RE Log - Fall 2020

2 Ransom Everglades LOG FALL 2019 From the Pagoda It has been a rough seven months. The pandemic presented us with all kinds of unforeseen disruptions, and we have worked hard to keep Ransom Everglades moving forward during unprecedented times. The Board of Trustees and the faculty and staff have not wavered in their commitment to our school, and as the pages of the Log chronicle, we have done what it takes to make sure that instruction is not interrupted and the students feel connected to their school, classmates and teachers. In alignment with the title of our capital campaign, adopted almost five years ago, we have been reinventing excellence at every turn. I cannot imagine leading an independent school, most especially during COVID-19, that does not have its own version of the Log . Whether in the form of a newsletter, a website or a beautifully written and designed magazine like ours, it really is the content that matters. Content that connects generations of alumni to their alma mater. Those connections reinforce for us working on the inside the strength and resiliency of our school and the love that supports it. Stories of our graduates who have gone on to follow the words of Paul Ransom and “put more into the world than you take from it,” and who have selflessly helped those profoundly affected by the virus, animate us. We share more than a few such stories in these pages. Our 2020 Founders’ Award winner, Beverly Watson ’90 , has lived a life in service to others since she graduated from RE 30 years ago (see page 4). You will be inspired by the scope of her efforts to extend opportunity through education, and touched by her powerful connection to her late mother. Throughout the pandemic, we asked members of our community – students, parents, alumni and others – to tell their stories, and our mailboxes overflowed. We offer a small sample of what you shared in our For the REcord section that begins on page 32: You nominated REal Heroes; you captured service efforts in photos; you offered reflections; and some of you crafted poetry. Two seniors went the extra mile for Big Brothers Big Sisters; actually, the Hicks brothers went more than two thousand miles – by bicycle – to support their favorite charity. Read their story on page 37. You may be most inspired to hear from our faculty, whose agility, energy and commitment allowed us to shift from in-person learning to REmote RE without missing a single day of school. Enjoy the behind-the-scenes look at the school’s response to the pandemic (page 10), followed by insights and reflections from many faculty members. Disruption In many ways, the last few months have brought out the best in our community, but they have indeed been difficult times.” “ A period like no other in Ransom Everglades’ history