People ˇ heart. People action. People others. · Sowing Seeds of Harmony: St. Francis School of...

People � heart. People � action. People � others.

Table of ContentsSowing Seeds of Stewardship: From the Head of School ................................................................1 From the Chair of the Board ........................................................ 3 Financial Report .................................................................................. 5

Sowing Seeds of Service: Students: Planting Seeds of Compassion .............................7 Faculty: Planting Seeds of Good Citizenship .................. 15 Observing World Water Day 2012 .........................................16 Volunteers: Planting Seeds of Kindness ............................ 18

Sowing Seeds of Harmony: St. Francis School of Music ....................................................... 20

Sowing Seeds of Fun: St. Francis Festival Day 2012 ...................................................... 21

Sowing Seeds of Adventure: Sarah W. Woolrich Fund for Faculty .....................................24

Sowing Seeds of Dedication: A Quarter Century of Commitment .....................................28

Sowing Seeds of Generosity: Annual Fund Gifts ........................................................................... 30 Cumulative Giving ......................................................................... 40 Annual Fund Volunteers ............................................................. 40 Corporations and Foundations ................................................ 41 Other Gifts ............................................................................................42 Financial Aid Gifts ...........................................................................43 Tribute Gifts .........................................................................................44 Ways to Support St. Francis Episcopal Day School .....46

Sowing Seeds of Community: College Destinations for the Class of 2008 ......................47 High School Destinations for the Class of 2012 ............48 Class of 2012 Awards ......................................................................49 Alumni News ...................................................................................... 50

2011–12 Senior StaffSusan B. Lair, PhD, Head of School

Don Hicks, Associate Head of SchoolDirector of Physical Education and Athletics

Stephen Lovejoy, Head of Middle School

Elisse Hayes-Karlsson, Head of Lower School

Michelle Symonds, Head of Primary School

Margaret Ann Casseb, Head of Admissions

Melinda Guthrie, Head of Advancement

Staci Thompson, Head of Educational Services

2011–12 Board � TrusteesVanessa Sendukas, Chair

The Rev. Stuart A. Bates, Rector

Susan B. Lair, PhD, President and Head of School

Ronald G. Presswood Jr., Vice Chair

Nestor J. Vicknair III, Secretary

John A. Weinzierl, Treasurer

Sandy P. Aron

Allison Broadnax

Jeannie Rich Chandler

John E. Chandler

C. Mitchell Cox

James H. Glanville

Thomas E. Gottsegen

Kelly Huff

Jenna Jackson

Michael R. Jamieson

Amy V. King

Kyle D. Lippman

W. Gregory Looser ’83

Stacy Chapman Medrano ’84

Nidhika Mehta

William C. Montgomery III

David L. Moore

Edward M. Ondarza

Melanie M. Ottens

Mark T. Terry

Amanda N. Way

Glenn A. Ballard (Emeritus)

John H. Roberts (Vestry Representative)

Notice of Non-discriminatory PolicySt. Francis Episcopal Day School admits qualified students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholar-ship programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. St. Francis Episcopal Day School is an equal opportunity employer.

emotions, our finances, and our relation-

ships. We learn that dark situations often

seem worst right before relief “dawns,” and

that producing most “fruit” requires contin-

ual patience and hard work, in addition to

sowing the right seeds.

This latter truth is one of the reasons

I love working in the field of education.

Besides parenting, where else can you plant

seeds of patience, kindness, character, faith,

and wisdom and, over time, watch them

produce a plentiful and world-changing

harvest—again and again? This natural

rhythm of sowing and reaping is alive and

well in every facet of human life, but per-

haps nowhere more so than in the hearts of

our children.

Whether we realize it, we are continu-

ally reaping in our children’s attitudes and

actions the seeds that we have sown. When

we sow impatience in our dealings with

our children, we reap impatient children.

When we sow respect, we reap children who

understand the value of others. This truth

also plays out in the school setting, where

joyful instruction reaps joyful learning, and

From Susan B. Lair, PhD, Head � SchoolThe longer I live, the more I see the patterns of nature reflected in

our everyday lives. We experience the seasons not only in our birth,

aging, and eventual death, but also in our circumstances, our jobs, our

1 | Sowing seeds of stewardship

modeling character and kindness produces

classmates who take care of one another.

The principle of sowing and reaping is

one of the main reasons St. Francis’ mis-

sion statement includes the commitment

to produce “people for others,” and why we

remain steadfastly dedicated to incorporat-

ing character education, life skills, and the

tenets of our Episcopal faith into the every-

day life of our school.

We do this through classes, programs,

and projects—yes—but also through more

subtle means. We plant the seeds of excel-

lence in our students by striving for excel-

lence ourselves. We plant the seeds of

kindness and respect in them by treating

them as we’d like to be treated. And we

plant the seeds of courage and self-worth

by giving them a safe place to take

risks and become leaders in the

classroom and beyond. Mostly, we

teach them how powerful they are—

and how each choice they make,

each word they speak, and each

action they take is a seed they sow

for their future.

As a school, we are dedicated to

providing those “good seeds” with

the safety and encouragement they

need to grow strong, weathering

the seasons of life while producing fruit

that nourishes and changes the world. Your

generosity helps us fulfill that commitment,

and we thank you for planting the financial

seeds today that all of us will reap as the

abundant achievements of tomorrow.

For everything there is a season,

and a time for every matter

under heaven … a time to plant,

and a time to pluck up what is planted.

Ecclesiastes 3:1–2

Honor CodeAs a citizen of St. Francis Episcopal Day School, I pledge to uphold the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi by respecting my school, myself, and my community; upholding honor; engaging in service; and striving to be courageous and faithful in all that I do and say.

Mission StatementIn the Anglican tradition, St. Francis Episcopal Day School challenges and motivates students in an academically and spiritually stimulating environment to become imaginative, critical thinkers, and people for others.

MottoFides Virtusque (Faith and Courage)

CornerstonesFaith, Scholarship, Courage, Honor Church Affiliation Parish day school of St. Francis

Episcopal Church

Accreditations Independent Schools Association of

the SouthwestSouthwestern Association of

Episcopal Schools


spent much of our time planning and

preparing for the development of our South

Piney Point Campus, which was purchased

in May 2011. Our Trustees are thrilled about

the opportunities and possibilities that this

new property is providing for St. Francis,

and we are working hard to ensure that our

plans for development are strategic, effi-

cient, and effective.

St. Francis Board and staff members are

in the initial stages of cultivating our

A Time to Grow capital campaign, which

will provide funding for the following devel-

opments on the South Campus:

> Three Primary School cottages to

house our Pre-Primary, Primary I, Pri-

mary II, Bridge, and Enrichment classes,

with educational play yards, an expanded

Primary library, and a dedicated outdoor

classroom.

> Two regulation athletics fields—one

for football and lacrosse and one for field

hockey and soccer—plus field bleachers and

scoreboards.

> An athletics “field house” offering a

gymnasium, a wrestling room, a dance stu-

dio, a Hall of Fame, coaches’ offices,

and a stand for the sale of concessions and

Wolf Wear.

In addition, we will move most of our

administrative offices to the South Piney

Point Campus, which will free up space on

our current campus for academic use, and

we will be renovating the new property’s

From Vanessa Sendukas, Chair � the BoardThis past year, St. Francis’ Board of Trustees

continued its strong commitment to advancing

the vision and mission of our school. We’ve


three existing structures. The historic Rich-

mond House will become our Alumni and

Academic Building, with classroom space

for Lower and Middle School students, plus

a creekside classroom extension with nature

trails. The former Law Office will house the

Primary School Admissions Office, and the

Andrews House will provide areas for recep-

tions, meetings, and entertaining.

As we plan for the future, we are mindful

of why we are working—to provide the best

possible educational opportunities and

experiences for our students who, in 2011–12,

achieved tremendous successes on both

personal and scholastic levels. As a school,

St. Francis placed first overall in the Ele-

mentary Division and second overall in the

Middle School Division at the District PSIA

Meet, an academic competition for privately

schooled students. Our student-athletes

won conference championships in basket-

ball, football, lacrosse, softball, and vol-

leyball, and individual championships in

swimming and wrestling. Four students won

the Lady Washington DAR Essay Writing

Contest, and two Middle School teams won

trophies in the Habitat for Humanity Youth

LEGO Challenge.

We continue to enhance our current

programs through events like World Water

Day, during which students learned about

global water needs, water conservation, and

water sanitation; through additions like the

School of Music, which offers St. Francis

students individual instrument and voice

instruction with members of the renowned

Rice University Shepherd School of Music;

and through the daily use of resources like

The Woods Outdoor Classroom, which

earned the national designation of Nature

Explore Classroom in July 2011 and which

the City of Houston honored in January

2012 with a Mayor’s Proud Partner Award.

Each of these achievements—individual

and organizational—reflects the warmth and

solidarity of the St. Francis community. Our

parents, faculty, staff, and Trustees daily

support our school and our students with

gifts of time, talent, and resources. Together,

we will continue to move St. Francis forward

and to embrace every wonderful opportu-

nity the future holds.

Revenues and Expenditures Earned Income $ 14,400,105

Operating Expenses 16,357,740

Net Surplus or (Deficit) (1,957,635)Before Fundraising Revenue and Investment Revenue

Fundraising Revenue 5,454,771

Investment Revenue (317,255)

Net Surplus or (Deficit) $ 3,179,881

Capital Expenditures 612,277

Balance Sheet

ASSETS

Cash and Cash Equivalents $ 6,968,025

Accounts Receivable 293,986

Prepaid Expenses and Other Assets 254,743

Investments 12,505,621

Fixed Assets 16,765,998

Total Assets $ 36,788,373

LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETSLiabilities:

Accounts Payable $ 375,977

Accrued Liabilities 812,177

Deferred Tuition and Fees 9,467,263

Notes Payable 7,758,149

Total Liabilities $ 18,413,566 Net Assets:

Unrestricted $ 17,279,961

Temporarily Restricted 752,360

Permanently Restricted 342,486

Total Net Assets $ 18,374,807 Total Liabilities and Net Assets $ 36,788,373

Financial Report: Fiscal Year 2011–12

Tuition68%

OtherFund Raising

24%

4% Annual Fund4% Fees & Other Income

Earned Income andFundraising Revenue

Personnel61%

Instructional 25%

Expenditures

5% Management & General 4% Capital Expenditures3% Financial Aid2% Auxiliary Programs


{ }Eighth-grade St. Francis Spanish Immersion students were taken aback by the lack of educational resources available at an elementary school in Monteverde, Costa Rica, and devised a plan to help their newfound friends. Read more on page 14.

Planting Seeds � CompassionGreat oaks from little acorns grow.

So asserts the familiar fourteenth-century

proverb, a powerful reminder that even the

tiniest seeds can sprout the most majestic

of God’s creations. And so it is at St. Francis,

where our emphasis on service—to both the

local and global community—sows in each

student the seeds of kindness and empathy

that will one day transform our once pint-size

“people for others” into the leaders who will

change the world of tomorrow.

With this in mind, St. Francis students

within each division perform service projects

both grade-specific and schoolwide each year,

promoting an awareness of the human condi-

tion that reaches far beyond a typical school

day. From across-the-board ingatherings to

beloved traditions like Middle School service

projects to the monumental undertaking that

was the 2012 World Water Day celebration,

our boys and girls answered the call to service

throughout the 2011–12 school year.

People with heart. People of action. People

for others.

7 | Sowing seeds of service


Planting Seeds � KindnessNowhere are the smiles cuter or the service stories sweeter than in

Primary School, where annually recurring events teach our youngest

St. Francis scholars early lessons in caring for and serving others.

One beneficiary of these efforts is the

Eye Care for Kids Foundation, a local

charitable partner of the school for about

10 years. Each year, Primary students are

encouraged to do small chores around the

house to earn coins to donate to the orga-

nization, which aids children who have no

access to eye care. In May 2012, the school

presented the nonprofit with a check for

$560. Head of Primary School Michelle

Symonds remarked that the donation has

increased each year, thanks in part to exam-

ples like that of one little boy who brought

in his whole piggy bank to help the cause!

Primary students also stole the show at

The Gathering, an outreach ministry of

St. Francis Episcopal Church. To entertain

visitors with Alzheimer’s and their caregiv-

ers, our Bridge students presented a charm-

ing Christmas program, and Primary II put

on a spring play to brighten the day of the

appreciative audience.

In January, the kids snuggled up to

another good cause—Barker’s Pajamarama,

an annual, all-school ingathering named

after former Head of Primary School Dianne

Barker. Mrs. Barker was on hand for the

festivities as pajama-clad students brought

in new pajamas and books to be donated

to Spaulding for Children, an organization

dedicated to helping foster children and

others waiting for permanent homes.

The donation has increased

each year, thanks in part to

examples like that of

one little boy who brought in

his WHoLE PIGGY BANk

to help the cause!

Primary students got a year-round lesson in caring for the world around them thanks to Litter Days, an annual ecology-awareness effort that tasks Primary I, Primary II, and Bridge classes with on-campus “litter searches.” Armed with rubber gloves and paper bags, our little ones experience a true sense of ownership and pride of school while relishing ever-welcome outdoor time.

smiles, and token gifts with visitors with

Alzheimer’s at The Gathering in the

church’s Wheatcroft Parish Hall each spring,

they sometimes also present the guests

with handmade cards or crafts. The mostly

elderly guests delight in their interaction

with the little ones.

Last November, you might also have

spied first graders penning letters of thanks

to U.S. veterans to honor Veterans Day.

Eighty-five notes were mailed to personal

contacts of the St. Francis family, as well as

Planting Seeds � WisdomIn Lower School, the concept of doing a good turn takes even deeper

root, with St. Francis students embracing a more personal range of

projects. For example, when Kindergarten students share songs,


to Rivers of Recovery, a reha-

bilitation program for combat

veterans. These same students

followed up in February with

some very special hand-drawn

valentines for active service

members, spreading a message

of love and hope—and receiving a reciprocal

lesson in commitment to country. Closer

to home, these first-grade classes also

influenced their immediate environment

through their very own recycling program.

Each day, students toted empty water

bottles back from the Dining Hall to their

pod for eventual collection by a helpful

class mom.

Our second graders chose to practice

random acts of kindness throughout the

month of December, inspired by Acts 20:35,

which teaches, “It is more blessed to give

than to receive.” Students were challenged

10|Sowing seeds of service

Traditions Take Root

A vibrant thread in the fabric of the St. Francis

culture is our annual practice of schoolwide

ingatherings—designated days when students bring

in items to be donated to diverse worthwhile orga-

nizations. Starting in early fall with the first of the

biannual HunGeR HeROes food drives, the

St. Francis community unites to “fill pantries and fill

lives” through donations of non-perishable items.

This school staple, dating from 1993, benefits the

FAIR HAven FOOD PAnTRy.

11|Sowing seeds of service

to select 10 people or groups that they

would like to give back to, then reveled in

surprising their targets. Candy canes and

notes were left on cars, Dining Hall workers

were thanked and given special notes, and

pocket change was left behind at vending

machines for lucky soda fans.

Fourth grade started the year off on the

right paw by sponsoring its pet food ingath-

ering to coincide with the school’s Blessing

of the Animals event in early October. For

two weeks, students collected pet food,

kitty litter, toys, and blankets to benefit

their furry four-legged friends at several

Houston-area shelters. The following spring,

fourth grade once again joined forces with

third grade for their annual Relief Through

Reading effort. On March 9, students settled

in for a read-in day at school, raising $2,024

in pledges of support from family and

friends to benefit the Texas Parks & Wildlife

Foundation, whose parks had been blighted

by months of record drought and heat, as

well as devastating wildfires.

It is more blessed to give than to receive.

In November, ask any student about TuRkey Bucks, and they'll happily tell you

about decorated paper feathers celebrating Thanksgiving gratitude and the joy of donating

“bucks” to purchase turkeys for a local mission church. Likewise, our sT. nIcHOLAs TOys ingathering brims with Christmas spirit as students bring in gifts to be donated to

the TOys FOR TOTs FOunDATIOn, with our younger children presenting their

special packages to St. Nicholas himself, who visits with his friends from a local fire station.

Students bundle up in pajamas on a chilly day every January for BARkeR’s PAjAmARAmA, sharing the warmth of caring through donations of pajamas and

bedtime books for children in need of permanent homes by way of sPAuLDInG FOR cHILDRen. Finally, the school year concludes, aptly, with a final act of goodwill as

St. Francis families provide new school supplies to support ecHOs, an outreach

ministry of the ePIscOPAL cHuRcH OF THe ePIPHAny in southwest Houston.

As they advance from Lower School to Middle School,

St. Francis students are challenged to begin taking on more social responsibility through outreach programs that extend beyond school walls. These community efforts, termed Service Hours, com-prise projects in which the student takes the initiative to discern a need, chooses an activity to address it, then arranges and executes a helpful response. Whether setting up a lemonade stand to raise money for St. Jude Hospital, volunteering at the Houston Food Bank, help-ing with Vacation Bible School, or

biking the Houston-to-Austin BP MS 150 to support multiple sclerosis research, our 2011–12 Middle School students served their way into a new awareness of human need.

Students who complete the requisite number of Service Hours annually throughout their Middle School years receive the honor of graduating “With Distinction.” Those who go above and beyond by dedicating additional hours to community service are celebrated at the Recognition and Awards ceremony each spring, with one graduating student selected as most exemplifying the concept of being a “person for others.” At the May 2012 ceremony, St. Francis bestowed the esteemed Community Outreach Award on Morgan Grimes.

Middle School Service Hours

The original seventh- and eighth-grade members of the 2011–12

National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) had already jumped in to the first of their trio of annual service projects by late October. For the third year running, the club sponsored a schoolwide children’s

coat drive to supplement the St. Francis Episcopal Church’s longstanding fall event—renamed the “Kitty Elliott Coat Drive for MAM” in honor of the beloved church member who initiated it years ago. NJHS members posted a banner and held signs at carpool to promote the two-day event, which resulted in donations of nearly 300 coats to be given to Memorial Assistance Ministries!

The following February, NJHS cre-ated about 250 hand-decorated valen-tines for soldiers serving in Afghanistan. Then, with the help of newly inducted sixth-grade members, the group colored 150 paper placemats for Easter Sunday dinner at the Lord of the Streets Episco-pal Church.

From cloaking neighbors in the warmth of compassion to helping set a table of plenty for those in need, our St. Francis NJHS members truly live their calling to the club’s core principles of scholarship, leadership, service, character, and citizenship.

Reaping the Rewards of Scholarship

Kitty's Coats4 Kids


Planting Seeds � PhilanthropyBy the time they reach Middle School, St. Francis students under-

stand the true meaning of digging deep to benefit the common good—

both individually and as a community. In these definitive years, theyare expected to begin fulfilling volunteer

Service Hours outside of school, as well as

participate in class projects incorporated

into their grade-level class trips, dubbed

Outdoor Learning Experiences, or OLEs.

For their first-ever OLE service project,

incoming fifth graders rotated through dif-

ferent classrooms to complete a variety of

jobs. They brought in pet food and crafted

dog toys and cage blankets for a local ani-

mal shelter; made snack packs for a nearby

fire station; put together toiletry kits for

neonatal ICU families at Texas Children’s

Hospital; and designed cards for overseas

military members.

Similarly, sixth and seventh grades took

on a multitude of OLE projects to help as

many people in need as possible. Each

grade level assembled 500-plus sandwiches

for delivery to Lord of the Streets Episcopal

Church’s community outreach program.

Busy hands also collected toiletries for the

same program, as well as for the Covenant

House, a home for youth in crisis, plus

taped together water–cracker snack sets for

handout to the homeless and distribution

to Meals on Wheels. Later, to top off the

year in May, seventh graders gathered and

shipped five large boxes of much-needed

school supplies to Inuit Indian youth in


During the Middle School’s second- annual Spanish Immersion trip to

Costa Rica in early summer, an impromptu service opportunity arose—and our stu-dents wasted no time in stepping up to the challenge. During a visit to Escuela Altos de San Luis, an elementary school nestled in the lushly forested city of Monteverde, 22 incoming eighth-grade St. Francis stu-dents were taken aback by the lack of edu-cational resources available. After helping the children there complete an art project, and then kicking off a spirited, spur-of-the-moment soccer game, our students

decided they simply had to do more to help their new friends. The plan? To organize a yearlong Middle School supply drive back in the states to benefit the little school that didn’t seem quite so far away anymore. The result? All books, crayons, pencils, paper, markers, and other essentials collected over the 2012–13 school year will be packed up and carried to Monteverde by the new class of incoming eighth graders during next summer’s Spanish Immersion trip.

Hats off to our outstanding eighth graders for listening with their hearts and leading with their hands!

Alaska, after a World Water Day Skype

session with them revealed their need.

Through their OLE, our eighth graders

supported Houston Food Bank by crafting

handmade ceramic bowls and donating

them to the organization’s Empty Bowls

program. These one-of-a-kind clay bowls

were then auctioned at the May 2012

Empty Bowls event, which raised more than

$65,000 from citywide bowl contributions!

The Middle School Service Council

added to the action with a “doggie bag”

drive to assist the Dakota Rescue animal

shelter in Pinehurst, Texas. Council mem-

bers appealed to their Middle School peers

for donations of dog and cat food, leashes,

collars, towels, and toys. The doggie bags

were delivered to an appreciative, tail-wag-

ging crowd in Pinehurst.

14 | Sowing seeds of serviceFostering � Fruits � Friendship

Planting Seeds � Good CitizenshipBeyond the generous example they set in the classroom, our faculty

and staff also model a high standard of service in their personal lives.

By demonstrating the St. Francis spirit of service to support causesmeaningful to them, our teachers, coaches,

and staff demonstrate to students that you

never grow “too big” to do the right thing.

“It is so interesting to me that the more

of my time and energy I give away, the

more I have to give,” reveals Genie Porter,

Primary I teacher. “We are so very blessed,

and I cherish the chance to share those

blessings with others.” It’s a sentiment

shared by many at St. Francis, and the types

of volunteer work taken on are as varied as

the personalities that make up our school.

Mrs. Porter, for example, has shared her

heart with both the National Charity League

and her daughter for the past four years as

the two have worked side by side on com-

munity projects ranging from making blan-

kets for children

with cancer

to helping

special-needs

children at Camp Buckaroo, a day camp

sponsored by Easter Seals Houston.

A quick after-hours peek might also

find Eighth-Grade English Teacher Donna

Pilgrim crocheting preemie caps and prayer

shawls/scarves for St. Luke’s Episcopal Hos-

pital; Fourth-Grade Language Arts Teacher

Donna Powell or Bridge Teacher Assistant

Carol Kemper sharing Bible stories through

children’s church on Sundays; Director of

Library Services Melanie Wallace getting a

behind-the-scenes look at hardship in Hous-

ton as a photographer for the Junior League

of Houston; or Eighth-Grade Math Teacher

Sarah Powell spending hours sewing “many,

many” pillowcase dresses for her church’s

“sister church” in the Republic of Angola.

she comments, “Being able to participate in

outreach ministry at school and at home—

and having it valued as part of what we do

here at St. Francis—is a wonderful part of

our culture.”

Leslie vanArsdale, assistant physical

education director for Middle School, has

a history of taking her gifts of self around

the globe—from training ESL teachers in

Kazakhstan to

teaching basic

health care to

villagers in West

Africa. Her more recent (and local!) efforts

include serving at St. Timothy Lutheran as

an altar guild member, special event aide,

and greeter. She points to a service-oriented

foundation as an excellent tool for life and

reflects, “I don’t think anything can have an

impact on a person as much as service

does. Serving is an eye-opening and

heart-opening growth experience.”


We are so very blessed, and I cherish the chance to share those blessings with others.

For eight weeks in the spring of 2012,

St. Francis students observed, examined,

weighed, painted, and played their way

through a comprehensive study of global

water needs, conservation, and sanitation.

They studied water in every subject area;

raised funds for UNICEF’s Tap Project by

drinking only water for a week and donat-

ing the money saved from foregoing other

beverages; and Skyped with students and

environmental experts on all seven conti-

nents, in countries including Nepal, Kuwait,

Tanzania, Australia, and Antarctica.

On March 22, 2012, they culminated

their study with a campus-wide observation

of World Water Day, which included special

speakers Travis Herzog, local meteorologist;

UNICEF’s Meena Haque; and Antarctic

visitor Ellen Butler. The event also featured

a HydroFair, with representatives from non-

profits that work with water-related issues,

and a water walk, during which students

carried water a representative distance to

experience the effort other children must

make to get water to their homes. Students

also donated to UNICEF’s Tap project.

Along the way, our students began to

develop a deeper understanding of and

empathy for their peers in underdeveloped

countries, many of whom walk an average of

observing World Water Day 2012Seeking understanding, finding compassion


three hours per day to provide

water for their families. Here

are a few of our students’ reac-

tions to what they learned:

• “It is very sad that little

girls have to miss school

carrying water to keep

their families alive.”

• “I can’t believe kids have to carry what

we had to carry and more just to get

water.”

• “World Water Day made me appreciate

how lucky I am to have running water.”

• “Now I save water when I shower.”

• “I am going to change the way I use

water because kids my age have to

walk almost four miles just to get water

to drink.”

• “We are so fortunate to have clean

water for everyday use. Many people

don’t have the means to obtain clean

water. I now feel the need to help

these people. We take these things for

granted, and we should work together

to make the world a better place for the

less fortunate.”

• “I learned that water has the power to

change lives.”

St. Francis’ water study in

general and World Water Day

in particular made a significant

impression on the way students

look at the world. Through it,

they learned what a precious

resource clean water is and, as

one seventh grader noted, “We

now realize just how lucky we are.”

Special thanks go out to Silver Eagle

Distributors and The Kroger Company for

working together to donate more than 300

gallons of water for the day. In the true spirit

of St. Francis, the bottled water donated

was given to Lord of the Streets Episcopal

Church’s outreach program at the conclu-

sion of the event.


I learned that water has the power

to change lives.

Our 2012 recipients, Anice Duytschaever

and Vicky Elliot, are both 15-year invet-

erate volunteers who share a love for the

arts, their children, and the school they say

gives students the best possible foundation

for high school and life beyond. We thank

them for their years of service to St. Francis

and send our love as they embark on new

adventures.

Anice Duytschaever’s history as a

St. Francis volunteer can be summed up

in one word: wholehearted. The energetic

mom to two St. Francis “lifers”—daughter

Camiel was a senior at The Kinkaid School

in 2011-12, while son Tres completed his

eighth-grade year at St. Francis—likes

to remark, “My heart may be moving to

Kinkaid, but my soul is at St. Francis.”

The longtime Friends of Fine Arts

champion served as both member and

president of the group, and was the face of

the costuming department for years. “Bobby

Linhart asked if I could help costume The

Music Man in 2005, and from that point on

we were a team,” she explains. “I found I

loved watching children on stage, especially

that shy kid you would never expect to say

a word, but who would get up there and belt

out a song. Now that is joy!”

Duytschaever credits the exceptional

quality of the school’s fine arts program—

and the fact that it’s “cool” to be part of it—

with inspiring students in remarkable ways.

Camiel is an award-winning artist and pho-

tographer, and Tres stretched his wings as a

choir member and drama student. “I know

it’s the fine arts program at St. Francis that

helped nurture that talent,” she asserts. But

St. Francis also fully develops the scholar

and the athlete, and Duytschaever was there

to capture every moment. An avid parent

photographer and master St. Francis Scrap-

book chair, she strived to document every

student’s special events in each scrapbook

she produced. She quips: “I’m not a great

photographer, but when you shoot 1,000

photos in a game, you’re bound to get lucky

on a few!” She also snapped away in her

many other volunteer roles, including Greek

Festival Chair, Medieval Feast Co-Chair,

Planting Seeds � KindnessIn spring 2010, St. Francis introduced the Outstanding Volunteer

Award, an annual salute to an eighth-grade parent or parents whose

contributions of time and talent epitomize the St. Francis spirit of service.


Graduation Reception Chair, Art a la Carte

docent, room mom, team mom, and so on.

Oh, and she was also “Dining Hall Queen”:

“I managed the Dining Hall during teacher

appreciation lunches, and, yes, I wore a

crown!”

Duytschaever contends that her count-

less volunteer hours were time well spent.

“This school has given so much to my kids,”

she says. “If you want your child to be at the

best school in Houston, St. Francis is that

and so much more.”

For vicky nicandros elliot, the arts

took center stage in her upbringing from

the start. A former pianist and dancer, Elliot

was always enticed by museums and loved

to draw and create her own masterpieces.

As an adult, she gravitated toward volun-

teer work with The Museum of Fine Arts,

Houston; the Houston Grand Opera; and

the Houston Symphony. So, once daughter

Anastasia entered the Toddlers program at

St. Francis in 1997, and son Nicholas fol-

lowed three years later, she explains: “It was

a natural progression for me to find some-

thing arts-related at St. Francis.”

And find it she did! Elliot spent ten

years as an Art a la Carte board member

and docent, holding multiple positions

and delighting in educating and enriching

students and new docents alike. “Our fine

arts program produces such art-literate kids

at St. Francis,” she says. Plus, she admits,

“Art a la Carte was a little self-indulgent as

well—it was like a mini-master’s degree in

art history!”

Over the years, Elliot found other ways

to incorporate her affinity for art as well. For

Anastasia’s seventh-grade Medieval Festival

celebration, she co-chaired the decorations

committee. In Nicholas’ seventh-grade

year, she co-chaired the whole event.

She also served as a catalyst for the

creation of the sixth-grade Greek Fes-

tival. “I don’t think Mr. Lewis knew

what hit him in our first planning

meeting,” she laughs. “By the time we

were done, we had an event worthy

of Mount Olympus!” Elliot also filled

roles as co-chair of the Booster Club,

team mom for various sports, room

mom—and, by her account, “served

on probably every Parents Association com-

mittee there is.” Along the way, she made

several lifelong friends. “The key to any

volunteer job is to find something you love,

and then find great people to work with. It

becomes more fun than work!” she advises.

As for her newest role as a St. Francis

alumna, Elliot says she will miss the familiar

faces that make the school unique. “There

are so many special teachers and staff

members here who go above and beyond

to give our kids an amazing foundation for

their future,” she concludes. “We have seen

St. Francis grow from ‘the little school in the

woods’ into a K–8 powerhouse, and we’ve

loved growing along with it.”


In September 2011, St. Francis proudly

introduced our new School of Music, an

extracurricular instrumental and vocal

program poised to take the school’s musical

arts offering to the next level. An evening

concert on September 13 launched the

much-anticipated program, showcasing

the talented artists from Rice University’s

Shepherd School of Music set to instruct

St. Francis students in clarinet, flute, cello,

double bass, piano, viola, violin, and voice.

Over the course of the school year,

72 children from our Lower and Middle

Schools received private instruction in a tai-

lored, one-on-one setting. Lessons were held

before, during, and after school, depending

on each student’s individual schedule. A

complement to St. Francis’ existing group

music classes, School of Music lessons

allow for a deeper exploration of specific

musical interests, with each child working

at his or her own pace toward mastery of a

selected discipline.

An appreciation of the fundamental

benefit that early musical training affords

a child’s developing brain spurred the new

program’s creation—even at a time when

other schools found it necessary to decrease

their arts budgets. Research proves that

musical proficiency engages both sides of

the brain, promoting a child’s mental capac-

ity for adaptation, communication, and

auditory fitness. Attention level and higher

achievement in math and science are also

linked to musical acumen, as is increased

self-esteem.

The year ended with the first-ever

St. Francis School of Music Student Recital

on May 5, 2012. Parents and grandparents

lined the pews of the St. Francis Episcopal

Church sanctuary for a show that proved

a worthy finale to the program’s inaugural

year. The sounds of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little

Star” mingled with Beethoven’s “Ode to

Joy” as our students gave it their all in what,

for many, were maiden solo performances.

This new musical tradition took root in the

hearts of the St. Francis school family, and

we look forward to many recitals to come!

St. Francis School of MusicNew program takes our musical arts offerings to new heights

Mezzo-soprano Susan Lorette Dunn serves as Artistic Director for the newly formed St. Francis School of Music. On the Voice and Opera Faculty of the Rice University Shepherd School of Music, Mrs. Dunn is a graduate of Queensland Conservatorium of Music in Brisbane, Australia. In addition to a significant international performance career, Mrs. Dunn has served on the faculty of the Opera Theatre and Music Festival, Lucca, Italy; The Brevard Music Festival, United States; The International Conducting Workshop and Festival, Czech Republic; and the Aspen Music Festival.

20 | Sowing seeds of harmony

Orange and blue dotted the landscape

on a sunny April day as St. Francis families

and friends gathered for the 2012 Festival

Day. An annual One Community Fund

event, Festival Day benefits both St. Fran-

cis Episcopal Day School and St. Francis

Episcopal Church. This year’s theme was

“Keep Festival Fun,” and that’s just what our

school community did! Families enjoyed old

favorites like the dunk tank, bounce houses,

and cascarones, plus new additions, includ-

ing laser tag, “Dancing With the DJ,” and a

photo booth.

The festivities were chaired by Kathryn

Adkins, Renee Davis, Sallie Guerino, and

Kelly Huff. Many thanks to our generous

underwriters, booth sponsors, Big Board

winners, and, most importantly, our volun-

teers for making Festival Day an unforgetta-

ble afternoon!

UnderwritersAmerican Tank & Vessel Inc.Stephen Boutros Ltd.Clark & Jordan LPLiz and Will FranklinIS&T / Amy and Tony PannaglEugene Lou, MD, Orthopedic SurgerySentriForce / Jennifer and Joel MooreLulu and Hugh Zhang

In-kind DonorsHouston Distributing Co.Mischer Investments / Jody and Randy CorsonPronto CucininoSilver Eagle DistributorsSylvia’s Enchilada KitchenVillagio’s Italian Grill

St. Francis Festival Day 2012Celebrating family and community through food, prizes, and fun

21 | Sowing seeds of fun

Booth SponsorsGina and Michael AdamoAudrey and Matthew AdamsShannon and John AddisonFi and Farhad AhrabiKelley and Eric AndersonShelley and Newt BarineauJulie and David BermanSally and Larry BiestekPost Oak Publishing / Shelly and Mike BlalockLisa and Brad BowmanKathy and David BoydJessica and Fred BrazeltonHarriet and Greg BrowneMarlo and David BruceWendy and Bill BrucknerCourtney and Jeremy BrynesTami and Keith BuddMargaret and Geoffrey ChambleeEka and Kenneth ChibuogwuWhitney ClarkMaria and Carlos Contreras

Wendy and Justin CopeKelli and Clay CravensKelly and Matt CubbageLaura and Ned DavenportRenee and Chip DavisLynn and Ronnie DeyoChristy and John DullLynn and Douglas DunbarAnne and Brady EdwardsBonny and Joe Bob EdwardsHeather and Joel ElkinsStacy and Michael EllingtonER 24/7 PlusDayna and Ted ErckLaura and Salvador EscalonaJulie and Ken FaterkowskiCatharine and Grant FaulconerLisa and Jack FendrickMolly and Kip FergusonEsther and Juan FidalgoKay and Joe FigliolaKay and Bob ForkerErin and Stan FowlerLiz and Will FranklinFrost Bank / Jack DohertyBecky and Thomas GottsegenAllison and Will GrahamSusan and Jeff GraySallie and Tony GuerinoZabet and Mark HaasKaty and Jim HadaHolly and Breen HaireJennifer and Samuel HendricksLorie and Steve Herod

Kim and David HockChristine and Ty HofferSophia and Qiuchao HuaiKelly and Chris HuffLeslie and Jack JacksonJenna JacksonAna Lee and Marc JacobsTiffani and Brian JinksJeannie and David JoeAmy and Eric JonesSusan and Kemp JonesSusan KettererJanice and Allan KingLeigh and Jack KinsJamie and Brad KnapeHuntley and Dan KubitzaTrish and Jay KyleShari and Bill LakenmacherTilman and Paige FertittaJeanette and Jim LeachStephanie and Bobby Linhart

Elizabeth and Ken LottingerBrandi and Keith MaxwellStacy and Michael MedranoCourtney and Sean MitchellKelly and Bill MontgomeryLeslie and Randy NewcomerAndrea NoserKim and Mitchell PageKatherine Lundy and Shashi PatelDeanie and Scott PeeblesKathryn PipkinDawn and Jason PowersBarbie and Ron PresswoodLacy and Philip PriceEllen and Edward RandallNipaporn and Pana RatanabanangkoonMindy and Sean RiceLacy and Brian RiekeRobin and Marshall RosenbergPam and Phil RundleSage Dining Services Inc.Kim and Bill SanchezCarol Sandvick and Charlie TalbottMary Frances and Alex SardinaJulie and John SchnakeHeidi and Matt SeinsheimerEkta and Jay ShaniKate and Joe SkubiszKelly and Bruce SmithIvonne and Chris SmithBarbara and Clark SmithNiki SmithAnne and Stephen SmithFrancine StefanAnn and Robert StephensDeborah and James StewartCourtney and Steve StubblefieldCatherine and Chris SwinbankJennifer and Tadd TellepsenKelly and Jeff ThibaultKris and Jimmy ValleeRhonda and Robert ViningAndrea and Craig VogelsangAmy and Erik VossLori and Ken WatlerKelli and John WeinzierlKelly Wren and Jason WhittingtonLeigh and Mark WilliamsStephanie and Gerry WillingerTiffany and Randall WongHiroko and Masaaki Yokoyama

Big Board SupportersShelley and Newt BarineauMaria and Carlos ContrerasVictoria and Parker JohnsonSusan KettererKate and Joe SkubiszAnn and Robert StephensJudy and James Woolley

DonationsAudrey and Matthew AdamsFi and Farhad AhrabiKelley and Eric AndersonIngrid and Stan BondLisa and Brad BowmanLeah and Gregory BrownJo and George BrueggemanLiliana and Holden BurnettMariam ByrdStacie and Howard ChapmanPhyllis and Gregory

ChronowskiDeb and Marc CunninghamAdrienne and Brian CutterMarjorie and Michael DaleRenee and Chip DavisHolly and Michael DinsmoreChristy and John DullNicole and Brendan EderleNicole and Greg EidmanHeather and Joel ElkinsJulie and Ken FaterkowskiKay and Joe FigliolaSusan and Jeff GrayVinceanne and Jeff GreenKaty and Jim HadaAmy and Curtis HartmanLaura and Edward HeardBecky and Nathan HurtJean and Josh JonesAnna and Tim JonesGigi and Chuck JoynerJamie and Brad KnapeShari and Bill LakenmacherLiesl and Marion LemanMichelle Phan-Ly and Victor LyChuck MadduxTracy and Randy McMullenCourtney and Sean MitchellEllen and Sam MoretonMarguerite and Steve MorrellLisa and Greg Nelson

Cindy and Mark O’DonnellChristi and Rob ParkerMaureen and Paul PereaDebby and Doug PossoMichelle and Bryan RitcheyJennifer and Matt RosserSofia and Walker RyanMaria Altamirano and Miguel SierraKate and Joe SkubiszFrancine StefanJolie and Charles StinnefordJana and Don SweitzerMelissa and Mike TaylorKaren and Joe ThompsonAmy and Andy TurboffMegan and Anthony UerlingLiz and Frank WozencraftHiroko and Masaaki Yokoyama

24 | Sowing seeds of adventure

Sarah W. Woolrich Fund for FacultyThe Sarah W. Woolrich Fund for Faculty is at it again! In the spring

and summer, the fund sent seven St. Francis faculty members on learn-

ing adventures across the globe. Our teachers came back engaged, inspired—and ready to share their discover-

ies with our students!

Read on to learn more about this year’s

Woolrich Award winners and their fabulous

educational opportunities.

The Pursuit of ExcellenceFirm believers in the Primary School’s

Reggio Emilia-inspired program, Primary II

teachers Cindy Blades, Allyson Campsey,

Whitney Clark, and Shannon Lewis, and

Assistant Head of Primary School Darla

McNay deepened their understanding of

the educational philosophy by going to the

source. In true Reggio fashion, they thought,

communicated, created, and collaborated

their way through six days of intensive

research, study, and observation as part of

the North American Study Group in Reggio

Emilia, Italy, in April.

Program topics such as the 100 lan-

guages of children; the pedagogy of listen-

ing; the role of observation, interpretation,

and documentation; and the image of the

competent child—plus plenty of opportu-

nities for first-hand interaction with local

and international Reggio educators—meant

the group came away with new ideas for

implementing the approach, as well as a

deeper understanding of the philosophy

and research behind Reggio Emilia. “Our

passion for new knowledge and the unique

opportunity to visit the Reggio Emilia site

enabled us to grow as educators and indi-

viduals,” they say. “The pursuit of excellence

in education is exactly what we want to

accomplish—for ourselves, for St. Francis,

for our students, and for our community.”

Calculating the DifferenceAlgebra can be a challenging subject, so

Eighth-Grade Math Teacher Sarah Powell

is always looking for new ideas and tech-

nology she can use to keep her students

engaged and encouraged. Thanks to the

Woolrich Fund, her job is now a little easier.

This summer, she attended the Anja

S. Greer Conference on Mathematics,

FACULTY MEMBERS:Cindy BladesAllyson CampseyWhitney ClarkShannon Lewis Primary II Teachers

Darla McNayAssistant Head of Primary School

ADVENTURE: North American Reggio Emilia Alliance Study Group

LOCATION: Reggio Emilia, Italy


Science, and Technology at Phillips Exeter

Academy in New Hampshire, where she

explored the role of technology in today’s

and tomorrow’s math curriculum, the use

of the newest graphing calculators, and the

application of Texas Instruments’ new wire-

less networks in the classroom. Known as

TI-Nspire, these networks give teachers the

ability to assess and instruct instantly by

wirelessly connecting individual 3D calcula-

tors (known as “handhelds”) with a teacher’s

computer or a classroom’s SMART Board.

Among the technology’s many applications,

the teacher or class can watch remotely as

a student uses a handheld to work a prob-

lem, and students can take quizzes on their

handhelds and watch as a graph of their

answers is displayed on the central screen.

Research shows that this highly interactive

technology increases student understand-

ing, engagement, and class participation,

and Mrs. Powell is helping ensure that our

teachers and students are using this sys-

tem to its full potential. “I am committed

to integrating this technology into our

classrooms and becoming a master teacher

when it comes to using this equipment,”

she says. “But even more, I want to to see

this technology inspire, engage, and extend

learning for our Middle School students at

St. Francis.”

Senior Chaplain Bob Wismer’s teaching

is already inspired, but his trip to the Holy

Land promises to make his lessons even

more heavenly. While attending a course at

Jerusalem University College this summer,

he studied the geographical and historical

settings of the Old and New Testaments;

visited archaeological treasures such as the

Dead Sea Scrolls; and explored the culture

and language of the land where some of the

world’s most famous stories occurred.

“So often, the significance of Jesus’ actions,

declarations, and teachings are lost due to

a lack of awareness of his historical setting

and of its connection to the biblical story,”

Father Wismer says. “Experiencing the real-

life, real-time dimension of the biblical nar-

rative enables me to convey to my students

The 2012 Woolrich Fund for Faculty award recipients are (front, left-right) Sarah Powell, Darla McNay, Shannon Lewis, (back, left-right) Allyson Campsey, Bob Wismer, Cindy Blades, and Whitney Clark.

FACULTY MEMBER:Sarah PowellEighth-Grade Math Teacher

ADVENTURE: Summer Math Conference

LOCATION: Phillips Exeter AcademyExeter, New Hampshire

FACULTY MEMBER:The Rev. Bob WismerSenior Chaplain

ADVENTURE: Jerusalem University CollegeBritish Museum

LOCATION: Jerusalem, IsraelLondon, England

Purple Plum Gifts of $1,000–$4,999Michele and Sandy AronShelley and Newt Barineau

In honor of Blake, William, Pierce, and BlairKaren and Howard ChapmanStacie and Howard '90 ChapmanEliza and Johnny '69 DuncanFleming EndowmentMarsha and Fred HaasSusanna and Gee KaneStacy '84 and Michael MedranoKelly and Bill MontgomeryJennifer and Joel MooreCarrie and Ron Woliver

In honor of grandsons Nick and Conrad Bennett

Blue SpruceGifts of $500–$999Patti and Tony BarlettaJan and Richard BonnerKatherine and Robert Couch

In honor of their childrenSabrina and Rich DiMicheleHolly and Michael Dinsmore

In honor of Mr. and Mrs. Wayne DotsonJulie and Michael Donaldson

In honor of Sarah Powell, Bob Wismer, Debbie Harris, Terry McQueen, and Danny Lewis

Peggy and Gary GodwinThe House at Pooh Corner

In honor of Page Kahle '03Katherine Lundy and Shashi Patel

In honor of Emily Partridge and Donna PowellAmy and James PavlikEliza Randall

In honor of Kathy Cire

Pam and Phil RundleKatherine and John StromNancy and Ken Williams

In honor of the Williams and Briedel Families

YellowwoodGifts of $100–$499Fi and Farhad AhrabiLibby and George Alcorn

In honor of Ryan AlcornHelen and Joe AllenLinda and Kent Anderson

In honor of Darla McNayJudy and David Baker

In memory of Lou Brooks, Billy and Zula Melvin, and Mary Baker

Lisa and Brad BowmanKathy and David BoydRhonda and Richard Brown

In honor of Preston Brown '11 and Hughes Brown '09

Denise and Bob CampbellIn honor of Will Maxwell '06 and Zach Maxwell '09

Beverly and Wiley CarmichaelIn honor of Sarah W. Woolrich

Karen and Bill CaseIn memory of Nanette Gay Carle

Bonnie and Jack ChandlerLaura and Ted ChristiansenJohn ColginLisa ColginSondra and Eugene CookKim and Frank CorredorKelly and Matt CubbageKate and Mike DenhamKate and Matt DruryHeather and Joel Elkins

Stacy and Michael EllingtonLisa and Chet Erwin

In honor of Vanessa SendukasCatharine and Grant FaulconerMolly and Kip Ferguson

In honor of Allyson Campsey, Shannon Lewis, Whitney Clark, and Cindy Blades

Cindy and Gary GersonIn honor of Vanessa Sendukas

Jennifer and Chris GibsonJenny and Tom GottschalkBecky and Thomas Gottsegen

In honor of Carol Lee Nicosia, David Porter, Brittany Kasischke, and Robin Plaia

Laura and Edward HeardIn honor of Legay Varoutsos

Andrea HendricksonLorie and Steve HerodKeri and Michael Herrin


Carrie and Howard HorneOlive and Lynn HughesLeticia and Edward Jaroski

In honor of Natalie Jaroski '02Jennifer Jasper

In honor of all St. Francis teachers and staffJean and Josh JonesLeah and Michael Jones

In honor of Harriet MitchellAnna and Tim JonesJoe Ann and Ken Kingdon

In memory of Patrick V. Nicosia Jr.Leigh and Jack Kins

In honor of Lynn and Jary GlazerJamie and Brad '91 KnapeSandra and Alec '77 Kobayashi

a deeper understanding of the stories which

form the foundation of their faith—Chris-

tian, Jewish, and Muslim.” On his way back

from Jerusalem, Father Wismer stopped

in London to explore the British Museum

and other world-class collections of codices,

papyri, and parchments related to biblical

studies. He’s incorporating lessons from his

journey into both his classroom and chapel

presentations, showing videos and photos

he has taken, recounting his journey using

maps of the region, providing firsthand

details of historical sites, and using artifacts

acquired on his trip to illustrate stories and

lessons. “I yearn to teach the word of God

in all its fullness, all its humanity, and all

its divinity, embracing both the sacred and

the gritty,” he says. “Having the opportunity

to go to the places where Abraham, Isaac,

and Jacob walked; where Jesus taught; and

where Paul sparred with the authorities was

an extraordinary privilege and joy.”

Thanks to the following donors for their contributions to the Sarah W. Woolrich Fund for Faculty:


Sherri and Frank KotarTrish and Jay KyleNina and Casey LambrightLois Latiolais

In memory of Renee Y. LatiolaisJeanette and Jim LeachRegina and Alfredo Lelo de LarreaDebbie and Jamie LewisShannon and Michael LewisCarolyn and David Light

In honor of Robert, Thomas, Walker, and John Connor Light

Elsa Jean and Don LooserIn honor of Brock and Avery Looser

Lisa and Paul MasonBruce McIntyre

In honor of Mason McIntyre '12Darla and Keith McNayEllen and Sam MoretonMelinda Neal

In memory of Ronald N. NealLisa and Greg NelsonTammy and Duc NguyenMaureen and Paul PereaJean and Mike PhillipsKate and Andy PontikesEllen and Allen PotterAngela and Michael Poujol

In honor of Vanessa SendukasDenise and Kevin PoynterMindy and Sean RiceCourtney and James RobertsonRobin and Marshall Rosenberg

In honor of Michael and Marshall RosenbergSusan and Jim Rosser

In honor of Catherine Jane RosserCarolyn and Hugh Ryan

In honor of Annabel, Max, and Merritt SkubitszMary Frances and Alex SardinaAnne and Stephen Smith

In honor of Carol Kemper

Ann and Robert StephensEmily and Tim SullivanVania and Mark TerryKaren and Joe ‘83 ThompsonMegan and Taylor TiptonJeni and Bert Turner


Kris and Jimmy ValleeIn honor of Father Bob Wismer

Judy and Ken WallisIn honor of Allyson Campsey

Lori and Ken WatlerIn honor of Woolrich Fund Recipients

Michelle and Lacy WilliamsIn honor of Megan '04, Trace '06, Kathryn '09,and Jack '11 Williams

Judy and James WoolleyIn honor of Sheila Newell and Betty Babendure

Liz and Frank WozencraftIn honor of Lisa McDermott and Ryan Kochel

EvergreenGifts up to $99

Kathryn and Leigh AdkinsIn honor of Cindy Blades and Courtney Zauft

Kathy and Fred AmlingD. Kent and Linda C. Anderson FoundationElle and Clarke Anderson

In honor of Jane OteizaSally and Mark Baldwin

In honor of Pegi DoslerCindy BladesIngrid and Stan BondFrances and Alvin Callender

In honor of all St. Francis teachersAllyson CampseyWhitney Clark

In honor of Sarah W. WoolrichLeanne and Ron CobenMarjorie and Michael DaleTammy and Lenny DaltonTraci and Steve Demecs Polly Dixon and Howard Haworth

In honor of Shila SmithJan Fields

In honor of Shila SmithMindy GuthrieSara HallJanice and Allan KingSharon and Michael LuraKatherine McLean-Murphy

In honor of Sarah W. WoolrichRhonda and Dan MuschalikSusan and Edward OsterbergAmanda and Grant '79 RobertsonTeme and Keith Sappenfield

In memory of Gertha MohrLucretia Shaver

In memory of Lou BrooksShila and Mel Smith

In honor of Sarah W. WoolrichNicky and Richard Smith

Inspired teaching is often what makes the difference between a child who merely attends school and one who truly enjoys learning. It is in this spirit that St. Francis Episcopal Day School established the Sarah W. Woolrich Fund for Faculty—designed to enhance the educational experience of our students by first expanding the horizons of our teachers. This fund is dedicated to our school’s first principal, Sarah Woolrich, who made a life of teaching, guiding, and inspiring the students of St. Francis.

2011-12 Sarah W. Woolrich Fund for Faculty CommitteeJulie Donaldson, Chair

Deborah Berry, Vice Chair

John H. Duncan Jr. ’69

Stacy Ellington

Traci Graham

Leah Jones

Jeanette Leach

Harriet Mitchell

Maria Vrcek ’04

Great oaks from

little acorns grow.

14th Century Proverb


Charlotte FitzgeraldYou might say that during her distin-

guished 25-year tenure at St. Francis, music

teacher Charlotte Fitzgerald has really

worked her way down. To the Primary

School, that is. The cherished educator orig-

inally shared her artistic flair as the Lower

School’s music teacher, but says it turns out

that inspiring a love for music and the arts

in the school’s youngest pupils is what truly

makes her heart sing.

Mrs. Fitzgerald believes that the gift

she shares with her students is a vital part

of their early foundation for life. Music was

a foundation of Mrs. Fitzgerald’s early life

as well, and when the time came to choose

a profession, she recalls with a smile: “My

daddy wouldn’t let me go to New York City

to become a performer.” So she became a

teacher instead. Armed with a bachelor’s

degree in music education and voice from

the University of Oklahoma, she set out to

foster a lifelong appreciation of music in

students. After turns in elementary music

and first and second grades in Oklahoma,

Mrs. Fitzgerald taught elementary and mid-

dle school music in Germany for the U.S.

Army. She later spent ten years in elemen-

tary music education in Houston—and some

time as a mom—before finding her way to

St. Francis in 1987. Here, her jobs have been

many. Over the years, not only has she

been instrumental in molding the school’s

renowned music enrichment program, but

also she served as fine arts chair when the

Fine Arts Center was constructed.

Today, when Mrs. Fitzgerald isn’t wear-

ing her music teacher hat, she shares her tal-

ents as a voice instructor in the Encore Plus

Enrichment Program. She also assists with

Primary School chapel services, chairs the

Primary School Enrichment team, and lends

a hand to Mrs. Bruckner in Primary I three

days a week. Ever a passionate proponent

of the arts, Mrs. Fitzgerald has performed

in several stage productions, has presented

at numerous professional conferences, and

is a 50-year member of the honorary music

fraternity Mu Phi Epsilon. She is certified in

the “Music Together” early-childhood music

program and is also an active member of the

Texas Music Educators Association and the

Houston Grand Opera Guild, as well as a

patron of Broadway Across America.

Ask Mrs. Fitzgerald what has stirred

her to stay at St. Francis for a quarter of a

century, and she’ll answer without missing a

beat, “I love St. Francis because it’s a warm,

Christian, caring atmosphere where pro-

gressive learning is encouraged. I want my

28 | Sowing seeds of dedication

A Quarter Century � CommitmentTogether, Charlotte Fitzgerald and Wendy Bruckner have enriched

the lives of more than a thousand students. As they mark twenty-five

years in the classroom, we salute them both!

classes to be special, because St. Francis is

special.” Congratulations, Mrs. Fitzgerald,

for playing such a special role at St. Francis

for 25 years—and counting! Wendy Bruckner

After 25 years at St. Francis, Wendy

Bruckner has a vested interest in the success

of the school. Not only has she added to that

success as a Primary I and Primary II teacher,

but also initially as a St. Francis parent, and

today as a grandparent (her granddaughter

is a fourth-grader in the Lower School). Her

three daughters are all St. Francis alumnae,

and she jokes: “I had to keep teaching to

pay 30 years’ worth of tuition!” Apparently,

the investment paid off, as each went on to

earn graduate degrees after benefitting from

their St. Francis foundation.

In reflecting on her time at the school,

Mrs. Bruckner speaks of the “wholeness” of

the St. Francis experience, and of the home-

away-from-home feel it has always offered

students. She says it’s been her job all these

years to find and maximize each child’s indi-

vidual strengths—a task she’s accomplished

under some unusual circumstances. Like the

day a tornado warning forced her class into

the church’s restroom for nearly an hour.

To calm nerves and restlessness, she led

her students in songs for the duration. But

there was no calming her nerves the time a

garden snake made its way inside the front

entrance of the Primary School. “I wanted it

gone!” she recalls with a laugh.

Mrs. Bruckner began her long-running

career as a kindergarten teacher in Tulsa,

Oklahoma. She moved into first- and sec-

ond-grade positions before securing her

place in St. Francis’ Primary School in 1987.

Since then, she has also worked for Rice Uni-

versity as a mentor and workshop presenter

to other preschool teachers, sharing her

knowledge in both the public and private

education sectors. In addition, she is a

member of Rice University’s Teachers’ Net-

work for Early Literacy and the Classroom

Storytelling Project. But when she’s not edu-

cating her peers, just how does Mrs. Bruck-

ner corral a classroom of three-year-olds

long enough to impart fundamental knowl-

edge to them? Through a sense of humor

and an inquiring mind, she says. With each

child, she works to promote “a great vocab-

ulary, the ability to think and reason, and a

knack for using their imagination to solve

problems.”

With a bachelor’s degree in psychology

from The University of Tulsa, as well as

graduate work completed at the University

of Missouri, Adelphi University, and Hous-

ton Baptist University, Mrs. Bruckner proves

that she’s never been content to just sit back

and watch life go by. Along the way, she

hopes she’s been a positive influence on her

young charges during what she believes are

their “most important years.”

We’re grateful to you, Mrs. Bruckner, for

your extraordinary commitment to helping

so many St. Francis students gain such a

bright start to their lives!

Primary School Music Teacher and Primary I Teacher Assistant Charlotte Fitzgerald (l)joins Primary I Teacher Wendy Bruckner in celebrating 25 years at St. Francis.

30 | Sowing seeds of generosity

Annual Fund GiftsGifts to the St. Francis Annual Fund enable us to purchase learning tools that stretch the

mind, strengthen the body, and refresh the spirit—tools that also help us attract the inspired educators who keep our students engaged. Many thanks to these participating donors:

Headmaster's CircleGifts of $20,000 or more

Maria and Carlos ContrerasPaula and Bill CuttsJane and Michael JamiesonAmy KingKristi and Jeffrey LiggettJenny and David MooreJennifer and Joel Moore Leslie and Randy Newcomer

Society of Arts & LettersGifts of $10,000–$19,999

Kelly and Matt CubbageJill and Jim GlanvilleMaureen and John GrafNidhika and Sean MehtaKelly and Bill MontgomeryMindy and Sean RiceDiana and Davis SunSuzanne and Joe SuttonVania and Mark TerryKim and Nestor Vicknair

Circle of ExcellenceGifts of $5,000–$9,999

Jessica and Fred BrazeltonStacie and Howard '90 ChapmanSylvie and Gary CrumKate and Mike Denham

Paige and Tilman FertittaBecky and Thomas GottsegenSusan and Jeff GrayCici and Emerson HankamerLorie and Steve HerodLisa and Bob HestonJean and Josh JonesMisty and Mush Khan*Suzanne KirbyJanna and Kyle LippmanBeth and Greg '83 LooserBrandi and Keith MaxwellStacy '84 and Michael MedranoAllison and Michael '76 MitschkeKim and Bill SanchezHeidi and Matt SeinsheimerKrista and Todd '82 SinexJennifer and Tadd Tellepsen

1952 Founder's CircleGifts of $2,500–$4,999

Michele and Sandy AronPatti and Tony BarlettaKaren and Howard ChapmanEmily and Robert ClayJohn Colgin Lisa ColginHeather and Jake DavisLynn and Ronnie DeyoJudy and Jerry DiamondSabrina and Rich DiMichele

Eliza and Johnny '69 DuncanNicole '85 and Brendan EderleMary '76 and David EntrekinCatharine and Grant FaulconerZabet and Mark HaasWendy and Clif HallHoward Haryanto*Stacey and Jeffrey HenningsenChristine and Ty Hoffer*Susan and Chip '72 HorneSusan HoyakSophia and Qiuchao Huai*Amy and Bo HugginsBarbara and Roberto IglesiasShelley and Billy IglesiasGina and Tom JohnsonSusanna and Gee KaneMarisol and Jorge LeivaCarolyn and David LightAlissa and Kevin MaplesHarriet MitchellRishma and Akbar MohamedGlenda and Danny MooreKatie and Al Nance*Barbara and John Nau*Tammy and Wayne Nguyen*Kendall and Edward OndarzaMelanie and Doug OttensChristina '85 and Alexander PapandreouMaureen and Paul PereaBarbara and Bruce PetersonKevin PipkinsJennifer and Leon Redelinghuys*Laura and Richard RobertPam and Phil RundleLauri and Karl SchlopyKate and Joe SkubiszKelly and Bruce SmithBarbara and Clark SmithLynette and Trey SniderVirginia and Dan SteppeKatherine and John Strom*Kelli and John WeinzierlStephanie and Gerry WillingerCarrie and Ron Woliver

St. Francis SustainersGifts of $1,000–$2,499

Gina and Michael AdamoAudrey and Matthew AdamsShannon and John Addison*Nathalie and Eduardo AlamanHelen and R. C. Allen*Elle and Clarke AndersonAmy and Matt AngellCatherine and Peter BadgerShelley and Newt BarineauMeredith and Mark BarineauStuart BatesEllen and John '84 BenderDeborah and Bob BerryKelly and Tom BilekJan and Richard BonnerLauri and Vadim BoureninNadine and Stephen BoutrosHolly and John BrennanSuzanne and Tim BrownHarriet and Greg BrowneMarlo and David Bruce*Tami and Keith BuddDebbie and Jeff CardwellKaroline and Tim CarlsonAnne and Claude CodySean CoerverGillian and Chris Conoscenti*Jodie and Randy Corson*Celine CozadHeather and Brady CrosswellSusie and Richard CrummelNiki and Bryan D'Agostino*Laura and Ned DavenportHolly and St. John Dinsmore*Anice DuytschaeverGeorge DuytschaeverBonny and Joe Bob Edwards*Stacy and Michael EllingtonTruda and Sandy EsslemontVirginia and Morrow '90 EvansMolly and Kip Ferguson*Robert E. Gay*Jennifer and Chris GibsonMegan and Tony GrayPaige and Forrest GreenSharon and Holman Gregory*Sallie and Tony Guerino*Amy and Curtis Hartman*Laura and Edward HeardKelly and Chris HuffJeannie and David Joe*Kelly and Tyler JohnsonLeah and Michael JonesAnna and Tim JonesCourtney and Tim KearnsPeggy and Kevin KellerSusan KettererJanice and Allan King*

Keely and Kale KrhovjakHuntley and Dan KubitzaSusie and James LairRegina and Alfredo Lelo de Larrea*Liesl and Marion Leman*Marcy and Jeff MargolisMartha and Tom MelodyRachel and Bryan MiltonEllen and Sam MoretonCindy and Mark O'DonnellMe-J and John O'NealKatherine Lundy and Shashi PatelAmy and James PavlikMargaret and Boris PayanRenee and John PerkoPatricia and David PerlickKate and Chris PernoudDawn and Jason PowersJoy and Edward Randall*Zary and Bruce RassoliFarrah Farizani and Hamid RazaviKay and Ron RheaAlejandra and Edgar RinconMichelle and Bryan RitcheyElizabeth and John RobertsLisa and John SarvadiJennifer and Patrick Schneider*Cindy and Dick SnellFrancine StefanCharlotte and Steven Sullivan*Catherine and Chris SwinbankBillye and Isik TezelLaura and David TheisKelly and Jeff ThibaultMegan and Taylor Tipton*Leslie and John TurnerMegan and Anthony Uerling*Leslie vanArsdaleRhonda and Robert ViningAmy and Erik VossAmy and Michael WaltonTracy and Mike Whittaker*

St. Francis PatronsGifts of $500–$999

Holly and Abbas ArianAparna and Manu AsthanaSarah and Brian '87 AustinShelley and Darrin BakerGlenn BallardKatherine and Carl BartuchBonnie and Augie BeringLaurie and Stephen BilgerKathy and David BoydKristine and Billy Braddock*Allison and Geary BroadnaxJo and George BrueggemanDana and Walter BurkeLiliana and Holden BurnettAllyson Campsey*

Karen and Bill CaseJeannie and Rob ChandlerBonnie and Jack ChandlerAn Tsai and Samuel ChenMelinda and Jay '73 ChernoskySherry and John CobbLeanne and Ron CobenJeff Coddington '73Debbie and Larry Coomer*Kim and Frank CorredorDeb and Marc CunninghamRenee and Chip DavisKate and Matt DruryCorina and Adrian DumitruHeather and Joel ElkinsDale and Alan EngbergDayna and Ted ErckMehrnaz and Ned GillMarilyn and Jim '75 GoetteeCarmen and Alex GomezJenny and Tom GottschalkStacy GraceKim and Chris '95 GraeterTraci and Todd Graham

Holly and Breen HaireSharon and Jim HibbertBrandee and Brandon Houston*Jenna JacksonLeslie '86 and Jack JacksonAna Lee and Marc Jacobs*Allison and Jack JensenDave KingLeigh and Jack KinsShari and Bill Lakenmacher*Nina and Casey LambrightSharon and Ken LesniakSusan and David LightLisa and Paul MasonMichelle McGrathSally and Jim McGrawBetsy and George McKean


Bond MillardMaria and Jeff MillerCourtney and Sean MitchellMarguerite and Steve MorrellLisa and Greg NelsonCarol Lee NicosiaKathy and Doug O'BrienValeria Oualline

Ellen and Ron OwensAmy and Tony '83 PannaglParker UniformsDayna and Mark PaullKathryn Pipkin*Barbie and Ron PresswoodMark Provine*Karyn and Michael Reardon*Jodi and Lee RichardRobin and Marshall RosenbergJennifer and Matt Rosser*Sandra and Fellman SeinsheimerLydia and Selim Sekili*Diana SherrillRichard SherrillIvonne and Chris SmithAnne and Stephen SmithSpark EnergyMaggie and Will Stacy*Ann and Robert StephensJolie and Charles StinnefordSumitomo Corp of America*Lauren and John SuttleWill and Michelle SymondsCarol Sandvick and Charlie TalbottLisa and Mark TidwellJeni and Bert Turner*Elaine and Jim TurnerKristina Mordaunt and Vance UlshKris and Jimmy ValleeKathryn and Matthew Van Wie

Sara Zhao and Alan WangLiz and Frank WozencraftHiroko and Masaaki Yokoyama*

St. Francis AssociatesGifts of $250–$499

Libby and George AlcornDiem and John Allis

Kelley and Eric AndersonLaura and Alfonso BarreraMonica and Mark BaughmanLisa and Brad Bowman*Marlene and Lindsley BrattenLeah and Gregory BrownCourtney and Jeremy BrynesBeverly and Wiley CarmichaelMargaret and Geoffrey ChambleeAnne and Bob ChisholmLaura and Ted ChristiansenPhyllis and Gregory Chronowski*Kathy and George CireMuriel CodySondra and Eugene CookCarole and Warren DaltonCristina and John '89 DebobenTraci and Steve DemecsBethany and Kelby Dennard*Brooks Diesel*Julie and Michael DonaldsonLynn and Douglas DunbarSandy and David ElkinsVicky and Lucas ElliotKerry and Jonathan FaroSharon and Sebastian FaroJill and Walter FortneySara and Jerry FranceEllie and Carter FranceCathy and Richard Geis*Amy and William Glauser*

Sandy and Gus Haddad*Julia and George HancockAndrew B. Hawthorn '87Alice and Randy HelmsJackie and Carl HenningsenKeri and Michael HerrinJackie Hibbler*Esperanza and Don HicksNoe HinojosBecky and Nathan HurtNatalie Jaroski '02Leticia and Edward JaroskiKristen and Andy JohnstonLiz and Kevin JonesLinda and Scott KarcherKasey and Stephen Keller*Elizabeth KingJamie and Brad '91 Knape*Stephanie and John KrellTrish and Jay KyleRebecca '93 and Chris LewisElsa Jean and Don LooserSande and Dwight LymanKim and Steve ManningDavita and William Marquart*Darla and Keith McNayDan Meyer '96Tiffani and Gordon MillerMary Mischer*Molly and Andrew MontgomeryJohn NewsomMargaret NewsomTammy and Duc NguyenVivian and Tom O'LearyTroncy and W. L. OrsakMary and David PeñaChris PerrasKate and Andy PontikesJeannie and Bruce PowersJulie and Darin PrestonLacy '90 and Philip PriceNina and Richard PriceSusie and Larry RachleffKim and Ted RayKathleen ReddenLacy and Brian RiekeMary Frances and Alex SardinaCarolyn and Ned SchwingBitsy and Don Sinex*Margaretta and Rick '84 SnellBrooke and Patrick SolcherJennifer and Mark '89 StringerCristi Payan and Eric TabanouMelissa and Mike TaylorLeslie and Gerald TeelCathy and Chuck Thomason*Karen and Joe '83 ThompsonNikki and Travis VargoJulia and Stephen VobbeAndrea and Craig Vogelsang

Lori and Ken WatlerKelly Wren and Jason WhittingtonPhyllis and Larry WilkinsTiffanie and Jeff WilliamsNancy and Ken Williams*Tiffany and Randall Wong

St. Francis FriendsGifts up to $249

Anonymous (1)Annie Addison*Ann and Bert AdkinsKathryn and Leigh AdkinsFi and Farhad AhrabiLeticia and Jose AlcalaMolly AlexanderDiane AllenMuffet and John AllenJennifer and Richard AllisonEmily ArnotBetty BabendureKimberly BarbierKathy and Roger BarrasLucy and David BarrowCharlotte Bentlif and Bob GyengeWendy and Philip BentlifJulie and David BermanRuthe and Marty BermanMarilyn and Socrates BitsisCynthia BladesAbby Crawford and Matt BlairIngrid and Stan BondKarla and Neil BrazzelAnne Brown

Wendy and Bill BrucknerDean CalcoteCarla and John CallowayMaria CapecchiJennifer CarsonJennifer and Todd CasparyMargaret Ann CassebElena and Gabriel CeballosAmy ChandlerAbby and Fred Clark*Marcie and Knox ClarkLauren Clark '00Whitney ClarkAnne and Brian Comarda*Linda and Mike ConditLeila and Daniel CorredorSusan and Craig CrouchVeronica and Jason CrummelMaria Cruzalegui-Reardon and Gabe ReardonLinda and Greg CubbisonAdrienne and Brian CutterSheryll DahlkeShakti and Sarvang DalalMarjorie and Michael Dale*Dianne DavisEmily '96 and Robert DayBonnie and David DeatonRuthie and Todd Deveau*Morgan Dewhurst*Pallavi and Pinakin DineshDoug DurkeeAnne '84 and Brady EdwardsNicole and Greg EidmanElizabeth '81 and Ben Ertel

Nancy and Thomas EubankLisa and Jack FendrickMary and Paul Fenner*Victoria and David FernandezCharlotte and Phillip FitzgeraldMadison Ford*Michelle and George Foteh*Dana and Paul GillSusan and Wilson GironJordan '97 and Henry GlasgowMelissa and David GoodallSusybelle GossleeAllison and Will Graham*Julie and Buddy GranthamRose Ann and Merrill GregoryMindy Guthrie*Chris HaasDiane HablizelMary and Bill HambyVeni and Darrell Hardy*Debbie and John HarrisCatherine and Jay '90 HawthornElisse Hayes-Karlsson '87 and Fredrik KarlssonJennifer and Samuel '81 HendricksAndrea HendricksonFrank Henry*Jennifer Henry '88Jamie Hibbert '98*Joy and Joe Hilley*Whitney '96 and James HintonMargaret Holland*Elizabeth Holmes*Elizabeth Holstien*Tommy Holstien*


Will Holstien '94Jean HopperBetty HuffBeth and Roger HurstChanda HuttonJennifer JasperAmy and Eric JonesJessica Jones '00Jan JongCindy and Kent KahleKelly '92 and Mukul Kanabar*Brittany Kasischke*Ann Marie Wytzka and Brian KearnsJacque and Richard KeithCarol KemperCarol and Chuck Kingswell-SmithRyan Kochel*Dudley KoinerSusan and Todd KuhnJanet and Wayne KuhnMelinda and Scott LamoreauxPaul LeggettSherry and William LentDanny LewisShannon and Michael Lewis*Stephanie and Bobby LinhartElizabeth and Ken LottingerVickie and Steve LovejoyMichelle Phan-Ly and Victor LyJim MannettiMelissa and Bill MarkhamMonica Masini*Desiree McConnell '89Lisa McDermottBruce McIntyreSharon and Kevin McKeon*Teresa and Danny McKinseyTracy and Randy McMullen*Patty and Ferguson McNielTerry and Mike McQueenPamela and Jerry McSorleyCarmen and Mauricio Melendez*Susan and Rodney MeriwetherAngela and Carlo MinottiTammy and Lamar MorrisAdrienne '83 and Jeff MurphreyPeggy and Gerald MurphyGesa MuxfeldtMelinda NealTricia and Richard NelsonSheila and Bo NewellLuretta and Jim NollerAndrea NoserJairus O'Malley '95Charles Osterberg '97Susan and Edward OsterbergJane and Maurice OteizaJodi and Matthew PadonChristi and Rob Parker*Emily Partridge and Jon Golemon

Deanie and Scott PeeblesMercedes and Morris PerliNancy PettietteMary Petty*Georgia '95 and Michael PiazzaStephanie and Don PickettPaulette and Mark PidalaNikki and Stuart Pielop*Donna and Charles PilgrimRobin Plaia*Holly Plost*Merin and David PorterJeanette R. PouDonna and James PowellSarah and Murray PowellMary Sommers and Sam Pyne*Nipaporn and Pana RatanabanangkoonJamie and Blake Ratliff*

Elfego ReynagaDenise and John RhewMargaret and Sheldon Roberdeau*Candi and Ron RobinsonMeliton RodriquezLucy and John RossCarolyn and Hugh RyanRosalinda SaldanaKathy and Jeff SangalisTeme and Keith SappenfieldSarah and Paul SarahanCarol and Jim ScarbroughLucy and Jason Scarbrough*Pam and Jim SchmidtPilar and Walter SchneiderClaudia and Antonio SchoelmanMichael Settle*Jessica '86 and Hunter ShivelyKay and Carter Simonds

Brooke and Travis SmithCarole and David SmithwickKathryn '90 and Mark SpinelliMolly and Manfred SternbergDeborah and James StewartAndrea and Raymond StidhamElizabeth and Charles StieglitzSuzanne '87 and Adam StilesLyndsay Sweeney*Lauretta SymondsCelia and Brent TatumShureda ThomasStaci and Brent ThompsonNancy and Gib ThompsonBecky and Charles '88 TurnerLydia UrbanekCarol and Greg UrbaniGayle and Bill Vail

Lagay VaroutsosCabell Walker '97Melanie and Trevor WallaceGayle and Kenneth WatlerAli and Thomas Williams*Jen and Bob WismerJacee and Kelly WolfAnn and John WooldridgeMarilyn WrightPiper and Matt ZaleskiCourtney ZauftMelissa Zier*Sherman Zimmerman

*Indicates a new Annual Fund donor in 2011–12


Eighth-Grade | Class of 2012 49%

Seventh-Grade | Class of 2013 58%

Sixth-Grade | Class of 2014 58%

Fifth-Grade | Class of 2015 65%

Fourth-Grade | Class of 2016 68%

Third-Grade | Class of 2017 56%

Second-Grade | Class of 2018 74%

First-Grade | Class of 2019 68%

Kindergarten | Class of 2020 71%

Bridge & Primary II | Class of 2021 65%

Primary I | Class of 2022 76%

Pre-Primary | Class of 2023 60%

Overall Class Participation 70%

Annual Fund Gifts by Class PercentageOur single most important source of unrestricted funds, Annual Fund provides a con-

siderable benefit to our students, faculty, and facilities. Thanks to the generous help of our parent community we exceeded our goal for 2011-12.


Annual Fund Gifts by St. Francis GrandparentsSt. Francis loves grandparents! We are grateful to the following donors who, by their gifts

to our Annual Fund, are helping provide the best education possible for their grandchildren.

Anonymous (1)

Diane AllenAshley Elizabeth Kearns (2017)Lauren Stevenson Kearns (2015)

Helen and R. C. AllenGraham Warner Holmes (2014)

Linda and D. Kent AndersonEvans Louise Anderson (2024)Kent Allen Kubitza (2023)Ellison Marie Anderson (2022)Caroline Faye Kubitza (2022)Daniel Parker Kubitza (2020)

Wendy and Philip BentlifSydney Katherine Gyenge (2013)

Bonnie and Augie BeringWeston Quinn Bering (2014)

Ruthe and Marty BermanMatthew Alexander Berman (2020)Katherine Anne Berman (2014)

Marilyn and Socrates BitsisAddison Grace Noser Bitsis (2020)

Jan and Richard BonnerClaire Piper Seinsheimer (2016)

Anne BrownEmily C. Gray '12 Lauren A. Gray '09

Suzanne and Tim BrownPreston Burke Jinks (2020)Barrett Colby Jinks (2017)

Wendy and Bill BrucknerTurner William Edwards (2020)Katherine Piper Edwards (2017)Jackson Bruckner Sherrod Edwards

(2015)

Rev. Dean CalcoteKatherine Elizabeth Sarahan (2015)William Christopher Sarahan (2015)

Carla and John CallowayJacob Logan Barbier (2018)

Karen and Howard ChapmanReese Blanton Chapman (2022)Howard Daniel Chapman (2020)Alexandra Ann Medrano (2014)Benjamin C. Medrano '12 Cole M. Medrano '09

Marcie and Knox ClarkRobert Sanders Clark Jr. (2017)Reagan Elizabeth Clark (2016)

Sherry and John CobbRobert Sanders Clark Jr. (2017)Reagan Elizabeth Clark (2016)

Muriel CodyCatherine Anne Cody (2013)

Sondra and Eugene CookAlexander David Bilger (2023)Jakob Hans Bilger (2023)Julia Claire Bilger (2022)

Leila and Daniel CorredorLauren Olivia Corredor (2020)Madison Brooke Corredor (2017)

Celine CozadNoah Forrest Baughman (2014)

Susie and Richard CrummelMatthew Jason Crummel (2022)Sophia Elizabeth Crummel (2018)

Linda and Greg CubbisonVaughn Preston Moore (2023)Bowen Gregory Moore (2021)Wellsley Mairin Moore (2018)Keeley Donovan Moore (2017)

Dianne DavisJames Faulkner Davis (2016)

Judy and Jerry DiamondClaire Piper Seinsheimer (2016)

Sandy and David ElkinsTimothy Joel Elkins (2019)William David Pearce Elkins (2016)

Sharon and Sebastian FaroGabriel Joon-Kian Faro (2021)

Jill and Walter FortneyMarguerite Justine Fortney (2020)Virginia Claire Fortney (2018)

Sara and Jerry FranceAlexandra Bess France (2019)Robert Michael France (2016)

Cathy and Richard GeisGeorgia Grace Provine (2020)William Claiborne Provine (2020)

Jill and Jim GlanvilleGenevieve Michele Ederle (2022)Cameron George Ederle (2019)Pierson James Ederle (2017)

Susybelle GossleeSusybelle Harper Leigh Zook (2019)

Sharon and Holman Gregory

Preston Sullivan (2021)Olivia Sullivan (2018)

Julia and George HancockJulia Nalle Wozencraft (2016)

Veni and Darrell HardyMargaret Grace Porter (2024)Jacob Holyfield Porter (2023)

Jackie and Carl HenningsenLila Claire Henningsen (2019)Abigail J. Henningsen '10Blake H. Henningsen '09Reese A. Henningsen '06

Jackie HibblerZachary Amir Khan (2014)

Susan HoyakConner Michael Jones (2017)Kiley Jones (2014)

Barbara and Roberto IglesiasMichelle Marie Iglesias (2018)Patrick Robert Iglesias (2017)

Jennifer JasperGrayson Olivia Jasper (2017)Bryan Michael Jasper (2015)William Cole Jasper (2013)

Suzanne KirbyLouise Camilla Calvitt Jones (2016)Lucille Elizabeth Elliott Jones (2015)

Dudley KoinerMcKenna Lynn Dishongh (2013)


Janet and Wayne KuhnJordan Haley Kuhn (2015)Savanna N. Kuhn '11

Sherry and William LentWilliam Carter Van Wie (2021)

Carolyn and David LightJohn Connor Light (2022)Robert Brian Light (2019)Thomas Hazen Light (2019)David Walker Light V (2018)

Elsa Jean and Don LooserAvery McGlasson Looser (2015)Elizabeth Brock Looser (2013)

Davita and William MarquartCourtlyn Ruth Dennard (2020)

Bruce McIntyreMason N. McIntyre '12 Mary M. McIntyre '10

Sharon and Kevin McKeonMack Cooper Shanklin (2017)Sloan Mackenzie Shanklin (2015)

Mary MischerWilliam Andrew Corson (2020)

Peggy and Gerald MurphyJennifer E. Bobo '11Katherine E. Bobo '08

Barbara and John NauListon Elizabeth Johnson (2023)

Melinda NealRyan Thomas Jones (2019)

Me-J and John O'NealParker Haswell Browne (2014)William Redmond Brueggeman

(2013)John O. Brueggeman '08Mitchiner Wiley McAfee 06 Mary L. McAfee '04 George H. Brueggeman III '03

Troncy and W. L. OrsakClaire Anelise Sanchez (2018)Emma Isabella Sanchez (2016)

Valeria OuallineTaylor Allen (2016)

Ellen and Ron OwensCayla Ellen Pavlik (2021)

Margaret and Boris PayanXiomara Lucia Tabanou (2022)Xavier Leon Tabanou (2017)

Jeannie and Bruce PowersAinsley Helen Powers (2018)Spencer Jackson Powers (2016)

Kathleen ReddenColton Andrew Lewis (2022)

Carolyn and Hugh RyanMaxwell William Skubisz (2021)Merritt Michael Skubisz (2021)Annabel Caroline Skubisz (2016)

Carolyn and Ned SchwingColby James Angell (2014)Caroline M. Angell '12Anne E. Schwing '09 Abigail R. Schwing '08

Sandra and Fellman Seinsheimer

Claire Piper Seinsheimer (2016)

Bitsy and Don SinexCarter Davis Sinex (2020)Grace Anne Magee (2019)Catherine Story Sinex (2015)William W. Sinex '11

Cindy and Dick SnellAinsley Eleanor Snell (2020)Richard Sharp Snell III (2019)

Virginia and Dan SteppeHolden Kennedy Maples (2018)Anabelle Carlisle Maples (2015)

Elizabeth and Charles StieglitzJohn Alexander Stieglitz (2021)Madeline Frances Stieglitz (2019)

Katherine and John StromKatherine Rosborough Graham

(2021)William Caldwell Graham (2018)

Suzanne and Joe SuttonJackson Ryan Setrum (2022)Mallory S. Jennings '12

Leslie and Gerald TeelMary Caroline West Mitchell (2016)Teel Curry Mitchell (2014)

Cathy and Chuck ThomasonScotlynn Fay Thomason (2023)

Nancy and Gib ThompsonElizabeth Ann Thompson (2022)Joseph Gilbert Thompson IV (2020)

Leslie and John TurnerMarlaine Leslie Turner (2019)Harrison Kenneth Turner (2014)

Gayle and Kenneth WatlerWilliam Joseph Watler (2020)Kenneth Gavin Watler III (2013)

Nancy and Ken WilliamsRiley Wingfield Williams (2021)

Carrie and Ron WoliverConrad Christopher Bennett (2023)Nicklaus Spencer Bennett (2021)

Marilyn WrightPatrick Christopher Solcher (2018)Blake Christian Solcher (2015)Elizabeth V. Solcher '12

Ann Marie Wytzka and Brian Kearns

Ashley Elizabeth Kearns (2017)Lauren Stevenson Kearns (2015)


Annual Fund Gifts by St. Francis AlumniWe are grateful to the following alumni, who generously supported our Annual Fund.

Alumni gifts ensure that a strong tradition of excellence continues to thrive at St. Francis.

Class of 1969 Johnny Duncan

Class of 1972Chip Horne

Class of 1973Jay ChernoskyJeff Coddington

Class of 1975Jim Goettee

Class of 1976Mary EntrekinMichael Mitschke

Class of 1981Elizabeth ErtelSamuel Hendricks

Class of 1982Todd Sinex

Class of 1983Greg LooserAdrienne MurphreyTony PannaglJoe Thompson

Class of 1984John BenderAnne EdwardsStacy MedranoRick Snell

Class of 1985Nicole EderleTina Papandreou

Class of 1986Leslie JacksonJessica Shively

Class of 1987Brian AustinAndrew HawthornElisse Hayes-KarlssonSuzanne Stiles

Class of 1988Jennifer HenryCharles Turner

Class of 1989John DebobenDesiree McConnellMark Stringer

Class of 1990Howard ChapmanMorrow EvansJay HawthornLacy PriceKathryn Spinelli

Class of 1991Brad Knape

Class of 1992Kelly Kanabar

Class of 1993Rebecca Lewis

Class of 1994Will Holstien

Class of 1995Chris GraeterJairus O'MalleyGeorgia Piazza

Class of 1996Emily DayWhitney HintonElizabeth HolstienDan Meyer

Class of 1997Jordan GlasgowCharles OsterbergCabell Walker

Class of 1998Jamie Hibbert

Class of 1999Howard Haryanto

Class of 2000Lauren ClarkTommy HolstienJessica Jones

Class of 2002Natalie Jaroski


Annual Fund Gifts by Faculty and StaffMany thanks to our faculty and staff for demonstrating their continued dedication to the

mission and principles of our school with an Annual Fund giving rate of 93 percent.

Ann and Bert AdkinsLeticia and Jose AlcalaLibby and George AlcornHolly and Abbas ArianMichele and Sandy AronCatherine and Peter BadgerJaralyn BallardLucy and David BarrowStuart BatesDeborah and Bob BerryKelly and Tom BilekHolly and John BrennanHarriet and Greg BrowneWendy and Bill BrucknerJo and George BrueggemanDana and Walter BurkeDebbie and Jeff CardwellKaroline and Tim CarlsonBeverly and Wiley CarmichaelJennifer CarsonKaren and Bill CaseJennifer and Todd CasparyBonnie and Jack ChandlerKaren and Howard ChapmanMelinda and Jay '73 ChernoskyAnne and Bob ChisholmKathy and George CireEmily and Robert ClayLinda and Mike ConditSusan and Craig CrouchSylvie and Gary CrumBrooks DieselSabrina and Rich DiMicheleJulie and Michael DonaldsonCorina and Adrian DumitruEliza and Johnny '69 DuncanAnice DuytschaeverGeorge DuytschaeverVicky and Lucas ElliotDale and Alan EngbergMary '76 and David EntrekinNancy and Thomas EubankLisa and Jack FendrickRobert GayDana and Paul GillSusan and Wilson Giron

Jill and Jim GlanvilleJenny and Tom GottschalkMaureen and John GrafAllison and Will GrahamTraci and Todd GrahamSusan and Jeff GrayMary and Bill HambyAlice and Randy HelmsStacey and Jeffrey HenningsenLisa and Bob HestonSharon and Jim HibbertSusan and Chip '72 HorneBeth and Roger HurstJane and Michael JamiesonLeticia and Edward JaroskiAllison and Jack JensenKelly and Tyler JohnsonLiz and Kevin JonesCindy and Kent KahleSusanna and Gee KaneSusan KettererCarol and Chuck Kingswell-SmithMelinda and Scott LamoreauxPaul LeggettJanna and Kyle LippmanElsa Jean and Don LooserSande and Dwight LymanJim MannettiLisa and Paul MasonBrandi and Keith MaxwellMichelle McGrathSally and Jim McGrawPatty and Ferguson McNielTerry and Mike McQueenStacy '84 and Michael MedranoMartha and Tom MelodyKelly and Bill MontgomeryEllen and Sam MoretonTricia and Richard NelsonKathy and Doug O'BrienVivian and Tom O'LearySusan and Edward OsterbergMelanie and Doug OttensChristina '85 and Alexander PapandreouMary and David PeñaKate and Chris Pernoud

Nancy PettietteStephanie and Don PickettKevin PipkinsKate and Andy PontikesDonna and James PowellKathleen ReddenKay and Ron RheaMargaret and Sheldon RoberdeauKathy and Jeff SangalisTeme and Keith SappenfieldCarol and Jim ScarbroughPilar and Walter SchneiderLydia and Selim SekiliKay and Carter SimondsBitsy and Don SinexKate and Joe SkubiszIvonne and Chris SmithBarbara and Clark SmithCarole and David SmithwickCindy and Dick SnellMolly and Manfred SternbergSuzanne '87 and Adam StilesCelia and Brent TatumBillye and Isik TezelNancy and Gib ThompsonJeni and Bert TurnerGayle and Bill VailKris and Jimmy ValleeKim and Nestor VicknairKelly Wren and Jason WhittingtonPhyllis and Larry WilkinsJen and Bob WismerAnn and John Wooldridge

Annual Fund Gifts by Parents of St. Francis AlumniFor former members of our community, there's no better way to show continued love and

appreciation for St. Francis than through a gift to our Annual Fund. We are grateful to the following parents of alumni who continue to make St. Francis a giving priority.


Annual Fund VolunteersThe 2011–12 Annual Fund campaign raised more than $782,000 in unrestricted funds. This

success was possible because the following volunteers devoted many hours of their personal

time to ensure the appeal reached its goal.

Anonymous (1)ALV InterestsAmerican Tank and Vessel Inc.Paul E. Andrews Jr. FoundationApache CorporationBank of America Matching GiftsJessica and Fred BrazeltonMarcie and David BristolCFP FoundationBonnie and Jack ChandlerMaria and Carlos ContrerasSylvie and Gary CrumKelly and Matt CubbagePaula and Bill CuttsKate and Mike DenhamCatharine and Grant FaulconerThe Fruehauf Foundation

Jill and Jim GlanvilleMaureen and John GrafSusan and Jeff GrayGreater Houston Community FoundationHamill FoundationCici and Emerson HankamerLorie and Steve HerodLisa and Bob HestonKelly and Chris HuffJane and Michael JamiesonJean and Josh JonesMisty and Mush KhanSuzanne KirbyKristi and Jeffrey LiggettJanna and Kyle LippmanBrandi and Keith MaxwellStacy '84 and Michael Medrano

Nidhika and Sean MehtaThe Meyer FoundationDebbie and Kenny MeyerAllison and Michael '76 MitschkeKelly and Bill MontgomeryJenny and David MooreJennifer and Joel MooreLeslie and Randy NewcomerMindy and Sean RiceKim and Bill SanchezHeidi and Matt SeinsheimerKrista and Todd '82 SinexStream of Change FoundationDiana and Davis SunSuzanne and Joe SuttonJennifer and Tadd TellepsenKim and Nestor Vicknair

Cumulative GivingWe offer our special thanks to these donors, who generously invested in the mission of

St. Francis Episcopal Day School with gifts to the Annual Fund and other initiatives. They made cumulative contributions of $5,000 or more in the 2011–12 academic year.


Katherine AdkinsPatti BarlettaJulie BermanFred Brazelton Jessica BrazeltonCarlos ContrerasMaria ContrerasKelly CubbageRenee DavisCristina DebobenRonnie DeyoJohn DullNicole EderleStacy EllingtonAmy GlauserCarmen GomezThomas GottsegenChris Graeter

John GrafTodd Graham Traci GrahamZabet HaasJane HammondJennifer HendricksLorie Herod Steve HerodKelly HuffBecky HurtBilly IglesiasJane JamiesonNicole JasperGina JohnsonLeah JonesJean JonesJosh JonesLeigh Kins

Nina LambrightElizabeth LottingerMarcy MargolisStacy MedranoAllison Mitschke Michael MitschkeBill Montgomery Kelly MontgomeryCourtney MooreJennifer MooreLisa NelsonAmy PannaglDayna PaullMaureen PereaDawn PowersLacy PriceMindy RiceLacy Rieke

Elizabeth RobertsBill SanchezPam SchmidtTodd SinexAnne SmithBruce SmithTrey SniderEmily SullivanDarby SumanLisa TidwellRhonda ViningAmy VossAmy Walton

Corporations and FoundationsThese corporations and foundations supported St. Francis in the following categories:

Annual Fund, Festival Day, Woolrich Fund, General Scholarship Fund, World Water Day, unrestricted funds, St. Francis Endowment, and special projects.

AllianceBernstein Matching Gift ProgramAlways in SeasonAmerican Collectors StudioAmerican Tank & Vessel Inc.Anadarko Petroleum Corp

Aid to Education ProgramD. Kent and Linda C. Anderson FoundationApache CorporationAshley Productions LLCAthletic Orthopedics & Knee Center P.A.Catherine Badger InteriorsBank of America Matching GiftsBarnes & Noble BooksellersBP Fabric of America FundBP Foundation, Inc.Buffalo Specialties, Inc.CFP FoundationChapman & Cole Partnership, Ltd.Chevron Humankind Matching Gift ProgramCooper IndustriesCRC Family Charitable FoundationThe Cutting GardenDaniel G. Corredor, MD, PADeutsche Bank Americas FoundationDiscover Financial ServicesEDF Trading North America LLCEncana CaresEOG Resources

ER 24/7 PlusExxonMobil FoundationTilman and Paige Fertitta Family FoundationFidelity Charitable Gift FundFleming EndowmentJill Fortney Productions, Inc.Frost BankThe Fruehauf FoundationGeneral Electric Company/GE FundGoldman Sachs & Co. Matching Gift ProgramGreater Houston Community FoundationFred Haas Toyota WorldHamby Consultant, Inc.Houston Armature Works, Inc.Houston Endowment Inc.The Houstonian Hotel, Club, and SpaIBM Corporation–Matching Grants ProgramThe JBD FoundationKinder Morgan FoundationJohn H. Krell, DDSThe Kroger Company, Consumer AffairsLandry's FoundationLead Products Co., Inc.Mischer InvestmentsMischer Management TrustMorgan StanleyNational Philanthropic TrustNew Life Ventures, Inc.

Old Town KolachesPalazzo'sC. N. and Maria Papadopoulos Charitable

FoundationParker UniformsThe Payan Management TrustJohn and Renee Perko Family FoundationPipkins Investigations Inc.Pronto CucininoSafeway Inc.- U.S. CorporateSage Dining ServicesScarbrough Enterprises PCGeorge F. Schudy, DDS, MS, Inc.Silver Eagle DistributorsSpark EnergySpectra EnergySt. Johns Physician Associates PAStream of Change FoundationSummit Company LPSymonds FoundationTargetTarget Field Trip Grants ProgramTransCanada USA ServicesVillagio's Italian GrillWells Fargo Foundation Educational Matching

Gift ProgramWest Houston Plastic Surgery


Fi and Farhad AhrabiDiem and John AllisAlways in SeasonAmy McGuireDenise and Dick AndersonCatherine Badger InteriorsCatherine and Peter BadgerJaralyn BallardShelley and Newt BarineauBarnes & Noble BooksellersRuthe and Marty BermanLisa and Brad BowmanKarla and Neil BrazzelMarcie and David BristolWendy and Bill BrucknerJo and George BrueggemanBuffalo Specialties, Inc.Taylor and Keith BurbaLaurentis ButlerMargaret Ann CassebElinor and Bill ChristianCandice ClardyAnne and Claude CodyMaria and Carlos ContrerasSondra and Eugene CookThe Cutting GardenCorina and Adrian DumitruEliza and Johnny ‘69 DuncanAnne ‘84 and Brady EdwardsStacy and Michael EllingtonElizabeth ‘81 and Ben Ertel

ExxonMobil FoundationCatharine and Grant FaulconerErin ‘90 and Stan FowlerLiz and Will FranklinRoss FrazerThe Fruehauf FoundationHolly and James FulkersonSue and Mike GaskinsBecky and Thomas GottsegenGreater Houston Community FoundationElizabeth HolmesThe Houstonian Hotel, Club, and SpaSuzette and Ralph HoweISASThe JBD FoundationJean and Josh JonesKaren and Michael JonesAnna and Tim JonesSusanna and Gee KaneMisty and Mush KhanThe Kroger CompanyJanna and Kyle LippmanBeth and Greg ‘83 LooserBruce McIntyreJananne and Leslie McLaughlinDarla and Keith McNayTerry and Mike McQueenStacy ‘84 and Michael MedranoNidhika and Sean MehtaHarriet MitchellKelly and Bill Montgomery

Barbara and John NauTammy and Wayne NguyenMarguerite O’Connell and Shahem BaraziOld Town KolachesPalazzo’sParker UniformsChris PerrasKate and Andy PontikesVeronica and Dean PorterBarbie and Ron PresswoodJulie and Darin PrestonJoy and Edward RandallJennifer and Leon RedelinghuysJodi and Lee RichardElizabeth and John RobertsPam and Phil RundleRhonda SaccoGeorge F. Schudy, DDS, MS, Inc.Silver Eagle DistributorsBettina and Peter StaartjesDianne and Don StanfordAnn and Robert StephensDebra and Brian TappTarget Field Trip Grants ProgramDebbie and Jeff TayonVania and Mark TerryKelly and Jeff ThibaultLisa and Mark TidwellCarole and Jim WillsJudy and James WoolleyLiz and Frank Wozencraft

other GiftsThanks to these donors for supporting St. Francis in the following areas: World Water

Day, Bruckner Scholarship Fund, the Library Club, St. Francis Endowment, Art a la Carte, in-kind gifts, temporary unrestricted gifts, and temporary restricted gifts.


Eighth-Grade Graduating Class Fund for Financial Aid Anonymous (1)Amy and Matt AngellHolly and Abbas ArianMichele and Sandy AronCatherine and Peter BadgerLauri and Vadim BoureninDebbie and Jeff CardwellJan and Chris CarrollKaren and Bill CaseJennifer and Todd CasparyTrina and Craig ChandlerEmily and Robert ClayLisa and John ColginMaria and Carlos ContrerasOdila and Donovan CrandallJulie and Michael DonaldsonCorina and Adrian DumitruAnice DuytschaeverGeorge DuytschaeverStacy and Michael EllingtonVicky and Lucas ElliotEOG Resources, Inc.Carolina and Tony GambiniJenny and Tom GottschalkTraci and Todd Graham

Susan and Jeff GrayJane and Blake HammondFelicia and Maurice HedgepethShawn and Blake HoganTerrie and Rob JamesAnna and Tim JonesMichelle and Kurt LynMarcy and Jeff MargolisLisa and Paul MasonStacy ‘84 and Michael MedranoKendall and Edward OndarzaKim Perras and Russell JackDonna and James PowellBarbie and Ron PresswoodJames ReederSissy and Grady RobertsRobin and Marshall RosenbergCarol and Jim ScarbroughNiki SmithMary and Pat SpillmanToni Hennike and Pat SpillmanBettina and Peter StaartjesMolly and Manfred SternbergGayle and Bill VailKim and Nestor VicknairKelly and Chad Young

General Scholarship FundFi and Farhad AhrabiHollie CoerverJessica Jones ‘00Michelle Phan-Ly and Victor LySafeway Inc.Ann and Robert StephensTargetCabell Walker ‘97

Financial Aid GiftsScholarships act as a lifeline to many who hope to attend St. Francis or to remain here.

Without financial aid, nearly ten percent of our student population would disappear. Due to the generosity of the following individuals, we can continue to help deserving students.


In Honor of Ryan Alcorn Libby and George Alcorn

In Honor of Elle and Clarke Anderson D. Kent and Linda C. Anderson Foundation

In Honor of Ellison and Evans Anderson Elle and Clarke Anderson

In Honor of Parker, Caroline, and Kent Kubitza, and Ellison and Evans Anderson

D. Kent and Linda C. Anderson Foundation

In Honor of Betty Babendure Judy and James Woolley

In Memory of Mary Baker Judy and David Baker

In Honor of Talal Barazi Marguerite O'Connell and Shahem Barazi

In Honor of Blake, William, Pierce, and Blair Barineau

Shelley and Newt Barineau

In Honor of Nick and Conrad Bennett Carrie and Ron Woliver

In Honor of Matthew Berman Ruthe and Marty Berman

In Honor of Cynthia L. Blades Kathryn and Leigh AdkinsMolly and Kip FergusonKeri and Michael HerrinJeni and Bert Turner

In Honor of Taylor Bowers Diem and John Allis

In Honor of Avery Bowman Lisa and Brad Bowman

In Memory of Eva L. Brooks Judy and David BakerJaralyn BallardLaurie and Stephen BilgerKarla and Neil BrazzelJo and George BrueggemanMargaret Ann CassebSusie and Richard CrummelBetsy and Thom FarverHolly and James FulkersonSuzette and Ralph HoweISASJananne and Leslie McLaughlinDarla and Keith McNayTerry and Mike McQueenHarriet MitchellDonna and Charles PilgrimLucretia ShaverDianne and Don StanfordDebra and Brian Tapp

In Honor of Preston and Hughes Brown Rhonda and Richard Brown

In Honor of Madison, Will, and Georgia Burba Taylor and Keith Burba

In Honor of Allyson Campsey Molly and Kip FergusonKeri and Michael HerrinJeni and Bert TurnerJudy and Ken Wallis

In Memory of Nanette Gay Carle Karen and Bill Case

In Honor of Kathy Cire Eliza Randall

In Honor of Whitney C. Clark Molly and Kip FergusonKeri and Michael HerrinJeni and Bert Turner

In Honor of Catherine Cody Anne and Claude CodyMuriel Cody

In Honor of David Condit Linda and Mike Condit

In Honor of the Couch Children Katherine and Robert Couch

In Honor of Pegi Dolser Sally and Mark Baldwin

In Honor of Susan and Wayne Dotson Holly and Michael Dinsmore

In Honor of Jack and Adelaide Ellington Stacy and Michael Ellington

In Honor of Sara and Clark Faulconer Catharine and Grant Faulconer

In Honor of Lynn and Jary Glazer Leigh and Jack Kins

In Honor of Debbie Harris Julie and Michael Donaldson

In Honor of Graham Holmes Elizabeth Holmes

In Honor of Natalie R. Jaroski '02 Leticia and Edward Jaroski

In Honor of Louise and Elliott Jones Jean and Josh Jones

In Honor of Olivia and Kathryn Jones Anna and Tim Jones

In Honor of Page L. Kahle '03 The House at Pooh Corner

In Honor of Zachary Khan Misty and Mush Khan

In Honor of Brittany Kasischke Becky and Thomas Gottsegen

In Honor of Carol L. Kemper Anne and Stephen Smith

In Honor of Ryan Kochel Liz and Frank Wozencraft

In Honor of Huntley and Dan Kubitza D. Kent and Linda C. Anderson Foundation

In Honor of Dr. Susan B. Lair Margaret Ann Casseb

In Memory of Renee Y. Latiolais Lois Latiolais

Tribute GiftsGifts in honor or memory of special people are a wonderful way to celebrate their lives.

In 2011–12, the following donors made gifts to the school to honor or memorialize a friend, family member, or mentor.


In Honor of Daniel B. Lewis Julie and Michael Donaldson

In Honor of Shannon Lewis Molly and Kip FergusonKeri and Michael HerrinJeni and Bert Turner

In Honor of Robert, Thomas, Walker, and John Connor Light

Carolyn and David Light

In Honor of Brock and Avery Looser Elsa Jean and Don Looser

In Honor of Will and Zach Maxwell Denise and Bob Campbell

In Honor of Lisa M. McDermott Liz and Frank Wozencraft

In Honor of Mason McIntyre '12 Bruce M. McIntyre

In Honor of Darla McNay D. Kent and Linda D. Anderson Foundation

In Honor of Terry H. McQueen Julie and Michael Donaldson

In Memory of Billy and Zula Melvin Judy and David Baker

In Honor of Honor Milton George F. Schudy, DDS, MS, Inc.

In Honor of Harriet A. Mitchell Leah and Micheal Jones

In Memory of Gertha Mohr Teme and Keith Sappenfield

In Honor of Katherine Montgomery Kelly and Bill Montgomery

In Memory of Ronald N. Neal Melinda Neal

In Honor of Sheila Newell Judy and James Woolley

In Honor of Carol Lee Nicosia Becky and Thomas Gottsegen

In Memory of Patrick V. Nicosia Jr.Ross FrazerJoe Ann and Ken Kingdon

In Honor of Reagan and Julia Nguyen Tammy and Wayne Nguyen

In Honor of Jane H. Oteiza Elle and Clarke Anderson

In Honor of Emily Partridge Katherine Lundy and Shashi Patel

In Honor of Robin Plaia Becky and Thomas Gottsegen

In Honor of David H. Porter Becky and Thomas Gottsegen

In Honor of Donna M. Powell Katherine Lundy and Shashi Patel

In Honor of Sarah T. Powell Julie and Michael Donaldson

In Honor of Georgia and Will Provine Candice Clardy

In Honor of Jack Randall Joy and Edward Randall

In Honor of Andre Redelinghuys Jennifer and Leon Redelinghuys

In Honor of Grandma Sheley and Grandaddy Roquemore

Erin '90 and Stan Fowler

In Honor of Michael and Marshall Rosenberg Robin and Marshall Rosenberg

In Honor of Catherine Jane Rosser Susan and Jim Rosser

In Honor of Vanessa Sendukas Lisa and Chet ErwinCindy and Gary GersonAngela and Michael Poujol

In Honor of Shila Smith Polly Dixon and Howard HaworthJan Fields

In Honor of Annabel, Max and Merritt Skubitsz Carolyn and Hugh Ryan

In Honor of St. Francis Teachers and Staff Frances and Alvin CallenderJennifer Jasper

In Honor of Lauren and Matthew Thibault Kelly and Jeff Thibault

In Honor of Julia Turner Becky and Charles '88 Turner

In Honor of Lagay S. Varoutsos Laura and Edward Heard

In Honor of Williams and Briedel Families Nancy and Ken Williams

In Honor of Megan, Trace, Kathryn, and Jack Williams

Michelle and Lacy Williams

In Honor of Rev. Robert D. Wismer Julie and Michael DonaldsonKris and Jimmy Vallee

In Honor of Jamie and Jaylynn Woolley Judy and James Woolley

In Honor of Sarah W. Woolrich Beverly and Wiley CarmichaelWhitney ClarkKatherine McLean-MurphyShila and Mel Smith

In Honor of Woolrich Fund for Faculty Recipients

Lori and Ken WatlerKelli and John Weinzierl

In Honor of Cooper and Julia Wozencraft Liz and Frank Wozencraft

In Honor of Courtney Zauft Kathryn and Leigh Adkins


Annual FundAnnual Fund gifts support our operating budget by bridging the gap between operating expenses and revenue from tuition and the endow-ment. We ask every family, alum, grandparent, faculty and staff mem-ber, and friend to support Annual Fund first and to continue to do so each year. It matters! For more information, contact Director of Annual Giving and School Relations Stacy Grace at 713.458.6129.

Credit Card Rewards Giving has never been so easy. Donate American Express reward dollars to St. Francis by logging on to your American Express account online and making your way to the Giving Express Pro-gram page. Your donations are tax-deductible and provide continued support to the students of St. Francis. Don’t have an Amer-ican Express card? Talk to your credit card company about similar programs they may offer.

Endowment GiftsTo help offset costs not covered by tuition, the annual operating budget may include funding from the Endowment Fund. For more information about how to contribute to this fund, please contact Head of Advance-ment Melinda Guthrie at 713.458.6172.

Estate PlansThere are many ways to make a lasting gift to St. Francis Episcopal Day School that offer financial and tax advantages to the donor. Planned gift opportunities include appreciated securities, appreciated property, real estate, life insurance, bequests, retirement plans, and charitable lead trusts. For more information, please contact Director of Major Gifts Laurie Bilger, JD, at 713.458.6130.

Go Shopping! You can help support St. Francis just by shopping at your favorite gro-cery store. St. Francis currently participates in rewards programs with Kroger, Randalls, Central Market, and Rice Epicurean Market. Visit your grocer’s customer service center to link your card today! Proceeds ben-efit our financial aid program.

Honoraria and MemorialsRecognize a family member, role model, or friend through a gift dedi-cated to their honor or memory. St. Francis will notify the individual or family of your special gift with a message of our gratitude. Gifts can be made at any time and will appear in the school’s annual report.

Library ClubCelebrate a birthday or other milestone with a gift to Library Club. These gifts enable the St. Francis Crum Library to purchase age-appropriate books and technology to enrich the library’s existing collection. Those materials purchased with Library Club contributions are acknowledged with a special nameplate affixed to the inside cover indicating the name of the honoree. To learn more about Library Club or to make a donation, please contact Melanie Wallace, head librarian, at 713.458.6127.

Major Gifts Several exciting projects St. Francis would like to bring to fruition do not always fit neatly within the school’s operating budget. If you are interested in learning more about current opportunities to give, please contact Director of Major Gifts Laurie Bilger, JD, at 713.458.6130.

Matching GiftsMany employers participate in a matching gift program. You can increase your impact on campus and your gift level as a donor when you recognize St. Francis using matching gifts. Find out if your employer has a matching gift program by contacting your benefits administrator.

Sarah W. Woolrich Fund for FacultyGifts to the Woolrich Fund help grow the corpus of the fund. The amount available for faculty awards each year is calculated as 5 percent of the market value of the fund on September 30 of the preceding cal-endar year. For more information, contact Director of Annual Giving and School Relations Stacy Grace at 713.458.6129.

VolunteerWhether they’re teaching Art a la Carte lessons, selling Wolf Wear, cel-ebrating student birthdays, planning special events or fueling a broad range of other activities, volunteers are the lifeblood of the St. Francis community. Not only does volunteering allow parents to connect with other St. Francis community members, but it also results in a much richer educational experience for our students.

Ways to Support St. Francis Episcopal Day SchoolWe are humbled by our community’s support of the programs and mission of St. Francis through financial contributions and volunteering. Listed below are some of the most effective ways to make a difference for our students.


Abilene Christian UniversitySarah Floris

Auburn UniversityKatie Bobo

Baylor UniversityPatrick Bailey Courtney JacksonKrista Beerbower Katherine MooreBenjamin Carter Mallory MoretonAshley Herd Joel North

Bucknell UniversityIsabelle Bristol

Clemson UniversityAdrianna Thompson

The College of William & MaryGus Hennings

Davidson CollegeConnie Cape

Eugene Lang CollegeAlexis LaBarba

The Evergreen State CollegeBo Nacol

George Mason UniversityJames Henriksen

The George Washington UniversityAilie Morgan

Georgetown University Christina Eickenroht

Hampton UniversityAbby Schwing

Iowa State UniversityJohn Bilek

Louisiana State UniversityMatt Weisberger

Lynn UniversityCassie Rocha

Middlebury CollegeJohn Cheesman

Mississippi State UniversityAmy Whiteford

ohio Northern University Annie Cape

Rice UniversityEmily Statham

Santa Clara University Dan Hanower

Sewanee: The University of the SouthCaroline Montgomery

Southern Methodist UniversityBen MatthewsCorinne McGrath

Stephen F. Austin State UniversityNicole Pipkins

Texas A&M UniversityJohn BrueggemanMegan QuinnSarah SgarbiForrest SurlesAlex Vandiver

Texas A&M University at GalvestonHoward Cheng

Texas Christian UniversitySam Caspary

Texas State UniversityKeeler Porter

Texas Tech UniversityMarshall BakerNicolas Zuspan

Tufts UniversityCamiel Duytschaever

University of ArkansasMaddie Riffle

University of DenverCharles Elmer

The University of GeorgiaBobby HestonArjun NijhawanHannah ToschPatrick Williford

University of HoustonMatthew MurphyKaren ScarbroughJuhee Shamsi

University of PennsylvaniaPJ Collier

University of Richmond Olivia Tezel

University of St. Andrews, ScotlandNathalie Seidl

The University of TexasAshley Brown Carter MizellRyan Fondren Julia NiniJay Frazier Austin PorterCalhan Hale Jack ReidMason Hunt Kimberley SchouestChris Jansson Edward TaussigSam Mannetti Will Tosch

The University of Texas at San AntonioNicholas Woods

The University of TulsaJames Whitcomb

The University of VermontKevin Pisters

Vanderbilt UniversityRobert McNiel

Washington and Lee UniversityDouglas McNiel

Washington University in St. LouisMeredith Rae other PursuitsDavid Courtney—Spending a year in France and

doing service work in Africa Annie Elliot—Pursuing a music career in Nashville

College Destinations for the Class of 2008Congratulations to our Class of 2008 on your high school graduation—and blessings on

your future! Please keep Alumni Coordinator Anne Chisholm up to date with your latest endeavors at [email protected].

47 | Sowing seeds of community

High School Destinations for the Class of 2012Congratulations to the graduates of the Class of 2012. We will miss you, and we wish you

all good things as you take the next step in your journey!

Collège Alpin International Beau SoleilSofia Staartjes

Episcopal High SchoolMiranda AppedoleKent Arya ArianTristan Neima ArianJeffrey William AronBlake Edwin Barineau*Alexandra Nicole Blakley*Kristen Elizabeth Blakley*Bennett Christopher CarrollMichael Letsos CaseBrenton Craig ChandlerAndrew Michael Colgin*William Alexander CornellBruce Perry Crandall IIAndrew Shearman Donaldson*Jack Christopher EllingtonNicholas Andrew ElliotBlayne Alexandra FertittaEmma Cate GrahamEmily Caroline GrayMadison Paige Grimes*Morgan McLain Grimes*Jennifer Alana MargolisMason Neale McIntyre*Honor Saskia MiltonAlexandra Christine OndarzaHailey King RobertsMarshall George Rosenberg Jr.*

Houston Christian High SchoolArmin AlmassiCaroline Marie Angell*Anyi Brian ChibuogwuMaurice D. HedgepethPeter James HugginsGrant Justice RobertsonJames Ray Scarbrough III*

The kinkaid SchoolVitaly Newton BoureninRhett J. CardwellGeorge Edmond Duytschaever IIIColby Campbell GottschalkGerald Blake Hogan Jr.Lucas George Earle MasonGrace Kathryn NevilGeorge Christopher Sarvadi*Morgan Taylor Vicknair*Levi Joseph Wilkins

Memorial High SchoolShawn Michael BishopReid Gerard CasparyGriffin Gray ChastainCarolyn Ann Dull*Olivia Grace GodwinJordan Ann Hammond*Isabel Megan JackCarolyn Virginia JamesMallory Suzanne Jennings*Olivia Anne Harris JonesZachary Morgan PowellDylan Allen PresswoodJohn Burton SchnakeCameron Rylee SmithElizabeth Vaughn SolcherMorgan Paige Spitzer

Phillips Exeter AcademyJiah Deonte Norman

St. Agnes AcademyParker Caitlin BadgerEmily Marie EngbergDelaney Colleen Graf*Racquel Viola Veronica LynVictoria Ann McDonaldLillian Margo Young

St. Andrew’s Episcopal SchoolMargaret Bell Sternberg*

St. Stephen’s Episcopal SchoolHelena Alexandra Thomas

Strake Jesuit College PreparatoryAlbert William Clay IVAndres Euken ContrerasAndres Alberto GambiniBenjamin Tyler JohnsonRyan James LeachBenjamin Chapman MedranoKyle Christopher PerrasWilliam Watson Vail III

Stratford High SchoolRebecca Ann BiestekKatherine Colleen Newsom*Mary-Kate Scurlock*

The Thacher SchoolMiguel Antonio Sierra

The Village SchoolNicolas Adrian Dumitru

*Graduated “With Distinction”


Bernice Ruczko Writing AwardMaggie Sternberg

Bonus Civis Award Mason McIntyre

Chisholm Award George Sarvadi

Community outreach Award Morgan Grimes

DAR Award Jordan Hammond

Distinguished Athlete Award Rhett Cardwell

Jordan Hammond

Leadership Award Ben Medrano

Most Determined Award Maggie Sternberg

Nota Bene Award Lucas Mason

St. Francis Award Andrew Donaldson Grace Nevil

St. Francis Performing Arts Award Emma Cate Graham

St. Francis Visual Arts Award Emily Engberg

Class of 2012 Awards

Alumni NewsThe St. Francis Episcopal Day School Alumni Association is in full swing! Keep us posted on your news and events by e-mailing Anne Chisholm at [email protected].

Elizabeth Bruckner Ertel ’81 resides in Washington, DC. She is the office manager for the Minority House Energy and Commerce Committee for the United States House of Representatives.

Evan Vause ’81 lives in Henderson, Nevada, with his wife, Stephanie, and their daughter, Olivia. He is president of Cypress Architecture and Design.

John Pawloski ’83 lives in San Antonio with his wife, Jennifer, and their two sons, Grey (15) and Rowan (10). John is an attorney with the United Services Automobile Association.

Anne Bruckner ’84 is an attorney. She lives in Houston with her husband and her three chil-dren: Jackson, Piper, and Turner.

Courtney ’87 and Kelley ’88 Chisholm have been living in Boerne, Texas, for the past year with their children, Kathryn (9), Maggie (7), and John Kelley (6). They love the hill country, especially kayaking. Kathryn and Maggie are thrilled to be attending the Geneva School of Boerne this fall.

Pepper Wallace Edens ’87 lives in Houston with her husband, Ashley. They have three children, Will (13), Avery (10), and Peyton (7).

Jennifer Henry ’88 has had another great year teaching at St. Francis, where one of her daily highlights is interacting with the children of so many alumni and friends. Jennifer also travelled to Dubai this past spring, where she visited Cathy Sneedon, a former St. Francis art teacher, and ran into some of her former students while visiting the American School of Dubai. “I love that St. Francis is represented all over the world,” she says. “It is truly a blessing and a joy to teach at the school I attended.”

Caroline Bruckner ’89 is general counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Carrie Ellis ’89 is a supervising attorney for the Orleans Public Defenders Office in New Orleans. After graduating from Columbia Law School in 2006, Carrie completed a two-year fellowship at Georgetown University Law

Center in Washington, DC, where she repre-sented indigent defendants and supervised Georgetown Law students in the Criminal Justice Clinic.

Rob Chisholm ’90 lives in Houston with his wife, Jessica. They have twin boys, Carson and Blake, who are 18 months old.

Kathryn Wimberly Spinelli ’90 resides in Houston with her husband, Mark, and their two children, Kate and Will. Both children attend St. Francis. Kathryn teaches Spanish at St. Francis and sponsors a Spanish immer-sion trip to Costa Rica each year for incoming eighth graders.

Erin Roquemore Fowler ’90 lives in Houston with her husband, Stan, and her two sons, ages 7 and 4. Her older son, Peyton, entered second grade at St. Francis in the fall of 2012. Erin volunteers in the community and works on accounting projects part time. She also currently serves on the St. Francis Alumni Association Board.

Jenny Jumonville Thompson ’90 is married to Jerry Thompson, and they reside in Houston. They welcomed their first child, Anice Kath-erine (weighing five pounds, one ounce), on March 29, 2012.

Jessica Beer Barrett ’91 still lives in New York City. She welcomed the arrival of her third child, a girl, in May. She also stays busy with Charlie (3) and Sam (2).

Danny Ellis ’91 and his wife, Ashley, have a toddler son named Bowman. Danny and Ashley live in Dallas, where he is currently vice president of real estate acquisitions for Hillwood Development Company.

Anne Schrader Harrington ’91 moved from London to San Jose, Costa Rica, with her husband, Michael; daughter, Mia (6); and son, George (2).

Trip Norkus ’91 and his wife, Lizzie, have two children, Josie (4) and Jack (2). Trip now serves as the academic assistant principal at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory in Houston.

Sean Rhea ’91 married Lucy Almers in New York City in the spring of 2011. They now live in San Francisco.

Laura Smith Terry ’91 attended The University of Texas and then taught middle school in Austin. She has now lived in New York City for the past 12 years with her husband and son. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in English and creative writing.

Korin Mercer Burnett ’92, along with her husband, Derrick, and their daughters, Kay-ler (7) and Shelby (5), moved to La Grange, Texas, in November of 2011. They are excited to have made a dream come true in opening “The Back Porch BBQ” at the northeast corner of Highway 71 and Highway 77. Korin says it’s the perfect stopping place between Houston and Austin. Fellow St. Francis alumni, be sure to stop by to say hello!


Anjan Choudhury ’93 graduated from The George Washington University and Harvard Law School. He currently practices law in Los Angeles with Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP, with a focus on media, entertainment, and copy-right law. Anjan finds his pro bono work for groups that fight human trafficking most rewarding.

Sarah Brown Bailey ’94 has been married to Robert Bailey for four years. They have a daughter, Adaline, and recently welcomed their son, Timothy Blackwell Bailey. Sarah has worked for Vincent Ford Custom Apparel for the past eight years.

Marie Duncan Earthman ’94 lives in Hous-ton with her husband, Richard. She recently opened Pomp and Circumstance boutique and is expecting her first child in December.

Jamison “Jimbo” Monroe ’95 married his wife, Emily, in 2010 in Urubamba, Peru, and the couple now live in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles. Jamison founded and runs the Newport Academy Teen Treatment Center and is a regular contributor to CNN on issues regarding mental health and addiction. He also produced a documentary on the teen prescription drug problem, the premiere of which ran at the Newport Beach Film Festival to four sold-out shows—a festival first.

Kirk Soodhalter ’95 received a PhD in applied mathematics from Temple University. He will teach at the Industrial Mathematics Institute at Johannes Kepler University in Linz, Austria. Before leaving for Austria, Kirk visited family and friends in Houston, and even found the time to attend the St. Francis Festival!

Lauren Carrigan Allen ’96 married Adam Allen in 2005. They now have two daughters, Lily (2) and Mary Emma (9 months). They spent two years in Chicago while Adam earned an MBA, and they now reside in Houston.

Caroline Mark ’96 lives in Houston. She is the special events coordinator for the TIRR Foun-dation.

Margaret Dodd ’96 is engaged to John Smart. John is from Houston and is a banker with BBVA Compass. They got engaged in the Muir Woods on a trip to California and will be married in April 2013. Margaret is an analyst for W.D. Von Gonten & Company, a petroleum engineering firm.

Sofia Herrera Massey ’97 and Owen Massey ’97 have been married for five years. They are the proud parents of one son, North, and are expecting their second baby. Sofia graduated from Texas A&M University in 2005 and has worked for UBS Financial Services for seven

years. Owen graduated from Southern Meth-odist University in 2006 and has served as a civil engineer for AECOM for the last five years. He is currently pursuing an MBA degree.

Kirk Monroe ’97 lives in Houston with his wife, Danielle. He received an MBA degree with an emphasis in accounting from the University of St. Thomas. He is working as an accountant and in real estate.

Charles Osteberg ’97 is in his residency at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City. After two years of general surgery, he is now concentrating on his chosen specialty of urol-ogy. He is fortunate to split his time between New York Presbyterian Hospital and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and to have

the opportunity to scrub up with some of the world’s most renowned urologists.

Jack Doherty ’98 lives in Houston with his wife, Jennifer. He is vice president at Frost National Bank, and also serves on the St. Francis Alumni Association Board.

Kate McLean ’99 is living in Houston and is the sous chef at Tony’s. She recently enjoyed a wonderful trip to New York, where she dined at top restaurants and attended a food show at the convention center.

Brad Duff ’01 graduated from Texas Tech in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in English. Brad worked for the Houston Texans in the fall of 2011, and continues to work and live in Houston.

John Scully ’01 graduated from the Wash-ington and Lee University School of Law on May 5, 2012.

Jerry Duff ’02 graduated from Texas Tech in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in restaurant, hotel, and institutional management. In Jan-uary 2012, she moved to Hyde Park, New York, where she is attending the Culinary Institute of America to pursue a career as a chef.

Mario Hernandez ’02 graduated from Lip-scomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. He is now serving as a graduate assistant coach on the university’s men’s tennis team while he pursues a master’s degree.

Alexa Sendukas ’02 has completed the sec-ond year of her dual-degree program in law and foreign service at Georgetown University. She currently serves as social chair for the Georgetown Law Student Bar Association,

student representative to the American Bar Association, and administrative editor of the Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law & Pol-icy, and she is a Public Interest Fellow. She is also a member of the Appellate Advocacy Division of Barristers' Council, for which she represented Georgetown at the 2012 Niagara International Moot Court Competition, arguing a case on international criminal law before a mock three-judge panel of the International Court of Justice. Alexa also serves as a research assistant to three professors who are writing a book to present data on U.S. immigration policy, specifically regarding applications for asylum made by those who have been per-secuted abroad. Last summer, she worked as a law clerk in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, and continued assisting with the asylum research.

Geoffrey Hernandez ’03 graduated from college in Portland, Ore. He played collegiate


tennis and is ready to hit the ground running on the professional tennis circuit.

Peter McLean ’03 graduated from Southern Methodist University. He now lives in Dallas, where he works for Hunt Oil as an internal auditor.

Joe Rambin ’03 recently finished an intern-ship with the Atlanta Falcons. During his time with them, he marked the field, washed the clothes, caught punts, arranged the lockers, and traveled with the team. After this expe-rience, Joe believes he can be satisfied being just a fan. He is returning to Houston to pursue a career in commercial real estate.

Ellie Chernosky ’04 graduated from The Uni-versity of Texas in the spring of 2012, and plans to join Teach for America in San Antonio. She is

passionate about the cause and has mentored several students in the Knowledge Is Power Program in Austin over the last few years. As philanthropy chairman of Kappa Kappa Gamma, Ellie led the charge in helping her chapter raise $45,000 to help build a school in Uganda.

Todd Hartis ’04 attends The University of Texas, where he is a member of the Kappa Alpha Order, Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, and the University Securities Investment Team. Todd was an intern at First City Mort-gage of Texas in Houston during the summer of 2012.

Liz Roberts ’04 graduated from Texas A&M University in May 2012. At the university, she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta and served as vice president of recruitment for the Panhellenic Council. After graduation, Liz relocated to California to work in Chevron’s Finance Development Program.

Leven Rambin ’04 will be featured in the October release of Men and Mavericks, a biopic movie about the life of surfer Jay Moriarity. Currently, she is also working on Percy Jack-son: Sea of Monsters, in which she plays Cla-risse, daughter of Ares. Leven also performed

in the role of Glimmer in the movie The Hunger Games.

Patrick Scully ’04 graduated from Washing-ton and Lee University in May 2012. He will be attending the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce in the fall to pursue a master’s degree in accounting.

Katie Skarke ’04 graduated from The Univer-sity of Texas in May 2012. She is now living in Dallas and working as an account coordinator at the advertising firm Moroch.

Ann Coddou ’05 is a communications design student at the Pratt Institute. She enjoys her studies in illustration and graphic design, and looks forward to joining the world of indepen-dent film and advertising. Visit her website at www.wix.com/acoddou/illustrator.

Cara Cogburn ’05 graduated from Van-derbilt University. She is now working in Dallas at Century Interactive, a small marketing firm.

Bubba Fish ’05 just finished his first rap music video at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. During the summer of 2012, Bubba interned at RCA Records and The Mark Gordon Company in Los Angeles.

Gretchen Duff ’06 finished her soph-omore year at Texas Tech University,

where she is majoring in restaurant, hotel, and institutional management. She is a mem-ber of the Delta Delta Delta sorority, in which she is involved in recruitment and philan-thropic activities.

Andrew Elliot ’06 is a junior at Texas Christian University, and is majoring in political science and minoring in Spanish. This past summer he worked for a production/concession company, through which he helped set up for the Bonn-aroo Music & Arts Festival in Tennessee and The Great GoogaMooga Festival in New York.

Michelle Jenkins ’06 is attending The Uni-versity of Georgia. She has completed 91 hours toward a double major in international business and finance, and is also minoring in Spanish. Michelle is very active in Pi Beta Phi, serving as vice president of communications. She was recently admitted to the Order of Omega Greek leadership honor society and was selected to the prestigious Leonard Lead-ership Scholars Program. Michelle spent the summer in a finance internship with Siemens.

David McLean ’06 attends Southern Methodist University and plans to major in business or sports management. He recently served as rush chairman for Sigma Alpha Epsilon.

Sam Scully ’07 completed his freshman year at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in the School of Design and Produc-tion.

Isabelle Bristol ’08 graduated magna cum laude from Episcopal High School and entered Bucknell University in the fall of 2012. During her senior year at Episcopal, Isabelle was nominated in four dance award categories and received Best in Performance Prepara-tion and Outstanding Impact Dance Company Member. She was also awarded a 2012 medal for Excellence in the Study of Dance. In the summer of 2011, she toured Austria with the Impact Dance Company for the Tanzsommer Dance Festival. Isabelle received a four-year Arts Merit Scholarship in dance from Bucknell, where she plans to minor in dance and major in geology/environmental studies.

Ashley Brown ’08 graduated summa cum laude from Episcopal High School. She spent the summer of 2012 in Miami on a mission trip with First Presbyterian Church. Ashley was accepted into the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas.

Camiel Duytschaever ’08 graduated from The Kinkaid School and currently attends Tufts University. While at Kinkaid, she earned national recognition in the 2012 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for her photography portfolio, and also won the 2012 Photography Award.

Christina Eickenroht ’08 graduated from Episcopal High School as valedictorian. She


received Awards for Excellence in the Study of English and Religion and was named Out-standing Female Student. Christina served as president of the National Honor Society and was a member of the National Art Honor Soci-ety. She received a National Gold Medal and Scholastic Gold Key Award for her drawing “Whimsical Bicycle.” This art piece was also selected by the U.S. Department of Education for its yearlong national exhibition. She will attend Georgetown University.

Calhan Hale ’08 graduated cum laude from Episcopal High School, where she received the Spirit Award. As a senior, she was a cheer-leader and also homecoming queen. Calhan was a member of the National Art Honor Soci-ety and received a Scholastic Silver Key Award in painting. She will attend The University of Texas.

Mallory Moreton ’08 graduated cum laude from Second Baptist School. While there, she not only served on the National Honor Soci-ety, but also interned at the Post Oak Bank during her interim term and was a violinist in the Greater Houston Youth Orchestra. She currently attends Baylor University, where she is pursuing a degree in accounting.

Michael Levine ’08 enjoyed an outstanding baseball career at The Kinkaid School. He let-tered in varsity baseball all four years and now plays for the University of Richmond.

Sam Manetti ’08 graduated summa cum laude from Second Baptist School and will attend Southern Methodist University in the fall. While at Second, Sam accumulated many honors, including serving as president of the National Honor Society and chairman of the board for Key Club. He won the Vision Choir Directors Award and also Best Featured Male Role for the fall drama And Never Been Kissed. Sam also won the Joshua Award for varsity football and attended the Chicago Interna-tional Model United Nations Conference in Illinois and the Saint Petersburg International Model United Nations Conference in Russia.

Austin Porter ’08 graduated summa cum laude from Episcopal High School. There, he was yearbook editor and was presented with the prestigious Head of School Award. Austin was accepted into the Plan II Honors Program at The University of Texas.

Megan Quinn ’08 graduated from Memorial High School and has been accepted into the University Honors Program and the College of Liberal Arts honors program at Texas A&M University. While at Memorial, Megan was a National Merit Commended Student and

AP Board Scholar; a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, and Tri-M Music Honor Society; and also won the All-District Academic Softball Award. She sang in varsity choir for four years, played varsity softball for three years, and served as an acolyte at St. Francis Episcopal Church for four years.

Belle Brennan ’09 is a senior at St. Agnes Academy. She plays varsity lacrosse and memorial field hockey. Belle is also one of four Dominican Leaders on the Campus Ministry Team, and this past year helped raise money to build a well in Africa through Water for Life. She stays active with many of her St. Francis friends through participation in the National Charity League.

Katie Butler ’09 played the role of Marcy Park in the St. Agnes Academy fall musical, 25th Annual Putman County Spelling Bee, as well as Mae in the 2012 spring musical, The Pajama Game. She was also elected to student coun-cil for the third year, and sang a solo in the St. Agnes/Strake Jesuit mixed-chorus pro-duction of The Messiah. Be on the lookout for Katie in the St. Agnes/Strake production of Legally Blonde in the spring of 2013.

Megan Jamieson ’09 is a senior at St. Agnes Academy. She was named Colonel of the Tiger Girls Dance Team, and is also in the school’s competitive Remix Dance Company.

Jenni Jenkins ’09 is attending Memorial High School. Her extracurricular activities include student council, the J’Aides spirit group, the MMOB service organization, and choir. Jenni has performed in the award-winning wom-en’s choir and the mixed choir for the Univer-sity Interscholastic League, and served as vice president of choir during her junior year. Last summer, she attended the Young Life Wilder-ness Ranch and Camp Ozark.

Hallie Butler ’10 attends St. Agnes Academy. She was the starting pitcher for the varsity softball team that made it to the State Cham-pionship TAPPS 5A game. She was named to the All-Tournament Team at the State Cham-pionship, and was also selected Second Team All-State and First Team All-District in softball.

Kaitlin Karcher ’10 completed her sophomore year at St. Agnes Academy. She was on both the varsity and competition dance teams, and earned first place in the Team Jazz and Team Novelty dances—as well as a duet—at the Showtime National Dance Contest. Kaitlin was also recognized as a Top 10 dancer in a summer competition, and continues to be an honor student, is a member of Key Club, and was selected for the Campus Ministry Team.

Louisa Bristol ’11 enjoyed her freshman year at Episcopal High School, where she met new friends and participated in the fall and spring dance concerts.

Robert Brown ’11 attends Strake Jesuit College Preparatory. He made the Principal’s Honor Roll and played on the junior varsity golf team.

Emily Detiveaux ’11 attends Houston Christian High School. She played goalkeeper for the varsity soccer team, and as a freshman was named to the TAPPS All-District Honorable Mention Team. Emily is part of the Distin-guished Scholars Program and earned a place on the Head of School Honor Roll each quarter.

Amanda Thompson ’11 completed her fresh-man year at Houston Christian High School. She served as vice president of the freshman class and has been re-elected to serve as sophomore class vice president.

Annual Report 2011–12 is produced by the Department of Marketing & Communications

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