The Arrow Fall 2022

Welcome from Todd Giszack, Associate Head of School for Advancement

As we begin this year on The Hill, I’ve transitioned from the role of Principal to a new and exciting position- Associate Head of School for Advancement. In independent schools, the Advancement Office typically manages the “outward facing” components of the school program. Things like enrollment management, communication, parent engagement, development, and alumni relations. Each of these is important, but the thing I’m particularly enjoying thus far is meeting and learning the stories of our alumni. Consider that 2022-23 is Oak Hill Academy’s 144 th school year. Even using conservative estimates, there are no doubt thousands of OHA alumni who speckle every corner of our globe. Each of these men and women, this Warrior Nation, studied and lived at this amazing, transformative school in the mountains of southwest Virginia. They walked our halls, slept in the cool mountain air, ate our food, made friends, sang hymns, and grew up. And it’s clear that they went on to do amazing things. Put simply, we want to connect with as many of them as we can. They are our legacy, the reason we are here. And the value of our efforts is written in the fabric of their lives. Oak Hill alumni are special, and each has a unique story to tell. This past summer, I was privileged to be part of the 50th reunion celebration for the class of 1972 (and also 1971, who was robbed of their meeting last year due to you-know-what). What an amazing time we had together. Truly inspiring, and what I learned is that our alumni are remarkable, and want to support the Academy. They want to help the school to remain strong. And if that same spirit is in you in any measure, all I can say is the time is now. We have work to do. So, I’m inviting every single member of the Warrior Nation to stir up your memories of this place. Your school. Your home while you were here. Remember who you were then, and what impact being here had on you. And mark your calendars for our upcoming Homecoming on November 11th and 12th. We have home games each of those days and I hope you’ll consider coming back. And if you’re an alumnus, please consider filling out this simple form, as we are working hard to update our contact information. Here’s the link to the contact form: https://oakhillacademy/formstack.com/forms/alumni . Warrior Nation - we have work to do. Work to ensure that Oak Hill Academy stands strong like a city on a hill, prepared to meet the needs of not only this current generation of students, but many generations to come. Let’s make year 144 our best ever. GO WARRIORS!