welcome to them both!
FINE ARTS
Drama
Drama in 2010 has been full of new projects and original work. In
Lower School drama each year, the three Form 5 classes with Clea
Underwood, the Lower School drama teacher, spend six months
developing, writing, and rehearsing an original play that features
the entire Form 5 in speaking roles. Starting in the fall when
Clea first pulls out the sheets of yellow paper for brainstorming,
to the culmination of a fully produced original play, the students
develop strong writing and drama skills, as well as experiencing
the pride that comes from knowing something they created was
seen and enjoyed by their peers, teachers, and families. The Form
5 Original Drama Production is something our Lower School
students will remember their entire lives.
Also in the realm of new directions and new work was the first
annual “Spring Shorts,” the Upper School drama production held
last March. Upper School drama students selected short new plays
from a pool of national playwrights for production. Middle and
Upper School drama Teacher James Venhaus, himself a published
and produced playwright of national acclaim, led the project
and directed/wrote some of the pieces along with students from
the Advanced Directing and Playwriting class. “Spring Shorts”
promises to become a yearly tradition.
May. Saint Mary’s Hall presented “The Caucasian Chalk Circle”
under the direction of Speech/Competitive Drama Teacher Eric
Geyer. SMH received another First Place state win, by beating
out three other top performing schools along with winning top
awards for Best Actress and All-Star Cast.
A final new direction in Drama: Technical Theater students are
looking forward to a new year with new Assistant Technical Director/
Lighting Designer Javan Johnson this fall. Javan has his MFA from
University California-Davis in scenic and lighting design and will
be a great addition to the outstanding Tech Theater team lead by
Technical Theater Director/Scenic Designer Patrick Cunningham.
A new project in competitive drama in 2010 was the first annual
State Middle School One-Act Play Competition at SMH last
Music
The music program is full of new energy. Chris Dobbins, who is
starting his second year at SMH as the Middle and Upper School
Band Director, is adding two new string orchestras to the class
curriculum this fall, in addition to his two Middle School bands,
and the popular Upper School Jazz Band. Our music students
also had new successes in competition last year, winning top
scores in Vocal Solo and Instrumental Solo events.
Also new this fall is the Middle School Glee Club. The club
will be open to all Middle School students and will feature
popular musical theater songs in the tradition of the “Glee”
television show. The new club will be under the leadership of
Director of Special Events, Laura Baker, who is an experienced
singer and musical director.
The Lower School music program, under the direction of PJ
Waite, now offers students the opportunity to participate in
four music groups outside of the regular class curriculum. The
SMH Children’s Choir sang the national anthem for the Spurs
twice last spring, and for the San Antonio Missions right before
Summer Break. Our Montessori/Kindergarten music students’
memorable, spring showcase for Grand Day, included a special
effects show … complete with flashlights and kazoos!
Visual
Arts
Lower School art teacher Clay Beutler brought exciting projects
to the Lower School art classroom this past school year. His
cave drawings, and self portrait projects were particularly
memorable, and the students are still talking about the Native
American jewelry making unit. Mr. “B” was also a hit in the
Spring Visual Art Faculty Exhibit with his minimalist paintings,
along with his colleagues BJ Pyrc, Ralph Howell, Charissa
Luman, and Carol Parker-Mittal.
Our students also enjoyed a new Middle School Paint to Music
program, a collaboration between BJ Pyrc, Middle School Art
Teacher, and Deb Gittinger, Middle School English Teacher.
The annual Middle School Art Exhibit featured interactive art
and torn paper portraits, and the National Junior Art Honor
Society students enjoyed sculpting with sand at Sandfest in Port
Aransas. Our Upper School students, in addition to generating
outstanding artwork (giant bug sculptures, 3-D photography,
and still life paintings) are involved in various outreach projects
through the Fine Arts Council and the National Art Honor
Society. From providing self portraits to orphans in Peru, to
participating at community events like ArtPace’s Chalk it Up
and raising money for SAY Si, a local nonprofit, the SMH
ISAS
visual art students are positively contributing to the community,
as well as garnering awards from the VASE and Young
Scholastic Art competitions.
The SMH digital video program continues to gain new national
attention for its work. (For awards information visit www.smhall.
org/arts/news). The program, now under the direction of Will
Underwood, culminates in an annual show at the “Fat Bird Film
Festival/One Big Show” held in April. The award-winning films
The Sleep Project, Give the Dog a Bone, and What Happened were
all screened at last year’s festival, along with such projects as the
humorous Pancake Series and the Advanced Digital Video project
Circuit Breaker.
Visual art students participate in exhibits and festivals
throughout the school year, and learn new ways of expressing
themselves through the discipline of visual art. Advanced
Placement (AP) students create an independent body of work
that develops over the course of the year. The AP Studio Art
Exhibit is currently running through the end of September in
the Coates Seeligson Theater/Chapel. We hope to see you there!
Independent School’s of the Southwest (ISAS) Fine Arts Festival 2010
The Upper School vocal ensemble was one of the smash hits at
the ISAS Fine Arts Festival in Dallas April 8 – 10, 2010. Under the
direction of Jennifer Halteman, the one-year old vocal ensemble
performed a mix of music that included traditional choir music all
the way through Queen’s rock ballads.
Also new at ISAS last year, was the prominence of private lesson
students that performed in vocal and instrumental solos, as
well as at “Coffee House.” Coffee House, as the name implies,
is an informal gathering of musicians that perform for fellow
students by singing rock, folk, and pop tunes. The unofficial
word was that SMH “rocked the house” by performing for
nearly two hours closing out the festival. More than 100 SMH
Upper School students attended ISAS this year and participated
in performances, exhibits, workshops and critiques in all the
fine arts disciplines, along with nearly 5,000 fine arts students
from across the southwest.
ATHLETICS
2010
Fall
OUTLOOK
OUTLOOK
The fall 2010 athletic season will be an exciting one this year!
The school will present its inaugural Upper School football
team, introduce a new school mascot, and tee off with the
Ben McMurray Golf Classic in October.
Volleyball
In varsity boy’s volleyball, coach Ed Dahl, who has worked with
the team for the past 10 years, is expecting the largest turnout
in the school’s history and is boasting the return of six players
along with 10 – 15 new players. The biggest highlight of the
year will be the team hosting four home matches against Dallas
St. Mark’s, Fort Worth Trinity Valley, Fort Worth Country Day,
and Houston St. John’s. This is the largest number of home
games in eight years and the team is hoping to generate large
crowds and outstanding support.
Upper School girl’s volleyball is expecting as many as 50 girls to
try out for the varsity and junior varsity teams, as well as the first
freshman team. Head Coach Katrina Biggers, who has worked
with Upper School volleyball for 10 years and who is starting her
fifth year as head coach, returns five starters, including her outside
hitter, two middle blockers, and her two liberos. The team will
also receive some help in the form of incoming freshman and new
students. They will host their traditional Invitational Tournament
in September, travel to the Alamo Heights and Fredericksburg
tournaments, as well as host Southwest Preparatory Conference
(SPC) teams, Houston St. John’s and Houston Kinkaid, Austin St.
Stephen’s and Fort Worth Country Day.
In addition, Middle School girl’s volleyball will also have two
new coaches. Laura Baker will once again coach the Form 6
team while new comer Susan Domine, will coach the “B” team.
Koco Sherman, who has been a varsity assistant for five years,
will now coach the “A” team.
Cross Country
Varsity cross country head coach Kevin Waters, who begins his
sixth year as head of the program, looks to carry on the success of
both the girl’s and boy’s teams from last year when they finished
in 4th and 3rd place respectively at SPC. The boy’s team returns
Go!
S
N
O
BAR
Go!
five top runners from last year, while the girl’s team returns their
top seven runners. Additionally, both teams should have new
students and incoming freshmen who could make an immediate
impact on the program. Most of the runners have been training
all summer and started their intense pre-season training in
August. The team will travel to Dallas three times for the
Greenhill, Jesuit, and SPC meets as well as to College Station
for the A&M Meet and to Austin for the South Zone Meet.
Middle School cross country will have a new coach this year
in Jennifer Garcia, who ran at Xavier University in Louisiana.
Jennifer brings a tremendous amount of experience and is
urging all Middle School runners to join the team.
well. The team traveled to Dallas for the Hockaday Tournament in
September plus they will host Fort Worth Country Day, Austin St.
Stephen’s, Houston Kinkaid and Houston St. John’s. The Middle
School girl’s field hockey team had their largest turnout ever with
almost 20 girls. They started playing their games in late September
with the Austin teams: St. Stephen’s and St. Andrews.
Field Hockey
Varsity field hockey will be adding a new coach this year—Anthony
Petrucciani—who comes to San Antonio from Houston and who
brings a wealth of experience in the sport. Similar to the other fall
sports, field hockey is expecting a large group of girls including
14 returning players and a significant number of newcomers as
Soccer
Middle School boy’s soccer returns a large number of players and
is expecting a lot of experienced new comers. Coach BJ Pyrc and
Coach Garza are primed to make the team a competitive force
within the Independent Schools Athletic League again this year
and hope to challenge for a championship at the end of the season.
ATHLETICS
,
T
E
S
,
N
W
O
D
!
E
HIK
On August 26, the SMH JV Football team suited up to play
in its very first football game at San Antonio Christian School
(SACS). The stifling temperatures dropped, the cloud cover
rolled in, as the SMH team (and fans) assembled to witness
the first JV football game in our school’s history. The evening
turned into a magical and historic event at the SACS football
field. Our school had tremendous support from parents,
students, faculty/staff, and alumni, with a crowd of about 200
people. The result? A thrilling 24-6 win by the SMH Barons
over the SACS Lions.
School Spirit
When the Barons broke through the banner at the start of the
game, the crowd went wild! The level of school spirit and pride
was at an all-time high. The Saint Mary’s Hall cheerleaders
did a great job getting the crowd into the game and led SMH
supporters in a chorus of cheers.
Way to Go!
Congratulations to each and every player on the team for such a
tremendous showing and for representing Saint Mary’s Hall in
such a positive way. The coaching staff made up of head coach
Wane McGarity, Jeff Sandera, Jeremy Tarver, Rusty Belden,
Jose Molina, and Brian Hall prepared this team very well as the
players performed at their highest level throughout the game.
In addition, trainers Phil Rogers and Sam McCrary kept our
kids healthy while the Middle School football players and other
students served as ball boys and water boys.
Don’t Miss Out
We were all a part of school history … the first kick-off, the
first touchdown, and the first victory. What a special time for
everyone involved, especially the players who will forever be
known as the very first “SMH football players.” There’s more
to come … the team will play a nine game schedule this year
against TMI, SACS, Hyde Park, St. Stephens, St. Andrew’s
and Antonian.
SHOW US YOUR SCHOOL SPIRIT …
JOIN THE
BARONS’ CLUB!
This year is a historic year for the Saint Mary’s Hall
athletics program. SMH kicks-off a new sport with
both JV and Middle School football. Even more
exciting is the number of SMH students involved in
athletics. This school year has the largest number of
students in school history signed up to participate
in Middle and Upper School athletics.
What is the Barons’ Club?
The Barons’ Club is a group of parents, alumni, students, and
faculty/staff who are committed to promoting school spirit, raising
awareness of athletics throughout the school and the community,
and providing volunteer opportunities for everyone to get
involved in supporting all sports programs.
The Barons’ Club will be led by a steering committee made up
of the following parents and SMH staff members: Kim Gillum
(Chair), Elise Boyan, Julie Cordero, Bob Windham, Jonathan
Eades, Keith Williams, Mike Mayberry, Camilla Patterson, Sam
Hamilton, Sue Todd, and Tammie Patino. The committee
will oversee four major areas: concessions, decorations, special
events, and spirit store apparel.
Ways to Get Involved
The Barons’ Club supports all of our students’ athletic efforts in
general and specifically with:
School Spirit
• Tailgate Spirit Events
• Campus-wide
pep rallies
Athletic Team Awareness
• Represent/sponsor
a team
• Help increase
attendance at games
Manpower
• Working Admissions
booth at games
• Selling food at the
concession stands
• Helping during
tournaments
• Working at Home
football games
• Coordinating awards
• Selling Spirit wear
at home games
Join the Club, Get Involved.
Getting involved has never been easier. With the new SMH
Volunteer web site, you can easily see what areas the Barons’ Club
needs help with and answer the call by volunteering online.
• Visit the Parents’ Association page at
www.smhall.org/parentsassociation
• Click on the SMH Parents Volunteer Here button • Browse through the “Join Committees” menu to see how
you can become involved. Your information will be sent to the
contact person for the committees/events you select.
When you participate in the Barons’ Club, you have the
opportunity to show your spirit, have fun, and become a part
of the community. With all of the exciting things happening in
athletics, this year promises to be an exciting one. Be a part of
this historic year … join today!
ADVANCEMENT
VOLUNTEER
Spotlight
Aimee Locke, Fiesta 2010
SMH Parent and dedicated volunteer Aimee Locke
graciously volunteered to serve as Fiesta Chair for a second year.
As Parade Chair for Fiesta 2007, Aimee bravely volunteered
to chair Fiesta 2009. While the traditional fall festival ran like
clockwork, Aimee still felt like there was more she could do
to make the event bigger and better. Soon after Fiesta 2009,
Aimee worked with the Office of Advancement to assemble an
organizing committee, and plans for Fiesta 2010 were underway.
Aimee Jeffers Locke (Class of 1989) has a strong tie to Saint
Mary’s Hall not just as a parent to three students Peyton, Parker,
and Patience, but as a former student. Aimee attended SMH
for 11 years. She went on to attend the University of Texas and
Saint Mary’s University School of Law. After graduation, she
practiced law for three years, before deciding to turn her focus
on her family.
Since 2005, Aimee has served the school in a variety of ways.
She is an active room parent, was the Home and Interiors
Chair for Passport 2007 and has served on the Advancement
Committee for five years and the Alumni Executive Council
for two years. She and her husband Stacy also hosted the 2007
New Parent Gathering in their home.
Aimee believes that volunteers make everything run properly and
feels parents owe it to the school and the community to give back
in any way possible. For Aimee, this means giving of her time.
Fiesta is close to Aimee’s heart because it is one of the few events
at Saint Mary’s Hall in which the entire school community
has the opportunity to spend time together in a fun, safe, and
festive setting. Her proudest achievement from Fiesta 2009 was
introducing new and exciting games and she hopes Fiesta 2010
will see even more exciting and new games and concessions.
Fiesta 2010 is sure to be another success given Aimee’s attention to
detail and desire to include something fun and tasty for everyone.
SMH
FUND
KICK-OFF
Zachrys to Chair
2010 – 2011 SMH
Fund Campaign
T
uition alone does not cover the cost of educating each
Saint Mary’s Hall student. In fact, tuition only covers
about 85% of our school’s annual budget. To cover
the $2.85 million gap, Saint Mary’s Hall relies on gifts to the
SMH Fund and endowment income. Thanks to the hard work
of last year’s co-chairs, Elizabeth (’85) and Tom Hart, and the
tireless efforts of our form leadership team, the SMH Fund
broke every record in Saint Mary’s Hall history. Contributions
totaled $689,838. Parent participation increased from 49% in
the 2008 – 2009 campaign to 76% last year. Just three years ago,
only 27% of parents supported the SMH Fund.
We are pleased to announce that this year’s SMH Fund cochairs will be Saint Mary’s Hall parents, David and Karen
Lee Zachry. The Zachry family has been connected to Saint
Mary’s Hall for more than 100 years. David’s great-grandmother,
Daisey Walthall Folbre, graduated from SMH in 1900. David’s
Grandmother, Mary Folbre Pinnell, graduated in 1931, and
David’s mother, Mollie Steves Zachry, graduated from SMH in
1953 and received the 2005 Distinguished Alumna Award. Several
of David’s aunts are SMH graduates. David and Karen Lee also
have several nieces and nephews who currently attend SMH.
Building on the historic results of the 2009 – 2010 SMH Fund
campaign, the Zachry’s goal is to educate the community about
the importance of contributing to the SMH Fund. “Parent
participation has grown by about 25% annually for the last
three years,” says Karen Lee. “By continuing to educate our
community about the role that the SMH Fund plays in every
Saint Mary’s Hall student’s education, we hope to have 100%
parent participation in this year’s campaign.”
If you are interested in helping with the SMH Fund campaign,
please contact Mark Remington at (210) 483-9140 or
[email protected].
ALUMNI
10
‘Weekend
Alumni
HUNDREDS ATTEND
Whitney Solcher Miller (’91), Ashley Solcher Hixon (’94), and Liz Flavin
Crawford (’90) at the SMH cocktail party held on campus.
The Class of 1950 gathered at the Argyle for a luncheon in their honor.
Katy Rouse David (’96), Patty Rouse Vargas
(’95),and Laura Vargas at Sunday at the Hall.
SMH teacher
Brian Kaestner.
Rodrigo de Haro (’00) and Tony Manzur (’00) enjoy themselves at the
SMH cocktail party.
Alumni from all over the United States came to San Antonio to attend Saint Mary’s Hall Alumni
Weekend 2010. Events were planned for alumni beginning on Friday all the way through Sunday.
Friday
Alumni weekend began with a luncheon at the Argyle honoring
the classes of 1950 and 1960. Those attending the luncheon
reminisced about their days at SMH and reconnected with one
another. Friday evening, more than 120 SMH alumni gathered
at Club Giraud. Alumni from 1947 to 2009 came to see their
friends and share in the camaraderie and fun.
Saturday
Approximately 100 alumni attended a cocktail party on the
Saint Mary’s Hall campus. There were a variety of activities
including a tour of the campus, class photos, and class lessons
by long-time SMH teachers. Laird Loomis and Brian Kaestner
entertained alumni in the Remmert Theater with their lessons
entitled “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” and
“Hey, Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me This Stuff Was Going to
be Important?”
Brandon (’00) and Susana Seale at the SMH catch up with their friends
at the Saturday’s cocktail party.
‘10
A large group from the Class of 2000 gathered together to reminisce
about SMH.
Alumni
Weekend
Members of the Class of 1960 met for a special luncheon at The Argyle.
Each year, a luncheon is held to honor 50 and 60-year graduates.
Brian Kaestner (SMH teacher) talks with members of the Class of 1990.
Sunday
Sunday morning, alumni and current SMH families attended
“Sunday at the Hall” led by SMH chaplain, Rev. Dr. Cameron
Gunnin. Current students joined alumni to listen to Rev. Dr.
Gunnin, sing the alma mater, and catch up on the weekend’s
events. The chapel service was followed by a light brunch.
Alumni Weekend 2011
If you are a graduate, former student, or former faculty member, please
plan on attending Alumni Weekend 2011. You’ll see old friends,
make new ones, and spend time on the SMH campus. The weekend’s
festivities will begin with the Alumni Awards ceremony, and the
awarding of the Distinguished Alumni and Momentum Awards.
SMH teacher
Laird Loomis.
The members of the Class of 1980 had the
opportunity to spend some time together at
the SMH cocktail party.
Join us at Alumni Weekend May 20 – 22, 2011.
Alumni Weekend 2011 Honor Classes: 1941,
1951, 1961, 1971, 1981, 1986, 1991, and 2001.
Please contact Mark Remington at (210) 483-9140 or
[email protected] for more information or if you would like
to be an Honor Class Representative for Alumni Weekend 2011.
ALUMNI
Tidings*
Tidings
1943
Patsy Galt Steves is featured in the
May/June 2010 issue of San Antonio
Woman magazine’s article “Pillars of
the Community.” Patsy is an active
member of the local art community and
is dedicated to Latin American art and
the Nelson Rockefeller Latin American
Art Center at the San Antonio Museum
of Art. Throughout the year, she enjoys
traveling and shopping for folk art and
artifacts for the museum’s annual holiday
fair, Bazaar Sábado. However, Patsy
believes her greatest honor is working in
the family business, Steves and Sons.
1950
Margaret Miller Moser reports that
she enjoyed her “delightful” SMH 60th
reunion in May and credits classmate
Bonnie Sue Dilworth Jacobs with making
the weekend interesting and fun. Margaret
says that Saint Mary’s Hall is, of course,
the source of those the two qualities—
interesting and fun.
Nalda VanBrundt Stevens and her
husband Dick spent New Year’s Eve 2009
camping in Berber tents in southwest
Morocco at their Saharan headquarters in
the Erg Chebbi dunes. They also spent a
few days at the Mamounia in Marrakech.
1954
Louise Brogniez Gaylord is an author
best known for her mysteries. Louise has
written a cookbook, Recipes from Camp
Trillium. The book contains recipes and
household tips from her collection of
notes gathered from guests who came
over the years to her summer home,
Camp Trillium, located in New York’s
Adirondack Mountains.
use by campers. The volunteers returned
on Monday to find that their efforts
were successful resulting in a significant
improvement in the park’s appearance.
1959
1969
Dr. Mavis Anne Bryant, Ph.D. is a
clinical psychologist in Sherman, TX. She
recently co-authored a book, Two Schools
on Main Street: The Pride of Denison,
Texas 1873 – 2007. Mavis has edited
and authored several books about Texas
history and architecture.
1962
Sabin Nelson has moved to the Texas Hill
Country and owns a guesthouse called
The Strand Haus in Mason, TX. More
information can be found on the Mason
County Chamber of Commerce web site
under “lodging.” The house is 41 miles
north of Fredericksburg, in the heart of the
hill country.
1964
Zelime Gillespie Matthews’ art exhibition
Feathers opened with a reception in June
at San Antonio’s Hunt Gallery. Her new
works on canvas and paper were exhibited
in July.
1966
Ethel Thomson Runion is a trustee for
the Brackenridge Park Conservancy, a
non-profit organization that was formed
in 2009 to help maintain the park’s beauty.
On the Saturday before Easter, Ethel,
along with volunteers from Valero Energy,
City Year, First Tee of San Antonio, San
Antonio River Authority, San Antonio
Water System, and the public, joined
forces at the park and distributed blue
recycling bins and black garbage bags for
Miriam Goodlin Kellogg’s son Joseph
is in the army studying to be a nurse
anesthetist. He will be stationed in
Hawaii for the second half of his training.
Her daughter Ann Claire continues to
teach art to elementary school children
at Christian Academy of San Antonio
(known as CASA). Miriam is a former
Incarnate Word High School teacher.
Gail Elizabeth Cowper has been working
as inventory control manager at Jared
The Galleria of Jewelry in Durham, NC
for the past seven years. She is married
to Ottis Cowper (25 years) and has two
grown children: George and Sara. George
graduated from North Carolina State
with a degree in finance and a minor in
accounting in May of 2008. Sara is in her
last year at Appalachian State University
studying psychology and is planning on
attending graduate school.
1971
Lucy Pine Roberts currently lives in
Atlanta, GA and is a receptionist at a
law firm. During her 22-year career,
she has seen the firm grow from 35
attorneys to approximately 180. Lucy
has been married for 22 years to Chan,
and the two of them play golf and travel
whenever possible.
Mary Ann Braubach just completed a
documentary on Aldous & Laura Huxley
that is being released this month (www.
huxleyonhuxley.com). She is happily married
and has a 16-year old son who attends
Harvard Westlake in Los Angeles, CA.
* SMH extends its gratitude to the South Texas: The Newsletter staff for sharing information for use in the Tidings column.
Sezee Arlitt Tener is experiencing life
in San Antonio, Houston, and Aspen,
CO with Forrest, her 15-year old son, a
sophomore at SMH. She continues to
help others handle the tax, estate and
other legal matters of her old clients
in Aspen and Houston. Most recently,
she has served as parent mentor for
the SMH Robotics Club and a board
member Mt. Laurel Music Preparatory/
Aspen Music School.
1972
Mary Virginia Root Dowdle spent
23 years in the medical field, flew for
American Airlines as a flight attendant,
and is now a co-teacher with Midland
ISD in Science, Social Studies, and Math.
She has three children, all successful in
their careers. Two of them are college
graduates, and the youngest is learning
how to drive.
1973
Claire Kline Holshouser is living in
San Antonio and continues to practice
Anesthesiology, while raising her sons
Clay and Tom. Tom is a senior at SMH
and Clay is a junior at Washington and
Lee. Claire also enjoys being a part of
the SMH Alumni Council.
Liza Billups Lewis was appointed in
December of 2009 by Gov. Rick Perry as
a Commissioner to the Texas Commission
on the Arts. Her term will run through
August, 2015.
1979
Karen Annette Smith has taught in the
Deaf and Hard of Hearing classroom for
the last 18 years and loves it. She is now
an itinerant teacher and liaison.
1982
Jessica Freeman Koontz’s son, Henry has
decided to attend Saint Mary’s Hall for
high school. She is excited to continue the
tradition of an SMH education, this time
as an SMH parent.
1983
Melissa McAllen Guerra, cookbook
author and PBS television cooking show
host, has opened a new store in the Pearl
Brewery complex named the Melissa
Guerra Store. Her store is located in the
Pearl Brewery’s Full Goods Building which
is a renovated warehouse. She sells Latin
American culinary items such as comales,
corn-grinders, and other kitchenware. The
store also carries top-quality Latin American
chocolate, wine as well as handicrafts,
textiles, leather goods, bath products along
with imported Mexican folk art, handblown glassware, and silver items. Melissa
also operates a retail store in McAllen, TX
along with a catalog and web site www.
melissaguerra.com. Her latest cookbook,
Dishes from the Wild Horse Desert was
nominated for a James Beard Award.
Melissa was one of three business women
with San Antonio connections featured in
the July/August 2010 issue of San Antonio
Woman magazine article, “Running a
Business From Out of Town.”
1984
Elizabeth Bass released her latest novel,
Miss You Most of All, in May. She is
actively working on her next novel,
Wherever Grace is Needed. The book is
scheduled for publication next year. Since
1993, she has published more than 30
novels in romance and women’s fiction
under the name Liz Ireland and has
co-authored several Regency romances
with her sister Julia Bass (Class of ’81),
published under the pen name Alexandra
Bassett. Elizabeth and her husband Joe
live in Montreal, Canada.
Abigail Guenther Kampmann is
featured in the article, “From Law to
Luxury Cars,” in the May/June 2010
issue of San Antonio Woman magazine.
After practicing tax law and estate
planning for 13 years, Abby left law
behind and joined the family business.
She is a general manager of the Porsche
Center at Loop 410 and Fredericksburg
Road. She also serves on the management
team for her family’s eight luxury car
dealerships in Texas and Tennessee.
Always active in the community, Abby
joined the Southwest Foundation for
Biomedical Research in 2006 and
serves on the audit and nominations
committees. She enjoys family time with
her husband George and their children
who are active in soccer and Girl Scouts.
1986
Nathan Lang produced and directed the
thought provoking film, God in the Box.
Nathan, along with a few other journalist
friends, embarked on a cross-country
journey to search for answers to two
fundamental questions: What does God
mean to you? What does God look like to
you? The film follows all the action inside
a curious black box that was erected in
American towns and equipped with a stool,
drawing table, sketchpad and pencils, plus
microphones and cameras. A sneak peak
screening of God in the Box was held at
San Antonio’s Temple Beth-El in March.
1995
Sardar Biglari is the Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of Biglari Holdings,
Inc. (NYSE: BH). Headquartered in San
Antonio, Biglari Holdings, Inc. is the
parent company of Steak ‘n Shake and
ALUMNI
Western Sizzlin’ Restaurants, Western
Sizzlin’ Wood Grill, Great American
Steak & Buffet, and Quincy Steakhouses.
Biglari is married to Rosa Zavala (Class
of ‘95).
1997
James Hrissikopoulos graduated from
Texas Tech University in 2002 with a degree
in biology and earned a master’s degree in
finance in 2004. He is in his last year of law
school at St. Mary’s University.
2001
Caroline Blades Conner Oliver and
husband John welcomed their first child,
Eloise Blades Oliver, last September.
Caroline’s friend and former classmate,
Emilie Herrmann Petty (Class ‘01), is
Eloise’s godmother.
2002
Sarah Cozad moved back to San Antonio
last summer and joined the staff at St.
David’s Episcopal Church where she
serves as the Youth Minister and chaplain.
She graduated from the University of
Texas at Austin in 2006 with a degree
in Human Development and Family
Science, and then went on to earn a
master’s degree in child development at
Texas Woman’s University in Denton.
Sarah’s life and career are profiled in the
March/April 2010 issue of San Antonio
Woman magazine.
Sara Oliver graduated from Duke
University in 2006 and is pursuing a
master’s degree in urban planning at
New York University. She is a roadway
design engineer and enjoys living in
New York City.
2003
Andrea Cardinal is living in Korea and is
enjoying spending time visiting her family.
2004
Ricardo Antonio graduated from St.
Mary’s University in December 2009,
and presented his thesis at the American
Historical Association’s (AHA) annual
meeting in San Diego last December and
at the Houston AHA Chapter’s spring
meeting. He was admitted to the master’s
program at San Diego, Oklahoma, and
Dartmouth and has been offered an
Academic Scholarship at Dartmouth. He
plans are to pursue a business law degree.
2005
Adrian Alberto (A. J.) received an
academic scholarship to St. Mary’s
University where he is majoring in
business. While attending Saint Mary’s
Hall, A.J. coached the Middle School
lacrosse team.
Om J. Neely is a Business Honors and
Corporate Finance/Plan II major at the
University of Texas. Last spring, he was
named a finalist in the George H. Mitchell
Student Awards for Academic Excellence
presented by the University Co-operative
Society. At the award ceremony held
in April, he received a finalist award of
$2,000 for his research project “Changing
Tactics: The Quiet Dalliance Between
Pharmaceutical Companies, Lobbyists,
and Medical Schools.” He used several
case studies to illuminate the effects
of direct-to-consumer marketing on
physicians, patients, federal regulators, and
Congress, also including the profits of the
pharmaceutical companies and the firms
that lobby on their behalf.
2007
Glen Guan is attending University of
Seoul in South Korea and was accepted
into the Korean language program.
Meredith Morrison, a Modern Middle
East Studies and Political Science major
at Yale University, was invited to join
“Studies in Grand Strategy,” Yale’s yearlong graduate course in strategic leadership
coordinated by the Brady-Johnson Program
in Grand Strategy. “Studies in Grand
Strategy” is cross-listed in History, Political
Science, and Management. Meredith was
also accepted into a fall course, “Faith and
Globalization,” taught by former British
Prime Minister Tony Blair. Meredith spent
her summer in the Middle East assisting
with Iraqi refugee programs.
2009
Richard Davila received a diploma
recognizing his degree of fluency of
the Spanish language. He was granted
a diploma by the Spanish Ministry of
Education, Culture, and Sport of Spain.
Edward Kelley won the Silver Medal in
Junior Men’s Epee for the second year
in a row at the US Fencing National
Championships in Atlanta, GA in early
July. He also received his Ivy League
Championship ring as a member of
the undefeated Princeton University
Fencing Team. Last summer, Edward, a
computer science major, was an intern
in information technology at the new
Haven for Hope before completing an
advanced Spanish immersion course at
the University of Valencia, Spain.
Herbert Rosenbaum, a sophomore
at George Washington University, was
awarded the Yael Margalit Moses Hebrew
Award. Herbert is double-majoring
in Judaic studies and chemistry. He
is a member of Alpha Chi Sigma, the
national chemistry fraternity.
Weddings
Weddings
Catharine Coble Armstrong, ’98
to Jeffrey Allyn Jorgensen
October 17, 2009
Stuart Straus Selig, ’98
to Laura Love Estes
April 17, 2010
John Thomas Steen III, ’99
to Mary Josephine Barnwell
February 27, 2010
Holly Schaefer Gregory, ’99
to Richard Rabon Murray, III
May 8, 2010
Sarah Noelle Swinney, ’98
to Justin Gazer Rice
February 27, 2010
Michelle C. Crank, ’97
to David A. Levinthal
May 15, 2010
Lauren Rene Polunsky, ’98
to Benjamin Robert Dreszer
March 6, 2010
Clinton Chase Hamilton, ’03
to Samantha Llana Miller ’03
June 5, 2010
Andrea Marie Ramos, ’01
to Anthony Jarvis Smith
March 13, 2010
Bradford Clark McMurray, ’01
to Emily Louise Hoermann
June 5, 2010
Sara Griffith Ash, ’02
to Jeremy Blake Jessop
March 20, 2010
Nancy Joy Dubinski, ’00
to Matthew Alan Weber
July 24, 2010
Nena McNeel Scott, ’91
to Lukin Taylor Gilliland, Jr.
March 27, 2010
Amelia Grace Hausser, ’05
to Robert Scott Williams
July 24, 2010
Births
Births
Ms. Rachel Barenblat (’92) and
Mr. Ethan Zuckerman, a son
Andrew “Drew” Winn Zuckerman
Mr. and Mrs. John C. Oliver IV
(Caroline Blade Conner, ’01), a daughter
Eloise Blades Oliver
September 24, 2009
Mr. and Mrs. Jason S. Thompson
(April Ancira, ’98), a son,
Gunnar Jason Thompson
March 12, 2010
Mr. and Mrs. Santos Vargas
(Patty Rouse, ’95), a daughter
Laura Evelyn Vargas
March 22, 2010
Mr. Samuel Chase Smiley
and Mrs. Amy Stieren-Smiley
(Amy Stieren, ’87), a boy
George Louis Smiley
April 17, 2010
Mr. and Mrs. Ryan L. Hindt
(Kate Sammis, ’01), a son
Clayton Lee Hindt
July 19, 2010
ALUMNI
Mrs. Alice W. Tyne
nee Alice Warfield
Class of 1946
November 29, 2009
InIn Memoriam
Memory
opo
Mrs. Lewis (Les) M. Clark
nee Nan Bridget Ramirez
Class of 1968
May 7, 2010
opo
Ms. Dotsie Kelly Fenstermaker
Class of 1952
June 25, 2010
opo
Mr. Edgar Louis Schilo, Jr.
Class of 1968
March 9, 2010
Mrs. Joan Brown Winter
Class of 1939
May 29, 2010
Mrs. Thomas H. Edson
nee Catherine (Kay) Halff
Class of 1956
July 2, 2010
Mrs. Marilyn H. Campbell
nee Marilyn Wood Hobart
Class of 1944
March 27, 2010
Mrs. Vernie D. Bodden, Jr.
nee Robbie Lucille Adams
Class of 1964
June 6, 2010
Mrs. Harris K. Oppenheimer
nee Lois Isabel Goldsmith
Class of 1934
July 13, 2010
Mrs. Barbara W. Daniell
nee Barbara Wilson
Class of 1950
April 1, 2010
Mrs. Julian H. Robertson, Jr.
nee Josephine Vance Tucker
Class of 1961
June 8, 2010
Mr. Justin Graham Gill
Class of 2003
July 25, 2010
Mrs. Andrew B. Kelly
nee Susanna Idell Phillips
Class of 1941
April 2, 2010
Mrs. Elizabeth S. Shannon
nee Elizabeth Ann Steves
Class of 1963
June 16, 2010
opo
opo
opo
opo
opo
opo
opo
opo
opo
opo
opo
Mrs. Moliere Scarborough, Jr.
nee Eleanor Margaret Scarborough
Class of 1948
August 9, 2010
opo
Gifts to Saint Mary’s Hall in memory of or in honor of a friend or relative are always valued and appreciated. We will recognize donors annually
in the Donor Honor Roll that is published after the close of the fiscal year (June 30).
ATTENTION ALUMNI ...
Saint Mary’s Hall needs your help! We need your current contact information.
SMH is in the process of creating a robust alumni network and needs updated alumni information.
Updating is easy …
1. Update your personal information by going to www.smhall.org/alumniportal or by emailing Mark
Remington at [email protected].
2. Review the “Lost Alumni” section of the SMH web site and update us on any “lost alumni.”
3. Let your SMH friends know about the portal and the “Lost Alumni” section of the SMH web site.
By updating your personal information, you will receive invitations to on-campus events, regional
gatherings, and Alumni Weekend. And, because the alumni portal is searchable, you will be able to stay
connected with old friends.
In Memoriam
(CLASS OF 1961)
p
JOSEPHINE “JOSIE” TUCKER ROBERTSON
1943 – 2010
A twelve-year student at Saint Mary’s Hall, the 1961 La
Reata described Josie as having “unlimited art talent “and as a
“staunch supporter of the University of Texas.” In 2002, she was
awarded the Saint Mary’s Hall Distinguished Alumnae Award.
A native of San Antonio, Josie never forgot her Texas roots.
According to her son, Alex Robertson, “she never left Texas and
Texas never left her.” Every year, she made several trips to San
Antonio to visit family and friends and play golf. No visit was
complete without a Tex-Mex dinner. Just three weeks before
her death, Josie celebrated her birthday in true San Antonio
style—with piñatas, sombreros, and chicken enchiladas.
Although Josie was involved in numerous philanthropic and
volunteer activities, her family always came first. At Josie’s
funeral service, each of her sons spoke about their kind and
selfless mother:
“I had an extremely close relationship with my mother,” said
son Spencer Robertson. “She was one of my best friends,
strongest allies, and a constant source of comfort. In my mind,
she will always be the epitome of grace under fire.”
Jay Robertson reflected on his mother’s life, “Whether it was
returning from school after months of being away or calling
from New Zealand she would always drop everything and make
me feel special. She had an incredible way of making those
around her feel special.”
Alex Robertson remembered his mother as “The true matriarch
of the family, she loved her boys, and was always there for us. A
devoted wife, she and Dad defined what a marriage should be. It
was a partnership of devotion, trust, care, and above all selflessness.”
In addition to being a caring mother, wife, and friend, Josie and
her husband, Julian Robertson, Jr., were committed to making
the world a better place. In 1996, the Robertsons established the
Robertson Foundation, which distributes $60 – $70 million each
year to educational, medical, spiritual, and environmental causes.
Josie joined the Women’s Board of The Boys’ Club of New
York in 1978, and in 2000 was elected to its Board of Trustees.
In 2006, a group of friends raised money in her honor for the
Boys’ Club’s Josie Robertson School of Music and Art.
In 2000, the Robertsons established the highly-selective
Robertson Scholars Program at UNC and Duke. The Robertson
Scholars Program provides full merit scholarships to attend Duke
and UNC, paying for tuition, room, board, fees, and up to three
summers of domestic and international experiences. Three Saint
Mary’s Hall students have been awarded Robertson scholarships.
Since 2004, Josie was on the Board of Overseers of Memorial
Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
The Robertson’s generosity also extends to Josie’s Texas roots
and San Antonio. In 2006, the Robertson Foundation made a
gift that established the Recognition for Excellence in Teaching
program at Saint Mary’s Hall. Because of the Robertson’s gift,
Saint Mary’s Hall is able to offer a cutting-edge merit pay system
that rewards its teachers for passion, innovation, and dedication.
Josie was also responsible for the courtyard renovation at St.
Mark’s Episcopal Church, which was named in honor of her
mother, Josephine Vance Tucker (’33).
Perhaps Josie’s son, Alex, best described his mother’s life by
saying, “She gave, gave, and gave, and then gave some more
and expected nothing in return … no motive behind it, and
a simple thanks was enough.”
In addition to her husband, and sons, Josie is survived by three
grandchildren: Hollis, Hart, and Wyndham; two sisters, Mary
Tucker Cassell and Julia Tucker Rasmussen; and two brothers,
Robert Tucker of Boerne and George Tucker of Midland.
SAINT MARY’S HALL
P.O. Box 33430
San Antonio, Texas 78265-3430
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
San Antonio, TX
Permit #1449
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
Saint Mary’s Hall is a private, coeducational, college preparatory school and admits students of any race, color, sex, religion or national/ethnic origin.
The Shield staff is going through a large reserve of historical SMH photos. In each issue of the magazine, we’ll be printing an
unidentified photo and asking for your help in identifying the individuals in the photo and what they’re doing. If you know any of
these people or have any information about the occasion, please write The Shield editor at [email protected] or at 9401 Starcrest
Drive, San Antonio, TX 78217. Thank you for helping us archive part of SMH history!
CHANGE OF ADDRESS REQUEST If your son or daughter no longer lives at this address, please notify us of the new address
by contacting us at (210) 483-9137 or [email protected]. Or, ask us to start sending them the The Shield electronically!

10SMH065_Shield_Fall..

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