The storms that have swept through Oklahoma over the past few days have left many devastated and broken hearted. It is especially difficult knowing that young children, taking shelter at their school, were among the victims. Just like many schools and communities all across Oklahoma and the nation, Holland Hall shares in their grief.

Holland Hall remains reflective on our plans and procedures during severe weather. Please be reassured that the many drills throughout the school year help prepare our students and teachers to respond quickly and to know where the safe areas are located for each building.

As recovery efforts are still underway, many of us are reminded of a quote from Mister Rogers: “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ To this day, especially in times of ‘disaster,’ I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world.”

Many in the Holland Hall community have expressed a desire to assist in some way. Below is a list of some of the local drop-off locations for supplies, as well as links to several nonprofit organizations collecting donations. The people of Oklahoma are resilient, due in large part to the strength of our caring communities.  Our thoughts and prayers are with the families in Moore.

Sincerely,

Richard P. Hart
Interim Headmaster

Red Cross:
The Oklahoma Red Cross is asking people to donate by texting Red Cross to 90999, which will be a $10 donation to purchase needed supplies.

The Salvation Army Disaster Relief:
http://donate.salvationarmyusa.org/uss/eds/aok

Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma:
http://www.regionalfoodbank.org/
Or call 604-7111 or text FOOD to 32333 to give $10 to relief efforts.

Kathleen’s Kids Drop-Off Location:
Please bring water, non-perishable food items, paper towels, toiletries, clothing, infant/baby clothing and supplies, etc to Kathleen’s Kids (8212 S. Harvard Ave., Tulsa) now through Friday at 5:30 p.m. They will be delivered to Moore on Saturday. 

OU-Tulsa Drop-Off Location:
OU in Norman has opened up the residence halls for displaced families from the Moore tornado. They have some immediate needs and OU-Tulsa will be collecting donated supplies for them. If you’d like to donate to these specific families, please bring your items to Founders Student Center by 10 a.m., tomorrow, Wednesday, May 22.  Items needed include: DIAPERS! (newborn on up), formula and bottles, toiletries, cell phone chargers, dog and cat food, board games for kids, kids DVDs, new or clean good quality T-shirts, shorts, flip flops, underwear (new), kids clothing – shirts, shorts, underwear (new), shoes, gift cards of any type, flashlights for first responders, gloves for first responders
Josh Davis from OU-Tulsa Student Affairs will be delivering the items on Wednesday afternoon. Please contact Josh at (918) 660-3107 with any questions.

Cox Media Group Drop-Off Locations:
Cox Media Group will accept donations for tornado relief efforts on Tuesday, May 21, from 4 to 7 p.m. in the parking lot of TV station FOX23, located at 27th and Memorial and on Wednesday morning at the KRMG studios at 7136 South Yale from 5 to 9 a.m.

A Holland Hall tradition for more than 25 years, sixth grade students take their exploration into the world of density and buoyancy to another level when they launch their nine foot hot air balloons during an early morning balloon festival for students and Holland Hall families. Each team spends several weeks designing and building these marvelous creations out of only tissue paper and glue for this annual event. PHOTO GALLERY

Sarah was also a semifinalist for the 2013 Intel Science Talent Search and was the only semifinalist for the 2012 Siemens Competition.

Sarah attributes her numerous recognitions to the success of her research paper Efficient Synthesis of Glycopeptides in Water, a submission based on her research experience at the Chalker Research Group Lab at the University of Tulsa.

The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars, which is appointed by President Barack Obama, chooses each year’s scholars. Only 3,300 students nationwide qualified for the award based on SAT or ACT scores, nominations and an art competition.

Winners will receive a medallion at a ceremony June 16 in Washington, D.C.

For more information and for a complete list of 2013 U.S. Presidential Scholars, please CLICK HERE.

To read the Tulsa World article, please CLICK HERE.

Middle School students also had the opportunity to videoconference through the Face to Faith program with other students from Oklahoma, California, Virginia, United Kingdom and Mexico. Also participating in the videoconference was guest speaker Saleemah Abdul-Ghafr, director of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance.

Holland Hall students in the Primary, Middle and Upper Schools have been working together for several weeks leading up to World Malaria Day, learning about malaria and its causes and prevention. Upper School students in the Microbes and Disease class have written their own curriculum and activities and have taught sections of science to 6^th through 8^th grade Middle School students. Primary School students have also participated in learning activities during Spanish and art classes.

Students have raised $1,000 to donate to Malaria No More to purchase nets.

World Malaria Day was established and approved at the 60th World Health Assembly (WHA) in March 2007. It replaced “Africa Malaria Day” which was commemorated on April 25 and every year since 2001.  The purpose of the day is to raise awareness of malaria as a disease that is preventable and treatable and to mobilize communities across the world to get involved in the fight against it.

For more information, visit http://www.worldmalariaday.org/about_the_site_en.cfm

Holland Hall welcomed members of the 2013 Board of Visitors group on Friday, April 19. The Board of Visitors is an advisory board of 38 distinguished alumni and community leaders throughout the country who support the school’s mission with their diverse perspectives, experiences and networks.  The group is charged with engaging in macro-level discussions to further the mission of the school regarding its curriculum, facilities and operations. The term limit is three years with the option to renew for an additional three years. The group is co-chaired by Ken Busby ’85, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa and Margie Warren ’82.

Members in attendance this year included Robin Flint Ballenger ’63, Howard G. Barnett, Jr., William A. Bass, III ’69, John L. Brechin, III ’77, Kenneth D. Busby ’85, Cason Carter ’96, Gerard Clancy, Timothy W. Clark ’83, Reuben Gant, Hank Harbaugh, Steve C. Herrin ’75, Thomas J. Hughes, Roy S. Johnson ’74, Stephen Mackin, Kent “Bo” Rainey ’83, Rod L. Reppe, Jr. ’80, Thomas Sharpe, Steadman Upham and Margie Harned Warren ’82. Also in attendance were guests Nancy Harbaugh and Victoria Bartlett.

The Board of Visitors group joined with members of the Board of Trustees for a full-day program that included morning meeting in the upper school commons, a panel discussion on “The Future of Public and Private Education” with the Presidents of the University of Tulsa, University of Oklahoma-Tulsa and Oklahoma State University- Tulsa, a discussion with incoming Head of School, JP Culley, a review of the campus master plan and proposed Dining and Wellness Center (presented by architect, Cara Shimkus Hall ’84) and conversations with students from each division. Break-out discussions covered the following four topics:

1. Learning – Experiential Learning – Math/Science/Technology – Critical Thinking/Problem Solving – AP Courses
2. Greater Tulsa Community Inclusion – Diversity – Financial Aid – Attracting Tulsa’s Brightest
3. Public Relations – Marketing – Enrollment – Alumni Relations – College Counseling
4. Funding – Annual Fund – Financial Affairs – Alumni Giving – Stewardship

CLICK HERE to download a complete Board of Visitors member list

CLICK HERE to view the photo gallery.

This year, eight seniors and nine juniors were selected for induction, based upon their grade point average, strength of curriculum, and citizenship in the school. A total of 20% of the senior class may be recognized, with 10% inducted in the junior year and the remaining 10% in the senior year.

Congratulations to all new members of the Cum Laude Society! VIEW PHOTO GALLERY

Class of 2013
Mathew Tyler Truman Callegari
John Nolen Dukes
Caroline Tracy Holmes
Soyoung Lee
Tessa Marie Nemec
Joshua David Parrack
Allison Ann Ramsey
Phillip Thomas White

Class of 2014
Emily Kathleen Barton
William Lee Booker
William Powell Dudney
Trevor Ryan Fisher
Jacob Andrew Fox
Micaela Nicole McGregor
Julian Michael Musullo
Emily Nicole Rao
Bailey Corine Tulloch

This year’s ceremony, held in the Branch Theater of the Walter Arts Center, featured guest speaker the Rt. Rev. Dr. Edward J. Konieczny, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma.  Also participating in the ceremony was Interim Headmaster Richard Hart, Head of Upper School Dennis Calkins, The Reverend Arthur Scrutchins, President of the Cum Laude Society Cathy Rose, and Secretary of the Cum Laude Society, Dr. Keri Shingleton.

Also present on stage were current senior members of the Society: 

Caroline Dashiell Adelson
Michael David Barton
Philip Michael Gamble
Margaret Whitney Johnson
Sarah Ann Keglovits
Eleanor Gray Lorton
Yanjia Zhou

Candace Fleming awarded herself the Newbery Medal in fifth grade after scraping the gold sticker off the class copy of  The Witch of Blackbird Pond and pasting it onto her first novel—a ten page, ten-chapter mystery called Who Done It? She’s been collecting awards (her own, not Elizabeth George Speare’s) ever since. Today, Candace is the versatile and acclaimed author of more than 20 books for children, including the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award-winning biography, The Lincolns; the bestselling picture book, Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!; and the beloved Boxes for Katje.

The Sue T. Lawson Visiting/Author Program is a rich literature experience for Holland Hall students and provides outstanding authors and illustrators the opportunity to share their experiences of writing, illustrating and publishing their work. Additionally, signed books are available for purchase. The program, named after a beloved Holland Hall teacher and librarian, brings in nationally renowned author/illustrators every year. Past visitors included U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis and Caldecott award winning author/illustrators Eric Kimmel, David Small and Sarah Stewart.

For more information about Candace Fleming, please visit candacefleming.com.

Holland Hall families can help support the VIA program by purchasing Candace Fleming’s books through the school. Books will be signed by the author on the day of her visit. Order forms and descriptions of the books are available on the Primary School Library webpage http://www.hollandhall.org/academics/libraries/heavy-library/

Students have the chance to visit many places of interest on school field trips, as they experience the culture with their French families. This year, despite two snow days, students had the opportunity to go to school, visit museums, hike around the estuary in the Bay of the Somme, visit the seaside town of St. Valery, go rowing on the Somme River, visit Paris and many other fun activities.

“We spent this past weekend in Paris and I got to see some of the most famous French monuments. We ate lunch in a mom and pop Parisian café and then we went to see the Louvre. From there, after seeing the exterior since it was too nice a day to go inside, we went walked along the Seine to Notre Dame, said Eighth Grader Grant Gebetsberger. We shopped in some famous Parisian department stores and the next day, returned to the Louvre where I got to see some famous artwork. It was a very fun French experience.”

To view photos and read more about the visit, CLICK HERE to visit the blog.

Fifth graders recently learned first hand about one of the most significant and necessary challenges that face many African families, access to clean water.

Each homeroom read the book “Long Walk to Water” by Linda Sue Park.

In the book, a young girl named Nya must walk to provide water for her family with a young man named Salva eventually bringing water to her village by drilling a well.

Math and science classes joined together to draw lessons from the book and to discuss what makes clean water important; how much is required to survive and to learn the average amount used by Americans.

“People, most often women, in other parts of the world carry as much as 12 gallons on their heads very long distances to meet the needs of their families,” said Fifth Grade Teacher Amber Graybill. “What other tasks might these women be doing if they did not have to spend so many hours carrying water?”

To experience this demanding necessity, students used a gourd at the water trough to fill up a gallon jug then walked nearly two miles around the campus and back to the trough to dump out the water.

The classes then stopped at the outdoor classroom for a time of reflection. During this time, students observed that if their jug had dropped or broken during transport, they would have no other option but to start the process over. Others commented that the process was physically uncomfortable and that clean water is taken for granted in this country.

“Overall it was a wonderful learning experience,” said Graybill,  “I’m so glad we had the opportunity to provide just a sampling of another culture.”

Congratulations! The following students advanced to the Tulsa County Engineering Challenge.

VIEW MORE PHOTOS