The Driving Spirit Awards are presented annually on Flint Hill Day, previously known as Founders’ Day, to Flint Hill employees who lead by example through their dedication to students, faculty, or the Flint Hill community at large as evidenced by their ability to energize and inspire the Husky community. Their embodiment of the Driving Spirit makes Flint Hill the special and unique place we all value.
Award recipients are nominated by students, parents, faculty, staff, and alumni. A committee of the Senior Leadership Team, led by the Head of School, completes the selection process. This year, on February 13, four recipients were honored.
Katie Evans P’27,’32
Director of Leadership Giving
Written by Bridget Montagne P’12, ’15 Board Liaison and Director of Special Projects
Katie is the first person to step up whenever there’s a need. She’s the go-to person — the one everyone relies on for guidance, support, and a steady hand. She never seeks recognition, but her impact on Flint Hill is undeniable. Her dedication, warmth, and unwavering commitment to Flint Hill shine through in everything she does.
As the ultimate team player, Katie’s enthusiasm and support are felt by everyone who works with her. She has an incredible ability to bring people together — whether it’s welcoming new families, helping parents feel connected, or offering a reassuring presence to colleagues. Her deep knowledge of the school, combined with her kindness and positivity, makes her an invaluable part of the community.
Katie embodies the very best of Flint Hill — always putting others first, always leading with positivity, and always strengthening the bonds that make our school special. The Driving Spirit Award couldn’t have gone to a more deserving person. Even though she prefers to stay behind the scenes, her contributions make a lasting impact every day.
Jen McKain
LS, MS, and US Technology and Instruction Department Chair and MS English Teacher
Written by Emily Sanderson P’28, US History and Social Sciences Teacher
Jen is a strong and true Husky. On a sled team the swing dogs are positioned directly behind the lead dogs, the swing dogs help steer the team around corners. As lead dogs make a turn, the swing dogs pull the team in an arc that keeps the other dogs on the trail and brings the sled and musher safely around a corner. Most of what Jen does is helping people — many different groups across her career here — to see the turn and find their path on the trail. Jen is deeply committed to helping new faculty find the trail, stay on the trail, and learn new things along the trail. Jen models all she does on strong teaching and learning. Her new faculty orientations are innovative and centered on active, constructivist approaches to learning. She has designed awesome scavenger hunts to get new faculty across both campuses and to discover the ins and outs of Flint Hill. She employs making and designing to engage faculty with the experiential learning that is at the heart of Flint Hill’s program. She develops engaging training for all faculty with her continuation of By Faculty For Faculty programs as she knows the value of micro-learning and the power of seeing an idea in action. She is exceptional at working with students and meeting them where they are to build activities to help them learn how to communicate.
Maia Schmidt P’16,’17
MS and US English Department Chair and English Teacher
Written by Jeff Sealy P’13, ’17, ’19, former Upper School English Teacher
Maia is a leader who has a unique ability to bring out the best in her team. As the head of the English department, she consistently sees the potential in every teacher and makes sure to communicate that belief with authenticity and encouragement. Whether it is through offering constructive feedback or simply recognizing a job well done, Maia’s way of uplifting her colleagues is both inspiring and empowering. These same qualities are integral to her great success as a teacher as well.
A remarkable trait Maia possesses is her dedication to the department as a whole. She is an incredible team player who doesn’t hesitate to roll up her sleeves and support her colleagues. As a department head, Maia goes to bat for her teachers with a fierce sense of loyalty and without hesitation, making sure their voices are heard and their needs are met. Simply put, Maia makes it a point to make her teachers’ lives easier. I recall one particular department meeting where her overwhelmed teachers, myself included, faced a daunting curricular task. Maia’s calm guidance, organization, and efficient approach turned chaos into clarity. Thanks to her leadership, the team finished the task on time with precision and ease.
In her 20 years at Flint Hill, she has blazed a trail from which I clearly benefited, both in and out of the classroom, and for this I am grateful.
Danny Strouth
Grounds Foreperson
Written by Tom Kessel, Associate Director of Facilities
Danny joined the Facilities team at Flint Hill School in 2001 as the school was expanding and opening the Upper School Campus. Expanding from 15 acres to 50 acres was a huge undertaking for the grounds team, which was much smaller back then. From day one, Danny has exemplified dedication and commitment to Flint Hill School. His reliability and can-do attitude shine through in everything he does, whether it’s handling daily responsibilities, stepping up for after-hours events and athletic games, or ensuring smooth carpool operations. No task is too big or small—Danny is always there, ready to support the school in every way he can.
I remember a summer night years ago when an accidental fire sprinkler activation in the Lower School kiln room set off a flood at 2 a.m. I got the call about water covering the first floor of the Activity Building, and when I arrived, firefighters were pushing inches of water out the front doors. It was a mess.
At 2:30 a.m., I called Danny. He picked up on the second ring and, without hesitation, said, “I’ll be right there.” Within 15–20 minutes, he was on-site, and together we tackled the water that had spread through four classrooms and the entrance hallway. The art teacher was warned she might need to adjust her morning plans, but by the time she arrived at 6:30 a.m., everything was cleaned up and back in place. She looked around in disbelief and said she never would have known anything had happened the night before. That’s just the kind of dedication Danny brings every day.
For over two decades, Danny has been a steadfast presence at Flint Hill, always willing to go the extra mile and answer the bell whenever it rings.