2015–2016

T r i n i t y S c h o o l o f D u r h a m a n d C h a p e l H i l l

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we

ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”I John 3:16

Annual Report

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The Trinity Difference:Students Are Known and LovedTrinity School plays a unique role in the life of the Durham and Chapel Hill community as a Christian school that seeks to know and love each and every student while also providing an exceptional college preparatory education.

I have the privilege of serving Trinity School as the Chair of the Board of Trustees, and in that role, I have dedicated a lot of time and

energy to the school, as do so many other volunteers. People sometimes comment “That seems like a lot of work.Why do you do it?” It is hard for me to answer that question without first answering the other question people often ask, which is, “Why do you send your kids to Trinity?” The first thing out of my mouth is always, “Our children are known and loved.” It is a simple state-ment. It is distinctive and meaningful. It has also been proven true for each of our three kids, in every division of the school, in ways big and small.

Clearly there are schools in our area, both public and private, where students are well educated and cared for, but there is a difference at Trinity that is felt and is more than merely a slogan on a banner. The source of this deep love and care for our students is the fact that Trinity is, first and foremost, a Christian school, which means it is a place where everyone is a neighbor, and everyone is loved and cared for. This distinctive, of being a Christian school, when added to the excellent education and the opportunities to pursue the arts, athletics, robotics, or so many other enriching activities, makes Trinity School a very special place.

So why do I serve? I serve because I know the value of Trinity in the life of my own family and the lives of so many, and I want to preserve that for future generations. The opportunity to bring my professional skills and personal resources to bear in service to the mission of the

school is rewarding, one of the most rewarding things I have ever done in my life. It is important work because Trinity School plays such a unique role in the life of the Durham and Chapel Hill community as a Christian school that seeks to show the love of Christ to our families, which we hope extends further into our broader neighborhood.

I find great joy in the hard work of fulfilling and preserving our mission alongside so many others, from fellow Board members, to those who serve in the TPO, to those who volunteer at athletic events or stack chairs after an assembly. We serve Trinity because we love Trinity. We love Trinity because it knows and loves each and every one of our students.

Charles MerrittChair, Board of Trustees

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Board of Trustees:Leadership for Trinity’s Vision

Charles Merritt, ChairAdvisor, StepStone GroupEntrepreneur-in-Residence, Kenan-Flagler Business School, UNC–Chapel Hill MBA, Dartmouth University

Harmony P. Garges, Vice Chair Vice President, Global Medical Services, ViiV Healthcare Consulting Faculty, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Duke University Health System BA Chemistry, Colgate University MD, Duke University School of Medicine MPH, Epidemiology, UNC–Chapel HillBA Industrial Relations, UNC–Chapel Hill

Mort Hight, TreasurerSenior Vice President and Senior Investment Strategist, Wells FargoBA Industrial Relations, UNC–Chapel Hill

R.J. Moshay, SecretaryDirector of Marketing, NeoNova Network ServicesMBA, University of Wisconsin–Madison

Peter T. Denton, Jr. (ex officio)Headmaster, Trinity SchoolBA English, Emory UniversityMDiv, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School PhD New Testament, Duke University

Kristin BlairEducation Writer, Author, and ColumnistBA Psychology, University of Virginia

Frederick P. Brooks, Jr.Kenan Professor, Department of Computer Science, UNC-Chapel HillAB Physics, Duke UniversityPhD Computer Science, Harvard University

Kristy L. ChalfinAdjunct Professor, Regent University School of DivinityBS Finance, Messiah CollegeMA Theology, Regent University School of DivinityDMin Spiritual Formation, Ashland Theological Seminary

Thomas F. Hahn, Jr.Executive Vice President, ICAP Energy, LLCBS Finance, University of Delaware

Bill JamesAssistant Pastor, The Church of the Good ShepherdBBA Economics, University of OklahomaMDiv, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Georgina Fierro KeenePhysician Assistant, Harris & Smith OB-Gyn, Duke University Health SystemMedical Clinic Director, Pregnancy Support Services BA Human Biology, Stanford UniversityMHS, Physician Assistant Program, Duke University School of Medicine

Jim LamontPresident, Kalos GolfBA Economics, Western Maryland CollegeMBA Marketing, Fuqua School of Business, Duke University

Jeff LloydRegion Manager, AppleBA/BS Economics/Physics, Gordon College

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Giving Impact:The Blake Hubbard CommonsOn March 4, 2016, the Trinity Community gathered with gratitude for and in remembrance of the life of Blake Brower Hubbard to lovingly celebrate the dedication of The HUB. This unique $3M learning commons, built debt free, has made an immediate impact on the daily life of our students.Bouncing balls, vocalists, corporate worship, community lecture, quiet study space, luncheons, small class meetings–these are but a sampling of what one may see in the Blake Hubbard Commons.

Thank you to the hundreds of donors who enabled us to build this beautiful commons debt free. Students, faculty, and staff love this new space and use it well. The fact that the building is perfectly situated in the middle of campus is no accident. Students are in and out of the facility before, during, and after school.

It is a place for socializing, for thinking, for learning, for creating, for performing, and for praying. It is a place we believe embodies the qualities of its namesake, Blake Brower Hubbard.

Mason GossActing Headmaster

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Giving Summary:Generosity of a Community

In the 2015–2016 fiscal year, the Trinity community gave more than $800,000 in support of our school. Our Trinity Fund goal was surpassed. We also gratefully received gifts designated for athletics, Community Scholarships, and the Headmaster’s Fund.

2015–2016 Annual Giving

$286,000Blake Hubbard Commons

$330,000Trinity Fund

$75,000Headmaster’s Fund

$80,000Faculty Endowment

$30,000Other Designated Gifts

(Community Scholarships, Durham Nativity Scholars,

STAR Fund, Athletics)

2015–2016 Trinity Fund Percentage of Total Donations Received,

By Constituent Group

2015–2016 Enrollment Summary

Lower School Middle School Upper School Total Students

291 87 155 533

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The Trinity Impact:A Portrait of a GraduateDerek Skeen (’10) has returned to Durham and is the first Trinity graduate to be employed as a full-time Upper School faculty member. This year, Derek is teaching chemistry, robotics, and advanced physics.The Class of 2010 comprises the first 16 students to receive a high school diploma from Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill. We recently spoke to Derek Skeen (’10), a 2014 graduate of Gordon College who went on to earn an additional bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Univer-sity of Southern California.

You were part of the first class to graduate from Trinity’s Upper School. What did you appreciate about the faculty and the small class sizes?When I came to Trinity and started going to the high school, which was a brand-new thing, the thing that kept me here was that everyone was very intentional in making sure you knew what was being taught: that you under-stood it, that you really owned it, and that you had a firm grasp. My teachers were always making sure that what was being taught was integrated with your faith in a way that was extremely

genuine. Matt Bridges was teaching when I was in the Upper School. He is definitely someone who encouraged me to think less mathematically, more big picture, that my beliefs were my own, and to be a very informed human being as opposed to a robot.

We’re assuming that you had a clear interest in math and science. Did you find passion for these subjects during your time at Trinity? You say I had a clear interest, but the only thing I had an interest in was building cars. I was good at math and I was good at science, but for me, I didn’t have a passion for those things until I went off to college. I had professors who in a more involved and deeper way also integrated their areas of learning with their faith. Going to Gordon after Trinity was a fantastic way of continuing that same theme of education being integrated into who you are as a human being.

What drew you to the teaching profession?I decided to teach because I found that I had a great passion for the subject that I chose while I was in school, but I also discovered that I have a great passion for communicating that subject to other people. That is not something that I could do as an engineer unless I decided to create a YouTube channel and sort of did that thing on the side. I figured out that teaching would be something far more close to my vocation, I suppose. I am excited to try teaching as an exploration of what that might be like. I contacted Warren Gould [director of Upper School], and he said, “As it turns out, we need a physics teacher.” I applied and now I’m here. This is a fantastic place to be a teacher and to be a student.

Graduation Year: 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Number of Graduates: 16 23 21 28 38 34 40

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Coming back to Trinity, are you surprised at the amount of growth the school has gone through since you were here as a student?To be honest, I’m not sure if I even have a grasp on the total amount of growth since I was a student here. Certainly the Robotics program has gotten far bigger, which is outstanding. I love that. I am looking forward to seeing how things have changed.

What kind of extra-curricular activi-ties were you involved in, and what was that like when your class was only 16 people?I played tennis for four years and soccer for one. It was far more fun. Teams were smaller, and we got to do everything for the first time. There was maximum effort and not much penalty for error. Everyone had a really good time.

What are you most looking forward to in returning to Trinity as a faculty member?I am looking forward to just throwing myself into my work. I’m trying to discover what my strengths are as a teacher, and how to interact with students in a great way. Basically, this is a massive learning curve for me, and I will love every second of it.

How will you relate to the students, having been one yourself? What advice do you want to pass on to them?One thing I remember about being a Trinity student is that there is a big emphasis from parents and everyone around you on going on to college, because Trinity is a college prep school. That is important, but it shouldn’t be the most stressful thing in your life. I want to stress that it is not the end of the world if you don’t know exactly what you want to do or if you don’t apply early decision. All of these questions will be answered in time. I have plenty of friends who didn’t declare a major until their junior year of college.

How has Trinity’s Christian mission impacted your post-graduation educational choices?I went to a Christian college in part because I felt like there was a great deal that I still needed to learn. It wasn’t necessarily that I didn’t want a culture shock. I heard a lot of conversations senior year at Trinity around a Christian college or a secular college as sort of like a missional decision to be made. For me, I felt a confidence that no matter where I went, I was going to grow in my faith. Going to Trinity gave me the tools to be

confident in who I was, to the point that I knew I could live my life no matter where life took me. God was faithful and will be faithful wherever I am. I decided to go to a Christian college because I loved that atmosphere.

What were some of the distinctives of Trinity that you enjoyed in your time here?I was always very good at school, because school is structured around people who have brains like mine. But I didn’t really try as hard as I should have when I was in high school. It took my going to college to make me a good student. I really enjoyed our Senior Thesis, which is now called Capstone. Ours were all papers, and I did mine on alternative energy sources. That was the first time that I took the initiative on my own to conduct in-depth research on a topic that I actually cared about and was capable of being well spoken on. That gave me the confidence that I could learn on my own, which was a skill that you certainly need to have in college, especially if you are an engineer.

Interview conducted by Jay Irwin (‘14) and Lori Winters, Assistant Director for Advancement and Enrollment Management.

“Going to Trinity gave me the tools to be confident in who I was, to the point that I knew I could live

my life no matter where life took me. God was faithful, and will be faithful, wherever I am.”

Graduation Year: 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Number of Graduates: 16 23 21 28 38 34 40

Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill4011 Pickett RoadDurham, NC 27705919-402-8262www.trinityschoolnc.org

The mission of Trinity Schoolis to educate students in transitional kindergarten to grade 12

within the framework of Christian faith and conviction–teaching the classical tools of learning;

providing a rich yet unhurried curriculum; and communicating truth, goodness, and beauty.