Pillars_Fall-2020

Devoted Duo • Vic Kormeier Tribute • Lessons of COVID

Episcopal High School was founded in 1983 as a four‐year coeducational day school within the Episcopal Diocese of Texas.
ACCREDITATION
Independent Schools Association of the Southwest
MEMBERSHIPS
National Association of Independent Schools
National Association of Episcopal Schools
Council for the Advancement and Support of Education
Educational Records Bureau
College Board
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Southwest Preparatory Conference
MISSION
Episcopal High School, founded and guided by the Diocese of Texas, is an inclusive and joyful Christian community where
students discover and develop their individual talents through the Four Pillars – academics, arts, athletics, religion – preparing
for meaningful lives in service to others.
ADMISSION
Episcopal High School admits students of all races, colors, and national/ethnic origins to all the rights, privileges, programs, and
activities accorded or made available to students at the School. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or
national/ethnic origin in the administration of its educational and admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, or athletic
and other school‐administered programs.
ALUMNI
Please share your news with the EHS Alumni Association. Send information to:
Margaret Young
myoung@ehshouston.org
713-512-3600
Ashley Long
along@ehshouston.org
713-512-3478
Ikechi “Chief” Achilefu
cachilefu@ehshouston.org
713-512-3606
Episcopal High School
P. O. Box 271299
Houston, TX 77277-1299
b facebook.com/groups/EHSHoustonAlumni
x instagram.com/ehs_alumni
j linkedin.com/grps/Episcopal‐High‐School‐Houston‐Alumni‐1029617
This publication is printed on FSC certified paper with soy‐based inks.
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The Episcopal High School Magazine, Fall 2020

IN THIS ISSUE
From the Head of School 04
#KnightsStandOut 06
Devoted Duo 12
Pop Quiz 16
Vic Kormeier Tribute 20
Bright Knights 26
Lessons of COVID 30
Alumni Spotlight 34
The Last Word 38
ON THE COVER
Twins Bria and Cimone Woodard ’21 enjoy
a playful exchange on stage in Underwood
Theatre during the “Pillars Magazine” photo
shoot. Photo by Lauren West; styling by
Kristina Burgess; lighting by Paul Revaz.

SAVE THE DATE
Light Up the Knight Auction 02-19-21
Alumni Weekend 04-09-21
Commencement 05-16-21
EHS 9th graders explore the joys of creativity and collaboration during Freshman Arts Day. Photo by Mauro Gomez
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FROM THE
HEAD OF SCHOOL
Dear EHS Family,
In this year’s Report on Philanthropy published earlier this fall, we revisited the remarkable
runup to the start of in-person classes for all students after Labor Day this year. Since
then, success has bred success as we have remained open in person throughout. At
present, we have 10 of our 784 students opting in to off-campus remote learning, leaving
774 students and some 160 faculty and staff doing school together and in person each
day. If you had told us at our reopening that we would accomplish this return to relative
normalcy so successfully and over such a long stretch, few would have believed you.
Episcopal High School continues to stand out as an oasis of stability in a desert of
uncertainty in no small part because of the efforts of our Board of Trustees epitomized
by trustee Vic Kormeier, profiled within. Among other accomplishments over the 40 or
so years that Vic has served the School, he has led us to grow the endowment from
$200,000 to $48 million. He has witnessed the upgrades to the Convent and Chapel
and a complete rebuild of the campus up to most recently the opening of the new Field
Hockey Field. Vic has been an invaluable advisor and friend to the School since its
inception, inspiring generations of board members as a servant and a leader, and we are
pleased that he continues to do so today. This stability is present at virtually every level,
with our senior administrators ranging from 6 to 35 years at EHS and the median years of
service by employees across the school at 12 years.
Much of what you read within this issue will demonstrate that we continue to live our
mission to its fullest every day. Our mission continues to inspire students like twins Bria
and Cimone Woodard ’21, featured on page 26, and others across all Four Pillars, just as
it inspired alums Dr. Kara-Lee Pool ’99 and Carla Molina ’96, who are featured on pages
34-37. It goes without saying that none of this good work would have been possible
without the expertise and dedication of our faculty and staff, all of whom have been
present on campus and leading by example since Labor Day. Second-year math teacher
Robin Bowman put it best in her interview with Pillars when she states that EHS helps
students discover their inner genius and lead lives of purpose. She concludes, “In my
brief time here, I can say that the School changes teachers’ lives, too.”
May EHS continue to change lives for the better for years and years to come.
Go Knights,
Ned Smith
Head of School
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Photo by Mauro Gomez
5

# KNIGHTS STAND OUT
EHS Cheerleaders
Named to All-
American Teams
The EHS Cheer program, led by Coach
Leigh Anne Raymond, continues to
excel, and several Knights were recently
recognized as All-Americans by the
National Cheerleading Association.
Cheer All-Americans
Seniors: Morgan Garrett, Elena Cokinos,
Elise Branch, Payton Smith,
Elizabeth McLauchlin, Victoria Vella,
and McKenna Whitney
Juniors: Caylon Mike and Sophia Neylon
Sophomores: Emily Keenan,
Lexi Masterson, Tasia Rushing,
Angelica Vella, and Elizabeth Cabes
Freshman: Emma Dabney
Pom Team All-Americans
Juniors: Charlotte Kinzel,
Kendall Aldstadt, Eliza Thompson,
Frieda Borden, and Kristin Davis
The addition of the Pom Team has been
a huge success and has allowed the
total cheer program to grow to more
than 80 participants!
Diversity, Community,
and Inclusion
Efforts Thrive
The Community and Inclusion Office,
now Diversity, Community, and
Inclusion, is in its second year with a
new name. In addition to its new name,
the DC&I office will be conducting
grade-level learning for all 9th and 10th
grade students this school year. This
year’s focus is understanding and
discussing racism and anti-racism. In
other updates, the DC&I Faculty and
Staff Book Club membership numbers
have boomed, and a new diversity
LibGuide is coming as well as a new
Lunch Bunch Conversational Series
that launches next semester.
Wayne Jones, Director of DC&I says,
“It’s amazing to have so many of our
faculty members that are willing to
volunteer to be open, vulnerable,
and humble to learn things that are
usually different from what they are
normalized to hearing. This growth is
a true testament to what an incredible
community we have at Episcopal.”
Jones thought DC&I activity might
slow down during the pandemic, but
things have sped up, and “that’s a
good thing,” he adds. “So many of our
faculty and staff are inquisitive about
difference, as well as our students. That
makes the meetings and conversations
powerful and fulfilling. As we navigate
the two pandemics that America is in,
I am proud of how our community is
reacting to both. We are working to be
the most inclusive community that we
can be. Some may say we are moving
too slowly; however, we are taking
steady sturdy steps that will leave an
everlasting imprint and hopefully start to
change the narrative.”
The Steering Committee of Diversity
in Action, composed of sophomores,
juniors, and seniors, has come
together and continues to ride on the
energy from last year’s success and
recent current events. Ayesha Spooner,
DIA’s Advisor, says, “We opened the
year with discussion and reconnection
around all that we’ve seen, heard, and
felt over the last eight months. In our
first meeting together, we covered
everything from the impact of recent
weeks and months locked down with
family members who have very different
social, political, and world views, to the
long-lasting impact of the videotaped
Black American murders seen over and
over again last summer.”
The Steering Committee looks forward
to getting an open DIA meeting on the
calendar. The student-led group has
received requests to join DIA at rates
never seen before. Spooner adds,
“We’re excited about this upcoming
year and already throwing out ideas
for campus activities this spring. The
student leaders of Diversity in Action
are thrilled about EHS’s engagement
and visible commitment to issues of
diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice—
especially in 2020!”
12 Students Recognized
by Merit Program
The National Merit Scholarship
Program announced the index scores
for this year’s competition, and 12
EHS students did remarkably well.
Two seniors, Alexa Ya-Lei Hendricks
and Nora Lawless, were named
Semifinalists in September. In October,
five EHS seniors were designated
Commended students in the program,
two students were designated National
African American Scholars, and three
students were designated National
Hispanic Scholars.
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#KnightsStandOut
The students are:
Semifinalists:
Alexa Ya-Lei Hendricks
Nora Lawless
Commended Students:
Carson Clingman
Haley Hammer
Gloria Ni
Keith Sill
Benjamin Wasden
National African American
Scholars:
Bria Woodard
Cimone Woodard
National Hispanic Scholars:
Brianna Espinoza
Alena Haney
Conner Jones
Outdoor tents were installed to give
students the opportunity to enjoy lunch
outside their classrooms.
Serving hot lunches again is a welcome
challenge for the lunch staff, and they
have pivoted with ease. “It is easier
to serve hot lunches because it is
what we are used to and we are able
to provide a variety of choices again,”
says Susana Borges-Pasini, the food
services director. “My staff goes the
extra mile, and they want to make sure
the students are enjoying their dining
experience.”
The lunch staff have also received
praise from the students.
Elizabeth Wheless ’22 appreciates
that they go above and beyond
to accommodate students. “They
always make sure everyone gets what
they need and are very organized,”
says Wheless.
Dylan Osowski ’24 observes that
their positive attitude stands out.
“The lunchroom staff are really nice,”
says Osowski.
Though enthusiasm for the return of
hamburgers and Indian butter chicken
caught the attention of students, it is
the ability to sit and eat with their peers
again that excites them the most. For
Justin Begg ’24, eating lunch outdoors
gives students a break from the
classroom setting and allows for time
to connect. “I like being able to interact
with others in my grade who aren’t in
my classes,” adds Begg.
Hot Lunches in
USC Reintroduced;
New Outdoor
Tents Unveiled
The first cool front in September
marked the return of hot lunches again
on campus under newly installed tents.
Due to COVID-19 social distancing
recommendations, during the first
month of in-person classes the lunch
staff had prepared and delivered more
than 800 boxed lunches to classrooms,
and students ate their lunch inside with
a faculty or staff proctor.
While the boxed lunches served as
great alternatives to encourage safe
distancing by avoiding long lines, it was
ultimately decided that reintroducing
hot lunches could be done safely and
efficiently with a grab-and-go system.
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# KNIGHTS STAND OUT
Students and
Teachers Welcome
Fall with Face-to-
Face Learning
Episcopal started the school year with
virtual learning in the name of health
and safety and began to transition to
face-to-face learning after Labor Day
weekend. Providing families the option
to keep students home, in addition
to using bigger spaces on campus
when needed for social distancing
requirements, has necessitated a hybrid
model of teaching. Microsoft Teams has
been a mainstay technology application
since last spring and has allowed
teachers to bring remote students into
the classroom.
The introduction of iPads has helped
with teaching students in several
different locations. Eric Lerch, 9th
Grade Dean, says, “While we have been
excited to welcome many students
back to campus, we continue to
explore ways to improve the experience
of our remote learners. With new tools
for teachers such as iPads, we are
dedicated to making sure all of our
students are engaged and included in
classroom activities.”
was challenging to do through a
computer!”
Episcopal has welcomed students
back to the classroom and supported
students who want to stay at home, an
important aspect of the school’s COVID
reopening plan. As Mark Mitchell, 11th
Grade Dean, says, “Of course, there’s
nothing like in-person learning, so
we’re happy to have students back
on campus. But we also understand
that many students and families feel
it’s important to remain virtual. Hybrid
learning and teaching is tough, but if
anyone can pull it off, it’s the teachers
at EHS.”
Being in the classroom isn’t the
only benefit students receive from a
school. Students coming together in a
community has been vital for many. As
Shelly Edmonds, Assistant 11th Grade
Dean, puts it, “It has been wonderful to
see our students back and being able
to engage with one another. Although
many things are different, the students
are still able to eat lunch, meet with their
advisory, and meet with their teachers
and peers.
It has also asked our teachers to
be more creative in the classroom.
Equipped with our new learning
management system, Canvas, we
are able to create more interactive
assignments that allow our hybrid
students to be just as involved as our
in-class students. It’s been motivating
to utilize all these new options to assist
the students in a new way.”
Technology like the iPad has made
teaching much more productive in
this new normal. Jessica Adams,
12th Grade Dean, explains, “The
transition has been much easier than
I expected. Although the hybrid model
was intimidating at first, it has really
forced me to hone my craft and think
more critically about how I’m teaching.
The iPads and tripods have been a
blessing, and they’ve really helped with
the transition. I have several students
who are working remotely, and the
new technology makes me feel more
connected to them.”
Virtual learning can never replace being
in the classroom with the teacher, who
can more easily tell when students
need a teacher to slow down or stop
to answer a question or two. Isaiah
Coleman, Assistant 10th Grade Dean,
says, “The transition to in-person
learning has been great, especially for
the students who had challenges with
virtual learning.” Meghan Moake, 10th
Grade Dean, adds, “The transition
to face-to-face has been awesome
because it has allowed me to further
build relationships with my students
and the sophomore class—and that
8

#KnightsStandOut
Dance Program Steps Up
for Online Learning
Virtual choreography lessons have
created new opportunities for the
EHS Dance Program as Impact and
Repertory students learn from experts
from around the world. In August,
EHS hosted a virtual preseason
master class series to kick off the
2020-2021 school year. While working
from home, students were able to
learn from choreographers via Teams.
Guest choreographers included
Riccardo Battaglia, Katie Drablos,
Amanda LaMotte, Crystal Knabeschuh,
Aaron Medina, Lyvan Verdecia,
and Shelby Nunn.
Since August, Burgess’s students
continue to learn from the
choreographers they have met virtually.
Burgess invited Shelby Nunn back for
another class because of her talent
and ability to connect with the dancers.
“She is able to push the dancers to
improve without making them feel
embarrassed,” says Burgess. “She
makes them believe in themselves.”
Nunn, who is originally from Katy,
currently lives in New York City. For
Kendall Aldstadt ’22, Nunn’s expertise
and guidance have been a positive
experience. “She has been so great
and helpful during this hard time, and
she makes me want to dance, not just
sit at home all day,” says Aldstadt.
Navigating in-person and virtual
lessons has posed both challenges and
advantages for the students. Exceeding
health and safety guidelines, the dance
studios have designated 9’-by-9’ blue
squares for students to dance in
but stay distant from their peers. For
Frieda Borden ’22, working in her blue
square has improved her technique.
“It is surprisingly not as difficult to
dance in a square as it seems,”
says Borden. “These restrictions
have made me more aware of my
movement and spacing, but it has
been a fun challenge.” Charlotte Kinzel
’22, says learning online choreography
is difficult, but teaches new skills.
“In dance, it is especially hard to
learn through a video screen,” says
Kinzel, “but we are learning how to
be independent.”
Burgess admires the resiliency of her
students. “I am most impressed by
my students’ ability to not only learn
all of the choreography via Teams, but
the way they adapt to every situation
thrown at them while staying positive,”
she says.
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# KNIGHTS STAND OUT
Athletic Director’s Fall Wrap-Up
The 2020 fall athletic season proved
to be unlike any other at EHS. Things
looked bleak in mid-August when
the SPC announced that the fall
conference schedule, including the
SPC championship tournaments,
would be cancelled. In true EHS spirit,
the Knights found a silver lining and
with the blessing of medical experts,
proceeded with an independent
schedule for all fall season teams.
Although the girls volleyball and football
teams were unable to defend their
2019 SPC titles, both teams seized the
opportunity to compete against the
very best that Texas has to offer. The
girls volleyball team replaced traditional
SPC contests with games against
the likes of College Station, Fulshear,
George Ranch, and Memorial. The
football team took the opportunity to
travel to Port Lavaca Calhoun, Angleton,
and Beaumont Westbrook. These
games proved to be unforgettable
experiences for students, coaches,
and parents.
The boys volleyball teams began
holding practices in late August and
waited patiently for other SPC schools
to give their teams the green light to
participate. Although the program
graduated several outstanding students,
the young Knights enjoyed another
strong season capped by dominating
efforts from both the varsity and JV
teams at Kinkaid in late October.
The big story of the fall season may very
well be the performances of the girls
and boys cross country teams as they
faced some of the strongest UIL 5A
and 6A programs in greater Houston.
Although the girls team returned the
nucleus of a group that had captured
back-to-back SPC runner-up titles,
the Knights took their competition
to another level. At one point, the
team captured three consecutive
invitational championships! The boys
team would not be outdone as they
too consistently placed in the top-3 in
challenging meets.
The EHS cheer program, long known
as one of the top private school
groups in all of Texas, experienced
significant growth as the addition of
the Pom Team increased participation
numbers north of 85. All four teams
worked hard to provide the EHS football
teams plenty of encouragement and
thrilled crowds with their incredible
halftime performances.
Although the field hockey program
appreciated the use of the baseball field
for practices and games, it certainly
comes as no surprise that the students
and coaches were elated to move to
their new home field in the final week of
the season. A huge thanks to all those
who made this possible, as the field is
now among the finest in the country!
Hats off to the students and coaches
for navigating a challenging fall athletic
season and for bringing boundless
spirit to the EHS community.
—Jason Grove, Director of Athletics
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EHS’s new field hockey playing surface is one of only 10 in the country of this caliber. International Hockey Federation
and USA Field Hockey are excited about our School’s effort to grow the sport in the region. Dedicated donors,
including current parents and alumni groups, made this field of dreams a reality. Photos by Mauro Gomez.

#KnightsStandOut
Photos by Mauro Gomez
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12

DEVOTED DUO
Chapel Planning During a Pandemic
Prompts a Return to Basics
Social distancing has impacted not only the configuration
of the classroom and lunch, but also daily Chapel. Rev.
Art Callaham, EHS’s new chaplain, has collaborated with
Rev. Beth Holden to “get back to basics,” and the Chapel
program is a responsibility he has taken on in his new
role. COVID-19 precautions have meant reworking Chapel
service and paring it down to what’s most important.
Together, the chaplains revisited the history of both the
School and the Church and asked the question, “What are
the basic elements that constitute worship in our tradition?”
“Yes, we all like singing,” Rev. Callaham says. “We all like
communion, we all like fancy processionals and lengthy
sermons that tie seamlessly into the scripture passages,
but social distancing requirements have meant that won’t
be possible. So, we started with the basics: readings
and prayers.”
As EHS has moved to in-person instruction, the chaplains
have added elements to worship that support the overall
goals of the Religion Pillar. Speakers and soloists made the
most sense. Rev. Callaham adds that for the time being,
“Chapel will always be at least readings and prayers whether
we are in the Chapel itself, in our advisories, or watching
from home.”
“Going back to basics has
provided other benefits,
like adapting quickly to
unforeseen circumstances.”
Traditionally, the readings from Chapel have either been
selected by the speaker or from the Episcopal Church’s
Daily Office Lectionary. Says Rev. Callaham, “While I love
the Daily Lectionary for my personal devotions, it is not well
suited for a program like ours that meets for less than nine
months of the year, once a day, and never on the weekend.
Too many gaps form, particularly during the really important
parts of the Bible story like Christmas and Easter.”
So, Rev. Holden and Rev. Callaham started writing an
EHS lectionary for use in the Chapel. Their goal is to
survey the major stories and teachings of the Bible over
the course of two school years. They’ve been mindful of
the flow of both the Church and the School calendar and
have tried to select readings that are familiar, appropriate,
and brief.
Going back to basics has provided other benefits, like
adapting quickly to unforeseen circumstances. When the
campus closed because of a tropical storm in September,
Rev. Callaham was able to quickly farm out pieces of
liturgy to members of the community, who in turn could
record readings on their own computers.
The “Dear Chaplain” video on the second day of campus
closure from the weather was the brainchild of Rev.
Callaham’s kids and turned out to be the ultimate rainyday
project. “I had been thinking about how we could
maximize the potential of video worship,” Rev. Callaham
recalls. “And so, ‘Dear Chaplain’ was born.”
The chaplains have approached the challenges of the
pandemic as an opportunity to try out new things such as
the Election Prayer Guide. “We’re looking closely at what
works and what doesn’t so that when things return to
normal, we can have some tried-and-true creative ideas
to weave back into the traditions of this place,”
Rev. Callaham adds.
Rev. Holden and Rev. Callaham took a few extra minutes
to share impressions from their unprecedented first
semester together in Benitez Chapel:
After the spring 2020 campus closure, how does it
feel to have students back in Chapel?
Rev. Holden: It’s been wonderful to have students
back in the Chapel for our services! There is some
awkwardness to having only four advisories in there at a
time, in chairs separated by six feet of distance, with all
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others watching via livestream in their classrooms, but
we have managed to reclaim that sense of gathering as a
whole community in prayer every day. We need that sense
of community – even as we need the daily time with God,
especially during this time.
Rev. Callaham: It feels so good to be in the midst of a
community that makes time to incorporate worship the
way that ours does. I’ve been super impressed with the
various ways that students, faculty, and staff have risen to
the occasion to make sure that Chapel happens every day.
Has one particular Chapel program this year
stood out?
Rev. Holden: The Senior Blessing Chapel stands out in
my mind because we were able to gather the entire class
together – outdoors on the new baseball field! – and remain
carefully socially distanced. We couldn’t have everyone
clump together with arms around each other, but we could
still have them stand together as a class and be blessed.
Rev. Callaham: I’m going to go with our Spanish Language
Chapel. I believe that the liturgies of the Church are where
we practice being the best versions of ourselves so that
when we head out into the world, doing the right thing
feels like second nature. Seeing some of our students offer
their gifts of language to the community, watching others
patiently and compassionately struggle with the discomfort
of not fully understanding what was going on, and hearing
Ms. Alejandra Ortiz share from her experience of what
life is like when something as basic as shared language
cannot be taken for granted seems to me like a vision of
God’s Kingdom.
Do you see positives from the Election
Prayer Guide?
Rev. Holden: The guide that Art put together was a
tremendous offering! The selection of prayers reminds
us that it’s important to pray for the country in which we
live, its people, and its leaders. When we’re able to join
with others who are all individually lifting up prayers for
the good of our land and our people, and when we can
humble ourselves before God, we are able to overcome
the things that divide us.
What are the two of you doing to maintain balance
during the year of coronavirus?
Rev. Holden: Prayer continues to be important to my daily
life. I keep a running list of people who have asked for
prayers on my laptop, and I have a folder of photo sheets
for each grade and faculty/staff that I use in my prayers.
At home, the regularity of daily family dinners has also
provided significant times of connection – and my 23-yearold
daughter Mary (EHS Class of 2015) who is living with
us does a lot of the cooking, introducing us to fabulous
new menu items. To work off all those calories, I walk on
Saturday mornings with my sister Leslie, sometimes around
my neighborhood or Memorial Park, and sometimes
around her neighborhood where we can spy peacocks in
the trees!
Rev. Callaham: My sanity starts with family, too. My kids
are younger than Beth’s and I’ve yet to get them to the
point where they can make dinner for their mother and me
without some help. So, I ‘help’ a lot in our kitchen. Recently,
we’ve been baking our way through all of the Pillsbury
Bake-off winners. It’s not only been a tasty and fun way
to spend time together, but it’s also been a fascinating
historical look at food trends and how tastes have changed
over the decades. We also spend an inordinate amount
“It feels so good to be in
the midst of a community
that makes time to
incorporate worship the
way that ours does.”
of time each week playing board games. COVID kept us
from our usual summer tour of board game conventions
and expos, but we’ve more than made up for it by playing
games from our own collection and watching video game
reviews online. Wellness-wise, I lean more toward the
contemplative in my personal prayer life: I try to sit for 30
minutes to an hour a day when I can. Likewise, I walk
outside as often as I can, usually listening to audiobooks
and bouncing a lacrosse ball.
Rev. Callaham: The time to put together the prayer guide
was, itself, a gift to me. The opportunity to amplify the
clear signal of the Church’s intention to hold up civil society
with prayer from the noise of so many different political
epochs was luxurious. I won’t speculate on what the
overall value of my reflections will be to anyone else. But,
for me, the time I spent preparing them was a gift.
14

At October’s Spanish Language Chapel, Choices Counselor Alejandra Ortiz
shares her journey as a Chilean American navigating life in the United States.
Rev. Beth Holden and Rev. Art Callaham preside over the Senior Class Blessing
and Pin Ceremony for the Class of 2021 on the Jess Borg Baseball Field.
15

Q+A
with EHS
Teachers
Pop Quiz turns the table on teachers and asks them
to respond to 11 quick questions. Their enthusiastic
responses reveal the values, quirks, and interests that
make them so effective in leading EHS students.
16

ROBIN OWENS
Math Teacher
Robin Owens was born and raised in Shreveport,
Louisiana. She graduated with a Bachelor of
Science in Mathematics from the University of
Texas at Tyler, which is where she met her
husband of nine years. She and her husband
moved to Houston after college and now
have a 4-year-old daughter. This is Owens’s
third year at Episcopal High School, where
she currently teaches Geometry and
works with the dance program.
What’s on your playlist?
Any song that moves me to
dance or cry. I love a good beat
drop or waltz count.
What was the first concert you
attended?
N’SYNC at the Miss
America Pageant.
If you weren’t a teacher, what
would you pick for a career?
I would be a full-time writer.
Surprise! I love math, but I also
love writing short stories and am
currently working on a novel.
What is your proudest
accomplishment?
Birthing my daughter!
Do you have a favorite app or
tech gadget?
I suppose the ol’ Instagram scroll
takes a lot of my attention.
Did you have a mentor growing
up who inspired your career?
My ballet teacher in high school
often dropped wisdom during
class. I was vaguely aware there
was more happening there than
only ballet curriculum and I felt
that her lessons would come
in handy as I got older. (Spoiler
alert: They have!)
If you
could
travel back
in time, what
period of history
would you choose?
Probably not too far because I
like air conditioning, so maybe
the 1970s? I would land in New
Jersey and become childhood
friends with Kelly Ripa.
What do you most respect
about your colleagues?
They are positive and
encouraging and always willing
to offer help.
What do you most respect
about your students?
They are hilarious. Teenagers are
witty and make me laugh.
Read any good books
recently?
Currently reading Ghosts of
Harvard, a lovely 400-page
novel. Just to keep a theme here,
I would also recommend Ghost
Boys, an inspiring quick read,
and Ghost Boy, a fascinating
memoir. Ironically, these three
books have nothing to do with
each other and are not “ghost
stories.” Intrigued?
If you could eat only one meal
this week, what would it be?
An entire plate of
Thanksgiving dressing.
17

JUSTIN HICKEY
Science Teacher
Justin Hickey grew up in Wichita Falls, Texas, before
attending the University of Texas at Austin where he
earned a Bachelor of Science in Astronomy. He
recently celebrated his fourth anniversary with
his wife, Julianne, a Houston native, who
he met while at UT. This is Hickey’s fourth
year at EHS, and he currently teaches
AP Physics II, Physics I, and Astronomy,
and also works with the Academic
Assistance Program.
What’s on your playlist?
A lot of stuff! Currently:
Westerman, Narrow Head,
Shamir, Fleet Foxes, and
Sufjan Stevens.
What was the first concert you
attended?
I went to a lot of small concerts
around my hometown growing
up, but the first major artist I saw
in high school was John Mayer
at Fair Park in Dallas.
If you weren’t a teacher, what
would you pick for a career?
Astronaut! It’s still a dream
of mine if NASA ever recruits
teachers again.
What is your proudest
accomplishment?
I was fortunate during undergrad
to work as a research assistant
in the Department of Astronomy
under a very well-regarded
scientist in the field on a stellar
evolution project. Though I
graduated and began teaching
before the project was finished,
I was given a co-author credit
along with the rest of the team
on the first paper he published
about the project.
Do you have a favorite app or
tech gadget?
My Nintendo Switch.
Did you
have a
mentor growing
up who inspired your
career?
In college I had an advisor, Dr.
John Barentine, who showed me
that getting a Ph.D. was not the
only possible path for a science
major nor the only measure
of success. This allowed me
to really consider teaching as
a profession, and I am very
grateful for his guidance.
If you could travel back in
time, what period of history
would you choose?
Hmmm…probably 1968-1975.
The Apollo missions and some
of the best music ever made
happening simultaneously.
What do you most respect
about your colleagues?
Two things: their willingness to
help each other out at the drop
of a hat, and their intelligence.
What do you most respect
about your students?
Their curiosity and their
perseverance even when the
concepts get really tough.
Read any good books
recently?
Yes! I just finished The Fifth
Season by N.K. Jemisin, and
earlier this year I read Contact
by Carl Sagan for the first time.
Currently I’m reading The Dark
Forest by Cixin Liu and The End
of Everything (Astrophysically
Speaking) by Katie Mack.
If you could eat only one meal
this week, what would it be?
This is such a tough question…
probably fajitas from Ninfa’s,
which my wife and I get every
Friday night anyway. It’s a
tradition!
18

ALEX BRUTON
Spanish Teacher & Interim World Languages Chair
Alex Bruton was born and raised in Mexico City, and his
parents still live there. He attended “the other” Episcopal
High School in Alexandria, Virginia, before attending
Tulane University in New Orleans. His first job out
of college was teaching high school Spanish in
Pittsburgh where he met his wife, Anadeli, and
finished a master’s degree at the University
of Pittsburgh. Alex and Ana moved to
Houston in 1999 and Alex changed
careers and worked in advertising and
marketing for more than a decade. His
true calling, however, beckoned, and he
became a teacher once again. Alex has
three children, Brinley, Ana Cecilia, and
John (who is a Junior at EHS). This is Alex’s
fourth year at Episcopal.
What’s on your playlist?
I have a long playlist and it
depends on my mood...some
of my faves: Bomba Estereo,
Massive Attack, Grateful Dead,
Leonard Cohen, and Mexican
Institute of Sound.
What was the first concert you
attended?
I saw The Grateful Dead in
Washington, DC, in 1981.
If you weren’t a teacher, what
would you pick for a career?
I’d be a diplomat.
What is your proudest
accomplishment?
Raising three amazing children
(Brinley, Ceci, and John).
Do you have a favorite app or
tech gadget?
Several podcasts, including:
Slate Magazine Political
Gabfest, Freakonomics Radio,
the Moth, and Radio Ambulante.
New “smart TV”...first new TV in
10 years!
Did you have a
mentor growing up
who inspired your career?
Mr. Murray, my high school
Spanish teacher and Tom
Johnson, a colleague from
my first teaching job in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
If you could travel back in
time, what period of history
would you choose?
I would choose 13th-14th
century Spain, specifically
Córdoba, during the Muslim rule
of what is now southern Spain.
The city was one of the largest in
Europe at the time and was the
leading cultural and economic
center throughout Europe and
the Mediterranean.
What do you most respect
about your colleagues?
I respect their seriousness of
purpose and their commitment
to helping make EHS the best
place to learn for students.
What do you most respect
about your students?
I respect their energy, optimism,
and how so many find where
they can excel.
Read any good books
recently?
The Conquest of Mexico by
William Prescott.
If you could eat only one meal
this week, what would it be?
Anything from Fadi’s
Mediterranean Grill.
19

VIC KORMEIER:
FAITHFUL
SERVANT
Life Trustee and Endowment Chairman
Vic Kormeier’s Dedication to Episcopal
High School Spans 40 Years
Leader. Friend. Faithful Servant. Brilliant Mind. As Vic Kormeier retires from his position as president of the EHS Endowment,
which he has directed since 2000, the terms used to describe him are superlatives.
EHS Founder and Life Trustee Larry Neuhaus says, “Vic Kormeier is an all-star player on the Episcopal High School team. He
has served in numerous different roles over the last 40 years. He’s been a stellar member of the board of trustees, he was
executive chair from 1998-2000, he chaired two capital campaigns, was on the executive committee for years, and has served
as the president of the endowment fund, which grew from a very nominal amount to more than $48 million under his dedicated
leadership. Equally notable, Vic has been a loyal financial supporter of the School since its very early years when EHS was
navigating treacherous waters, and it was not at all secure.
“More important than all of these accomplishments,” Neuhaus adds, “Vic has been a voice of reason and quietly advised three
headmasters and numerous boards. Furthermore, he is a friend to all.”
The Episcopal High School Endowment Fund launched in 1984 with $200,000 donated by Houston philanthropists Jack Trotter
and Lee Jamail. At one point during a financial crisis in the ‘90s, the School had to borrow from the endowment, and the fund
was repaid in 2000. That year, with Kormeier’s guidance, the School actually got a re-start on the endowment.
An independent school’s endowment is a collection of hundreds of separate funds, set up through the generous charitable
gifts of donors. Endowed funds grow over time through a combination of donations and investment returns, and funds are
spent to both meet current needs and the needs of future generations. Most of these endowed funds are known as “restricted”
funds that can be spent only in specific situations or under certain conditions.
During the past 13 years, the growth of the EHS Endowment has been extraordinary, due to effective financial management
and generous donations. For example, in June 2007, the value of the endowment totaled $18.6 million. In June 2020, the value
was listed as $48 million, which includes $7 million in pledges.
Dedication and Determination
“Vic was determined to grow the endowment, protected it fiercely, and has been very successful in his goal,” says Founder and
Life Trustee Lynda Underwood. “He has been dedicated to Episcopal and its mission because he believes in the goodness of
20

Photos by Marc Nathan
21

Vic Kormeier shares a moment with family after receiving the Ned C. Becker Humanitarian
Award at Founders Day 2017. From left to right: Wife Lucy Kormeier, Vic Kormeier,
granddaughter Lucy Howley ’21, son-in-law Tom Howley, and daughter Elizabeth Howley.
the School. He leads by example and was a great chairman of the board. We are so fortunate that Vic has and continues to
share his talents and time to help grow Episcopal into the school it is today.”
Sukey Fenoglio, former Director of Advancement who worked with Kormeier throughout the late ‘90s and early 2000s, calls
Kormeier a faithful servant to EHS. “He never gave up on building the endowment to ensure the future of the school,” states
Fenoglio. “When the time was right, at a board retreat in 2005, he kicked off the endowment campaign that raised $14 million
in just a few years. Vic is a faithful friend and leader at EHS. Today the fruits of his labor are certainly evident.”
“He has been dedicated to Episcopal and its
mission because he believes in the goodness of the
School.” —Lynda Underwood
Kormeier and his wife, Lucy, have two adult children, Gus Kormeier and Elizabeth Howley. Gus graduated from EHS in
1992. Elizabeth’s daughter, Lucy Howley, is in the Class of 2021. Elizabeth Howley explains that her father’s volunteerism at
Episcopal High School began at the request of Bishop Maurice Benitez, late head of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, who
heard of Kormeier’s reputation as a skilled lawyer, accountant, and volunteer at St. John the Divine Church. Howley says that
her parents became active members of St. John’s after they moved to Houston in 1968.
22

“Dad was initially asked by Bishop Benitez to help with the start of Episcopal High School in the early ‘80s. Dad had been on
the board at St. John’s School and was instrumental in the acquisition of some land for campus expansion. He was also very
active in the vestry of St. John the Divine Episcopal Church. Bishop Benitez knew Dad had financial acumen and a generous
heart. When my brother, Gus, went to EHS, Dad became involved on the board at the School. One of the first things that Dad
did was to incorporate the endowment. This allowed for the separation of the two entities—school and endowment.”
One Foot in Front of the Other
Howley describes her father’s leadership style as organized, passionate, persistent, and determined. “It’s truly amazing that
the endowment went from $200 thousand in 2000 to now $48 million! Many gifts and good investment decisions led to this
strong position. Now, the endowment is able to provide three percent of its income annually to the operating budget of the
school,” she adds.
When Vic Kormeier reflects on his decades of effort leading the EHS endowment, he says modestly, “I just put one foot in front
of the other for 20-plus years.” In 2020, Kormeier passes the mantle of leadership to Randa Duncan Williams, the endowment’s
new president. “I’m grateful to have been able to serve EHS in this capacity,” declares Kormeier. “I made wonderful friends
over the years and have the satisfaction of helping to increase the School’s financial stability. I am incredibly fond of EHS and
proud of all the good work that is going on at the school today.”
—Claire C. Fletcher
With admiration and appreciation, Head of School Ned Smith presents the Ned
C. Becker Humanitarian Award to Vic Kormeier three years ago.
23

MOMENTS
Applying skills learned in her Alternative Photo
Processes class last year, River Reinertsen-Forehand ’21
shot this award-winning image while on vacation
at Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Island, Georgia.

25

Bright Knights
VERSATILE TWINS’ JOURNEY
LEADS THEM TO HOWARD
Bria and Cimone Woodard ’21
Over the summer in the midst of the Black Lives Matter movement, Cimone and Bria Woodard ’21 began to rethink their
commitment to play volleyball at Texas A&M in favor of renowned HBCU (historically Black college and university) Howard
University. Attending HBCUs have a long history in the Woodard family. Four generations of their family are HBCU graduates.
“We started hearing our family’s experiences of going to an HBCU, how different it is, and how it helped shape the people they
became. Everyone in our family went to an HBCU,” Cimone explains.
Howard began recruiting Cimone and Bria in middle school and their mother made her daughters learn more. “We always had
a good relationship with the Howard coaches, but there’s always been a big emphasis on a Power Five school since the eighth
grade. The bigger the better was what everyone always said. And we thought since A&M was close, our family could come see
our games. We knew we wanted to stay together,” Bria explains.
“It was my idea to go to Howard,” adds Cimone. “In mid-July, I became obsessed. But it wasn’t a small decision. Opening our
recruiting process would have gotten crazy, and HBCUs have become a touchy subject for everyone. More athletes were
starting to go there. We’re popular as recruits because you get two of us at once. Howard was really flexible and said it was an
open offer, here for us, whenever we were ready. Finally, Bria and I started talking about opening up the conversation,” Cimone
says.
Bria and Cimone didn’t take the decision lightly, as they take all their commitments seriously. Bria recalls, “Cimone did a lot of
research, and we had a conversation about everything. Once we realized we wanted to pursue it, we had a virtual visit with the
Howard coach then talked to the A&M coach. I realized I wanted to be in a campus environment with people more like me. I’ve
never had that before, and I’ll never get it again.”
Bria came on board and realized that Howard, as a smaller school, would be more fitting for her. “So many of our friends in
Jack and Jill go to HBCUs,” she says. “We’ll get to compare our experiences on a completely different level. We realized that
Howard could offer the kind of experience that A&M never could.” Jack and Jill is an African American organization started by a
group of mothers who wanted to have their children connect and develop culturally, socially, and educationally.
Cimone and Bria’s recruiting process started in middle school. They received their first college interest letter at the end of the
seventh grade, and it exploded from there. Cimone started playing volleyball a year before Bria. They were dancers when they
were younger, but their father wanted them to play a sport where it would be an advantage to be tall. “In the fourth grade, the
doctor knew we’d be over six feet tall. And that’s how we began volleyball,” says Bria.
Their talent goes beyond the volleyball court and into the classroom, and academics are no less competitive. “Our parents
aren’t super uptight about grades,” Bria says, “as long as we’re learning. We compete against each other, though.” Cimone
always wants to get the best grade she can, and Bria is a ready-made motivator for her to do well. Both these honor roll
students take a full load of AP courses, are members of the National Honor Society, lead student groups—DIA and Honor
Council—and actively participate in the Arts Pillar.
In the sixth grade, Cimone, a member of the EHS Orchestra, started playing the cello. “I always thought the cello was really
pretty,” Cimone says. “I wanted to play an instrument that was taller than I was! I thought the bass was so ugly, and I didn’t
want to stand up for an entire concert.” Bria has enjoyed experimenting with all kinds of extracurriculars and is dancing again in
EHS’s Repertory Dance Group.
Bria and Cimone often finish each other’s sentences and talk for each other, but they aren’t similar in every way. “Cici is more
bubbly,” Bria says. “Bria is so serious,” Cimone adds. They both nod and respond in unison, “But we’re definitely sisters!”
26
—Emma Kate Tsai

27

28

ENGINEERING GENIUS
ONE PILLAR AT A TIME
Brendan Massaro ’21
Bright Knights
It is not often that a student at Episcopal High School can say they helped develop an app, but that certainly is the case for
senior Brendan Massaro ’21. Massaro’s knack for computer science and engineering has led him to contribute further to the
development of KnightTime, an app designed to update daily class time schedules for students and faculty.
Alan Duncan initially created KnightTime in 2012. Later in 2016, the app was redesigned to make it more customizable and
consistent with the EHS regular schedule by former EHS students Devin Gohel ’16 and Nihaal Manesia ’16. Though the app
was fully functional, it needed adjustments.
In spring 2020, Massaro first took an interest in the app while in AP Computer Science and wanted to improve the design, add
functionality, and create an increased purpose for the app. “My natural response to the app was, ‘Hey, this is something I can
fix,’ so I got access to the code from Mr. Duncan,” says Massaro.
Since taking on the app, Massaro has enhanced the user experience by adding a dark mode option, creating a widget
feature, and allowing customized schedule naming. With the app’s need to work dynamically by updating virtual and in-person
schedules, Massaro is currently working on an administrator interface so that EHS administrators can enter and edit schedule
information throughout the week. While the process has had its highs and lows, Massaro takes it in stride. “I enjoy when things
work together and seeing my creations work,” Massaro adds. “I like the challenge of it.”
Developing an app comes with challenges, successes, and at times, failure, but through it all, Massaro keeps his focus and
takes challenges head-on. “Brendan is motivated by the love of complexity, and he learns from his mistakes, if you want to call
them that,” says Mr. Duncan. “In the process of science, it requires iteration after iteration and sometimes failure, but Brendan
sees it as an opportunity to learn and get better.”
Besides Massaro’s passion for computer science, he has also taken a liking to photography. During his sophomore year,
Massaro enrolled in photography to satisfy a course credit requirement and eventually realized it was something he loved.
“When I first started getting into it, the mechanical side of photography clicked with me,” says Massaro. “It awakened an artistic
side of me that I never knew I had.”
Massaro has also helped with theatre stagecraft on campus. Starting out as a volunteer, he would spend his weekends and
after-school time building stage sets because he yearned to learn woodworking. “Most Saturdays, I would come home covered
in sawdust,” says Massaro. One of the most notable productions Massaro assisted in running projections and building the set
for was the spring 2019 production of “Fiddler on the Roof.” Whether photography or stagecraft, Massaro acknowledges that
his involvement with the arts has always had a technical and engineering flair to it. “At Episcopal, I have been able to let my
academic and engineering interests open up my involvement with other artistic fields.”
Aside from his personal development under the Academics and Arts pillars, Massaro admits that it is the deep connections
with his teachers that have made his tenure at Episcopal the most enjoyable, citing Japheth Storlie, Paul Revaz, John Flanagan,
Kayla Rogers, and Alan Duncan as those who have made a positive impact. “I love having strong relationships with my
teachers,” Massaro explains. “I will talk with my teachers about things that go beyond the curriculum, and they are actively
engaged in the conversation with me.”
Next year, he hopes to study at a college with a strong computer science or aerospace engineering program, such as the
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Colorado School of Mines, or California Polytechnic State University.
—Lauren West
The completed and updated version of KnightTime is expected to be available for students to download for free from the Apple App Store by the
beginning of the spring 2021 semester.
29

LESSONS FOR
COVID TIMES
Teachers and Students Weigh In
Courtney Lindloff
Student Activities Director &
English Teacher
“During this time, many lessons came to light, but the primary takeaway
about checking in on the well-being on others.”
has been the reminder to slow down and be
present in the moment. Pre-COVID,
I worried about what was next
on my to-do list or the next
assignment my students
would complete without
fully embracing what was
currently happening. As
a result, the pacing of
my class has shifted to
invite more opportunities
for authentic and organic
discussions, the assignments
sway a bit more creative and
reflective, and offer more academic
choice, and each day is met with the reminder
30

John Bruton ’22
“My experience through quarantine and these life-changing months has
been a period in which I learned key life skills. For
one, learning to relax and meditate when life
around me appears to fall apart at the seams
or overwhelm me, has been extremely
helpful. Additionally, I have learned never
to take anything for granted, because
something that seemed normal a couple
of days ago can disappear quickly—and
so the lesson of impermanence has also
stuck with me through this quarantine time.”
Alan Duncan
Computer Science Teacher
“I feel like the coronavirus era has evened the
playing field. Students have become more
independent. Before COVID, the lessons
learned in the classroom were from
the curriculum. It was more about the
content than the personal development.
Now students are strengthening their
interpersonal skills. They are having to find
their inspiration, connections, and resources
on their own.”
31

Quon Marion ’21
Student Body President
“The COVID-19 months haven’t been the best time, but I wouldn’t say
they’ve been the worst time of my life. I’ve learned both positive and
negative lessons during the pandemic. One quality I’ve tried to develop
is patience. My nature is to rush everything. I need to take time and get
more focused—whether it’s classes, family time, talks with friends—rather
than just speed through things. By trying to live in the moment, I better
understand that as humans the most valuable
thing we have is our time.
Because of the downtime during
this pandemic, I’ve spent hours
learning about myself, weighing
my strengths and weaknesses,
thinking about my responsibilities
to family and friends, or even just
figuring out what I do and don’t like.
Better understanding myself gives me a
clearer picture of my future.
I’ve also taken up the practice of meditation and had one-to-one
conversations with people I’m super-close to. Self-reflection is something I
needed, and I am grateful to have found the time this year.”
32

Kaia Athenais Chambers ’22
“As the pandemic grew worse and worse, I realized more and more people
stopped caring about others and instead reverted back to their lives prior
to the pandemic—lives with no masks or social
distancing. This made me view the
world with a different lens than I
used to. Previously, I believed
that people were inherently
selfless creatures, and
humans were innately a
communal species that
would thrive working
together, but I think
my view of humanity,
specifically in the United
States, has changed. I now
think that the culture in which
we are brought up in heavily affects
to what extent we will go out of our way to care
about others. This really made me examine my own behavior and ask what I
can do better to help other people and how I can be more selfless.”
33

Alumni Spotlight
KARA-LEE
POOL, M.D., ‘99
Creating a Legacy of Care
Kara-Lee Pool, M.D., is a breast and pediatric radiologist
based in Los Angeles. From an early age she knew she
wanted to be a physician, like her father. When asked if
Episcopal played a role in her decision to become a doctor,
Dr. Pool says, “What EHS solidified was the importance of
hard work, humanism, and creativity. That was instilled in me
through the Four Pillars (and my parents!). I was a competitive
tennis player and pianist in high school, and EHS always
supported those endeavors. The Four Pillars nurture the exact
characteristics needed to become a motivated physician,
scientist, and clinician educator.”
Thinking about teachers who impacted her journey, she
answers that “the ones who challenged my classmates and
me are the most memorable. Mr. John Flanagan was and still
is an amazing teacher. And Dean Colello was always on my
back when I was not following the rules—those stories will stay
between us! Let’s just say, he knew my goals were mighty and
reminded me of that when I tried to push the boundaries of
right and wrong.”
Dr. Pool’s research and publications, community initiatives, and
program building are focused on global health and education.
“My family emigrated from South Africa in the 1980s in order
for my sister and I to be raised outside of Apartheid. We would
return often to visit family, and I knew early on that I wanted to
give back to the country of my family’s past,” says Dr. Pool.
one of the first formalized four-year global health curricula for
radiology residents at UCLA.
“What EHS solidified
was the importance of
hard work, humanism,
and creativity.”
These extensive achievements have made her an invited
lecturer for the World Health Organization on the topics of
breast ultrasound and ultrasound of infectious diseases. She
is currently working with the Lancet Commission on Global
Diagnostics to elevate the level of diagnostic capacity in lowand
middle-income countries.
“Donating tangible items is one thing, but donating knowledge
and skills will last generations,” says Dr. Pool. “That is my
ultimate goal with my work: to donate as much knowledge so
that future physicians and health care workers in Africa and
around the globe can carry on and continue to provide highlevel
medical care.”
—Ashley Long
To that goal, she has created an ultrasound technique
with colleagues at the University of Cape Town to evaluate
mediastinal lymphadenopathy in children as a marker of
pulmonary tuberculosis, and her research in Malawi includes
training local clinicians in point-of-care ultrasound as a tool in
the diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. She produced
an award-winning documentary titled “Mountains of Hope”
about the challenges of HIV in Lesotho. She has conducted
collaborative projects with oncologic surgeons in South Africa
with the goal of implementing diagnostic breast ultrasound
to assist in triaging palpable breast masses. She published
collaborative projects with Infectious Disease specialists in
Brazil on imaging of Zika-infected patients. Dr. Pool created
34

Alumni Spotlight
35

36
Alumni Spotlight

Alumni Spotlight
CARLA
MOLINA ‘96
Balance Brings Joy to Career in Communications
For Carla Molina ’96, balance is crucial. Molina serves as Head
of U.S. Local Market External Communications for Bank of
America and was named “Top 40 under 40” in her industry by
PRWeek in 2016. She says that her time at Episcopal helped
instill a strong work ethic, diverse leadership skills, and the
desire to continuously strive for a life of symmetry.
“One of the lessons I most appreciate about EHS is the focus
on the Four Pillars and how that can really shape who you
can become as an individual and a leader,” Molina says. “That
really stuck with me. I played field hockey, soccer, and lacrosse
all four years in high school, and I think those team sports
helped develop me as a leader. My style of leadership is very
collaborative. I try to approach my team at work like a sports
team, to a certain extent. At the end of the day, we’re all
striving for the same goal: providing clarity as to what our goals
and objectives are, and how to divide and conquer across the
team to accomplish them.”
“One of the lessons I most appreciate
about EHS is the focus on the
Four Pillars and how that can
really shape who you can become
as an individual and a leader.”
In spite of her current success, Molina did not always possess
the confidence in her writing skills that she does today. She
recalls a class her junior year with Nancy Eisenberg as a
defining moment on her path. “Early on in high school, I
struggled in my English classes. I took a class with Ms.
Eisenberg on essay writing because I was so insecure about
my writing skills. That class helped me learn things about
myself and my abilities as a writer.”
Today, Molina leads communications for all 91 markets across
the United States for Bank of America, reaching 66 million U.S.
households. Speaking about the noble purpose of helping
consumers improve their financial lives, she says, “We bank
one out of every two households in this country. Just knowing
that people are seeing the messages we are posting and
reading information about us through major news outlets is
very meaningful to me.”
Like many, it’s not always easy for Molina to step away from
the demands of her job and invest more time in self-care. She
says in order to get the best of herself in certain areas, she
cannot stop developing the other aspects of her life.
“Making time for health and spiritual enrichment are very
important,” Molina emphasizes. “I love riding my Peloton and
joining group fitness classes. I also appreciate the power of
meditation and staying connected to my faith. Even if it’s just
a few minutes a day, meditation is scientifically proven to help
you be more effective.
“Balance and consistency are the key to everything,” she adds.
“You can work out really hard for one week, but long term it’s
not going to make a big difference. Consistency is key. Just
try to be better every day. Finding time for self-care feels like
a constant struggle, but overall a focus on balance leads to a
more rewarding life.”
—Ikechi “Chief”Achilefu ’03
2020-2021 Alumni Events
Carla Molina ’96 was among 55 alumni who joined us for
our Virtual Alumni Leadership Day on November 18.
K. Knox Nunnally ’97 addressed the community in Alumni
Chapel on November 16. Thanks to all who shared their
time, wisdom, and career journeys with the Class of 2021.
We are busy making plans for our spring reunions
and awards. Events will be held rain or shine, virtual
or in-person, the weekend of April 9-10, 2021.
Stay tuned for details. We hope you can join us!
37

The Last Word
MATH + COSTUME DESIGN
EQUALS DREAM CAREER
by Robin Bowman
I love theater. When I was in high school in Louisiana, I
performed in or crewed every production and served as the
president of the Thespian Club my senior year. I was even in
the chorus of two operas during my freshman year of college.
I originally majored in engineering at Louisiana State University
(LSU) and envisioned that I would work as a theater technician,
but after a summer internship at a theater shadowing their
sound engineer, I realized that it wasn’t a very stable lifestyle—
most theater techs move around a lot, going where the work is,
arranging contracts for individual productions. Very few have
salaried positions with benefits.
So, I shifted gears. I also love math, and thanks to a part-time
job in college at a tutoring center, I discovered that I love
teaching. I changed my major and headed in an entirely new
direction. Honestly, I thought I would never be involved in
the theater again, except maybe in community productions
as a hobby, someday in the future when I had the time—like
in retirement.
“Getting involved in
EHS Theatre is one of
the greatest joys of my
professional life. I love
having a creative outlet.”
During my senior year at LSU I was bedridden with the flu for a
week and binged four seasons of “Project Runway.” I thought
to myself, “That doesn’t look that hard!” I asked my parents
for a sewing machine for Christmas and taught myself to sew
by watching YouTube tutorials. I started designing clothes
for myself—it’s hard to find cute clothes that are schoolappropriate—but
mostly I use the skill for my uber-nerdy hobby
of cosplay, which is dressing up in costume to go to Comic-
Con, the comics culture conventions where fans masquerade
as superheroes and fantasy characters.
When I applied to the EHS Math Department two years ago,
Dean of Faculty Nguyet Pham asked me what additional
responsibility would interest me. I mentioned that I was
interested in theater. She put me in touch with Dean of Arts
Jay Berckley and Theatre Program Coordinator George Brock.
I explained to Jay and George that I knew how to sew, and
that I had a casual interest in costuming. They said that
the department had either been contracting a professional
costumer or asking for help from parent volunteers. There was
a real need for a consistent presence—someone who knew
the students, who could attend production meetings, and who
could make plans months in advance instead of scrambling the
week before technical runs. And that’s how I became the EHS
Onstage Costume Coordinator.
Getting involved in EHS Theatre is one of the greatest joys
of my professional life. I love having a creative outlet. I love
working with students on something they’re passionate about.
Theater kids are the best because they are devoted and
dedicated to their craft, and their zeal is contagious.
Collaborating with faculty and staff outside of the Math
Department and combing history books to research period
clothing and hair styles enriches my knowledge. I’m thrilled
by the challenge of ordering costumes and accessories,
documenting everything in volumes of spreadsheets. And
I’m ecstatic when I can provide actors a small costume
detail, such as a period piece of jewelry, that strengthens their
connection to a character and adds depth to the performance.
Episcopal High School helps students discover their inner
passions and lead lives of purpose. In my brief time here, I can
say that the School changes teachers’ lives, too.
—As told to Claire Fletcher
38

The Last Word
39

40 Class of 2021 students at the Senior Class Blessing and Pin Ceremony on the Jess Borg Baseball Field.

2020 ‐ 2021
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Chairman
The Rt. Rev. C. Andrew Doyle
Executive Chair
A. Haag Sherman
Frances Alexander, Henrietta K. Alexander, Shelley Torian Barineau, J. Craig Chandler, W. Craig Childers,
Jane Johnson Dabney, William A. Edens Sr., Emerson K. Hankamer Sr., Terri Havens, Andrew B. Hawthorn ’91, Thad Hill,
Richard A. Howell ’01, Elizabeth K. Howley, Jenna Junell, Alecia Lawyer, Clay Manley, Laurie N. Morian, William Randall,
Ned Smith, Trey Snider, The Very Rev. Barkley Thompson, John Weinzierl, James Whitehead ’94, Julius Young Jr.
Life Trustees
John F. Austin III, Edward C. Becker, The Rt. Rev. Maurice M. Benitez †, W. Craig Childers, Lacy Crain, The Rev. Laurens A. Hall,
Victor A. Kormeier Jr., Frederick R. McCord †, Laurence B. Neuhaus, The Rt. Rev. Claude E. Payne, Joel I. Shannon,
Lynda Knapp Underwood, The Rt. Rev. Don A. Wimberly
Executive Committee
J. Craig Chandler, W. Craig Childers, The Rt. Rev. C. Andrew Doyle, William F. Galtney Jr., Melinda Budinger Hildebrand,
Victor A. Kormeier Jr., Clay Manley, A. Haag Sherman, Ned Smith, Lynda Knapp Underwood, John Weinzierl,
James Whitehead ’94, Randa Duncan Williams, Julius Young Jr.
LEADERSHIP
Head of School
Ned Smith
Associate Head of School
Nancy Laufe Eisenberg
Principal
Kim Randolph
Director of Finance
and Operations
Evelyn Cambria
Director of Diversity,
Community, and Inclusion
Wayne Jones
Dean of Faculty
Nguyet Xuan Pham
Director of Advancement
Peggy Haney
Dean of Spiritual Life
The Rev. Beth Holden
Dean of Arts and
Innovation
Jay Berckley
Director of Athletics
Jason Grove
PILLARS MAGAZINE TEAM
Director of Communications
Claire Fletcher
Faculty Writer
Emma Kate Tsai
Photography & Graphic Design
Lauren West
Contributors
Ikechi “Chief”Achilefu ’03
Robin Bowman
Claire Fletcher
Mauro Gomez
Peggy Haney
Courtney Lindloff
Ashley Long
Emma Kate Tsai
Lauren West
41

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