Before even beginning her journey at Thomas Jefferson School this fall, Annabelle Olagbegi '32 is already making her mark!

Annabelle's piece, "Pulsating," was selected as the Grades 6–8 winner in the Missouri Botanical Garden and Gateway Writing Project's Write Outside Your Door writing contest. Chosen from more than 140 submissions, her writing stood out to the judges for its creativity and excellence.

Annabelle was recognized at the Green Living Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden on Saturday, July 11, where she received a certificate of excellence and a complimentary one-year membership to the Missouri Botanical Garden.

We are thrilled to welcome Annabelle to the TJ community this fall as a member of the Class of 2032 and congratulate her on this outstanding accomplishment. We can't wait to see where her talent and creativity take her next!

Before even beginning her first year at TJ, Zeynep has already earned international recognition. Along with her project partner, Yağmur Şakar, she placed third out of more than 320 teams in the 2026 USAII Global AI Hackathon, an international competition judged by professionals from leading technology companies.

Their award-winning project, Cabinet Clear, is an AI-powered tool designed to help patients better understand hospital discharge instructions by translating complex medical information into a clear, easy-to-follow plan for medications and follow-up care.

We are incredibly proud to welcome such an accomplished student to the TJ community and look forward to seeing all that Zeynep will achieve in the years ahead.

Asha Silva '29 and Marcus Silva '32 visited Washington, D.C. in early June with the St Louis Chess Club, playing in a Chess Exhibition at the U.S. Capitol. Asha participated in this event two years ago; this was Marcus's first year being invited. 

 

We are proud to recognize recipients of Thomas Jefferson School’s most distinguished senior awards. These honors celebrate not only academic achievement, but also the character, service, curiosity, and leadership that define the TJ experience.

The Clarkson History Prize, selected by the Social Studies Department, recognizes the senior who has demonstrated the greatest interest and accomplishment in the study of history throughout their time at TJ.

The World Language Prize honors a senior who has shown exceptional dedication to the study of world languages and cultures.

The Thomas Jefferson Award is presented to a senior who has selflessly served the TJ community, enriching the lives of others through meaningful contributions made without seeking recognition.

The Mumford Award, considered the highest distinction awarded by Thomas Jefferson School, honors the senior who best exemplifies the qualities of Robert Herrick Mumford: curiosity, kindness, generosity of spirit, sincerity, and respect for others.

Congratulations to this year’s recipients for leaving a lasting impact on the TJ community and for embodying the values that make our school so special.

What a beautiful day celebrating Thomas Jefferson School’s 80th graduating class—the Class of 2026! 🎓

This remarkable group of young men and women has accomplished so much during their time at TJ, and we could not be prouder of all they have achieved. As they begin the next chapter of their journeys, we look forward to seeing the impact they will make on the world.

Congratulations, Class of 2026!

2026 Master Chef Dorm Room Challenge: The final installment of college transition programming for the soon-to-be graduates of the Class of 2026 featured a fun and fast-paced cooking competition! Three senior teams competed in a “Master Chef”-style dorm room cooking challenge with one goal: create a delicious, nutritious, and budget-friendly meal for two for under $20 using only the kinds of kitchen items they could realistically have in a college dorm room.

 

Teams had just 20 minutes to prepare and present their dishes to a panel of judges that included Jane Roth, nutritionist Nicole Tass from FLIK Dining Services, and alumni Mark Jung '16 and Peiru Yu '16 (visiting from Atlanta for the 10th anniversary of their graduation from TJ). Dishes were evaluated on creativity, taste, presentation, teamwork, and staying within budget.

 

Congratulations to the winning team—Rebecca George, Lydia Do, and Shirley Zhang—for their impressive Thai chili-style chicken skewers with rice, lemonade, and prebiotic yogurt dessert. They officially mastered the art of dorm-room cuisine!

Shirly Zhang '26  

Kriss Thomas '28  

Victor Li '28

Aria Ko '29

Dana Kim '29  

Venkat Surapaneni '29

Lucy Kim '31 

Asha Silva '29 has had a truly exceptional few weeks, with an impressive string of tournament results:

Her finish as the top-ranked female player in Missouri has earned her an invitation to represent our state at the 14th Annual WIM Ruth Haring National Tournament of Girls State Champions in August at her first invitation-only tournament! TJ is incredibly proud of her!

Asha Silva '29 placed 5th at the Missouri State Chess Championship on Board 1! Teams that play at the state level must place their highest-rated player on Board 1, their second-best on Board 2, etc., through Board 4. If there are >4 players, then the team must have at least 1 player on each board, but can stack players on boards as they wish. If you do not have a full team, you must play Board 1. This means that Asha played only the best players from around the state. This win qualifies her to compete for the Missouri High School Tournament of Champions on April 18. She also qualifies for the Missouri All-Girls Chess Tournament on the same date.  

As an additional note, her brother. Marcus Sliva (TJ Class of 2032) is the MO State K-6 Co-Champion alongside his two teammates from Forsyth School, Niels and Teddy. 

Congratulations to the cast and crew of The Gods of Comedy. Productions like this let our students take creative risks in public, where the stakes feel real and the outcomes depend on collaboration and follow-through. The audiences got to see not just a performance but a community learning how to work, listen, and build meaning together.

 

Overheard leaving the theatre: "I laughed out loud!", "Fast-paced and lively," "All the actors were top-notch," "Technical crews took an amazing number of cues in stride." Thanks to Ms. McMackin and all family and staff for their support! 

The South St. Louis County News Publication, The Call, published an article titled "Thomas Jefferson School Student Shares How, Why Teenagers are Unexpected Economic Actors," by sophomore Roy Jang '28. Jang started a new student club this year, Business and Entrepreneurship, and serves as the group's leader.

 

Congratulations to faculty member Sam Rayburn for being awarded the Excellent Educator award by the Crestwood-Sunset Hills Kiwanis Club. Mr. Rayburn is one of those incredible TJ "unicorns." He teaches biology, computer science, and art—in fact, he chairs the Arts Department at TJ. We are grateful for all that Mr. Rayburn brings our students! 

 

Pictured: Marcello Alecci, Science Attache’ (Consulate General Chicago); Joseph Colagiovanni (Honorary Vice-Consul of Italy in St. Louis); Marina Lenza (Director of the Education Office, Consulate General  Chicago; Jane Roth (Head of School); Chiara Avanzato (Director of the Italian Cultural Institute Chicago); Jim Pesek (Director of Program Operations); Consul General Mario Alberto Bartoli (Consulate General Chicago)

Victor Li '28 attended the Great Lakes Short Track and Heartland #2 Speedskating Meet, finishing well and qualified for the 2026 Age Group National Championships in March.