EA Unlocked

Each spring, Upper School students at The Episcopal Academy finish up their exams and transition to May Term, a two-week program that allows students to travel or remain on campus to study a variety of topics in depth.

This year, 33 courses were offered, including, five international and three domestic trips. The science department offered a fascinating class, Science Beyond School. Seventeen students spent several days shadowing experts in the medical, engineering, and STEM fields.

A highlight was the overwhelming offers from EA alumni and parents to host students. EA Unlocked host, Dr. T.J. Locke, talks with a few of these hosts and the teachers who pulled it all together.

• Soledad Ganzhorn P '24, '26/Senior V.P. at SAP & Global Head of SAP Next Gen
• Dr. Noushin Heidary P '26, '31/The Cirillo Institute
• Stephanie Ladavac '95; P '34, '36/Project Specialist, Burns & McDonnell
• Dr. Katie Colyer/EA Science Department Chair
• Grace Limaye '90/Upper School Science Teacher

Read more about this year's EA's May Term offerings and student experiences.

A long-standing tradition at The Episcopal Academy is the Teacher, Coach, Mentor model. This has proven to be a successful formula for EA's athletics program and in the classroom.

During this episode of EA Unlocked, host Dr. T.J. Locke talks with top-ranked High Jumper and Triple Jumper Yaya Johnson, a talented student-athlete in the Class of 2025, and Computer Science and Engineering Teacher Matthew Davis.

Over the years, this duo has worked together in the classroom and on the track with great success. Listen in on how Yaya's Lilley Advanced Independent Study project, called the Biomechanics of Track and Field, helped him adjust his jumping and break a 50 year-old record.

Yaya helped lead the EA Boys' Indoor Track and Field Team to its third consecutive state championship. Listen to the team and Coach Zach Richards relive this incredible win with only five competitors in six events.

As a developing student-athlete, there's nothing quite like learning and getting encouragement from an upperclassman.

The robust athletic teams and talented student-athletes at The Episcopal Academy, provide the perfect opportunity for varsity athletes to work with their younger peers in Middle School.

In this episode of EA Unlocked, host Dr. T.J. Locke talks with Assistant Athletic Directors Katie Duffie and Steve Colfer, along with Coach Colleen Bernabei and varsity student-athletes Stevie Combs (Track & Field) and Evan MacFarland (Lacrosse) about EA's Bridge Day.

The Chapel program at The Episcopal Academy is an important pillar of the school. Each year, more than 100 speakers share powerful insights and reflections with students, faculty, and staff in Lower, Middle, and Upper School.

This episode of EA Unlocked highlights some of those speakers who were featured in weekly @EAChapel Instagram posts.

Speakers:

• :37 Dr. T.J. Locke, Hon. (Greville Haslam Head of School)
• 2:03 Katie Duffie (Assistant Athletic Director)
• 3:14 Chaz Howard (Univ. of Pennsylvania Chaplain)
• 4:32 Anna Safford '09 (English Teacher)
• 6:14 Nick Mead '13 (2024 Olympic Gold Medalist)
• 7:39 Erica Snowden (Exec. Dir. of the Office of DEI)
• 9:03 Quinn Whitaker '25
• 9:25 Michael DiMonte '25
• 10:58 Jovana Sekulic '21 (2024 Olympian)
• 13:02 Tony Herman, Hon. (English Teacher)
• 14:09 Cristina Deirmengian, Hon. (Spanish Teacher)
• 16:13 Father Tim Gavin, Hon. (Head Chaplain)
• 17:30 Anne Barr, Hon. (English Teacher)
• 18:41 Rev. Michael Palmisano (Middle School Chaplain)
• 20:34 Norman Vossschulte P '22, '25

The arts at The Episcopal Academy are a treasured part of the curriculum. At EA art is more than just a subject.

Visual Art Department Chair David Sigel talks with EA Unlocked host T.J. Locke about how art is the truest form students can dive into, to figure out who they are as a learner.

One of the highlights of the year at EA is the annual spring celebration, ArtsFest. Listen in on the vibrant sounds of ArtsFest in a past episode of EA Unlocked.

After much research and thought, The Episcopal Academy launched a cell phone pilot program in the Upper School.

Each morning before homeroom, students place their phones in a secure holding case for the day and pick them up as they head out in the afternoon.

Head of Upper School Mike Letts talks with EA Unlocked host Dr. T.J. Locke about the process behind the initiative and the observations so far.

The Episcopal Academy Boys' Track & Field Team pulled off a remarkable feat as they won their third consecutive Pennsylvania indoor state championship.

With only five competitors in six events, every second, and every inch counted.

In this bonus episode, the team and Coach Zach Richards share their "play by play," as the title came down to the Distance Medley Relay against powerhouse State College Area High School. "It was a movie in the making!" said Coach Richards.

2:20 Eli Engelman '25 (Mile, DMR)

4:47 Abaas Hunter '26 (200m, 400m, DMR)

9:00 Yaya Johnson '25 (High Jump, Triple Jump)

13:13 Curtis Conner '26 (DMR)

16:54 Kaleb Young '28 (DMR)

20:33 Jacob Serrano '28 (Alternate)

With the wealth of talented and experienced educators at The Episcopal Academy, there are plenty of opportunities to learn from colleagues.

In January, EA's Center for Teaching and Learning launched the inaugural Open Classroom Week. Teachers in Lower, Middle, and Upper School "opened" their classrooms to faculty and staff. With over 100 classroom visits, the week created quite a buzz.

CTL Buckley Executive Director Justin Cerenzia and CTL Coordinator Allison Schultz talk about this growth opportunity with EA Unlocked host Dr. T.J. Locke.

Curious who is reading five books a month, has returned to the classroom as a teacher's aide, and recently read a translation of The Odyssey?

With a combined 115 years of service to The Episcopal Academy, retired teachers Lynne Hay, Tim Kent, and Nancy Reinhard catch listeners up on their action-packed retirements and strong connections to the EA community.

The Episcopal Academy college counseling team recently hosted Kirk Brennan for a day on campus.

The Associate Dean and Director of Undergraduate Admissions met with students, parents, faculty, and staff to discuss the college process. His talk was titled: Redefining Success: Guiding Your Student Through High School and Beyond.

Kirk Brennan talks about the misconceptions about the process and how college admissions has changed over the years with host Chris Torino, EA Assistant Head of School.

Check out past episodes in our EA Unlocked College Counseling "quick takes" series.

• Takeaways From Strategic Campus Travel & Relationship Building with EA College Counseling
• EA College Counseling Shares Takeaways from the NACAC Conference