EHS Pillars - Fall 2017

Hildebrand Athletic Center • Hurricane Harvey • Alumni Leadership Day

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
National Association for College Admission Counseling
Texas Association for College Admission Counseling
Southwest Preparatory Conference
MISSION
Episcopal High School is an institution of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas established for the purpose of providing a superior
education in preparation for college and a significant life thereafter. Through a rich offering of academic, spiritual, artistic, and
athletic programs, the School provides an opportunity for each student to reach his or her maximum spiritual, intellectual,
social, and ethical potential. Operating as a Christian community within the beliefs and traditions of the Episcopal Church, EHS
in its teaching philosophy emphasizes understanding and responding to the individual needs and capabilities of each student.
In an effort to reflect the community we serve, EHS strives to maintain a student body that is diverse in its social, economic,
ethnic, and academic backgrounds.
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
Kendall McCord '03
kmccord@ehshouston.org
713‐512‐3478
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.
2

The Episcopal High School Magazine, Fall 2017

IN THIS ISSUE
From the Head of School 04
#KnightsStandOut 06
Bright Knights 10
Hildebrand Athletic Center 14
M.D. Knights 20
Alumni Leadership Day 22
EHS Responds to Hurricane Harvey 24
Pop Quiz 36
The Last Word 42
ON THE COVER
With the Hildebrand Athletic Center glowing with gameday
activity, cheerleaders and fans celebrate our Knights as they
kick off in Simmons Stadium. Photo by Mauro Gomez.

SAVE THE DATE
Auction Gala 02‐23‐18
Alumni Weekend 04‐06‐18
Commencement 05‐20‐18
Photo by Chris Bailey Photography.
3

FROM THE
HEAD OF SCHOOL
Dear EHS Family,
What a fall! When Bishop Andrew Doyle addressed the EHS community on Opening Day
on August 23, blessing our new Hildebrand Athletic Center, none of us knew that two
days later Harvey would make landfall, changing our lives forever. His words, recounted in
part on page 14, were prophetic, connecting the physical space of the new building, and
all that led to its creation, with the mission on which we were founded and through which
we live today: "Your work as faculty and students is to create the community that God
dreams about, and we believe it's possible in this space. A community that is different
and makes a difference."
What a difference we made in our community through the relief efforts in the days and
weeks after the storm, and what a difference we make today, standing out in service to
others in ways both large and small. Within this issue of Pillars, you'll witness numerous
examples of our care for each other—for those within our community and for those
outside—from assisting with evacuations to preparing meals, from volunteering with
demolitions to hosting 120 students from neighboring Post Oak School. In 2017, we
continue the strong tradition of EHS leadership and service stretching back to the
School's founding.
Our commitment to living our founders' vision inspired alumni doctors such as Amanda
Schultz '05 and John Eakin '02 to live lives of significance in service to others, just as
it inspires current students such as Gage Herrold '21. Of course, none of this would
be possible without our engaging and committed faculty and staff, seasoned pros like
Wayne Jones and Zach Schwarz as well as the newest generation, including Julius
Michael, whose autobiographical essay concludes this edition of Pillars. Julius' journey to
EHS is an inspiration; with such a faculty, it is no wonder that we continue today to inspire
our students' inner genius.
EHS is indeed a community that is different, significantly and intentionally so. Thank you
for being a part of this great effort, and Go Knights!
Ned Smith
Head of School
4

Head of School Ned Smith with seniors Christopher Short,
Lauren Apollo, Omar Denmon, and Isabella Ray.
5

# KNIGHTS STAND OUT
EHS Partners
with Baylor
Sports Medicine
SEED Program
Grows Strong
Communities
Student
Photographers Gain
National Exposure
Episcopal High School has partnered
with Baylor College of Medicine to
provide sports medicine services for
the Athletic Department. One of the
many perks of this new relationship is
making all of Baylor's medical services
available to EHS faculty and staff as well
as student‐athletes.
The comprehensive Sports Medicine
team specializes in treating surgical
and non‐surgical injuries, ankles, knees,
wrists, broken bones, as well as offering
preventative care, joint reconstruction,
physical therapy, and trauma.
"I could not be happier with our new
health partnership with the Baylor
College of Medicine," says Athletic
Director Jason Grove. "Our students,
faculty, and staff are receiving the
very best in orthopedic and general
healthcare, and our athletic trainers are
supported by the most qualified sports
medicine professionals in Houston."
Dr. Jason Ahuero, an orthopedic
surgeon, serves as the EHS team
doctor, attending football games,
conducting clinics at EHS every other
week in the afternoons, and visiting
the EHS athletic teams as his schedule
permits.
This year, EHS launches the SEED
Project, a peer‐led professional
development program that creates
conversational communities to drive
personal, organizational, and societal
change toward greater equity and
diversity. The program trains individuals
to facilitate ongoing seminars within
their own institutions and communities.
SEED leaders design their seminars
to include personal reflection and
testimony, listening to others' voices,
and learning experientially and
collectively. Through this methodology,
SEED equips participants to connect
their lives to one another and to society
at large by acknowledging systems of
oppression, power, and privilege.
Wayne Jones, 11th grade dean, varsity
basketball coach, and history teacher
has been named facilitator of the EHS
initiative.
Jones reports that the fall SEED
seminars have met great success.
"Over time," he says, "this program
will enhance relationships, ignite
conversations, and build an even
stronger, more inclusive culture
throughout the School."
The Media Arts department is proud to
announce that 13 EHS students and
one faculty member earned a total of 18
awards in the 2017 Association of Texas
Photography Instructors Fall Contest.
Sophomore Rohan Asthana won a
total of four awards: a second and
third place in the Beginning Landscape
category, an honorable mention
in Beginning Nature, and another
second place award in Beginning Time
Exposure. Junior Sydney Bosarge
took home two awards: one first place
and one honorable mention, both in the
Advanced Animal category. Visual Arts
Chair Kate Philbrick earned first place
in the Faculty Portfolio category.
ATPI sponsors an annual fall
photography competition for students
and teachers that includes a variety
of categories. This year, the ATPI
Fall Contest had 6,863 entries from
87 schools with 507 winners from
around Texas, California, Kansas, and
Oklahoma.
Students who earned awards from
this fall's contest include Robert
Mason and Cullen Stewart in
Advanced Landscape; Cara Kennedy
in Advanced Sports Action; Stockton
Shaffer in Advanced Sports Reaction;
Elliott Jones in Advanced Time
Exposure; Spencer Donley in
Advanced Travel; Shelby Thierry in
Beginning Fashion; Haley Simmons in
Beginning Informal Portrait; and Gwen
Rippeto in Beginning Travel. Miranda
Greenwalt and Holt Johnson won
awards in the Digitally Constructed
Single Image category. Entries in this
category have photographic elements
but have been constructed through the
use of computer software.
6

#KnightsStandOut
Founders Day Chapel: Crowd Applauds Vic Kormeier
for the Ned C. Becker Humanitarian Award
For the past four years, the Ned C. Becker Humanitarian Award has been presented at the annual Founders Day Chapel in
October. This year's honoree was Vic Kormeier, president of the EHS Endowment Fund.
The Humanitarian Award, named in honor of the School's second head of school, Ned Becker, states that it be "given to a
member of the EHS community for his or her significant contribution of leadership or service, which has improved or enriched
the lives of others. Furthermore, the outstanding accomplishments of this individual will have reflected admirably on and
brought honor to Episcopal High School."
Founding board member The Rev. Larry Hall delivered a heartfelt homily that noted the sequence of events leading to the
School's founding in 1983, and he also shared a few of the celebrated anecdotes about Bishop Benitez's legendary zeal and
the founders' can‐do spirit.
Head of School Ned Smith addressed the crowd of students, faculty, staff, and board of trustees to present the award to
Kormeier. Smith praised Kormeier's steady hand and added, "Vic's first board term started 27 years ago, and he has been
in service to the School ever since. In addition to chairing fundraising efforts, he served as the executive chair of the board of
trustees and currently serves as president of the endowment board. To this day, he actively attends meetings at EHS for the
executive committee, the endowment board, and the EHS Board of Trustees. He has never taken a break, and thank God for
that. As both a lawyer and a certified public accountant, Vic has used his skills to guide EHS through many lean years when the
goal was to keep the doors open. With our endowment fund now reaching $34 million, he can look back on a life's work well
done."
Kormeier and his wife, Lucy, have two children: one
daughter, Elizabeth, and one son, Gus, a member of
the EHS Class of 1992. They are also the proud
grandparents of Lucy, a member of the Class of
2021.
Head of School Ned Smith presents the
Humanitarian Award to Vic Kormeier.
Photo by Mauro Gomez.
7

# KNIGHTS STAND OUT
Weston Bering Stars
at All American
High School
Film Festival
Senior Weston Bering, one of
Episcopal High School's most
promising student filmmakers, brought
home the All American High School
Film Festival's award for Best Music
Choice Video Challenge in October. The
All American High School Film Festival
is ranked among the elite media arts
competitions in the United States. For
this year's competition, entrants were
asked to create their own music video
for Fall Out Boy's new song "Young and
Menace."
ETV sponsor Pejman Milani calls
Bering, who has created almost 100
videos/films in the past year, "one of the
most talented and tenacious students I
have taught at EHS."
EHS Athletes
Score Big with
Opportunities
For the second year in a row, the U.S.
Army All‐American Bowl selection
committee headed to Episcopal High
School to honor a Knight, and this year
the jersey went to wide receiver Jaylen
Waddle.
Waddle, citing past Houston‐area bowl
players that include former teammate
and current Stanford freshman Walker
Little '17, as well as NFL players
Andrew Luck and Adrian Peterson,
says, "This award means a lot to me. It
means so much to be mentioned in the
same sentence as these players."
Ranked as the Number 69 player in
the country as well as the Touchdown
Club's Private School Offensive Player
of the Year, Waddle has narrowed his
college choices down to a final six:
Alabama, Florida State, Oregon, TCU,
University of Texas, and Texas A&M.
The U.S. Army All‐American Bowl will
be played on Saturday, January 6, 2018,
at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
In October, five seniors signed
national letters of intent to compete in
intercollegiate athletics: Mylana Byrd
committed to play volleyball at Alabama,
Kansas Watts will play basketball at
Colorado State‐Pueblo, Sarah Venker
will play softball at Ball State, Antonio
Cruz will play baseball at Rice, and
Peter Geib will play baseball at the
University of Texas.
National Merit
Scholars Rank
Among the Best
Seniors Sophie Allan, Aidan Cook,
Avery Edwards, Parker Graves,
and Blake Ogle have qualified as
semifinalists in the 2018 National Merit
Scholarship Program. The nationwide
pool of semifinalists represents less
than 1 percent of U.S. high school
seniors and includes the highest
scoring entrants from the 2016 PSAT
in each state. As one of approximately
16,000 high school seniors who are
semifinalists, these students have
an opportunity to continue in the
competition for some 7,500 National
Merit Scholarships to be offered in the
spring.
In addition, seniors Cristina Wyatt,
Analia Salomon, and Alexis Aboulafia
scored in the top 2.5 percent among
Hispanic and Latino PSAT/NMSQT test
takers in our region on the 2016 PSAT
and were named National Hispanic
Scholars.
Seven seniors also qualified as
Commended Scholars: Alexis
Aboulafia, Ian Evans, Peter Geib,
Shane Hauser, Mary Helen Kennedy,
Eric Nagueh, and Analia Salomon.
Commended scholars scored in the
top 34,000 (top 5 percent) of 2016
PSAT test takers, and show exceptional
academic promise.
Geib was also named one of the Top
10 Players to Watch for in "Texas
High School Baseball Magazine." The
6'2" 3rd baseman has started on the
Episcopal High School varsity team
since his freshman year.
8

#KnightsStandOut
Fall Athletics Wrap‐Up: Girls Volleyball Triumphs
The Knights completed a banner season at the 2017 Fall SPC Championships in Fort Worth. Cross country, field hockey, and
girls and boys volleyball all qualified for the three‐day event featuring the top teams in the conference.
The highlight of the SPC tournament certainly was the girls volleyball team's title run. The Knights secured the #1 seed with
a 6‐0 record in the south zone and made quick work of St. Stephen's (3‐0) and Episcopal School Dallas (3‐0) in the first two
rounds. The Knights faced south zone foe Houston Christian in the championship match and dispatched the Mustangs 3‐1. The
SPC title marks the first for the girls volleyball program since 1998 and the ninth in program history. The Knights finished with an
overall record of 29‐6 and return a solid nucleus of players eager to defend their title. In December, Coach Amanda Watts was
named Texas Association of Volleyball Coaches SPC Coach of the Year.
Varsity football qualified for the SPC 4A championship game with an undefeated run through the conference regular season.
The Knights faced familiar rival Kinkaid at the University of Houston's TDECU Stadium and the atmosphere was electric! The
Knights jumped out to a quick 7‐0 lead on a 92‐yard run by senior sensation Jaylen Waddle, but the Falcons wrestled the lead
away late in the first half and defeated the Knights 38‐21.
The field hockey team earned the #4 seed in the SPC south zone behind solid play from our young and talented athletes. The
Knights played well in the SPC tournament, sandwiching a thrilling 2‐1 win over Oakridge between 1‐0 losses to Hockaday and
St. Andrew's. The team continues to make huge strides and finished the season with an overall record of 11‐8.
The boys volleyball team faced stiff competition throughout the tournament, dropping the opener to #1 seed Greenhill before
falling to south zone rivals St. Stephen's and Kinkaid. The Knights graduate one senior and look to make another run at the title
in 2018.
A major storyline throughout the fall season was the
excitement surrounding the girls and boys cross
country program. Coach Julius Michael and
his staff brought new energy to the program
and are excited to build the Knights into an
annual contender in the SPC. Both the girls
and boys runners improved throughout
the season and performed very well
at the SPC championship meet on
the challenging Fort Worth Sports
Performance Ranch course.
The cheerleading team had a
phenomenal fall season as they thrilled
audiences at halftimes and pep rallies
with their energy, enthusiasm, and
technical skill. EHS boasted three teams
and almost 60 participants in the program.
All three teams competed and dominated
the NCA Lone Star Classic at NRG Arena in
early November.
—Jason Grove, Director of Athletics
9

Bright Knights
MYLANA BYRD '18
Talent That Works
Mylana Byrd discovered volleyball through family. "Playing volleyball enticed me because my cousin
and mom played and loved it. I knew I would too." She started playing volleyball at 10 years old when
she tried out for her cousin's club team. The director of the club saw her potential, so he gladly took
her on. Even though Byrd was redshirted and participated primarily in practices, she didn't give up.
Fast‐forward four years to Byrd's volleyball career at EHS, a team for which she has started since
her freshman year of high school. The athletic accolades Byrd has earned while at Episcopal are
numerous and include Houston Chronicle's Athlete of the Week, a 2016 and 2017 Phenom Watch List
athlete, and a 2017 Under Armor All‐American Candidate. As Coach Watts describes her on the court,
"Mylana is one of our captains who not only plays quarterback when she's on the back row, but puts up
a wall on defense and is a huge offensive threat on the front row. She's anywhere we need her to be."
This year, her final year at EHS, Byrd helped bring home the SPC championship, which has not been
done in nearly 20 years.
After meeting and working with many cohorts of talented volleyball players, Byrd found her team in
2016—a group of girls who shared her commitment, love, and drive for a sport they hope to play in
college. For Byrd, that college will be the University of Alabama, which she committed to the summer
before her junior year. When she walked on the 'Bama campus, talked to the coach, and met the
players, she knew it would be her next home.
To Byrd, volleyball is more than a sport. It's family, fun, and her future. "I love the game because I thrive
on competition. My whole family does. Volleyball allows me to be successful and have fun. It gives my
life meaning and allows me to set goals I can achieve. My goal every day when I wake up is to better
myself so I will beat the person across the net." Byrd hopes to one day play for the Olympics.
On the court, Byrd embodies one of her favorite quotes, made famous by Kevin Durant when he was
named National College Basketball Player of the Year in 2007: "Hard work beats talent when talent
doesn't work hard." She applies this adage to every part of her life, including her work at EHS. "Mylana
not only dominates on the court, but she takes care of business in the classroom, earning Honor Roll
all four years she's been at EHS. She has exemplified what it means to be a student‐athlete," says
Coach Watts.
"EHS has taught me how to push myself in the classroom and on the court. Teachers really care about
their students and want them to succeed, and have fun while doing it."
10
—Emma Tsai

11

12

Bright Knights
VICTOR NETLAND '18
A Practice of Perseverance
Call it determination, courage, grit, or zeal. Victor Netland says, "The quality of 'not giving up' is the
most valuable takeaway from my time at EHS."
Whether he was pushing himself through a 5:45 a.m. cross country run, attending daily tutorials
for Honors Algebra II, or giving a speech for Student Council elections—when he disliked public
speaking—he challenged himself to persevere and try harder.
"I was a shy, quiet guy in middle school," he admits. "The supportive environment at EHS freed me to
loosen up a little and find my passions." During freshman year, when he heard about the Locks of Love
program, a nonprofit that makes hairpieces for children with hair loss, he decided to grow his thick hair
for two years, so that he could donate a 1‐foot‐long ponytail last spring.
After fellow students noticed his knack for finding the coolest vintage shirts and sportswear, he created
a cottage business selling quality items to his friends. On weekends, when he is not logging miles
for cross country, he's rummaging the racks at Value Village, Goodwill, or garage sales, searching for
the best deals. Sales boomed during the Houston Astros' run for the World Series pennant after he
located throwback shirts from the candy‐corn era to the black‐and‐burnt‐orange look of the Killer B's.
Netland says his business continues to flourish during the Rockets' season, and besides sports
brands, recent finds include vintage polos and a Tommy Hilfiger jacket.
Bob Matthews, Netland's advisor throughout high school, says, "Victor embodies the 'try anything'
attitude. He took a strenuous course load during junior year and embraced the challenges. I would ask
him if the course load was too much. Did he need to make some adjustments? He would say, 'No I
want to stick to it. I want to figure it out.' I remember his sense of accomplishment when he improved
an honors math grade from a D to a B. That was his goal—and he did it.
"Victor is not a student who's focused solely on GPA or the path to an award," sums up Matthews. "He
enjoys the journey of learning. On top of that, he is a good guy, and a great leader."
—Claire C. Fletcher
13

HILDEBRAND
ATHLETIC CENTER
OPENS DOORS,
INSPIRES
EXCELLENCE
Since the grand opening in August, the Hildebrand Athletic Center has become
the heart of activity at Episcopal High School and an inspiration for excellence and
achievement. As Bishop Doyle remarked in his 2017‐2018 Opening Day homily,
"We raise money and we build buildings on this campus, so that we may create a
particular kind of space, that we may build a particular kind of community, and a
particular kind of school that is significantly and intentionally different than the way
the rest of the world works. Board members and parents are responsible for the
work of funding and building this school. Your work as faculty and students is to
create the community that God dreams about, and we believe it's possible in this
space. A community that is different and makes a difference."
Your work as faculty and students is to create the
community that God dreams about, and we believe it's
possible in this space.
With 65,000‐square‐feet of space and plentiful natural light, the stunning
complex includes a 5,500‐square‐foot Alumni Center that offers panoramic
views of downtown and the Galleria area; a 7,000‐square‐foot weight room; a
4,000‐square‐foot wrestling and cheerleading room with surround sound; a film
room for study sessions and team meals; a 1,300‐square‐foot training room with
treatment tubs and physical therapy equipment; and a history gallery on the first
floor that features 70" monitors and multiple glass trophy shelves that celebrate
the School's strong tradition of championship teams.
On any given day, the first‐floor Alkek Gym accommodates a Chapel program
showcasing a dance concert, pep rallies, and a constant schedule of basketball
and volleyball games. The spacious third‐floor Alumni Center has quickly become
a hot spot for fundraisers, reunions, student council workshops, and in‐service
meetings for faculty and staff.
Whether for sports, academics, or social events, the Hildebrand Athletic Center is
a place where people can come together, forge bonds as a community, and create
opportunities for EHS students to realize their promise.
14

Hildebrand Athletic
Center Highlights
Top‐of‐the‐line machine weights, free weights, and cardiovascular
equipment fill the 7,000‐square‐foot fitness center.
Collegiate‐style locker rooms
with carpet and oversized
lockers
The Alkek Gym, with a Knighthead and the state of Texas outlined
at center court, showcases both school and state pride.
4,000‐square‐foot wrestling and
cheerleading space includes
a video monitor with instant
playback capabilities, eight
wrestling practice rings, and an
all‐purpose non‐slip floor
A third‐floor event space
featuring a 1,000‐square‐foot
terrace that overlooks Simmons
Stadium and Brown Field
1,300‐square‐foot training
room with seven treatment
stations and five hot and cold
treatment tubs
A cutting‐edge competition gym
with the capacity to seat 1,500
cheering fans
15

16
We raise money and we build buildings on this campus, so
that we may create a particular kind of space, that we may
build a particular kind of community, and a particular
kind of school that is significantly and intentionally
different than the way the rest of the world works.

Photo by Ashleigh Teel.
New Underwood Student
Center Coming Soon
57.5 miles of rebar in the
foundation
3,660 tons of concrete
throughout
500 seats
1 coffee bar
Opening Fall 2018
17

MOMENTS
The annual Challenger Football Game brings joy to the
gridiron and provides children with disabilities the opportunity
to play ball and experience team sports. Photo by Ashleigh Teel.

19

M.D. KNIGHTS
Two EHS grads discover a
satisfying life of challenges and
rewards in the field of medicine
AMANDA
SCHULTZ '05
Whole‐Hearted Care
As a family medicine practitioner, Amanda Schultz '05 is
that small town doctor in a big city who can handle common
ailments like the flu to life‐changing events like birth and
delivery. She feels privileged to serve others and be granted
such access into their personal lives, something Schultz sees
as a great honor.
What Schultz truly appreciates about her job is the unspoken
trust between doctor and patient that transcends the
boundaries of most professions. She takes pride in being
able to apply her knowledge to help improve the health of her
patients. Schultz has an up‐close and personal view of the
entire life span through her work as she sees patients in every
phase of life, from infancy to the sunset years.
EHS helped Schultz come into her own. Kim Randolph's
senior biology class made her consider entering medicine—
especially the day he brought freeze‐dried human lungs to
show the class. "I about fainted," she recalls. "I was disgusted
and fascinated all at the same time. I touched them, I studied
them, I held them up, and I overcame my initial horror. There
was something about touching those lungs that made
everything click for me. I was strangely drawn to them—I
wanted to know and see more of the human body that no
typical person gets to see, so I decided that day I was going
to be a doctor!"
A typical work day for Schultz begins at an outpatient Family
Health Center in downtown San Antonio. She sees patients
in the clinic four‐and‐a‐half days a week, but makes herself
available for any emergencies roughly seven days out of
the month. This means that if someone goes into labor or
needs to be admitted to the hospital, or one of her patients
in the hospital isn't doing well, she's the first one called to
help. Schultz also works for a family medicine residency with
deliveries and in the hospital.
"The rewards are
many, but the most rewarding experience in my job is being
the very first person to touch a baby you are delivering to
waiting parents. It's an adrenaline rush because, despite your
studies and practice, birth is never a completely controlled
process. Babies, moms, families, hospitals, equipment—all
of it can surprise you. And nothing compares to that point in
delivery that everyone has been waiting for and to see the
celebration in the arrival of a new person—for the family, of
course, but even for me."
Her day begins at 6:30 a.m. and by the time much of the
world begins to wake up, Schultz can be found reviewing
patient charts and her appointment schedule for the day.
These appointments vary from physical examinations to well
child check‐ups to prenatal appointments to procedures
(like toenail removals, joint injections, or skin lesion removals
and biopsies). With such variety in her hour‐to‐hour work,
Schultz has the opportunity to use a wide variety of tools and
problem‐solving skills for very important means—health and
well-being. From an education that focused on the whole
child to a job that focuses on the whole body and the whole
life, she feels thankful to do something so impactful to so
many.
"Few careers allow you to know others in such a way and
guide them through pivotal moments," Schultz explains,
"like the birth of a child, the remission of cancer, or the
recovery from a heart attack. It's fun, it's challenging, it's
heartbreaking, and it's incredibly satisfying. I provide care to
patients of every age, sex, and background. I use my whole
brain and whole heart every day."
—Emma Tsai
20

JOHN EAKIN '02
A Habit of Excellence
John Eakin '02 seeks environments that reinforce positive
habits and doing "good." From his days at Episcopal High
School to his recent tours as a flight surgeon in the U.S. Navy,
he is happiest when surrounded by people who are motivated
to achieve success through serving others.
"Early on at Episcopal, daily Chapel helped me keep priorities
balanced and recognize the values that are important in my
life. The service projects we did at EHS taught me the joy
of giving back," says Eakin. "Intellectually, I was challenged
by teachers like Nguyet Pham, Kim Randolph, Tom Wright,
Beverly Rutledge, and John Flanagan who made tough
subjects accessible and prepared me for a rigorous college
course load."
Early on at Episcopal, daily Chapel
helped me keep priorities balanced and
recognize the values that are important in
my life. Service projects taught me the joy
of giving back.
Eakin graduated in the top of his class at EHS and went
on to graduate with high honors from the biomedical
engineering program at the University of Texas at Austin. He
then attended Baylor College of Medicine on a Navy
scholarship, where he also graduated with high
honors. Since then, between tours of duty and
medical training, he has lived in California, Florida,
Hawaii, and Massachusetts and deployed twice
overseas.
Eakin's goal now is to match with an orthopedic surgery
residency in Houston so that he can live near family, including
his sister, Elizabeth, who attended EHS with the Class of
1998. The Texas Medical Center would give him access to
some of the most advanced medical facilities in the world as
well as dedicated surgeons and clinical researchers.
Wherever he lands, Eakin wants to maintain ties with the
military through the Navy Reserves. "The troops are such a
gratifying population to work for," he explains. "One patient I
remember well was an 18‐year‐old Marine infantryman who
was shot in the hand during live‐fire field exercises. When
I unwrapped his bandages I could see that he lost several
fingers and had a very severe injury. Yet this Marine sat there
stoically and told me how much he enjoyed being a Marine,
which I found incredibly selfless and courageous."
Eakin's experiences have also blessed him with great
leadership role models and wise rules to live by. He recalls
the mantra of one of his favorite surgical mentors: "Always do
what's right by your patient and," referring to anatomy as well
as people, "never hurt anything with a name."
—Claire C. Fletcher
Eakin's commitments to medicine
and military service have satisfied his
adventuresome spirit and helped him define
his career goals. He found his niche during
rotations in orthopedic surgery. "The
orthopedic community is great. I've been
impressed with everyone from clinic staff
to medical device reps to the teams in the
operating room."
He enjoys orthopedic surgery because the
care often produces immediate and tangible
results for patients. "When someone is broken
you put them back together. I like that!" Eakin says
with a smile. "It's rewarding to help patients maintain
their mobility and live fulfilling lives."
21

THIRTY SECONDS
WITH ELON MUSK
Alumni Emphasize Authenticity and Work Ethic
at Third Annual Alumni Leadership Day
"If you had thirty seconds with Elon Musk, what would you tell him are the top two things
that make you exceptional?"
That was the question alumnus Eric Santamaria '92, Service Manager for Tesla, posed to
EHS seniors during his visit to campus for Alumni Leadership Day.
Santamaria and 40 other alumni returned to EHS on Tuesday, November 7, where they met
with EHS seniors, shared stories about decisions that impacted their career paths, and
described daily life in their professions.
Panels included diverse fields such as Arts and Entertainment, Engineering, Science and
Medicine, Finance, and Real Estate. Following the panel discussions, alumni joined the
seniors for lunch, where students could visit with them and follow up on questions in a less
formal atmosphere.
A few common themes ran through most of the discussions, as the panelists stressed the
importance of identifying personal strengths and weaknesses to determine career paths
and find success. Alumni across all fields emphasized building a strong work ethic and
reputation, qualities that will further careers. Marketing panelist Katia Mazzone Basley '08
advised, "Never let any job be beneath you. Pick up trash, do the admin work, stay late,
and work hard."
Alumni also encouraged seniors to take advantage of the many classes, electives, and
extracurricular activities at EHS, which will help students discover interests and determine
their passions.
The Arts and Entertainment panelists were unanimous in their belief of internships and
networking. When networking, "Be sure that you are authentic," emphasized actress
Stephanie Styles '10. "Have coffee and tea with people, learn from everybody—in general,
people love to share advice. Ask artists whose work or career you admire if they want to
meet and talk. Most likely, they will."
In addition to serving on the Business and Entrepreneurship panel, Santamaria addressed
the entire student body during Alumni Chapel on Monday, November 6. In his Chapel
talk, Santamaria emphasized work ethic and curiosity as keys to success. He reminded
listeners that life and work will bring both joys and disappointments. But, he told the
students, "It's not about how you fail, it's about how you get back up and achieve."
—Claire C. Fletcher
22

Photo by Ashleigh Teel.
23

PILLARS IN
THE STORM
In the early 1990s, Bishop Benitez honored the School's dedicated and
selfless early supporters with beautiful stained glass windows depicting
scenes from scripture. One of the most striking images is "The Stilling of
the Storm," in honor of founder Jack T. Trotter.
On these pages, we recognize our community members who stepped up
to help after Hurricane Harvey. When the Category 1 storm dropped 51
inches of rain across our city, causing catastrophic floods and destroying
more than 100,000 homes, EHS volunteers worked tirelessly and joyfully
to help those in need. Whether it was students distributing clothes
at shelters, faculty and staff cooking for colleagues, administrators
welcoming a neighboring school with temporary classrooms, or alumni
launching boats for rescue missions, these stories are the ones that
make Episcopal High School unique and #TexasStrong.
Tales of hurricane heroics and small kindnesses are too numerous to
detail here, and some efforts are still in progress. This feature provides a
glimpse of the EHS spirit, a foundation of service and benevolence that
endures despite any storm or adversity.
24

25

COLLEAGUES
SHOW CARING AND
CONNECTION
by Patricia Houser, College Counseling
I don't know about your family, but food is central to nearly every event in mine. Indulging in a
celebratory dessert, turning to favorite comfort foods in times of grief, or gathering around a
table to break bread together in fellowship, food has a way of connecting us.
For better or worse, colleagues often become a second family, dysfunctional as it may be.
Even on a good day, we find that we spend more waking hours with our coworkers than we
do our own families. In the days following the hurricane, we began to learn that many of those
colleagues had been impacted by the storm, some marginally and some catastrophically.
The opportunity arose to coordinate a meal train for a few members of our faculty and staff
who had to secure temporary housing because their homes were uninhabitable. As food is a
primary love language for me, I was eager to take on the task of organizing.
I expected the work of communicating needs and coordinating days to fill a simple need
within the community, providing members of our team with a little extra love and support.
What I didn't expect was that doing so would make me fall in love with our EHS family all over
again. First, the outpouring of love was overwhelming. So many members of our community
offered to prepare meals on an ongoing basis and still others generously purchased gift
cards to local restaurants to make eating out or carry‐out easy options on those particularly
hectic days. Second, the care and dignity shown was beautiful. Nobody needed to know
who would be receiving the meals on the other end. It didn't matter. And questions about
preferences and food allergies and special requests arose time and time again. Some of
the meals were so elaborate, I suspect our families ate like kings for days. As the one lucky
enough to get to hand off those meals, I got to see the relief that came with marking off one
small task from the growing list, knowing dinner was covered. As one recipient welcomed
a meal, she offered, "We don't even have a salt shaker at our new place." I began to look
forward to scurrying around campus to deliver meals as I got to know colleagues I didn't
previously know very well—both those who'd cooked and those receiving meals—a welcome
opportunity. As I said, food has a way of connecting people. The generosity of our faculty
and staff community was remarkable; the gratitude on the other end was palpable. And I was
reminded once again what a wonderful, special place this is.
Tragedies such as Hurricane Harvey bring out that most basic instinct in all of us to help
when someone is in need. Witnessing that truly restores your faith in humanity. I count myself
so blessed to work at Episcopal High School and to call the wonderful folks I work with every
day my second—more functional than most—family.
26

27

28

KNIGHTS HELPING
KNIGHTS
by Gage Herrold '21
Have you ever had to reach out to help another or been helped when you're down?
As I woke up early Saturday morning, tired from the football game the night before, I got dressed and
headed over to senior Aidan and sophomore Noah Cook's house, fellow schoolmates whose home flooded
badly after Hurricane Harvey. I did not know how bad the damage would be, so I prepared for the worst.
When arriving, I met the welcoming and kind family and felt as if they were already close family friends. Dean
Kim Randolph gathered us and told us what we needed to do. We were each assigned sections of the wall
and floor to remove due to mold growth, and we put on our masks and began working. Because my section
of the wall was small, I finished first and stuck around in case anyone needed help.
Watching my Knight friends work hard to help another Knight was heartwarming. Even though our tasks
were small, it took so much weight off the Cooks' shoulders. Watching Dean Kim Randolph put his blood,
sweat, and tears into the job to get the work done inspired us all. We could tell that Mrs. Cook was a
hardworking mom that would do anything to help her family. Everything was truly inspiring, and taught me an
important lesson: Never give up, even when you are at your lowest.
At the end of the day, Mrs. Cook told our group, "Y'all are true angels that God has sent to us." Helping this
family in need was a great experience and learning moment.
I feel comfort in knowing that we are part of a community where anyone
is prepared to help.
29

THE CITIZEN NAVY
by George Jackson '02
On the Sunday during Harvey, floodwaters started rising rapidly in the Braes Heights neighborhood. My
brother Alex's good friend and fellow Class of 1996 alum, James Kadlick (who lives in the neighborhood),
reached out to Alex and asked him to go get his boat as there was a critical need to evacuate people. James
had his boat at his house and was out doing rescues all day Sunday. Alex, who lives in Montrose, was able
to get to his boat and he picked me up at my home in West University on the way to Braes Heights.
The scene we confronted that afternoon was astonishing. Water had made it all the way from Brays Bayou
to Pershing Middle School. We backed the boat into the first place we could find deep enough water and set
out into the neighborhood. We had never seen anything like it; the streets were rivers! The current was so
strong it made it difficult to navigate our small fly-fishing boat.
We made our way toward the bayou and found a huge Harris County emergency vehicle that had stalled
out. The emergency workers had been stuck there for hours. We pulled a few out and took them to dry land.
During this time, people were sending us text messages and flagging us down, pleading to be rescued.
We started our rescues Sunday afternoon and worked until dark. I will never forget a woman who was nine
months pregnant, trapped in her flooded home. Her neighbor, Mandy Malone Loper '98, alerted us because
she could go into labor any hour. We found out that she had the baby the next day!
We also rescued an elderly couple. The wife had a neurological disorder and was wheelchair‐bound, and
the husband had advanced dementia. That was a difficult rescue. The husband was extremely confused
and did not know what was going on. Finally, with the help of neighbors, we convinced the couple's son that
they needed to get out. We carried the lady above our heads in her wheelchair (water was up to our chests)
and placed her in the boat. We had to carry the man against his will and put him in the boat. It was just
about dark when we got them to the unofficial staging point at Molina's Restaurant on Holcombe. They both
required medical attention immediately, but we could not get an ambulance dispatched. I called the West
University fire department and they sent their large emergency vehicle and picked the couple up and sped
them to the hospital. The couple's son called us the next day and was profoundly appreciative. The doctors
told him that his mother had a high probability of dying (her meds were lost in the flood) if she had not made
it to the hospital.
Alex, James, and I continued our rescue efforts for five days, helping more than 100 people. Every citizen
we met who was not severely affected had stepped up and was out helping strangers. This navy of private
citizens was awe‐inspiring—and we all felt fortunate to be a part of it.
30

31

32

KNIGHTS IN
SHINING ARMOR
by Claire C. Fletcher
When Bellaire street flooding cleared a few days after Harvey, the
administrators at the Post Oak School on Bissonnet discovered that the
entire first floor of the lower school was soaked with 5 inches of water.
Sheetrock needed to be replaced and mold remediated. Plans had to be
made quickly to find temporary facilities for 100‐plus students.
Maura Joyce, head of school, described her dilemma at a Houston Area
Independent Schools (HAIS) heads of school conference. Soon after,
recalls Post Oak Lower School Director Jeff Schneider, she received a
call from EHS's Ned Smith saying, "We've got you covered."
Cut to September 11, when 120 Post Oak lower school students and
their teachers walked single‐file into the B Building and Bishops Parlor for
temporary classes.
Schneider says the children were thrilled to study among high schoolers
and they were especially excited to be greeted with colorful welcome
posters and signs. EHS teacher Paul Revaz and his Theatre Tech
students even unloaded trucks and helped Post Oak faculty carry
supplies into their classrooms.
A feeling of goodwill prevailed, says Schneider, and EHS students
reacted to the children's presence with a mix of "curiosity and kindness."
When the renovation wrapped up on October 6, the Post Oak School
students were eager to return home, but not without a big and boisterous
thank you. They showered Ned Smith with letters, hugs, cheers, and a
giant poster signed by all the Post Oak students thanking their "Knights
in Shining Armor."
33

A DOWNPOUR
OF GOOD
DEEDS
The EHS response to Harvey was swift and
comprehensive.
Immediately after Harvey hit Houston, the "EHS Response
to Harvey" web page was established as a clearinghouse for
information about resources and volunteer opportunities.
The EHS Grade Level Deans were enlisted as point persons
for each class, matching families whose homes flooded with
essential resources, from mold remediation to textbooks.
Soon, photos of Knights volunteering across Houston began
showing up on social media, as students helped out at shelters
at NRG and the George R. Brown. Teams of clean‐up crews
assisted homeowners from Bellaire to the Energy Corridor.
Coach Steve Leisz, who had borrowed a lifted truck from a
friend, was tagged to evacuate neighbors from their houses,
even though his own home filled with water after the reservoir
release.
The School established an EHS Relief Fund to assist faculty and
families affected by the hurricane. Within two weeks, more than
$90,000 was donated and distributed by the Business Office.
In October, the Student Council held a food drive to replenish
the pantry at Yellowstone Academy in the Third Ward. The
Interact Club dedicated proceeds from their annual Haunted
House to Harvey Relief.
34

35

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.
36

WAYNE JONES
History Teacher, Coach, and 11th Grade Dean
Wayne Jones considers himself a proud native Houstonian,
even though he spent a few years in New York City
and Los Angeles as a boy.
A lifelong educator, he has taught at Kinkaid,
Strake Jesuit, and now six years at Episcopal.
At EHS he wears many hats, including 11th
grade dean, head basketball coach, boys
golf coach, U.S. History teacher, Sports
and Society teacher, and the facilitator
of the School's new SEED (Seeking
Education Equity and Diversity) project.
As a basketball coach, Jones has led
numerous Houston‐area teams to division
finals, and in 2013 he ended a 17‐year
drought at Episcopal with an SPC Boys
Basketball Championship.
Both of his sons graduated from Episcopal,
Colby in 2014 and Canyon in 2016. If Jones isn't
on campus, you can find him on the greens or in the
kitchen cooking up some Italian cuisine.
What's on your playlist right now? My playlist is very eclectic! I have a little bit of everything—some
Miles Davis, Wynton Marsalis, Jason Aldean, a lot of Jay Z, Dr. Dre, and Biggie, with some Sam Hunt, Ed
Sheeran, Adele, Wale, and Migos sprinkled in. What was the first concert you attended? RUN‐DMC and
the Beastie Boys in Madison Square Garden, a bucket list event for me during my youth. If you weren't a
teacher, what would you pick for a career? I would definitely be a golf pro. Golf is a passion of mine, and
if I were not good enough to be on a professional tour, teaching golf to others would be so satisfying. What
is your proudest accomplishment? My proudest accomplishment is being a father to my two sons, Colby
and Canyon. I have been truly blessed watching them grow into young men and having been part of that
everyday process with them. Do you have a favorite app or tech gadget? I am not a tech person, but I
have fallen in love with my Apple Watch. I still can't use most of the features, but it's fun finding new things
it can do all the time. Did you have a mentor growing up who inspired your career? My mother was
my mentor who stressed education and "paying it forward." She emphasized to my brother and me how
important education is and that it is our duty to help educate others. If you could travel back in time, what
period of history would you choose? The 1960s. I love the zeal and grit that individuals had during that
time period. Most people were fighting for some type of right or social justice and they helped lay many
of the foundations that we take for granted today. What trait do you most admire in your colleagues?
The ability to work with different types of students. We have students from different backgrounds, different
religions, different parts of the city, and we make it work every day for the betterment of the individual
student. That is a trait most schools wish they had from a faculty and staff. What trait do you most admire
in your students? The ability to multitask. We ask so much from them on a daily basis and they seem to
always come through—sometimes with a little prodding. The vast majority of our students are very active
in at least three of our Four Pillars. It is amazing to watch them do all the things we ask of them. Read any
good books recently? The Greatest: My Own Story by Muhammad Ali. Ali is an icon of mine, not because
of the things he did in the ring, but for the things he did outside of it. To go from being one of the most
execrated men in the America to being loved by most is truly transformative. If you could eat only one meal
this week, what would it be? A great aged ribeye with mashed potatoes and asparagus.
37

ZACH SCHWARZ
History Teacher, Coach, and Assistant Dean of Faculty
After growing up in Connecticut, and going to college
in New Jersey, Zach Schwarz would never have
imagined he'd be a Texan of 10‐plus years. But
after graduating from Princeton University with
a degree in history, he moved to Houston
and has been here ever since.
During his tenure at EHS, Schwarz has
helped coach the varsity boys soccer
team, developed the Independent
Study Program, and designed elective
courses on both contemporary
America and the 1980s. He currently
teaches history and serves as the
Assistant Dean of Faculty.
Now in his 11th year at EHS, Schwarz
most enjoys the chance to help students
make connections between the past and
their own lives, aiding them in the process
of becoming life‐long learners. In his free time,
he can be found reading, training for a marathon,
cheering on the Rockets, or searching for Houston's
best tacos.
What's on your playlist right now? I'm more of a podcast than a music
person. Malcolm Gladwell's "Revisionist History" is a favorite of mine, even if I find myself disagreeing with
some of his analysis. And "The Lowe Post" is my go‐to for all things NBA. What was the first concert you
attended? Dave Matthews Band in beautiful East Rutherford, New Jersey. If you weren't a teacher, what
would you pick for a career? Growing up I wanted to be a trial lawyer, but I think that was mostly because
I watched too much of "The Practice." What is your proudest accomplishment? Finding a career that I not
only enjoy, but also feeling like what I do makes the lives of others more enriching. Do you have a favorite
app or tech gadget? Memory. It's an app that tracks total phone usage and pickups on a daily and weekly
basis. I'm always trying to better my stats by using my phone less than the week before. Did you have a
mentor growing up who inspired your career? My 11th grade Physics teacher, Mr. Rhodes. He had a
unique way of making content relatable regardless of a student's intellectual interests. I realize that many
of my students do not care about Henry Clay or the Marshall Plan, but if I can help them develop skills that
they can use far beyond their experience in my classroom, that is what is most important to me. If you could
travel back in time, what period of history would you choose? There is something gritty and authentic
about the 1970s that fascinates me. The decade rests at the intersection of the modern and contemporary
worlds, with America struggling to find its place following Watergate and the Vietnam War, but before the
collapse of the Soviet Union. What trait do you most admire in your colleagues? Their humility. Nobody
becomes a teacher for public acclaim, but the preparation, dedication, and intentionality of our faculty for the
benefit of others is incredible. What trait do you most admire in your students? Their curiosity. I'm always
energized by the random and diverse interests of my students. Read any good books recently? Darktown
by Thomas Mullen, which documents the lives of the first African‐American police officers in Atlanta in the
late 1940s, was outstanding. And Rising Sun by Michael Crichton, which outlines the differences between
American and Japanese business and culture in thriller‐form, was a great summer read. If you could eat
only one meal this week, what would it be? Tacos—100% Taquitos off of Southwest Freeway has been a
staple in my life for over a decade.
38

HILLARY HOULE
English Teacher and New Faculty Mentor
Hillary Brooks Houle '92 is blue, through and through—and so is her family. Between various members, the
Brooks and Houle clans have collectively served more than 30 years at EHS. Houle has taught English and
creative writing at Episcopal for 12 years, and her father, The Rev. Dub Brooks, served as chaplain and
assistant head of school from 1992 to 2004. Her stepmother, Suzanne Brooks, worked in Advancement for
three years, and her husband, Tony Houle, taught history for two years. In addition, Houle graduated in 1992
and her brother Gabriel graduated in 1994.
Houle grew up in Alexandria, Virginia, and Houston, earned her undergrad degree from American University,
and received a Master of Writing from Johns Hopkins University. Her 5‐year‐old daughter, Cleo, attends
Duchesne Academy, where Tony is head of middle school. When they aren't teaching, studying, or traveling,
this star‐gazing family can be found admiring the latest images beamed back from the Hubble telescope.
What's on your playlist right now? I'm all over the map. Here's a snapshot: Martin Sexton, Needtobreathe,
Pink, and the Jackson 5. I also secretly love church choir music from around the world. What was the first
concert you attended? Madonna. If you weren't a teacher, what would you pick for a career? Since I
also write short stories and poetry, I'd keep up with writing and have a food truck offering organic seasonal
selections. What is your proudest accomplishment? Being a teacher for my students and my daughter. Of
course, my hubby is an amazing sidekick—I'm pretty proud that I married him too. Do you have a favorite
app or tech gadget? SkyView—I love studying maps of outer space. I'm particularly interested in what's
beyond the Kuiper Belt and the moons of Pluto. Did you have a mentor growing up who inspired your
career? A teacher, Nguyet Pham, our EHS Dean of Faculty. She helped math make sense to me and was
incredibly encouraging in the classroom. If you could travel back in time, what period of history would
you choose? I've always wanted to meet my paternal grandmother who died of breast cancer when my
father was 14. She was a pilot in WWII. My grandfather was her flight trainer, so that's how they met. She has
an incredible story. If I went back to the 1950s I'd have a chance to see her as a mother, when she was flying
for fun with her children, and have a chance to hear all of her crazy adventures. What trait do you most
admire in your colleagues? Work ethic. What trait do you most admire in your students? Willingness
to try. Read any good books recently? Really, too many to list. For my next read, I am about to start
#EdJourney: A Roadmap to the Future of Education by Grant Lichtman. If you could eat only one meal this
week, what would it be? Spanakopita followed by loukoumades at the Houston Greek Festival.
39

MEET
THE NEW
TRUSTEES
Area Leaders Join
the EHS Team
Henrietta Alexander, a thoroughbred trainer, was the first
woman to train a Grade I winner at Saratoga Race Course
in 1992. From 2001‐2005, she owned and managed the
Camden Training Center in South Carolina.
Alexander earned a B.A. in humanities with minors in
business and English at the University of Texas at Austin. She
is a member of St. John the Divine Episcopal Church.
Alexander is an accomplished photographer and enjoys
skiing, hunting, hiking, and serving community nonprofits. Her
son, Laird C. George, graduated from EHS in 2017.
Craig Chandler is the co‐founder and current president of
Powersite LLC, an innovative Houston‐based developer of
environmentally‐friendly combined cycle gas turbine power
plants. He has been a member of the Powersite Capital board
since 2013 as well as a member of the EHS Dads Club board
since 2015.
Craig and his wife, Trina, have two children, Brenton '16, a
sophomore at the University of Texas, and Ashley, a current
junior at EHS.
This is Craig Childers' fourth term on the Episcopal High
School Board of Trustees. He is a retired attorney and oil and
gas executive who is now an active community volunteer.
Childers attended the United States Air Force Academy and
graduated with a B.S. with honors from the University of Utah.
He also has a J.D. from the University of Texas.
Childers and his wife, Jence, have a daughter, Jenny, who
graduated in 2002. They are members of St. John the Divine
Episcopal Church.
Ashley Edens is the president and CEO of Sunny Sky
Products, a leading manufacturer and distributor of
dispensed beverages to a variety of consumers including
schools, convenience stores, and food accounts.
40

Craig Childers, Haag Sherman, Craig Chandler, Ashley Edens,
Trey Snider, and Henrietta Alexander. Photo by Ashleigh Teel.
Edens earned a bachelor's in accounting and finance from
Texas Christian University. He and his wife, Pepper, have
three children. Will is a senior at EHS and daughter Avery is a
sophomore. Their youngest daughter, Peyton, is a 7th grader
at River Oaks Baptist School.
Edens is a board member of YMCA Greater Houston and
enjoys hunting, fishing, and playing tennis. He and his family
are members of St. Luke's United Methodist Church.
Haag Sherman co‐founded and serves a chief executive
officer of Tectonic Holding LLC, a diversified financial services
firm with $3 billion in client assets and the parent of Sanders
Morris Harris LLC (a nationally chartered bank) and Tectonic
Advisors LLC. He is also the co‐founder of the largest energy
disposal business based in northeast Texas and northern
Louisiana.
Sherman is a member of St. John the Divine Episcopal
Church, where he serves on the board of trustees of the
endowment. He is married to Millette L. Sherman and has two
daughters, Carson, a junior at EHS, and Julie, a 6th grader at
River Oaks Baptist School.
Trey Snider is the founder and co‐president of O'Donnell
Snider Construction, a Houston commercial construction firm.
He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a
B.B.A. in finance.
Snider and his wife, Lynette, have two children, Walt and
Lindsey '19.
Snider and his family are members of St. Michael's Catholic
Church.
Sherman holds a B.B.A. in accounting and economics from
Baylor and a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law.
41

BUILDING AN
8,000‐MILE BRIDGE
by Julius Michael
"My dear sister if you don't want to go to school, go and cook.
I pray that God helps us, and on holidays one day we will
be driving cars." Those are the lyrics to a nursery rhyme we
sang as children under a tree at a refugee camp school in
Uganda. I didn't realize it back then, but years later I stand in
a classroom in Houston and reflect on how education got me
to where I am today.
One constant about life as a refugee in 1990s Uganda was
moving from camp to camp at a moment's notice. A civil
war between the Sudanese government and the People's
Liberation Army, led by the corrupt politician Omar al‐Bashir,
displaced thousands of families, including mine, and
eventually led to the secession of South Sudan in 2011.
Going to school was a way to escape the realities of daily life.
Dedicated teachers opened our eyes to parts of the world
that were impossible to imagine. I remember the day our
teacher told us a story about a country called America where
the men have traveled to the moon. I looked at the moon,
and as a 5th grader, the fact that humans had landed
on that glowing object far away fascinated me. Little
did I know that one day I would end up calling the
Space City my home.
small arms and blocking the trucks from leaving, but despite
our efforts, the school was shut down.
In 1999, when at my parents' request for my safety and for
our family's survival I moved from my homeland, I again met
great teachers who were devoted to their craft. Although
South Sudan and Texas are 8,000 miles apart, the teachers I
had on two different continents changed my life and inspired
me to become an educator.
My life is a combination of different yet similar worlds. My
love for history and social studies goes back to my first social
studies class in my 3rd grade refugee school, because the
topics are centered on human experiences. In history, we
focus on the ways culture shapes our lives, which is an
important aspect of my teaching because I see how people,
regardless of our backgrounds, are all connected. I try to
I loved my teachers and classmates in the
Ugandan refugee schools, and every time
I had the opportunity to attend class
I tried not to miss a day. I remember
one morning sitting in English class
reviewing spelling words when suddenly
we saw three United Nations trucks
pull into our compound. The visitors
walked straight into the headmaster's
office. They had a heated conversation,
and then started loading blackboards,
desks, chalk, and tables onto the trucks.
The students and our teachers were
puzzled by the commotion. We asked
them if they were replacing the old supplies,
and they told us the U.N. could no longer
afford to keep the school operating. Teachers
had not been paid, and it cost money to replenish
school supplies. We children tried to reason with the
workers and prompted a peaceful protest by locking our
42

The Last Word
demonstrate this when I'm teaching about a particular
country by showing examples of traditional foods or finding
music to play for my students so that they can experience the
culture and appreciate how similar we are as people.
After 15 years of separation from my biological parents, I
finally visited my family in South Sudan during a mission
trip to teach and be a translator. I discovered that the
questions the Sudanese ask me about life in America
are the same questions my friends and students ask
me about life in Africa. I try to be a bridge between
these two worlds. In my history classes I make the
point that building relationships and ties with people
from different backgrounds and perspectives helps
bring understanding. I tell my students how we all have
much in common as humans, regardless of the different
"‐isms" we use to describe and divide ourselves. When
we have a relationship and a face to match with a certain
group or nationality, we usually think twice before making
generalizations and assumptions.
I discovered that the questions the
Sudanese ask me about life in America are the same questions my
friends and students ask me about life in Africa. I try to be a bridge
between these two worlds. We all have much in common as humans,
regardless of the different "‐isms" we use to describe and divide
ourselves.
Even though the political strife has calmed down in South
Sudan, children still struggle to be educated. On my summer
visits, I have seen the troubles firsthand. Students who cannot
afford tuition and fees are kicked out of school at 11:00 a.m.
each day after roll call, when administrators check off who
has paid and who has not paid. By noon I would see students
walking on dirt roads, trekking back home with their heads
down. The next day they would sneak back into classrooms,
trying to learn all they could before being asked to leave again.
A young student told me, "At least I learned something before
they sent me home. When my family comes up with the
money, one day I will be able to stay a whole day!"
States in 1999 and grew up with his cousins in Houston,
Texas. He received his bachelor's from Sam Houston State
University as a McNair Scholar and earned his master's at
Florida International University. He taught for 10 years at
local schools before joining Episcopal High School this year.
Michael is also the head cross country coach and led the
team through a successful 2017 SPC season.
Possessions—houses, cars, and clothing—may be taken
away, but knowledge and skills like critical thinking, problem
solving, and curiosity are the true essentials for building a
good life and a better world. Some of these skills are taught
by our parents, and some we may learn from others—our
teachers—miles away from home.
Julius Michael is a faculty member in the Department of
History and Social Sciences. He immigrated to the United
43

44
Photo by Chris Bailey Photography.

2017 ‐ 2018
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Chairman
The Rt. Rev. C. Andrew Doyle
Executive Chair
Randa Duncan Williams
Henrietta K. Alexander, Matthew K. Baird, Shelley Torian Barineau, J. Craig Chandler, W. Craig Childers, Gregory S. Curran,
Rod Cutsinger, Julie G. Donaldson, William A. Edens Sr., J. Todd Frazier '88, Susan C. Garwood, Gregory R. Geib,
The Rev. James M. L. Grace '94, Melinda Budinger Hildebrand, George V. Kane III, George O. McDaniel III, Jeffrey J. McParland,
Dis Netland, Townes G. Pressler Jr., Joe Pyne, A. Haag Sherman, Ned Smith, Trey Snider, Duncan K. Underwood '89
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, 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
Merrell Athon, John F. Austin III, John S. Bonner III † , Thomas L. Carter Jr., Jonathan M. Clarkson, The Rt. Rev. C. Andrew Doyle,
William F. Galtney Jr., Melinda Budinger Hildebrand, Victor A. Kormeier, Laurence B. Neuhaus, Joel I. Shannon, Ned Smith,
Lynda Knapp Underwood, Thomas M. Wright
LEADERSHIP
Head of School
Ned Smith
Assistant Head of
School and Principal
Nancy Laufe Eisenberg
Director of Finance
and Operations
Evelyn Cambria
Dean of Faculty
Nguyet Xuan Pham
Dean of Spiritual Life
The Rev. Phil Kochenburger
Director of Athletics
Jason Grove
Dean of Arts
Jay Berckley
Director of Advancement
Peggy Haney
PILLARS MAGAZINE TEAM
Director of Communications
Claire Fletcher
Graphic Design
Ashleigh Teel
Contributors
Chris Bailey Photography, Jason Grove, Gage Herrold '21,
Patricia Houser, George Jackson '02, Julius Michael,
Emma Tsai
Photography
Claire Fletcher, Mauro Gomez, Ashleigh Teel
45

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