Fifth grader Julia Craig has been named the winner of the annual statewide essay contest sponsored by the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. In March, Julia won the local round, qualifying to have her essay judged at the state level. The theme of the contest was, “What I Can do to Promote Americanism and Love of Country.” Along with a $1,500 prize, Julia receives an expenses-paid weekend in Orlando to present her essay at the Elks state convention in May.

Five SSES students led a team of six from Manatee County to the Division 1 championship of the statewide 2016 Florida Commissioner’s Academic Challenge, April 21-23 in Orlando. The three-day competition featured teams from 38 counties competing in a series of academic challenges covering topics in language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, fine arts, world languages (French and Spanish), physical education, health, and technology. Teams were rewarded for speed and accuracy in answering individual and team questions. Team Manatee completed a perfect championship round with no incorrect answers to top Palm Beach County, 260-247. Manatee County holds local competitions throughout the fall, and the top six students from the county earn the opportunity to represent the team at the state level. This year, Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School won the local competition and had five of the top six individual scorers. Saint Stephen’s students representing Manatee County were Ethan Leuchter ’16, Hannah Sage ’16, Joe Class ’16, Alex Siegal ’17, and Vanessa Yan ’17. They were joined by Julian La Rosa ’16 of Lakewood Ranch High School. The team was coached by Saint Stephen’s Library Director Christina Pommer. As champions, team members receive recognition from the Commissioner of Education, a trophy, a championship ring, and each student is awarded $500 in scholarship money to support their college education.

With a live television audience watching, the SSES Academic Team won the first Manatee Academic Challenge on March 15, defeating students from Lakewood Ranch High School, 157-121. In three rounds of gameshow-style general knowledge trivia questions, seniors Joe Class, MaryAnn Placheril, and Ethan Leuchter emerged victorious for Saint Stephen’s. The competition was broadcast live on cable TV’s Verizon and Bright House networks, and also streamed on the internet from the Southeast High School studio – SETV. Read more about the challenge and view some photos and video from the event in a report from the Bradenton Herald.

Niche.com has released its 2016 rankings, and Saint Stephen’s is No. 9 on the website’s list of the top 100 private high schools in Florida. SSES is the only Bradenton-Sarasota area institution recognized among the top 30. The site ranks schools based on a formula that includes composite SAT/ACT scores, matriculation to four-year colleges and universities, quality of college acceptances, student/teacher ratios, campus culture and diversity, and parent/student surveys of overall experience.

The entire school community was on hand to celebrate with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that officially opened the new campus Marine Science Center on Feb. 18. The nearly 6,000-square foot facility features a wet lab, one outdoor and two indoor classrooms that will be utilized by students in all grade levels for their study of marine science. The grand opening event featured comments from Head of School Dr. Jan Pullen, lead donor Elizabeth Moore, Bishop Dabney Smith, and Ann Marie Shields, chair of the SSES science department. A time capsule to be reopened in 2036, at the building’s 20th anniversary, was placed in the ground by Ms. Moore’s daughters – current SSES students Merry and Grace. The building was also dedicated to Mrs. Shields, a 31-year Saint Stephen’s faculty member and the architect of the school’s early marine science program. Located  on the McLewis Bayou, Saint Stephen’s is the only area school with direct access to the Manatee River and Gulf of Mexico. One Ocean, a custom designed Pre-K through grade 12 marine science curriculum, provides an opportunity for each student to study the wonders of the ocean environment.

Last September, five Saint Stephen’s seniors were named semifinalists for 2016 National Merit Scholarships, half of the 10 chosen throughout Manatee County. All five – Hannah Sage, Sabrina Priestly, Zack Gromko, Joe Class, and Michelle Yan – have now advanced to be among 15,000 finalists nationwide. That’s the highest number at Saint Stephen’s since 2005. Approximately half of the finalists will win National Merit Scholarships worth more than $32-million this spring. The process of becoming a National Merit Scholar begins during the junior year of high school when students take the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Those named finalists are the highest-scoring entrants in each state — fewer than one-percent of all U.S. high school seniors.

SSES senior Julien Freij won the top prize in Theatre Odyssey’s Student Ten-Minute Playwriting Festival, held Jan. 15-16 at the David S. and Ann V. Howard Studio Theater at State College of Florida. Julien’s play, Brothers in Arms, a poignant portrayal of the Christmas truce between the British and the Germans during World War I, was directed by former SSES faculty member Preston Boyd. This is the second consecutive year that Julien has been recognized with the honor. He won in 2015 for As Long as the Moon Shines. Brothers in Arms will next be featured at Theatre Odyssey’s Ten-Minute Play Festival, May 5-8 at the Cook Theater at Sarasota’s Asolo Center for the Performing Arts. Theatre Odyssey was founded in 2006 to promote the efforts of local playwrights and actors. The group has premiered more than 90 plays written, directed and performed by Gulf Coast playwrights, actors and directors.

Famed paleontologist Jack Horner, curator at the Museum of the Rockies in Montana and scientific adviser on the Jurassic Park film series, talked dinosaurs with our 3-6 graders on Dec. 8. Horner fascinated the students with stories from his many digging expeditions around the world and drew gasps when he described how today’s birds are really living dinosaurs. The students asked a great series of questions following Horner’s presentation, which was arranged by SSES Board of Trustees Vice President Elizabeth Moore. Although now semi-retired, Horner continues to travel each summer on digs for fossilized dinosaur remains. He has provided guidance to the producers of all four Jurassic Park/World motion pictures and appeared in a cameo in last summer’s blockbuster Jurassic World.