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A Note from the Headmaster

Dear Alumni,

The St. Christopher’s community is on a roll, delivering on our mission to “know, love and celebrate boys, promote their pursuit of excellence, and prepare them for lives of honor and integrity, service and leadership.”

After closing the 2023-2024 school year with near-record student retention and record-breaking philanthropy, we opened this school year with 1,018 young men, the largest enrollment in school history, made possible through the addition of a fourth section in Kindergarten in response to heightened enrollment demand.

As we emerged from the impacts of COVID, we made a concerted effort to focus on the holistic health and wellness of our student body. There is ample evidence that the mental health of young people is under greater strain today than at any point in recent history. As such, we focus on creating a student-centered environment that works best for boys and their overall wellbeing.

While continuing to provide a challenging academic program that prepares young men for college and life beyond, we have also taken steps to limit student use of technology, specifically cell phones. As with everything we do at St. Christopher’s, we must take a nuanced and balanced posture with regard to student use of technology–We cannot be so restrictive as to poorly prepare our students for the academic and professional worlds they will soon inhabit. Laptops and numerous forms of academic technology still have a role in preeminent secondary education today; in our opinion, smart phones do not.

In addition, we are prioritizing outdoor education and Rites of Passage moments for boys in all three divisions. Our relationship with Camp River’s Bend will continue in its third year, with boys in Grades 5, 8, 9, and 12 enjoying overnight bonding experiences in the mountains of Virginia.

There are many exciting events on campus this fall that I hope you will be able to attend, namely Homecoming on Fri., November 1 and our second annual Great Saints Alumni Dinner honoring fellow alumni on Fri., November 15.

I hope to see you on campus soon. Go Saints!

Mason Lecky

Headmaster

Alumni News

Charlie Swanson ’16 Shows Up Strong in the 2024 Paris Olympics

Alumnus Charlie Swanson ’16 achieved a lifetime dream this summer. After 17 years of competing and training, the Saints alumnus won two Olympic medals for swimming on Team USA in Paris.

In July, Swanson joined nearly 600 fellow American athletes to compete in the 2024 Olympics, where he took home gold and silver medals in team relay races and placed in the semifinals in the men’s 100-meter breaststroke. “This was achieving the biggest goal I’ve ever had,” said Swanson, the first Saint to win Olympic medals. “Just being in Paris at the Olympics was so cool. I sometimes have to remind myself that I did this. It all started for me in 2008, watching Michael Phelps.”

Previously, Swanson won the gold medal in the men's 400-meter medley race at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, but Swanson’s athletic journey really begins at StC. He got his start swimming on the Saints varsity swim team when he was in the eighth grade. “Some of my fonder memories are of state meets when I was at StC,” Swanson said.

The preparation for the games was intense. Swanson swam, lifted weights and trained six days a week, often in two-hour periods. “I realized later that I learned a lot about persistence and maintaining a good mindset at St. Christopher’s,” Swanson said.

For the moment, the Saints Olympian is deciding what his next move will be. Swanson is considering trying to qualify for the next round of trials in 2028, but he’s also focused on his career trajectory. For the past 2 years, he’s worked for a civil engineering firm, but anticipates relocating after his fiancé graduates from graduate school. “I’m looking forward to the next step,” said Swanson.

Olympics photo courtesy of Mike Lewis/USA Swimming.

Faculty Spotlight: Director of Upper School Glee Club & Saints Singers and Accompanist Greg Vick

For 26 years, Greg Vick has directed St. Christopher’s Upper School choir program, Glee Club, and the School’s signature a capella group, the Beaux Ties. Read about Vick’s thoughts on decades of singing, music, teaching and building a thriving creative community at StC.

Tell me what it's like seeing your students discover singing and music.

It opens up a new chapter of their lives. We definitely have boys who are extremely talented musicians who stay involved with it in college, and it’s amazing to see how they develop through the years. Then you have other boys who find that Glee Club is just a nice niche for them. It’s another circle of friends or community for them to belong to. It’s great to see those boys building their relationships. I still hear from boys that I taught 25 years ago.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Beaux Ties. Tell me about how the group got started and has developed.

They originally started as just a group of boys that wanted to have a close harmony group. They’d sing top 40 songs and that kind of stuff. They’d seen a cappella in college settings and thought, “Wouldn’t it be fun to do that here?” At the time, Karen Harris was the head of the music department, and her son was instrumental in putting everything together.

It was very grassroots. Totally student-driven. Over the years, things started getting more serious about things like rehearsal times, and I think it really became a bigger deal when we started singing the national anthem at sporting events. We wanted it to sound really good.

Where do you find your inspiration as an educator?

I get up every morning and look forward to coming into school. It’s the relationships, the work with the boys and having such an amazing community. It all comes down to relational teaching. I love building relationships and experiencing that mutual trust and respect.

How do you think your work fits into the boys' everyday learning experience?

Singing provides an outlet for them. It’s a period of the day when they express joy and not be stressed. I always try and make it fun and I think they can see that. During rehearsals, I always tell them, “There’s no place I’d rather be.” It also gives them a chance to see how music is put together and how they can arrange different pieces. It’s a whole different way of thinking.

To wrap things up, a light question: What's your favorite dining hall dish?

I really love the barbecue! The barbecue, coleslaw and potato chips.

25th Reunion Kick-Off

The Class of 2000 kicked off their 25th Reunion year by hosting a fun family gathering at the St. Christopher’s Community Pavilion. Reunion Weekend is set for May 2 - 3, 2025.

Campus News

Announcing the new Manuel and Carol Loupassi Racquet Center

Over the past decade-plus, as the School’s campus master plan has been refined and executed, we have aspired to add a squash facility to our campus. Thanks to the generosity of former parent and grandparent Carol Loupassi, along with Hyde and Manoli Loupassi '85, dreams of a campus squash facility will soon become a reality. The Loupassis have generously stepped forward with a lead gift, and many others in the Saints community have followed. Please click here to read the official announcement.

New Saints Gear Available

We are excited to announce the launch of a brand-new line of Saints sports, arts, and club gear. This site, called SquadLocker, has a wide array of Saints activity-branded merchandise in men’s, women’s, and youth sizes. Orders placed will be shipped directly to your home. The STC Bookstore is still the place for all other Saints merchandise, and there are many great new items for this school year. Go Saints!

Alumnus visits with Upper School boys

Alumnus Rodney Williams ’13 gathered with students in Alumni Hall on September 6, and spoke on his own personal experiences around racial awareness and inclusivity.

All-School Opening Sevice

The school year kicked off on August 30 with the traditional All-School Opening Service. Our seniors and their kindergarten buddies walked across St. Christopher's Road together and Headmaster Mason Lecky officially welcomed the StC community back to campus.

Request for Class Notes

We love hearing from our alumni. Share your fun life updates! Got married or have a new addition to the family? Written a book, caught up with a fellow Saint or won a championship? Send us your news to include in the Class Notes section of StC Magazine by contacting Assistant Director of Alumni and Parent Relations Jen Scallon.