Knightly News

In 2014, a group of resourceful and ambitious Episcopal students proposed a day for the Upper School to experience called LAUNCH, and each year thereafter, a new vision emerged while keeping the core philosophy the same: to celebrate learning, to give young people a megaphone to express themselves, and to let students take the lead. On March 10, LAUNCH celebrates a big milestone as students host the 10th “Golden Birthday” LAUNCH! In honor of this milestone, we asked alumni to share what LAUNCH means to them:

Bryan Stamey ‘14 Founding LAUNCH Member and Thesis Presenter: It’s so exciting to hear that LAUNCH is still going after ten years. When we originally came up with the idea, it seemed really bold and out there, so we were just so lucky to get buy-in from everyone at Episcopal and give us a chance on that first LAUNCH. So it’s really exciting to hear that LAUNCH has grown and expanded beyond what we ever even imagined and that it has become such a great tradition at Episcopal. I’m really excited to see how it’ll live on and continue to grow over the next ten years. 

Emma Scott Singletary ‘17: LAUNCH Creative Director, Dancer + Co-Host: I got to participate in the first ever LAUNCH my freshman year of high school, and I remember I didn’t really find it applicable to my learning, and so I intentionally scheduled a physical therapy appointment that day. But little did I know that in 2017 I would stumble into the role of Creative Director and Co-Host with my friend Nina Jalanak… LAUNCH has helped me find out what I wanted to do with my life. I went to Elon and I studied strategic communications and graphic design, and I credit my experience with LAUNCH helping me figure that out…so I hope that you’re able to enjoy LAUNCH this year and see how it it can make a lasting impact on you, your learning and your education and just really find ways to be grateful for this unique idea that Episcopal brings to its students. I hope you can look at it as a challenging opportunity for growth and can really just take advantage of all that our community has to offer.

Alyssa Macaluso ‘19 Thesis Presenter: The day itself makes space to explore and become acquainted with new ideas in a very purposeful way. There’s something invaluable about students leading conversations about diverse and specialized topics with not only their peers but also teachers and other adults who attend; I think it reverses conventions about who should be teaching whom and fosters a spirit of curiosity everyone can partake in.

Ryan Field ‘20 Robotics Presenter and LAUNCH Enthusiast: I always will remember sitting in the auditorium watching my brother present his ESTAAR project and just being so proud of him and cognizant of how much he cared about his project, and that’s for everyone who presents at LAUNCH…to sit there and be a part of that is really something special. It’s also a day where we can learn but also there is no pressure to learn. We get to sit there as students, as teachers, as parents even–we get to absorb knowledge from our peers…it’s such a lovely experience…to absorb knowledge without having to worry about it being tested…or having to remember every single little detail. You can really be in the moment, and I think that’s one of many reasons why LAUNCH is very important and impactful to all of us.

Robert Alleva ‘20 ESTAAR Presenter: LAUNCH is an important step in all of our journeys to discovering more about ourselves and what we like, what we’re interested in, and what we’re passionate about–it is transformative…for all of us to learn more about ourselves and to set ourselves on the right path for where we want to be in life. And all along the way, we’re able to have this LAUNCH day as a huge community event for all of us to come together and support one another in presenting our passion projects and it’s really special for everyone to come together and be invested in each others’ success and happiness. And for me that’s why LAUNCH is so special.

Martha Rhodes ‘21 Thesis Presenter: LAUNCH is so special because it not only allows students to share their hard work with their peers, but it brings together the entire school in an effort to show what we are capable of. LAUNCH always impacted me in such an emotional way, even before I entered the Thesis Program. It shows the intellectual power that Episcopal students can bring to the table and serves as a symbol of the passion and creativity that our generation is capable of.

You’re Invited! Alumni and their families are invited to attend LAUNCH on March 10 and visit the VIP Hospitality room in the Alumni House Parlor. RSVP today to [email protected]!

Katie Sutcliffe

Katie Sutcliffe joined Episcopal in 2011 and is currently the Director of the Writing Center and Thesis Program, as well as the co-creator of LAUNCH, Episcopal’s annual TEDx-style student-planned and executed showcase of ideas and projects. Katie holds a Bachelor of Arts in English (Writing) from DePauw University, an MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing from the University of Pittsburgh and was a 2005 Teach For America corps member. Katie currently serves as the Southeast Representative for the Secondary Schools Writing Center Association Board. She has taught English and writing courses for middle and high school students, gifted students and even continuing-education adults. She’s passionate about research and writing that have practical implications for understanding and addressing real world challenges. 

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