The Episcopal School of Dallas will host its first Alumni Art Show beginning September 6. This is the city’s largest Alumni Art Show among independent Dallas schools, with a record-breaking participation of more than 65 ESD alumni that will include work from New York Times bestselling author and photographer Gray Malin '04 and Chihuly-trained glass artist Carlyn Ray '00. 

The range of mediums, as well as alumni ages, is vast. With artists extending from the Class of 1988 to our most recent graduates in the Class of 2016, and mediums from architecture and portraiture to photography and mixed media, the show is set to be a spectacular display of artistry.

This alumni artist exhibition will be held in the Susan M. Frank Center for the Arts and Humanities on ESD’s Merrell Road Campus, and the gallery will be open for viewing through December 3. For more information on the event, or to learn more about our talented alumni artists, please visit www.esdallas.org/alumniartshow.

The graduation of the Class of 2016 returned home to ESD’s campus for the first time in 25 years. All Saints Chapel provided a beautiful backdrop for graduates to receive their diplomas, and subsequently toss their caps in celebration. Friends and family of the graduates, along with members of ESD’s faculty, looked on from Stoffel Commons as the speeches poured out.

Abigail Holman ’16, the senior class president, expressed gratitude for the class with a moving speech, valedictorian Kohl Swift ’16 spoke strongly about the class’s love and appreciation of the ESD community, alumnus Josh Stokes ’90 delivered a powerful commencement speech on bravery and writing their own story, and class-elected speaker Jack Kieffaber ’16 brought some humor to the table predicting the reasons alumni from the Class of 2016 will be one day considered “notable.”

It was a night to remember for the ESD community, and one that will be hopefully be repeated for years to come.

ESD’s women’s lacrosse coach, Maggie Koch, has been named US Lacrosse's Coach of the Year for North Texas. 

This special honor comes after an incredible couple of seasons with the team. In her first year with ESD in 2015, Koch led the team on an unexpected run through districts and into the state playoffs. This year, they finished the regular season undefeated, second in the Southwest Preparatory Conference, and second in State after putting up a magnificent fight in the Division I championship game, losing in overtime to another exceptional team from St. John's of Houston. 

The award is especially significant because it is selected by her 21 fellow coaches in North Texas. Congratulations to Coach Koch!

With spring break in your rearview mirror and summer on the horizon, it’s time to start planning.  How will you fill your child’s day once school ends? While summer is great for relaxing and recharging, it’s also important to maintain some structure in your child’s schedule. This will prevent the dreaded, “I’m bored” chorus from driving you bananas.

Summer camps are a great way to mix structure and fun. From half-day to full-day camps in fine arts, adventure, sports, recreation, and academic enrichment, there’s truly something for every child. Options are great, but they can also be overwhelming. Fear not. Here's the top three things to consider when choosing a summer camp for your child.

1. Your Child’s Interests. Your child is unique, and their summer camp should be the same. Identify your child’s interests and look for camps that fit their personality. Children enjoy themselves more if they are interested in the subject matter. Also, involve your child in the selection process and reinforce how much fun they are going to have. This will help to ease any apprehension your child may have about camp. 

2. Your Needs as a Parent. Maybe you work full time, or just need mornings or afternoons for errands. Whatever your scheduling needs are, there are plenty of options to choose from. A robust camp program can offer programming throughout the day with extended day care options. Make sure you check your camps offerings to make sure they meet your needs.

3. Your Budget. Not all camps are created equally. It’s important to understand what the cost covers and what might be an additional expense. While one camp may seem more expensive, it’s possible there’s a more experienced instructor, a longer camp day and/or a meal included. A less expensive camp may look like a deal, but additional expenses could be hidden in supply fees, extended day care, and meals.

 With these three tips in mind, we hope you feel empowered to register your child for summer camp.

We also hope you will consider joining The Episcopal School of Dallas for a summer to remember. ESD offers over 150 camps as unique as your child. Remember tip #1? We’ve got you covered. ESD offers fine arts, adventure, sports, recreation, and academic enrichment programs. Some of our most popular camps include Allakazzam Magic, Soccer, All Girls All The Time, Legomania, 3D Game Design, Basketball, Fancy Nancy, Spanish, and Lacrosse. How about tip #2? You got it, we offer camps all day with extended day care options. As for tip #3, we offer a detailed description of each camp so there’s no hidden fees or surprises.

Discover Summer at ESD today.

www.esdallas.org/summercamp 

Nearly 50 students from different parts of the world gathered in the courtyard of The Episcopal School of Dallas to learn about one another’s culture, upbringing, and what school is like for each of them. About half of the group was visiting Dallas as part of Gonzo Soccer, an international leadership academy that unites young girls over a shared interest in soccer; the other participants were students enrolled in Middle and Upper School Spanish classes at ESD looking to practice their vocabulary. 

The majority of the 21 young ladies participating in the Gonzo Soccer program traveled from Colombia and Mexico City; one was from Chicago and one was from Houston. Most spoke very little, if any, English. To help assimilate and make the most of the visit, several ESD Spanish teachers and students volunteered to lead campus tours and host the students in their classes.

“The interactions allowed the students to relate to people their own ages, and to learn about the cultures of the schools in different countries, as well as add new vocabulary words to their repertoires,” Miller Walker, one of ESD’s Spanish teachers, explained. “I feel that the students are proud of their accomplishments but are also humbled, as they commented on just how much they don't know. They mentioned needing to go back and relearn old vocabulary. This activity gave my students purpose in taking Spanish here at ESD, something that will be invaluable to them as they continue their language learning journey here with us.”

Brenda Diaz ’18 and Stefanie Melgar ’18 helped lead two Spanish-speaking tours around the Merrell Road Campus. Over the course of an hour, the girls showed the soccer players and their coaches where ESD’s student-athletes trained and played games, as well as where the students gathered for Chapel, what a Fine Arts classroom looked like, and where they gathered with friends in the courtyards and quarry. 

“We had so much fun showing the girls around our school and getting to know them,” Diaz ’18 said. “I really hope they can come back next year so we can spend more time with them and learn more about what their lives are like back home.”

After visiting with three Spanish classes and touring the campus, the girls geared up for a friendly scrimmage against the JV and varsity soccer players. ESD’s varsity soccer coach, Mike Renshaw, helped referee the game. 

“I believe it is very important for ESD, as part of our continuing growth, to be cognizant of our slowly increasing role in the global community,” Renshaw said. “Soccer is truly 'the world's game' and for ESD to be able to host these young, mostly South American, women will hopefully be a memory they will cherish forever.”

During their seven days in Dallas, the Gonzo girls also attended leadership courses at ESD’s Wolf Run Ranch where they learned the life skills to equip them to become community leaders. The activities focused on four pillars of social change: authenticity, collaboration, kindness, and courage. The girls learned skills in public speaking, conflict resolution, and group problem-solving. They also heard from a variety of distinguished guest speakers about using leadership skills to promote social change. ESD’s Director of Outdoor Education Eddie Eason facilitated team building activities, campfires, and preparation of the evening meals.

“Just in the three days that I had the opportunity to work with the girls, I could see their confidence grow in leaps and bounds,” Eason said. “They were delightful guests and very appreciative the opportunity afford to them through Gonzo Leadership Academy and The Episcopal School of Dallas.”

Founded in 2009 by Monica Gonzalez, former Notre Dame standout and captain of the Mexico National Soccer Team, and Alyse LaHue, the general manager of the Chicago Red Stars, Gonzo Soccer has evolved into an international soccer academy with 16 schools in three countries and more than 900 students. The U.S. Embassy in Bogota helped fund the trip, as did some online crowdsourcing. Monica herself paid for the majority of the program.

“Monica hasn’t stopped working since she stopped playing professional soccer,” Brian Gonzales, a former ESD teacher and friend of Monica’s said. “She wants her legacy to extend beyond what she put on the field. She is committed to making sure these girls have the skills needed to succeed not only in the sport they love but also in life.”