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From the Headmaster: Good Luck Graduates!

What It’s Like to Be at SSES
Aysia Lopez
8th grade

Recovering from almost tumbling into the river (a few feet below), I realized how much fun it is to be able to still go on field trips in eighth grade. This particular trip we went to Sports Country for an over night stay. The first day we hiked to Hamilton’s Pool, which gave us a chance to admire the beauty of nature. When we got to our destination we took about a half-hour of silence to be alone and wrote out our thoughts. Some people shared their thoughts with the group and then we were off again. We hiked about a mile and ended up at a large clearing. We did a teambuilding activity, which required us to make a tower of rocks as high as we could. The activity was not only fun, it allowed everybody to bond and work as a team.


Shumla at SSES
By: Colin Zapalac 8th grade
“There I was standing in the middle of the desert when it hit me; this is no ordinary field trip.” I was on the first and now annual Shumla camping trip to study ancient civilizations in the desert. The middle school takes a trip to the Shumla School located in the West Pecos River area. We go to Shumla to learn about rock art and ancient civilizations. If we know more about our past we will know more about ourselves. Of course this is an educational trip lead by Dr. Stark, the school’s headmaster. There is always something to do at Shumla. For some sleeping out doors was the best part of the trip.
When we go to Shumla we are given a packet that contains our assignments. Every morning and evening we sit down and write. The plans are always educational and also incorporate something called fun. For others sleeping in the comfortable canvas tents outside is one of the coolest experiences. The tents are very cozy and can accommodate three people. There is always creativity with affixing items with duct tape at the camp.
For many students at the school the trip is the highlight of the year. The Shumla trip is one of the things that separates SSES from other schools besides the great education you receive at SSES. That is why I choose to go to SSES.

Pushed To The Limit
By: John Egloff 8th

As I walk on the edge of a river, I watch the water right below us, and I realize that this is not just a long hike that we are being forced to go on, this is a great physical and educational experience. All of us are tired, but it all pays off because we get to rest and sit on the falls that we walked so long to get to. At the end of this long and vigorous hike we relax and lay around.
This was a very good experience that we have now taken. This is a great example of what we do at St. Stephen’s.
We do interesting things at our school, for example we take anthropology, go on long field trips, and have a lot of extra curricular activities. We enjoy these activities because we have fun doing them.
At our school we are more like a family than just classmates…Our teachers have enjoyable but challenging lessons for us.


Out on the Edge
By: Matthew Seideman
8th grade


There I was standing in the front of the chapel with a bible in my hand about to read a verse in front of all of the students and teachers. My heart was pounding so hard that it felt like it was going to come right out of my chest. When I started reading, it was not like reading by myself, it was like I was just learning to speak. After a while I noticed that I began to stumble over the words, even the ones that were easy to pronounce. But as I went along and began to pace myself, the words just flowed smoothly out of my mouth and before I knew it, I was saying, “The word of the Lord,” and the people replied, “Thanks be to God.”
When I sat down on the bench I realized that I had just completed a task that I never done before. After chapel I was so proud of myself that I forgot about everything else. Now every time that I am assigned to go in front of the chapel and talk it is no big deal. At St. Stephen’s there are higher standards set for you. Sometimes you think that you won’t be able to accomplish the tasks asked of you, but when you do eventually complete them, you feel very proud of yourself.


Katy Morris on SSES
8th grade

The waves are rolling in and out; I’m sitting with some friends on a school field trip in Port Aransas talking about how the school is a family and how I love the close community…
Last year the middle school went to Port Aransas and learned about aquatic life. Then later in the spring I went to Shumla and learned about ancient Indians and their lifestyle. Shumla is located between the Pecos and Rio Grande River. The landscape is beautiful. The trips are exiting; this is the advantage of having a small school with our headmaster being an archaeologist.
I’m thinking about the Latin test I have tomorrow. The academics at this school are strenuous. I am expected to be a leader. Latin and Spanish are our two required language classes. They are fun and I learn more about the origin of the English language. In my history class our teacher makes the lessons seem as if I am there. All of my classes are very advanced especially the reading, science, and math…I even have religion class on Mondays, which is good because I can learn more about my faith and actually connect with the lessons.
Walking over to the podium about to do the reading, I’m so nervous; then it’s over just like that. Every Thursday the eighth grade leads chapel. I have daily chapel, which is pleasant because we can mix academics with religion. On Wednesdays we have Communion.