Moral, Happy, Productive — DA's Mission in Action
Torsie Judkins ’91 Earns Leadership Honor
Torsie Judkins ’91 was named one of the most influential Black leaders of 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin — joining a cohort of 32 elected officials, business and community leaders. Judkins is the head of school at Wingra School in Madison, where his leadership centers on fostering community and belonging.
Cavalier Helps Score a Junior Canes National Ice Hockey Championship
Wesley Swain ’27 captained his 18U Carolina Junior Hurricanes Black team to a national championship in April. The Junior Hurricanes clinched the Tier II 1A title with a 4–2 win in the final of the 2026 Chipotle-USA Hockey National Championship, in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Hall of Fame Induction Adds to Susan Ellis’ Coaching Accolades
Susan Ellis, head coach of Durham Academy’s varsity girls soccer team and a Middle School PE teacher, was inducted into the inaugural Ursuline Academy of Dallas Athletic Hall of Fame in May. Ellis, who coached at Ursuline from 1984–2000, led the program to 15 state championships and is credited with building it into one of the most dominant programs in the nation. She has more than 550 career victories as a high school coach and was inducted into the DA Athletic Hall of Fame in 2024 and the North Carolina Soccer Hall of Fame in 2019. Prior to coaching, Ellis was a standout player who won four national championships at UNC Chapel Hill. Between her coaching and playing careers, Ellis has been a part of more than 55 national championship teams.
Lower School Teachers Earn Advanced Degrees
When DA teachers encourage their students to develop habits of lifelong learning, they model what it means to be a lifelong learner every day, and many further their own education after the regular school day ends.
Among those who recently earned advanced degrees are first grade teacher Terri Burrus and first grade teaching assistant Taylor Beyle, both of whom now hold Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in Elementary Education degrees from N.C. State University. In addition, third grade teacher Erika Kim earned a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Elementary Education, with a concentration in Anti-Racism in Urban Education, from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. And fourth grade teacher Ann Laros earned a master’s degree in school counseling from Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
Student Research Leads to Hands-On Exploration of Robot-Assisted Surgery
Taylor Fox ’26 turned her ADV Thesis project into real-world impact, researching patient perceptions of robotic surgery. Her work earned an invite to Intuitive — the global leader in robot-assisted surgery — where she presented her findings and even tested Intuitive’s da Vinci system. Fox became intrigued by robotic surgery after her grandmother experienced a remarkably fast recovery from hip replacement using the technology, and she spent her junior year researching robotic technologies in the medical field.
Alumni Share With Students About Careers in Entertainment, Health Care & Tech
Rielle Quiambao ’16, Betsy Wiener ’13 and David Hey ’09 joined Upper School students for a virtual tech panel in January, sharing about the twists, turns and passions that led them into the industry. They connected with students about DA, college and life beyond, reminding them that following your interests matters.
In February, Rob Bressler ’03 visited the Upper School’s ADV Community-Based Research class to share about his experience in the health care, finance and tech sectors, along with his insights on building connections.
In April, multidisciplinary actor and creative pioneer Brendan Bradley ’01 visited Upper School Video Production II classes to offer students a taste of his work in the entertainment industry. He had each class create a script of original work before swapping the stories to try their hand at directing. Bradley also shared what his day looks like on a set for TV, indie film and video game productions before holding a Q&A with students. Bradley, who lives in Los Angeles, was in Durham to accept the 2026 DA Distinguished Alumni Award.
Alumni Runners Find Camaraderie and Competition at Marathons
DA alumni Anna Catherine Wilson ’21 and Lucy Steiner ’21 took on the Maine Marathon in October — and crushed it. Wilson finished in 3:17:18, placing second in her division with a blazing 7:32 min/mile average pace. Steiner showed incredible endurance with a 4:02:52 finish, placing 22nd in her division. At the Marine Corps Marathon in Arlington, Virginia, Ethan Goldman ’18, Jack Anderson ’19, Neil Mosca ’19, Nick Epstein ’19 and Yaakov Huba ’19 ran the race within the top 11% of competitors. The event marked the 50th running of “The People’s Marathon.”
First Grade Teacher Publishes Debut Book
First grade teacher Shayna Dorvilier is now a published author. I Can’t Help That... invites young readers into a compassionate classroom where children share things about themselves like medical conditions, cultural backgrounds or learning differences. Through gentle storytelling and expressive illustrations, the book explores themes of anxiety and struggles both visible and invisible. As the characters move from isolation to acceptance, readers witness the power of empathy and inclusion.
Senior Shares Research on Social Media Risks for Young People
Over the course of her final two years at DA, Lilly Jones ’26 researched the risks and impacts of social media on adolescents, particularly those of middle school age. She conducted her research through the Upper School’s ADV Thesis course and Pathway Scholars program, which empowers students to design and implement community-based projects in collaboration with local partners.
Jones shared her findings with DA Middle School faculty and presented to eighth graders this winter. In April, she hosted a parent education session titled “How to Help Adolescents Navigate the Risks of Social Media” in partnership with Dr. Mitch Prinstein. One of the nation’s preeminent researchers on technology and the developing brain, Prinstein had shared his expertise in talks for parents, faculty and students the previous school year.
DA Hosts New Events for Latinx Students & Families
Two new events this school year were all about honoring roots and fostering connections within the Hispanic and Latinx communities at Durham Academy and beyond. In November, families, students and faculty from all divisions of DA gathered for Noche de Juegos, or Game Night — featuring games, lively dancing and shared culinary delights. Helping to run the event were members of ¡DALE! — the Upper School student group Durham Academy Latinos-Hispanos Estudiantes.
And in March, the Upper School hosted the first-ever Hispanic–Latinx Symposium of Independent Schools of the Triangle. The event drew about 50 high schoolers from area independent schools for a morning of networking, collaborating and celebrating identity.
“Although the numbers of Latino students and Latino teachers has grown enormously since I started working at Durham Academy in 2003 — it has increased from 1% to 4% [of the student population] — we still continue to be a small group,” said Upper School Spanish teacher Liliana Simón. “It occurred to me that if we combine the few small groups from the independent schools in the Triangle, we would make a nice group. We have many things in common in terms of experiences in schools that are similar to ours.”
Winter Musical Mean Girls Earns Accolades
Durham Academy Upper School’s 2026 winter musical, Mean Girls: High School Edition, was nominated for multiple DPAC Rising Star Awards, and Emma Bernstein ’26 won for Outstanding Performance in an Ensemble. Conor Hernandez ’26 was a finalist for Best Actor for his role as Damian, and the full Mean Girls production was nominated for Best Ensemble. The event featured a student ensemble comprising performers from each participating high school, with winners — including Bernstein — selected in recognition of their “dedication, preparedness, attitude and overall performances.”
New Program Shows Middle Schoolers the Real-World Impact of Public Service
Durham Academy’s Innovation Journey Fund supported a yearlong civic engagement initiative called Voices in Action, bringing together 15 passionate sixth and seventh grade students who were selected for their interest in leadership and community involvement. Assistant Director of Speech & Debate Rachel Mauchline met with the group twice a month after school to explore what it means to be an active citizen and changemaker.
The program featured a variety of field trips — including to the Durham County Board of Elections and the State Capitol — as well as observations of governmental meetings and guest speakers. Participants hosted a spring event to share the civic engagement projects they worked on, including those focused on sustainable energy, the hunger gap, teen vape use, education funding and anxiety. Voices in Action is offered free of charge to participants — who are selected by application — and the program will continue with a new cohort of Middle Schoolers in 2026–2027.
