Norfolk Academy

Norfolk Academy is excited to introduce Jack Gibson '08 as the new Director of the Batten Leadership Program!

After graduating from Hampden-Sydney College, Mr. Gibson returned to the Academy in 2012, and has since been involved in many facets of school life. In addition to serving in leadership of the BLP and its Fellows programs, he has taught in both Middle and Upper School, and coached in the football and lacrosse programs.

A Norfolk Academy valedictorian, Mr. Gibson graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Hampden-Sydney with a B.A. in History. He was elected into the national leadership fraternity, ODK, a four-year member of the lacrosse team, and an Academic All-Conference designee. In 2017, he completed his master's degree in Science Writing from Johns Hopkins University. He is working toward a Doctor of Education degree from the College of William and Mary.

She is a familiar face at Norfolk Academy, but please give a warm Bulldog welcome to our new Director of Alumni Relations, Charlotte Zito '99! Mrs. Zito will continue to teach Upper School English; after graduating from the University of Virginia, she returned to the Academy in 2003 to begin her career as a teacher-coach.

In addition to her bachelor's degree from UVA, Mrs. Zito has a Master of Arts with Distinction in English Literature from Old Dominion University. She is active in service to the community outside of the classroom. Her volunteerism includes serving on the Community Advisory Board at WHRO; as Vice Chair of the Virginia Beach Public Library Board; and on the 5/31 Memorial Committee for the City of Virginia Beach.

Mrs. Zito started in this position over the summer and has hit the ground running. She has excitedly been preparing for Homecoming and Class Reunions (September 27-28), writing and editing for the upcoming fall edition of Academy Magazine, and much more!

Fall sports are off and running! 🏃‍♀️ 🏑⚽🏐⛵ 🎾📣🏈 Campus was humming today, our first full day of varsity practices. The Dawg Pound won't need to wait long to see our Bulldogs in action - football hosts a scrimmage Thursday and games come soon after!

Another successful summer of internships thanks to the Norfolk Academy Career Connections Program! Thanks to the dozens of alumni and Academy family members who gave valuable experience to our Upper School students and young graduates.

Fall athletics are here! Varsity 🏈 kicked off practices Monday. All other varsity teams get back at it August 12. Scrimmages and games begin just days after that. Go 'Dogs! Full schedule: https://www.norfolkacademy.org/athletics/teams

Olympic fever! Abigail '29 got the thrill of meeting 2012 and 2016 gold medalist Gabby Douglas!

Hampton Roads Olympian Gabby Douglas visits fans in Chesapeake The three-time Olympic medalist signed autographs and took pictures with fans.

"The memories I've made are truly unforgettable. It is as if I've found a second family." That was just one student's takeaway from Breakthrough at Norfolk Academy 2024, a 32-year summer tradition at our school, which closed Friday with a Graduation and Celebration in Price Auditorium. Breakthrough is a free summer program that prepares public middle school students for high school while giving college students, who are interested in teaching, hands-on experience.

The keynote speaker was Taniyah Taitano, a Breakthrough teacher studying at Spelman College. She was a Breakthrough at NA student in middle school, when the love she received from her teachers spurred her to pursue a career in education. She thanked program director Reggie Cole for his passion and thanked the students for pushing her and making her a better person. "You have made my summer and my life complete," Taniyah said.

In all, about 60 students from public middle schools around Hampton Roads participated in Breakthrough this summer, including 19 who graduated from the program Friday. After they received their certificates, it was time to celebrate, which students and teachers alike did with an impressive talent show.

To cap a terrific Summer at the Academy, we have three cheers for our directors and counselors who made every day fun 📣📣📣. And for our sports stars, 🥍⚽⚾🏀, actors and actresses 🎭, swimmers 🏊‍♀️, and all the campers who brought their energy and enthusiasm. See you next June!

Kudos and thank you to all the students and teachers who make our relationship with Point O'View Elementary School so strong: Virginia Beach's school division named this service project one of its 2024 Model Partnerships. Looking forward to more collaborations in the coming year!

As part of PAWS for a Cause, Point O’ View administrators asked our Middle School students to help design a more engaging recess experience. Our students brainstormed, pitched, and received enthusiastic support for their proposal, and will work this fall on a soccer field at POV. In addition, Literacy Fellows and Monogram Club started mentoring POV students, fostering friendships that both groups cherish.

No shock, Summer at the Academy Week 5 was a blast 🚀! Future acting stars ✨ on Broadway, soccer stars on the pitch ⚽, cheerleaders getting the crowd fired up 📣, and fun all around! Enjoy the weekend, we will see you Monday for our final week of camp!

Summer at the Academy, Week 4: Campers loving their counselors 😎; creating impressive artwork 🎨; becoming baseball ⚾ and crab soccer ⚽ all-stars; acting out their fairytale princess dreams 👸; building LEGO sensations 🏫; and simply smiling away 😊. Ten more days of fun to go!

The Miles for Meals walkathon is just a few days away! Come out to Norfolk Academy on Thursday, July 11, for a night of purposeful strides and compassionate giving alongside our Hunger Heroes competitors. This family-friendly event is centered around raising funds for our neighbors struggling with food insecurity. The walkathon begins at 6 pm. Head to foodbankonline.org/hungerheroes to register and learn more!

Congratulations, Dr. Thornton! Second grade teacher Valerie Thornton recently completed her Doctorate of Education in Educational Psychology from Regent University. She graduated from UVA and earned a master's degree from Regent.

Norfolk Academy will be closed today, July 4, in honor of Independence Day. We also will be closed Friday, July 5. Summer at the Academy, Breakthrough, and other summer activities resume on Monday, July 8. This photo is from a recent Military Appreciation Night.

Week 3 of Summer at the Academy: Star athletes showing off their skills in football 🏈, swimming 🏊‍♀️, and so much more. Enjoy the long holiday weekend, the smiles start again Monday! 😊

Week 2 of Summer at the Academy: Rising stars 🌟 on Broadway! On athletics fields⚽! Young princesses! 👸 And all around campus kids simply having fun! Enjoy the weekend, we'll see you Monday!

Global Health Fellows study medical issues, particularly in resource-limited settings. They just got back from Peru, where they visited Sacred Valley Health, which educates high-altitude communities on sustainable nutritional and hygienic practices. Students also explored a hummingbird sanctuary and Machu Picchu, among other sites. Shuchi '25 and Genevieve '25 wrote: "The greatest takeaway for the GHFs was the cultural appreciation and the understanding that, for as much as we have to offer them, they have just as much to teach us."

Chesapeake Bay Fellows are in Maine for their summer experiential learning. While taking long hikes around Marshall Island and kayaking on the surrounding water, they are exploring differences between this environment and that of last year's destination, the Chesapeake Bay.

Engineering, Design, and Innovation Fellows made a beeline to Utah to start their summer learning. Among their stops so far: Purple Dream Lab, which focuses on research and development for the mattress company Purple; Pleasant Green Park, which has a public art installation by Karl Hale, who was previously a software engineer; Bingham Canyon Mine, the largest man-made excavation in the world at more than a mile deep; Salt Lake City; Utah State University; Space Dynamics Laboratory; and Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute; and Blackrock Neurotech, a cutting edge neurotechnology company.

Norfolk Academy will be closed today as we honor Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day. On this date in 1865, Union General Gordon Granger and Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to notify enslaved African Americans of their freedom, which had been proclaimed by President Lincoln more than 2 years earlier, and of the end of the Civil War. Some Hampton Roads cities held Juneteenth celebrations over the weekend, though others are holding events today. https://bit.ly/3RvPXmQ

Congratulations to Gretchen Scott '24 who was named the winner of the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. Leadership Award for Virginia's 3rd Congressional District. The Award recognizes and nurtures interest in public service, which is critical to the preservation of American democracy, by extending a $25,000 merit scholarship to a high school senior in each of Virginia's 11 congressional districts. Award winners are selected based on their demonstration of excellence of character, qualities of leadership, devotion to duty, and academic accomplishment. Gretchen will attend and play field hockey at Brown University, where she intends to study International and Public Affairs. At NA, Gretchen explored issues pertaining to global health, public policy, and international affairs through her work as a Global Health Fellow of the Batten Leadership Program and her participation in Norfolk's Model NATO competition. Gretchen also led NA's Reach/Interact service club as its president, participated as a member of the Test of Engineering, Aptitude, and Mathematics team, and enjoyed a career as an accomplished three-sport athlete (Varsity Field Hockey, Varsity Basketball, and Varsity Soccer). Among her honors this spring were the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools Scholar-Athlete Award, the Country Day School for Girls Award (for unselfish pursuit of excellence in academics and athletics), and the Statesman Award (for outstanding leadership in service to the common good). We wish Gretchen the best of luck as she embarks upon her journey as a Bear! Award

We are days away from closing out our school's fiscal year but it's not too late to voice your support! From first days to last days, game days to performance days, seminar days to speech days, your support makes every day possible for our students, teachers, coaches, and mentors. Gifts of any size make an immediate difference. Use https://bit.ly/32yYV88 or Venmo Academy to make your gift. Go Dogs!

Congratulations to Julian Burke '24, who will join the University of Richmond as a Richmond Scholar. Richmond Scholars receive the University’s most prestigious academic merit award, equal to full tuition plus food and housing. Scholars are defined by academic achievement, engaged leadership, strong sense of purpose, and investment in a diverse and inclusive campus community. At NA, Julian was an Engineering, Design, and Innovation Fellow and a Medical Scholar, both part of the Batten Leadership Program. He contributed to the school and greater community as a member of the Robotics and Test of Engineering Aptitude and Mathematics teams. This spring, he was captain of the Varsity Tennis team and earned TCIS First Team Singles All-Conference and VISAA All-State Second Team honors. Julian was also a valued member of the NA Players Backstage Crew. Julian plans to pursue Pre-Med studies at Richmond. We wish Julian the very best of luck as he embarks on his journey as a Richmond Spider!

Congratulations to Jack Copeland '24, who will join the University of Virginia as a Jefferson Scholar and Rodman Scholar. Jack is one of 34 students honored as a Jefferson Scholar via a rigorous multi-stage selection process based on demonstrated excellence and exceptional potential in the areas of leadership, scholarship, and citizenship. In addition to receiving the full cost of attending the University for four years, Jefferson Scholars benefit from enrichment programs sponsored by the Foundation, including travel abroad, career networking activities, and a leadership speaker series. At NA, Jack supported classmates in his role as a Peer Counselor and member of the LifeSavers Club. Jack also led the International Relations Club and Cum Laude Society as president and served as co-captain of the NA-TV team. While at UVA, Jack intends to further explore his interests in math, chemical engineering, and Spanish while determining new and creative ways to have an impact on the world around him. Among his honors at graduation were the William Selden Memorial Award (for history), Calvert Rogers Dey Award (for foreign language), and Robert Gatewood Fellowship Award (for his high degree of good fellowship and completeness as a human being). We wish Jack the very best of luck has he embarks on his journey as a Wahoo!

Fellows of the Batten Leadership Program are gaining experiential learning this month as they travel to locations around the country and abroad. Global Affairs Fellows were the first to depart, arriving last week in Peru. Among their experiences so far: A day with Julio Hancco, a potato farmer in the mountains and an expert in the biodiversity of potatoes and culture of Andean farming communities; a tour of EcoHuella farm that included a lettuce patch, seed storage room, and guinea pig pen; a jewelry making site where students practiced speaking and understanding Spanish by conversing with locals; and travel along a beautiful countryside with partners from the Andean Alliance for Sustainable Development. The Andean Alliance for Sustainable Development More BLP summer experiences: https://bit.ly/3Xp0nsb

Congratulations to Zoë Jones '24, salutatorian of the Senior Class, who will join the College of William and Mary as a Stamps 1693 and Monroe Scholar. In addition to a merit scholarship equal to the full cost of tuition, room and board, a research/project stipend, and the extension of enrichment funds, the Stamps 1693 and Monroe Scholars programs provide extraordinary opportunities for learning and growth. Hallmarks of the program experiences include personal faculty mentoring and both collaborative and individual research initiatives. The programs seek students who demonstrate outstanding academic promise and the desire to enrich the world around them -- individuals with imagination, insight and conviction. At NA, Zoë explored her interest in applied math and the world of STEM through her work as an Engineering, Design, and Innovation Fellow of the Batten Leadership Program. She is an accomplished pianist and extended her many gifts to the school and greater community through her involvement with the NA Players, Test of Engineering, Aptitude, and Mathematics, Mathletics, Robotics, and Varsity Rowing teams. Zoe is also a writer of dystopian fiction who was a Creative Writing Fellow at Norfolk's The Muse Writing Center. Among her honors at graduation were the Mary McCullough Mathematics Award, Minnie Roth Campbell Award (for original writing), and Fine Arts Award. We wish Zoe the very best of luck as she embarks on her journey as a member of the Tribe!

Betsy Looney, one of our dedicated nurses who are so instrumental to our school, is helping schools throughout Virginia. She is also now serving as President of the Virginia Association of School Nurses, a nonprofit organization that advocates for professional school nursing in the Commonwealth.

Mrs. Looney has been a school nurse for more than two decades. She has been a strong advocate for stock Epi Pens and AEDs in all schools. In 2022, she spoke on behalf of a bill that became law requiring an AED and training for all public schools in Virginia. In 2020, she was named Virginia Private School Nurse of the Year.

Congratulations to teacher-coach Taylor Winn '07, this year's Wallace Honoree for Distinguished Teaching! Named after the legendary Mrs. Diane Wallace, who taught fourth grade boys at Norfolk Academy for 53 years, the award fosters teaching growth and rewards faculty members who demonstrate her devotion. Its inaugural year was 2022.

After graduating from Norfolk Academy, Mrs. Winn graduated magna cm laude from Wake Forest University. She then moved to Spain, where she began her teaching career and completed graduate studies at the Universidad de Sevilla. She also taught in Mexico before returning to the NA family. In addition to teaching Upper School Spanish, she has coached in the volleyball and lacrosse programs, served as a sponsor to several clubs, and works closely with our Spanish exchange program's partner school in Madrid, Fontenebro. Next year, she will also serve as Director of the Upper School Maymester program.

Middle School Mini-mester Recap.