EA Unlocked

Over the last few years, there has been a lot of work underway at The Episcopal Academy surrounding College Counseling. The initiative is led by Assistant Head of School, Chris Torino. Throughout Season 5, EA Unlocked host T.J. Locke is handing over the mic to Chris for some "quick takes" on the college counseling landscape. This first "bonus" episode features Catalina Guzman who was welcomed to campus over the summer. She is the new Executive Director of the department. Catalina and her team recently attended the NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling) conference in Los Angeles and visited more than 15 California colleges and universities. Learn more about Catalina's vast experience in College Counseling and the headlines out of the NACAC conference. Be sure and follow @eacollegecounseling for the latest.

Senior Jack Gallagher spend three weeks in Namibia over the summer with the National Geographic Student Travel Program. Armed with two cameras, multiple lenses, and plenty of water, Jack captured stunning photos of the landscape and wildlife that wander the arid region. His work kicked off the 2024-25 season at The Episcopal Academy's Crawford Campus Center Art Gallery. The exhibit is titled Mbi ri nama (I'm doing alright). Listen in as Jack shares his photographic adventure, including being eye to eye with a cheetah, with EA Unlocked host Dr. T.J. Locke. Check out Jack's photos here.  

This fall a new initiative is underway at EA, designed to help students, faculty, and staff learn more about productive civil dialogue. The Episcopal Academy is fortunate to be a school that is grounded with strong values, moral character, respect, and civility through the Chapel program and the Stripes. EA Unlocked host Dr. T.J. Locke talks with Middle School Head Laurie Piette about the rollout of MODEL the Stripes!    

It was an especially exciting summer for four Episcopal Academy alumni as they competed in the Summer Olympics in Paris. Rower Nick Mead '13 competed in the coxless men's four and won gold. It was the first gold medal for the men's four since 1960. Nick was also selected to carry the American flag in the Closing Ceremony alongside fellow medalist and swimmer Katie Ledecky. Open water swimmer Ivan Puskovitch '19 braved the waters of the Seine in the men's 10K where he placed 19th overall. Water polo player Jovana Sekulic '21 was all smiles as she made her Olympic debut with USA Women's Water Polo. The squad won four of their seven games and finished in 4th place. Ashley Sessa '22 lived her Olympic dream as a member of Team USA Field Hockey. She opened the team's scoring with a goal in their first game against Argentina. They finished in 9th place overall. EA Unlocked host Dr. T.J. Locke talks with these incredible athletes about their path to the Olympics, experiences at EA, and their favorite Olympic swag.

As the 2023-24 school year wraps up, EA Unlocked host Dr. T.J. Locke ventured down to the new Lower School playground. Fourteen swings, two basket swings, zip lines, tube slides, and creative wooden dodecahedrons, (think 12-sided beehive) have all made for a lot of fun and adventure for playground visitors of all ages. Listen in as EA's young students serve up sand pies and cookies made daily at the very popular water pump and sand play area. Guests: Father Tim Gavin (1:19) Terry Malone/Head of Lower School (1:32) Lisa Herbster/Assistant Head of Lower School (1:53) Jen Fifer/Director of Institutional Advancement (2:17) Luke Wright '29 (4:18)

As work continues on health and wellness to support students at The Episcopal Academy, 6-12th grade students, and their teachers, took part in a relationship mapping exercise in the fall. The goal is to ensure that every student has at least one trusted adult at EA that they can turn to any time they need support. Upper School Mental Health Counselor Caroline Graham, Upper School Head Mike Letts, and Middle School Head Laurie Piette, join EA Unlocked host Dr. T.J. Locke to discuss the initiative and some of the findings. Check out the EA Unlocked archive to listen to past episodes.

Dr. Po-Shen Loh is a social entrepreneur and inventor and works across the spectrum of math, education, and healthcare. He's a math professor at Carnegie Mellon University and was the coach of the USA International Mathemtical Olympiad team. Dr. Loh recently spent the day at The Episcopal Academy as part of The Clare Foundation and Hinton Family STEM Speaker Series. After speaking with students, he stopped by to talk with EA Unlocked host Dr. T.J. Locke about his fascinating work with students and Artificial Intelligence.

Harvard University historian Annette Gordon-Reed recently spent the day at The Episcopal Academy for this year's Walter W. Buckley, Jr. ’55 American History Lecture Series. Ms. Gordon-Reed is the Carl M. Loeb University Professor at Harvard University. She has won 16 book prizes, including the Pulitzer Prize in History in 2009 and the National Book Award in 2008, for The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family. Her most recent book is On Juneteenth, a memoir and history of Texas. Other honors include a Guggenheim Fellowship in the humanities, a MacArthur Fellowship, and the National Book Award. Between her lecture and meeting with Upper School students, Ms. Gordon-Reed stopped by for a conversation with EA Unlocked host Dr. T.J. Locke. Through the generosity of the late Walter W. Buckley, Jr. '55, distinguished American historians are invited to EA each spring.

Volleyball is coming to The Episcopal Academy! The popular and growing sport grew nearly ten percent last season as programs are being added around the country, including at the collegiate level. EA Unlocked host Dr. T.J. Locke gets the scoop from EA Athletic Director Todd Fairlie and Assistant Athletic Director Katie Duffie who played an important role in this decision.  If you are a new follower or have missed past episodes, check out the EA Unlocked archives to listen to past conversations.

It was a record-setting season for The Episcopal Academy boys' and girls' indoor track and field teams. This incredibly talented group set a combined 14 school records! The boys won the Pennsylvania State Indoor Championship for the second consecutive year and Coach Zach Richards was named Coach of the Year. Several of these student-athletes earned All-State and All-American honors. Host Dr. T.J. Locke talks with five seniors along with Coach Richards, and Coach John Goens about their EA careers and this spectacular season. Guests: Avery Elliott Saige Forbes Dawson French AJ Koukou Michael Woolery Coach John Goens/Girls' Coach Coach Zach Richards/Boys' Coach Boys' Indoor T&F Indoor Records: 60m, 200m, 400m, 3000m, High Jump, Triple Jump, and Shot Put. Girls' Indoor T&F Indoor Records: 60m, 200m, 55HH, 60HH, Long Jump, Triple Jump, and Pentathlon.  

While students dashed off campus to start their spring break, Episcopal Academy faculty and staff attended a professional development day with cognitive science researcher Dan Willingham. Dr. Willingham is a professor of psychology at the University of Virginia where his research focuses on the brain and how it learns and remembers. His most recent book is titled “Outsmart Your Brain – Why Learning is Hard and How You Can Make it Easy.” And over the years, Dr. Willingham has built quite the following on TikTok. Justin Cerenzia, EA's Buckley Executive Director for the Center of Teaching and Learning, joined host Dr. T.J. Locke for this fascinating discussion.

Students of all ages juggle a lot in their daily lives. Add in the additional pressure of sports and that can make for a very full and sometimes stressful day. Many parents feel the pressure as well. Sports Psychologist Dr. Joel Fish works with athletes of all abilities and levels ranging from high school students to professional athletes. He recently spoke with Middle and Upper School students and parents at The Episcopal Academy. He also shared his expertise and strategies with EA Unlocked host Dr. T.J. Locke    

The Episcopal Academy's Chapel program is an integral part of who we are at EA. Each week during Chapel, students in all three divisions hear from and have the opportunity to reflect on, powerful thoughts and messages from their peers, teachers, staff, alumni, and outside guests. There are well over 100 speakers each school year. This episode highlights some of those speakers. Like last season's episode, "The Power of Words," short excerpts from some of the Chapel Talks were included in weekly @EAChapel Instagram #EAChapelMinute posts.  Speakers: Fr. Tim Gavin, Hon. Rev. Michael Palmisano Dr. T.J. Locke, Hon. Aaron Hyman P '22, '29  Eve Hyman '29 Eleni Kousoulis (Sister of 911 victim) Fr. Rob Hagan O.S.A (Villanova Basketball team chaplain) Na'rome Rayborn '24, Grace McHugh '24 Jenn Jones (Upper School Science Teacher) Bert Howlin, Hon. (Middle School History Teacher) Erica Snowden (DEI Executive Director) Stevie Combs '25 Zach Richards, Hon. (Upper School Form Dean) Michael Whalen '08 (Upper School History

Curious who is learning how to restore furniture? Is a soccer mom? And who is helping to manage a golf course? Listen in on this entertaining conversation with some of EA’s well-loved retired faculty and staff. With over 90 combined years at The Episcopal Academy, this trio has not slowed down. Podcast guests: Cheryl McLauchlan - retired math teacher, Form Dean (24 years at EA) Tom Kossuth - retired Math teacher, coach, financial aid director (33 years at EA) Gina Buggy - retired Athletic Director, coach (34 years at EA)

Episcopal Academy Head Chaplain Tim Gavin discovered his love for writing in 5th grade when he authored the Christmas play for his school.  He published a book of poems in 2018 and recently released his book, A Radical Beginning - A Journey through the Prayer of St. Francis. Father Tim shares details of the book and what inspired him to write it in this episode of EA Unlocked. A Radical Beginning was published in October 2023 by Olympia Publishers London.

'Tis the season at The Episcopal Academy! Students of all ages shared their musical talents and helped spread the spirit of the holidays during their instrumental and choral concerts throughout December. Listen in on the sounds of holidays, and the beautiful music performed by our Lower, Middle, and Upper School students.

Join us as we go behind-the-scenes of EA's Middle School Harlequin Ensemble's spectacular production of Frozen JR. Fifty-five members of the cast and crew wowed audiences of all ages.  Listen in on how the cast managed six costume changes, how the impressive set came together, and the brilliant touch of making it snow on stage. Guests: Frozen JR. Cast Gina Tomkowich/EA Middle School School Drama Teacher Kelly Leight-Bertucci/EA Theatre & Dance Technical Director  

Each fall, exchange students from Australia and South Africa arrive in the United States and jump right into life at EA. This year, four students are living with EA host families, taking Upper School classes, and playing on the fall athletic teams. This enthusiastic group recently stopped by to talk with EA Unlocked host, Dr. T.J. Locke. Listen in as they share their favorite American foods, experiences, as well as their thoughts about Philadelphia's sports teams. Guests: Ella Burgess/Central Coast Grammar School Evie Barker/Central Coast Grammar School Kenzie Mikkelsen/Central Coast Grammar School Kaylin Seymour/Herschel Girls School Elizabeth Doyle '25 Lucia Forte '26 Cassidy Ott '25 Ellie Rheam '27 Aiden Tsaturyan '25 Amy Brotschul/Upper School French Teacher    

In this Bonus Episode of EA Unlocked, listen in on the celebration of Thanksgiving at The Episcopal Academy. Lower, Middle, and Upper School students marked the occasion at the annual Thanksgiving Chapel services. Members of the 5th grade Chapel Council share A Litany of Thanksgiving which includes what EA's youngest students, in PreK through 3rd grade, are most thankful for this year. Upper School Science Teacher Jenn Jones speaks about the importance of a grateful heart- along with the sounds of the Middle and Upper School choral group.

Reluctant to update your computer or change your passwords? Do you avoid multi-factor authentication? "Ninety percent of cyberattacks are human error," obseves this week's EA Unlocked guest Kyla Guru. She is working to change human behavior and design systems that make the "convenience security trade-off" second nature and as easy as brushing your teeth or locking your car door.  After attending a NSA GenCyber camp when she was a 14-year-old high school student, Guru discovered her passion for cybersecurity and the importance of educating people about the topic. She is the founder and CEO of Bits N'​ Bytes Cybersecurity Education and a student at Stanford University, where she is studying computer science and international relations.  Thanks to the generosity of the Clare Foundation STEM Speaker Series, Guru spent the day talking with teachers and students at The Episcopal Academy, and EA Unlocked host Dr. T.J. Locke. Additonal Guests: EA Math Teacher & Clare Foundation STEM Speaker Coordinator Tracey Mo