“I have wandered all my life, and I have traveled; the difference between the two being this, that we wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment.” - Hilaire Belloc

If the Anglo-French writer and historian Hilaire Belloc was correct, then students, taking part in the first year of ParishAbroad, definitely traveled this summer. More than 25 students and faculty went to Spain and France for cultural and language immersion, and to India as a part of the Global Leadership Program.

“Our participating students have a stronger sense of self, as well as knowledge and respect for the rich and diverse cultures that they visited,” said Rick Dunn, Director of ParishAbroad.

The program enables students to pursue learning opportunities in foreign countries through purposeful and meaningful travel experiences with faculty members. These immersive programs seek to raise our students’ global competency and prepare them for a life of critical, ethical and global thinking. ParishAbroad is one of the newest in a long line of innovative and successful signature programs at Parish.

“It definitively prepares students to become creative learners in an environment that is very different than a normal day in Dallas,” added Dunn.

INDIA – GLOBAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

In June, a team of 14 students, led by Rick Dunn and Upper School English teacher, Kyle Vaughn, traveled to India for 11 days to take part in ParishAbroad’s Global Leadership Program. This program, in partnership with World Leadership School, seeks to empower young leaders through immersive experiences centered on global issues and leadership.

Faculty and students started their immersion in Indian Life and culture in Mumbai, one of the largest cities in the world.  The day spent in Dharavi- a densely populated slum- was one of the most impactful parts of the program. Students toured the slum and witnessed the artisans and entrepreneurs working in recycling, garment, leather, and machinery businesses. They met and talked with generations of Dharavi workers and spent time at the Reality Tours community center interacting with local students.

“The efficiency within Dharavi made us wonder why it is considered a 'slum.' Everybody was working hard to get the rupees necessary to support their families,” blogged Raunak Trivedi, Class of ‘18 and Margot Siegel, Class of ‘17.

The program continued to Chinchoti, a small farming village south of Mumbai. Parish students and teachers stayed in the homes of Chinchoti residents, becoming a part of their families.

“They immersed themselves in the culture, investigating so many aspects of Chinchoti life with grace and curiosity,” said Vaughn.

Each day, students participated in classes designed to address local issues and leadership. They helped build a retaining wall on the school grounds and planned activities for local children that centered on art, academics and athletics. Although there was a language barrier, Parish students bridged the gap by playing games and sharing drawings with the kids.

“We learned that laughter can be the best form of communication,” Siegel added.

Chinchoti made a deep impact on the students and gave them a new perspective on the human spirit and where they are going in life.

“From so many of the stories that the kids have shared, it is clear that their leadership and global citizenship journeys are far from over,” noted Kyle Vaughn.

CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC IMMERSION – SPAIN AND FRANCE

The classroom lessons lifted off the page and came to life as students indulged their senses in the food, language and culture in Spain and France. They spoke a foreign language while preparing traditional meals, watched history go by as their boat sliced through the river Seine, and soaked in new experiences and museums.

A group of eight students and  Assistant Head of Upper School, Andrew Jennings, enjoyed 16 days in San Sebastian, Spain. Homestay families gave students a taste of what “real” life is like in Spain. They spent four hours a day working on face-to-face conversations at Tandem Language School and really stretched their Spanish abilities.

“Success in classes and communication with homestay families improved steadily for our young travelers. Applying what they had learned in Spanish courses over the years helped them make a significant development in their language proficiency,” said Jennings.

During their off hours, students got a chance to cook, surf and hike. They also toured Madrid where they had the opportunity to see Picasso’s masterpiece, Guernica, at the Reina Sofia Museum. From there, they bussed northwest to the historic city of Segovia to the see the incredible Roman aqueducts.  Plus, they made day trips to San Jean de Luz and Biarritz to visit a Basque museum and trekked to Bilbao to see the world famous, Frank Gehry designed Guggenheim museum and exhibits by Jeff Koons and Jean-Michel Basquiat. The immersion trip ended with an excursion to the beautiful fishing and farming village of Zumaia.

“Every day was full of physical activity and intellectual challenges. All in all, the experience was amazing, both fun and educational, “said Jennings.

Four Parish students, led by Upper School French teacher, Isobel Betzer, traveled to France to practice their language skills at Biarritz French Course Institute.

“We arrived in Paris and spent four days. We visited the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and Notre Dame, and took a boat ride on the river Seine,” said Betzer.

The group also spent one day at the Chateau de Versailles; touring the Royal Apartments, the Hall of Mirrors and walking through the estate’s beautiful gardens and fountains. There was also time to sample the sweeter side of France.

We ate a lot! Especially crepes and baguettes!” exclaimed Betzer.

Besides indulging in French cuisine, the group also hopped on the incredibly fast TGV train and zipped to Biarritz where they stayed with French families for two weeks.

“Parish students enjoyed interacting with their homestay families and felt they could live in Biarritz,” said Betzer.

There was also time for walking on the beach, kayaking, hiking, cooking and day trips to neighboring towns, including San Sebastian, Spain.

“The students improved their French and made lasting friendships with kids from all over the world. It was an unforgettable linguistic and cultural immersion experience,” said Betzer.

The travels will continue with more ParishAbroad adventures planned in the future. Next up: A European Cultural Program during Spring Break 2016 and a Global Leadership Program to Peru, summer of 2017.

The first day of school can be the hardest or the most exciting day for parents and students alike. There’s the rush to fix breakfast, to put on the uniform and lace up the brand new pair of school shoes; the last minute check to make sure the hair is perfect and the backpack is in the car.

The nerves are there too along with questions: will I like my teacher, will I make new friends, will I be able to find my classes, and should I drive left or right in the carpool lane? The 1,100 plus students and families at Parish Episcopal School may have experienced a similar scenario as the doors of the Hillcrest and Midway campuses opened on Thursday, August 27.

“The first days of school can bring a plethora of emotions- excitement, anxiety, joy and fear of the unknown. It’s important to begin the year with a positive, yet realistic, attitude.  Also, remind your child that we have resources to help them feel supported and confident about the new school year,” said Elaine Charles, Lower and Middle School Counselor.

At the Midway campus, 3rd graders through seniors stepped in time to the Panther drumline as they arrived on campus. The high-energy greeting from the faculty and staff seemed to melt some jitters, but it was a bittersweet “first day” for senior Aahad Patel.

“We’ve always looked up to the seniors, so it’s great that my senior year is finally here. But it’s a little sad too because it’s my last year at Parish,” said Patel.

Middle schoolers Alise and Paige felt a little worried about moving up to middle school on the second floor of Midway.

“Finding my classes was a little scary, but I’ve got it figured out now,” said Alise. 

“I’m going to have to be really organized this year,” predicted Paige.

The middle school students will be getting even more into the “do” mode this year, moving around the classroom and working on projects.

“The teachers are really prepared and excited to try new innovative practices to engage the students,” said Jay Riven, Head of the Middle School Division.

“It’s going to be a great year,” he added.

At the Hillcrest campus, PreK through 2nd grade students and parents were greeted by players from the Panther football team and with high fives from Jennifer Wilson, the new Head of Lower School Division. Wilson comes to Parish from Richardson ISD and has 18 years of experience in education. She’ll be going back and forth between the campuses as she checks on students in PreK through 4th grade.

“We had a really smooth start. There were a few tears, but overall the children reported they had a great and amazing first day of school,” said Wilson.

Along with new students, faculty and staff, Parish also launched its first year of Primer, a program that serves as a bridge between kindergarten and 1st grade.

Parish also unveiled a new mission statement that reflects its core values of Wisdom, Honor and Service, as well as the innovative, inclusive environment that the School is known for among the community. All students, faculty and staff were presented with an OUR MISSION, light blue t-shirt that they will wear during special school events, such as the School’s Legacy Family events.

Those values have served Dave Monaco, Allen Meyer Family Head of School, well during his six years at Parish. He loves to greet the students during carpool every day and looks forward to the start of each new year.

 “After a long, quiet summer on campus, the first day of school provides me a welcomed jolt of energy! Almost immediately, our classrooms and hallways fill with the energy and warmth for which our community is so well known,” said Monaco.

 The students ended the first full day of school with new friends and challenges, and a few thoughts about day one.
 “Great first day,” reported parent Sally Wyatt.

 “Our 7th grader, Pierce, was all smiles and excited about his new classes.”

 It was a successful first day. Just another nine months to go.

Parish Speech and Debate students Davis Larkin (’15) and Mark Wilson (’15) traveled to Northwestern University to compete in the 13th annual Tournament of Champions in Extemporaneous Speaking. 

After two days of competition and a combined 21 speeches, the boys walked out the door with three individual honors and 1st place team sweepstakes. 

Only three schools advanced multiple students into elimination rounds in extemporaneous speaking. Davis Larkin finished 3rd in extemporaneous speaking, improving over the past two years when he advanced to the quarter-finals. Mark Wilson finished 5th place in impromptu speaking and also reached the quarter-final of the main extemporaneous speaking event. 

This is Parish's first win at the Tournament of Champions after finishing in 2nd place in 2013 with Cyrus Ghaznavi, Oliver Sherren, and Davis.

On Wednesday, April 15, 2015, Parish inducted 11 members from the Class of 2015 into the Cum Laude Society. 

The Cum Laude Society was formed in 1906 by a group of schools in the Northeast to recognize students of exceptional scholastic merit. Parish is one of 13 schools in Texas that have been granted a Cum Laude Society chapter, with membership contingent on the quality of our exceptional students - and this group of students was no exception.

The society's motto is Areté, Diké, Timé, which translates from Greek into "Excellence, Justice, Honor."

Our distinguished speaker for this event was Cara Santucci, Parish class of 2014 and member of the Cum Laude Society.

"To the select few being honored today, I offer hearty congratulations. We are here today to celebrate your outstanding scholastic achievement and induct you into the Cum Laude society." said Santucci. "The students recognized today are at the very top of their class. Through hard work and assuming a great deal of academic responsibility through course load and extracurriculars, these seniors have been presented with membership into the Cum Laude Society. It was only a year ago that I sat in these very seats and was honored with entry into the Cum Laude Society. Since then, I have gone off to college and have had the chance to put the skills I gained here at Parish to the test." 

Congratulations to the Cum Laude Society inductees from the Class of 2015:

Competing in the NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, the Parish Episcopal Rover Team is home with multiple awards and a top 10 finish.

Officially finishing 7th out of 44 high school teams and 11th overall, Parish’s time of 6:45 placed them ahead of such notable universities as LSU, Ohio State, Auburn, University Alabama Huntsville, Arizona State and Rhode Island School of Design.

Parish was awarded the Neil Armstrong Best Design Award for the best technical approach to solving the engineering problem of navigating the extraterrestrial terrain of the course. This coveted award honors the memory of Apollo 11 astronaut Armstrong, the first man on the moon. The team was the only school honored with two awards during the ceremony, also bringing home the award for Most Improved Rover in the high school division.

The Parish Rover Team has been preparing for this years event since the completion of their inaugural Rover challenge in 2014.

“We never stopped working on it; we’ve essentially been working on this year’s rover for two years, with last year’s design as our starting point,” said Jenn Makins, Director of STEM Education at Parish. “After the race, the team was already talking about next year and what they would like to do differently.“

Team member Whitney Wheeler, Class of 2017, is already excited about returning to the competition next year.

“I cannot wait to spend my entire weekend up at the school, covered in grease and lost in a mountain of receipts,” said Whitney. “It is such a learning experience and it is so great getting to see all of the other ideas and ways people create something with the same instructions as our team. This program has changed my life and I cannot imagine not being a part of it.”

The rover team utilized Parish's Design Den maker space to develop and build the entire project. The team took advantage of the new welding shed, the CNC router and the 3D printer to design and construct the race-worthy rover.

“This year I am most proud of how our veteran team members mentored and took care of the new members,” said Makins. “I believe it is also noteworthy that in this high-tech project, of the nine students that participated on our team this year, six are girls. We are breaking STEM boundaries and it is inspiring.”

The NASA event challenges students to create a lightweight, human-powered rover capable of performing in the demanding environments to be explored by future voyagers. The competition is designed to teach students to solve practical design and engineering problems and demonstrates NASA's continuing commitment to inspire new generations of scientists, engineers, technicians and astronauts. The students' innovative vehicles and hardware designs could help inform NASA's own development of rovers and other space transportation systems for future deep-space exploration missions.

After winning the most improved award from NASA, the Parish team had some insight into why this year was so remarkable.

“I think we were so successful this year because we had more experience going into it,” said Jake Vickers, Class of 2017. “Being in last year’s event gave us an opportunity to learn from and change what didn’t work for us. Last year we couldn’t get our drivetrain to work, so this year it was our main focus.

The 2015 Parish Rover team includes crew members Jake Vickers, Kiyah Willis, Byron Hameline, Whitney Wheeler, Jonathan Moebius, Madalyn White, Sophie Alford, Ema Zorzor and Katie Wall, and is led by Parish faculty members Jenn Makins, David Cribbs and Eric Pearle.  

This year’s event brought 95 registered student teams from high schools, colleges and universities across 18 states and Puerto Rico, as well as international participants from Germany, India, Mexico and Russia.

Full replays of the race are available on the NASA TV website, where media personnel and television crews provided continuous, streaming coverage of the event:

day 1 - https://youtu.be/IOzupIyoeno

day 2 - https://youtu.be/V-jZxOe6Srs 

For a complete list of award winners, click here.