EA Unlocked

'Tis the season at The Episcopal Academy! Students of all ages shared their musical talents and helped spread the spirit of the holidays during their instrumental and choral concerts throughout December.

Listen in on the sounds of holidays, and the beautiful music performed by our Lower, Middle, and Upper School students.

Join us as we go behind-the-scenes of EA's Middle School Harlequin Ensemble's spectacular production of Frozen JR. Fifty-five members of the cast and crew wowed audiences of all ages. Listen in on how the cast managed six costume changes, how the impressive set came together, and the brilliant touch of making it snow on stage.

Guests:

• Frozen JR. Cast
• Gina Tomkowich/EA Middle School School Drama Teacher
• Kelly Leight-Bertucci/EA Theatre & Dance Technical Director

Each fall, exchange students from Australia and South Africa arrive in the United States and jump right into life at EA. This year, four students are living with EA host families, taking Upper School classes, and playing on the fall athletic teams.

This enthusiastic group recently stopped by to talk with EA Unlocked host, Dr. T.J. Locke. Listen in as they share their favorite American foods, experiences, as well as their thoughts about Philadelphia's sports teams.

Guests:

• Ella Burgess/Central Coast Grammar School
• Evie Barker/Central Coast Grammar School
• Kenzie Mikkelsen/Central Coast Grammar School
• Kaylin Seymour/Herschel Girls School
• Elizabeth Doyle '25
• Lucia Forte '26
• Cassidy Ott '25
• Ellie Rheam '27
• Aiden Tsaturyan '25
• Amy Brotschul/Upper School French Teacher

In this Bonus Episode of EA Unlocked, listen in on the celebration of Thanksgiving at The Episcopal Academy. Lower, Middle, and Upper School students marked the occasion at the annual Thanksgiving Chapel services.

Members of the 5th grade Chapel Council share A Litany of Thanksgiving which includes what EA's youngest students, in PreK through 3rd grade, are most thankful for this year. Upper School Science Teacher Jenn Jones speaks about the importance of a grateful heart- along with the sounds of the Middle and Upper School choral group.

Reluctant to update your computer or change your passwords? Do you avoid multi-factor authentication? "Ninety percent of cyberattacks are human error," obseves this week's EA Unlocked guest Kyla Guru. She is working to change human behavior and design systems that make the "convenience security trade-off" second nature and as easy as brushing your teeth or locking your car door.

After attending a NSA GenCyber camp when she was a 14-year-old high school student, Guru discovered her passion for cybersecurity and the importance of educating people about the topic. She is the founder and CEO of Bits N'​ Bytes Cybersecurity Education and a student at Stanford University, where she is studying computer science and international relations.

Thanks to the generosity of the Clare Foundation STEM Speaker Series, Guru spent the day talking with teachers and students at The Episcopal Academy, and EA Unlocked host Dr. T.J. Locke.

Additonal Guests:

• EA Math Teacher & Clare Foundation STEM Speaker Coordinator Tracey Motley
• EA Senior Kate Lamb
• EA Senior Sydney Richter

Episcopal Academy alumni are working in fascinating careers all over the world. There are a handful who have taken their athletic talents to college and into the professional arena.

It is unusual for two alums from the same class, who play the same sport, and the same position, to be drafted by Major League Soccer and now play against each other on rival teams in the same city.

Matt Freese and AJ Marcucci are long-time teammates, friends, and both graduates of EA's class of 2017. AJ plays goalie for the New York Red Bulls and was a three-year starter at Connecticut College. Matt Freese launched his professional career in Philadelphia as a "homegrown" player with the Philadelphia Union after playing at Harvard University. He now is in goal for New York City FC.

During an entertaining conversation, AJ and Matt talk with EA Unlocked host Dr. T.J. Locke about their days at EA and life on the professional circuit.

Justin Cerenzia joined The Episcopal Academy over the summer as the Buckley Executive Director of the Center for Teacher and Learning.

EA Unlocked host, Dr. T.J. Locke, talks with Justin about the impact that AI is having on education and how teachers and students are learning to use AI in a "positive way."

Follow EA's Center for Teaching & Learning @ea_ctl on Twitter/X

After graduating from The Episcopal Academy in 2019, Theo Vadot continued his passion for the arts at Rice University where he studied architecture. He recently stopped by campus for an artist reception for his exhibit, Open -, Cumulative Works, 2019-2022, in the Crawford Campus Center Gallery. The show features Theo's pieces from architecture school, along with sculptures he designed while at EA.

Theo and his art teacher Hilary Hutchison sat down with EA Unlocked host, Dr. T.J. Locke, to talk about the exhibit, Theo's trajectory in the arts, and how his EA art classes prepared him for a rigorous architecture curriculum. He is currently interning with Pei Cobb Freed & Partners in New York City.

Episode Guests:

• Theo Vadot '19
• Hilary Hutchison/EA Upper School Art Teacher
• Honors 2-D & 3-D Design students

Throughout the school year, students in all three divisions at The Episcopal Academy hear powerful messages from guest speakers including students, faculty, staff, and alumni. There are well over 100 speakers who share inspiring thoughts and words each year. (See the speakers included in this episode of EA Unlocked below.)

This episode highlights some of those speakers. Many were included in weekly @EAChapel Instagram #EAChapelMinute posts.

• Dr. T.J. Locke
• Father Tim Gavin, Hon.
• Mike Sheehan '04
• Erica Snowden/DEI Executive Director
• Norm Fitzpatrick '80/Veteran's Day Chapel Speaker
• Ali Fitzpatrick Carey '06/Veteran's Day Chapel Speaker
• Teja Smith P '23
• Michael Whalen '08
• Jim Erwin/Music Dept. Chair
• Rev. Michael Palmisano
• Lower School Chapel Council Members
• Colleen Bernabei, Hon.
• Rev. Edmund Zelly
• I'jaaz Abdul-Malik '23
• Dr. Oksana Jackson/Maura Murphy Lecture Speaker
• Clayton Platt '73/Alumni Chapel Speaker

Each spring, the arts are celebrated at The Episcopal Academy during ArtsFest. This afternoon of campus-wide fun includes musical performances, a wearable trash fashion show, improv, and gallery exhibits that feature student works from PreK - 12th grade artists.

EA Unlocked "hit the road" for this episode, to gather the beautiful and inspiring sounds of ArtsFest.

Interviews include various students, faculty, and staff, along with music from EA's talented musicians.