Buddying Up!
One day this past holiday season, a woman stopped Kaitlin Tyler ’07 around town with two unexpected questions.
“Is your name Kaitlin? Did you go to Norfolk Academy?”
Tyler didn’t recognize the woman, who looked at least 10 years younger. But yes, she answered.
The woman lit up with excitement. “You were my Senior Buddy! I’m Mary Alice Russell!”
Almost two decades had passed since they were paired together for that special bonding experience between first and 12th graders. Yet once the reconnection was made, fond memories streamed back as if that time were yesterday. “It’s something that is with you forever,” Tyler said.
It’s hard to pin down exactly when Senior–First Grade Buddies began, but the tradition is at least 30 years old: Yearbooks reference ice cream socials between the friends in the early 1990s.
More certain is that the program has grown over the years, the result of its popularity. What began as an occasional gathering—perhaps once a year—is now a monthly event that both grades look forward to immensely.
The first get-together is a spirited September morning on the Lower School Playground, first
graders pulling their newfound friends around the swings and slides. October brings Halloween parades. December is a viewing of The Grinch while enjoying holiday treats. May is a final celebration and thank you just before graduation. In between, there are book readings, games around The Pit, and more.
And that’s just the organized events. First graders love running into their Senior Buddies around campus, a feeling of joy that is mutual.
OPPOSITE: Jacob Dyer ’26 and Jack ’37 reading Jack’s favorite book in fall 2025. ABOVE: Kaitlin Tyler ’07, left, and Laura Barry ’07, right, with their first grade buddy Mary Alice Russell ’18.
IMPROVING CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION BY IMPLEMENTING RESEARCH ON THE BRAIN
Norfolk Academy teachers are engaging with these questions through a partnership forged by Head of School Travis Larrabee with the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning (CTTL) at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Potomac, Maryland.
All faculty members read Neuroteach: Brain Science and the Future of Education as the faculty summer reading in 2023. The program’s director, Glenn Whitman, has come to NA for multiple professional development workshops, and about a dozen NA teachers from all three divisions have attended the Center’s summer institutes, which draw teachers from across the country.
Larrabee first read Neuroteach and met Whitman during his time as a teacher and administrator at Penn Charter, and he found that the educational strategies, grounded in scientific research about the brain’s processes, strengthened the academic program and led to innovation. He felt the MBE approach suited
education
The field of neuroscience has made enormous strides in understanding the brain, that infinitely complex organ that controls everything from simple motor skills to intricate acts that define what it means to be human.
Yet, translating scientific breakthroughs into strategies for learning is a major challenge. Mind Brain Education (MBE) provides a bridge that connects ground-breaking brain research to the contemporary classroom through a practical lens:
•How can teachers create approaches and a classroom environment that reflects this enriched understanding of the brain’s operations?
•How can scientific research be applied to help students learn better?
Norfolk Academy, because it leverages one of the school’s greatest strengths—the motivational relationships between students and teacher-coaches.
“We know that students learn best in situations where there is trust and connection,” he said. “They feel safe—their amygdala is not firing off!—and they can absorb and retain. What I love about this approach is that it is based in brain science and it is translated into practical, actionable steps for faculty use and implementation.”
The strategies explained in Neuroteach and continually refined at the CTTL are abundant and varied, so that teachers can choose from what Whitman calls a “menu” of options that suit their teaching style or a specific activity. As a result, the
RETIRED NASA ADMINISTRATOR CHARLES F. BOLDEN JR.
Ordinary to Extraordinary
NORFOLK ACADEMY WAS HONORED ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON, NOVEMBER 18, WITH A VISIT FROM MAJOR GENERAL CHARLES F. BOLDEN JR. (USMC-RET.), WHOSE EXTRAORDINARY CAREER OF SERVICE TO OUR NATION HAS INCLUDED STINTS AS A COMBAT COMMANDER, ASTRONAUT, AND HEAD OF NASA.
Bolden talked to Middle and Upper School students about his upbringing in segregated South Carolina, his path to success, and the present and future of space exploration. He also answered their insightful questions on those topics and more.
Growing up, Bolden wasn’t sure what he wanted to do for a career. Both his parents were teachers who instilled in him the importance of hard work and aiming high.
“From my childhood I was an adventurer,” he said.
While in high school, Bolden saw a program about the U.S. Naval Academy that piqued his interest. He applied and was accepted. That launched his decorated military service. A 1968 graduate of the Naval Academy, he flew more than 100 combat missions during the Vietnam War.
“Life is not the way you think it’s going to be,” Bolden said.
In 1980, Bolden earned selection as an astronaut candidate. Working his way up the ranks, he ultimately piloted missions including Space Shuttle Columbia (1986) and Space Shuttle Discovery (1990).
In the 1990s he returned to military service and was the Commanding General of the Marine expeditionary force attached to Operation Desert Thunder in Kuwait. He retired from the Marine Corps in 2003 and returned to space expedition. He served as NASA’s top administrator from 2009 to 2017.
That remarkable lifetime of service drew a standing ovation from every student in Johnson Theater. Pursue your dreams and don’t be afraid of failure, he told them.
“I am an ordinary person who has been blessed to do extraordinary things.” ◆
Mike Connors is the Digital News and Social Media Specialist.
Major General Charles F. Bolden Jr. (USMC-RET.) taught students during a conversation with Head of School Travis Larrabee on November 18. After the presentation, Bolden eagerly chatted with everyone in the Johnson Theater audience.
NA-TV BROADCASTING HITS THE DECADE MARK
Live from Norfolk Academy!
One of Norfolk Academy’s teams has built a strong following across the nation and beyond, despite never playing a game.
Now one decade old, NA-TV is the school’s broadcast channel. Over the course of the year, students produce broadcasts of hundreds of athletics competitions and fine arts events, providing play-by-play, color commentary, camera work, graphics, halftime news, and more.
Available on the NA website, norfolkacademy.org/athletics, fans watch broadcasts both nationally and internationally. Big games have reached more than 2,000 viewers.
During the fall 2025 athletics season alone, the team broadcasted more than 114 hours. That coverage reached more than 14,000 viewers across 44 states and several nations.
Adults support the broadcasts: Ed Patterson, who has taught at NA since 1996, serves as a coach, while Robbie Adams, formerly an announcer for college sports, does play-by-play for many home games.
Students handle most of the responsibility, though.
“I love giving people who can’t come the ability to watch the games,” junior Foard Hunter said.
Viewers may not realize it, but many important decisions are made throughout any broadcast of a live event. In the case of NA-TV, students on the cameras figure out the best angles and shots; statisticians gather reams of data for announcers, who decide what information to report and when; and producers listen for sound quality and other logistics.
Patterson, who has coached NA-TV since its inception in 2016, is impressed at how quickly students pick up what they need to know. They go through tutorials in the early days of each season, but most of
their success is trial by fire.
“A lot of on-the-job training,” Patterson said. “It really is the students teaching each other.”
Miles McKenzie, a senior, started with NA-TV in 10th grade. Back then, he enjoyed learning the ropes and helping where needed. Now he’s a captain, teaching younger students.
McKenzie enjoys the team camaraderie and working environment. On Friday nights, NA-TV crews are in the press box, where they hear coaches call out plays.
But what McKenzie likes most is that his work — and the work of the team — creates a fun viewing experience for thousands of fans during the course of the season.
Since NA-TV debuted, about 100 students have gone through the program. Several have loved the experience so much that they went on to broadcast in college. Some even continued in the field professionally.
Ells Boone, a 2020 NA graduate, works for the Atlantic Coast Conference. Megan Robinson, a 2019 graduate, worked on United Soccer League broadcasts before heading to Europe to complete her master’s in broadcast journalism.
As Carter Furr ’17 entered his senior year, he heard that NA-TV was starting up. He jumped at the chance to be an announcer, volunteering to call just about any sport he wasn’t already playing in.
Furr was so excited about the opportunity he talked a group of classmates into joining him.
“It was a great idea, a way for us to be involved with the athletic program without being on the court,” he said.
Learning how and when to give the best insight was not easy, Furr said. Adams helped tremendously, imparting his knowledge and even reviewing game tape.
Furr soaked it all in, loving every second.
“There were nerves, but it was a chance to feel pressure in a good way,” he said. “Just like when you’re playing sports.”
Furr went on to attend UVA, where he joined the men’s basketball program as a student manager; he was in that role in 2019 when the Cavaliers won the national championship.
After graduating, Furr returned to NA as a teacher-coach. He teaches Middle School History and has coached tennis, basketball, and lacrosse. He also helps organize Ninth Grade Leadership Lab.
When he gets a chance, Furr helps with NA-TV, announcing and working with students who are just like he was about 10 years ago.
“It’s still a whole lot of fun to be around sports,” Furr said. “And seeing the kids find their own way and make their mark is the real reward.” ◆
Mike Connors is the Digital News and Social Media Specialist.
OPPOSITE TOP: Alexander ’31 works the camera as Robbie Adams (left, in navy jacket) announces a soccer match in fall 2025. BOTTOM: Foard ’27, left, and Jonah ’29 provide NA-TV broadcast coverage for viewers.
LINDSAY SOCCER COMPLEX COMPLETED
Pitch Perfect
Norfolk Academy celebrated the completion of the Harvey L. Lindsay Jr. Soccer Complex at Homecoming, before the varsity boys soccer team earned a big win on October 10.
The complex is named for Harvey Lindsay, a Norfolk Academy Trustee from 1986 to 1989, renowned throughout the Commonwealth for his work as a commercial real estate developer, civic leader, and philanthropist. The generosity of Mr. Lindsay’s daughter, Franny Beasley, and her husband, Bobby Beasley ’70, made the state-of-the-art complex a reality.
While the playing fields debuted in 2024, the impressive seating venue, complete with space for the NA-TV broadcast team, opened in fall 2025. At the Homecoming celebration, Head of School Travis Larrabee thanked the Beasley family; Bobby ’06 and his wife, Allison ’02, were both on hand.
“This beautiful space not only honors one of the most celebrated leaders of our region, Harvey L. Lindsay Jr., it is a living testament to the beauty of sport,” Larrabee said. “You have not only transformed our
physical campus through this gift, you have also elevated the experience for so many boys and girls who put on the blue and orange and compete with pride, with heart, and with sportsmanship.”
Mike Connors is the Digital News and Social Media Specialist.
TOP: Bobby Beasley ’06 and varsity boys soccer coach Greg Monaco ’07 share a hug during festivities celebrating the completion of the Harvey L. Lindsay Jr. Soccer Complex. BELOW LEFT: Miles ’26 moves the ball upfield during the Bulldogs’ Homecoming contest at the Lindsay Complex. RIGHT: From left, Head of School Travis Larrabee, Allison Beasley ’02, and Bobby Beasley ’06.
WERKHEISER FIELD DEDICATION
Saluting a Champion Teacher-Coach
Homecoming was a deservedly big day for one of Norfolk Academy’s legendary teacher-coaches, Mary Werkheiser.
The school dedicated Mary B. Werkheiser Field in her honor — saluting an extraordinary 36-year career that included six state titles and 25 TCIS championships. In addition, there was a surprise announcement — formation of the Mary Werkheiser Fund for Tuition Assistance, which will benefit girls who show particular commitment to athletics and leadership.
The naming of the field came at the request of the donors, Angie and Dan Clarkson, who partnered with Norfolk Academy to build the water-based astro-turf field in 2015. Lily Clarkson ’18, who won three state titles at NA and continued as a collegiate athlete at the University of Pennsylvania, shared reflections.
“When my family thinks about successful coaching, it’s not about the six state championship field hockey teams my sister Mia ’25 and I competed on, but every
game, tradition, and moment in between. I think about the advice, support, and encouragement Coach Werkheiser provided all of us.”
Preston White, a former Trustee whose family established the endowment, reminisced fondly about serving as Werkheiser’s assistant coach, including years when his daughters played field hockey. “You built a program and culture defined by excellence and teamwork,” he said.
And there was more: the City of Virginia Beach proclaimed October 10, 2025, as Coach Mary Werkheiser Day, and Virginia’s state legislature also recognized her service and NA’s 2024 state championship team.
“It’s because of the love that the players and I have for each other that all of this has happened,” Werkheiser said. “I am truly blessed and thankful for every one of you.” ◆
TOP: Homecoming was a day of celebration for longtime teacher-coach Mary Werkheiser, with Head of School Travis Larrabee. MIDDLE: Among those applauding Werkheiser were Lily Clarkson ’18, center, and her fiancé, Patrick Lyons. BOTTOM: Dozens of field hockey alumni returned to campus as Norfolk Academy dedicated Mary B. Werkheiser Field.
Mike Connors is the Digital News and Social Media Specialist.
RIXEY SCOREBOARD DEDICATION
Honoring a Dear Friend
Classmates, teammates, coaches, and family of Thomas Cornick Rixey ’80 gathered Saturday, October 11, for the dedication of the Thomas C. Rixey Scoreboard to tell stories of a friend they lost too soon, and to recall his many attributes: athletically gifted and hardworking, handsome and gregarious, and above all, a loyal, kind friend.
Rixey played goalie for the Bulldogs’ lacrosse teams, including for the 1978 team that had an undefeated season and earned the state championship.
“He had everything you’d want in a great goaltender,” said Tinsley Van Durand, who coached the Bulldogs during those years. “Great vision and great hands.”
“He emerged from this school as a confident leader,” said Ran Randolph ’80, who was Rixey’s teammate on the lacrosse and football teams; Rixey played quarterback.
Rixey went on to UVA, where he was a back-up goalie, yet managed to deeply inspire his teammates through his competitive spirit and drive. Rixey passed away in 1986. NA has a graduation award for those who possess Rixey’s attributes, as does the UVA Lacrosse Program.
The dedication was held in the Johnson Theater because of inclement weather, but attendees saw photos of the scoreboard and a new plaque, located on the southeast fields where Bulldog, JO, and JV teams practice and play.
“It warms my heart that generations of young lacrosse players, including my grandsons, will learn to play on fields watched over by the Rixey scoreboard,” said Tom Duquette, who briefly coached Rixey as an assistant coach at UVA, and led the Bulldogs for 38 years, including a run of four straight state titles from 1993 to 1996.
◆
Esther Diskin is the Director of Marketing and Communications and an Upper School English Teacher.
RIGHT: Thomas Rixey’s brother Barbour Rixey ’68 with his grandson, future Bulldog Ward. BOTTOM LEFT: Joe Fiveash ’80 was among the many classmates of Thomas Rixey to attend the scoreboard dedication during Homecoming weekend.
BOTTOM RIGHT: “He had everything you’d want in a great goaltender,” said Tinsley Van Durand, who coached the Bulldog teams Rixey played on.
OPPOSITE TOP: “It warms my heart that generations of young lacrosse players, including my grandsons, will learn to play on fields watched over by the Rixey scoreboard,” said Tom Duquette, who coached Rixey as an assistant coach at UVA before coming to NA.
OPPOSITE BOTTOM: Current Bulldog lacrosse players joined Rixey’s family and friends at the celebration.
HOMECOMING WEEKEND, OCTOBER 10–11, 2025
CARE PACKAGE PARTY, OCTOBER 15, 2025
BOARD CHAIR’S CELEBRATION, OCTOBER 22, 2025
THANKSGIVING EVENTS: BASKETBALL, TRACK, CYCLING, ROWING, FOOTBALL, NOVEMBER 2025
HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE, DECEMBER 10, 2025
YOUNG ALUMNI HOLIDAY PARTY, DECEMBER 18, 2025
YOUNG ALUMNI LUNCHEON, JANUARY 5, 2026
ALUMNI GATHERINGS: RICHMOND, VA, SEPTEMBER 25, AND WASHINGTON, DC, OCTOBER 28, 2025
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parting SHOT
As we start to look forward to Norfolk Academy’s 300th anniversary in 2028, we’ll be taking trips down memory lane. In this case, we’re jumping back half a century. This photo from the 1976 Horizons captures Rick Hope ’76 (definitely) and Mike Sanders ’78 (we think; can any alumni confirm?) having a good time keeping the clock during a football game at the old Commodore James Barron Field.
