One day earlier this fall, Addie came across “The Pulsera Project” online. She approached us about engaging with the project for the AP-WE service aspect of our AP Spanish class. We immediately were interested and thought that the project would be a great service project for the Episcopal community; a project which would help raise awareness and money for some of the prevalent issues in the Central American communities of Nicaragua and Guatemala. However, we had no idea how much teamwork, planning, brainstorming, and problem-solving would go into the execution of the project here on campus. We are greatly appreciative of all who have helped us on every step of the way, especially Dr. Alvarez who has shown us constant support and help. Looking back on the day when Addie came across the project makes us laugh, but it also inspires feelings of pride and excitement. Every day since September we have pushed ourselves in ways which we have never been pushed and have put together a project which is so much more meaningful and full of community than we ever would have imagined. And it has been totally worth it.

To give a little background on the project, El Proyecto Pulsera or the Pulsera project is a non-profit organization that partners with student-led groups around the US to sell Pulseras (AKA bracelets) made by artists in Nicaragua and Guatemala. The project allows for students in the US and families in Central America to become a part of an empowering experience. We chose to make this project more than just “selling” bracelets and more about sharing the values of the project to encourage global citizenship. A few of the values that we decided to focus on are poverty in Latin America, Solidarity v. Charity, the importance of Fair Trade, and awareness of global issues.

​Once we realized this was going to be an extensive project that involved almost everyone on campus, we knew that we had to do something in the advisories. Thomas thought of the letter writing activity and planned it out. The activity was completed by students on March 21st. The advisory was given a bio of an artist in either Nicaragua or Guatemala. The artist’s bios were translated into English as a supplement to the Spanish bios so that all of the students and advisors could engage in the activity regardless of their fluency in Spanish. However, the students who understood Spanish were encouraged to help write the advisory’s letter in Spanish which provided an opportunity for Episcopal students that speak Spanish to take the lead of the advisory activity. Students then wrote a letter in either English or Spanish to the artist that they recently read about. Student letters ranged from questions to encouragement to life comparisons between the US and Central America. Each letter will be sent to the artist along with a picture of the advisory and advisor. We hope that this advisory activity will help further illustrate the positive aspects of collaboration so that we may get to know the culture and lifestyles of people living in these Central American communities, with the goal of helping them gain the resources they need to live better lives and creating awareness about global issues in schools around the United States.

Both the middle and lower school have been an integral part of the Pulsera Project success at Episcopal. We divided and conquered and Maia and Christine got in touch with Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Henderson about involving the lower and middle school in the sharing of the project’s values and also in the sale. Mrs. Smith mentioned to us that Mrs. St. George, the eighth grade World Geography teacher was interested in incorporating the project somehow in her classes and Mrs. Henderson told us to talk to Mrs. Boudreaux and the fifth grade teachers, since we came to the conclusion that many of the topics  from the project may be too mature for lower school students below fifth grade to grasp. We formulated a plan with both Mrs. St. George and Mrs. Boudreaux to involve the lower divisions in the project. With Mrs. St. George’s eighth grade classes, we planned a lesson that taught and created awareness about schooling in Nicaragua and how many families cannot afford to send their children to school because they need to work during the day, or cannot afford the uniforms required for school. We centered the lesson around larger discussion questions which inspire thinking such as whether or not education is a natural right, or if there were any possible solutions to make education more readily available and affordable for these Nicaraguan families. The entire Pulsera Team went and taught the lesson for one block and Mrs. St. George continued the lesson with the rest of her blocks. Additionally, we went and spoke to the fifth graders about the values and the project. We were pleased when a group of fifth grade students came forward after our presentation and showed interest in being part of a fifth grade team of representatives for  the Pulsera Project. Our hope is to meet with these students and collaborate with them so they can act as leaders and promoters of the project and its values in the lower school. The fifth grade has already bought 200 Pulseras and will be selling them in their Global Market this April.

The Pulsera sale started Monday the 18th and will continue through April 1. We will have 2 more sales for upper school in front of the clock tower in the quad during lunch on Tuesday, March 26 and Friday, March 29. We will also be having a middle school sale on Tuesday, March 26 in the rain garden during their morning break. Our goal is to inspire members of the student body to spread awareness and help others. Economic aid is just one part of the mutual exchange from The Pulsera Project which also includes the sharing of knowledge, ideas, and life experiences for the benefit of all. On top of the impact abroad, pulsera sales change the lives of students in the U.S. as well, educating them about life in Central America while cultivating student leadership and awareness of global social issues. Each bracelet represents the values of the project and the hard work and creativity that was put into each work of art.

Please consider coming out and purchasing a Pulsera for $5 or asking us a question about any aspect of the project and its values! Thank you for all of your support already. We are looking forward to hopefully selling all of the 600 Pulseras that were sent to us and possibly another entire shipment which we have requested. Our collective support at Episcopal will go towards empowering nearly 200 Central American artists by providing fair trade jobs, housing programs, scholarships, healthcare, and more!

Thanks to the efforts of the Episcopal Lower School community, 101 new moms will have books to read to their newborns. Students and families donated more than 1,200 books for the annual Books for Babies book drive. Organizer and first grade teacher Cory Lemoine says 400 more books were collected this year compared to last year. Lemoine and his students presented the books to Baton Rouge General representatives this week. Thank you to everyone who supported this year’s effort!

Third graders recently teamed up with seniors to begin next year’s Coastal Roots planting project. Students filled the planting cells with soil and cypress or persimmon tree seeds. Next spring, the Upper School Environmental Science class will plant the little trees in Fontainebleau State Park. 

Our littlest Knights took advantage of the beautiful spring weather. PreK-3 students looked for lucky clovers in honor of St. Patrick's Day. PreK-4 students went on a nature hike.

Did you know…

• The population of Argentina is 44,694,198?
• Potatoes are Peru’s main food?
• A bullet train runs from Tokyo to Mount Fuji?

Second graders showed off their world knowledge during the culmination of their unit on geography. Since January, students have learned about countries and cultures around the world. They also learned to read for a purpose, to conduct research and to take notes regarding their subject. The project based unit incorporated reading, writing, technology and art. Students showed off everything they learned at the annual travel agency event for family and friends in the Greer Center.

On a perfect spring day, Paw Patrol, My Little Pony and Spider Man could be seen flying over the Episcopal campus. Seniors and kindergarten students scurried about flying a variety of kites for their last official event together as buddies. The day was a great way to wrap up a year of special events. 

A singer. A cheerleader. A volleyball player. A cross country runner. Episcopal ESTAAR students do so much more than hundreds of hours of science research, presentations and discoveries.  These students are juggling the demands of high school with the excitement, rigor and promise of science exploration.

Episcopal Students Take Action in Advanced Research or ESTAAR formally started during the 2012/2013 school year. Dr. Jewel Reuter and Sarah Pulliam worked together to establish the program and the partnerships needed with LSU. Dean of Academics Dr. Sara Fenske says participating Upper School students are partnered with university professors and have the opportunity for real, hands-on lab work. The students lead their own research project where they seek to determine the answer to a scientific question of their choosing. LSU professor Dr. Kevin McPeak, who has worked with ESTAAR students in his lab, says the program is a great opportunity for high school students to gain hands-on experience in science research. "Gaining exposure to nationally competitive science and engineering research programs can be a daunting task for even the most talented high school students,” he says. “ESTAAR provides this opportunity along with a joint LSU-Episcopal support network to ensure the student maximizes their learning experience.”

The opportunity for university lab time as a high school student is extraordinary. Dr. Fenske says to ensure that students are prepared for this caliber of work, they must enroll in a Scientific Research Methodology and Experimentation course in their junior year. The course covers a range of information including basic lab skills, experimental design, communication skills in science, ethics in scientific research, and how to collect and analyze data. After the first semester of the class, students apply to participate in ESTAAR. They are then matched with professors who work in the students’ field of interest.

Three members of the class of 2019 are wrapping up their ESTAAR experience. Clay Burton, Emily Frazer and Abby Johnson all recently presented at the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium at LSU. The experience requires high school students to stand in a room before a panel of judges comprised of professors, researchers and scientific experts and explain their findings. Such an experience requires a deep understanding of the scientific research process and tremendous confidence. In addition to presenting at the symposium, students also presented their research before their classmates at the annual LAUNCH event. The students were poised and spoke with authority.

Confidence is one of the hidden benefits of participating in the ESTAAR program. Dr. Fenske says while the scientific opportunities are exceptional, the life lessons students walk away with should not be underestimated. “I have gained the experience on a college campus all summer while getting to know and interact with professors and graduate school students,” says ESTAAR student Emily Frazer, who presented the Effect of Temperature on Development and Fertility of Nipponaclerda Biwakonesis Scale on Phragmites Cane. “I loved the confidence that I gained from being pushed out of my comfort zone both in science and in speaking.”

Another tremendous benefit from ESTAAR participation is experiencing scientific research first hand. ESTAAR students are designing experiments, conducting the actual research and analyzing the results. Such hands-on learning helps participants further define what their long term career goals should be. “I have learned what it’s like to have a job as a scientist,” says Clay Burton, who presented Using the Urea-Urease Reaction to Control Polymerization. “This has helped guide me in what I want to pursue in college and in my career.” “I initially wanted to participate in ESTAAR to help determine what type of career I wanted to have in the future,” says Abby Johnson, who presented Sonication-Assisted Self-Assembly of Polystyrene Nanosphere Monolayers. “As someone who has always had a wide range of interests from English and foreign language to sciences like chemistry, I wanted to see if ESTAAR could provide me with some clarity in deciding what careers I would enjoy pursuing in the future.”

Based on the experiences of the 2019 participants and the opportunities gained by previous ESTAAR students, the program certainly places these future scientists on a path toward success.

Avani Alapati ’15 is currently pursuing a neuroscience major and music minor at Rhodes College in Memphis. While at Episcopal, Avani participated in the ESTAAR program where she studied ways to prevent crop destruction due to a particular worm in Louisiana. The pest causes problems for rice and soy plants, which are key commodities in the region, and Avani spent time in an LSU lab studying affordable ways to eradicate the worm. “It made me love research,” she says. “I felt like I was helping the world, the farmers.”
 
Avani earned second place in the plant sciences division at the district Intel Science and Engineering Fair for her work and later went on to earn honorable mention at the state level Intel competition. In addition, she won the Veterans Award for Science. By her senior year at Episcopal, Avani knew what she wanted to do in college. “I was always into science and math,” she says. “Because of ESTAAR I was able to do both.” That love for science reasoning, combined with her natural creativity made Rhodes College the perfect fit for Avani. While at Rhodes she has continued her scientific pursuits. Early in her school career she worked as an animal behavior observer at the Memphis Zoo. She has also participated in research involving the potential impacts that environmental enrichment, such as yoga and meditation can have on patients with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
 
Avani is fearless in her pursuit of information and eager to learn more about the topics that interest her. This passion for science and her ESTAAR experience earned Avani the sole neuroscience fellowship offered by the University of Tennessee Medical School for study at Rhodes. Even as she dons her lab coat and focuses on her research, Avani still finds time to sing. She hopes to use her scientific abilities and her creative strengths to continue helping the world. 

It’s safe to say that Estelle Crawford ’17 loves science. As a young girl her home was filled with experiments and projects inspired by a 1001 Science Experiments book that her mom, Liz, still has today.

Estelle says initially the ESTAAR science research course was a struggle as she trudged through experiments with no real results. Then it happened. After the trial and error, she got results. “This is science. This is working. This is what is happening,” she remembers saying. Just like lighting a Bunsen burner, Estelle’s former love of science was once again sparked. As an ESTAAR participant, she spent hours in the LSU lab assisting Dr. McPeak and his team on water purification research. Those hours and her passion paid off in a big way. As Estelle interviewed with universities for admissions, they were impressed with her time in the lab. College admissions officers reminded her on numerous occasions to discuss ESTAAR and her lab experience in her interviews with department staff. “I didn’t realize the exposure was a big deal,” says Estelle. “It prepared me for classes. I was ready.” Estelle was ultimately accepted to Birmingham Southern. She earned the Rushton Scholarship, which covered tuition and expenses. “ESTAAR was a huge part of that,” she says.

“I learned so many things about myself,” Estelle says of the ESTAAR experience. She remembers initially being intimidated to walk across a college campus. However, she developed the confidence to take that walk, enter the lab and speak with her professors. Now at Birmingham Southern she is pursuing a major in biology and a minor in psychology with the hopes of earning a PhD.

Preparing Future Science Stars

​As of this May, 22 Episcopal students will have completed the ESTAAR program, including recent graduate Scott Wicker ’18. Wicker presented Non-Traditional Heating Methods for Petrochemical Manufacturing last year at the LSU regional symposium. As a result of his work and his presentation, he qualified to present at the 56th National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium. He was only one of 230 high school students who qualified. In addition, Scott won first place in his category at the Region VII Science Fair and third place at the State Science Fair.

Episcopal Students Take Action in Advanced Research is a tremendous opportunity for students to distinguish themselves in high school, college and beyond. Many of these students are pursuing degrees in science and some have already begun a science-related career. Regardless of their long term goals, all of them have developed the confidence and problem-solving abilities to make a difference in our world. 
​
Read More about ESTAAR

ESTAAR students have been published for their contributions to scientific research. Connor Pellerin ’17 was a part of a paper published by the University of North Carolina Press regarding research on coastal habitats. Click here to see the paper.

You can learn more about Connor and last year's ESTAAR participant, Scott Wicker '18, by reading Head of School Hugh McIntosh's Academic Points blog post here. 

We are excited to celebrate members of the Class of 2019 as they make their college enrollment decisions. Congratulations!​

Four Upper School Episcopal students recently attended the Annual Louisiana Junior Classical League Convention. The students were coached and lead by Episocopal’s JCL sponsor and Latin/Spanish teacher, Micheal Posey.  
 
The Upper Latin certamen team (think quiz-bowl for the Classically-minded) was captained by 10th grader, Abhay Basireddy and included fellow, 10th grader, Madi Bell.  Certamen teams usually field teams of four players.  Even against those odds, Basireddy and Bell placed 3rd in the state for Upper Latin Certamen.  Episcopal’s small delegation also placed 3rd in the Ludi Spirit Contest during Friday’s opening assembly.
 
At the LJCL Convention, students participated in academic, creative and graphic arts contests as well as seminars, workshops, a Roman banquet, dance and karaoke. The students  also captured the following individual awards:

Abhay Basireddy:  Latin III
1st place:  Latin Derivatives
1st place:  Latin Grammar
1st place:  Latin Mottoes, Phrases and Abbreviations
1st place:  Latin Reading Comprehension
2nd place:  Latin Vocabulary
3rd place:  Upper Level Certamen
4th place:  Roman Life and Customs
5th place:  Latin III:  Latin Sight Reading
5th place:  Marathon (Olympika)
7th place:  Academic Sweepstakes (all levels!)

Madi Bell:  Latin IV
3rd place:  Upper Level Certamen
4th place:  Latin vocabulary
4th place:  Latin Reading Comprehension
5th place:  Latin Grammar
5th place:  Academic Decathlon

Justin Dynes:  Latin III
3rd place:  Latin Grammar
2nd place:  Latin Reading Comprehension
 
Arya Patel:  Latin III
1st place:  Map (Creative)
2nd place:  Ink (Creative)
3rd place:  Latin Vocabulary
3rd place:  Latin Reading Comprehension
3rd place:  Latin Derivatives

Congratulations to four members of the Episcopal African Heritage Club! A team of students including Madi Bell, Zykia Howard, Justin Thompson and Serena Thompson recently placed first in the 25th Annual Collegiate Black History Quiz Bowl hosted by the Southern University Ag Center and the College of Agriculture.

The Episcopal robotics team had a great showing at the recent Rock City Regional competition in Little Rock. Students did a great job of scouting the competition and making improvements to the robot with each match. The group performed well in qualifying matches and was even chosen by another team to be a part of an alliance in the quarterfinals. 

Congratulations to Katie Knight! Katie earned second place in the Literary Rally's art competition. Her piece, entitled Hand with Ice Cube, received recognition in Category III 2D Color: Drawing, Print-Making, Photography and Digital Art. The art exhibit is a district only event unique to the Southeast Louisiana District Literary Rally. 

Students qualifying for District and State and earning a Southeastern Scholarship are:
​Ajit Alapati – Principles of Business
Abhay Basireddy – Advanced Math – Pre Calculus
Clay Burton – Calculus I
James Christian – Advanced Math – Functions and Statistics
Eugene Jiang – Algebra II
Celia Kiesel - Civics
Joy Lee – Biology I
Carter McLean – Spanish II
Alex Nelson - Chemistry
Adam Reid - Physics
Bethany Reid – Spanish IV
Justin Thompson – French III
Gracie Veillon – Calculus II

Episcopal's gold and blue mock trial teams faced tough competition at the recent regional mock trial event. Congratulations on a great showing! Read more about the event here.

Eight students from Episcopal recently earned recognition on the National Classical Etymology Exam (NCEE). Congratulations to the following students:

​The NCEE, which was administered in October by the National Junior Classical League, is based on English vocabulary words that are derived from Latin and Greek with an emphasis on academic and SAT vocabulary words. The contest measures a student’s mastery of Latin and Greek derivatives.

​Upper School students recently hosted the sixth annual LAUNCH Day to celebrate learning. The student presentations were entertaining and impressive. Visit the LAUNCH webpage to watch the student presentations.

Field House Fever is catching as real vertical progress gets underway on the new Episcopal athletic field house! To learn more about this new 23,000 square foot facility, click here or contact Spirit • Mind • Body Capital Campaign Director Mellie Bailey at 225-755-2687 or ​baileym@ehsbr.org. You can also watch a video of the foundation being poured and download the field house brochure by clicking here. 

The bats are swinging as baseball season heats up. This year’s group of seniors, Cruz Crawford, Harper Doerr, Aaron Root and Takumi Takei and the rest of the team are excited to move toward tournament season. The Knights are currently 8-2 and will host Riverside next weekend on Friday, March 22nd at 5 pm and Saturday, March 23rd at 11 am. Look for this to be an exciting contest.

Don't miss the upcoming game between the Episcopal Knights and Metairie Park Country Day at Tulane's Greer Field at Turchin Stadium. 

Softball season is underway with numerous opportunities to catch the girls in action. This year’s team is led by senior Kate Oliver and a multitude of juniors. Make plans to enjoy a weekend of softball as the team hosts the Episcopal round robin tomorrow with games at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm. Mark your calendar for Thursday, March 28th at 5 pm when the girls host Dunham.

Track and Field action moves outdoors for spring competition. The Episcopal indoor boys team already earned the state championship title and the outdoor group hopes to do the same. The group is led by seniors Trevor Babcock, Louie Ballard, Austin Broussard, Clay Burton, Bryce DeBourg, Brandan Garrido, Raymond Gould, Todd McInnis, Graham Perkins, Davis Singletary, Kirk Singletary, David Whitehurst and Greyson Yorek. The girls team has also had a tremendous year and they hope to continue that success outdoors. The girls are led by seniors Mary Katherine Bolton, Adele Broussard, Madeline Dansky, Caitlin Davis, Riely Heaslip, Claire Hook, Jenny Stauss and Mary Katherine Underwood. After hosting and both teams winning the Episcopal Relays this week, the teams will be in action again on Friday, March 22nd at the West Feliciana Relays and then again on Thursday, March 28th at the Alan Brown Invitational at Broadmoor High School. The state championship meet is set for Friday, May 3rd at LSU.

Metro competition is in full swing. Junior Joe Patterson and freshman Boyd Owens are already having a great season. Look for more from them and the rest of the team as they work toward the Metro Tournament on Tuesday, April 9th in Zachary and the district meet in Lafayette.

The girls golf team is also having a strong season. Senior Riely Heaslip and junior Caroline Glynn are off to an impressive start. Look for them to have a great showing at the Metro Tournament on Monday, April 15th in Zachary.

Mark your calendar for exciting tennis action on Monday, March 18th as Episcopal hosts Dunham. Later that same week the Knights will also host Central on Wednesday, March 20th. Look for seniors James Bruno, Grant Cretin, Ethan Gettys, Carter Rigby, Edward Staib and Emily White on the court as they work toward the LHSAA Regional Tournament. It gets underway on Wednesday, April 17th right here in Baton Rouge, LA. The LHSAA State Tennis Tournament will be on Tuesday, April 23rd.

Good luck to the powerlifting team at this weekend’s state championship tournament!

Once again the boys basketball team made it to the state tournament! After an impressive run and a successful season, the team lost to Country Day in the semifinals. The girls put up an impressive season as well, with the team advancing to the quarterfinals in the state tournament.

Congratulations to Middle School basketball coach Byron Honoré! Coach Honoré, who has led the 8th Grade Knights for 23 years, received the Independent Schools Athletic Association Sportsmanship Award. The yearly honor is voted on by the league’s officials.

Congratulations to the boys indoor track and field team. The squad earned the state championship title. The girls team celebrated their own success by moving up to a sixth place finish this year. Both teams also had individual state champions.

The Boys and Girls Soccer Knights had a great season.  Both teams won a district title and advanced into the playoffs.  The boys squad advanced to the quarterfinals and the girls advanced into the regional round of the playoffs. Congratulations to boys soccer coach Kiran Booluck on being named the District Soccer Coach of the Year!

Episcopal athletics has had tremendous success this year. We are proud of our athletes and coaches for their commitment and dedication. Go Knights!

International political economy. International business. International affairs and public policy. Episcopal students want to make a difference in the world, with seniors frequently expressing interest in pursuing globally-focused majors. In a world that is increasingly more connected, a global mindset is an asset in a variety of fields. The opportunities provided through Episcopal’s Global Studies Department are designed to cultivate this interest and help students become global citizens.

Episcopal offers three to four global exchanges or international curricular-based travel opportunities each year, with numerous students participating. Global Studies Department Director Dr. Rebecca Kuhn says travel opens a world of possibilities for student participants. “It’s important to appreciate the similarities and differences between our cultures. It’s also important to get comfortable traveling and navigating new situations,” she says. As students explore their world, they also gain confidence and independence.

A global studies education is much more than a trip abroad. Episcopal also offers numerous social studies and world language courses with a global focus. One course that students have expressed particular interest in is AP Comparative Government and Politics. The course, which is taught by Edwin Way, compares the politics of Great Britain, Mexico, Russia, Iran, China and Nigeria. Way says making these comparisons actually helps students learn more about their own country. “You can’t really understand a country or a government unless you have something to compare it to,” he says. “I hope that they get a better appreciation for the United States and the freedoms that we have.”

Way says approximately 15,000 US students take the AP Comparative Government and Politics course each year. During the semester, students participate in debates on a range of current topics such as Brexit or the Putin regime in Russia. Way says many Episcopal students are well traveled, which enables them to pull from their personal experiences regarding many of the locations being examined. As a teacher, Way also brings much to the course having lived in China, West Africa, Egypt and Denmark.

Dr. Kuhn says courses such as the AP comparative government course, travel opportunities or even opportunities to learn from local experts are all valuable ways to strengthen a student’s overall education. “This type of learning helps us look at the map differently,” she says. “If you hear an international news story you have context and you’re invested in the outcomes. This gets you beyond the sound bite.”

Whether it’s spending two weeks with a host family in Spain, bracing for the chill of Quebec or watching championship tango dancers, Episcopal students have numerous opportunities to learn more about their world. These opportunities will help them become the next generation of empathetic, innovative global leaders.

A group of 19 eighth grade French students spent the Mardi Gras break in Quebec City and Montreal, Canada. Students had the opportunity to practice their French while visiting Montmorency waterfall, the Hotel de Glace and the Notre Dame Basilica. They also enjoyed dogsledding, ice skating and learning more about maple syrup production. 

Soon the VPAC stage will be converted into a flower shop. This is not your typical flower shop. The shop hides a secret and the characters within are dealing with everything from fame and love to success and shame in a comical, musical theater setting. Theater Director Paige Gagliano says it took some time to decide on this year’s Upper School play and it was the students who ultimately cast the deciding vote. “We just need to laugh and dance,” one student said in an endorsement of this year’s quirky choice.

This will be the fourth time that Little Shop of Horrors hits the Episcopal stage. Gagliano feels the importance of tradition as she flips through an original copy of former theater director Danny Tiberghein’s 1998 script notes and revisions. Members of former productions even have children in the 2019 rendition. While Little Shop of Horrors is a show filled with tradition (the Tiberghein version began its run on April 2nd just as today’s version does) it is also a show of firsts.

“It’s not going to be the Little Shop you’ve seen,” says Gagliano.

First of all, there is dancing. Gagliano says while the original story doesn’t have a prominent dance component, the 2019 Episcopal version does. “With a dance teacher as talented as Christine Chrest and the tremendous talent among the Episcopal dancers, we had to incorporate dance and movement into the story,” says Gagliano. The audience will also be more involved in the performance than in the past. “There’s nothing between the audience and the actors,” says Choir Director Mary Kannenberg, who is directing the music along with Band Director David Gambino. Whereas the orchestra would normally be a buffer between the actors and the audience, the band members are backstage for Little Shop of Horrors. In addition, the actors address the audience and interact with them throughout the show in a way that draws the viewer in and makes them feel like a true participant in the performance.

The Little Shop of Horrors cast is a mix of new Episcopal actors and longtime student thespians. Gagliano is excited that the production has attracted new students and says it’s very special to watch these students interact with members of the class of 2019. These seniors have worked with Gagliano since their first musical theater experience in eighth grade. Now as they approach their final curtain call, some are looking forward to continuing their musical theater studies at the university level. The Little Shop of Horrors experience allows them to mentor their fellow actors in a fun and memorable way before they launch into the next phase of life.

Episcopal theater productions typically feature an impressive set that immerses audiences in the magic of the story, thanks to the talents and skills of Lighting Director and Set Designer Louis Gagliano. Think back to the Jungle Book Junior tree house and that giant snake. Little Shop of Horrors promises more of the same with an impressive version of the plant, Audrey II.  The greenery will even come alive with a student puppeteer and student vocals.

Little Shop of Horrors will be open for business on the VPAC stage April 2, 3, 5 and 6 at 7 pm, with a preview night on April 1st. Whether you come for nostalgia, for a new take on a classic or to bid farewell to a group of senior stars, the show will certainly not disappoint.

Tickets are on sale now. Click the link here to reserve your seats.

On Friday, February 23,  Episcopal fielded two Mock Trial teams at the regional Mock Trial competition at the 19th Judicial District Court House in Baton Rouge.  The gold team advanced to the semi-final round and faced tough competition from the team from West Feliciana.  The case problem, Blake Carver vs. Theta Lambda Pi Fraternity, Inc., was a wrongful death civil case involving an alleged hazing incident at a Louisiana Alligator Farm.  The teams were coached by attorneys Chip Marionneaux and Joseph Scott. Congratulations on a great showing!

Blue Team
Saad Ali - Sophomore
Austin Broussard - Senior
Mason LaFerney - Senior
Alyssa Macaluso - Senior
Morgan Patty - Senior
Ashley Solomon - Senior
Wilson Russ - Senior

Gold Team
Lauren Bothwick Hoff - Senior
Tess Cunningham - Senior
Meghan MacMillan - Senior
Grace Marionneaux - Sophomore
Ben Naquin - Sophomore
Douglas Robins - Senior
Soledad Robins - Freshman