The Gunston School is pleased to announce that five members of the class of 2022 have signed their letters of intent to play sports at the college level. At a recent signing ceremony this past Wednesday, April 27, students and their families along with coaches and faculty gathered in the Alice R. Ryan Family Library to celebrate their accomplishments.

Colin Lang of Trappe, Md., will be rowing for the Naval Academy. “Colin is not somebody who lets roadblocks and obstacles get in the way of things he wants to achieve,” said Coach Law. “If he sets his mind on something, it doesn’t matter what it takes, he’s going to achieve it. The way that he conducts himself, not only in the classroom, but also in the boat as a captain, really exemplifies all of the values and morals of the United States Naval Academy.”

“Attending the Naval Academy has been a goal of mine since middle school,” said Lang. “I’ve known for a while that I wanted to serve my country and the Naval Academy was clearly the best route for me to do that.” Lang is still deciding on a major but is leaning toward mechanical engineering given his strong interest in physics and engineering. He was also recruited for the men’s heavyweight rowing team. “I’m very excited to continue my rowing career at a high caliber Division 1 team, and I’m very thankful for my [Gunston] teammates and coaches for helping me achieve this.”

Nora FauntLeRoy of Annapolis, Md. will be playing lacrosse for St. Mary’s College. Gunston’s Assistant Girls Lacrosse Coach Ronnie Vesnaver said, “Her fervor and love for the game is present on the field at all times. She’s incredibly intimidating as a player, she’s fast, and she’s present all the time. All game long. That fervor that you see on the field is a true testament to how much she loves the game and how much she loves being on a team.” Playing since the age of five, FauntLeRoy started playing club lacrosse in the fourth grade with Maryland United Lacrosse Club 2022 East and played with them for eight years. “There is just such a positive community surrounding the [Gunston] team that I’m going to miss so much, but I know that I’m going to find another one at St. Mary’s.” FauntLeRoy plans to major in either math or philosophy with a minor in art. During her career at Gunston, she also spent time playing basketball and soccer as well as running for cross country.

Ben Cunningham of Dover, Del. will be attending Alfred University for lacrosse. “When Ben got here, I remember turning to the other coach and saying this is one of the most coachable kids I’ve ever seen,” said Gunston’s Head Lacrosse Coach Zach Hoisington “Anything I told Ben to do on the field, I didn’t even have to show him, he would just do it right away. Ben has emerged as one of our top defensemen on the team but he’s also one of our top scorers. Just a huge asset to our program.”

Samantha LeCrone of Preston, Md. will be attending Monmouth University in New Jersey, where she’ll be majoring in marine biology and policy. LeCrone was recruited to be a part of Monmouth’s brand new division 1 crew program. Coach Law reflected, “Sam is a prime example of someone who comes in, falls in love with a sport, dedicates herself one hundred percent to it, and just seeing her improve over the last two years and how she motivates her teammates sets such a great example in both work ethic and performance.”

In addition to crew, LeCrone also is a competitive surfer, having recently competed in the O’Neill East Coast Grom Tour surf competition this past September in Ocean City, Md., where she placed in the top three of two heats before advancing to the final heat where she placed fifth against some of the most talented surfers on the East Coast.(LeCrone only began surfing competitively in the summer of 2020.) LeCrone began rowing in her sophomore year. “One of the biggest challenges of rowing is learning to work with a team. Everything we do is uniquely challenging and increases my [desire] to get better. When out on the water, everyone has to work together or else the whole boat falls apart. This forces you to develop a strong relationship with your team.”

Jude Smith of Stevensville, Md. will be attending High Point University for lacrosse. “Jude is one of the most competitive kids I’ve ever seen here,” continued Coach Hoisington. “Having somebody on the field that the rest of the players can see and aspire to be like, I can’t even tell you how much that helps. You hear coaches say ‘you can’t teach competitiveness.’ Well, you can teach it when you’ve got Jude Smith on your team to set the example.”

In addition to lacrosse, (in which he earned First-Team Eastern Shore Athletic Conference honors for two years in a row), Smith also played basketball and soccer at Gunston, earning honorable mention all-conference in basketball during both his freshman and sophomore seasons, and for soccer, was named team MVP as a freshman and made the all-conference first-team the following season.

Photo: Seated (l-r) Ben Cunningham of Dover, Del. will be attending Alfred University for lacrosse, Jude Smith of Stevensville, Md. will be attending High Point University for lacrosse, Samantha LeCrone of Preston, Md. will be attending Monmouth University for rowing, Colin Lang of Trappe, Md., will be rowing for the Naval Academy, and Nora FauntLeRoy of Annapolis, Md. will be playing lacrosse for St. Mary’s College. Standing (l-r) David and Amy Cunningham, Jeff Smith, Commander Lynda LeCrone and David LeCrone, Bonnie Coleman, Diedre and Garrett Lang, Michelle and John FauntLeRoy.

Founded in 1911, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Visit gunston.org for more information. 

The Gunston School is pleased to announce that in addition to its annual spring fundraiser, Golfing “fore” Gunston on Monday, May 2 at the Prospect Bay Country Club in Grasonville, Md., a silent auction will also run simultaneously beginning April 29, with winners announced at the May 2 golf tournament’s awards ceremony.

The Biddersnest Online Silent Auction offers the chance to bid on items such as dinner for four and a golf simulator session at Prospect Bay Country Club, a full day Gunston Watershed Experience for a family of 4-6 plus lunch, Tastings Gourmet Market Cheese and Charcuterie Platter for 10-15, Dogwood Acres Pet Getaway and a golf-themed doggy basket, Bella Rosa and Swan Cove spa package, a weekend getaway at Riverstone 1730, $100 gift certificate for Tickler’s Crab Shack & Restaurant at the Wylder, Tilghman Island, Serino Orthodontics $1,000 gift certificate toward braces or invisalign, and front row seats for 10 at Gunston’s 2022 Commencement Ceremony. Auction winners will be announced at the golf awards ceremony on May 2. Bidders do not need to be present to win and will be notified after the auction.

Funds raised from both the tournament and the auction go directly to the school’s Heron Fund, which supports the school’s operating budget and ensures the ability to offer robust financial aid to more than 60% of students.

Business leaders wishing to increase visibility within the community, and those looking to register to golf, can find sponsorship opportunities and registration options at https://www.gunston.org/golf22.

The day begins with a continental breakfast, followed by a shotgun start at 9 a.m. Refreshments and food will be served throughout the day. An awards ceremony will follow with prizes for (Men and Women’s) First Place, Longest Drive, Closest to the Pin, and “Last Place” winners. Golfers will be vying to win prizes such as a Bat-Caddy X3R Remote Control Cart, MNML MV2 Golf Bags, Under Armour gear, Pro Shop gift cards, and more. This year’s event includes activities such as lunch and tennis with a pro for those who may not golf, but would like to show their support by connecting with other members of the Gunston community.

Golf registration is $175 per player or $675 per foursome and $165 for alumni golfers or $650 for alumni foursomes. Sponsorships are also available, ranging from $150 up to $3,000 and include the opportunity for businesses to get their name and logo in front of the entire Gunston community of students, parents, alumni, and local community members.

Visit https://www.gunston.org/golf22 to register for the outing or a sponsorship (or both!), or call Event Director Lynda Scull at 410-758-0620, ext. 1101 or email [email protected].

Additionally, the spring fundraiser welcomes its newest sponsors from Atlantic Cruising Yachts (Dawn & Christian Bent, P‘25), one of the largest worldwide dealers for Fountaine Pajot yachts, as a Tournament Sponsor, and Friel Lumber Company (Gina & James Friel, P‘22), the largest and most complete kitchen and bath showroom in the area, will be this year’s Grilling Station Sponsor.

Tournament sponsors include Fred Frederick of Easton (Janell & Jeffrey Frederick, P ’23 ’25), Dani & Rick de los Reyes, P’23, and What’s Up? Media Company. The Crush Station sponsor is Alice Ryan ’75. Ceremony sponsors include Sugar Doodles Sweet Shop (The Brown Family, P ’23 ’24), Gillespie & Son, Inc. (The Gillespie Family, P’20 ’22 ’24) and Friends of Gunston. Refreshment sponsors include Mirando Chiropractic Center (Kristy & Dominick Mirando, P’25), Dr. Laurie Lewis and John Lewis, KRM Construction, Shore United Bank, Kent School and Callahan’s Gas & Appliance (Dana & Mark Callahan, P’22). Contest sponsors include KRM Construction and Datalink Interactive. Hole sponsors include Sara Jane Davidson, Tred Avon Family Wealth, The Thomas Family, The Sanderson Family, P’22 ‘23, Reliable Pest Control, Moorhouse Electrical Services, Diane and Mark Freestate, P ’98, The Algier Family, P’23 ‘26, Datalink Interactive, The Myers Family, P’21 ‘24, The Ceruolo Family, P’23 and the DeLeon Family, P’22.

Founded in 1911, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Visit gunston.org for more information.

The Gunston School sent 10 students in four teams with five rockets to the 2022 Red Glare Rocket Festival in Price, Md., sponsored by the Maryland Delaware Rocketry Association (MDRA). The American Rocketry Challenge (TARC) at Gunston is one of the main projects of the Science and Engineering Club, mentored by the Chair of the Science Department, Dr. Ken Wilson. Oliver White ’23 (Easton, Md.) is this year’s “rocketry tsar,” whose job is to organize the team along with fellow student leaders Autumn Watson ’23 (Centreville, Md.), Josh Nuessle ’24 (Centreville, Md.), and Colin Lang ’22 (Trappe, Md.)

This year’s challenge (per TARC website) was to build a model rocket that carried two raw large hen eggs (mounted sideways) to an altitude of 835 feet, stayed airborne for between 41 and 44 seconds, and returned to ground safely. Other requirements for the rocket included “a gross liftoff weight of no more than 650 grams, a minimum length of at least 650 millimeters, be made up of body tubes of two different diameters and be powered by commercial rocket motor(s) of class “F” or smaller with no more than 80 N-sec of total impulse across all motors.”

“The day got off to an intense start, as there were quite a lot of finishing touches to be added on Saturday morning,” said Dr. Wilson. “But the teams were able to get their rockets through inspection and out onto the field.”

Nuessle’s team included Alex McIntyre ’25 (Crofton, Md.), Tommy McGeady ’25 (Arnold, Md.), Justin McCubbin ’25 (Severna Park, Md.), and Emma Sharp ’25 (Chestertown, Md.) The team’s rocket, “The Lighthouse,” flew beautifully for its third-ever flight and gained a good set of data to study despite the hard landing. Sharp also launched her “Big Bertha” rocket for the third time which performed flawlessly.

The team led by Watson also included Yining Wei ’25 (Guangzhou, China), and Trevor Janssen ’25 (Stevensville, Md.). Their rocket, dubbed the “Ankle Biter,” flew well on its very first flight. The nose cone detached during recovery, but was retrieved and repaired. “I’m impressed that they were able to cooperate to build a first class rocket without ever being able to work together in person,” said Dr. Wilson, who is referring to the fact that students used their free time to build rockets after school and on weekends, so rockets often had a rotating cast of characters (students), who weren’t always able to work together at the same time.

Lang’s ambitious team—Jian “Daniel” Dang ’22 (Zhengzhou, China), Jiacheng “Jason” Ye ’23 (Suzhou, China), and Robert Crow ’22 (Friendship, Md.)—elected to skip the TARC requirements and create “Big Blue,” the largest, heaviest rocket that Gunston has ever built. It flew into the sky successfully during trials at the school and at Red Glare, however it experienced a recovery system glitch both times. Still, it was recovered practically undamaged. “The size and design of the rocket raised eyebrows during inspection, and it was gratifying to see it achieve stable flight,” added Dr. Wilson.

The last team to offer up a rocket to compete at Red Glare was White’s team including Kate Kroncke ’23 (Grasonville, Md.), Paige Kroncke ’23 (Grasonville, Md.), Aidan Watson ’25 (Centreville, Md.), Alex Bent ’25 (Queenstown, Md.), and Matthew Sharpless ’22 (Easton, Md.), none of whom were able to attend the event this year. Two weeks prior, the team’s rocket was destroyed in a test launch, due to a catastrophic motor failure.

“They dug in and pulled together a simpler rocket in record time as a replacement,” explained Dr. Wilson. “Alex McIntyre generously agreed to take it through inspection and launch it for them. Unfortunately, the electronics of the launch pad supplied by Red Glare failed and their replacement rocket did not get a chance to make its first flight despite two tries. Oliver’s team will launch it at Gunston in the coming weeks.”

Dr. Wilson continued, “Congratulations to all the hard working students participating in TARC rocketry at Gunston this year, and many thanks to the parents who made it possible for students to meet over weekends to design, simulate, build, and launch rockets. It is worth noting that the majority of rockets in their size range at Red Glare were built from kits; building a stable rocket from scratch is a much more challenging task! The students and I learned a lot this year and I can’t wait to see our newly minted rocketry experts mentor the next generation of newbies next year!”

Head of School John Lewis added, “I am very excited to see the huge growth in interest in our STEM programs here at Gunston. In 2017, we had three students, one team, and one rocket. This year, the program was full with 18 students, some completely new to the program. What they were all able to accomplish is a testament to Dr. Wilson, and I can’t wait to see the program grow even more.”

Founded in 1911, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Visit gunston.org for more information.

On Sunday, April 3, Gunston 9th grader Logan Kille, of Centreville, Md., was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout. Only 8% of Boy Scouts earn this award, and Kille is especially notable for the short time it took him to reach this unique milestone. He was joined by family, friends, fellow scouts, Queen Anne’s County State’s Attorney Lance Richardson, County Commissioner Jack Wilson, and Executive Director of Chesterwye Laura Langseth. During the ceremony, Kille was praised for his remarkable Eagle Project where he completed a series of facilities upgrades and beautification improvements to support the residents of Chesterwye—a local organization that assists people with intellectual and developmental disabilities with independent living. For his efforts, at the ceremony Commissioner Wilson offered Kille a formal proclamation that declared April 3rd, 2022, Logan Kille Day in Queen Anne’s County.

Gunston’s Head of School John Lewis and Assistant Head Christie Grabis joined Kille at the ceremony. Lewis noted, “I can’t get over how much Logan has accomplished as a Boy Scout. He is a living legend in his current troop, having already earned the rank of Eagle and 51 merit badges. At the same time, he was praised as a ‘servant leader’ who is humble about his accomplishments. Meanwhile, his Eagle Project—completed during the height of COVID—has made a transformative impact at Chesterwye. It involved nearly a thousand hours and over $4,000 dollars of raised funds. We were honored to attend, and proud to call Logan a Gunston student. Also, if I ever get lost in the woods, I hope Logan is around the corner!”

Founded in 1911, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Visit gunston.org for more information.

The Gunston School is pleased to announce Autumn Watson ’23 was selected as a delegate (District 7630) for the 2022 Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA). RYLA is an intense leadership-training experience designed to recognize, encourage, and further the knowledge and skills of 11th grade high school students who have a demonstrated leadership potential and a heart for community service.

Watson, along with more than 100 other students from area high schools attended an intense weekend of lectures, discussions, and hands-on learning experiences that focus on the development of leadership skills and increasing awareness of critical public issues, community concerns, youth-related issues, and service/career opportunities. The weekend kicked off with students packing more than 10,000 Meals of Hope breakfasts for local food pantries.

RYLA was held in Ocean City, Md., this past February. “Even though you may already be (or think you are) a great leader, you can always learn more and get new things out of an experience or help others along their journey to becoming a great leader,” said Watson.

Gunston’s Head of School John Lewis (also a member of Centreville Rotary) shared, “Rotary believes that leadership is a teachable skill, and each year students return from this conference with valuable insights about how to turn good ideas into meaningful realities. For motivated students like Autumn, this can be a life-changing and world-changing experience.”

Founded in 1911, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Visit gunston.org for more information.

The Gunston School and the Chesapeake Watershed Semester (CWS) are proud to announce the receipt of grants from the Maryland Association of Environmental and Outdoor Educators (MAEOE) and Youth Learning as Citizen Environmental Scientists (YLAES). Gunston’s environmental programs expand beyond the classroom to include the nationally-recognized Chesapeake Bay Studies (a four-year program and graduation requirement for all students), annual Earth Day celebrations, and the Chesapeake Watershed Semester, which is open to the public for any 11th and 12th grade students. CWS offers the opportunity to travel across the watershed over five different learning expeditions. These grants support student research on submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) restoration along our waterfront and transportation to field study locations.

The SAV restoration project allows students to take part in a multi-state effort to restore SAV beds in Chesapeake Bay. By doing so, students collaborate on research methods and experience ecological restoration firsthand. “This project supports Gunston’s efforts to offer real-world research opportunities and climate education to its students,” explains CWS Director Emily Beck. The grant also provides field sampling equipment including salinity probes, Secchi discs, turbidity sensors, sediment sorting equipment, and additional reagents for the school’s Lamotte Colorimeter to allow students to participate in site assessment and data collection.

To learn more about SAV’s and how to become involved, check out ShoreRivers and their work in SAV monitoring and restoration, and Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources Restoration Guide.

Officially integrated into the curriculum in 1994, environmental programming at Gunston continues to outpace and exceed national standards almost three decades later with its immersive and hands-on learning experiences. “For students in the 21st century, learning the skills of preserving and stewarding the natural environment is essential, and Gunston believes that we have an educational and moral responsibility to teach students how to live in a sustainable manner,” said Head of School John Lewis.

Founded in 1911, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Visit gunston.org for more information.

The Gunston School is pleased to announce that Julia Buchanan ’23 and Jessica Hammond ’24 were selected as student summit leaders for the 2022 Upper Shore Youth Environmental Action Summit (USYEAS). The March 19th conference focused on “The Power of Youth,”  and was held at Washington College in Chestertown, Md. The summit celebrated students who take environmental issues into their own hands, offering the opportunity to get advice from environmental action experts, network with professionals in green career fields, and learn more about student environmental action from their peers.

Bucchanan recently finished the Chesapeake Watershed Semester (CWS), the Gunston School’s semester-based program that focuses on environmental science, leadership, and policy. Hammond is a Girl Scout working on her Gold Award project which will help prevent erosion by using oysters and has plans to attend the CWS program in the fall of 2022.

“As student leaders, first and foremost we were responsible for being models for behavior and action,” Buchanan explained. “So this meant showing people why it was important to get outside, to advocate for the environment, and to show people what action they could take.” In addition to a presentation, summit leaders were responsible for getting the word out and were tasked with creating social media posts, videos, and promotional flyers as well as setting the overall tone for the summit itself. “We wanted it to be something fun, something students wanted to dedicate their Saturday to, so we did our best to think up some fun activities that would make the summit interesting,” she recalls.

Hammond adds, “I have always been interested in the environment and when I understood about the effects of climate change and the scale of the issues, I decided I want to learn how I can help.”

“These two students showed a particularly high level of independence in applying to be leaders at the summit,” said CWS Faculty Ronnie Vesnaver. “What is so wonderful about environmental education is that it inspires students to act. These students stepped up to do just that while also communicating the importance of an essential part of environmentalism– connecting with and celebrating the natural world.” The following are excerpts from their presentations:

“One source of inspiration for me and many of my peers are youth climate activists. People like Greta Thunberg and her colleagues have taught me how change is driven by passion, not by age, gender, or race. […] One person who is such an inspiration to me is Melati Wijsen, who, at only 12 years old started a movement called ‘Bye Bye Plastic Bags’ in 2013. Melati, along with the people in her movement, accomplished getting rid of plastic bags, straws, and styrofoam all throughout Bali by 2019. This resonates and has deeply inspired me. In middle school, I participated in a project [and] made reusable bags and stood outside of stores [in Easton] trying to convince people to go plastic free. These youths are such an inspiration for me and hopefully you as well! Every single person will be affected by climate change if it has not affected you already. However, the first step to solving a problem is to learn about the issues and find the best solutions, which is why we are here today.”

– Jessica Hammond ’24.

“To the older generations, climate change is something new and unfamiliar. These generations associate our lack of time on this planet to lack of knowledge about environmental issues. However, to us, these issues are something we’ve been hyper aware of since we were young. We’ve grown up seeing the effects of climate change, unlike most of the generations before us. While youth activists can be sources of inspiration, so can the environment itself. It can provide you with a sense of calm, through its slow flowing rivers, lush green landscapes, and the sound of wind through the trees. Or it might provide for you a sense of power, with its roaring waterfalls, strong winds, and cracks of thunder. To me, and maybe to you, the environment instills a sense of pride. […] The first step of environmental action is getting out in nature and understanding what the environment means to you. […] Why should you care? This is why it is so important to get out into the world around you, to understand those feelings connected with nature, and why things are the way they are. If we don’t get outside and explore the world around us, then how are we supposed to be passionate about changing it?”

– Julia Buchanan ’23

Founded in 1911, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Visit gunston.org for more information.

The Gunston School will be holding its spring fundraiser, Golfing “fore” Gunston III, on Monday, May 2, 2022 at Prospect Bay Country Club in Grasonville, Md. The day begins with a continental breakfast on the patio overlooking the greens before teeing off with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. Refreshments and food will be served throughout the day. An awards ceremony will follow with prizes for (Men and Women’s) First Place, Longest Drive, Closest to the Pin, and “Last Place” winners. Golfers will be vying to win prizes such as a Bat-Caddy X3R Remote Control Cart, MNML MV2 Golf Bags, Under Armour gear, Pro Shop gift cards, and more. This year’s event includes activities such as lunch and tennis with a pro for those who may not golf, but would like to show their support by connecting with other members of the Gunston community.

Additionally, beginning on Friday, April 29, the Gunston’s Biddersnest online silent auction will go live, offering the chance to bid on items such as dinner for four and a golf simulator session, a full day Gunston Watershed Experience for a family of 4-6 plus lunch, Tastings Gourmet Cheese and Charcuterie Platter for 10, Dogwood Acres golf-themed doggy basket, spa packages, and a weekend getaway. Auction winners will be announced at the golf awards ceremony on May 2.

Golf registration is $175 per player or $675 per foursome and $165 for alumni golfers and $650 for alumni foursomes. Sponsorships are also available, ranging from $150 up to $3,000 and include the opportunity for businesses to get their name and logo in front of the entire Gunston community of students, parents, alumni, and local community members.

Sponsorships and donations allow Gunston the ability to offer more than 60% of its students financial aid, as well as provide opportunities for students and faculty to travel to leadership conferences, robotic competitions, environmental trips, and more.

Tournament sponsors include Fred Frederick of Easton (Janell & Jeffrey Frederick, P ’23 ’25), Dani & Rick de los Reyes, P’23, and What’s Up? Media Company. The Crush Station sponsor is Alice Ryan ’75. Ceremony sponsors include Sugar Doodles Sweet Shop (The Brown Family, P ’23 ’24), Gillespie & Son, Inc. (The Gillespie Family, P’20 ’22 ’24) and Friends of Gunston. Refreshment sponsors include Mirando Chiropractic Center (Kristy & Dominick Mirando, P’25) and Dr. Laurie Lewis and John Lewis. Hole sponsors include Sara Jane Davidson, Tred Avon Family Wealth, The Thomas Family, The Sanderson Family, and Reliable Pest Control.

Visit https://www.gunston.org/golf22 to register for the outing or a sponsorship (or both!), or call Event Director Lynda Scull at 410-758-0620, ext. 1101 or email [email protected].

Founded in 1911, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Visit gunston.org for more information.

The Gunston School Robotics Team, the ‘Honey Nut Gearios,’ captured the number one ranking out of 36 teams at the First Tech Challenge (FTC)  Laurel qualifier on February 5. The robotics team now advances to the FTC Regional Championship for Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C. on April 8 & 9. Additionally, the software team, led by Ju Lee ’22 with Damian Rene ’23, won second place in the Control Award category.

The Regional Championship will be held at the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, Va. The top three teams will then go on to the world championship in Texas.

“I’m incredibly proud of these students, and they worked beautifully together as a team,” shared coach and Science Department Chair Dr. Ken Wilson “They labored afternoons and weekends for months, and they triumphed over some of the top high schools in Maryland, Virginia, and D.C.” Gunston’s Head of School John Lewis added, “Dr. Wilson is a gifted physicist and coach, and we’re so grateful for his commitment to building a superb and comprehensive robotics program at Gunston.”

For this qualifier, Samantha LeCrone ’22 acted as coach with Robert Crow ’22 as the driver, Andrew Steele ’22 operating the robot arm, and Damian Rene ’23 and Ju Lee ’22 in charge of the software.

Additional team members not at the competition include Ashton Seaman ’22, Noah Friel ’22 and Alex Bent ’25 (hardware), Grace Evans ’23 (branding, public relations and portfolio) and Ava Duvall ’22 (3D printing of specialty parts). Click here to read more about Gunston Robotics.

Founded in 1911, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Visit gunston.org for more information.

The Gunston Players are pleased to announce that their upcoming production of “The Misadventures of Romeo & Juliet” by Stephen Frankenfield will take place on February 25 and 26 at 7 p.m. and February 27 at 2 p.m. at the Church Hill Theatre in Church Hill, Md. Tickets to this show are free, however space is limited to first come, first served.

A light hearted comedy, the plot follows the story of a dysfunctional rehearsal of Romeo and Juliet in which many familiar characters intrude on the production, creating complete chaos including (but not limited to) Shakespeare, “Datman” (Batman), Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland, and many more. The show will be accompanied with music by Gunston musicians The Brookletts.

The play is directed by Performing Arts Chair Dr. Ryan Asprion with fellow faculty member Katelyn Larrimore as assistant director. For those unable to attend, there will be a virtual live stream available on Gunston’s YouTube Page https://www.youtube.com/c/TheGunstonSchool.

“After such a tumultuous year of Covid restrictions, we are excited to bring this comedy to the stage. It’s great to see the students enjoying themselves and all enjoying a good laugh together. I think the audience will really appreciate the comic relief!” said Dr. Asprion.

For more information about Gunston’s performing arts program, contact [email protected] or call 410-758-0620.

Church Hill Theatre is located at 103 Walnut Street, Church Hill, Md., and requires proof of vaccination for all guests. Please visit churchhilltheatre.org for more information about this policy.