St. Stephen's School

Alumni and Friends Trip: Puglia October 9-13, 2023 with Dr. Paul Treherne

The deep south of Puglia is one of Italy's best-kept secrets. Where the Appia meets the sea, and crusaders once set sail for the Holy Land, the traveller enters another world. Framed by the white sands of the Ionian and rocky headlands of the Adriatic, Apulia is an antique landscape criss-crossed by drystone walls and dotted with elegant little baroque towns, their mazes of streets, theatrical squares, and sun-drenched facades reminiscent of Greece, Iberia or north Africa. People have come and gone over the centuries: Byzantines, Normans, Ottomans. More than five hundred years of Spanish rule, too, have left their mark on the land, its people, and its cuisine.

Come join us for five days of walking through history, enjoy the last swim of the season, and discover the authentic heel of Italy's boot.

If you are interested and would like to secure your spot, please write to: [email protected].

Price:
€1100 per person double room
€1250 per person single room

Daily Itinerary

Day 1. Monday 9 October
Arrival at Lecce. Meet 15:00, lobby Palazzo Rollo. Afternoon city walk, with visit to Piazza Duomo (open 16:00-19:30), Roman theater, Santa Croce basilica, plus city gates, churches and palazzi. Option to visit one of the city museums, such as the Paper mache museum in the Castle (open 16:00-20:00), Museo Provinciale “Sigismondo Castromediano” (open 14:30-19:30), or the Jewish Museum (open until 19:00). Aperitivo on terrace at Palazzo Rollo and dinner at restaurant Alle Due Corti.

Day 2. Tuesday 10 October
Drive (25 mins) to Carpignano Salentino, for a special visit to the frescoed Byzantine (9-11c) crypt of Santa Cristina. Continue to Porto Badisco, from which we walk along a coastal path dotted with old Saracen towers (c. 3 hrs). Lunch and option for swimming in Porto Badisco. Continue by bus to Otranto (15 mins), visit duomo (open 15-17:00) with its fine 12C mosaic pavement, and walk around the old town. Return by bus to Lecce (35 mins). Dinner at restaurant TBA. Total walking: 9 km/ 3 hrs (good trails, rocky in places, 400 ft elevation gain/loss)

Day 3. Wednesday 11 October
Drive (30 mins) to the Abbey of Santa Maria di Cerrate (Fondazione Ambientale Italiana), visit 9:30-10:30 and onward by bus to nature reserve and protected marine area of Tor Guaceto (35 min) for a 3 hour walk, including Saracen tower with reconstructed Roman ship and marine turtle rescue center, with opportunity to swim and picnic lunch on beach. Continue by bus to our Masseria near Cisternino (30 mins), in the Val d’Itria. Night and dinner at Villa Cenci. Total walking: 8 km / 3 hours (flat coastal footpaths and beach).

Day 4. Thursday 12 October
Walk along country lanes lined with dry-stone walls and olive groves to reach the ex-acquedotto della Puglia, now converted into a long distance bike and walking path. We continue on foot along this route as far as Figazzano and the botanical garden of Pomona, where we will have a tasting of the many varieties of figs for which the area is named. After lunch, we travel by bus to nearby Martina Franca for a stroll round its stylish streets and a granita in the iconic Bar Tripoli, before returning to Villa Cenci by bus. Dinner in Cisternino, famed for its butchers. Total walking: 12 km/4 hours (well graded walking path with minor elevation gains or losses).

Day 5. Friday 13 October
Morning transfer to Bari, for those departing by rail or air, or to Matera for those extending.

Suggestions for those wishing to lengthen their holiday:

Bari old city and Basilica of St. Nicholas
Monopoli, charming smaller port city just south of Bari
Trani, an elegant little fishing town with fresh catch sold in the marina each evening and fine churches, palazzi and restaurants
Castel del Monte, hunting lodge of Frederick II “Stupor Mundi”, in the Alta Murgia National Park
Gargano Peninsula and sanctuary of San Michele Arcangelo

What’s Included
Accommodation in Lecce and Val D’Itria, including breakfast
Two dinners (First and Last nights) and two picnic lunches
All entries to sites we visit as a group
Transportation from Lecce onward, and to Bari/Matera on day 5
Private guide in Tor Guaceto and Val d’Itria

Less than one year to go until St. Stephen’s turns 60! It will be a birthday bash you won’t want to miss. From 7-9 June 2024, we hope to see you back in Rome for the 60th Anniversary Celebration!

We are in the planning phases of our event program, but for updates about the 60th Anniversary Celebration, starting in September, we will have a section of the School’s website dedicated to the 60th where we will post news and information throughout the coming year.

Looking forward to seeing you in Rome in June 2024!

Cheers to the Class of 2023 🎓🥳 Congrats on this momentous achievement, and best of luck in your future endeavors!

Senior Faculty Dinner 2023 🥂

Last Saturday, The Lyceum reorganized a pleasant archeo hike with Jan Claus di Blasio in one of the most impressive necropolises of ancient Etruria: Marturanum! Also, a pristine regional park on the outskirts of beautiful present-day Barbarano Romano, Marturanum Regional Park offers one of the densest funerary landscapes in Etruria with monumental tumuli from the 6th century B.C. and a famous depiction of a deer and a wolf! They visited the newly-opened free museum of the Necropoli Rupestri. They enjoyed visiting the medieval church of San Giuliano, which represents the continuity between the Etruscan and medieval Christian landscapes.

The recent alum weekend was a resounding success, bringing together former students from various graduating classes to celebrate their shared experiences and achievements. The event, held over three days, was filled with many activities. We visited the Aventinus Minor Project Site; we went on a beautiful food tour with fellow alum Nesim Bekalti '97, followed in the evening by a cooking demo, Rome tours with current teachers Marije van der Vorm and Paul Treherne, aperitivi, Fussball and ping pong tournaments, a treasure hunt and many nostalgic moments! Thank you to everyone that joined us!

SSS Alum Anne Undeland '82 playwright and performer. We sat down with her to discuss her work, life, and time at St. Stephen's. Read the full interview at https://sssrome.it/anne-undeland-82

in Croatia 🇭🇷

The country of 1800 islands and millennia of history where the mix of different cultures has created some of the most spectacular city monuments in the world and where nature shows all its breathtaking wonders. On the Adriatic coast and heart of Dalmatia, the city of Split is home to the famous palace of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, the archaeological museum and the Mestrovic gallery.

Students explored a natural heritage of extraordinary beauty like the National Park of Krka where the River Krka creates a sequence of incredible waterfalls. With day trips to Trogir, the Roman city of Salona, Sibinek, and Dubrovnik, they visited the picturesque old towns rich in antique buildings and gothic houses. The group was also able to experience the Klis Fortress, where episodes of the famous series Game of Thrones were filmed, and toured an authentic olive and essential oil traditional, family-owned company. The highlight was the boat trip to a small shipwreck and the Blue Lagoon, where everyone ventured into the crystal-clear water of the islands!

in Ventotene 🇮🇹

Ventotene is a small gem of an island in the Pontine Archipelago, the southernmost of the islands, approximately two hours by ferry off Formia. It is rich in historical heritage dating as far back as the Roman Empire and in environmental resources: it is a Nature and Marine Reserve. Due to its position along the migration route of several species of birds, it hosts a small but lively Bird Migration Observatory.

This trip revolves primarily around sailing as a vibrant and varied educational tool. Sailing offers multiple learning opportunities: from the scientific aspects of how a boat advances through water propelled by the wind (most interestingly, how one can sail UP-wind?); to the social part of having to cooperate as a crew to sail the boat, to the environmental aspect of having to negotiate with, learn to predict (and respect) powerful natural elements like the sea and the weather.

The entire trip is organized in collaboration with the Ventotene branch of the Lega Navale Italiana (LNI). The LNI is a volunteer-based national association that promotes nautical and marine culture among the general public.

SSS Art Show 2023

📸 Photos by Digital Arts students Stella B. and Hamza E.

in Slovenia 🇸🇮

The Slovenian Alps are full of history, waterfalls, lakes with islands in their middle, and gorges. With trekking shoes mandatory, this trip was about adventuring in nature and enjoying some walks in the silence of the mountains. Students visited Bohini, Bled Lake, Vintgar Gorge, Soča Valley, Tolmin Gorges, Kozjak Waterfall, and Pokljuka!

in Sicily 🇮🇹

Starting in Catania, students visited the south-eastern and mid-western side of the antique Trinacria. They explored Syracuse and its splendid Ortigia Island, Noto, Ragusa, Modica, and Scicli, until Piazza Armerina to admire the Villa del Casale and its UNESCO mosaics.

The AMP STEM day allowed students to learn more about the Aventinus Minor Project and work on challenges related to science, engineering, and mathematics. Grade 9 students completed a Rome challenge where they built a model using materials of their choice, including a reflection and research based on the content covered in City of Rome 1. Grade 10 students completed a time capsule activity in school and archaeological activities at the AMP site. Grade 11 students participated in a tower-building challenge using limited materials such as newspapers and toothpicks. All students took part in maths competitions, including maths relay races. The day ended with awards and prizes.

Heartfelt gratitude to the Parents' Committee for organizing yesterday's faculty and staff appreciation lunch and to all parents for preparing food. Your efforts truly made a difference and were deeply appreciated by everyone.

The delicious meal brought a sense of warmth and comfort to our busy days. The time and energy you invested in planning, shopping, cooking, and serving were evident in every bite.

A special thank you to Melissa, Alessandra, Paulo and Domitilla, who helped set up and serve all the excellent food!

in Puglia 🇮🇹

Students visited Castel del Monte of King Frederick II, built between 1229 and 1249, near Andria, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. They also explore some of Puglia’s highlights, including Monopoli, Polignano a Mare, Alberobello and Ostuni. A trip to Puglia would not be complete without a food tour - it has arguably the best food in Italy!

The trip also included paddleboarding, swimming, and kayaking in the beautiful, clear Adriatic Sea. Exploring the Caves of Castellana, students learned through multi-lingual tour guides through the underground excursion made of stalactites, stalagmites, fossils, cavities, and caves.

in Malta 🇲🇹

A small archipelago that is packed with history and natural wonders, this group journeyed across time, visiting its mysterious megalithic marvels, documenting St. Paul's shipwreck, chronicling the desperate resistance of the Hospitaliers in the face of superior Ottoman forces, and across space, by circumnavigating around and hiking on its three main islands: Malta, Comino and Gozo.

Congratulations, Class of 2023!! Good luck for the next chapter of your life!!
🎓

Congratulations to all Seniors who were recognized for their hard work throughout their last year! Students were recognized for the following awards:

🔸The Peter Barry Award for Creative and Critical Writing
🔸The English Language and Literature Department prize
🔸The English Literature Department prize
🔸French Award
🔸Italian Award
🔸Spanish Award
🔸Biology Award
🔸Environmental Systems & Societies Award
🔸Physics Award
🔸History Award
🔸Classics Award
🔸Creative Writing Award
🔸Drama Award
🔸President’s Awards for Academic Excellence
🔸Senior Athlete of the Year

to Cataluña 🇪🇸

Exploring the beautiful Costa Brava, this trip's itinerary led students to Figueras, the most interesting Theater Museum, and the sea town of Cadaques where Dali, the father of Surrealism, was born, lived and worked.

Another year of successful to beautiful destinations around Europe!

In Abruzzo 🇮🇹, students had the opportunity to learn about the uniqueness of donkeys, how they are intelligent companions and how they can be used in pet therapy, too! Hiking with the donkeys was a way to travel slowly, enjoying the beauty of nature and learning about the past while experiencing art workshops and reflections on their learning. They also visited Sulmona, the Roman poet Ovid's birthplace, the nearby shrine of Hercules Curinus and the Hermitage of Sant’Onofrio al Morrone overlooking the Peligna valley.

SSS Digital Arts Director and Photography teacher Liana Miuccio's Photographic exhibition Visual Diary in dialog with texts from SSS parent Jhumpa Lahiri will close with a finissage event on June 3rd at the Galleria d'Arte Moderna di Roma from 18:00-19:30.

Calligraphy installations text in the exhibition are by SSS IB Art and Sculpture teacher Anita Guerra. The American Academy in Rome and Temple University Rome sponsor the exhibition. It is a wonderful opportunity to also see the Pasolini exhibition also on view. All are welcome to come to the event free of charge!

🗓️ Liana Miuccio's Visual Diary Exhibition Finissage: June 3rd, 18-00-19:30

Class of 2024 Theory of Knowledge exhibition 💭

Some of the works are original and insightful, and it’s interesting to look at how our students interpret the links between abstract TOK concepts and the real world.

Last Friday, the IB Visual Arts Junior classes went to the Spanish Academy to visit the exhibition celebrating the centenary of Joaquin Sorolla's life with a retrospective of his paintings. Sorolla was also a resident artist at this academy at the Janiculum Hill over a hundred years ago.

"The students sketched from hundreds of Sorolla's small-scale oil paintings done en plein air. They noted his life and travels in Italy, Spain and the U.S., where The Hispanic Society Museum and Library in Harlem commissioned him to decorate its walls with traditional scenes of Spain's provinces. Sorolla painted and traveled so ardently to fulfill this commission that many believe this caused his stroke in 1921 and his eventual death two years later. One of our students, David T., commented that instead of 'dying at the desk, his death should be coined, Brush-stroke.' This pun does not diminish the impact Sorolla had on our students. Enjoy the sketches and notes of our talented students."

- Ms. Anita Guerra and Ms. Lisa Fedich, Arts Department 🎨🖌️

During the weekend, students of the "Dance and Drums for Goree" club organized a soccer tournament as a fundraiser for the Leopold Angrand elementary school of Gorèe in Senegal. Congratulation Tommaso S., Alicia M., Elias E., and Ranieri C.!

Last week, a group of new students joined us for a Welcome Day event, with a fun served at the end! With the guidance of Student Ambassadors and Peer Mentors, the incoming 9th, 10th, and 11th graders ventured out in a scavenger hunt around the school, were challenged with a St. Stephen's Trivia, and competed in an Egg Race relay game! The students also participated in a Language Placement activity, where they could speak with the school's Italian, French, and Spanish teachers.

Before enjoying the bbq, they were introduced to some of the faculty and heard directly from the Head of Teaching and Learning. To wrap it up, the Dean of Students conducted a writing activity around our school's 5 Core Values: Scholarship, Integrity, Creativity, Independence, and Care. Each student wrote a letter to their future selves, which will be kept and opened in coming years. 📝

Catalase Enzyme Lab - Catalase is an enzyme which is found in almost all living organisms that breaks down hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) into oxygen and water. The students measured the rate of reaction using different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide.

In simple words the higher the concentration the ‘foamier’ the reaction!

On Sunday, May 07th, a group of teachers, students,
parents, and faculty children met to represent SSS at the
24th Annual Komen Race for the Cure, which promotes
research, prevention, and treatment for those affected by
breast cancer in Italy.

Many thanks to all of the SSS students, teachers, and families who were part of this initiative this year. We hope to continue this tradition for many years to come.

Our Alumni and Friends Trip to Southern Tuscany departed yesterday morning from Rome with our fearless leader Paul Treherne. The first day was spent exploring Pienza. This morning they drove to Montepulciano for some exploring of the old town. Afterward, they will start their walk to Montichiello and then back to Pienza for a total of 13.6km.

A few weeks ago was Rome’s dies natalis. To celebrate our city’s 2776th birthday, several City of Rome 1, Latin 1 and Latin 2 classes visited the fair at the Circus Maximus. The students met with gladiators, centurions, soldiers, and shopkeepers and learned about daily life in ancient Rome.

Congratulations to the newly elected Student Council for 2023-2024!

President - Luca O '24
Vice President - Thomas T '25
Treasurer - Giorgio C '24
Inclusion Secretary - Jonah G '26
Social Coordinator - Ludovico S '24
Secretary - Ameli V T R '24

A big round of applause to all the candidates who put themselves forward for this important job!

On Wednesday, April 26th, Amjed Rifaie, a calligraphy expert and artist, visited the 9th and 10th grade Arabic classes for the third year in a row. He gave an interactive workshop during which he showed different examples of calligraphy that combine writing, shape, and color to create forms of art that in the Arabic-speaking world are used to decorate jewelry, buildings, paintings, and more. After that, students wrote words like "love", "humanity," and "peace" in Arabic with ink and the traditional calamai bamboo pen, in use since the 7th century CE. Students had been looking forward to the workshop, and with enthusiasm and a lot of patience, they created their own artworks on paper, including their own names. Some were soon discovered to have a natural talent and a firm grip, which led to beautiful artistic creations. More of Amjed’s exhibitions and artwork can be found at www.amjedrifaie.com.

The Embrace Club and SSS parent and curator Francesca de’ Medici organized an outstanding presentation with photographer and activist Robert Hamblin. Robert as an artist, focuses on s*xuality and gender in the contemporary human condition, primarily through his q***r masculinity as a transgender man. One of his exhibitions, InterseXion, is a collaboration with black transgender s*x workers that took seven years to produce, culminating in a solo exhibition at The Iziko South African National Gallery in Cape Town.

*xuality

On Friday, April 21st - Rome’s birthday! - Latin students from all grades received their awards and certificates for their achievements in the National Latin Exam. Students did an outstanding job with 11 gold medals, 19 silver ones, and 13 certificates. Earlier in the Spring, we celebrated 23 out of 33 participating students scoring gold, silver, and bronze medals in the Classical Etymology Exam. Congratulations to all Classics students for their hard work and high results!

In collaboration with the Earth Week Initiatives of Jan Claus Di Blasio, Gardens & Sustainability Service Coordinator, the Arts classes created artwork inspired by nature.

2D art class collaborated with Digital Arts to photograph plants that inspired drawings of nature at SSS. (Photo 1 by Stella B and Drawing by Elsa RB;
Photo 2 by Maya C. and drawing by Renata C.)

3D art class created sculptures from recycled umbrellas.
(Photo 3 student Gaia G photographing 3D sculptures by Francesco P. left and David S right)

The Digital Arts Club created a video of images that celebrate nature: https://vimeo.com/ststephensschoolrome/digitalartsearthweekvideo?share=copy

Blessed Unrest presents the world premiere of MISCONCEPTIONS, written by the Emmy-nominated playwright Steve Wangh (The Laramie Project) and directed by Jessica Burr ('92) with Blessed Unrest’s award-winning imagination, humor, and artistic risk-taking.

Catch the show May 11 - June 3 at
122 Community Center Theater, 150 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10009.
Link to tickets: https://blessedunrest.ticketleap.com/misconceptions/

Use the St. Stephen's exclusive 25% off Alumni Discount Code "ALUMNI" at check out. Please don't hesitate to say hello to Jessica Burr before or after the show!

Memorial Celebration for Richard Trythall - May 6 5 pm

We are planning a set of performances for the day. These will include a large alumnx/community choir in which everyone can participate. If you would like to participate in this multi-generational musical celebration for Richard, please contact Edoardo Pariante ([email protected]) with your intentions and/or any questions you might have.

If you would like simply to attend the event, you are most welcome. Please RSVP here: https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07ejpzaicr61ecb05d&oseq=&c=&ch=

If you are not able to attend in person, you may wish to record a brief video message about how Richard touched your life. (Video instructions are below.)

So that we might mingle, reminisce, and further celebrate Richard, a light aperitivo will be offered following the celebration.

***
Instructions to record a video for Richard:
Click here: https://flip.com/db3d967d
Click on the CAMERA icon at the top left. When the screen opens, click on the white circle to record your message. When you have finished recording, click on NEXT to review your video. If you’re happy with it, click on NEXT again, and finally, POST to the topic, Richard Trythall’s Memorial.

For better audio, please use a mobile phone headset microphone, if possible. If you don't have a headset, be sure to be close to the mic on your phone or computer when you record yourself. If you are using a mobile phone to record, make sure that you are filming horizontally, not vertically. And please make sure you don’t have your back to a window or bright light source.

We will keep these videos in the Richard Trythall Memorial Folder, both to preserve the community’s memories and to share with Richard’s family.