« Back

January Newsletter

January 19th, 2024


Our DNS Friends,

This year, 2024, marks our 22nd year dedicated to the education and support of young men in Durham and beyond. As we embark on the new year, we reflect with gratitude on the achievements of Durham Nativity School in 2023. These successes were made possible through the unwavering support of both individual and corporate partners. The strong relationships cultivated with our partners have fostered a sense of brotherhood among our teachers and staff, inspiring our students to 'Dare to Dream Big and Never Give Up.' The dreams and determination instilled in our young men prepare them to make meaningful contributions not only to the Triangle area but wherever life takes them. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all who have been part of this journey!

Last June, we were delighted to welcome Kevin Mahoney back to DNS full-time after working remotely for the 22-23 school year. Kevin has played a crucial role in the development of our 5th grade, serving as the gateway to our 12-year program. As I envision the future of DNS and consider how best to position our staff to serve our students and supporters, I am thrilled to announce Kevin’s new role as Assistant Head of School for Admissions and Advancement. In this capacity, Kevin will continue working with current and prospective families and community partners, guiding candidates as they embark on their journey to becoming a DNS man. He will also actively engage with our current supporters, acknowledging their financial commitment and introducing DNS to new supporters and partners to ensure the continued growth of our programs. Please join me in congratulating Kevin on his well-deserved new position.

We enthusiastically welcome visitors to our campus. Feel free to reach out to any of us to schedule a tour; our students take pride in showcasing their accomplishments.

With gratitude,

Tiffany Alrefae

Head of School

In 2023, our students had the opportunity to:

Participate in the prestigious Duke ASSET program (Academic Success Through Surgical Education and Training) with Dr. Linda Cendales, giving students a chance to explore future career paths in medicine.

Attended a discussion on the stories of resilience and excellence at “From Jackie to Pumpsie–1947-1959, “Barrier Breakers””- a traveling exhibit brought to Durham by Keith Daniels and Tom Droege of Resilient Ventures and developed by Bob Kendrick and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) in Kansas City, Missouri.

Had the opportunity to be apart of the Business of Software conference with Bill Spruill, founder of 2ndF, and some of the biggest names in the industry, including founders, CXOs, and emerging leaders from software companies around the world. Mr. Spruill also served as the inaugural DNS Summit keynote speaker.

In support of our students, we were fortunate to receive over $400,000 in grant awards from foundations including:

An endowment of 4.5 million dollars was established in honor of Joe and Ann Carole Moylan, founders of DNS, by their children.

We are grateful for our new partnerships supporting our students:

Messiah Brandon graduated from DNS in 2020 and is currently a senior at Carolina Friends School. Out of over 20,800 applicants, he was one of 2,242 recipients of the QuestBridge Match Scholarship. Match Scholarship Recipients are admitted early to QuestBridge college partners with full four-year scholarships provided by the colleges and universities, ensuring for these students and their families that an education at a top college is affordable. Messiah will be attending Emory University following his graduation in June.

 

We are so proud to call him a DNS Alum, way to go Messiah!

Roy Toston graduated from DNS in 2012, Woodberry Forest School in 2016 and in 2020 earned a B.S. in Biology Sciences from Davidson College. Following his graduation he was a research fellow at Emory University School of Medicine until 2022 when he was named a Thomas J Watson Fellow serving in Germany, Brazil and South Africa. Most recently Roy has been accepted to the University of Virginia School of Medicine for the fall of 2024.

 

Congratulations Roy, we are so proud of you!

Posted in the category DNS News.