Greetings From Epiphany!
Dear Friends,
Earlier this month, we lost two Epiphany stars: the marvelous Muffin O’Brien and my wonderful father, John H. Finley III. Both were long standing members of Epiphany’s Leadership Council, a talented group of Epiphany supporters ably led by the inimitable Tess Atkinson. They each shared the belief that these children at Epiphany matter. Whatever your connection to the school, please know that your contributions are important and that together we are making a real and lasting impact. Thank YOU!!!
Your Grateful Fan,
The Rev. John H. Finley IV
P.S. Please click here if you would like to become a Gala Sponsor or a Gala Host or if you would like to purchase your tickets. The faculty and students are already preparing for this special event.
Corporate Partner Spotlight
Boston Mutual
We are proud to highlight Boston Mutual for this month’s Corporate Partner Spotlight. Their corporate citizenship program, Making An Impact, supports organizations like Epiphany that foster and promote the company’s core beliefs in community & family, education, and the environment. We are honored to have their continued support as a corporate sponsor for our upcoming 2021 Spring Gala: IMPACT.
Thank you, Boston Mutual, for supporting Epiphany during these challenging times. Your gift is making a real difference and has never been more important.
Epiphany Stars: Graduate Profile
Valentina Pedroza Munoz ‘14
Valentina Pedroza Munoz ‘14 is the epitome of everything we expect in an Epiphany graduate. She was a rockstar as a student and has continued to impress us with her dedicated work ethic and commitment to making the world a better place. She remains in close touch and says that “Epiphany will always be a safe space for me, and that matters a lot to me and the many other graduates who walked in its halls.”
After graduating from Epiphany, Valentina went on to the John D. O’Bryant High School for Mathematics and Science, one of Boston’s prestigious exam schools. Based on her outstanding achievements there, she won a full scholarship to Wellesley College, where she is currently a Junior Economics major with a minor in Sociology. When she is not studying, Valentina is heavily involved in a number of extracurricular activities, such as Siblinghood Chair of Tau Zeta Epsilon and as a member of MEZCLA, Wellesley’s Latinx cultural organization. After graduation, she plans to pursue an MBA. (Harvard, we hope you are pleased to know you are currently her first choice.)
During the summer of 2019, Valentina interned in the accounting department of Moderna – one of the two biotech companies that pioneered the development and launch of the Covid-19 vaccine. While working there, she feels she developed valuable skills that will help her to someday achieve her goal of one day becoming a chief executive. The Moderna team welcomed her with open arms, and she is grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from such talented professionals.
Valentina sets a good example for many of us, most importantly for her sisters, Isabella ‘20 and Emely (currently an 8th grader). She is a great example of the Epiphany success story, and we are thrilled to be able to call her a part of our family for life. Keep shining Valentina!
Valentina ‘14 (middle) with her sisters Emely, 8th grader (left) and Isabella ‘20 (right).
Learning is Cool: Epiphany Curriculum Highlights
Hands-On Learning in a Virtual Environment
Mr. Harvey and his 8th grade Math students are always looking for ways to incorporate innovation into their class work, and they refuse to let remote learning stop them. For example, in their most recent innovation project, students were asked to relate a math topic to one of the many books they are currently reading in Reading & Writing class. Mr. Harvey then gave each student a bag of materials containing wires, Legos, recycled materials, clay, popsicle sticks, rigid foam insulation, and a hot glue gun. His instructions were simple: pick two themes from the book, pick four materials, design a word web, and create two models that represent your interpretation of what the author is trying to convey. The themes included exploring hardships of being a teenager, the role of parents, how literature reflects real life, and the consequences of choices. The students are actively building their projects, and here are a few examples:
Early Learning Center Corner
COVID Testing Panel
Despite the dramatic changes our community has had to make over the past year, we know that our students and graduates have the resilience and skill to adapt and even flourish in this new environment. For example, we are proud that one of our graduates, Camila Pontes '05, Lead Teacher at the Early Learning Center, is calling publicly for COVID-19 testing in early childhood education and care centers, and, on January 14, she joined a panel of experts, hosted by Neighborhood Villages, to advocate on behalf of her fellow teachers and afterschool providers. A recording of the event can be found here. Thanks for your dedication to the cause, Ms. Pontes! We are so proud to call you one of our own.
Epiphany News
Virtual Winter Showcase...What a spectacle!
Like many events this year, our Winter Showcase pivoted to perform remotely with a two-night Zoom extravaganza. It began on Thursday, December 17, when the Arts Program presented projects they had worked on throughout the semester. For example, the 8th grade wrote, acted in, and recorded a play set during a family reunion. The story was an emotional and honest depiction of both the hardships and the happy moments all of us have experienced at some point during the pandemic. The 5th and 6th graders, in turn, presented their research focused on food and shared some of their favorite family recipes with everyone. We loved seeing Harmony’s family recipe book that has been passed down for four generations! Their presentation was followed by a creative show made by the 6th grade Animation elective students featuring cartoon figures dancing to Christmas songs. The 6th grade Innovation elective students then rapped to a skit they wrote as a class. The first day's show was concluded by a beautiful Nativity video created by the 5th graders. They read passages and showed beautiful images they had created, and we were blessed to experience Jaliah’s beautiful singing voice. (She sings like an angel!)
Friday night, on December 18th, it was the 7th and 8th graders' turn to run the show. We kicked off the program with a presentation made by the Fashion elective students showcasing their various “looks.” Then, the Green Club shared their famous family recipes, lasagna, chicken pot pie, habichuelas con dulce (a sweet bean liquid dessert from the Dominican Republic), and cachupa (a famous dish from Cape Verde) and then showed us how they prepared it. They are currently compiling all these recipes and writing a cookbook. Stay tuned for details on how to get your copy. After that, the students in Take5 – our photography elective – showed a wide variety of beautiful pictures they have been capturing since September, and then the showcase concluded with a play performed by the 7th grade about the importance of family, friendship, and social justice.
This year’s showcase was an uplifting event and a great reminder of the unity in our community. The positive energy was infectious felt through each screen. What a great way to kick off the holiday season!
Thank you, Church of the Redeemer!
The Church of the Redeemer has been part of Epiphany since our very beginning at the Parish of All Saints in 1998. From providing goods and services to their unwavering financial support, they have always been there for the Epiphany School community. As Mr. Finley says admiringly, “These folk from the Redeemer just roll up their sleeves and get to work.” Before the pandemic hit, we partnered with their Fuel program that delivers backpacks full of non-perishable goods such as pasta, marinara sauce, cereal, peanut butter, and various snacks for the weekend. The idea is to provide students with food they can prepare for themselves if they need to. The pandemic did not stop the program. In fact, the Redeemer is delivering even more, and their rector, the Rev’d Mike Dangelo, comes every week with his pickup truck loaded with eggs, milk, and frozen chicken. As the need has grown, the Redeemer has helped meet it.
In addition to all this, the church recently sponsored a dinner as part of our staff and faculty appreciation event. It was a great success! Thank you, Church of the Redeemer, for your abiding support!
Mr. Finley honored by the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES)
Our fearless leader, Mr. Finley, was awarded the John D. Verdery Award for “outstanding service to Episcopal schools” and NAES. This is the organization’s highest honor and a sign of Mr. Finley’s work both at Epiphany and at “Epiphany-inspired” schools across the country.
Please click here to read his (short) award speech. Congratulations, Mr. Finley!
Upcoming Events
Fireside Chat
Please join us on February 11, 2021, at 6pm for a Fireside Chat with Epiphany! We will discuss how Epiphany is overcoming the pandemic and supporting the community. Click here to RSVP, and a zoom link will be sent to you a few days before the event.
Spring Gala!
The rumors are true…we are hosting our second virtual Gala on Friday, April 30. Save the date, and click here to become a sponsor, a host or purchase your tickets. We cannot wait to see you there.
