Knightly News

LAUNCH Day 2025 celebrated student achievements and the potential of the next generation to make a positive impact on the world. Seniors presented research and thoughts on everything from the importance of loving each other and what it means to be an American to effective pesticides for bed bug removal and the true crime industry. Students approached their topics with enthusiasm, passion and creativity. The day featured a crime-solving challenge, scratch-and-sniff stickers, a bed bug costume and more.

There is no question that as students discuss gene mutations in birds or the possibilities of animation, significant learning occurs through LAUNCH. The LAUNCH Day TEDx-style presentations are the result of two years of hard work and discovery.

Launching a Community

As Upper School English teacher Dr. Jason Hanks points out, another result of LAUNCH is establishing a strong community of learners. Dr. Jason Hanks joined the LAUNCH team when this year’s presenting seniors were just beginning the LAUNCH experience as juniors. After spending so much time with the students and witnessing their intellectual progress, he looks back on the experience with awe. “I love it so much,” he says. “This was a great learning opportunity for me.”

A veteran educator, Dr. Hanks enjoys the process of building community. He and Katie Sutcliffe coached the students through the stressful times and celebrated them through the inspiring times. During the first year of the thesis experience, students spend considerable time together building trust and establishing relationships. Students also work on presentation and research skills and investigate potential study topics. Similarly, ESTAAR students spend many hours in a lab and become part of a scientific community dedicated to making discoveries.

LAUNCH Day showcases the learning community's cohesion, joy and mutual respect. Current juniors arrive early and support their senior counterparts throughout the day. Once all the student presenters in a block complete their presentations, the students take a final bow together in a moment two years in the making.

A Community that Lives On

Building community is an Episcopal core value, and LAUNCH offers a tangible example of what that concept looks like. Being part of a community of learners means classmates stand and applaud each other as they recognize the long hours spent to make LAUNCH Day a reality. In addition, a team of faculty, including Tiffany Whitehead, Dr. Jeff McLean and thesis advisors, dedicate time and effort to supporting the community and helping students succeed.

LAUNCH students will be forever connected through the experience, and their learning community will live on. Audience members will also look back with appreciation for an experience that made them think and consider how they can impact the world.

Congratulations to this year’s LAUNCH Day presenters! Share a message with these outstanding students in the comments section below.

Photos provided by Regan Danos.

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