Reader’s Picks: Most Viewed Gauntlet Stories of 2024

Wondering what our audience liked best in the last 12 months?

Luke Ribeiro-de Sá, Staff Writer

January 30, 2025

Read below to find the top read story of 2024.

As the community begins 2025, now is a great time to look back at 2024. Here are the reader’s picks of 2024, based on views.

Top 10 Gauntlet Stories of 2024

Class President Hao Li showed effective leadership in his 2023-24 spirit campaign.

Number 10: Can Anyone beat Hao Li this Homecoming? by Luke Ribeiro-de Sá

This piece features Luke Ribeiro-de Sá’s opinions on how the 2024 homecoming season would go down. This article featured the insight of the class presidents on how they thought about homecoming season.

Financial aid, particularly in the form of “school vouchers,” is a necessity for many who attend private schools, unless the school can provide the funds directly, as is the idea for SSES. (Ari Chapman)

Number 9: The move to decline the Step Up scholarship will ensure academic independence by Kavi Riedi

This article explains how under the Head of the School Mr. Peter Kraft, SSES will remain an independent school meaning it won’t take Florida State vouchers.

Local homes experienced wind damage and flooding in the aftermath of Milton (Jackson Pakbaz)

Number 8: Unbroken by Milton by Jackson Pakbaz

This article, which won Best of SNO, features the people of Anna Maria Island coming together following the damage caused by Hurricane Milton. It includes interviews with people who live in the area and what they and the community are doing in response.

Diaz is unstoppable on the field, and an extraordinary human off the field. (Betsy Neal )

Number 7: Sofia Diaz Spotlight by Sarah Black

This spotlight highlights Sofia Diaz’s incredible soccer career while she was a student at SSES and how her then-coach, Mr. Tyler Cotton thought of her as a player.

Seniors Jackie Rappold, Victoria Neiva, and Jeremy Stroh celebrate a big finish. (Lucy Preston)

Number 6: 2024 HOCO Dance-off Video by Julie Harris and Grace Baxendale

This is a video of all the classes’ different dance-offs that they performed for the 2024 Homecoming week. It features the class of 2028, 2027, 2026, and 2025.

Coach Valcarcel in the action at a SSES football game.

Number 5: Chris Valcarcel becomes Football Head coach by Bode Labelle

This sports piece explains the decision to have Chris Valcarcel replace AJ Brown as the head coach of Saint Stephen’s football team.

Photo from Cum Laude induction in 2019. “(names listed from left to right) Maria Erquiaga , Hailey Mallard, Augustus Bayard, Catherine Van Keuren, Hailey Kadivar, and Kassandra Haakman.” (Kate Folkens)

Number 4: Everything you need to know about Cum Laude Induction by Savannah Hrubar

This article from last spring explains the process Cum Laude Induction that Saint Stephen’s does in chapel.

Mr. Holt in his element working the front desk. (Jackson Pakbaz)

Number 3: Farewell to Mr. Holt by Jackson Pakbaz

This features the retirement of Mr. Bill Holt as he was ending more than a decade of working at the front desk at SSES. This article also highlights how the upper school felt about the departure of Mr. Holt.

Conn and Moore posing in front of the US front office. The new administrative duo have set new plans in motion that have made a huge impact on the upper school. (Annette Logan)

Number 2: Moore and Conn become permanent US Directors by Annette Logan and Lark Rippy

This feature spotlights how Mr. Moore and Mrs. Conn have been announced as the permanent takeover of the upper school directors. Mr. Moore became US Director and Mrs. Conn became Assistant US Director.

Mr. Moore displaying the sign in/out sheet and counting off the number of tardys.

Number 1: Early is on time; new tardy policy takes arrives by Lucy Preston

This piece describes the new tardy policy enacted by the administration this year. It also features a quick overview of how the tardy policy will work going forward at Saint Stephen’s.

What is your favorite piece on the top 10?

Sorry, there was an error loading this poll.

Early is on time (Lucy Preston)

Moore and Conn become permeant US directors (Annette Logan & Lark Rippy)

Farewell to Mr. Holt (Jackson Pakbaz)

Cum Laude Induction (Savannah Hrubar)

Chris Valcarcel becomes Football Head Coach (Bode LaBelle)

2024 HOCO Dance-off Video (Grace Baxendale & Julie Harris)

Sofia Diaz Spotlight (Sarah Black)

Unbroken by Milton (Jackson Pakbaz)

Step Up Scholarship (Kavi Riedi)

Can Anyone Beat Hao Li (Luke Ribeiro)

About the Contributors

Luke Ribeiro-de Sá, Video Journalist

Luke Ribeiro-de Sá is a Junior and a 2nd-year videographer and editor on The Gauntlet. This year, Luke departed the Writing Team and has now fully joined the Video Team. He also enjoys a read of CNBC or a watch of Shark Tank. When Luke isn’t actively pursuing a video, he will spend his time talking to people for way too long or watching TV. Reach out to Luke at his email, [email protected], or his Instagram, @luke_ssesgauntlet

Sarah Black, Associate Editor

Sarah Black is a senior at Saint Stephen’s and a second year member of the Gauntlet. Aside from being an associate editor, she enjoys spending her free time in the gym and watching Friends. She also enjoys spending time with her two golden retrievers, and her favorite color is gray. Sarah’s email is [email protected]

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