Audrey Shaud ’28 Sophie McGarry ’29 Episcopal Academy’s Varsity field hockey team has had great success so far this season, and Rebecca Block ’26 is, quite literally, at the center of it all. As a co-captain, Block’s remarkable talents combined with her unwavering determination have made her stand out against some of the nation’s fiercest competitors. From effortlessly scoring crucial goals in close games to her steady voice and leadership, Block has had a monumental impact on the team ever since the start of her freshman year. Block started her field hockey career at just six years-old, playing in a…
Author: Lucia Forte
Michael Venneri ’27 It’s no surprise that Tyler Mantash ’26, a captain of the Boys Water Polo Team, will play a pivotal role in his team’s success this season. Ever since Mantash’s freshman year, his shooting ability, passion, dedication, and leadership have made him a cornerstone of the program. Looking ahead to his last year as a member of the EA water polo team, Mantash looks to end his high school career the same way it began: consuming hours of film, obsessing over the fine details of his game, and supporting his teammates wherever possible. And of course, to do…
Grace VanderWaag ’26 Ryan Wen ’27 This year, Episcopal Academy’s athletic department has undergone several updates in both the weight room and athletic training office to provide student-athletes with better tools to maximize their potential. Episcopal is home to an extremely competitive student-athlete body. However, their success doesn’t solely depend upon their sport-specific training. As athletes push their bodies to perform at their best, proper strength training, nutrition, and recovery outside of practices become increasingly essential to stay competitive at the highest level. Not only are they crucial for an athlete’s performance, but they also ensure athletes can stay injury-free.…
Mahika Rahlan ’26 Sophia Venneri ’26 Nearing the end of the first month of school, it is safe to say that being a senior feels pretty great. Being a senior means a lot of important things. On the surface, it means being at the top of the high school food chain, gaining authority, and enjoying a new sense of freedom. But, on a deeper and more emotional level, being a senior is complex, confusing, and above all, exciting. For the first time, we get to experience all of the special events that we once looked forward to from the sidelines. …
Darian Mihalakis ’27 The balance between athletics and academics at EA is integral to the school’s identity. Outlined in the mission statement, EA’s commitment to both sports and education fosters a unique environment where both mind and body are highly valued. Now, more than ever, with major changes on the horizon, it’s important for Episcopal to stand by this mission and maintain the delicate balance. One of the biggest manifestations of this dual commitment is the athletics requirement. The policy benefits students in a multitude of ways, including helping them discover new passions, building school unity, and fostering teamwork. “We…
Thought Daughter ’67 Is Outward Bound really an opportunity for the formation of so-called camaraderie, community, and growth among Episcopal’s incoming freshman class year after year? Or, is it really just a ploy for the EA higher-ups to trauma-bond students? Is there a secret agenda residing between our community and the more granola-y one that exists in the North Carolina woods? Let’s face it: very few students will openly and readily state that they enjoyed their time at Outward Bound. Between countless stories of wild animals, treacherous food, sweltering heat, and bugs, Outward Bound may be a tradition that Episcopal…
Mia Favini ’27 Joyce Liu ’27 The phone ban is clearly still in full effect from last year, but in general, when should adolescents really be exposed to social media and phone usage? Many students and teachers at EA agree with the phone policy. Tony Herman, Upper School English teacher and father of three children, says, “I’m all for the phone ban because I see more kids talking and actively engaging with each other.” As well, Lilly Ebmeyer ’26 comments, “I like the phone ban because I don’t really need it during the day. I have more one-on-one conversations with…
Maggie Sgaramella ’26 Every year, the Episcopal Academy Chapel Council votes on a new chapel theme that will connect us to our core values, the stripes, and guide us in becoming better stewards of our school. This year, “Rooted and Grounded in Love” is the new chapel theme, which will be the recurring focus of Chapel Talks. This theme draws from Ephesians 3:17, which states, “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love.” The meaning of “Rooted and Grounded in Love” has many interpretations. Brandon Bin ’26, Vestry Warden, shares, “I like…
Tessa Shanahan ’28 Every year, the Episcopal Academy Chapel Council votes on a new chapel theme that will connect us to our core values, the stripes, and guide us in becoming better stewards of our school. This year, “Rooted and Grounded in Love” is the new chapel theme, which will be the recurring focus of Chapel Talks. This theme draws from Ephesians 3:17, which states, “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love.” The meaning of “Rooted and Grounded in Love” has many interpretations. Brandon Bin ’26, Vestry Warden, shares, “I like…
Rebecca Xu ’29 Sophie Liu ’29 Kelly Chan ’29 College applications bring stress and competition every single year, but the Class of 2026 will have an unexpected advantage in their college application cycle. This year, the competition pool may be significantly smaller: whether it be the decreased birth rate of the United States in 2008 or how Donald Trump has politically influenced the number of international students getting admitted into certain universities, the Class of 2026 has a statistical edge. The Great Recession, which began in December 2007, was a severe economic decline caused by the collapse of the U.S.…
Charlie Megosh ’28 On August 11, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order giving the federal government complete autonomy over the local police force within Washington, D.C. Later, another directive was enacted, placing members of the National Guard into active service to function as a peacekeeping force within the nation’s capital. The purported motive of the mobilization is to maintain peace and combat violent crime in D.C., but critics allege it is a dangerous abuse of executive power. The move is one of many of Trump’s controversial mandates, which have been a staple of his second presidential term. Speaking…
Will Patterson ’27 Episcopal is currently creating a new strategic plan that will guide the school’s future over the next decade. During the 2024-2025 school year, a comprehensive survey was sent out to the Episcopal community to assess what changes they hope to see in the near future. This information will be used to help guide the school’s next strategic plan, which is an undertaking that happens roughly every five to ten years to keep the experiences of its students and faculty current and applicable to the modern world. This plan will decide what EA will prioritize, how it will…
Vivian Cook ’27 Beginning this school year, Lower School students will be able to experience an updated layout that includes a new Pre-K wing and the shuffling of the location of the science classrooms. Because of these summer renovations, the incoming class of pre-kindergarten students will be the largest in EA history. Episcopal is notorious for being a highly competitive school, and, as a prestigious institution, there has always been a limited capacity. As a result, beginning as early as Pre-K, there is fierce competition for these coveted spots. The previous Pre-K wing was only able to accommodate 34 students,…
Lilly Smolenski ’27 Darian Mihalakis ’27 On September 10, 2025, conservative political activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University for his youth mobilization nonprofit, Turning Point USA. This event was the first stop of many for his “The American Comeback Tour.” Known for a focus on mobilizing young people to conservative causes, Kirk had planned a series of events at college campuses across the country. During the tour, he wanted to emphasize dialogue, exchange, and conversation amongst people with varying perspectives. Kirk had a very strong media presence and was a close ally of…
Lucas Van Binsbergen ’27 Over the past year the Trump administration has made an overt effort to profoundly alter the American college experience in his image, particularly in admissions and application processes. Among the host of changes, affirmative action has been discontinued, foreign exchange students have had to undergo examinations of past political statements, and multiple colleges have been forced to pay millions of dollars over accusations of antisemitism on campus. The first hints at an effort to remodel the college experience began in 2023 with the Supreme Court ruling Students for Fair Admissions vs. Harvard, which effectively ended affirmative…