The Steward School - Richmond, VA

News Archive- 2003-07

2006-2007

Art Gallery December Exhibition
In December the Paul R. Cramer Center for the Arts Art Gallery exhibited the metallic ceramic artwork of Sonja Stoeckli. Stoeckli is a Virginia artist who explains her work as follows: "I work with low fire clay. Most of my pieces are wheel thrown; some are slab built with added on hand building...After the first firing, the inside of my containers and vases are glazed while the outside is decorated with metallic oil/wax colors and acrylics. All of my pieces are one of a kind. Feelings, dreams and experiences are what take shape on the surface. I have always been fascinated by faces, their expressions, and emotions."

Art Gallery Exhibit: Crystal Pittman
This month's Cramer Center Gallery Exhibit, "Paintings and Portraits of Color," features the works of artist Crystal Pittman. October 8 - November 5. The Open Gallery was held on Wednesday, October 11.

Art Gallery February-March exhibit
“Artists’ Crossroads” is the current show in the Cramer Center Art Gallery. It includes several different artists from Crossroads Art Center here in Richmond. Open Gallery day was held on March 8th from 3-6 pm.

Artist Awer Bul at Steward
Awer Bul, a Sudanese refugee, will exhibit his paintings that depict his life in Sudan as he escaped the civil war and was given asylum in the United States. Through art, says Awer, now attending Virginia Commonwealth University as a fine arts and kinetic imaging student, he is able to speak in a universal language so the world can hear the story of the “Lost Boys of Sudan.” Awer’s art will be on display from February 7th until March 6th, 2007. There will be an open gallery on February 9th from 5-8, which will feature the unique opportunity to meet the artist and discuss his life story. The gallery will also be open on February 14 from 3-6 pm. Sales of his artwork are encouraged, and all proceeds will help buy art supplies for the refugee artists in the Ka kuma refugee camp. Students in the Steward School will also meet with Awer on February 9th in special assemblies designed to give children in grades 3-12 a glimpse at the artist’s amazing journey.

Artist-in-Residence Reception
Ann Cameron Seaton, our May 2006 Artist-in- Residence, will host a reception in the Paul R. Cramer Center for the Arts Gallery on September 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. On display are Surface Design Tapestries created by the Upper School students last May under her direction.

Coming Up: Prospective Kindergarten Parent Orientation
Want to find out more about Steward's Kindergarten program? Please join us for our Prospective Kindergarten Parent Orientation on Thursday, October 5, for the opportunity to learn what personal attention can mean to your child's education. Our informational program begins at 9:15 a.m. in the Lower School Dining Commons, with campus tours to follow. Call 565-2315 to reserve your place.

Don't Miss the Lower School Art Show
The Lower School proudly presents The Lower School Art Show. This wonderful exhibit will run April 17 to May 17, 2007. The Open Gallery/reception to honor the art students will be April 25, 2007 from 3-6 pm. Please join Mrs. Zinder and Mrs. Grissom on the 25th as they congratulate the artists on a job well done.

Fall Musical: This Weekend
Join us for our annual fall musical. This year's production, the musical-comedy All American, features 32 Steward students of all ages. Thurs.-Sat., 11/16-11/18 at 7 pm and Sun., 11/19 at 2 pm.

Headmaster Seward Receives Award
The Virginia chapter of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has awarded Headmaster Ken Seward with its annual Educator Award, thanks to his dedication to improving educational opportunities for area Latino youth through Steward's new Latino Education Advancement Program (LEAP). LEAP, which will be implemented this summer, will offer 20 rising eighth-grade Latino students a six-week intensive course of study in ESL, math, Spanish for native speakers, P.E., and technology. Designed to introduce Latino youth to the challenges and opportunities an independent school education can provide, LEAP will give students an educational edge no matter what school they attend in the future.

January Art Gallery Exhibit
Please join the artist, Adele Castillo, for the opening of her art exhibit, Domestic Partners, on Wednesday, January 18, from 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. in the Paul R. Cramer Center for the Arts Art Gallery. The artist explains the exhibit as follows. "The animals in our lives, including our pets, are often referred to as 'domestic animals.' Animals have always been tamed and bred for human purposes. Ironically, we are also a society that highly values our relationships with our pets. They live in our homes, sleep in our beds, and travel on vacation with us. Our pets have become our faithful companions, family members and partners. As an artist, I consider myself to be an interpreter rather than a creator. My goal is to capture what I see and feel, and pass along that moment to the viewer. I absolutely love color. I also adore the dogs that have found their way into our hearts and lives, so it seems natural to combine the two elements into my art. I use my own photo references, or client's photos. I often keep my camera nearby, but also must give credit to my sister who has a keen eye and sends me photos as well. Her family and her boxer Ocho are the subjects in many of my paintings, including 3 of the pieces in this show." Adele Castillo has a public studio in Art Works here in Richmond, in addition to having her commission pet portrait business in her studio at home. She was an elementary art teacher in the Va Beach area for 19 years and then began painting again as well as teaching privately.

Join Us at Our Admissions Open Houses
Please join us for our Open Houses and the opportunity to learn what personal attention can mean to your child's education. Our informational program begins at 9:00 a.m. in the Paul R. Cramer Center for the Arts, with campus tours to follow. Both you and your child are invited to attend. Lower School (K-5) is on Wednesday, November 15; Middle and Upper School (6-12) is on Monday, November 13. Call 565-2315 for more information and to RSVP.

Last Week of Art Exhibit
Painter and sculptor Robyn Ryan will have her works on display in the Cramer Center Gallery from November 7-December 21. Join us for our Open Galleries: November 15 at 3:00 and December 2 at 5:30.

Last week of the Art Gallery show!
Ann Cameron Seaton, May artist-in-residence, graduated with honors in both Art Education and Studio Art (with a concentration in painting and drawing) from James Madison University. She received the Art Education Major Award of the Year from JMU in 2005. Her oil paintings and surface-designed tapestries have been exhibited in the Zirkle House Gallery in Harrisonburg and her mural painting is a permanent part of the Harrisonburg Children's Museum, During her residency Ann Cameron Seaton taught Middle and Upper School students her own technique of surface-designed tapestries. The current exhibit, Natural Movement, consists of surface-designed tapestries created by the Upper School Art classes of The Steward School. The tapestries express the natural reactions of the media to bleaching. The process of bleaching on material is a technique with varied effects that results in pieces of natural décor. The students worked diligently to perfect the outcome of their procedures. The success of the artwork was based on natural factors such as the effect of heat and light on bleached material. The freedom and experimentation of this technique resulted in pieces of great abstraction and beauty. Come see them!

Middle/Upper School Talent Night
Friday evening, March 31, students in grades 6-12 will participate in our annual Talent Night. Please join us in the Cramer Center at 7 p.m.

Noted Author Wendy Mogel Comes to Campus
Dr. Mogel is the author of the best-selling parenting book, The Blessing of a Skinned Knee. In the trenches of a typical day, mothers and fathers now find it harder than ever to uphold their own parenting principles as they seek security in a society that is more and more dangerous, grace in a culture that thrives on competition, and gratitude in an age of increasing materialism. Dr. Mogel shows parents how to teach children to honor their parents and respect others, how to accept that their children are both ordinary and unique, and how to treasure the power and holiness of the present moment. Please join us on October 5 from 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. as Dr. Mogel discusses The Blessing of the Skinned Knee: Raising Self-Reliant and Optimistic Children in a Nervous World. Book signing opportunities will follow the program. (Dr. Mogel will also be speaking at St. Christopher’s School, in Scott Gymnasium, at 7:00 pm on October 5, 2006.)

October Artist in Residence
Steward was pleased to welcome painter Ed Trask to our campus for the month of October. He worked with students in all three divisions, creating two murals for the school. In addition, he has a show entitled "The Stories We Could Tell" on display in the art gallery from October 5 through November 15. A graduate of VCU, Trask has painted over 30 murals in Richmond and temporary murals all over the world. His work has been shown at local galleries, including Eric Shindler Gallery, 1708, Artspace, and Corporate and Museum Frame. His art has also been featured in magazines such as Juxtapose, Giant Robot, Stop Smiling, Style Weekly, Richmond Magazine, and 64. He comments, "I paint a symbolic portrait of themes dealing with preservation, spirituality, our social condition, morality, and loss of civility in a consumer-driven age. I choose imagery that sparks the imagination...[so the viewers] can come to their own conclusions of where they themselves stand..."

One-Act Plays
The One-Act Plays produced by the Grade 8 Theatre Class and the Upper School Acting Classes were presented on Thursday, March 30, at 7 p.m. in the Black Box Theatre in the Cramer Center.

Rain or Shine: It's Spartan Spirit Weekend!
Spartan Spirit Day is right around the corner. Saturday, October 28, 2006, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Parade starts at 10 a.m. There's also a costume contest, "Rocktoberfest" (featuring student and community musicians), our annual yard sale, games, prizes, food, and much more.

School Play This Weekend!
The Theatre Department invites you to enjoy its production, “Sarah, Plain & Tall,” this weekend, Thurs-Saturday, April 19-21, at 7 PM in the Cramer Center. This is a great example of a fun and family-friendly play. Students from all three divisions act and sing, as they tell the story of the romance of Jacob Witting of Kansas and Sarah Wheaton of Maine. Please come out to support the hard work of so many Steward students in the telling of this award-winning story. See you at the show!

Senior Photography Show
The senior photography project of Whitney Frost and M'Lissa Levitt will be on display in the Upper School Art Gallery during the first two weeks of April, followed by the Upper School Student Honors Photography Exhibit. Come enjoy both shows!

Spartan Golf Classic
The fourth annual Spartan Classic golf tournament will take place on Monday, October 2, at the Hollows Golf Club. Limited space is still available; please email Janet Rice at janet.rice@stewardschool.org to sign up or for more information.
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Spartans Celebrate Championship Wins!
Boys' and Girls' Cross Country won their VCC Championships, and Boys' Soccer won their VCC Championship as well. Girls' Field Hockey won the LIS Championship Game and played in the state ournament last weekend. The girls eventually lost to Fredericksburg Academy in double overtime, capping off a fantastic season. Great job, Spartans!

Steward Student Earns District Band Honors
Congratulations to Caleb Brown for earning a spot in the percussion section of the 2007 District One Band. The Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors’ Association's District One is composed of schools from the City of Richmond and the counties of Henrico, Hanover, Charles City, King & Queen, King William, and New Kent. Caleb competed against 56 other percussionists from across the district on snare drum, timpani, and xylophone to earn this distinction. Caleb’s accomplishment is significant for Steward’s music department. Steward students have been participating in District Chorus for many years, but this is the first time in the history of the four and a half year old instrumental music program that a Steward student has made any position in the District Band program.

Steward Students Participate in Jazz Festival
Steward will participate in the Second Annual Jazz Titans of Tomorrow Festival on the campus of Trinity Episcopal School on Saturday, April 21. The festival runs from 1 - 6:30 p.m. and will feature student bands from around Richmond, including Steward's jazz student combo, Chickweed. Trinity is located at 3850 Pittaway Drive, Richmond, 23235.

Steward Students Win Photography Honors
Steward photography student John-Walker Knight won both first and second place for the "Capture Maymont on Film" contest this year. Freshman Richard Kish won third place. John-Walker's and Richard's photographs were displayed at the Maymont Flower and Garden Show the weekend of February 23. Congratulations John-Walker! Steward had several photographers enter this year's contest, including also Hunter Meakin and Nick Shaw.

Steward Teacher in Arts Around the Lake
Please visit the University of Richmond Arts Around the Lake Fine Art Show and see 40 paintings created by second grade teacher Robin Ricketts. The show will be in the Robins Center on the U of R campus from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Sunday, September 17.

The Life of Paul Cramer
To find out more about the life and the many contributions of Mr. Cramer, please visit the following link: Paul R. Cramer, Sr.

Welcome New Faculty!
The new school year is here! Steward is pleased to welcome a talented and accomplished group of new faculty and staff members to our community. Take a moment to find out more about our newest additions to the Steward faculty and staff by clicking here.
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2005-2006

Bridging Cultures Through the Arts Exhibit
The Virginia Partners of the Americas and The Steward School will host an Art Exhibit beginning on May 24 and running through June 24 entitled “Bridging Cultures through the Arts." Marilene Cssagrande, one of the 10 artist from Santa Catarina, Brazil, who is exhibiting samples of her work, will be at the Steward School on May 15 and 16 presenting workshops showing her unique preparation and use of natural pigments and materials in her art expression. Artists from Virginia are also featured in this unique show. Steward teacher, Robin Ricketts, has 3 pieces featured in this exhibit. The workshops will be presented to students in each division here at Steward over the two day period. The public is invited to view the show on its opening night, May 24, 2006 from 3-8 PM in the Cramer Center Gallery. Refreshments will be provided and Music by Chickweed will be presented during the opening of this show. The gallery will also be open on June 9 from 6:00 PM until 9:00 PM and June 24 from 9-10:30 AM. The community is invited to view this impressive show that will soon be traveling to Brazil for a year of exhibition.

C-Span Student Cam Video Project
Congratulations to seniors Afton Bartlett and Brin Hill who were among the third prize winners in the national C-Span StudentCam video documentary project.
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Coach Keller's 500th Win
Congratulations to Coach Keller on his 500th career win!

February Artist in Residence
Sonja Stoeckli, our current Artist-in-Residence, is working with Lower and Middle School students on a mosaic tile creation which will be permanently installed in the art hall of the Cramer Center for the Arts. She is working with Upper School students on a sculpture which will be permanently displayed in the Administration Building. She is an award-winning professional potter in the Richmond area and has exhibited her work in Virginia, Washington D.C., North Carolina, and Louisiana. Prior to her move to the United States, Sonja Stoeckli worked as a social worker in Switzerland, where she lived and worked with handicapped individuals ranging in age from 18 to 65. Due to her husband’s job transfer, she moved to the United States 19 years ago. She has worked at a number of jobs since her move here, many of which have involved the instruction of students in pottery. She has taught a wide range of ages from pre-school to adult. Her work for the last few years has been through the After-School Enrichment Program in the Chesterfield County Public School System, in addition to adult education classes in Chesterfield County and Richmond Pottery (a locally-owned private business). She also has experience teaching a variety of media, which includes the use of watercolor.

Janet Rice Honored
Congratulations to Athletic Director Janet Rice who was recently named Independent Schools Athletic Director of the Year for 2005-6 by the Virginia Athletic Administrators Association.

January 5 Alumni Panel
On January 5 a group of Steward alums discussed their college experiences with the junior and senior students and parents. Thanks to the following alums for participating: Boo Deacon (Clemson), Evan Lyne (VMI), Jessica Powell (Roanoke), Carrie Ryan (Virginia Tech), and Alison Strickland (James Madison). To no one's surprise, their overarching recommendations were that students begin the college application process early (e.g., in the summer before grade 12) so that their senior year is less stressful and that students practice time management skills in high school in order to assist them in having a successful freshman year.

Joseph Lekuton's Campus Visit
Joseph Lekuton, author of Facing the Lion, spent Monday, November 28th conducting mini-workshops with the 8th through 12th graders. Mr. Lekuton began his life as a nomadic boy in Kenya and grew to become a Maasai warrior. Joseph stated that his goal is to help the nomadic peoples of Kenya preserve their languages, their cultures, and their traditions. He traveled across the world to earn a degree from St. Lawrence University and a Master’s degree from Harvard. Mr. Lekuton now teaches in northern Virginia. He was recently featured on NBC Nightly News in a Making a Difference segment.He has also been recognized by National Geographic as one of six people that have made a difference in the world. Mr. Lekuton has invited Steward students to accompany him on a community service trip to Africa in the summer of 2006 and plans are underway.

Minds in Motion
Minds in Motion is a dance program designed for fourth graders. Participants come from both public and independent schools throughout the metropolitan area. Each Wednesday we will divide the children by gender and they meet with Brett Bonda, Education Director of the Richmond Ballet, and his piano accompanist for 90 minutes. Dance skills are taught along with the study of important historical events through interpretive movement. This connection enables us to further link our curriculum to the arts. A culminating production involving all sixteen schools will be held in May at the Arthur Ashe Center

Note-oriety Performs at Steward
Note-oriety, an a cappella group from James Madison University, featuring Allison Strickland, Steward Class of ’03, performed in two assemblies on February 10 for grades K-5 and 6-12. Note-oriety’s mission is to promote a cappella musical performance among females and to uphold an appreciation of music at JMU. The group is composed of 18 women.

Steward Senior in Barksdale Production of Grease
Rising Senior, Dabney Broaddus will perform in The Barksdale/Theatre IV high school, "all-star" production of Grease. You can catch her from July 21 - 30 at Steward's Paul R. Cramer Center for the Arts. Go to www.barksdalerichmond.org for times and ticket information.

The Steward School Announces New Scholarship
The Steward School is pleased to announce the inception of a new scholarship at The Steward School, The Spartan Spirit Scholarship. This scholarship has been established by Steward parents, Elizabeth and Michael Fraizer, to recognize an Upper School student who embodies the very best qualities of a Steward student. If selected, the recipient will be awarded a scholarship in the amount of a $6,000 tuition grant toward the recipient’s Steward School tuition (or college tuition, if the student is a senior).

Upper School Sculpture
On Thursday, May 4, a ceremony and reception were held in honor of the unveiling of "Life," the sculpture which has been created by our artist in residence, Sonja Stoeckli, and all of the Upper School art students. Come by the administration building to see the sculpture on display in the rotunda. Also visit the Cramer Center art hall where individual tiles created by students from the other divisions under the direction of Ms. Stoeckli are also on permanent display.

2004-2005

A Masque Ball at Dover Hall on April 16
The Steward School Parents' Association presents a Masque Ball at Dover Hall on Saturday, April 16, 2005. Click here for a sneak peek of the Auction brochure.

African Art and Artifacts
The current exhibit in the Cramer Center's gallery is African art and artifacts. The items are generously on loan from the private collections of both Patricia and Dewey Brown and Gregory and Amy Benedetti.

The Brown's collection started when their best friends, David and Sue Benedetti, left for Botswana in 1978. Annually, the Benedettiâ€™s sent gifts from Africa to their son Gregory and to the Brown family.

We hope these pieces will introduce you to this very diverse culture. Luckily, one does not have to travel to another country to explore the cultures of other lands. Through reading, talking with friends, listening to music and visiting museums and galleries such as this, the world is at ones fingertips.

Anne Sylvest's Works in Art Gallery
The Steward School Paul R. Cramer Center for the Arts is pleased to present the works of Anne Sylvest. The exhibit will be on display through the end of February.

Katie Perkins Named to Times-Dispatch's All Metro Team
Senior Katie Perkins was named to the Richmond Times-Dispatch's All Metro Team for field hockey. Times-Dispatch sportswriters select the best public and independent school players in the Richmond metropolitan area. Katie is the goalie and has played for Steward's Varsity Field Hockey team for five years.

Katie Perkins Named to VIS Field Hockey All-State Team
Steward's senior goalkeeper was named to the 2004 Field Hockey All-State Team. Only one team is chosen from all of the divisions that participate. Twelve players were selected from all independent schools in the state of Virginia.

Lower School Art Show
The Cramer Center Art Gallery will display the works of Lower School students during the month of May.

Spartan Dance Team wins Regional Competition
The Spartan Dance Team competed in the Eastern Dance Assocaitions Regionals on January 8, 2005 at the Arthur Ashe Center. The girls won the Senior Funk/Hip Hop Division. With this win, the team qualified for the National Competition in Mrytle Beach in April.

Spartan Spirit Day is Saturday, October 16, 2004
Don’t forget! Spartan Spirit Day is Saturday, October 16. Bring your family and enjoy a fun-filled day of carnival games, music, athletic events and shopping at the vendor bazaar.

8:00 AM
1 Mile Fun Run & 5K Run
Breakfast, Doughnuts and Coffee

9:00 AM
Vendor Bazaar Opens (Multi Purpose Gym)
Carnival Games and Activities Begin

10:00 AM
Soccer Game (Field)
Field Hockey Game (Field)
Volleyball Game (Varsity Gym)

11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Lunch (Multi Purpose Gym)

1:00 PM
Homecoming Parade

2:00 PM
“Diving for Spoons” (9th Graders’ Band)

2:30 PM
Event Over For questions, please contact Tayna Olen at 282-2709.

Steward Appoints New Headmaster
The Steward School Board of Trustees appointed Kenneth H. Seward as the school’s next Headmaster commencing with the 2004-2005 year. The Search Committee, chaired by Marion Chenault, unanimously recommended Mr. Seward to the Board following an extensive search. Mr. Seward comes to Steward with extraordinary qualifications and presently serves as the Head of School at The Roeper School in Michigan. Click Here for the Chairman of the Board of Trustees’s letter announcing the appointment of Mr. Seward.

Steward Receives $1 Million Donation
The Steward School has received a $1 million donation from an anonymous donor for the Major Gift Initiative, bringing the current amount raised to $2,600,000. The donor was motivated to provide this leading gift because of the School’s steadfast resolve to adhere to its historical mission. This gift elevates us to 52% of the goal, which enables us to enter the public phase of this initiative. To reach the goal by June 20, 2005, the remaining funds will be raised primarily from Steward families, past and present, who appreciate the experiences their children have received. Click here to read the press release about this gift.

Steward Student Named Head Page
Steward student, Beth Howard, was named Head Page for the House of Delegates 2005 session by the Speaker of the House. As head page, her responsibilities included assigning pages to different tasks including answering phones, helping the delegates with billbooks and running errands for the delegates. She also helped train new pages and enforce the rules for all of the pages. After a long day on the House floor, Beth would start on her schoolwork. Congratulations to Beth for achieving this honor!

Steward Student Qualifies for NCSA Junior National Meet
Tyler Harris competed in the Tom Dolan Invitational Swim Meet at George Mason University from December 9-12. He achieved four Junior National cuts during the meet in the following events: 1000 yard Freestyle, 1650 yard Freestyle, 400 yard IM, and 200 yard Breastroke. Tyler is now qualified to attend the NCSA Junior Nationals Meet to be held in March.

Steward Students Earn Advanced Placement Honors
Current students, Nathan Jamerson and Rachael Meyers, as well as graduates, Hilary Beck and Matt Gallo were honored as Advanced Placement Scholars. To earn this honor, each student earned a score of 3 or higher on three or more AP exams. Graduate Sarah Lunsford was honored as an Advanced Placement scholar with Honors as she earned an average score of 3.25 or higher on all AP exams taken and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. Congratulations to our Steward Scholars!

Steward Teacher receives an award for Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Technology.
The University of Richmond's Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology presented Mr. John Alley with an award for excellence. Mr. Alley teaches Graphic Arts and Photography at The Steward School. He has been teaching photography since he joined the faculty in 1998. And, following the opening of the Cramer Center in 2002, Mr. Alley started teaching Graphic Arts in a computer lab that he designed.

The Medium is the Message
The Steward School Honors Photography Show 2005
The Art Gallery is currently featuring an exhibit of exemplary student work produced in Steward’s Upper School Photography Classes. Alternative media is the theme of the show, as students were challenged to experiment with the wide range of media and materials available today in traditional and digital photography. Processes displayed include inkjet on canvas, traditional silver gelatin prints, transparency film, inkjet on vinyl, and digital watercolor. Students were encouraged to select the medium most appropriate for the message and style of their individual images.

The Steward School Alumni Association Presents the 4th Annual Casino Night
Come out and have fun at this year's Casino Night. On October 16, from 6:30 to 11:30PM, play black jack, craps, poker, and roulette in the Cramer Center. Do not forget to enjoy the great food, open bar, door prizes, and the horse races. All are invited to bring friends and family members (age 21 or older) to participate. Tickets are $35 per person in advance and $45 at the door. For tickets, please e-mail Robin Bays at baysr@stewardschool.org or contact her at 740-3394 ext. 513.

The Steward School presents OLIVER!
OLIVER! is a musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel, Oliver Twist. This classic tale of an orphan opens on Thursday, April 21 at 7:00 PM at the Cramer Center theatre. Additional showings will be on Friday, April 22 at 7:00 PM; Saturday, April 23 at 7:00 PM; and Sunday, April 24 at 2:00 PM.

The Steward School Presents “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940”
“The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940” is a crazy whodunit about a group of eccentric theatre artists that get trapped in a mansion with a homicidal maniac in their midst, whose adventures will keep you guessing until the last minutes. The play opens on Thursday, February 10 at 7 p.m at the Cramer Center theatre. The play will have evening shows at 7 p.m. on Friday, February 11 and Saturday, February 12.

Varsity Boys' Basketball Wins VCC Tournament
The Varsity Boys' Basketball team defeated Tidewater Academy to take the VCC Championship on February 26, 2005.

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2003-2004

2004 Steward School Auction
The 2004 Steward School Parents’ Association Auction will be held on April 17, at Dover Hall in Goochland County, Virginia. The Auction is the programs. This year’s theme is “A Night at the School’s major fundraising event and the proceeds go directly toward enhancing the school’s academic Oscars,” and we are looking forward to a festive evening of camaraderie, delicious food, and entertainment.

The evening’s program is as follows:

6:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Silent Auction
8:30 p.m. Live Auction
9:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. The Coffee and Dessert Bar will be available

Click here to preview the Auction Brochure. *

*This application is in Adobe PDF format you must have the Adobe reader to open this document. You can obtain the free reader from www.adobe.com .

Adopt-A-Platoon
Ms. Harris' 6th grade advisory has adopted 2001 alumni Parke Smith's platoon stationed in Iraq. The advisory will be collecting items from May 17 to June 1. For more information, contact Ms. Harris at harrisb@stewardschool.org.

Here is a list of items Parke and his platoon requested:
Chewing gum
Toothpaste/toothbrushes
Non-melting candy
Boot powder
Beef Jerky
Energy foods/breakfast, granola bars
Canned chips
Deck of cards
Raisin/trail mix, nuts, dried fruit
Small-sized word/puzzle/joke books
Tea bags/sugar packets
Stationery/black ink pens
Sunday comics from newspapers
Magazines: sports, fitness, comics, Good Housekeeping, Redbook, LHJ,etc
Powdered, sugared drink mixes-Gatorade,Kool-Aid
Baby wipes, preferably in small packages
Waterless soap/ Antibacterial hand disinfectant gel, individual, not large bottles
Wool/cotton blend or 100% cotton socks- black are required, but they can wear white
Men’s size 10-13, Women’s size 6-10

Annual Production Brought Holiday Cheer
Our program this year is entitled “Where are You Christmas?” an original script by vocal instruction teacher Bonnie Anderson. The story takes place in a town called Stewardsville, U.S.A. Holly Hanger, roving reporter, is in search of the perfect town…one that cares for their own during the holiday season. She finds this in Stewardsville, though Mayor Kool-um admits that there are two people who are not loving and giving - Gustav and Griselda Grinch…the proprietors of the local orphanage. But on Christmas Day, the orphans awake to the greatest gift of all. The townspeople will adopt all of the orphans so that everyone will have a family for the holidays….and Holly Hanger will have her exclusive documentary! The production took place on December 18 at 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM.

Book Week . . . . November 17-21, 2003
The theme for this year’s National Book Week is "Free to Read," and each day during the week Lower School was celebrated with activities and special readers. The Lower School also collected books for the READ Center, an adult literacy program which helps adults in our community.

Coleman Kay Named Scholastic All-American
Senior Coleman Kay has been named to the United States Swimming 2003 National Scholastic All-American Men’s Team for combining academic and athletic success. Swimmers earn this honor by maintaining a 3.50 GPA while competing in individual events at specific national meets. This is the second year that Coleman has earned this honor and he is one of only 24 men recognized in Virginia; one of less than 300 recognized in the nation. Congratulations Coleman!

Crows Join Students in Middle School!
On Friday, April 30 2004, two crows trying to escape the warm weather joined Middle School students in the MS/US Dining Commons. Although their visit was brief, the crows entertained the students for several minutes. One even landed on the lectern, and Mr. Busse captured it (on film)!

Kung Fu Guru Wins Four Awards
Upper School student Cameron Taylor recently competed and won in the Wong National Kung Fu Tournament in Washington D.C. Cameron participated in four events, facing competitors from Massachusetts to Louisiana, and walked away a winner in each match. He placed first in Sparring, Open Hand Form and Two Man Set Open Hand Form (Ben Bone was Cameron’s teammate in the Two Man Set), and he placed second in Weapons Form. Congratulations Cameron!

Local Painter Featured in Cramer Center Art Gallery
An artist and teacher in the Richmond area since 1985, Marjorie Perrin’s latest exhibit is on display at the gallery in the Cramer Center. Her work has been shown at several galleries across the country including the Amos Eno Gallery in New York City, The Museum of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, the Portsmouth Museum in Portsmouth, Virginia and the Shockoe Bottom Arts Center, to name a few. A graduate of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, she has received several awards for her landscape painting in oil and figurative work in watercolor, as well as two fellowships. Her works will be on display until mid-October 2003.

Lower School Will Be Ready for K-5 Open House
Renovation of Dixon Hall will be completed in time for the Lower School’s K-5 Open House on Tuesday Sept. 2. The refurbished building will include 18 new classrooms, a new library, a Discovery Lab, new Dining Commons, and many other improvements. Lower School students and parents are invited to take a tour of the building and meet their teachers on September 2, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and classes for Lower School will begin the following day. For more information or if you have any questions, contact Linda Dunville at 565-2310.

Make Your Contribution By June 2004!
Help “Build a Legacy” and make an investment in our children’s future by supporting this year’s Annual Giving Campaign. Your donation to the Campaign provides an essential foundation for sustaining today’s students’ education. Gifts made to the Campaign help underwrite a portion of the School’s annual budget and are expended within the year they are contributed. These gifts are utilized to support necessary materials for the classroom, technology, extracurricular programs including arts and athletics and more. Making your gift is easy. To make a contribution to our children’s education or to learn more about the importance of giving, please visit the development section of this website or contact Danielle Cohen, Annual Giving and Alumni Affairs Coordinator 804-565-2319.

National Merit Scholarship Program
Congratulations to Hilary Beck and Sara Lunsford who have been named Commended Students in the 2004 National Merit Scholarship Program. Less than 3% of the 1.3 million test takers receive this honor in recognition of their outstanding academic promise. Congratulations Hilary and Sara!

New Families Picnic
The New Families Picnic was held at the Athletic Center from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 28. The picnic provided an opportunity for new families to meet the entire faculty and staff of the Steward School. Highlights of the evening included delicious food and a wonderful welcome by Headmaster Roger Coulombe.

Owens & Minor “Head Cheerleader” Visits Steward
Hugh F. Gouldthorpe Jr., Vice President of Quality and Communications at Owens & Minor, addressed The Steward School student body as part of the Convocation gathering on September 8. The author of I’ve Always Looked Up to Giraffes, Gouldthorpe’s speech discussed the habits of giraffes and lessons students could learn from the animal. He closed his speech by reading an excerpt from the popular book All I Ever Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. Known as the man with “Head Cheerleader” included on his business card, the VMI graduate has received numerous awards during his successful sales career, and is a board member for several local charities, including the YWCA, The Massey Cancer Center, United Way of Greater Richmond and others.

Senior Egg Hunt
On Wednesday, April 7th the Class of 2004 scurried around The Steward School’s campus in search of Easter Eggs as part of the second annual Senior Easter Egg Hunt. An event initiated last year by Lee Healey, Upper School Assistant, last year’s seniors had so much fun that it has now become an annual event.

This year, Mrs. Healey enlisted the help of some senior class parents, hiding more than 600 eggs around the school. Filled with candy and gift certificates, some of the eggs even had cash! Lawson Patton found the “Grand Egg,” which contained a $25 gift certificate to Regency or Stony Point Fashion Park and a $25 dollar gift certificate to TGI Friday’s. The second prize egg, found by Cole Johnson, contained a $25 gift certificate to Regency or Stony Point Fashion Park. Other eggs included gift certificates to Blockbuster, Best Buy, Chick-Fil-A, Regency or Stony Point Fashion Park, TGI Friday’s, Starbucks, and Regal Movie theaters were just a few of the many prizes hidden around the School’s campus. The hunt began right before lunch at the end of sixth period, and it was a sight to see the entire senior class searching the front lawn in a desperate hunt for eggs. Within minutes all of the eggs had been rounded up and it was time to check for prizes. This year’s Senior Easter Egg Hunt was a huge success and plans for next year’s hunt are already in the works.

Spartan Headed for Charleston
Next fall, the College of Charleston Cougars will add a Spartan to their team. Varsity Boys’ Basketball player Ben Brown was recruited to the College of Charleston and recently accepted. The Steward School Senior will join the team in the 2004-2005 school year, when he enters the school as a freshman. According to The Omni Sports Group, Ben will be playing a number of positions. Congratulations Ben!

Steward Hosts Alumni College Panel
On Tuesday, January 6, 2004 The Steward School Alumni Association hosted the annual Alumni College Panel. The program provided current juniors and seniors the opportunity to ask young alumni about their college experience. The panelists were chosen according to the year they graduated from Steward and the type of school they attend. The participants included Sarah Martenstein ’01, who is attending the College of Charleston and is majoring in exercise science; Lainey Ashker ’02, who attends the University of Virginia and is majoring in international business; Will Perkins ’01, who attends Hampden-Sydney College and is majoring in economics; Tim Zeidan ’03, who attends the University of Richmond and is majoring in International Affairs; and Kourtney Boughey ’03, who attends Virginia Commonwealth University and is majoring in mass communications.

Each alumnus answered questions from the audience including topics such as: academics and study habits, housing, arts and athletics, and college life in general. The panelists talked about the reality of college including topics such as time management, and having fun.

The majority of the students were very energetic about the whole meeting. They were eager to ask questions about the road that they will travel in the next few months. “I think that the meeting was a good opportunity for us as a senior class to ask former students, who are well adapted to college life, questions about some of our expectations of the college experience,” said Aaron Lonon ’04. This meeting was sponsored by the Alumni association and arranged by the Annual Giving & Alumni Affairs coordinator, Danielle Cohen. Ms. Cohen said, “The meeting served as a good opportunity for juniors and seniors to ask questions about what is to come after high school. It also gave students without older siblings the opportunity to better understand college life.”

Steward School Drama Department Winter Play
From Thursday February 5th to Saturday February 7th, The Steward School Drama department presented Scott McPherson’s Marvin’s Room, a story about death, aging parents, reconciliation, and the healing power of selfless love. "Marvin's Room" is a serious comedy about a family with long term illnesses and how they help each other overcome their obstacles. They main characters included: Christin Kirkly playing Bessie; Sammy George playing Bessie’s sister, Lee; Ryan Childress as Lee’s son, Hank; and Thomas Davis as Lee’s other son, Charlie. This production was directed by Steward's own, Mr. Smith.

Steward School Presented "My Antonia"
"My Antonia," the story of an immigrant family in the Mid-West at the turn of the century, opened on November 13 at 7:00 p.m. in the Paul R. Cramer Center for the Arts. The play ran through Saturday, November 15.My Antonia is the story of an immigrant family coming to the American mid-west at the turn of the century. Based on the novel of the same name by Willa Cather, the play focuses on the struggles and triumphs of the characters as they adjust to a new way of life. The play spans the lives of characters Jim Burden and Antonia Shimerda, centering on the impact these characters have on one another. We see Jim and Antonia at three different ages: as children, the characters are played by second grader Bryce D’Surney and fifth grader Claire McKeown; as teenagers, sixth grader Thomas Davis and seventh grader Kelsea Pieters; and as adults junior Ryan Childress and senior Lindsey Leach.

Steward School’s Website Gets a New Look
The new and improved, redesigned Steward School Website is now operational. The new site combines Spartanet with information found on the former site, and adds features such as news updates, The Steward School Calendar, an e-commerce site for the Steward School store, interactive and more! Thank you to Webmaster Shahwar Qureshi for all of her hard work this summer!

Steward Student Wins Style Weekly Contest
Congratulations to Lindsey Leach for winning Style Weekly’s Second Annual “Put Me on the Cover” contest. Her entry was chosen from nearly a hundred submissions, and there were four runners-up and eight honorable mentions. In the article, writer Brandon Walters describes Lindsey as “ . . . that rare kind of teenager who comfortably makes being different cool.” Published August 20, the article describes Lindsey’s recent plans for a European vacation, application to college and hobbies she wishes to explore. Lindsey credited The Steward School for “cultivating an appreciation for different talents and encouraging them in her.” Visit www.styleweekly.com for the full-length article.

Steward Teacher and Alumni Parent Featured in Cramer Center Art Gallery
The latest exhibit in the Cramer Center art gallery features the beautiful watercolor paintings of Mrs. Robin Ricketts, second grade teacher at The Steward School and mother of Ted ’01 and Alex Benson ‘03. Inspired by her mother, Mrs. Ricketts began to paint with watercolors in 1996. Her paintings include a watercolor titled “The Party's Over. The Fun Begins”, which depicts Steward’s $15 million dollar gift during the 25th Anniversary Celebration in 2002. Please join Mrs. Ricketts in the gallery on Thursday, February 12, 2004 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. to see and discuss her work. The exhibit will be in the gallery through February 29th.

SunTrust Steward Student Art Show
A collection of art works from the Middle and Upper School students will be on display for the month of May at the SunTrust Bank Gallery downtown at 9th and Main Street. The display consists of approximately 300 paintings, drawings, sculpture, pottery, photographs and computer graphics. The collection will be on display until May 26.

The Pep Band Has Arrived!
For the first time in the school’s thirty-two year history, a pep band composed of Steward students performed at an athletic event. Directed by Steward’s Instrumental Music teacher, Mr. McAlister the band played from a 22-song repertoire. The band performed at several basketball games during the winter season. During their debut performance, the pep band led crowd in cheering Steward on a 76 to 51 win over #1 seed Tidewater.

The band includes both Middle and Upper School students. The fourteen Middle School students in the pep band are Eva van Tolingen, Aileen Giordano, MinhDat Tran, Patrick Murphy, Michael Brady, Kevin Buckler, Chris McKeown, Peter Howard, Caleb Brown, Micah Keller, Adam Smith, Patrick McKeown, Stewart Hargrove, and Alexander Tharp. In this talented group of young musicians are three flutes, two clarinets, two saxophones, two trumpets, two guitars, one bass, and three drums. There are also eight members of the Upper School in the band: Alex Lim, Ben Giglio, Clay Fulk, Riley Sistrunk, Austin Tanaka, Ian Roarty, Mary Warden Good, and Richard Wheeler. This group of Upper School musicians includes two violins, two clarinets, two saxophones, one bass, and one drum. When asked if the pep band would return next year, McAlister responded, “Without a doubt we will be back next year!”

The Steward School presents Dr. Elliot Engel.
The Steward School English Department and The Distinguished Guest Series proudly presented Dr. Elliot Engel on Monday, October 27. From 12:15 to 1:15 P.M., Dr. Engel entertained the Lower School students with stories about Mark Twain. In the afternoon, the Middle School students listened to Dr. Engel present "Edgar Allan Poe." Parents, faculty, staff, and friends heard Dr. Engel's fascinating lecture, "The Brilliant & Bizarre Brontes" at 7:00 P.M. With insight and humor, Dr. Engel explored the genius of these authors who produced some of the greatest works of literature. All performances took place in the auditorium of The Cramer Center.

Varsity Basketball Team Maintains Winning Streak
In June, Steward School’s Varsity Basketball team continued an impeccable winning streak, with a championship victory at North Carolina State University’s Team Camp Championship. There were 40 teams from Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina competing for the number one spot. Led by seniors Simon Bennett, Ben Brown, Jeremy Karmolinski and Ricky Martin, the Spartans finished the week as champions with a 9-0 record.

Whitney's Garden Relocates
On November 13, an intimate ceremony was held to recognize the new location of Whitney's Garden between Dixon Hall and the Administration/Library building. Created in memory of Whitney Haynes, a former Steward School student who died unexpectedly, the ceremony was held on her birthday. Her classmates, now in tenth grade, were in attendance, along with family and several members of the Steward School staff. Purple ribbons were used to decorate the area, as purple was Whitney's favorite color.

“Building A Legacy” Breaks $200,000!
The 2003-2004 Annual Giving Campaign, headed by Board of Trustee member and Annual Giving Campaign Chairman Kevin Strecker, officially kicked off on October 17, 2003. In its first four weeks, the campaign raised more than $92,000 thanks to the generosity of current and alumnae families, faculty, administration, staff, the governing boards and friends. Click here to see how your class is doing.

As we moved into the new year, the Campaign continued to flourish and achieved two significant benchmarks. The Steward School’s Board of Trustees became the first constituency group to reach 100% participation and, after a second successful phonathon during the last week of February, the Campaign broke the $200,000 mark raising $201,575.52 as of 3/ 1.

There is still a long road ahead, but together we can get there. The goal is $235,000 and 100% participation from current families, faculty, staff and the three governing boards. If you have not had the opportunity to make a gift or a pledge, please do so today. You may contribute to the Annual Giving Campaign via our website.

Thank you to everyone for your support and for helping to

“Build A Legacy” for our children’s future.

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