At Homecoming 2025, varsity swimming coach Jeff Scott (center) celebrates on the field with his son Patrick and alumni and former HRA swimmers (standing, left to right) Mitchell Finch ’08, Chase Suttle ’17, Caroline Thatcher ’16, and Peyton Baldwin ’15

Continuing a tradition initiated at Homecoming 2025, Hampton Roads Academy will proudly recognize Navigator varsity teams celebrating landmark anniversaries of conference and state championships at halftime during this year’s Homecoming varsity football game against The Covenant School on Friday, October 23.

The special spotlight embodies the spirit of Homecoming, a time for all Navigators—whenever they attended the Academy—to return to campus and honor the strong relationships and legacy of excellence that have defined the school’s history since it opened its doors in 1959.

Players and coaches from years past will begin gathering on campus at the annual All-Alumni Tailgate at 5:00 pm, gearing up for a 6:30 kickoff. Around 7:00, championship teams will join alumni from all eras and parade onto the field for a salute to their remarkable accomplishments.

The 15 exceptional teams recognized this fall are an embodiment of the long-running record of athletic achievement that has brought distinction to the Academy and continues to this day on the court, on the field, and in the pool.

“I love that recognizing HRA’s championship teams at Homecoming has become a tradition,” said Director of Athletics Laura Stoner. “It’s a meaningful way to reconnect with our alumni, celebrate the Navigators who helped shape HRA’s athletic history, inspire today’s student-athletes, and build pride in what it means to be part of the HRA community.”

Decades of Excellence

Davis Wildman ’77 smacks a home run over the fence during the spring 1977 baseball season

“It’s a wonderful tribute to our Athletics Department over a long period of time that this decade championship anniversary year spans half a century and includes nine different sports,” said Director of Alumni Relations Tommy Yevak ’83, a star player and longtime coach of HRA baseball.

Marking an incredible 50 years since they won the Commonwealth Conference championship in their respective sports are two outstanding 1977 teams. That spring, boys tennis, coached by the late math teacher Col. Robert B. Short, came out on top in all but one of their singles and doubles contests in a four-team conference championship tournament held at Richmond’s Trinity Episcopal School. Meanwhile, Navigator baseball, led by second-year coach Jack Marr, had its strongest season up to that point in HRA history, with an impressive 16-3 record. Also clinching the conference title at Trinity, the baseball team capped off the championship game with an unforgettable grand slam by HRA Athletic Hall of Famer Bill Shelly ’77.

All-Conference golfer and medalist Charles Wentworth ’89 tees off in spring 1987

The spring 1987 golf and girls track teams will celebrate the fortieth anniversary of their championships at Homecoming this year. Under the late great Hal Tayloe, a longtime English teacher as well as a beloved coach, Navigator varsity golf suffered only two losses all season and claimed the TCIS tournament championship title. That same year, coached by the late Larry Knight, girls track posted their fifth consecutive undefeated season, with top honors at the TCIS meet as their crowning achievement.

Three teams spanning all sports seasons will celebrate 30 years since they each won a TCIS tournament championship. In fall 1996, boys soccer, led by longtime coach, history teacher, and Athletic Hall of Famer Kelly Alford, notched their third consecutive conference title with a triumphant 2-0 win against Norfolk Academy. Later that school year, both the winter 1997 girls swim team, under Coach of the Year Barbara Schmidt, and the spring 1997 golf team, under Coach Art Burke, won their second straight TCIS championships. Navigator golf was honored to have five players claim medalist positions that season.

Then-seventh grader Taylor Wingo ’12 takes a powerful swing during the varsity girls tennis team’s historic 2006 season

This fall marks the twentieth anniversary of the historic 2006 girls tennis season, during which the team was undefeated, with a perfect 15-0 record, and went on to win the regular-season, TCIS tournament, and state championships. Head Coach Ray Smith, an honorary 2026 All-Alumni Tailgate host, received his well-deserved sixth TCIS Coach of the Year award for his leadership that season. Alongside Smith’s decorated tennis team, HRA will also recognize Coach Jim Lewis’ winter 2006 and winter 2007 boys swim teams for the fourth and fifth in an amazing run of five consecutive TCIS tournament championships.

Rounding out this year’s Homecoming halftime recognitions will be a remarkable five state championship teams celebrating a decade since their memorable wins. HRA will shine a spotlight on the winter 2016 and winter 2017 boys and girls swim teams, all coached by honorary tailgate host Jeff Scott, who still helms the Academy’s varsity swimming program. The boys and girls swim teams notched their respective fifth straight state championships in 2016, followed by their sixth in 2017, both on their way to an unmatched run of seven titles. In 2017, both teams were also TCIS runners-up, with junior Nick Schoenig ’18 named conference MVP. Coach Scott’s four teams will be joined on the field by the state champion spring 2017 boys track team, led by current head coach and Upper School history teacher Chris Joyce, the voice of HRA Athletics.

A Celebration of Talent, Dedication, and Navigator Spirit

Director of Alumni Relations and HRA baseball player and coach Tommy Yevak ’83 reconnects with Barbara Schmidt, who coached the Navigator girls swim team to multiple championships, at the 2025 All-Alumni Tailgate

While it is still a new tradition at HRA, honoring the Academy’s most accomplished teams during Homecoming has already made both alumni and coaches past and present feel more connected to the history of the school and to one another.

“I know that some of these championships only occurred due to some remarkable team and individual performances in clutch situations,” Yevak said. “I love sharing those celebrations with fellow alumni and hearing those stories. As former student-athletes, those are some of the most fabulous moments of our lives.”

“On a personal note,” he added, “it’s very rewarding to be able to say I either have friends from or taught folks from all of these teams. I just wish I had coached one of them!”

As the coach of one of this year’s recognized teams, Smith noted that his enthusiasm for Homecoming extends well beyond gathering with his undefeated, triple-champion girls tennis team. “I’m hoping I’ll see not only players from 2006, but also others who played here,” he said.

Former soccer player Andrew Ross ’98 celebrates the thirtieth anniversary of his team’s 1995 TCIS tournament championship with his old coach, HRA Athletic Hall of Famer Kelly Alford

For Smith, the most gratifying aspect of coaching has been watching his athletes, some of whom started on his team as early as the seventh grade, grow into mature, confident young adults with families and successful careers of their own. Every former HRA athlete is a testament to the talent, dedication, and spirit of the Academy’s student body, and Smith looks forward to reconnecting with sporting Navigators from all eras on Friday night and throughout Homecoming weekend.

There is still time to register for all Homecoming 2026 events! HRA invites Navigators from across the decades to celebrate our championship teams, tailgate with their fellow graduates, cheer on our football players under the lights, and stick around for an on-campus reunion party on Saturday night. With delectable food, delicious libations, live music by alumni Doug Parsons ’81 and Susannah Hornsby ’01, and enough nostalgia to make 20 years feel like the blink of an eye, this Homecoming will be a weekend no Navigator will soon forget.

National Merit Commended Students Ellie Richardson ’27 and Indira Hartke ’27

Hampton Roads Academy is honored to congratulate seniors Indira Hartke ’27 and Ellie Richardson ’27, who were recently named National Merit Commended Students.

This prestigious recognition is awarded annually by the nonprofit National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) to exceptional high school seniors across the country based on their scores on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). Beyond the results of a single assessment, Hartke’s and Richardson’s designation as Commended Students underscores their commitment to their studies within a rigorous, enriching, and well-rounded college-preparatory curriculum.

As Assistant Head of School and Director of Upper School Ben Rous explained, “Their performance on the PSAT puts them in the top 3% of the roughly 1.2 million students who took the test last fall, a significant achievement and a testament to their hard work and diligence as students. This accomplishment reflects not only Ellie and Indira’s dedication and excellence, but also the commitment of Hampton Roads Academy to fostering academic distinction and inspiring future scholars.”

For the two seniors, both HRA Anchors who have attended the Academy since Pre-Kindergarten, recognition by the National Merit Scholarship Program marks the latest in a long series of outstanding achievements.

Hartke, the senior class president, is as dedicated to co-curricular involvement as she is to her work in the classroom. She is the captain of the varsity girls tennis team and a member of the varsity girls soccer team, and she serves as president of HRA’s Varsity Club, Women in STEM and Engineering (WISE) Group, and Operation Smile Club. An aspiring physician, she participated in a highly selective international surgical program in Honduras with Operation Smile this past May. Over the summer, she gained further hands-on experience in her chosen field by shadowing surgeons at the University of Virginia and Bon Secours through HRA’s REACH Initiative. Alongside medical practice, Hartke has a strong interest in scientific research. In the past year, she earned BACE (Biotechnology Aptitude and Competency Exam) certification, a credential equipping her to work professionally in the biotech industry, and she presented her independent research on the ecological role of green algae at the Virginia Junior Academy of Science (VJAS) Symposium at Hampden-Sydney College. HRA recognized Hartke in 2026 with the AP Chemistry Award and the Princeton Book Award.

Like Hartke, Richardson has set herself apart through a wide array of activities both on and off campus. She holds a number of leadership roles, including co-chair of HRA’s Honor Council, president of the National Art Honor Society and regional Youth Volunteer Corps, and manager of the Navigator Athletics concession stand. In summer 2026, she proudly represented the Academy in the American Legion Auxiliary’s Virginia Girls State program. Previously, as a sophomore, she was nominated by the faculty of HRA to attend the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Conference, returning the following year as a junior counselor. A talented writer, Richardson has contributed to SO Free Teen magazine, earned the top prize in the writing portion of the 24th Annual Jewish Peninsula Holocaust Writing and Visual Arts Competition, and attended the Virginia Governor’s School for the Humanities. She is also active in school sports, as a valued member of the varsity girls field hockey and track and field teams. At HRA, her recent accolades include the 2026 Frederick Douglas and Susan B. Anthony Award and the prestigious Head of School Junior Honors Award.

Presented with their Letters of Commendation during Upper School Homeroom on Thursday, September 24, Hartke and Richardson have carried on HRA’s long-running tradition of distinction through the National Merit Scholarship Program. During the previous school year, one fifth of the entire senior class was recognized by the NMSC, including two National Merit Scholarship winners. With their latest honors, Hartke and Richardson have cemented their place in the legacy of excellence that defines HRA.

HRA Assistant Director of Athletics and award-winning soccer coach Chris Mills huddles up with the varsity boys team on game day

As Hampton Roads Academy’s varsity boys soccer team launches into the fall 2026 season, these talented players could not be in better hands.

During the past school year, soccer coach and Assistant Director of Athletics Chris Mills demonstrated the extraordinary impact that dedicated educators and coaches can have on student-athletes by earning TCIS Coach of the Year honors for both the varsity boys and varsity girls soccer teams. This remarkably rare distinction reflects not only competitive excellence, but also his commitment to developing confident, resilient, and principled young people.

Mills’ twin Coach of the Year awards, for which he was selected by the other coaches in the conference, are a testament to his leadership, integrity, and character across two outstanding seasons.

In fall 2025, he coached Navigator varsity boys soccer to a No. 5 state ranking in their division. Both senior Zachary Busch ’26 and sophomore Bryce Wedding ’28 were awarded All-Conference honors, with Busch going on to earn All-State recognition and commit to play soccer at Emory University’s Oxford College.

A leader and mentor in action: Coach Chris Mills on the pitch

Then, this past spring, varsity girls soccer posted an impressive 9-3-1 regular-season record, achieved a No. 4 state ranking, and advanced to the TCIS semifinals. Three players—sophomores Madison Davis ’28 and Cailynn Monnoyer ’28 and freshman Ainsley Lowe ’29—earned All-Conference honors. The team ultimately advanced as far as the VISAA state semifinals, with both Davis and Lowe achieving All-State recognitions.

According to Director of Athletics Laura Stoner, Mills is “a spectacular coach in every way, not only in his knowledge of the game and the way he prepares the athletes in terms of their skillset, but also how he prepares them strategically to put them in a position to win on game day.”

“The community of coaches he works with, both in the fall and in the spring, respect him for a lot of reasons,” she added—“not only his background and his success rate, but also the quality of character that comes with Chris Mills.”

A Remarkable Coaching Record

Prior to joining HRA, Mills coached at Virginia Wesleyan University for 16 years. His extensive background at the collegiate level made him an immediate asset to HRA when he came aboard as assistant athletic director and boys soccer coach in 2023. In his leadership role, he has proven himself to be an invaluable partner for Stoner, who described him as someone she can trust to deliver consistently exemplary work on behalf of Navigator Athletics. “He is a team player who is ready to jump in and help out with whatever needs to be done at any point in time,” she said.

Indeed, during his time at the Academy, Mills has not shied away from taking on greater responsibility. In spring 2026, after three seasons as head coach of varsity boys soccer, he gladly took the reins of the varsity girls team as well.

Girls varsity star Madison Davis ’28 takes a corner kick

In addition to his duties at HRA, Mills has served as head coach of the semi-professional Virginia Beach United soccer club for the past three years. He has had a transformational impact on the program, recruiting talented players, helping attract the third-largest crowd in league history, and leading his team to its first-ever playoff appearance. “The opportunity to coach at all different levels and different age groups is fun and enjoyable,” Mills said, and he has drawn on lessons from both his collegiate and his USL League Two coaching to cultivate winning varsity teams.

HRA student-athletes have attributed his success as a coach to his strategic flexibility and his talent for motivating players. “His greatest strengths are his ability to stay calm in the moment and uplift the team,” said girls soccer standout Davis, who credits Mills with helping her secure a commitment to play for the University of Alabama as a rising junior this past summer.

“One thing about Coach Mills that really resonates with you when you play under his leadership,” said Busch, a boys soccer team captain in his senior year, “is the immense belief he has in both the team and each individual player.” This faith, the recent graduate said, inspired his team to give their all in their first game of the fall 2025 season against the formidable First Flight High School and fight “tooth and nail” to a 2-1 victory, followed by a series of wins that carried them to the state quarterfinals.

Shaping Better Players and Better Leaders

For his own part, Mills hastened to give credit to his “high-level players,” like Busch and Davis, who stepped up as leaders on their respective teams.

The prospect of receiving two Coach of the Year awards in one school year was never on Mills’ radar. Ever humble despite his accomplishments, he remarked, “I just want to make sure I put the players in a good position to be successful and also have a positive experience.”

This reaction came as no surprise to Stoner. “As competitive as he is, he always makes sure to maintain a ‘better athlete, better person’ approach to what he does,” the athletic director said. “He creates a positive team culture wherever he goes.”

A proud Coach Mills celebrates with senior Zachary Busch ’26 at his May 2026 collegiate soccer commitment ceremony

As Mills explained, this culture begins with meaningful connections between players and their coach. “I think one of the biggest things is the relationships that you build with your athletes,” he said. “If they know that you as a coach care about them as more than just an athlete, then they’re willing to work harder for you to be successful.”

Close connections with students, moreover, provide a model for how players ought to comport themselves and relate to their teammates.

Coach Mills “helped shape me into a leader,” Busch said. “He emphasized the importance of rallying the team and setting the standard, especially on a team with many underclassmen looking to seniors for guidance.”

Through meaningful relationships, high expectations, and unwavering encouragement, Coach Mills continues to help students discover confidence, resilience, and leadership that extend well beyond the pitch. As he begins a new season of varsity soccer coaching, his investment in young people reflects the very best of an HRA education, an experience made possible by a community that believes in providing exceptional opportunities for every Navigator.

This story originally appeared in the summer 2026 edition of the Navigator Impact Magazine. To stay up to date on the game schedule for varsity soccer and other sports, check the Navigator Athletics calendar.

Eighth grader Suhani Joshi ’30 proudly represents Hampton Roads Academy at the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee

The end of the school year is always a celebratory time at Hampton Roads Academy. But this May brought extra excitement as Navigator Suhani Joshi ’30 participated in the Scripps National Spelling Bee for the second straight year, reaching the second round of the quarterfinals and surpassing her 2025 performance.

“It was a fantastic, fun experience,” Joshi said. “Last year was an unforgettable debut because I tied for 100th place during the Bee’s historic 100th anniversary. This year was even more rewarding since I advanced to the quarterfinals and finished tied for 67th place.”

In the much-watched competition, held from May 26 through 28 at the historic DAR Constitution Hall, just a few blocks from the White House in Washington, D.C., the eighth grader faced talented spellers from across the country and around the world.

Out of more than 10 million students who started their journeys at school bees in the United States, Canada, the Bahamas, Ghana, Nigeria, and the United Arab Emirates this year, Joshi is one of only 247 who advanced to the national level. According to Scripps, the odds of qualifying for this stage of the competition are slimmer than they are for happening upon a four-leaf clover, finding a pearl in an oyster, or bowling a perfect game.

“To make it to Nationals two years in a row is an incredible accomplishment,” said Interim Director of Middle School Karen Gillespie. “We are so proud of Suhani!”

Joshi was challenged to spell a plethora of difficult words during this year’s Bee. Some of the toughest, she noted, were duxelles (a French garnish or stuffing made from minced sautéed mushrooms, known for its use in beef Wellington), pasticcio (an Italian term for an artistic imitation of past works), repechage (a trial heat in which competitors are given a second chance to qualify for the next round), and ignescent (a synonym for “volatile” or “explosive”).

A smiling Joshi is in her element as she tackles challenging words on stage at the Bee

The exceptional eighth grader qualified for the national spell-off by claiming the top prize at the regional TowneBank Spelling Bee on March 7, where she competed as an at-large contestant alongside 2026 HRA school champion Madeleine Wells ’30. Joshi’s victory marked the third time since the inception of the HRA Middle School Spelling Bee in 2020 that a Navigator has advanced to the national level, following her own prior triumph last year and then-eighth grader Parker Muench’s regional win in 2021.

It has been a semester of remarkable academic accomplishments for Joshi. This spring, having attained the top cumulative grade point average in her class, she earned Highest Honors and was recognized with the prestigious eighth-grade Scholarship Award. Beyond campus, she participated in the MATHCOUNTS middle school mathematics state competition, hosted by Virginia Tech on March 28. According to Middle School math teacher Rafael Zornitta, the fact that Joshi qualified for this contest for the second year in row represents “an ‘exponential’ achievement.”

For Joshi, however, the stakes were never higher—nor was her preparation ever more intense—than in the case of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Having relied mostly on rote memorization of individual words last year, she explained, she shifted her strategy for the 2026 Bee to “focus on language patterns and root origins,” especially for challenging French and German terms. “This new approach allowed me to successfully decode unfamiliar words on stage and ultimately advance further in the competition.”

Through this experience, Joshi gained far more than just a broadened vocabulary.

“The most valuable thing I learned is that success comes from consistent hard work, not just luck,” she said. “Preparing for the Bee taught me how to discipline myself, manage my time, and stay focused on a long-term goal. Even when facing incredibly difficult words, I learned to trust my preparation and stay calm under pressure.”

With the competition behind her, Joshi shared a celebratory dinner and boba tea with her family before starting a well-earned summer break.

HRA is proud to congratulate this outstanding speller and scholar as she prepares to embark on a new adventure in the Upper School!

Joshi’s return to the Scripps National Spelling Bee has also been featured on WAVY TV 10, WTKR News 3, and WYDaily.com and in the Washington Post.

Taking the next step: Director of Lower School Susanne Swain guides a student through the symbolic gateway representing the threshold of the Middle School experience

As the fourth graders of the Hampton Roads Academy Class of 2034 approached the end of the academic year and prepared to advance to the Middle School, Director of Lower School Susanne Swain ’78 reflected on the significance of the moment. “It’s important for the kids to process that change in their lives,” she said, “and it’s important for the parents and families as well to celebrate their accomplishments in Lower School and look forward to the next step.”

On Thursday, May 21, the proud soon-to-be fifth graders gathered with their teachers and loved ones in the Svein J. Lassen Auditorium to mark the occasion and pay tribute to their incredible growth over the course of their Lower School years with the annual Gateway Program. A beloved tradition since 2010, the morning ceremony saw the current fourth-grade class pass through a symbolic gate into the second phase of their Navigator journey. The event was not only a moving opportunity to honor the outstanding work of the Lower School faculty and student body, but also a reflection of the sense of connection that unites the HRA community across all three of its divisions.

“This is not a graduation. This is a transition ceremony,” Swain emphasized. “Our school is a continuum.”

Middle School will bring a gradual but meaningful adjustment, as the students tackle more rigorous coursework, discover an array of new artistic, athletic, and co-curricular options, and develop ever greater independence. Both the Lower and Middle School teams at HRA are confident that the rising fifth graders will enter this next chapter with a solid foundation for success.

“It’s been so special watching this group reach their goals and grow throughout the year,” said fourth-grade teacher Savannah Whitten. “Many of them have been together since they were four or five years old. Their relationships have grown over time, and they’ve become stronger and smarter together. I feel honored to have been part of their final year in Lower School, and I know they’re ready for Middle School and to take on its unique challenges and opportunities.”

Through the Gateway

Grant Brown ’34 addresses his classmates, his teachers, and Lower School families

According to Swain, the Fourth-Grade Gateway Program is deliberately designed to parallel the Crossing Ceremony that marks the transition between Middle and Upper School, as well as Commencement for the graduating seniors. From a celebratory crossing of the stage to a slideshow tracing the fourth graders’ growth from babies through their early Lower School years to today, the ceremony was full of echoes of these later milestones at HRA. Years from now, the Lower School director explained, this foreshadowing will not only make subsequent rites of passage feel familiar, but also lend weight to the culmination of Middle and Upper School as students are reminded at each juncture of how far they have come.

Dressed for the occasion, the fourth graders began the exercises with a formal processional. After they took their seats front and center in the auditorium, Swain delivered her opening remarks.

Next to take the podium was Grant Brown ’34, chosen by his peers to speak during the ceremony. Brown seized the opportunity to express his gratitude for the exceptional Lower School faculty and their role in helping him and his peers reach this milestone.

“On behalf of the fourth-grade class, thank you for making learning fun,” he said. “And to the fourth grade, thank you for all the laughs, the friendship, and the memories.”

After Brown’s speech, his classmates joined him on stage as their teachers read their names and their families applauded. The students collected their certificates, shook Swain’s hand, then proceeded through the ceremonial gateway to be greeted on the other side by Interim Director of Middle School Karen Gillespie.

A “one-on-one moment”: Mrs. Swain hugs a student before he crosses through the ceremonial gate

Having known many of the fourth graders since they were in Pre-Kindergarten, Junior Kindergarten, or Kindergarten, Swain reported that she was “tickled” by the ambivalence she observed on several students’ faces while they crossed the stage, pondering whether giving her a hug would make them appear less grown-up. Ultimately, most happily embraced the Lower School director as she shared a memory and her personal congratulations during a “one-on-one moment” with each of them. This, Swain said, is her favorite part of the ceremony every year.

The assembly concluded with a performance of Becki Slagle Mayo’s and Lynn Shaw Bailey’s “We’ll Always Share a Song” by the Lower School Trade Winds Chorus, directed by music teacher Erika Caulford, followed by Gillespie’s warm welcome to the newest Middle Schoolers. Afterward, students and families enjoyed a reception with lemonade and cookies in the Lower School Commons and departed campus to celebrate over lunch.

Challenges, Independence, and Support

A family affair (left to right): former trustee Dr. Nicholas Sablan, Mary Beth Sablan, and their daughters, fourth grader Penelope Sablan ’34 and recent alumna Madeline Sablan ’25, celebrate at the reception following the Gateway Program

The pomp and circumstance of the Gateway Program inspired the fourth graders not only to take pride in their achievements in the Lower School, but also to ponder the gravity of their progression to Middle School.

“We know that they’re going to be successful, but we want them to take a moment to reflect upon what’s coming ahead and what that means,” Swain said. “The fourth graders are really looking forward to the freedoms that come in Middle School, and we’re trying to impress upon them the responsibilities that come with that freedom.”

The start of Middle School entails a number of significant transformations. Students shift from a relationship with one primary teacher for the majority of every school day to a roster of seven different instructors with slightly different expectations, separate books and notebooks for each class, and, for the first time, a locker. They—and their families—are challenged to adapt to a new norm, whereby students exercise greater autonomy. Middle Schoolers must, for example, navigate the OnCampus system to access homework assignments, book lists, and other course materials themselves, rather than coming home with a weekly folder that presents all this information to their parents.

While this expanded independence will present new challenges for the students, it will also open doors. “In the fifth grade, I hope they try new HRA activities, participate in community service opportunities, make new friends, and put forth their best effort with their academic work,” said fourth-grade teacher Gretchen Speece.

“It is certainly a year of transition, and I know that [incoming Director of Middle School] Abigail Whorley will do a wonderful job with that,” Gillespie said. “Most of all, there’s a whole cast of seasoned teachers here that have dealt with the fourth-to-fifth-grade transition. … The kids will be in good hands.”

A Strong Foundation

Fourth-grade teacher Savannah Whitten (far left) with Lower School SCA President Sophia Barbosa ’34 and her parents, trustee Rhonda Barbosa and Fernando Barbosa

In a sense, the Middle School faculty has already begun to help the rising fifth graders with this adjustment. “The fourth-grade team doesn’t work in a vacuum,” Swain explained, but rather works with their Middle School colleagues to ensure that the scope and sequence of the Lower School curriculum “dovetail” with the coursework students encounter in fifth grade.

“There’s just a bevy of skillsets that we’ve put in place,” Swain said, citing examples ranging from studying to delivering a presentation before an audience.

In math, Lower School students receive a firm grounding in multiplication and division, fractions, and basic geometry and algebra. From second through fourth grade, they learn how to annotate what they are reading to deepen their comprehension and retention and lay a foundation for more advanced literature classes in the other divisions at HRA. Students complete a considerable amount of project work in those same years in order to learn how to collaborate with peers on assignments, a crucial facet of the Middle School experience. In third grade and, at a higher level, in fourth grade, Lower Schoolers practice citing and synthesizing books, magazines, and online sources to write research papers, sharpening their expressive and critical thinking abilities.

“I have known some of these students since they were in Junior Kindergarten, and it has been a pleasure to watch them grow both as students and as people,” said fourth-grade teacher Jennifer Massengill. “They ask questions, engage in class discussions, and give and receive support when it is needed. Most importantly, they have learned to enjoy the good moments and persevere through the challenging ones.”

For her part, Swain is certain that the fourth graders will thrive in Middle School because she has witnessed how they approach their work, friendships, and interactions with their teachers on a daily basis.

“They have begun to take ownership of their education,” she said. “When you begin to see that—when they step up in that way—you know they’re ready.”

Congratulations to HRA’s newest Middle Schoolers, the Class of 2034!

Seventh graders cheer from the sidewalk as their eighth-grade peers proudly parade past the front of the Academy following the annual Crossing Ceremony

The Hampton Roads Academy Middle School student body, faculty, and families gathered in the Svein J. Lassen Auditorium on the morning of Tuesday, May 19, to recognize the accomplishments of Navigators in Grades 5 through 8 and honor the eighth graders’ transition to the Upper School at the annual Middle School Awards and Crossing Ceremony.

A time-honored tradition, the assembly provided an opportunity for the HRA community to celebrate the remarkable work and growth of our students during the crucial middle chapter of their Navigator journeys. Awards presented recognized excellence in scholarship, the arts, character, and citizenship.

For the rising ninth-grade class, the Crossing represented the culmination of four years of learning and achievement that have laid a strong foundation for an academically rigorous final stage of their college-preparatory experience. With a joyful car parade in these students’ honor following the assembly, the day marked a spirited tribute to their many successes and a warm welcome to the Upper School.

“This is an outstanding group of 50 students,” Interim Director of Middle School Karen Gillespie said of the Class of 2030. “They have proven themselves in so many ways.”

Honoring Student Excellence across the Middle School

Interim Director of Middle School Karen Gillespie congratulates Compass Award winner Blaine Averett ’30

For more than three decades, the Middle School has assembled at the end of the spring semester to acknowledge the outstanding achievements of students throughout the division. In keeping with this tradition, after opening remarks from Gillespie, the 2025-2026 division-wide year-end ceremony kicked off with recognitions for exceptional students at all grade levels.

This year’s honorees have distinguished themselves not only in academics, but also in a wide variety of pursuits beyond the classroom, reflecting their growth into compassionate and engaged leaders.

Highest Honors

Students earn the designation of Highest Honors by achieving a grade of 90 or above in all courses through the third marking period of the current academic year. This year’s honorees are:

• Fifth grade: Emma Angus ’33, Jordyn Brown ’33, Shloak Joshi ’33, and John Lamm ’33
• Sixth grade: Paolo Ibba ’32, Leila Mygas ’32, Alex Nguyen ’32, and Liam Quinlan ’32
• Seventh grade: Henry Barnhart ’31, A-Ri Chae ’31, Bridget Kaplow ’31, Luke Lam ’31, Liliana Mercado ’31, and Haze Skinner ’31
• Eighth grade: Blaine Averett ’30, Lauren Cash ’30, Alex Chen ’30, Ady Heder ’30, Mark Hospodar ’30, Suhani Joshi ’30, Bella Nguyen ’30, Arnesh Paul ’30, Madeleine Wells ’30, and Elizabeth Yancey ’30

Scholarship Award

This award honors the student with the highest cumulative grade point average in each grade. This year’s winners are:

• Fifth grade: Shloak Joshi ’33
• Sixth grade: Liam Quinlan ’32
• Seventh grade: Bridget Kaplow ’31
• Eighth grade: Suhani Joshi ’30

Faculty Award

This prize recognizes a student in each class who is an exemplar of HRA’s core values of honesty, respect, and responsibility, maintaining high standards of conduct in every aspect of student life. This year’s winners are:

• Fifth grade: Jordyn Brown ’33
• Sixth grade: Grayson Godfrey ’32
• Seventh grade: Bridget Kaplow ’31
• Eighth grade: Elizabeth Yancey ’30

Citizenship Award

This award is presented to a student in each grade who, through upstanding behavior and positive action, upholds and enhances the life of the school. This year’s recipients are:

• Fifth grade: Sarah Beaudin ’33
• Sixth grade: Audrey Colburn ’32
• Seventh grade: Henry Barnhart ’31
• Eighth grade: Harrison Bursi ’30

Blue and Gold Award

This honor, named for the Academy’s colors, is conferred upon a student in each class who demonstrates genuine enthusiasm for the HRA community and serves as a role model for others, fostering school pride through participation in varied activities and an infectious attitude. This year’s awardees are:

• Fifth grade: Crew Sorensen ’33
• Sixth grade: Virginia Hankins ’32
• Seventh grade: Marin Mazzurco ’31
• Eighth grade: Bella Pacheco ’30

Performing Arts Award

This special recognition is presented to a student who exhibits outstanding abilities and mastery of varied performance techniques in the classroom and on stage.

The recipient is Arnesh Paul ’30.

Visual Arts Award

This prize is awarded to a student who demonstrates exceptional skill, understanding, and pursuit of mastery in all artistic techniques, both within the studio and beyond.

The recipient is Claire Blancett ’30.

Compass Award

This is the highest award presented in the Middle School, honoring an eighth grader who stands as a model of spirit, determination, positivity, high personal standards, involvement in the life of the school, and commitment to others, along with overall academic excellence. The winner of the Compass Award embodies what it means to be a Navigator.

Congratulations to this year’s honoree, Blaine Averett ’30.

Crossing into New Waters

Mrs. Gillespie personally congratulates each eighth grader during the Crossing Ceremony

Following the presentation of awards and a special acknowledgment of Middle School Parents’ Association representative Holly Jeffreys, a slideshow tracing each eighth grader’s growth from infancy through their Lower and Middle School years marked the beginning of a much-anticipated rite of passage: the Crossing.

Introduced twenty years ago under then-Director of Middle School Susanne Swain ’78 (now HRA’s Director of Lower School), this cherished tradition highlights a major academic milestone for the eighth graders, soon to embark on a new adventure in the Upper School, as well as the cohesion between the Academy’s divisions.

Head of School Jay Lasley opened this year’s Crossing Ceremony by inviting the students to reflect on a challenge they had faced in the past year and how their teachers, coaches, and mentors helped them not only navigate, but also grow, through the process.

“We are there, walking with you [parents] and your children, when it’s dark and cloudy—when the seas are not smooth,” Lasley said. “This is what sets Hampton Roads Academy apart: the constant and consistent care, the support, the commitment by every adult with whom your children interact.”

Middle School math teacher Jemma Kennedy addresses the Class of 2030

Next, two speakers chosen by the eighth-grade class took the podium. First came Middle School math teacher Jemma Kennedy, who likened the rising ninth graders at this moment of possibilities to a compressed spring or a stretched rubber band, full of potential energy.

“Realizing your goals and becoming who you are meant to be requires a willingness to be compressed, to be stretched, and to be able to hold the tension of ideas and viewpoints that challenge your current understanding,” Kennedy told the students. “As you do this, I have no doubt that you will launch into an amazing journey and soar into the next four years.”

Student speaker Arnesh Paul ’30 reflects on a Middle School experience that has allowed him and his classmates to grow in remarkable ways, emphasizing character above all else

Eighth grader and Performing Arts Award winner Arnesh Paul ’30 then addressed his fellow students and the assembled guests, highlighting treasured memories ranging from his class’s fifth-grade trip to Operation Smile headquarters in Virginia Beach to their yearly volunteering experiences at the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank in Hampton.

“Being in this community has deeply developed our characters,” Paul said. “However, the path has not ended yet. There is still a lot more to do in high school, and wherever else you want to go after that. What I can say with full confidence is that every single person in my class has a gift.”

Following the speeches, eighth-grade TEAM leader and history teacher Kerry LiBrando, soon to take on the role of Middle School Dean of Students, read the rising ninth graders’ names as they crossed the stage to shake hands with Gillespie, then Assistant Head of School and Director of Upper School Ben Rous. Rous extended an enthusiastic welcome to the newest Upper Schoolers before Gillespie brought the exercises to a close.

Parading in Style

A celebration of the rising ninth graders and their families

The proud eighth graders were invited to leave campus with their loved ones to celebrate after the assembly. Before they departed, though, one last joyful HRA tradition awaited them: the annual car parade. First instituted by then-Director of Middle School Rhonda DeChirico in 2020 as a way to salute the eighth-grade class amidst COVID-19–era social distancing, the parade has since become a beloved fixture of the Academy’s end-of-year festivities.

With many of their cars vividly decorated for the occasion, the students and their families took a turn past the front of the school as teachers and peers cheered them on from the sidewalk with noisemakers, bubbles, and applause. Lining the parade route were members of the seventh-grade class, themselves just one year away from this momentous milestone.

According to Gillespie, the annual Crossing Ceremony and car parade give the HRA community a chance to celebrate not only the eighth-grade students, but also the supportive parents and guardians who have invested their time, energy, and resources in their children’s education. Their engagement is extraordinary, and the Middle School’s springtime traditions pay tribute to how far they and their students have come as a family as they together look forward to the next step.

“We have a great parent body, and they’re very much connected to the school,” Gillespie said, noting that her colleagues in the public school system regularly lament a level of parental involvement that falls far short of what is simply the norm at HRA. “We are very fortunate.”

Ready for What Lies Ahead

As the eighth graders revel in their triumphs over the past four years, Gillespie noted, meaningful challenges—and opportunities for growth—await them in Upper School.

First and foremost, they will tackle a rigorous curriculum designed to shape them into well-rounded and creative thinkers who are equipped to excel in all their pursuits after graduation. From the start of ninth grade, their performance in their academically demanding courses will be reflected in the transcript with which they will eventually apply to colleges.

Along with heightened expectations in the classroom will come considerably greater freedom—a challenge as well as a privilege. As Upper Schoolers, the current eighth graders will have the opportunity to select courses and co-curricular activities that align with their interests and goals, dress to their personalities in accordance with a more flexible dress code, complete independent research projects, and pursue internships and other invaluable pre-professional experiences that will help shape their visions of the future.

“It’s all about growing up and learning to make mature choices,” Gillespie said.

Crucially, according to the Middle School director, the students have benefitted from studying with “an amazing group of eighth-grade teachers, who have a real understanding of what the next step is going to require. They have been working all year to get them ready for this.” Gillespie pointed to numerous examples, including English teacher Hannah Hislop’s exploration of challenging literature with her students, Jemma Kennedy’s extraordinary efforts to lay a foundation for upper-level math courses, and Kerry LiBrando’s brilliant use of project work in American studies to build collaboration and critical thinking skills.

Entering Upper School with this strong academic base, Gillespie confidently asserted, the Class of 2030 is poised to thrive. “They are much more like high schoolers than they are like middle schoolers at this point,” she said.

Assured that they are ready for what lies ahead, the eighth graders have embraced the celebratory spirit of a season full of memorable traditions. From their grade-wide visit to Busch Gardens on May 1 to the landmark Crossing Ceremony and car parade to an exciting three-day applied learning trip to Washington, D.C., starting the following morning, the students have capped off their Middle School years with an array of incredible experiences that they will surely never forget.

As she concludes her term as Middle School director, Mrs. Gillespie extends her congratulations to the Class of 2030 and salutes a deeply grateful Academy

Junior Abigail Berg ’27 proudly holds up the trophy for First Place Class A Concert Band

Hampton Roads Academy congratulates our Middle School Choir Club and combined Middle and Upper School Spring Trip Festival Band on their award-winning performances at the 2026 Music in the Parks Festival, hosted on Saturday, May 9, at Kings Dominion. The instrumentalists took home the first-place prize for Class A Concert Band, while HRA as a whole was recognized with the Esprit de Corps Award, the coveted final trophy bestowed at the awards ceremony.

The Music in the Parks program invites student ensembles from across the United States and Canada to perform for expert adjudicators and receive valuable feedback before spending a fun-filled day in a regional amusement park. Participation in the festival is a highly anticipated annual tradition for performing arts groups at the Academy. This year, HRA’s talented student musicians, led by Director of Bands Brian Grieb and Middle and Upper School choir director Marshall Severin, competed against 35 ensembles representing 16 different schools across four states.

The Spring Trip Festival Band’s top honors in the High School Concert Band category are a testament to the strength of HRA’s band program as a whole, which recently distinguished itself with a historic performance at the VBODA District VIII Jazz Assessment. The Middle School Choir Club’s strong showing, meanwhile, indicates a bright future for a vocal program that has recently set itself apart through a consistent record of district-leading VMEA Honors Choir participation and the unprecedented success of the eighth- through twelfth-grade pop a cappella group Nowhere to Hide on campus and beyond.

A day of music and fun at Kings Dominion

HRA is especially proud to have earned the Esprit de Corps Award, the only Music in the Parks honor conferred upon a school, rather than an individual ensemble. The prize recognizes the participating school that has best demonstrated maturity, professionalism, respect, and kindness.

“We were honored to accept the award and are grateful to all of our wonderful students who represented the best of the Navigator spirit,” Severin said. “They truly embodied the ideas of honor, respect, and responsibility. It is a pleasure to see this cultivated and made manifest in the arts classrooms here at HRA.”

Severin and Grieb extended special thanks the chaperones who helped make the trip to Kings Dominion a wonderful time for all. Upper School history teacher Christopher Joyce, Middle School history teacher Christine Joyce, and a large team of parent volunteers made the day’s triumphs possible, and the choir and band directors expressed deep gratitude for their role in supporting, shaping, and celebrating an outstanding group of young musicians.

We cannot wait to see what the future holds for HRA’s band and choral ensembles!

Younger students cheer on the seniors as they parade through the halls of HRA one last time before graduation

During the afternoon of Friday, May 8, the Hampton Roads Academy Class of 2026 observed a cherished tradition as the entire school came together for the annual Senior Parade. Part of the larger milestone occasion of Senior Release Day, the moving event saw the soon-to-graduate twelfth graders don their caps, cords, and T-shirts and sweatshirts from their chosen colleges and universities for one last walk through the halls they have called home for years—in the case of HRA’s Anchor students, since Kindergarten or Pre-Kindergarten.

The parade was not only a moment of celebration, reflection, and pride, but also a testament to the strength of the Navigator community. As the emotional seniors made their way through the Lower, Middle, and Upper School wings, family members, teachers, and younger students lined the halls to clap, cheer, and offer their heartfelt congratulations for an exceptional group of scholars preparing to embark on a new journey.

“The Class of 2026 is especially meaningful to me, as they are the first group I’ve worked with through the entire college [application] process,” said Director of College Counseling Elizabeth Cavallari. “Watching them take this next step is incredibly rewarding. I’m proud of who they’ve become and excited for what’s ahead.”

The Culmination of a One-of-a-Kind Learning Experience

Connections that the seniors will never forget

Introduced in 2023, the Senior Parade is a relatively recent addition to the program of Senior Release Day, a highlight of the school calendar that has grown over time to reflect the ideals at the heart of HRA’s mission: celebrating community and equipping learners for a lifetime of success.

At its root, Senior Release Day is the Head of School’s traditional send-off for the graduating class, as well as a reward toward which students strive. Each May, seniors who meet a set of standards—solid academic performance, fulfillment of their community service requirement, and no Honor Code violations—are “released” from campus until the Upper School Awards Assembly and Commencement later in the month, avoiding senior exams.

According to Assistant Head of School and Director of Upper School Ben Rous, a number of years ago, the College Counseling Office saw an opportunity to make Senior Release Day more meaningful by building in programming for graduating students covering mental health, responsible adult decisions, and financial literacy, addressed in partnership with HRA alumni in the financial planning field. As the next group to join the Academy’s vast alumni community, the seniors also meet each Senior Release Day with Director of Alumni Relations Tommy Yevak ’83, who assures them that they will always have a home at HRA.

This rite of passage is “powerful” for each graduating class, Rous said. “There are tears in the room.”

Moving moments with the teachers who shaped the seniors into the young adults they have become

What the annual parade adds to Senior Release Day, the Upper School director explained, is a reminder that senior year is the culmination of an educational journey that begins the moment a student joins HRA. At a Pre-K–12 school where many students—15% of the Class of 2026—are Anchors, the Senior Parade provides an opportunity for longtime Navigators to reconnect with old teachers and with the classrooms where they learned as far back as age three. Little did they know, as the now-seniors began to learn their shapes, their numbers, and the importance of sharing in those early years, they were on their way to tackling calculus, physics, and the works of Shakespeare.

This year’s Senior Parade was thus not only a celebration of the soon-to-be graduates’ achievements, but also a tribute to a learning experience that had come full-circle. As Rous noted, “We can’t forget we’re one school.”

Anchor Zack Patten ’26, for one, certainly has not forgotten. The parade inspired the University of Virginia-bound senior to reminisce about challenging Upper School math teacher Lee Underwood to games of chess, playing Dungeons & Dragons in former Middle School science teacher Bennett Radinovic’s classroom, getting tricked by fourth-grade teacher Gretchen Speece into taking a quiz ending with the instruction “don’t do any of the questions above,” and showing up to Pre-Kindergarten wearing the same sweater as his teacher, Patti Grayson, a moment captured in a photograph that sits on his desk to this day. Almost every year since, Grayson has signed his yearbook. And his Lower School music teacher, Erika Caulford, still teaches him piano every Friday.

“I’ll remember these small moments, these snippets of connection,” Patten said.

Achieving Excellence as a Community

Lower Schoolers celebrate an incredible milestone with the Class of 2026

HRA’s faculty members, many of whom have been acquainted with the current seniors since Middle School or before, have found just as much value in getting to know their students over the course of many years.

“This graduating class is the last of the classes that I also taught as eighth graders in algebra 1, so it is a little bittersweet,” said Upper School math teacher Farica Erwin, who teaches many seniors in such courses as AP Calculus and Honors multivariable calculus. “For most of my students, I have taught them for two or three years in a row, so it has been a pleasure getting to know them and see all that they have accomplished.”

According to senior class President Cam Hall ’26, a Navigator since the sixth grade, “the close-knit atmosphere” that arises from such deeply rooted relationships “makes it easier to learn to self-advocate.” As he prepares to enroll at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, in the fall, he is deeply grateful to have this ability in his toolkit.

Fellow senior Khloe Jobson ’26, soon to attend Randolph-Macon College, agreed. The sort of self-advocacy that a firm network encourages is one of a plethora of life skills that the Academy excels at cultivating in its students. “HRA not only prepares its students by pushing us academically to be our best selves, but also pushes us to take accountability for ourselves,” she said.

A tribute to the strength of the Navigator community—across all three divisions

Though she joined HRA only at the beginning of her junior year, Jobson remarked, “The thing I will remember most about my time as a student at HRA is the strong community of the school. Everyone supports each other, rooting for each other to succeed, whether that’s going out to sporting events to support friends or donating to a charity drive for a club.”

For Patten, this ubiquitous supportiveness was a source of confidence to “get out of [his] comfort zone” and “try new things.” Despite having hardly considered auditioning for a theatrical production prior to eighth grade, he noted, he was quickly embraced by HRA’s talented student performers and is now “deeply entrenched in that community.”

Teachers will remember the palpable sense of community within the Class of 2026 above all else. “They are united by their shared quest to seek new horizons while simultaneously reveling in their senior year, welcoming four new classmates, and winning both the Spirit Plunger and Spirit Noodle,” said AP Literature teacher and Dean of Student Life Laurie Hager. “They support and celebrate one another and take pride in their many accomplishments.”

Upper School science teacher and REACH Initiative director Dr. Maribel Gendreau echoed Hager. “What makes this class so special is how open and willing they all have always been. They were always there to help, whether it was with clubs, activities, or even staying behind to help clean up after labs when we ran out of time,” she recalled.

“Over the years, we built relationships that go beyond just teacher and student,” Gendreau said. “I’m going to miss the stories, the little complaints, the happy moments, and all the celebrations along the way. I’ll especially miss the smiles and the ‘good mornings’ that made every day start on such a positive note.”

The End of One Chapter, the Start of the Next

Lifted by profound gratitude for the rich memories the seniors have shared with each other, with their teachers, and with the classes of Navigators behind them, the HRA community erupted in smiles, laughter, and applause during the Senior Parade. But as the day wound down and Head of School Jay Lasley prepared to release the Class of 2026, the bittersweetness of the occasion sank in, with the seniors completing their last march through the school where they grew into the confident young adults they are today and bidding it a fond farewell—for now.

As they tossed their caps in the air, the graduating students could take comfort in two certainties. The first was that their achievement in completing a rigorous, years-long college-preparatory experience is tremendous.

“We have high expectations and high love for our students,” Rous said. Observing the seniors’ excitement as they reached the finish line, ready for the challenges of college and life beyond, he remarked, “The thing that jazzes me is watching kids be proud of themselves.”

Perhaps more importantly, the seniors could rest assured that they will always be members of the Navigator family, forever bound to their teachers and to all HRA students past, present, and future. And within this community, they will always enjoy a special bond with their fellow members of the Class of 2026.

“They have done something special, and they are part of something special,” the Upper School director said. “No matter what they do for the rest of their lives, they will be connected to the other 46 kids in the class.”

“They have done something special, and they are part of something special”: caps off to the Hampton Roads Academy Class of 2026!