The Davenport Family: Rooted in Community, Growing at St. Mary's
Kim and Seth Davenport are proud Southern California natives who have made Newport Beach their home for more than two decades. Their roots run deep in the region — Seth is a graduate of Foothill High School in Tustin, and Kim hails from St. Lucy's High School in Glendora. The two found their way to USC, where they both earned their degrees, and have built a rich life in Newport ever since.
Professionally, Seth is an industrial real estate developer, while Kim brings her entrepreneurial spirit to the Natural Food and Beverage Industries, where she has a background in building and growing startups. But it's their investment in community life that truly defines the Davenports.
Kim serves as a Board Member of A2A, an auxiliary group supporting the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, and is an active member of the National Charity League Newport Beach. Their daughter Charlotte volunteers three times a week at Back Bay Therapeutic Riding Club in Newport — an endeavor that speaks to the family's deep commitment to service. Kim's involvement with St. Mary's PTF connects the Davenports with a wide network of meaningful causes, including Casa Teresa, Second Harvest Food Bank, OCSSA, Unidos, and CASA.
A Typical Week
Life in the Davenport household is full of motion, laughter, and intention. The morning begins with a carpool of five children making their way from Newport to St. Mary's — a familiar ritual that has become a cherished part of the family's rhythm. (The afternoon bus ride home, they'll tell you, is a welcome relief.)
After school, the calendar fills quickly: volleyball, swim team, art class, Girl Scouts, and Falcon Theatre rehearsals keep the kids engaged and thriving. Amid all the activity, the family anchors itself around the dinner table each evening. Kim's passion for cooking means that a homemade meal is never far away — and that family dinners are a nonnegotiable part of the day.
When the pace slows, the Davenports treasure time together as a family. They're regulars at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, where concerts and theater performances offer a shared joy that has been woven into their family culture for years.
The St. Mary's Experience
Eight years ago, Kim and Seth walked through the gate at St. Mary's for a Kindergarten assessment — hand in hand with their five-year-old, filled with great expectations but uncertain of what lay ahead. What they found exceeded anything they had imagined.
"We fell in love with the mission of 'World-sized hearts, world-class minds" Kim recalls, "and felt it in real time as we toured." From the beaming smiles of students and faculty to the genuine pride that permeated the campus, the Davenports knew they had found a school that shared their family's values. Those values continue to show up at the dinner table, in the form of thoughtful, meaningful conversations sparked by what their daughters are learning and experiencing each day.
Growing Confident, Compassionate Thinkers
Over the years, the Davenports have watched their two daughters grow into confident, independent thinkers — and they credit St. Mary's for playing a defining role in that transformation. The school's nurturing environment, where teachers and faculty actively listen to both parents and students, ensures that every child is seen, supported, and celebrated in their own unique way.
The IB curriculum has been particularly formative, instilling a worldly awareness and a genuine appreciation for diversity and different perspectives. "The cornerstones of kindness and empathy for others," Seth and Kim note, "are elements of the environment that we see in their ongoing development."
Ask the Davenport children what they love most about St. Mary's, and the answers come quickly. They love the IB curriculum — the way the units change throughout the year keeps learning exciting and full of purpose. They love the campus itself: the focused learning classrooms, the studios, the labs, and the subject-specific learning centers that allow students to move fluidly across campus and immerse themselves fully in each subject from an early age.
The Community: A Parent Community Like No Other
The Davenports describe the St. Mary's parent community as talented, generous, and deeply supportive. "We are grateful to be surrounded by faculty and families we admire," they share. Parents are eager to volunteer, and St. Mary's provides ample opportunities throughout the year to forge meaningful connections. The result is a community of families who form lasting friendships — bound together by a shared investment in something greater than themselves.
Traditions That Resonate
Among the school's many traditions, Chapel holds a special place in the Davenport family's heart. St. Mary’s has created a weekly space grounded in kindness and respect — one that welcomes and celebrates all faiths and beliefs. It is a tradition that reflects exactly what St. Mary's strives to be.
The school's intentional celebration of "world-sized hearts" is another highlight: moments when students are recognized for showing kindness and care for one another. For families like the Davenports, these celebrations serve as a reminder that character-building is just as central to St. Mary's mission as academic achievement.
A Moment That Says It All
When asked to describe a moment that captures the spirit of St. Mary's, Kim and Seth don't hesitate. At this year's Gala, a beloved faculty member auctioned off his parking spot to help raise funds for the Scholar Program (program awards qualified students a needs-based scholarship covering 100% of the St. Mary's experience — including tuition, transportation, books, uniforms, and one International Field Study). When the item gained momentum, another faculty member quickly offered her spot as well. The room erupted — parents and faculty cheering together in a wave of warmth and love that was impossible to manufacture and unforgettable to witness.
"It was a meaningful reflection of how involved and caring our faculty truly are," the Davenports say. In that moment, the entire spirit of St. Mary's was on full display.
Connected to Newport Beach
St. Mary's has done more than educate the Davenport children — it has deepened the family's roots in Newport Beach. Some of their closest friendships in the community have grown directly from their involvement at the school, through events, PTF Board service, and grade-level activities that continue to bring local parents and families together across all ages and stages of life.
Looking Ahead
As the Davenports look to the future, their hopes for their children are both ambitious and deeply human. They want their daughters to pursue their dreams with the skills and confidence to achieve them. But above all, they hope their girls carry with them one of St. Mary's most essential lessons: to show up with compassion and purpose, to treat others with kindness, and to value the perspectives that make our world richer.
"St. Mary's is teaching our children the true meaning of community," Kim and Seth reflect. "They are learning how to understand that their role in the world matters." For a family so dedicated to giving back — to Newport Beach, to their school, and to the wider community — that may be the greatest gift of all.
For more information about St. Mary’s School, visit: https://www.smaa.org/
