Congratulations Episcopal seventh graders! The Class of 2024 had great results in the Duke TIP program this year with 13 State High Scorers and two Grand Winners.

• Ella Chapman – Grand Winner
• Risley Elliott
• Glynes Hill
• Ivy Jiang
• Reed McMains
• Olivia Melancon
• Ahebwa Muhumuza
• Autumn Reynolds
• Ryann Richard
• Alden Romano
• Joey Roth
• Baylen Sim – Grand Winner
• Hayden Singh

The Duke TIP testing experience is much like what Upper School students experience when taking a standardized college admissions test. Students take the test at an approved testing site on a Saturday during the fall with the results announced in the spring. “The value of it is that early exposure to standardized testing,” says Middle School Division Head Lucy Smith. Smith says Duke TIP testing stakes are not high compared to the stakes surrounding an ACT test, allowing students to learn more about standardized testing in a less stressful setting.

Students who score well have the opportunity to earn recognition as a State High Scorer or Grand Winner honoree. According to Duke TIP information, State High Scorers earned scores in line with half of all college-bound seniors. Grand Winners earned scores equal to or better than 90 percent of college-bound seniors. In addition to recognition, Duke University also offers these students accelerated learning opportunities and resources, such as summer camp sessions.

Sixth and seventh graders tackled tough issues in this year’s project-based lessons. Sixth grade students learned about the importance of literacy and seventh grade students took a closer look at nutrition and local food deserts. To read more about the eighth grade effort, check out a previous blog post here.

This fall, sixth grade students got their hands dirty as they learned more about how to propagate and care for succulents. LSU Master Gardeners and science teacher Stacy Hill helped students get the soil ratios just right to encourage the little transplants to grow. Throughout the school year, the students monitored the plant’s growth and tracked their observations. However, the project was about much more than gardening.

The sixth grade teaching team, including Hill, Nancy Callaway, Virginia Day and Martha Guarisco, used the lesson to reinforce the importance of reading. As they explored the impact of literacy, students also discussed the impact of not having access to books and reading materials. Students participated in the campus-wide book drive to collect books for area children with limited access to books.  Over the course of the year, students also learned about supply costs and profits associated with growing and selling succulents. This spring, the plants were sold with the proceeds earmarked for Baton Rouge literacy efforts. In addition, sixth grade students generated more than $300 from field day concession sales to support the efforts.

Seventh graders took a closer look at nutrition this year. In Coach Rhea’s science class, students learned more about the components of a healthy diet. Students took photos of meals served in the cafeteria and conducted research on daily nutritional guidelines and requirements. In other subjects, students learned how to manage a household income and how to reduce food waste. Eventually, the students explored the concept of food deserts and how health can be impacted by where a person lives.

A food desert is defined as a low income area with limited access to a grocery store. Students had the opportunity to do more than simply talk about the concept in a classroom. The seventh grade team, including Rhea, Marian Castille, Katy Riley and Julie Weaver, arranged for a bus tour of Baton Rouge food deserts hosted by District 10 Councilwoman Tara Wicker. Councilwoman Wicker pointed out areas in her own district where residents have limited access to healthy food options and she discussed the implications of these limited choices. After touring the food deserts, students then had the opportunity to volunteer at the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank. While there, they also donated the proceeds from the seventh grade field day concession sales to the organization.

Project-based learning in Middle School is coordinated, thoughtful and thorough. As students explore all aspects of a topic, they gain a deeper appreciation for what they are learning and they are inspired to take action. Ultimately, these projects seem to reflect the school’s mission to provide challenging academic and co-curricular programs which prepare graduates for college and for purposeful lives, very well.

Did you know that the sun is 4.6 billion years old? Did you know that the Milky Way moves 552 kilometers per hour? Did you know that you can make astronaut ice cream using dry ice?

Episcopal sixth graders proved that they know a lot about space during their recent space museum exhibition. Science teacher Stacy Hill challenged students to research a space topic of their choice and create a project showcasing what they learned. The students tackled everything from black holes and nebula to space rovers and the life cycle of stars. The occasion was a great way to end the sixth grade with a big bang.

Middle School sports in the spring continues to focus on developing skills, sportsmanship, and allowing students to explore various interests. Roughly 85% of students play in at least one sport in Middle School. Being part of this athletics program will enable students to compete as well as develop their skills and knowledge in game situations. Upon finishing Middle School sports, students will be physically and mentally prepared for more competitive and demanding Upper School athletics program.

Here are some highlights from the year:

Swim Team

• Division 3 Champions

Soccer

• (Girls) League Runner Up
• (Boys) League Runner Up

Volleyball

• 8th grade team finished 3rd in the league

Basketball

• (7th grade) League Champions, 1st place St Thomas More tournament, 3rd place St Jude tournament 
• (8th grade) 2nd in St Thomas More tournament, 3rd in St Jude tournament

Track– Championship Meet results
(Girls):

• Scarlett Spender (1st junior 1600m) 
• Lauren McGrath (2nd Senior100m hurdles), (2nd Senior Long Jump), (1st Senior Triple Jump)

(Boys):

• Abram Johnston (1st Senior 1600m)
• John Sessums (1st Junior high Jump)
• William Ribes (2nd Junior High Jump), (2nd Junior Long Jump), (1st Junior 100m hurdles)
• Phillip Auzenne (3rd Junior 100m hurdles) 
• Jacob Berg (1st Junior 100m), (1st Junior 400m)
• Thomas O’Conner (3rd Senior high Jump) 
• Akshay Basireddy (2nd Senior triple Jump)

Athletic Award (As voted on by coaches)

• 6th Grade Girls: Elaine Bourgeois, Avery Helmke, Riley Simoneaux, Faith Johnston
• 6th Grade Boys: CJ Washington, VJ Owens, Trey Smith, Noah Olsen
• 7th Grade Girls: Ramsey Greene, Glynes Hill, Rebekah Reid, Ryann Richard
• 7th Grade Boys: Logan Beane, Jayden Hiles, Parks McMains, Ethan Ott
• 8th Grade Girls: Mason Bruns, Lauren McGrath, Nicole Guy, Margaret Harrell, Blair Smith
• 8th Grade Boys: Hays Alexander, Carter McClean, Cale Buhler, Porter Furniss, Alex Hollier

We all want our children to be “happy”, but what is happiness?  This question has been explored by countless universities. In recent years, Yale University founded a course titled “Psychology and the Good Life” and it has become one of their most popular courses.  This course explores the keys to happiness and is now available online to the public on Coursera identified as “The Science of Well-Being”.  In this course, Professor Laurie Santos links happiness to kindness, social connection, gratitude, mindfulness, and positive health habits such as sleep and nutrition.  

As parents, we are often aware of any slight physical changes in our child.  We look out for their health and wellness by taking them to the doctor at any sign of illness, for their vaccinations, and we bandage a skinned knee. However, mental health can be a challenge to identify.  Focusing on observable behaviors and having daily conversations with our children is critical to understanding their mental well-being.  Our young children often wear their emotions on their sleeves and show us through tears or exclamations of excitement how they are feeling.  As teens move into middle school, they often become more guarded with their emotions. Adolescents are beginning to pull away from parents and focus more on peer relationships.  While this is normal and healthy as they develop their own identity, it’s important to realize they still need parental reassurance, support and nurturance.

How can you identify if your child is in emotional distress?  These observable indicators may help you:

• Decrease in grades.  Your typically dedicated and strong student is no longer engaged and interested in school.
• Isolating themselves.  While wanting more autonomy from adults is typical, isolating from peers and not engaging with others can signal emotional distress.
• Michele Borba, author of UnSelfie, recommends using the “too index”:
  • Parents know their children’s normal level of moodiness and behavior. If you notice mood/behavior is becoming TOO intense or lasting TOO long, or spreading into other areas of their life such as  school, sports, friends, it may be time to seek support.
• Loss of interest in hobbies and sports.  
• Secretive behavior- online or in the home.  
• Change in appetite or sleeping patterns.  

Here are some guidelines for starting the conversation with your child about their mental health and well-being:

• Start with “I’ve noticed….”  and remain calm and non-judgemental.
• Express concern- avoid labels.
• Consider parental pressure related to school and sports performance.  Many high-achieving students are driven to work hard and please others.  Ask your child…..”Am I putting too much pressure on you?”
• Car rides can be good opportunities for talking- the pressure of eye contact isn’t there, and it can feel natural.
• Talk with your child about his/her daily life.  Consider incorporating “highs” and “lows” into your car rides or dinner time talk where each person shares something about their day.
• Ask your child about their friend’s happiness and emotional health.  Since teens are peer focused, this may feel less threatening and allow them to open up.
• Watch for movies and books with themes related to mental health that can lead to discussion.  

Episcopal School’s mission statement focuses on developing the “whole child”.  We want to partner with you to support your children to grow into successful and happy young adults.  This May marks the 70th year that the Mental Health Association of American recognizes “Mental Health Awareness Month” providing an opportunity for us to talk openly about mental health and our children’s happiness.  If you have concerns for your child’s mental health, please reach out to your division counselor. We are available to collaborate and provide support.

References:
Yale University Course on “Psychology and the Good Life”  https://news.yale.edu/2018/02/20/yales-most-popular-class-ever-be-available-coursera

Coursera offering Yale Course “The Science of Well-Being”  https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being

Mental Health America:  http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/about-us

NBC News Learn Parent Toolkit:  https://www.parenttoolkit.com/health-and-wellness/conversation-starter/mental-health/tough-talks-how-to-talk-to-your-child-about-mental-health

Child Mind Institute: https://childmind.org/article/tips-communicating-with-teen/

Fourteen years ago when Hurricane Katrina made landfall, the current eighth graders were just infants, with no understanding of the chaos and destruction taking place around them. In 2016, these same students endured the Baton Rouge flood and now have a more personal understanding of what a natural disaster can do. This semester, the students delved deeper into the topic as they asked themselves the question - What are resident’s energy needs after a natural disaster?

The eighth grade teachers, including Shyamala Alapati, Rebecca Milligan, James Moroney and Kristina St. George, teamed up with Librarian Tiffany Whitehead and Academic Technology Coordinator Betsy Minton for this cross-curricular, project-based lesson. In addition to exploring the topic of energy needs, the team also incorporated the theme of this year’s Quest for Peace Program – Finding a Place in a Displaced World. The teachers found creative ways in which to incorporate the theme into a variety of lessons. In geography class, as students studied the countries of the world they learned about the energy challenges and needs of that country’s citizens. In science class, students learned about the different types of energy and how they are created. The theme of energy was even studied in English, where teacher Rebecca Milligan introduced literature written about hurricanes Harvey, Katrina and Maria. Milligan says the text focused on the challenges and emotions that coincide with displacement in the midst of these natural disasters. While you might think it’s a challenge to teach students about energy in English class, Milligan says it’s rewarding to find text that is relevant and applicable to current events, while still teaching students the required academic components.  

The eighth grade team invited guest speakers with personal and powerful connections to natural disasters to speak with students. Middle School Spanish teacher Giselle Clouatre, who is originally from Puerto Rico, spoke with students about the challenges her own family faced after Hurricane Maria. Her story was real and relatable for the students who are growing up in a state often impacted by hurricanes. “I think seeing a teacher we see almost every day talking about such a horrible experience changed my view on disasters and the lives of the people that experience them,” said Sacha Dernoncourt. “Ms. Clouatre told us about things that happened in her real life, which I think is a lot more helpful when we’re learning because it’s easier to understand and actually comprehend what someone has gone through when you actually know them,” said Haley Wright.  

Episcopal graduate and Cajun Army founder, Chris King ’88 discussed the challenges of responding to a natural disaster. He related stories of 11 hour boat rescues and volunteers working tirelessly to organize thousands of meals for displaced residents in the aftermath of the 2016 flood. He challenged students to be the next group of innovators to think of solutions to help citizens fare better in the next natural disaster. What are you going to create? How can you help?

Students recently had the opportunity to connect everything they’ve learned. While sixth and seventh grade students were testing, eighth grade students were fully immersed in the concepts they had spent so long studying. Students explored multiple ways to create energy. They used potatoes, wind, water and a hand crank to light a tiny LED bulb. Outside of the library, students tried a variety of methods for lighting fire, including magnifying glasses, flint and friction. With each method students saw results, ranging from a wisp of smoke to tiny flames. The reward for their efforts was roasting s’mores over a fire pit. Inside the library, students were tasked with solving a series of disaster-related puzzles to unlock an escape box to gain access to the prize within. As a reminder of the impact a natural disaster can have and to truly reinforce the day’s theme, students watched the documentary Hurricane on the Bayou in St. George’s classroom. All of the activities were engaging and entertaining for students. Milligan says the hope is that the experience helps students make a connection between the impacts a natural disaster can have, such as loss of energy, and how citizens can be displaced as a result.

Most of the Episcopal community is familiar with a project-based learning unit. Students explore all aspects of a topic, they make connections about the topic, investigate and research it and eventually share what they have learned. The projects are cross-curricular and include everything from guest speakers and field trips, to hands-on activities designed to generate excitement and enthusiasm for the topic. This year, Middle School teachers worked toward the goal of organizing such a project and the eighth grade energy and displacement project was a success. “I am so impressed with our 8th grade teachers’ work together to support their students with project work focused on energy,” says Middle School Division Head Lucy Smith. “Our students have had a great opportunity to increase their awareness of and empathy for the energy challenges that arise when natural disasters occur.  We hope their work on the project will motivate their ideas and leadership for problem-solving in the future.”

Students were, in fact, inspired to take action as a result of the lesson. After learning more about the challenges of natural disasters, they elected to create natural disaster kits in preparation for future events. St. George says students took on leadership roles, with a disaster kit lead designated in each homeroom. She says the student leaders encouraged their peers to donate items on the disaster kit list and an eighth grader even designed the flyer used to promote the effort. With student donations and the $256 generated from eighth grade field day concession sales, 11 complete disaster kits were created. St. George says the kits will be given to Catholic Charities for deployment during the next disaster.

While the eighth grade field day activity was certainly fun and engaging for students, the lesson had a larger purpose and impact. The teaching team is hopeful that the students make a connection between their classroom lessons and the real life applications – after all, isn’t that what learning is all about?

Several Episcopal students spent part of their spring break learning more about investments and the management of public companies at the 23rd Annual Burkenroad Reports Investment Conference hosted by the Tulane University A.B. Freeman School of Business. Such an experience could help them someday continue the Episcopal tradition of entrepreneurship. Read more about that tradition in a previous blog post here ​here.

Episcopal School of Baton Rouge congratulates tenth grader Abhay Basireddy for scoring in the top 2.5% on the American Mathematics Competitions 10 (AMC 10 A) exam. Nationwide, more than 42,000 students from 1,920 schools took the exam, which consists of 25 multiple choice questions covering mathematics curriculum up to the tenth grade. By scoring in the top 2.5%, Basireddy is now qualified to take the American Invitational Mathematics Exam, along with 2,730 other students from across the country.

In addition, three other Episcopal students scored in the top 25% nationally on the AMC 10 A. Episcopal congratulates the following:
Justin Dynes – ninth grade
Alex Nelson – tenth grade
Arya Patel – ninth grade

All four Episcopal students are members of the school’s Mu Alpha Theta math team, which recently placed fifth overall at the Louisiana Mu Alpha Theta state convention.

The National Latin Exam, sponsored by the American Classical League and the National Junior Classical League, is a 40 question, multiple choice test, offered to students on seven levels.  Students encounter questions on grammar, comprehension, mythology, derivatives, literature, Roman life, history, geography, oral Latin and Latin in use in the modern world.

Of the 44 Episcopal students that took the 2019 National Latin Exam, 20 earned awards.  This year over 139,000 students from all 50 states and the District of Columbia and 20 foreign countries took the exam.  Congratulations to this year’s award winners!

Episcopal students had a great showing at the recent State Literary Rally held at LSU. Congratulations to the following:

This year’s Youth Legislature team had tremendous success! Congratulations to everyone.

Two Episcopal students were elected officers.
Libbie Kelly – Governor’s Cabinet - Secretary of State/Press Secretary
Riley Ewing – Speaker of the House

The Episcopal team successfully passed ten bills.
Free Prosthetics for Veterans – Ryann Richard, John Luke Boagni
Sports for Disabled Kids – Shreya Kamath and Amelia Pleasant
Solar Installation Tax Incentives – Joey Roth and Jada Crawford
Urea Ammonium Nitrate Control Act – Mia Pulliam and Carter McLean
Weapon Protection for Schools – Sarah Theriot and Suzie Heneghan
Homes for the Homeless – Tori Pierce and Nidhi Sthanki
Diabetic Supplies for the Uninsured – Katherine Fivgas and Claire Kiesel
Online Privacy Act – Hayden Singh and Pearson Spender
Protecting the Marshlands – Jacob Bruser and Jacob Jones
Save the Bees – Sarah Laiche and Alexandra Streuli

​Several Episcopal students were selected for the Youth Legislature Hall of Fame.
Ella Chapman
Risley Elliott
Katherine Fivgas
Suzie Heneghan
Ivy Jiang
Arden Johnson
Shreya Kamath
Laura Jane Kirkpatrick
Avery Kyle
Sarah Laiche
Carter McLean
Ayush Patel
Tori Pierce
Mia Pulliam
Joey Roth
Hayden Singh
Sarah Theriot

Congratulations to Anna Katherine Harrell for being named the Outstanding Photojournalist.

Episcopal golfers had a great showing at the recent state tournament. The girls finished as the Division II State Runner Up! Riely Heaslip and Caroline Glynn shot a two day score of 324! Riely finished as the third place medalist in the tournament. Freshman Boyd Owens finished as State Runner Up with a two day 36 hole score of 145. 

The Episcopal boys tennis team won the 2019 Division III State Championship title!

Episcopal placed fifth overall at the Louisiana Mu Alpha Theta State Convention in Baton Rouge. This is only the second time in eight years that Episcopal has placed in the top five and ties the team's best finish in those eight years! The 37 Episcopal students competed against 753 students from 33 schools. Congratulations on this tremendous accomplishment!

​Individual Test Awards –
Theta – 10th  Joy Lee
Alpha – 3rd Abhay Basireddy
Mu A – 12th  Lara Rende
Mu B – 14th  Arohi Gopal

​Area Test Awards –
Alpha Advanced Math – 4th James Christian and 16th Shuhei Niwano
Alpha Trigonometry – 13th Justin Dynes and 14th Katie Knight
Open Functions – 1st Abhay Basireddy
Open Statistics - 1st Elaine Gboloo
Mu Integration – 4th Lara Rende
Mu Differentiation – 5th Clay Burton and 12th Mason LaFerney
Mu B – 3rd Arohi Gopal, 4th Nicholas Johannessen, 8th Alex Nelson, and 13th Gautam Mahes

​Game/Team Awards –
Descartes Theta – 6th Laura Gboloo
Descartes Alpha – 4th Tochi Mbagwu
Descartes Mu B – 4th Matthew Bickham
Theta Gemini – 3rd Joy Lee and Eugene Jiang
Alpha Math Bowl – 5th Abhay Basireddy, James Christian, Justin Dynes, KC Shimada
Mu A Math Bowl – 5th Ellie Sim, Lara Rende, Mason LaFerney, and Clay Burton
Mu B Math Bowl – 6th Nicholas Johannessen, Adam Reid, Gautam Mahes, and Gracie Veillon
Alpha Top Cipherer - Abhay Basireddy

Overall School Awards –
8th Theta Interschool
2nd  Alpha Interschool
5th  Mu Interschool
5th Sweepstakes 

Has Lucy had a positive impact on your life? Leave her a message below in the comment section.

There is nothing quite like the joy and enthusiasm of our younger Knights learning. With their outside voices, they proudly proclaim their answers or eagerly demonstrate their newfound knowledge. Their tiny fingers turn pages and build models. As they transition to Middle School, they make thoughtful observations and conduct innovative experiments. They confidently tackle new technology and use it to improve and explore their world.

The new Episcopal Quest Center will celebrate and reinforce the joy of learning in Lower and Middle School. The center, which will be located within a renovated Foster Hall, will provide room to explore with project and experiential-based spaces equipped with microscopes, digital data collection tools and areas for science experiments, aquaponics and gardening. Quest, or Question • Uncover • Explore • Synthesize • Test, will feature adaptable, flexible spaces designed specifically with Lower and Middle School students in mind.

Just imagine the hands-on experiences kindergarten students will have as they learn about the five senses within their own Chemistry Kitchen. This fully-functioning kitchen will provide opportunities for students to explore cooking, baking and other food safe sciences. Spaces such as an Investigation Station, Early Childhood Design Studio and Upper Elementary Design Studio will provide a stimulating environment in which our youngest Knights can participate in activities such as science learning and project-based lessons. Lower School students are certainly not strangers to technology and spaces such as the Virtual Learning Lab will help them continue to explore robotics and coding. The Quest Center is sure to be filled with the excitement of students as they make new discoveries and celebrate success.

As Middle School students learn more about their world, they will be able to simulate a faraway land, explore landforms and travel across the globe without ever leaving the Quest Center. Students will also learn the intricacies of coding and robotics within the Digital Media Lab, a space that is sure to be frequented by members of groups such as the Girls Who Code Club. In the Middle School Design Studio, students will enjoy space for learning about everything from earthquakes to water systems. All of the spaces are designed to be age-appropriate, with room to grow, to meet the needs of the next generation. With the creativity and expertise of Episcopal teachers, it will be exciting to see the lessons and activities that are created within such an inspiring space.

Today’s schools are charged with preparing students for a rapidly evolving future. Advancements in technology will usher in career options that are not currently available and future generations must be ready to successfully take on these new roles. According to a report by the National Association of Independent Schools, schools must prepare students for the following essential capacities for the 21st century:

• Analytical, creative thinking and problem solving
• Complex communication – oral and written
• Leadership and teamwork
• Digital and quantitative literacy
• Global perspective
• Adaptability, initiative and risk taking
• Integrity and ethical decision making

​The Episcopal Quest Center is just one of numerous developments underway on campus to ensure that the school continues to meet the needs of our students. Upper School students are now learning math, science, engineering and technology in the new Academic Commons. The athletic field house is being built to provide our athletes and students a modern facility dedicated to health and wellness. We invite you to help bring innovative learning spaces to Lower and Middle School through the Quest Center, a major gift initiative of Episcopal School of Baton Rouge.

To learn more about the Quest Center and how you can be a part of this important project contact Katie Thompson, Director of Annual Giving and Stewardship, at 755-2741 or thompsonk@ehsbr.org for more information.

Congratulations to the newest members of the Episcopal permanent art exhibit.

Each year, the Episcopal art teachers select artwork from a rising fifth grader, a rising eighth grader and a graduating senior to add to the school’s permanent student art exhibit. The exhibit is a celebration of the individual student contributions to Episcopal and the school’s commitment to arts education.

Five Episcopal AP art students are sharing their work with the Baton Rouge community. Caitlin Davis, Sophia Graves, Claire Hook, Katie Knight and Ian Sabolik were selected to participate in "The Real-Life Experience" Juried High School Exhibition. In addition, Katie Knight was selected to apply for the Paul A. Dufour & Julia Dufour Richardson Scholarship. The scholarship awards high school students an opportunity for private mentorship from a local artist. Katie’s work entitled “Allyson” also earned honorable mention. According to the Gallery website, the exhibition features over 50 works of original art produced by students from East Baton Rouge public and private high schools. More than 240 works were submitted for inclusion in the exhibition. The exhibition is on display from now until April 25th.

Seniors Lauren Smith and Ethan Wax are bringing their thesis LAUNCH presentations to the Ebb and Flow Festival this weekend. Join them downtown on Sunday from 2:30 pm to 3 pm at the IDEA Stage. The Ebb & Flow Festival is an annual event featuring visual art, film, music and local cultural offerings. To read more about the festival, click here. To learn more about  LAUNCH, click here.

Three Episcopal students were chosen as the winners of the Louisiana Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese 2019 Poster Contest for their original digital poster entries in the 9-12 Category.

​Congratulations to the following students:
First place: Ruby Friloux ’22
Second place: Mollie Hyde ’21
Third place: Ashton Wood ’20

The contest is sponsored by the National Hispanic Honor Society Chapter “El Buen Pastor” at Episcopal. The goal is to verbalize the appreciation for other languages and cultures, to promote creative thinking and to encourage cross-curriculum collaboration. Madeleine Cope ’19 and Alex Nelson ’21 organized the contest with assistance from the Comp Design class. The winners will represent Louisiana at the National Poster Competition, with the final judging taking place in May.

Congratulations to this year's inductees!

The National Honor Society is a nationwide organization which recognizes those high school students who excel in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service and character.  Juniors and seniors who have maintained at 3.67 GPA in the core classes (foreign language, science, social studies, mathematics and English) and who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service and character to a faculty council are selected for membership.

With a few tweaks and adjustments a small robot with red eyes, twirls and moves through a series of commands. At the helm of this little mechanical being is a group of seventh grade girls with a shared enthusiasm for coding.

Episcopal’s newly established Girls Who Code Club meets every other Monday in G1 during flex. Club members Cameron Augustine, Savanna Baker, Ella Barker, Mason Bruns, Nola Frazier, Kylie Kojis, Lauren McGrath and Rebekah Reid have become friends because of their shared interest. They are supportive of each other as they work collaboratively to determine why the robot is not performing the task as assigned. Even as they go through the process of trial and error, they do not become frustrated or short with their teammates. The girls are intelligent and not intimidated by the advanced coding language or the math skills required to determine a solution. In fact, when a problem arises, they simply grab a large protractor and begin working out the details.

Girls Who Code is a national organization on a mission to close the gender gap that exists in the world of technology. The organization’s website features statistics showing that fewer than 1 in 5 computer science grads are women and if current projections hold true within ten years only 22% of computer scientists will be women. Girls Who Code is working to change these stats. There are student groups in all 50 states and the organization has served 90,000 girls since being established.

“I like building,” says Cameron Augustine. “I enjoy programming,” says Ella Barker.

While there is much discussion on whether girls benefit from a learning environment without boys, this is not a concern for the Episcopal Girls Who Code members. The girls simply love coding and say they would do it whether or not the club was gender-specific. Girls Who Code Advisor Betsy Minton says she resisted creating an all girls club for several years since many of the girls said they would come either way; however, since the advent of this new club there has been a monumental increase in the number and variety of girls that attend both all girls and mixed-gender club events. Regardless of the setting, Girls Who Code members simply enjoy the experience. “It’s just fun,” says Kylie Kojis with enthusiasm. When the tiny robot obeys commands and follows tasks, the fun becomes apparent. There are big smiles among the girls and even a few dance moves. “I’m so proud,” says Cameron after troubleshooting a missed turn.

Opportunities for young girls to develop their coding capabilities are numerous. Several members of the Girls Who Code Club recently participated in the IT Girls event at Baton Rouge Community College. The citywide event provided students the opportunity to learn more about technology and meet other girls with similar interests. The girls are also very involved in the Middle School Robotics team, which is gearing up for the Regional Autonomous Robotics Circuit competition on April 6th. Many of these students also find opportunities for coding and robotics outside of school and even during the summer months.

Minton is excited that students have so many opportunities to explore coding in fun, informal settings. “It’s applied learning – hands-on and engaging,” she says. “This opens up new worlds to the girls.” The ability to code, build and program is encouraging students to create rather than simply use technology. For example, several members of the Girls Who Code Club are creating a website to define bullying. The Middle School students are writing stories and using JavaScript to make the site a reality. As the students develop their skills and see the results of their efforts, Minton can see a difference. “They are more autonomous and their self-confidence has grown through the experience,” she says.

Girls Who Code provides Middle School students a valuable opportunity to learn new skills while developing greater self-confidence and a network of supportive friends. It’s another great example of the variety of opportunities available for students to explore their individual interests. After a recent club huddle, Cameron and Kylie left to attend practice for the upcoming play. At Episcopal, balancing a variety of activities and interests is a hallmark of a well-rounded education.

Congratulations to Abhay Basireddy, Akshay Basireddy and Charlie Roth! The three young entrepreneurs recently pitched their ideas to the Young Entrepreneurs Academy of Baton Rouge (YEABR) investor panel. Each student received funding for their business proposals, which included Instabrush, Native Bash and Reaction Relief.

Congratulations to seniors Maggie Ewing and Douglas Robins for being selected as candidates for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. According to the U.S. Department of Education’s website, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program began in 1964 to recognize and honor some of the nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors. The program’s mission is “to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.”

Congratulations to the Upper School AirPods math team for earning second place at the recent Tri-Math Tournament hosted by the LSU Math Circle. The team, consisting of Robert Alleva, Abhay Basireddy, Nick Johannessen, Evan Jurkovic and KC Shimada were one of 106 teams from 36 schools in 12 states to compete.

Congratulations to the following Episcopal students who earned a superior rating at the recent Louisiana Federation of Music Club’s Piano Solo Festival.

Episcopal will be well represented at this weekend’s District Literary Rally at Southeastern. Good luck to the following competitors:

Middle School
James Be and Akshay Basireddy – Physical Science
Joie Lee and Autumn Reynolds – Algebra I
Scott McAdams – Geometry
Suzie Heneghan and Thomas O’Connor – World Geography
Abi Pennington and Sarah Laiche – French I
Alex Hollier and Meredith Thompson – French II
Carter McLean and Nicole Guy – Spanish II

Sixth grader Sophia Macias continues to use her love of golf to make a difference in her community through her very own nonprofit – No Worries Just Birdies. Recently her fundraising efforts have paid off in an impressive way as two new AC units were delivered to cool down the Live Oak Middle School gym. Up next? Her team is hosting a men’s retro basketball tournament on February 22nd and 24th. Check out the No Worries Just Birdies Facebook page to learn more about the tournament.

Episcopal senior football player Austin Jemison and Head Coach Travis Bourgeois recently attended the WBRZ Fans Choice Luncheon along with other 2018 Fans Choice Awards football honorees.

Division II State Champions! The Episcopal boys indoor track team finished in first place at the recent state meet. In addition, the girls team improved upon last year’s ninth place finish by earning the sixth place spot this year! See the Episcopal highlights below.
4 X 200 boys relay - third place - Andrew Gould, Trevor Babcock, Kirk Singletary and Todd McInnis
4 X 800 boys relay - first place - Austin Broussard, Greyson Yorek, Logan LeBlanc, Trevor Babcock
4 X 400 boys relay - first place - Todd McInnis, Austin Broussard, Andrew Gould, Trevor Babcock
4 X 800 girls relay - third place - Madeline Dansky, Mary Katherine Underwood, Jenny Stauss, Adele Broussard
Trevor Babcock – individual state champion in the 800; Todd McInnis finished third
Adele Broussard – individual state champion in the 1,600, fifth in the 800 meter
David Whitehurst – individual state runner-up in the 1,600; Austin Broussard finished fourth
James Christian – individual state runner-up in the 3,200; David Whitehurst finished sixth
Clayton Braud – individual state runner-up in the high jump; Greyson Yorek finished fourth
Andrew Gould - sixth place in the 60 meter dash
Oliver Jack - fourth place in shot put
Greyson Yorek - eighth place in pole vault
Clayton Braud - fifth place in triple jump
Francie Oliver – third place in the high jump
Mary Katherine Underwood - sixth place in long jump, sixth place in the 800 meter