Archways 10 – Spring 2009 by St. Andrew's Episcopal School

Our Mission To nurture a diverse community

A semi-annual publication for alumni and friends of St. Andrew’s Episcopal School

i n t h e E p i s c o p a l t r a d i t i o n, e n c o u r a g i n g s p i r i t u a l g r o w t h, m o r a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y,

St. Andrew’s Future:

a n d a c a d e m i c e x c e l l e n c e.

High–Tech, Global, and Green

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Jackson, MS Hederman Direct

Office of Institutional Advancement 370 Old Agency Road Ridgeland, Mississippi 39157–9714 601.853.6000 / www.gosaints.org

march 2009

Volume 6

Number 1

George Penick quote and new photo

Chad Smith, Meredith Ury, and Muzamil Khawaja take a break on the North Campus in the memorial area dedicated to fellow student Ethan Lang. The bright orange seating stones are the creation of Maya Lin, a sculptural and landscape artist best known for designing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Gazing through Archways

An archway is a passage beneath a series of arches, a path

defined by the unity and support of the arch. This issue of Archways highlights many passages in St. Andrew’s Episcopal

St. Andrew’s Future: High-Tech, Global, and Green

School’s quest to prepare our students for the challenges of the 21st century, from our innovative use of technology to our focus on sustainable living to our efforts to make the world a smaller place. St. Andrew’s accomplishments in these areas are not limited to the confines of a classroom, but instead are focused on

Convocation of Dr. George Penick, St. Andrew’s Head of School

the bigger picture, shaping not only the way we teach our students, but also the ways in which those students will go on to shape our world. While we will continue to adapt our methods of teaching and learning to meet changes in the world around us, one thing will remain forever the same – the support and unity that comes

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You 2008 Distinguished Alumna of the Year

from the community that is St. Andrew’s Episcopal School.

Through the Roof Admission Inquiries Increase by 500%

On the Cover Technological, environmental, and global issues all come together as essential elements of a 21st century education.

Alumni Updates and events

contents

And the Winner is…

Archways Staff

and Contributors Editor Patrick Taylor ’93 Contributing Editors Rebecca Hiatt Collins Mary Collins Harwell ’93 Marlo Kirkpatrick Frances Jean Neely Designer Alecia Porch Photographer Patrick Taylor ’93 If you have a story idea or comment for Archways, please contact Patrick Taylor, Editor, at taylorp@gosaints.org.

w ww.gosaints.org

The spotlight was on St. Andrew’s Episcopal School at the 2008 – 09 Addy Awards competition sponsored by the Jackson Advertising Federation. The annual Addy Awards honor Central Mississippi’s best creative work in advertising and marketing. The St. Andrew’s “Where it’s cool to be smart” television and print advertising campaign captured the Gold Addy in the multimedia campaign competition. The TV commercials from that campaign, “Sandbox” and “Football,” won Silver Addys as individual television spots and a Silver Addy as a television campaign. Rounding out the winning entries was the new St. Andrew’s Episcopal School logo, which captured a Silver Addy for logo design.

the feast of the epiphany

The Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori Celebrates at St. Andrew’s January 9 found the Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, joining Middle and Upper School students in a chapel service on the North Campus celebrating the Feast of the Epiphany. Bishop Jefferts Schori spoke to students, faculty, and staff about the necessity of telling the story of God with us and of living that story in our own lives. Elected as the Episcopal Church’s 26th presiding bishop in 2006, Bishop Jefferts Schori serves as chief pastor of the

church, advocate for the church’s understanding of its mission and ministry, and spokesperson for the church in her travels throughout the United States and worldwide. After officiating the chapel service, Bishop Jefferts Schiori and the Right Reverend Duncan Gray, Jr., Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi, gathered in the David E. Wood Chapel with students, teachers, and administrators and led a discussion on the meaning of an Episcopal education in the 21st century. 3

In Joyous Memory of Alan Eugene Stallings III

December 22, 1996 – October 2, 2008

lan Stallings’ father affectionately referred to him as “the boy,” but Alan always seemed wise beyond his years. “He acted like a little adult,” his mother, Carrie Ann Stallings, remembers with a smile. “Alan enjoyed talking with adults on their level and he was interested in so many subjects. He never read children’s books. Instead he loved to read atlases and books about birds, geology, astronomy, and architecture. If Alan was interested in a subject, he thoroughly investigated it.” Alan also enjoyed a few traditional “little boy” pastimes, like playing with LEGOs, digging tunnels in his backyard, collecting rocks, and train rides. He adored his older sister, Ann Walt, and his many friends from St. Andrew’s Lower School. But his comfort in adult situations explains in part Alan’s courage during a battle that many grown-ups could never have mustered the strength to wage. When he was just eight years old, Alan was diagnosed with an atypical teratoid rhabdoid brain tumor – an extremely rare, extremely aggressive form of cancer. Its survival rate is less than one percent. “In a situation like ours, your hope is that you can get into a treatment program that will give you more time,” Alan’s father, Alan Stallings Jr., says. The Stallings’ search for the best possible care for Alan led them to Philadelphia Children’s Hospital and Dr. Phillip “Jay” Storm, a gifted neurosurgeon who was willing to attempt a complicated, never-before-performed surgery to remove Alan’s tumor. Alan survived two lengthy surgeries, then spent what would have been his third grade year recovering at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The family was divided, with Alan Stallings traveling back and forth to Jackson to work and

care for Ann Walt, then a tenth grader at St. Andrew’s, while Carrie Ann remained in Philadelphia with Alan during his long recovery. But even during their darkest days, the Stallings experienced unexpected blessings. Their friends in Jackson rallied around them, showering Alan with get-well messages and providing much-needed emotional support for Ann Walt. “St. Andrew’s was very important to Alan,” Alan Stallings says. “Knowing that he had friends and a happy school to come home to gave him something to look forward to. Thinking about returning to St. Andrew’s helped Alan stay optimistic and gave him hope.” The aggressive treatment seemed to be working. In the fall of 2007, Alan returned to Jackson to attend fourth grade at St. Andrew’s. He played with his many friends after school, adopted an American bull terrier he christened “Herman,” and received the fourth grade citizenship award. When Alan participated in St. Andrew’s traditional May Day celebration, Dr. Jay Storm flew to Jackson from Philadelphia to watch his patient wrap the maypole. Dr. Storm visited Alan’s classroom, bringing surgical masks and caps for all of Alan’s classmates and answering their tough questions about their friend’s illness. Leanna Owens, now Head of the Lower School, was Alan’s fourth grade teacher. “I was moved that this busy neurosurgeon had taken the time to come to May Day and to meet Alan’s classmates, but I can’t say that I was really surprised,” Owens recalls. “I had visited Alan in Philadelphia and seen first-hand the personal relationships Alan and his family had built with the staff at Children’s Hospital. For Alan, this was like having a member of his family come to his school.” Aside from the titanium halo bolted to his small head

“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls. The most massive characters are seared with scars.” A quotation from Edwin H. Chapin, which appeared on the program from Alan Stalling’s memorial service

and frequent trips to Philadelphia for follow up tests, Alan looked and acted like any other fourth grader. But shortly after his Lower School graduation, the Stallings received the news they had been dreading. The cancer was back. His illness and his intense medical treatments would make attending Middle School, something Alan had eagerly anticipated, impossible. At the family’s request, Dawn McCarley, St. Andrew’s Director of Admissions and a former Lower School teacher, agreed to serve as Alan’s tutor. The goal was for McCarley to help Alan to stay abreast of his studies so he could eventually return to school, but as the months passed, it was McCarley who learned the more important lessons. “Alan loved to learn. I really don’t have the words to describe how important it was to him,” McCarley recalls. “He would have stacks of books waiting for me when I arrived, just so excited about every lesson. He always wanted to know, ‘Is this what my class is studying?’ I brought projects that his classmates had worked on so he could still feel like he was a part of the class. “At the end of one of our lessons Alan was walking me to my car. He stopped and said, ‘Did you hear that? What kind of a bird do you think that is?’” McCarley says. “I hadn’t even noticed a bird calling. I was supposed to be his tutor, but Alan taught me to be aware and appreciative of every day.” Even when it became clear that Alan would never return to St. Andrew’s, the Stallings asked McCarley to continue his tutoring sessions. When the tumor stole his vision,

McCarley read aloud to Alan about birds, geology, travel, and other subjects that he loved. “Dawn’s visits allowed Alan to continue to hope and to continue to live,” Carrie Ann Stallings says. “All the way to the end, we made everything about living.” “One night I came to read to him, and I knew it would be our last time,” McCarley recalls, her voice breaking. “I never told Alan good-bye, but I think that’s probably a good thing, because our whole relationship was built on hope.” Alan spent his last days at home. His parents tucked him into a bed in front of a window overlooking the backyard where he loved to dig tunnels, bird watch, and search for rocks. On October 2, 2008, as a red-tailed hawk soared above the trees outside that window and his beloved dog, Herman, stood watch, Alan slipped away. Alan Stallings’s memorial service was a joyous celebration of his life. Dr. Storm returned to Mississippi for the service, which was also attended by St. Andrew’s students at every grade level as well as family members and friends from Jackson, Philadelphia, and other cities nationwide. Memories of Alan Stallings continue to inspire members of the St. Andrew’s community, who were blessed to have known such a courageous, intelligent, and loving child. “When I think of Alan, I don’t remember his illness,” Dawn McCarley says. “Instead, I remember his optimism and his joy. Even when he was so sick, he never lost his love for learning or his excitement over small, everyday discoveries. Every now and then a little bird will perch outside my office window. When it begins to sing, I always think of Alan.”

Above: Alan Stallings with Dr. Jay Storm; Jean Jones, former Lower School Head; and Leanna Owens, then Alan’s teacher and now Lower School Head; Herman and Alan

Colorful Memories of Ethan ethan david lang

October 4, 1990 – Jul 5, 2008

On July 3, 2008, Bobbette and David Lang glanced out the window as their son, Ethan, was cutting the grass on a riding mower. “I remember thinking, ‘well, we’re going to have to cut it again,’” Bobbette recalls with a smile. “He was cutting the lawn in big, sweeping circles while he played air guitar and listened to his Ipod, and he was being very careful not to run over the anthills. All I could say was, ‘That’s so Ethan.’” That image of Ethan cutting the grass would be one of the final memories the Langs would have of their creative,

free-spirited son. A rising senior at St. Andrew’s, Ethan passed away just two days later. But when those who loved him are asked about Ethan, their focus is not on their loss, but on the joy they gained from knowing him. “Ethan legitimately enjoyed every moment for what it was, and didn’t let the superficial aspects of life bring him down, ever,” says close friend Parker Murff ’09. “I miss his joy and his love for people and life. I miss his laugh and his rants, his shenanigans and secret philosophical melancholy. I miss his spirit and soul. I miss his life, but Ethan’s still here.” 6

“I miss his joy and his love for people and life. I miss his laugh and his rants, his shenanigans and secret philosophical melancholy. I miss his spirit and soul. I miss his life, but Ethan’s still here.” — Parker Murff ’09 Ethan was passionate about music, art, and philosophy. He dreamed of a career in music, and played in two rock bands, Thunderstagg and Beneath Judecca. A Thunderstagg song was featured at Ethan’s funeral service – following David Lang’s warning that the music would be “non-traditional.” A talented painter, Ethan associated people with colors, seeing himself as a vivid orange. From a young age, Ethan was a deeply contemplative person, known for asking questions and seeking answers beyond the pat and accepted. He enjoyed a good debate, but was never judgmental, and always welcomed an opposing viewpoint. According to his Sunday school teacher at Ascension Lutheran Church, “the discussions were always more interesting when Ethan was there.” Ethan’s friend Dylan Horne described a regular activity in the summer as accompanying Ethan to the bookstore, where they purchased works on Jung and Nietzsche and spent the rest of the day talking and philosophizing. Ethan also demonstrated an ability to make large concepts and complex subjects manageable; he was fond of saying that the entire Bible could be consolidated into the simple thought, “God is love and light.” Perhaps most of all, Ethan cherished time spent with his many friends. Parker Murff described him as having, “an aura of friendliness and comfort that was unavoidable. The thing I have missed the most about Ethan is his complete acceptance and love for everyone.” “When we encouraged him to spend more time at home, he presented us with articles from the Science Daily web site that stated the cognitive benefits of socializing,” David Lang recalls. Ethan’s friends have visited David and Bobbette Lang’s home on more than 20 separate occasions since his death, and have also kept in touch with the family through Facebook. When Ethan’s sister Hannah, a fourth grader at St. Andrew’s, took her first strum on the guitar, Ethan’s former band mates were there to applaud.

“Immediately after his death, we gave Ethan’s friends a blanket invitation to visit us, and we’ve been pleasantly surprised how they’ve taken us up on it,” David Lang says. “Bobbette and I have come to understand how much fun this large group of friends has with each other, and they’ve inspired us. Support from Ethan’s friends has been one of our greatest lifelines. We can see why our son loved them and wanted to hang out with them so much.” Ethan is buried in a family plot in Iowa, but the Langs wanted to create a memorial for Ethan on the St. Andrew’s North Campus – a place where his friends could gather. In a fitting tribute to a colorful, creative soul who just couldn’t bear to move through life in a straight line, the memorial to Ethan is marked by round seating stones in a brilliant shade of orange. The stones are the creation of Maya Lin, a sculptural and landscape artist best known for designing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. The stones rest under a young oak tree just outside the Walker Resource Center, a popular meeting place for students. An earth-toned concrete base beneath the stones is imprinted with leaves pressed into place by Ethan’s family and friends. “The memorial does justice to Ethan’s bright, eclectic personality,” Dylan Horne ’09 says. “The circles symbolize to me Ethan’s connectedness of character and his presence and friendship, which seemed never ending.” “Just like Ethan, the memorial stands out,” says Ethan’s friend Max Tullos ‘09. “It’s a part of campus just like he was a part of everyone, but at the same time it’s the only thing of its nature in all of the school, just as Ethan was so unique.” “While the concrete is dark and smooth—impenetrable and inscrutable like the idea of his death, the orange dots are also representative of Ethan,” adds Parker Murff. “They are bright and adaptable, but sturdy and reliable at the same time. Years will pass but the monument will remain here, just as Ethan’s memory and spirit will remain with those who will love him forever, until the day we meet him again.” 7

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Living Green will provide opportunities for the entire family to participate in some way, and it promises to be not only informative, but also a lot of fun.â&#x20AC;?

Fondren Place • March 27 & 28

Seydel is president of Laura Turner Seydel LLC, a consulting firm specializing in the environmental assessment of sustainable businesses, schools, homes, and communities. Seydel, her husband, and their three children live in 5,000-square-foot EcoManor, the largest eco-friendly home in the United States. EcoManor’s designer, Jillian Pritchard Cooke, will also be a featured Living Green speaker. Cooke is the owner of DES-SYN, a national interior design firm that specializes in upscale, sustainable lifestyle spaces. Living Green will also feature specialists in green architecture, landscaping, culinary arts, and health. Event co-chair Myriam Harris has assembled an impressive group of vendors who will showcase and sell unique products at the event. “Even those who have not yet jumped on the green bandwagon will want to come out and see what’s available,” Harris says. “We have everything from vegetables to makeup to jewelry. Participants will have the opportunity to discover what’s accessible in their everyday path that might allow them to shade their world a little greener.” “I hope everyone will come out and support our first “St. Andrew’s Presents” event,” Dunbar says. “Living Green will provide opportunities for the entire family to participate in some way, and it promises to be not only informative, but also a lot of fun.”

St. Andrew’s brings eco-awareness into daily living this spring with “St. Andrew’s Presents Living Green,” a twoday event in Jackson’s Fondren Place. Living Green is the first in a planned series of annual “St. Andrew’s Presents” events, which represent a fresh incarnation of the annual Designer Showhouse fundraiser. Living Green will include nationally-renowned guest speakers, educational sessions for students and adults, fun-filled gatherings, and innovative products, all focused on living green through design. A mixed-use development in the historic Fondren district, Fondren Place will serve as the perfect backdrop for the event. “We are so excited about this venue,” says St. Andrew’s Presents chairman Cindy Dunbar. “After extensive thought and research, this year’s committee decided it was time to broaden our design scope from just a residence into an entire way of living. ‘Living Green’ is perfect because it is a subject of interest to so many people, and this revived location in Fondren is an excellent location in which to present this event.” National environmental activist and eco-living expert Laura Seydel, daughter of CNN founder and philanthropist Ted Turner, will be the event’s featured speaker and guest.

St. Andrew’s Presents Living Green Friday, March 27

Student Activities • Sponsors’ Event with Laura Seydel • Preview Event • Product Displays Saturday, March 28

Information Sessions • Panel Discussion featuring Laura Seydel • Luncheon featuring Jillian Pritchard Cooke • Product Displays For more information and a detailed schedule of events and activities or to purchase tickets, please visit www.gosaints.org

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Coming Soon to a Screen Near You Anne Etheridge ‘88 St. Andrew’s 2008 Distinguished Alumna of the Year

Anne Etheridge has made a career of telling stories on film, but her life behind the camera is every bit as fascinating as the projects she shoots. In the latest scene from her own story, Anne Etheridge stars as St. Andrew’s 2008 Distinguished Alumna of the Year. “I am incredibly honored to have been chosen for this award, and at the same time, thoroughly stunned,” Etheridge says. “I feel an injection of that same encouragement that I received from St. Andrew’s as a student – that push to do your very best. It’s a good feeling to be buoyed again by support from St. Andrew’s as I continue reaching for the next level in my career.” Etheridge seemed destined for success in a creative field. As a high school student, she was interested in photography and served as editor of the St. Andrew’s yearbook, and her favorite class was art history. Etheridge majored in anthropology at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, but found

herself mesmerized by a video art class. Following graduation she moved to San Francisco, where many of the video artists and filmmakers she had read about lived and worked. Etheridge spent the next eight years learning the technical side of filmmaking at The Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC), a media arts center offering production services to artists and non-profit organizations. At BAVC, Etheridge discovered she had a passion for telling stories through the lens of a camera. In 2001 she followed that passion to Los Angeles, where she enrolled in the American Film Institute’s graduate program in cinematography. Two years later, Etheridge began the daunting process of working her way up in the film industry. “Much of the work I did after graduating could be considered starving artist work,” Etheridge recalls. “ I worked for free and as a low-paid production assistant, grip, and gaffer – anything to stay involved in the work.”

“Much of the work I did after graduating could be considered starving artist work. I worked for free and as a low-paid production assistant, grip, and gaffer – anything to stay involved in the work.”

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A Lifelong Passion for Art and Imagery “One of my favorite classes at St. Andrew’s was art history – the class was simply heaven on earth. I took the first AP art history class offered in my tenth grade year and I just ate it up. “Later, when I went to graduate school to study cinematography, my first class was taught by John Bailey, the cinematographer of “American Gigolo”, “The Big Chill”, “As Good As It Gets,” and “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.” He asked us to meet him at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, where we spent three hours studying and talking about the paintings of Winslow Homer. At that moment, I knew I had found the right profession.”

er determination and sacrifice paid off. says. “At the same time, I always try to keep myself open to Today Etheridge is a freelance cinema- surprising things that may happen along the way – and they tographer with some 75 documentaries, do every day – that will make the storytelling stronger.” reality-based TV shows, and narrative That ability to work on the fly was key to shooting [fictional] films to her credit. Her work has aired on The “South of 10,” a short film Etheridge describes as the most History Channel, Showtime, VH-1, the Food Network, and meaningful project she’s shot to date. “South of Ten” is a The Learning Channel. Etheridge’s films have been screened 10-minute, combined narrative and documentary film in festivals around the world, including the New York Film depicting life on the Mississippi Gulf Coast in the days Festival, Berlin Film Festival, Rotterdam Film Festival, and immediately following Hurricane Katrina. The film began Full Frame Film Festival. with a rough script, but many of scenes were created as they “I’m drawn to character-drivevolved, featuring real people en stories,” Etheridge says. “This as actors. “South of Ten” was The Dream that Didn’t Pan Out can mean character-driven doc- selected as the opening night umentaries or narrative projects in short film at the 2006 New “I remember distinctly the first time which the drama unfolds through I knew what wanted to be when I grew York Film Festival. character development rather than “’South of Ten’ is a beautiful, up. As a kindergartener, I announced through stunts or special effects. haunting piece – not a word is to my mom that I wanted to be the Not to say that I wouldn’t be spoken but so much is said,” crossing guard who directed the traffic interested in work that included Etheridge says. “I’m proud to going into St. Andrew’s on Old Canton have worked on this film for those elements, but I find myself the most artistically and aesRoad. She had a really great uniform, many reasons. First of all, the thetically satisfied when the director, Liza Johnson, hit it out wore beautiful white gloves, and stood challenges I face in the producof the park – the work is smart in the middle of the road unfazed tion revolve around how best to and meaningful and poetic. We by the potential threat of the cars. narrate or underscore what the had faith in our story and in our I thought she was cool.” character is feeling.” ability to tell it, and we had the As a cinematographer, Etheridge confidence to adapt and mold is responsible for translating the director’s vision into cam- the story every day we worked. era and lighting work. In addition to deciding what type of “The place was a disaster, so everything having to do equipment to use and when and how to move the camera, with protocol was thrown out the window,” Etheridge Etheridge makes hundreds of critical and subtle creative continues, “but the Coastal residents we worked with were decisions that combine to give each project a distinctive feel. happy to tell their stories and of course, they were southA decision as simple as whether to show a character in light erners, so they were hospitable despite it all. Above all else, or shadow can completely change the tone of the film. there was just as sense of kismet about the whole project, “It comes down to knowing what technology or technical things falling in place like they were meant to happen. process to use in order to achieve the feeling, mood, or Waking up every day to find and tell this story was my emotional beat that telling the story demands,” Etheridge greatest moment to date in filmmaking,” 12

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Etheridge is currently at work on another budget commercial or two. But no matter project with Johnson as director, an as-yetwhat the project, no matter where the camera untitled film focusing on a group of young takes her, telling the story will always be people who attend a “circus school” in Ohio. Etheridge’s focus. Other projects in the works include a docu “From my family, my time at St. Andrew’s, mentary on Cheryl Haworth, a U.S. Olympic and my anthropology degree at Williams Roll Credits weightlifter, and a potential feature about a College, I developed a curiosity about people Anne Etheridge’s film female war veteran – all projects marked by and a compassion for our differences. This is credits include: the character-driven storylines that Etheridge really what fuels my work,” Etheridge says. “South of 10” finds so compelling. “Also being from the South plays a big part Selected to screen Etheridge attributes her own success story in it. I’m from a place that has such a sense at the 2006 New York in part to the pre-K-through-graduation years of place – a sense of place that was develFilm Festival she spent at St. Andrew’s. oped through the telling of stories. With my “Sissy French Fry” “The St. Andrew’s environment played a background and love of the camera, it seems Comedy Grand Prize Winner, 2006 PlanetOut big role in helping prepare me for the chalI was destined for this career.” Short Film Awards lenges, creative and otherwise, of my current “Duck” career,” Etheridge says. “St Andrew’s pushed Audience Award, its students to reach for something higher. 2005 Cinequest The curriculum was always challenging, and Tea and Sympathy Film Festival at times surprising. The teachers, whether they Anne Etheridge was in Turkey shooting “Desert Motel” were just out of college or had been teaching an episode of The History Channel’s “Cities Selected to screen at for 20 years, were passionate and were free to of the Underworld” when she and her team the 2005 Berlin and Rotterdam Film Festivals be creative in their approaches to teaching. were accosted by a concerned local resident. “St. Andrew’s also helped forge a strong Etheridge and the show’s host, Don Wildman, “Presence” sense of integrity and a commitment to and producer, Chris Bray, were in a small Finalist in Esquire Magazine’s 2004 doing things right and well, no matter what village shooting a segment in which Don Emerging Filmmaker the task,” Etheridge continues. “All of addressed the camera as they walked down Contest these principles guide me daily.” the street. Etheridge played basketball, softball, “We have to do this over and over again and track at St. Andrew’s, gaining valuable insight into the because either I mess up, or Don messes up, or we’re both importance of teamwork that she brings to the set with her perfect but a dog is barking,” Etheridge recalls. “So it’s me every day. and these two men walking back and forth on this totally “The affinity for teamwork that I leaned playing sports at deserted street. Then a door opens and this older Turkish St. Andrew’s has a very direct correlation to the filmmaking woman comes out – very babushka-like – and begins talkindustry,” Etheridge continues. “I have to be a good collabo- ing to us. She is friendly, but very demonstrative and insisrator when I’m working on set with the crew, or in pre-pro- tent. Unfortunately, our translator is not with us so we’re duction prepping a film project with the director, or in having a hard time communicating. post-production working with a color timer. When you’re “After awhile, we realize what she’s saying. She’s distressed making a film, TV show, or documentary, everyone on the that I, this little woman, have to carry this heavy thing – the project has to be making the same project. Otherwise, the camera – on my shoulder, and she doesn’t understand why final result suffers. these two able-bodied men aren’t helping me. She was actu “It’s hard to make a creative vision come to life on your ally scolding Don and Chris.” own, much less with tens or hundreds of people in the mix,” The team finally convinced the woman that Etheridge Etheridge continues. “I work with amazingly talented peo- was happy to be holding the camera. The woman left them ple who have skills that I don’t have and whose work is to their work, only to return a few moments later bearing a interwoven with mine. These folks are my teammates.” pot of hot tea – and giving poor, burdened Anne Etheridge Etheridge’s hopes for the future include work on more the first cup. narrative dramas, innovative documentaries, and maybe a big 13

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Return on Investment

Chris Malloy ’92 St. Andrew’s Young Alumnus of the Year

assistant professorship at the London Business School, and he and his wife, Molly, relocated to the United Kingdom. “Living in London was a life-changing experience,” Malloy says. ‘We traveled to more than 15 countries, including Oman, Egypt, Russia, and Hungary. Our son, Jack, was born in a British hospital. If we had stayed two more years he would have been granted citizenship, but we decided to move back home to be closer to his grandparents.” Malloy marked his return to the United States by accepting an assistant professorship on the storied campus of Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Today the family, which has since grown to include daughter Vivian, lives in Massachusetts, where Malloy has discovered even more opportunity than he had originally expected. “I always thought Harvard had a lot of money. But when I first saw the building my office is in, I realized Harvard has even more money than I thought,” Malloy says with a smile. “The resources here are incredible. You literally have access to anything or anyone right at your fingertips. This year, I wrote a case study about a professional soccer team in England, and the owner of the team ended up flying me to London to tour their stadium, meet the team’s management, and then sit in the luxury box of the stadium and watch a game with him. I think the Harvard name had a lot to do with that. But I’m not complaining.”

A passion for the world of finance led Chris Malloy from St. Andrew’s to the Ivy League, with a stop in London along the way. St. Andrew’s 2008 Young Alumnus of the Year, Malloy is assistant professor of business administration at Harvard Business School. In addition to teaching a core finance course at Harvard, Professor Malloy writes and lectures on investments and portfolio choice, behavioral finance, and corporate finance – all hot topics in today’s economic climate. Following his 1992 graduation from St. Andrew’s, Malloy earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Yale University. Next Malloy moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked as a research assistant at the Federal Reserve Board under the leadership of Alan Greenspan. “I worked in one of the groups that helps analyze and regulate the banking sector,” Malloy says. “I’m sure they’re very busy right now.” Malloy’s boss at the Federal Reserve held a Ph.D in economics, and encouraged Malloy to follow the same path. Malloy took his advice, enrolling in the University of Chicago’s M.B.A. program and eventually earning his Ph.D in finance. With his doctoral studies complete, Malloy accepted an

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“The teachers I had at St Andrew’s had a huge impact on me. Another great thing about St. Andrew’s is that it’s small enough so that students can participate and excel in lots of different areas and lots of different sports without having to specialize in just one. That kind of experience helps build confidence, which is probably the most important thing a high school can instill in a student. But to me, the most valuable thing I found at St. Andrew’s was a group of friends that I still keep in touch with today.”

Trips to London aside, Malloy has settled into a routine that allows ample time for both teaching and research and writing. “I enjoy the Harvard style of teaching, which is entirely done through the ‘case method,’” Malloy says. “No notes, no lecturing, no slides. All discussion-based, Socratic method style, where I cold-call students and get them to teach each other. The case method is also the biggest challenge, because you never know how the class will go, since you have no lecture notes to guide you. You just have to hope the students have done their homework, otherwise the discussion can be a disaster.” Malloy focuses exclusively on teaching from September through December, then devotes the months of January through August to research and writing on a variety of financial topics. His work has captured several “best paper” awards presented by finance industry publications and organizations, and he has been invited to lecture at universities and conferences throughout the United States and worldwide. “Most of my recent work is on the impact of social networks – such as alumni networks – on investment behavior and investment performance,” Malloy says. “One of my papers shows that mutual fund managers tend to make larger bets

on those companies that are run by people who went to the same college that they did. They also tend to earn higher returns on those stock picks.” One of Malloy’s most notable high returns has been the return on his parents’ investment in his St. Andrew’s education. Malloy transferred to St. Andrew’s as a sophomore when his family relocated to Mississippi. “Moving from the Chicago area to Mississippi at the age of 15 was quite a shock at the time, but the students and teachers at St Andrew’s made the transition easy for me,” Malloy recalls. “Everyone was very friendly, and pretty soon I wondered why I had even worried about the move. “The teachers I had at St Andrew’s had a huge impact on me,” Malloy continues. “Another great thing about St. Andrew’s is that it’s small enough so that students can participate and excel in lots of different areas and lots of different sports without having to specialize in just one. That kind of experience helps build confidence, which is probably the most important thing a high school can instill in a student. But to me, the most valuable thing I found at St. Andrew’s was a group of friends that I still keep in touch with today.” No matter what happens in the volatile world of finance, that’s a strong return on investment.

The Young Alumnus of the Year Award The Young Alumnus of the Year Award recognizes and celebrates the achievements of alumni who have made a major contribution to the community, arts, sciences, or business. Alumni must have graduated from St. Andrew’s within the past 20 years.

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From High Finance to the Least of These Steve Napier ‘81 the Saints in Service Award Recipient

earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Millsaps College. He worked for banks in Mississippi and as an assistant national bank examiner in St Louis, then accepted a position with the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. In addition to his demanding job, Napier assumed leadership positions at Atlanta’s Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church, including roles in youth ministry, prison ministry, and coordinating the church’s work with Habitat for Humanity. In the early 1990s, Steve and Carol served as foster parents through the United Methodist Children’s Home. “I was assuming more and more responsibilities in the church and doing as much community service as my work schedule would allow, but still I felt God calling me to do more,” Napier recalls. By 1998, Napier had invested more than a decade in his career as a bank examiner and he and his wife had two small children to support, but his true calling had become clear. With Carol’s blessing, he left his career in banking, enrolled in the Candler School of Theology at Emory University, and became a minister. Napier has never pastored a church, but he’s living proof that “ministry” is not limited to a pulpit. Since 2003, he has served as director of operations for Action Ministries, Inc.’s transitional housing program. Based in Atlanta, Action Ministries is a nonprofit organization with roots in the United Methodist Church. The ministry’s transitional housing program serves as a bridge between homeless shelters and permanent housing, providing temporary housing and other assistance to homeless families with children. Action Ministries owns or rents 30 homes throughout North Georgia where families can live for up to two years while they work to become self-sufficient. The majority of the program’s par-

A decade ago, bank examiner Steve Napier was reviewing the nation’s largest loans and the risk they posed to America’s banking system, occasionally taking a break to analyze a proposed, multi-billion dollar bank merger. Today, Reverend Steve Napier is hard at work squeezing every penny from the tight budget of a nonprofit organization and determining just how he’ll get one more homeless family off the streets of Georgia. The road from bank examiner to minister wasn’t a typical career path, but it was a calling Napier couldn’t ignore. His determination to follow that calling and the lives he’s changed as a result make Steve Napier St. Andrew’s 2008 Saints in Service Award recipient. “Steve has committed his life to following Jesus’ commandment to serve ‘the least of these,’” says Carol Napier, Stephen’s wife of 22 years. “His dedication is evident in his personal life, his church life, and his professional life. He serves as a great example of what we are all called to be and do in this world. As a well-rounded individual committed to family, community, and the world at large, Steve exemplifies the purpose of a St. Andrew’s education.” “St. Andrew’s always seemed to dream a different dream,” Napier, who enrolled in St. Andrew’s as an eighth grade student in 1977, recalls. “People there seemed to be more accepting and willing to reach out to other people. At St. Andrew’s, the belief was that all people had worth. Skin color, nationalities, and other differences didn’t matter. ” Following his 1981 graduation from St. Andrew’s, Napier 16

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“The Saints in Service Award is about the sacrifices of my wife and family who allowed me to pursue this calling, the people I work with at Action Ministries, and the people we serve there every day. To me, this award means recognition for serving a population that never gets recognized, and acknowledging their worth as individuals. It’s appropriate that this award is presented by St. Andrew’s, a school that created an environment in which every person, even the least of these, has worth.”

ticipants are mothers and children who have been victims of domestic violence; the average age of a homeless person in Georgia is nine. As the program’s director of operations, Napier is responsible for financial oversight and governmental regulatory work; his background in business has proved as important to the job as his heart for ministry. Under Napier’s leadership, the transitional housing program has shown impressive results. In 2007, 18 of the 22 families participating in the program “graduated” and secured permanent housing; nine of these families purchased their own homes. “The most rewarding part of this job is seeing people get a second chance and seize it,” Napier says. “It’s more than just seeing people move into a house. It’s seeing a woman who was a victim of domestic abuse now thriving in a new situation. It’s seeing a former homeless person come back and volunteering to help others in that place. It’s seeing people move on to a better life.” The program is not without its share of heartbreak. Every family who tries does not graduate from the program, and more than once, Napier has had to work with the Department of Human Services to remove children from parents with drug problems. The current economy is putting increased pressure on a program that already had a waiting list and a tight budget. And yet, Napier remains optimistic, inspired by people like Daniell Iloka, who came into the program as a homeless teenager. Thanks in part to the help her family received

from Action Ministries, Daniell graduated as valedictorian of her high school class and won a full scholarship to Emory University. Every day Napier hears from people like Daniell who have found a better life with the help of Action Ministries. “Action Ministries has given us the hope we needed to survive and the faith and strength to continue trying our best without giving up, regardless of our circumstances,” a mother of three currently participating in the program says. “We see the love of Christ and the blessings that come with this love in all the members of this ministry.” “For the families who are able to complete this program, our lives are changed forever,” an anonymous program graduate wrote. “I understand there is no way that you can save the world, but in essence, that’s exactly what you’re doing, one family at a time.” While he’s honored to have been recognized with the Saints in Service Award, Napier is quick to point out that the recognition is not about him. “The Saints in Service Award is about the sacrifices of my wife and family who allowed me to pursue this calling, the people I work with at Action Ministries, and the people we serve there every day,” Napier says. “To me, this award means recognition for serving a population that never gets recognized, and acknowledging their worth as individuals. It’s appropriate that this award is presented by St. Andrew’s, a school that created an environment in which every person, even the least of these, has worth.”

The Saints in Service Award The Saints in Service Award recognizes a St. Andrew’s alumnus who demonstrates exceptional service to others and has made a positive difference in his or her community. The individual chosen must have graduated from St. Andrew’s at least eight years ago. 17

St. Andrew’s future

High–Tech, Global, and Green

In his convocation address, S t. A ndrew’s H ead of School George Penick stressed the importance of integrating technology into all of the school’s academic activities. “Technology has moved from providing a more efficient way for us to compute and communicate into actually changing the way our society functions and our people learn,” Penick said. “We must continually adapt our teaching and our educational processes so that our students will be able to master the new technologies of the future.” At St. Andrew’s, technology is not confined to a computer lab or to a specific class. Instead, the use of technology is woven into virtually every subject being taught in every class-

participating students can post or edit information. Third grade teacher Kristel Cronin puts a number of technological tools to use in her classroom. Cronin uses the Internet, Excel, and PowerPoint to create video and slide show presentations that complement her lesson plans. Her students post project work and writings on SApedia, the St. Andrew’s wiki page, and use the Internet to find MP3 files of the songs they sing in class. The entire class is participating in The Great Race, a collaborative research project based on the idea of an automobile race around the world that will link students in classrooms worldwide. “My students are eager to use new technology or to see it

“Technological, environmental, and global issues all come together as essential elements of a 21st century education. Our students need to understand the world and how it works, learn how to care for it and make a positive contribution to it, and to access, analyze, and share information with the diverse people who populate it.” — Chris Harth, St. Andrew’s Director of Global Studies room at every level. Shawn Arrington, St. Andrew’s Director of Technology, works with faculty members in all three divisions to incorporate technology into their daily lesson plans. “Technology is a tool to enhance the learning process, not the learning process itself,” Arrington says. “We aren’t changing what’s being taught in the classroom, but we are giving our students new tools to use in the learning process.” Arrington begins by asking each teacher to identify the desired learning outcomes for his or her course, then suggesting technologies that might support one or two of those outcomes. For example, if a goal is to teach students how to collaborate on a research project, a supporting technology might be the creation of a wiki – a web page to which all

in use,” Cronin continues. “The overall use of technology stimulates their creativity. They have a new tool in their hands to explore. Most of our students already live in a world full of videos, TVs, computers, and electronic games. The use of computers and technology at school provides a link with their lives outside the classroom.” Benefits of Technology

Studies show that introducing technology – including incorporating message boards, blogging, and wiki pages – into classroom activities and homework assignments better engages students and increases their participation in the learning process. 18

Absorbing Content vs. Creating Content Over the past six months, the web site YouTube has showcased more original programming than ABC, CBS, and NBC combined have produced over the past 60 years. • Since 1948, the three networks have produced a total of 1.5 million hours of programming. YouTube users produce approximately 9,232 hours of content per day – the equivalent of 350 constantly playing TV channels. • YouTube’s content includes approximately 200,000 three-minute videos, most intended for an audience of fewer than 100 people. Eighty-eight percent of the content is original.

Technology can be particularly beneficial for quieter students, who may be uncomfortable speaking up in class but enjoy collaborating with other students online. The option to use a non-traditional method of completing an assignment – for example, the option to produce a YouTube video instead of write a research paper – encourages creative expression. Social networking technology allows students to continue online discussions outside of school. Access to information online virtually anytime, anywhere, encourages some students to continue independent investigation into topics that interest them. An unexpected benefit of technology is an improvement in the overall quality of the students’ work. When they’re asked to publish their work online, pupils feel a sense of ownership that encourages attention to detail. “Students who are asked to post an assignment to a wiki page or answer a question on a message board tend to do a better job with that assignment because they know their peers will see their work,” Arrington says. “It’s like playing sports or participating in drama. If they know their peers are watching, they work a little harder.”

and writing assignments to SApedia, which makes the content available to other members of the community and allows students to build upon one another’s work. For example, this year’s seventh grade science class posted reports about various animal species; next year’s seventh graders will add to that body of work, which is available to students at all levels. SApedia also includes content specific to St. Andrew’s; a group of Upper School students is currently conducting research for a page on the historic Camden Church on the North Campus. Contributing to SApedia benefits students now and after they leave St. Andrew’s. “When students apply for college or jobs, they’ll have positive, educational content linked to their names,” Arrington says. Google Jockeying

“Google jockeying” is best described as creating a visual presentation on the fly. As the teacher lectures, a designated student googles the topic discussed and accesses maps, photography, and illustrations, which are then projected on a screen for the entire class to see. Julia Chadwick, Chair of the St. Andrew’s History Department, introduced google jockeying to her seventh grade history class with overwhelmingly positive results. “Google jockeying gives the students a visual without spending hours to create a slide show,” Chadwick says. “It’s relevant, timely, and flexible. I give them a list of the topics we’ll be covering when they come in so they can be a little prepared, but for the most part it’s spontaneous. This gives the students an opportunity to learn from each other and makes history come alive for them. “Where I learned from reading a book, today’s students have grown up with these technologies; they’re more visual learners,” Chadwick continues. “This is just one of the ways that St. Andrew’s is accommodating the new generation of learners. Learning is not about technology. It’s about how you use the technology.”

Technology at Work at St. Andrew’s St. Andrew’s uses technology to increase collaboration, creativity, and communication for students, and to extend the learning experience beyond the classroom. “We’re using technology to create new learning opportunities that get their value from student participation,” Shawn Arrington, Director of Technology, says. “At. St. Andrew’s, our students aren’t just sitting in a classroom absorbing information. Instead, they’re creating and sharing new content.”

Discussion Boards

An assignment St. Andrew’s students actually look forward to receiving is to post on discussion boards. Teachers begin a discussion thread and students are asked to go online and contribute as part of their homework assignment. Students are also encouraged to post at will; many continue to discuss or explore the topic long after their assignment has been fulfilled.

SApedia.gosaints.org – St. Andrew’s Wiki

SApedia is an online encyclopedia created by and for members of the St. Andrew’s community. Students post projects 19

Google Docs

Cool Stuff

Google Docs, online documents that can be shared by many users, allow work, including data from experiments, to be shared between two classes whose members never meet face-to-face.

Students are also discovering that some technology is just plain fun. The web site www.animoto.com allows students to upload photographs, which the site combines with music to create an online slideshow. The site www.wordle.net analyzes a piece of writing, from a famous speech to a quickly scribbled sentence, then creates a graphic “word cloud” based on what themes emerge from the writing. Students have also incorporated social networking sites into their class work, creating mock Facebook pages for historical figures like George Washington.

iTunes and Podcasts

Podcasts posted on iTunes include lectures from college professors nationwide that can be downloaded for free. St. Andrew’s students are able to sit in on lectures by renowned professors from Berkeley, Harvard, Stanford, and other universities. Collaborative Sites

St. Andrew’s is taking advantage of a number of online sources that allow multiple students to collaborate on art projects, multimedia presentations, and books. Microblogging

St. Andrew’s is discovering practical uses for microblogs like Twitter, a networking site that allows users to send and read other users’ brief text posts. Students can use Twitter to brainstorm and other microblogs, like Tumblr, to post photos from their cell phones.

Technology and Global Studies Over the past year, St. Andrew’s has more than doubled the travel options available through the global studies program. Thanks to advanced technology, participating students can share their experiences with members of the St. Andrew’s community at home virtually as those experiences are unfolding. St. Andrew’s provides traveling students with a global communications kit that includes a mini notebook computer, a web cam, and a Flip Video camcorder, a pocketsized, high-resolution camera designed for creating and posting videos to YouTube and other web sites. The kit allows students to create travel blogs and videos they can instantly share with members of the St. Andrew’s community virtually anywhere in the world; hundreds of people can then learn from one student’s travel experience. “We’re using technology to multiply the education and learning experience of one person by sharing it with many others,” says Chris Harth, St. Andrew’s Director of Global Studies. “As the world changes and technology changes, we have a responsibility to provide an ongoing, adaptive education for our students. That education will set St. Andrew’s and our students apart from schools and people who aren’t adjusting to the social, technical, educational, and professional changes of the 21st century. “It’s the 2030 question – what will our students need to know and be able to do in the year 2030, when they’ll be in their prime working years?” Harth continues. “They’ll need knowledge and skills, but they’ll also need curiosity and a willingness to adapt to change. They must be able to ask questions, find and process information, and apply that information to collaborative work with diverse people. The biggest issues will transcend borders.”

Google Sketchup

The St. Andrew’s stage production crew tossed aside their pencils and sketchbooks, using Google Sketchup, a 3D software tool, to design the stage set for the theatre department’s production of The Crucible. Robotics

Michelle Harth’s eighth grade science students built their own robots from LEGO kits. The students programmed the robots – which resembled the animated character WallE – to perform specific tasks, from following lines drawn on paper to making marks on paper at specified intervals. Students then tied the robots’ activities to principles studied in their algebra classes. “We still solve traditional problems on paper, but the use of technology brings new excitement to the learning process,” Harth says. “The students are highly engaged and it grabs their attention better than completing an assignment out of a book.” Campus-wide Election

Technology, including the use of message boards and real time blogging, played a role in national election activities at St. Andrew’s. For more about technology and the election, see “St. Andrew’s Gets Out the Vote” on page 36. Environmental Awareness

St. Andrew’s community-wide environmental program combines green thinking with modern technology. For details about this award-winning program, see “One School, One World, One First Place Winner” on page 21. 20

St. Andrew’s Meets the Not-So-Far East St. Andrew’s Upper School history teacher Donna Patrick was one of 18 teachers from Mississippi and Tennessee selected to participate in a trip to China and Japan hosted by the National Consortium for Teaching About Asia. • Last fall, Patrick traveled to Beijing, Shanghai, Nagoya, Kyoto, and Nara, exploring opportunities for collaborative teaching and learning. Patrick was selected for the trip from a pool of 250 applicants who submitted proposals describing how they would incorporate digital learning with classrooms in Asia into their schools’ curricula. The trip was sponsored by the Freeman’s Foundation, which focuses on expanding education in the United States about Asia. • Patrick returned with several ideas for St. Andrew’s. She’s now working to arrange an ongoing classroom exchange via e-mail and/or blogging between St. Andrew’s seventh grade history classes and a classroom in China, and is also working on a school exchange program between St. Andrew’s and a school in China. • “The goal of this project is to expand the horizons and mutual understanding of students in these countries,” Patrick says. “Given St. Andrew’s emphases on global studies and technology as a learning tool, our school is in an ideal position to make that happen.”

creativity, knowledge of environmental issues, project benefits, and the likelihood that the project would encourage others to go green. The winning program from St. Andrew’s included both hands-on and educational activities, and involved students, faculty, and staff from all three divisions as well as parents and alumni. Highlights included a school-wide recycling program; switching to low energy fluorescent lighting and solar shades in classrooms; and the redesign of the computer lab to increase performance while cutting energy consumption. Educational activities included advanced courses in environmental science and international relations that directly address ecological issues; bringing nationally-recognized environmental speakers and activities to both campuses; a variety of student-driven research projects; and providing weekly “going green” tips in the school’s newsletter and on the St. Andrew’s web site. “St. Andrew’s promotes ecological awareness and environmental stewardship as part of a larger, community-wide effort to ‘go green’ and to prepare our students for the twentyfirst century,” says Chris Harth, St. Andrew’s Director of Global Studies. “The responsible habits we cultivate will serve not only our children well, but also our communities.”

One School, One World, One First Place Winner St. Andrew’s school-wide environmental effort has been recognized as the best ‘going green’ program in central Mississippi. Promoted under the tagline “One School, One World,” the St. Andrew’s program was the first place winner in the “Going Green Mississippi” competition sponsored by WLBTTV, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, and Recycling Services. As the Going Green Mississippi Champion, St. Andrew’s was spotlighted in 30-second commercials airing on WLBT. Information about the St. Andrew’s project is also posted on the WLBT.com Going Green Mississippi web page. “This recognition is well-deserved,” said George Penick, Head of School. “It serves as a tremendous pat on the back for St. Andrew’s students, faculty, and staff who have raised awareness of environmental issues, been progressive in their thinking and teaching, and embraced innovations that make a difference for our planet.” The “Going Green Mississippi” competition was open to schools, businesses, churches, and civic organizations. Projects had to address one or more environmental issues, educate the community, and make a lasting difference to the environment. Seven winners were selected based on project

Other Going Green Mississippi winners included: North Pike Elementary Litter-Getters City of Ridgeland Public Works Department Rainbow Natural Grocery Co-operative Promoting Urban Forestry in Ridgeland Trees Mississippi Clean Water: It’s Your Legacy To read the entire winning project submitted by St. Andrew’s and projects submitted by the other winners, visit www.wlbt.com, click on “Lifestyle,” then click on “Green.”

Going Green is for the Birds Lake Sherwood Wise is a retention pond for the water that drains from parking lots and roads on the St. Andrew’s North Campus. All of St. Andrew’s athletic fields are irrigated using water from the lake, which is not only an environmentally sound practice, but also represents a significant financial savings for St. Andrew’s and enhances the natural beauty of the campus. • “St. Andrew’s is very selective about chemicals and fertilizers used on the fields that may seep back into the lake,” says Gillian Viola, Director of Facilities. “When I drive in early in the morning and see great blue herons, Canada geese, and ducks feeding and nesting near the lake, I’m reassured we’re keeping a good balance between nature and man.”

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Through the Roof Admission Inquiries Increase by

500

The St. Andrew’s Office of Admissions reported an impressive 500 percent increase in inquiries from prospective Middle and Upper School students last fall over the same period in 2007. The jump is based on inquiries for enrollment in grades 5-12 for the period from September 1 to October 15, 2008. Dawn McCarley, St. Andrew’s Director of Admissions, attributes the dramatic increase to a combination of several recruitment efforts, including letters sent by the Admissions Office to students who scored high enough on standardized tests to qualify for the Duke TIPS program, marketing efforts for the Malone Scholars program, and a new print and television campaign that positioned St. Andrew’s as the school “where it’s cool to be smart.” The Lower School also reported an increase in inquiries during the same fall time period and over the months since. From July 2008 through January 2009, the Lower School has reported an increase in inquiries of more than 41 percent.

“The ‘where it’s cool to be smart’ ads have definitely had an effect on my inquiries,” says Teresa Deer, Director of Lower School Admissions. “I’ve had parents tell me they’re calling because of the TV commercials. One father who came with his wife and five-year-old son to our Lower School open house told me, ‘We’re here because of your TV commercial. My son saw your ad on TV and said he wanted to go to St. Andrew’s, where’s it’s cool to be smart. He just wouldn’t let the idea go.’ The family signed a contract and their little boy will be enrolled in our kindergarten in 2009. I think it’s also important to note that even since the heavy ad campaign period ended, our inquiries have continued to rise.” The ability to request information online has also increased inquiries. McCarley has received online inquiries not only from families in Mississippi, but also from prospective students in 12 other states and in countries as far away as Canada, Thailand, New Zealand, and South Africa.

McCarley has received online inquiries not only from families in Mississippi, but also from prospective students in 12 other states and in countries as far away as Canada, Thailand, New Zealand, and South Africa. 22

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Print ads from the “where it’s cool to be smart” campaign

“This kind of interest, particularly in a challenging economy, is a strong testimony to St. Andrew’s across-the-board reputation for excellence,” McCarley says. “We are thrilled by this increase in inquiries from prospective students, and are eager to see how many of these families will qualify and enroll in St. Andrew’s for the fall of 2009.”

attends St. Andrew’s, with one saying, “I think I might go there next year.” The job described by the little girl in the commercial is based upon the actual career of St. Andrew’s alumna, Anita Goel ’91. The second commercial features the St. Andrew’s football team winning a close game in the final seconds with a play based on a calculus formula. Filmed on a chilly night in April, this commercial featured more than 200 students, parents, and teachers who played fans in the stands, as well as the Saints football team, coaching staff, cheerleading squad, and band. As many of the St. Andrew’s football players also played baseball and were involved in a game the night of the shoot, some creative casting was required. Several non-football players – including a few female Saints – dressed out to fill the roles of players on the bench. To view the St. Andrew’s Episcopal School commercials online, visit gosaints.org.

Don’t Touch that Dial In the fall of 2008, St. Andrew’s launched a television campaign themed “St. Andrew’s Episcopal School. Where it’s cool to be smart.” The campaign includes two 30-second commercials. The first features three children playing in a sandbox and talking about what they want to be when they grow up. A little girl announces, “When I grow up, I’m going to be a physician and a physicist, and I’m going to specialize in nanobiotechnology and its applications in developing countries.” As she skips away, the other two children comment that she

“The ‘where it’s cool to be smart’ ads have definitely had an effect on my inquiries. I’ve had parents tell me they’re calling because of the

TV commercials.” — Teresa Deer, Director of Lower School Admissions 23

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Financial Aid More Important Than Ever Before The people behind the paperwork

Who needs financial aid?

To say that seventh grader Jennifer Barnes* was “desperate” to attend St. Andrew’s would not be an exaggeration. An outstanding student in the Jackson public school system, Jennifer was not challenged in her current school; her teachers described her as bored and depressed by her situation. Jennifer easily passed the St. Andrew’s admission test and qualified for financial aid equaling 66 percent of the cost of tuition, the maximum amount of financial aid allowed by St. Andrew’s for a middle school student. Unfortunately, her parents could not afford to pay the 34 percent gap. Jennifer was so devastated that, according to her teacher, she was unable to enter her public school classroom the day after receiving the news. Instead, she stood in the hallway and sobbed.

In a challenging economy, the ability to offer financial aid to qualifying students is more important than ever before. Despite uncertain economic times, St. Andrew’s inquiries from prospective students are up an incredible 500 percent over this time last year. With this increased interest comes an increased need for financial aid and scholarships. But financial aid doesn’t just benefit prospective students. The ongoing, national economic crisis means that students currently receiving financial aid will need even more aid in order to remain at St. Andrew’s. Current families who have never before required aid may also find themselves in need.

An academic standout in his junior year of high school, Blake Kelly wasn’t satisfied with the status quo. Despite his academic success and popularity at his current school, he felt St. Andrew’s would be a better fit. Blake applied for and received a Malone Scholarship. Now a student at Georgetown University, Blake has remained a strong supporter of St. Andrew’s. He began giving to the Annual Fund as a senior at St. Andrew’s, volunteered to serve as the Annual Fund grade captain for his class during his freshman year of college, and has expressed a desire to help other students in need attend the school that gave him so much.

The Gap between Tuition and Financial Aid Regardless of family need, there is a limit as to how much financial assistance St. Andrew’s may offer. With the exception of children of faculty and Malone Scholars, no student may be offered 100 percent financial assistance, even if the family’s income level means they qualify for a full tuition grant. The result? Many outstanding students are turned away because their families cannot cover the gap between financial aid and tuition.

* This student’s name has been changed to protect her privacy.

The ongoing, national economic crisis means that students currently receiving financial aid will need even more aid in order to remain at St. Andrew’s. Current families who have never before required aid may also find themselves in need.

Andrew’s education. But the Rodgers believe so strongly in the value of the St. Andrew’s experience that they not only are willing to make sacrifices for their own children, but for the children of others. The Rodgers established an endowment to cover the gap between a student’s need-based financial aid and the actual cost of tuition. “We are so fortunate to have the means to send Riley and Devon to such a fine school as St. Andrew’s, and we recognize that not all parents are as fortunate,” Karen Rodgers says. “We felt we should do our small part to give back by helping children of parents who value education but need some help financially.”

Lower School students may receive up to 50% of tuition Middle School students may receive up to 66% of tuition Upper School students may receive up to 80% of tuition

A good steward of financial aid funds It is the ultimate goal of St. Andrew’s that every student who qualifies for admission be able to attend the school, but we also realize that sending a child to St. Andrew’s is a choice that often requires sacrifice. The purpose of financial aid is not to create financial entitlements, but to remove financial barriers. Our priority is to assist those families who truly could not afford the St. Andrew’s experience without financial aid.

Supporting financial aid at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School In the cases described in this article, it’s clear that financial aid could literally have changed a child’s life, and in cases in which aid was available, has done just that. If you’d like more information about how you can be a force for change for a deserving family by supporting scholarships and financial aid at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, we’d love to talk with you.

Filling the gap Like most St. Andrew’s parents, Michael and Karen Rodgers have made many sacrifices in order to give their daughters, Riley and Devon, a St.

For more information, please contact Rebecca Hiatt Collins, Director of Institutional Advancement 601.853.6029 • rebeccac@gosaints.org 25

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The Annual Fund St. Andrew’s middle school students enjoy thePlayWeb provided by the Annual Fund.

A guaranteed return on your investment In today’s economy there are very few “sure things,” but those who support the St. Andrew’s Episcopal School Annual Fund can rest assured they’ll see a strong, tangible return on their investment. “We send our children to St. Andrew’s because it offers so much more than any other school in our area, and the Annual Fund is one of the components that makes that possible,” says Patty Christie, Annual Fund co-chairman. “While it’s true the economy is at present challenging, we personally would rather cut back on other areas

than not support the Annual Fund, which directly benefits our children. Hopefully, many St. Andrew’s families feel the same way.” The Annual Fund pays for enhancements not covered by tuition, including faculty and staff development, equipment, and technology upgrades. Last year, the Annual Fund allowed Helen Green, the St. Andrew’s Lower School Learning Facilitator, to attend conferences and workshops on the latest developments in education. Green came back from these events armed with practical strategies for St. Andrew’s.

“It is vitally important to know what’s being tried and what’s working in other schools and to keep abreast of the most current research in education,” Green says. “I have always come back from hearing a speaker or attending a conference with renewed energy and practical ideas that we can immediately implement in our classrooms.” One of those ideas is an alternative method of spelling that’s resulted in improved scores among St. Andrew’s students who have a difficult time with conventional spelling methods. Green also attended a conference on

{institutional advancement}

This year’s goal: $600,000 The $600,000 goal for this year’s Annual Fund was determined by taking last year’s goal and asking each family to increase its pledge by 10 percent. A fund has been also established to match new and increased pledges; thanks to this matching money, new pledges will be doubled. And as always, the Annual Fund offers a tax deduction for investing in your child’s education.

2008 – 09 Annual Fund Leadership Team Annual Fund Chairmen Jeff and Patty Christie

Kindergarten Risa and Jack Moriarity

Grade 7 Clay and Steve Davidson

Faculty Chairmen Colleen Smith, Ruthie Hollis, Leanna Owens

Grade 1 Shawn and Jay O’Mara

Grade 8 Tammy and Bert Rubinsky

Grade 2 John Owen

Grade 9 Cheryl and Howard Katz and Aileen Thomas

1947 Society Chairman Paul McNeill Parents of Past Saints Chairmen John and Barbara Adams Grandparent Chairmen Leland and Bessie Speed Grade Chairmen Pre-K 4 Mary and Alex Purvis

learning and the brain that explored the connection between exercise and brain cell growth, and prompted the Lower School to incorporate more movement into the daily classroom routine. Recent purchases paid for by the Annual Fund include a PlayWeb for the Middle School. A challenging rope climbing system that encourages physical and social activity, the PlayWeb is the first piece of exercise equipment purchased specifically for Middle School students other than basketball goals. The Annual Fund also provided LEGO kits that allowed Middle School students to build and program robots. The students used the robots to explore constant and accelerated motion and

Grade 3 Erica and Stewart Speed Grade 4 Anne and Mike Dulske Grade 5 Sharon and Mark McCreery and Aileen Thomas Grade 6 Gloria and Michael Jacques

Grade 10 Ann Becker Grade 11 Robbie and Donna Evans and Catherine Sullivan Grade 12 Iris and John Issacs

to relate the graphs of this motion to what they learned in algebra class. “This term, we’re building models of solar, water, and wind powered systems, which is part of a larger energy project,” says eighth grade science teacher Michelle Harth. “The students are researching solar, water, wind, and nuclear energy and developing energy plans for the United States. The entire class will then act as Congress and vote on the best package. The Annual Fund was instrumental in getting this program going and we are very grateful for the parents’ support.” The Annual Fund also provided development opportunities for Upper School staff and faculty and technology

upgrades, including new online databases for student research. Future Annual Fund projects include new signs and gates on the North campus and security upgrades on both campuses. These are only a few examples of the many enhancements that would not have been possible without the Annual Fund. “Whether the economy is up or down, the needs of the school remain the same,” says Frances Jean Neely, Director of Annual Giving. “One investment we can always count on getting a high return on is an investment in our St. Andrew’s students. They are the future leaders in our community, our state, our nation, and the world.”

Increasing the Exchange Rate A generous gift from Louis and Alison Harkey will allow St. Andrew’s students to travel abroad.

Last October, Louis and Alison Harkey and their daughters, St. Andrew’s Upper School students Leah and Lorna, served as the host family for Lisi and Hanna Wipplinger, twin exchange students from Mauthausen, Austria. The three-week exchange experience left the Harkeys with a taste for weiner schnitzel, gave Lisi and Hanna a glimpse of life in the American South, and laid the groundwork for a new travel scholarship for students at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School. “As a family, we grew through our experience,” Alison Harkey says. “We have stayed in contact with Lisi and Hanna since and feel that we have lovely twin family members living abroad. After our wonderful experience as a host family, we felt it was important that other students have the opportunity to travel to another country and experience life there.” To help make that opportunity pos-

sible, the Harkeys created a new endowment for the St. Andrew’s global studies program. The Louis and Alison Harkey Travel Scholarship will provide opportunities for St. Andrew’s students to live and study in other countries. “Perhaps the most exciting aspects of the Harkeys’ gift are the potential for growth and the expanded opportunity for inclusivity,” says Chris Harth, St. Andrew’s Director of Global Studies. “St. Andrew’s students from different backgrounds will be able to travel abroad, to develop relationships with people in other parts of the world, and, ideally, to work together addressing some pressing, real-world issues. Making such formative experiences available for more of our students will help us better prepare them for a life of engaged and responsible citizenship in their increasingly connected futures.” Details on the Harkey’s scholarship program, including criteria for apply-

ing, are still being finalized, but Alison Harkey hopes that her native Scotland will be among the first destinations open to St. Andrew’s students through the scholarship. Harkey grew up in Glasglow, Scotland, and lived there until her early twenties. “We hope to host two students from Scotland in late 2009 and for two students from St. Andrew’s to visit Scotland in the spring of 2010,” Harkey says. “I have connections in education in Scotland as well as family who live there, so a St. Andrew’s Episcopal School connection with Scotland seems apt. “Learning about each other can only improve communication, understanding, and respect between nations,” Harkey continues. “We believe that travel to other countries is the best way to fully understand other cultures and countries and the global studies program at St. Andrew’s is enabling students to do just that.”

“As a family, we grew through our experience. We have stayed in contact with Lisi and Hanna since and feel that we have lovely twin family members living abroad. After our wonderful experience as a host family, we felt it was important that other students have the opportunity to travel to another country and experience life there.” — Alison Harkey Above: Louis Harkey, Lisi Wipplinger, Lorna Harkey, Hanna Wipplinger, Leah Harkey and Alison Harkey

a legacy of excellence, integrity, tenacity, generosity, faith, and courage, and a responsibility to live up to this heritage

Convocation and installation address delivered by Dr. George Penick,

October 29, 2008

St. Andrewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Head of School

Mr. Chairman, Bishop, trustees, distinguished guests, faculty, parents, friends, and most importantly, students of St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, I am deeply honored and grateful for this extraordinary opportunity to play a leading role in the future of this great institution. The St. Andrew’s Episcopal School that we enjoy today required over 60 years of leadership to build the structures, the traditions, the culture, and the track record that make this school so special. This school’s legacy is one of excellence, integrity, tenacity, generosity, faith, and courage, and this gives all of us a responsibility and a mandate to live up to this heritage.

The results of this hard work and sacrifice are evident today: • Academically, 30 out of the total number of 32 Mississippi Advanced Placement scholars have been St. Andrew’s students; • St. Andrew’s has been named Mississippi’s Best All-Around 2A Sports Programnine years in a row and 15 of the last 17 years; • And in terms of ethical leadership and moral integrity, in the turbulent years of Mississippi’s Civil Rights Era, St. Andrew’s was integrating its student body while many other schools in Jackson and throughout the state were being created to avoid integration. That famous 20th century American philosopher Yogi Berra, once said, “It’s tough to make predictions, especially

about the future.” We do not know what our future holds for us, but the school’s motto, “We will find a way or we will make one,” means to me that while we continue to operate in the community of greater Jackson, the school continues to set its own goals of excellence, and it lives by a creed of integrity and faith that is unlike any other school in our area. The standards we set, the beliefs we have, and the expectations that we create are not bound by our immediate physical and cultural surroundings, but are developed from our own sense of what is best for children, of what is needed to prepare a young person for an unknown future, and of what we believe is God’s calling for all of us to live together in community.

Looking towards the future of St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, we must be creative and bold to carry our school to its next stage of development in focusing on the mind, the body, and the spirit of the St. Andrew’s student. • In regards to the mind, I am proposing a two-year undertaking so that by the school year 2010-2011, this school will lead the state and the South in its use of technology, its teaching of technology, its ability to adapt to technology, and the integration of technology into all of the school’s academic activities. Technology has moved from providing a more efficient way for us to compute and communicate into actually changing the way that our society functions and that our people learn. We no longer have the luxury of viewing technological advances in a take-them-orleave them manner, but we all must learn how to continually adapt our teaching and our educational processes so that our students will be able to master the new technologies of the future – even though many of these new technologies may be unimagined by us in the present. Just think, in the year that our current seniors were born, something as ubiquitous and commonplace for us today as the Internet did not even exist outside of the Defense Department and some high-tech re-search universities.

“Looking towards the future of St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, we must be creative and bold to carry our school to its next stage of development in focusing on the mind, the body, and the spirit of the St. Andrew’s student.” • In regards to the body, despite our

excellence in interscholastic athletics, we currently are a school that needs a comprehensive, organized, and coherent strategy about what it takes for a student at St. Andrew’s to be truly healthy – in every meaning of that word. This starts in the development of a comprehensive, continuous, school-wide, physical education curriculum for all 15 grades, but it does not stop there. It involves issues of how a child learns to grow up as a fully healthy person –not just in terms of preventing disease, but of making healthy choices about risky behaviors, of mental health issues, of drug and alcohol use, of vulnerability to abuse and intimidation, and of the responsibilities and risks of becoming a physically mature young person. • In regards to the spirit, it is time to better understand our connection to and our grounding in the Episcopal tradition and how that shapes the ways that the school prepares students for the moral and ethical challenges of their own lives – both now and in the future. We cannot even conceive of

the ethical challenges that the members of this generation will be confronted with when they become adults – in the issues of religion, war, and politics in the world; in bio-ethical advances; in environmental stewardship; in a commitment to service learning; in ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic diversity which involves creating a truly multicultural community; and in a growing interconnectedness and relationship with people throughout the world. Our history and our heritage are based in the Episcopal tradition – and I believe strongly that this should continue – but in order for that relationship to be strong it must also be understood, it must be clearly articulated, and it must be diligently pursued. In many ways we are a paradox – we are an organization that is grounded in one faith but that embraces and celebrates many faiths. In order to celebrate that tension and to be able to live boldly and strongly with it, the full meaning and potential of that tension must be more fully understood. To address each of these three parts

of a fully educated and prepared person – in one’s mind, body, and spirit – I am putting together three working groups made up of the broad spectrum of stakeholders on all of these issues – trustees, faculty, staff, parents, and students. Each of these working groups will be charged with three important tasks: 1. To raise all of the questions and issues that must be understood regarding each issue – including the difficult ones that often go unaddressed; 2. To flesh out the barriers and challenges that need to be overcome in order for us to deal effectively with those questions and issues; and 3. To recommend specific strategies and activities to enable St. Andrew’s Episcopal School to implement the policies, the practices, and the programs to fully develop the healthy mind, body, and spirit of its students. I firmly believe that St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, as it is with any exceptional institution, has its best years ahead. Our greatest challenge may be

to keep ourselves from resting on the accomplishments of those who have brought the school this far and instead, to decide how we will excel in maintaining that tradition while devoting ourselves to building a new future. As I said to some of you upon taking this position, “We are only the gardeners. We are not the garden.” So let all of us – students, alums, parents, faculty and staff (both current and retired), trustees (both sitting and former), donors, and friends – commit ourselves to a continuing stewardship that is devoted to more than just supporting an institution, but to making it possible for St. Andrew’s Episcopal School to serve the students of today and the students of tomorrow with the excellence and vision that has become such a hallmark of the entire St. Andrew’s family. St. Andrew’s Episcopal School has educated my children, it has comforted my family in times of stress, and it has provided my wife Carol and me with the greatest sense of commitment and belonging that we have ever experienced. I welcome this opportunity to play a significant role in the school in its coming years, but even more, I look forward to working with all of you to fulfill the true vision and potential that motivated Sherwood Wise, Dr. Vincent Franks, Mrs. Adele Franks, and Buster Bailey to do the extraordinary things that they have done to bring this school to its current point of greatness. In addition to these whom we honor today, there are hundreds and thousands of everyday saints who have worked and sacrificed and labored to make this school a true servant of people, and as the old and familiar hymn goes that every child here has sung many times, “They were all of them saints of God, and I mean, God helping, to be one too.”

Looking to the Future, Honoring the Past On October 29, 2008, the North Campus hosted the convocation of the 2008-2009 St. Andrew’s Episcopal School academic year and the installation of Dr. George D. Penick, Jr., as the new Head of School. Every student from pre-K4 to 12th grade, many St. Andrew’s parents, the faculty and staff, board of trustees, and special guests gathered beside Lake Sherwood Wise for this historic event. The Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi, The Rt. Rev. Duncan M. Gray, III, presided over the convocation and installation. The ceremony included the presentation of four honorary medals given in recognition of extraordinary leadership. The St. Andrew’s Servant Leadership Award for a Trustee was presented to St. Andrew’s founder the late Sherwood Wise, and was accepted in his honor by his daughter, Betsy Wise Copeland, and his grandson, St. Andrew’s junior Andrew Wise. Adele Franks Crispin accepted awards on behalf of her parents. The St. Andrew’s Servant Leadership Award for the Episcopal Church was awarded to her father, the Rev. Dr. Vincent Franks, who was the priest at what was then St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church when St. Andrew’s Episcopal School was founded. The St. Andrew’s Servant Leadership Award for the Faculty was presented to his wife and St. Andrew’s founding headmistress, Mrs. Adele Franks. The St. Andrew’s Servant Leadership Award for Philanthropy was presented to Buster Bailey, who orchestrated the purchase of what is now the North Campus and is largely responsible for what the school has become today.

Pictured Above: Art teachers Judith Crotty and Kathy Taylor created beautiful banners carried by the processions and representing every grade level and department of St. Andrew’s Episcopal School.

the answer is blowing in the wind.

St. Andrew’s plants Pinwheels for Peace Bright colors and messages of peace whirled across campus on Friday, September 19, as Lower School students “planted” pinwheels handmade in their art classes in observance of the International Day of Peace. In the 1980s, the United Nations passed a resolution designating September 21st as an annual celebration of the many ways in which people throughout

the world work for peace between nations, within communities, among families and friends and in their own lives. The Pinwheels for Peace project was established three years ago to coincide with this observance. In 2008, more than 400,000 pinwheels were planted worldwide. Kathy Taylor, Lower School art teacher, coordinated the event at St. Andrew’s Lower School, helping as children colored

squares of paper and penned messages of peace, either in their own words or in the words of famous women and men. “The beauty and truth behind Pinwheels for Peace inspired me to share the project with our students at St. Andrew’s,” Taylor said. “The thoughts behind these colorful, swirling creations were ultimately the most beautiful images.”

messages of peace appearing on the pinwheels included:

When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace. No more evil. Let us live in peace. There is no way to peace; peace is the way. We seek peace knowing it is the climate for freedom. When you make peace with yourself, you make peace with the world. “Peace is not merely a distant goal we seek; it is the means by which we arrive at that goal.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

africa into

“What I found out is that all they wanted was someone to give them a little attention. Play with them. Laugh with them. It didn’t take much to make them smile.”

t Briana Saddler does her part to Keep A Child Alive In Africa today, a child dies of AIDS every 60 seconds, and another 13 million children have been left orphaned by the disease. For St. Andrew’s Episcopal School junior Briana Saddler, these are more than just statistics. Earlier this year, Briana traveled to South Africa as part of a delegation from Keep A Child Alive (KCA), an organization providing lifesaving AIDS prevention education and medical treatment to more than 45,000 children and families at 14 clinics and AIDS orphanages throughout Africa. “I really just expected to see what Keep A Child Alive does. In a way, I expected to see it through a screen,” Briana says. “But I saw the personal side. I met and became a part of the people. I can only hope I affected them as much as they affected me.” Briana earned her life-changing trip through a competition sponsored by Keep A Child Alive and Grammy Awardwinning singer and KCA co-founder Alicia Keys. The competition asked students to submit an essay or video based on the theme of how small change can make a big difference in the fight against AIDS. Briana submitted a threeminute video that combined haunting images of adults and children suffering from AIDS with facts about the death toll caused by the disease, all set to a soundtrack anchored by the Dave Matthews Band’s song “Out of My Hands.” Judges chose Briana’s video as a winner from among thousands of entries. In January, 16-year-old Briana joined two essay winners – both college graduates in their mid-twenties – on a seven-day trip to Durban, South Africa, where an estimated 40 percent of the population is infected with HIV. Briana and the other winners volunteered at three Keep A Child Alive-funded sites – Agape Orphanage, home to children ages birth to 16 who have lost their parents to AIDS; the Blue Roof Clinic, an AIDS prevention and treatment clinic; and Operation Bobbi Bear, a program for children who have been victims of sexual abuse. As she prepared for her first face-to-face meeting with the children of

Durban, Briana pondered how she could really be of hope to these little ones who had suffered so much. “What I found out is that all they wanted was someone to give them a little attention,” Briana says. “Play with them. Laugh with them. It didn’t take much to make them smile. “When you read the news, you see poverty and malnutrition and disease, but rarely do you know about the life in between, rarely do you know about the people,” Briana continues. “There’s something raw about seeing it in person, and you’re not so distanced from it anymore. You’re sucked into it, and there’s a sense of responsibility. That’s something I didn’t expect. I didn’t expect to become so attached to the people I met. They’re no longer just people. They’re friends.” Briana’s most memorable experience came at operation Bobbi Bear, where the average age of the sexually abused children served is five years old. There Briana met five-yearold Dorothy and her three-year-old sister, Lily, who had been rescued from a brothel run by their own grandmother. “They were young, beautiful, vibrant girls, and you could never tell that they were in poor condition before they were rescued,” Briana says. “I played with them, read stories to them, and ate cheese sandwiches with them. “There was a moment when I realized that this is reality. The world is – and probably will continue to be – a pretty bad place. But we can’t let it paralyze us. We can’t let it make us apathetic. I looked at Dorothy and Lily again and I saw them in a different way. They weren’t just these beautiful girls. They were beautiful, incredibly strong girls. I left with a deeper appreciation for them, a love for them, and a connection to them.” Briana will share her experiences in South Africa during classroom presentations and assemblies for St. Andrew’s students in all three divisions. She also hopes to start a chapter of Keep A Child Alive at St. Andrew’s. “This trip gave me a priceless sense of belonging, an opportunity to explore the world and my place in it,” Briana says. “I’m not just another person. Instead, I see myself as part of a web of different people and cultures. Now, I want to be a part of a solution.”

Briana Saddler confesses that she found the entry details for the Keep A Child Alive contest while she was surfing the web instead of writing an English paper. “St. Andrew’s has been the most influential part of my life thus far, and I guess in an off way, St. Andrew’s gets credit for giving me the opportunity to travel to South Africa,” Briana says with a smile. “If I hadn’t had so much homework, I wouldn’t have been procrastinating, and I probably would have never found out about Keep A Child Alive or entered the contest.” For more information about Keep A Child Alive, visit www.kcacollege.com or www.keepachildalive.org. 35

St. Andrew’s

Promotes t

Vote

St. Andrew’s students – even those years away from being old enough to vote – made their voices heard in the 2008 presidential and congressional elections. Months before the presidential and congressional elections, senior Leah Frances Jones approached the St. Andrew’s administration about registering the school in “Promote the Vote,” a voter education program sponsored by the Secretary of State’s office. Her goals for an election program at St. Andrew’s also included inviting candidates and party representatives to campus, coordinating assemblies to provide campaign information for students, and holding a mock election for the entire school. No stranger to politics, Leah France had volunteered with the Madison County Republican Women and the Madison County Teenage Republicans, and served as an intern for Senator Roger Wicker’s 2008 campaign. “I believed it was important to encourage students to learn about the political process,” Leah Frances says. “One of my main goals for ‘Promote the Vote’ was getting students involved now so that when their time

comes to vote, they will already be used to playing a role in the political process.” Prior to the November 4th election, several candidates and representatives from political parties visited St. Andrew’s, sharing their views with students on both campuses. Visitors included Joel Gill, who ran against Gregg Harper in the 3rd Congressional District; Erik Fleming, who opposed Thad Cochran for a seat in the U.S. Senate; Natalie Buchanan, communications director for Thad Cochran’s re-election campaign; Mark McCreery, who worked for Mayor Rudy Guiliani in New York and continues to serve the Republican Party in Mississippi in various capacities; and Johnnie Patton, a super delegate, member of the Democratic National Committee, and co-chair of the Barack Obama campaign in Mississippi. Leah Frances organized assemblies for the Middle and Upper Schools during which students from Darin Maier’s advanced placement government class provided information about the parties, candidates, and issues. 36

Students also shared ideas with one another, participating in online blogs during the vice presidential and presidential debates. Shawn Arrington, St. Andrew’s Director of Technology, created a real-time discussion forum, which allowed students and faculty to share their reactions to the candidates, their performances, and the debates as they were occurring. During the 90-minute vice presidential debate, 249 students and faculty posted more than 900 comments, as well as responding to multiple online polls. Similar numbers of community members participated during subsequent debates, with some St. Andrew’s parents also joining the discussion. “For the school’s first foray into real-time blogging on current issues, the participation was remarkable,” said Chris Harth, St. Andrew’s Director of Global Studies. “This event demonstrated the power of technology to raise the level of political awareness and civic engagement in our students, which was the goal of the school’s election program.” On election day, students in all three divisions dressed in

red, white, and blue, donning political buttons, hats, and other memorabilia. Lower School students wore t-shirts specially designed by a local artist to commemorate the occasion. St. Andrew’s conducted a mock election on both campuses, complete with old-fashioned voting booths. Students in the Lower School cast their votes for president on paper ballots, while Middle and Upper School students and faculty cast electronic ballots on laptops for congressional and presidential candidates. The St. Andrew’s results mirrored those from Mississippi, with Gregg Harper defeating Joel Gill, Thad Cochran defeating Erik Fleming, Roger Wicker defeating Ronnie Musgrove, and John McCain defeating Barack Obama – the only result that did not reflect the eventual outcome of the national election. The Madison County Journal ran a front-page story about election activities at St. Andrew’s, highlighting the leadership role of students like Leah Frances Jones and the positive educational and civic benefits of such student-centered, technology-rich, real-world programs. 37

Dr. Mike Sullivan teaches ninth grade biology and environmental science at St. Andrew’s, but outside the classroom, his passion is algae. To be specific, Sullivan’s specialty is Karenia brevis, the dinoflagellate (a microscopic algal species) that causes the dreaded “red tide” phenomenon in Gulf Coast waters. “Red tide” refers to massive microalgae blooms that wreak havoc on the Gulf Coast. If 10,000 Karenia brevis cells were stretched end-to-end, they would form a chain about one inch long, but the algal blooms they spawn can grow to be miles across. Once the blooms form, there is no way to stop them or break them up. Neurotoxins produced by the blooms result in massive fish kills and respiratory irritation for people walking along red tide-impacted beaches. No human deaths have been attributed to Gulf Coast red tide, but for coastal communities reliant on tourism and commercial fishing, the economic consequences are disastrous. Dr. Sullivan is part of a red tide research project funded by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Research Institute. The red tide research team monitors the

The diatom Karenia brevis was named after Dr Karen Steidinger, one of Dr. Sullivan’s friends and colleagues.

Dr. Sullivan says. “Some scientists believe the blooms are no worse than they’ve ever been; rather, they’re just more welldocumented now. Other scientists interpret the data differently and are reasonably certain the blooms have increased in intensity and duration. The truth is

ware where he completed his master’s and doctoral degrees in marine biology. “My original plan was to study fish, but the only fellowship open at Delaware was a project that involved studying marine algae,” Dr. Sullivan recalls. “I signed on for that project and fell in

“When my wife and I vacation on the beach near Destin, Florida, I do manage to refrain from sampling the water. But I just can’t stop myself from scooping up the algae and boring other people on the beach to death talking about it.” coastal waters of Florida for the presence of Karenia brevis and conducts research in an attempt to learn how the algal blooms form and move. Field teams from Florida State University and Coast Guard Auxiliary units collect water samples from the long stretch of coastline between Tampa and Pensacola, Florida. The samples are shipped to Sullivan, who examines them under a high-resolution microscope to determine if Karenia brevis is present, and if so, in what amount. A recent sample from Destin, Florida, contained more than four million cells in one liter of seawater. “Early accounts of Spanish explorers to America include descriptions of red tides, so it’s not a new phenomenon,”

we’re just not sure. “One of the biggest questions we’re trying to answer is whether or not the blooms are related to human activity,” Sullivan continues. “It’s a complex phenomenon, and we know only a little more about it today than we did 50 years ago. The goal of this research is to understand how the blooms form so we can modify the factors that cause them and perhaps prevent them or lessen their duration.” The red tide study is the latest project in Dr. Sullivan’s nearly 40 year-career as a research scientist. Sullivan earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from Stony Brook University in New York, then headed to the University of Dela38

love with the study of diatoms, a large group of microscopic algae.” In 1976, Dr. Sullivan accepted a position with Mississippi State University (MSU), where he spent the next 29 years teaching and conducting research. Much of his work focused on the study of various species of diatoms. These microscopic algae are an effective tool for monitoring environmental quality and are critical to many studies, including those related to water quality, marine food chains, and oil exploration. Dr. Sullivan has been involved in every level of research, from proposing studies to crawling through marshes to collect specimens, from bringing in research dollars to publishing his results.

red Why Mike Sullivan is Seeing

“I enjoy the work in the lab, but the field collection has always been my favorite part,” Dr. Sullivan says. “Wading through those marshes and swamps is hot, dirty, and just wonderful.” During his long and productive career at MSU, Dr. Sullivan directed the work of master’s and doctoral degree candidates, published more than 50 articles in noted research journals, presented his findings nationally and internationally, and brought more than

“CSI Algae”

If the popular “CSI” TV franchise ever

decided to launch a spinoff called “CSI Algae,” Dr. Mike Sullivan could definitely play the leading role. Dr. Sullivan has occasionally been called upon to serve as a bit of a forensic diatom specialist. The highway patrol once recruited him to connect a pair of muddy boots from a crime scene to a particular body of water based on the diatoms left in the boot treads. He’s also been asked to analyze water samples presented as evidence in a court case and testify as to whether the diatoms in the sample were freshwater or saltwater. If the trend continues, algae-based forensics just might make prime time.

$1.4 million in research grant funds to MSU. For more than 14 years he served as editor of Diatom Research, a scientific journal devoted to his area of expertise. Following his retirement from MSU, Dr. Sullivan spent three years as a research scientist at the Marine Laboratory at Florida State University. When two of his three adult children moved back to Mississippi, Sullivan and his wife returned to the state and in 2007 he joined the faculty at St. Andrew’s. “Teaching at the high school level allows me to be so much more involved with my students,” Sullivan says. “At MSU, I lectured from a stage. Here, I have more opportunity to interact with the students one-on-one. St. Andrew’s students are incredible. Academically, nothing has to be ‘dumbed down’ for them, and on a personal level, I’ve been very impressed with how supportive they are of one another in and outside the classroom.” Dr. Sullivan’s ability to share his experiences in research at the university level has proven beneficial to St. Andrew’s students, particularly those who aspire to careers in science or scientific research. It’s possible that someday in the near future, St. Andrew’s could launch an 39

in-depth research program under Dr. Sullivan’s leadership. Such a program would not only introduce St. Andrew’s students to scientific research at an advanced level, but might also make the school a candidate for research grants. “Our biology courses here at St. Andrew’s are already second to none in Mississippi,” says Sandra Hindsman, Chairman of the St. Andrew’s science department, “but the ability to involve students in conducting and publishing original research would take our science program to a new level. If Dr. Sullivan were given the opportunity to develop a research program here at St. Andrew’s, it could result in local, regional, and national recognition for our school and our students.” The idea of leading a research project at St. Andrew’s appeals to Dr. Sullivan, who confesses that even after 40plus years in the field, he still can’t get enough. “When my wife and I vacation on the beach near Destin, Florida, I do manage to refrain from sampling the water,” Dr. Sullivan says. “But I just can’t stop myself from scooping up the algae and boring other people on the beach to death talking about it.”

{ a c a d e m i c s }

St. Andrew’s Claims Mississippi’s AP State Scholars yet Again and

Sandesh Shettar Kate Ma

the

continue St. Andrew’s tradition

“St. Andrew’s remarkable record in Advanced Placement testing reflects not only the quality of the St. Andrew’s student, but also the quality of the St. Andrew’s teacher.” — George Penick

Above: Sandesh Shettar with Governor Haley Barbour and Kate Ma

{ a c a d e m i c s }

Of the 32 students recognized as Mississippi AP State Scholars, 30 have been St. Andrew’s students, including every AP State Scholar for the last 12 years. Continuing the St. Andrew’s tradition are the 2008 AP State Scholars, Sandesh Shettar, now a student at the University of Pennsylvania, and Kate Ma, currently a student at Harvard University. In 1993 the College Board began distinguishing AP State Scholars, the one male and one female high school student in each state and the District of Columbia with grades of three (3) or higher (with five being the highest) on the greatest number of exams, and also

the highest average grade (at least 3.5) on all AP exams taken. For Sandesh Shettar, recognition as the AP State Scholar was not only a St. Andrew’s tradition, but also a family tradition. Sandesh’s older brother, Vignesh, was the 2004 AP State Scholar. The Shettars are the fourth pair of St. Andrew’s siblings to receive State Scholar recognition. Other Scholar siblings include the Fowlers, Kendra ’93 and Julia ’96; the Agarwals, Kush ’99 and Khushboo ’01; and the Guptas, Angela ’00 and Rishi ’07. St. Andrew’s students as a whole continue to shine on the AP exams. Fiftyone students, who represent 44 per-

cent of all the St. Andrew’s students who took an AP examination last year, were named 2008 Advanced Placement Scholars by the College Board due to their exceptional performance. Globally, just 18% of the 1.6 million students who took an AP exam qualified to be recognized as an AP Scholar. “St. Andrew’s remarkable record in Advanced Placement testing reflects not only the quality of the St. Andrew’s student, but also the quality of the St. Andrew’s teacher,” says Head of School George Penick. “The dedication St. Andrew’s students and teachers have for one another is just one of the things that make this school so outstanding.”

M Congratulations to St. Andrew’s Episcopal School’s 2008 AP Scholars M AP National Scholars, who earned an average of 4 or higher on at least eight exams: Walker Anderson Zach Bullard Kyle Craft Catherine Frazier Sameer Goel Carter Graham Kate Ma Elisabeth Mabus Sandesh Shettar

Margaret Sullivan Neil VanLandingham Grace Wallace

AP Scholars with Distinction, who earned an average of 3.5 on all exams taken, scoring 3 or higher on at least five exams: Asha Anand Nicholas Ewing Mark Fields Lindsey Graeber Ellen Paige Jones Clara Martin Gabby Merritt Joe Parry Charlton Roberts Grace Serio Ann Walt Stallings

AP Scholars with Honor, who earned an average of 3.25, scoring 3 or higher on at least four exams: Paige Adoue William Flowers Maxwell James Jeff Lowery Parker Murff Nathan Payne Andrew Roach Olivia Wells

AP Scholars, who earned a 3 on at least three exams: Nina Anand Chandler Anthony Divya Baliga Kyle Bellamy Robinson Crawford Saumya Goel Daniel Hammett Isabel Holmes Greg McMillin Elizabeth Morrison Wells Mortimer Douglas Odom Allison Oswalt Nicholas Powell Corbett Senter Nitisha Shrestha Charles Woods

M St. Andrew’s AP State Scholars M 1993 – Josh Cox and Kendra Fowler 1994 – Brent Martin and Amanda Moore 1995 – Eric Ford 1996 – Julia Fowler 1997 – Jennifer Drinkwater and Adam Friedman 1998 – Andrew Chatham and Laura Eichhorn 1999 – Kush Agrawal and Caroline Evans 2000 – Chester Yarbrough and Angela Gupta

2001 – Khushboo Agrawal and Jonathan Stricker 2002 – Tyler Givens and Gita Subramony 2003 – Lacey Gattis and Andrew Harrison 2004 – Morgan Cowan and Vignesh Shettar 2005 – Neil Maneck and Parry VanLandingham 2006 – Andy Church and Amanda Parsons 2007 – Rishi Gupta and Anna Hopper 2008 – Sandesh Shettar and Kate Ma

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National Merit and National Achievement Semifinalists St. Andrewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2008

The College Board recognized 14 St. Andrewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Episcopal School students as National Merit Semifinalists, National Achievement Semifinalists, or National Achievement Commended Students due to their outstanding performance on the PSAT. The group represents 17 percent of their senior

class. These bright and talented students will compete to become National Merit Finalists and receive scholarships to colleges and universities nationwide. The students are (front, from left) Kristi Walker, Jennifer Murray, Gabby Merritt, Wynne Campbell, Victoria Isaacs, Blythe Bynum, Grace Serio; and

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(standing) Daniel Hammett, Kyle Bellamy, William Simmons, Robinson Crawford, Nathan Payne, Douglas Odom, and Neil VanLandingham. Ms. Walker is an Achievement Semifinalist; Ms. Murray is both a Merit and Achievement Semifinalist. Ms. Bynum and Ms. Merritt are Commended Students.

Home

Coming

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1. 2008 Homecoming Queen Claire Whitehurst after being crowned by 2007 Queen Laura Nicholas 2. The 2008 senior court congratulates Claire.

5. Susannah Green, Mary Michael Lindsay, Kelsey Casano, Kandi Walker during Twin Day

3. Aubrey Flowers, Johnna Henry, Maryam Qureshi, Larken Byers, Rebecca Johnson, Walker Blackston at the bonfire

6. Haley Hawsey, Kate Hensarling during Twin Day

4. Hannah Paulding, Maryam Qureshi, Johnna Henry, Ida Lee Shwartz at the big game

8. Sophie Lewis and Taylor Martin cheering at the Lower School pep rally

7. George Bey, Larken Byers on Criminal Day

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Junior Miss program emphasizes education and personal development and helps young women with their progress in life. Everything that Junior Miss stands for seems to parallel my own values.â&#x20AC;?

Sidney Anthony mississippi’s

Junior Miss Already a school and community leader, St. Andrew’s senior Sidney Anthony marked yet another achievement when she was named the 2009 Mississippi’s Junior Miss. “When my name was announced, I was filled with gratitude,” Sidney recalls. “Gratitude to God, my family, friends, supporters, and everyone who had helped in any way in getting me where I now stood.” Sidney won the Mississippi’s Junior Miss title in a statewide competition held in Meridian last July. Each of the 43 participating contestants qualified for the statewide program by winning a preliminary competition. Sidney entered as Madison County’s Junior Miss. The Junior Miss program emphasizes personal development, education, and life skills that help prepare young women for success in college and beyond. The five areas of Junior Miss competition include interview, talent, scholastics, physical fitness, and personal expression, which includes an on-stage question. “For me, the most challenging part of the competition was the interview portion because I had no experience in that area,” Sidney says. “It was a little nerve-wracking, but I’m so glad I brought myself to face this challenge. The Junior Miss program pushes young women to be the best they can be, and to reach for things they might never have pursued if they had not participated in the competition.” Sidney brought an impressive record of leadership, service, and academic achievement to the Junior Miss program. She is St. Andrew’s student body president and the

co-captain of the varsity cheerleading squad, and is a member of the National Honor Society, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Student Leadership Team, and the St. Andrew’s chamber choir. Outside of school, Sidney performs with a competitive dance team and is a member of Christ United Methodist Church. Sidney has received more than $20,000 in college scholarships through the Madison County Junior Miss and Mississippi Junior Miss competitions. In June, she will compete for additional scholarships in the America’s Junior Miss competition in Mobile, Alabama. Following graduation fro St. Andrew’s, Sidney plans to attend Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, where she has been accepted into both the Business Scholars Program in the Cox School of Business and the Meadows School of the Arts Division of Dance. “Junior Miss really allows girls to challenge themselves,” says Cheryl Anthony, Sidney’s mother. “Sidney has been blessed to benefit from an experience that has allowed her to gain self-confidence, develop life skills, and form lasting friendships.” “The most exciting part of Junior Miss has been meeting other girls who are like me in so many ways. It was nice to meet like-minded people with similar priorities,” Sidney says. “The Junior Miss program emphasizes education and personal development and helps young women with their progress in life. Everything that Junior Miss stands for seems to parallel my own values.” 45

Curtain

Calls

St. Andrew’s fall productions transported audiences from the Salem witch trials to the Garden of Eden.

a performance series. Developed by the same team that created Les Miserables, the musical is a universal story of parents and children based on the book of Genesis. Part I focuses on Adam and Eve and their fall from grace, their relationship with their own children, Cain and Abel, and their ultimate reunion with the Father. Part II, the story of Noah and the ark, comes this spring.

The Crucible The St. Andrew’s Upper School theatre department presented Arthur Miller’s Tony Award winning play The Crucible. This exciting drama about the Puritan purge of witchcraft in old Salem is both a gripping historical play and a parable of our contemporary society. The story focuses upon a farmer, his wife, and a young girl who maliciously accuses the wife of witchcraft.

Mr. Bell’s Magnificent Ringing Machine Third graders staged a production of Mr. Bell’s Magnificent Ringing Machine, a lighthearted tale about the importance of telephony. The Christmas Story First graders delighted their classmates and parents with a heartfelt performance of The Christmas Story.

Children of Eden Seventh and eighth graders presented Children of Eden, the first in

The Crucible

Clockwise from left: Captions to go here; Captions to go here; Captions to go here; Captions to go here.

Children of Eden

Mr. Bellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Magnificent Ringing Machine

The Christmas Story

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Attendance Up at St. Andrew’s Draw Down The 11th Annual Draw Down, the St. Andrew’s Athletic Booster Club’s major fundraiser, posted a record year with a total sellout of 300 tickets. Hank and Jenny Holman co-chaired this year’s event, held November 8th at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. Guests enjoyed entertainment by emcee David Russell and sampled around-the-world cuisine pre-

Thanks to our 11th Annual Draw Down Sponsors

Standout ($2,000) BankPlus The Gertrude C. Ford Foundation, Inc. Team Player ($1,000) Tellus Operating Group, LLC

pared by Wendy and Bruce Putt with Fresh Cut Catering & Floral. Other event highlights included a video presentation showcasing St. Andrew’s athletes and a prize-packed silent auction. St. Andrew’s thanks all of the families, contributors, and sponsors of this year’s Draw Down, which provides financial support for the school’s 40 athletic teams.

Fan ($500) John D. Giddens, P.A. Hudsons, Inc. Jackson Pulmonary Associates, P.A. Dr. and Mrs. James Spencer Jones Regions Bank Special thanks to: Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum staff Emcee David Russell

Congratulations to the five lucky ticket holders who split the $10,000 prize:

David and Patsy Marsh Greg and Debbie McNeely D. Paul Seago Robert P.N. Shearin Tommy and Elise Williams

Door prize and silent auction contributors 11th Annual Draw Down committee members St. Andrew’s Athletic Booster Club Board St. Andrew’s Administration, Business, and Institutional Advancement offices

Pictured Left to Right are: Co-Chairs Jenny and Hank Holman; Emcee David Russell; ? and ? 48

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It’s How They Play the Game On on at

average,

St. Andrew’s Upper School students participate least one of the school’s sports teams. St. Andrew’s student athletes explain what it means to them to win, to lose, and to play the game. percent of

“Even while our team suffered such injuries, new runners stepped up, reviving the legacy – 12 consecutive state championships.”

The boys team won the state championship for the 13th year in a row and the 20th time overall

A CrossCountry Odyssey by Neil VanLandingham, Class of 2009 Members of the boy’s cross-country team struggled with significant health issues last season, yet the team pressed on to win the state championship. Senior Neil VanLandingham - who weathered an illness of his own - was so inspired by his teammates’ perseverance that he evoked the spirit of Virgil in describing the against-all-odds championship season. So come, listen, as Neil shares an epic ode of a brave young men and their determination to fulfill their cross-country destiny. I sing of legs and of a man, who bearing forth that indomitable fury in his unconquered heart, spilled his sweat on the ruinous landscape, knowing well what penalties were to be paid in con-

sequence to his audacity. Austin McCarley, less a man than a numen of timeless virtues, and more a man than any other I’ve ever met, his wide veins coursing with inordinate amounts of testosterone, his spirit, both celestial and earthbound, an anachronism held by all as a symbol to human endurance, for indeed that is the purpose of our contest: to endure. The cardiovascular system of our spoken hero, indomitable yet ailing, proved in its corporeal state insufficient in matching the valor of his spirit, thus he passed out not once, nor twice, but three times this season (the last of which was the state meet), three times the mortal glaze covering his eyes in the pallor of his bloodless countenance and the spasms of his abdominal wall, yet never once did he falter in his resolve, drawing forth from the depths of his 49

marrow an unfailing perseverance, returning race after race, well aware of his own dangers, for such is the nature of Austin, and such is the nature of the St. Andrew’s cross-country team. When I, myself, first sent word in captain’s duty, invoking the select to labor and toil under the wavering firmament of southern heat, to undergo the annealing fires of summer training, I lacked the prescience of my own fall: my pancreas soon to be incensed by the arrows of quiver-bearing Apollo in hideous disease. Yet the other senior captains carried on, Sid and Blake Johnson – the state meet’s top finishers (speed has never gone so fast) – and of course, the heroic Austin. Even while our team suffered such injuries, new runners stepped up, reviving the legacy – 12 consecutive state championships. Sam Martin and Daniel Hammet showed extraordinary courage in replacing the fallen. In defiance to all circumstance, the St. Andrew’s cross-country team won its thirteenth consecutive state championship this year, finishing respectively Blake Johnson, Sid Johnson, Will Sneed, Sam Martin, Daniel Hammet, and Timothy Hopper, champions of endurance and human solidarity every one of them, heroes of unrivaled strength.

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“Yes, a championship team needs leaders and players, but it also demands the support of many people who will never catch a pass or sack a quarterback.”

The View From the Sidelines On and off the field with Elliot Varney, Class of 2009 When people talk about a football player, the conversation usually comes down to the stats. He ran for this many yards and that many touchdowns, or he sacked the quarterback x number of times. So what happens when there are no numbers next to your name? How will you be remembered? How can you contribute? During the third Saints football

For the Lava the Game Winning and losing with Caroline Womack, Class of 2010 When we arrived in Wesson, the slow-pitch softball team’s record was 20-0. We left Wesson 20-1. I was upset the entire way home – that is, until we stopped at a Wendy’s where Carolyn Huff and Mary Helen Ford stole Mary Hannah Cooper’s joke book. As I sulked at a neighboring table, I heard them laughing so hard they were choking on their food. Then they came over and asked me a riddle I truly wasn’t in the mood to answer: “What did the

Charlie Scott goes for the goal line

game of 2008, I found myself sprawled on the field with a cracked vertebra. In a split second, my senior season was over. The touchdowns I had thrown and the touchdowns I had run for meant nothing anymore. To me, the game of football had always been about the stats and getting your name and your picture in the paper. I was frustrated about what I thought at the time was losing my last season as a Saint. But I soon came to realize that I was being selfish. The coaches and my teammates had done just as much work as I had, and I could still help them have the winning season they deserved. I found ways to contribute, to encour-

boy volcano say to the girl volcano?” Answer: “Do you lava me like I lava you?” I had to laugh, and in doing so, I managed to push that painful loss to the back of my mind. The 2008 slow-pitch softball team was one of St. Andrew’s best as far as statistics go, but the team was one of my personal favorites for reasons that won’t be noted in the record book. As a team, we supported each other and brought each other each other up not only on the field, but also off the field. That ability to lift one another’s spirits is the real reason I lava my slowpitch teammates. 50

age my teammates – both when they were playing well and when they were slacking – and did my best to continue to help the team win, even though my position was now on the sidelines. I learned that while football is a sport of stat sheets, there are many ways to contribute off the playing field. Yes, a championship team needs leaders and players, but it also demands the support of many people who will never catch a pass or sack a quarterback. Losing my senior season was a big disappointment. But I learned that no matter what happens, I will never let anyone tell me that I cannot do something to make a difference.

Thea’ Myers throws for the plate

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“This is our last year!” I believe it was our first revelation that this really was the final show, the grand finale.

Mia Martinson crosses the finish line at the State Meet

Finish Lines On the run with Clara Martin, Class of 2009 Every year since eighth grade, crosscountry season has been etched in my mind as unique because of the people, the captains, where we went, and what we accomplished. But I don’t believe I really understood what cross-country

That’s What It’s All About Dancing the Hokey-Pokey with Blythe Bynum, Class of 2009 You put your right foot in You take your right foot out You put your right foot in And you shake it all about You do the Hokey-Pokey, And you turn yourself around That’s what it’s all about

has meant to me until this year as a senior leading the team. After a race that felt like we were running through the Vietnamese jungle, co-captain Elizabeth Fike and I turned to each other, faces flecked with grass and mud and said, “This is our last year!” I believe it was our first revelation that this really was the final show, the grand finale.

Our first-year players stepped up to join the returning players and all of the team members bonded to create a unique atmosphere on the court. As the season progressed, we became a team with presence. Our only setback was our fear of losing. Amy Handelman with the spike

The 2008-09 volleyball season can be summed up in two words: Hokeypokey. A novelty song and dance more often associated with childhood, the Hokey-Pokey brought a youthful vigor to this year’s team. After losing nine seniors from the class of 2008, many expected this season to be a period of rebuilding for the Lady Saints. But during the hot summer practices, a new team emerged. 51

Senior year, you find yourself counting down the days—not because you want to get away, but so that you can make the most of it. So this year, we ran each race as if the next one might not come, because for us seniors, it will not. If I’ve learned anything from all those years of running, it’s this: the key to succeeding is passion, determination, and giving more than you believe you can. Half-hearted action leads to half-hearted results. The true winner doesn’t always cross the line first, but does rise after each fall, setting her eyes on a new horizon. In life, just as in running, there are many finish lines. But it’s not how many lines are crossed, but the spirit in which they are crossed, that make an ordinary runner a champion.

Then at mid-season, a new pre-match ritual emerged which would allow us to cope with our fears. This ritual raised the morale of the girls on the court and of their teammates on the sideline. The ritual was the hokeypokey, and it became the key to our success. Putting our right feet in, out, and shaking them all about loosened us up and gave us the positive attitude we needed to finish a game. We no longer sulked around the court with our heads hanging after a loss. Instead, we held our heads high waiting for the next game to begin. As a team, we turned ourselves around, and by the end of the season we advanced to the first level of state competition with optimism. The Lady Saints of 2008-2009 grew into a family that worked together on and off the court, and that’s what it’s all about.

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The swimming team prepares for the North State meet

The Launch of a New Era Making waves with Avery Burrell, Class of 2010 The 2008 girls’ swim team exemplified all that an athletic team should promote: teamwork, enjoyment, perseverance, and success. The introduction of a new coach, Nicole Slade, who has actually swum in a pool with Michael

In it Together Sink or Swim In the lanes with George Bey IV, Class of 2011 The boys’ swim team began the season as a new team with a new coach and the challenge of learning to trust one another and truly pull together as a team.

Phelps marked our team’s transition into a more competitive group. We worked harder in practice, placed highly in meets, and had more fun than ever before encouraging one another. Our team spirit was never more evident than at the north state meet. Every swimmer from our team competed in her best events as a last chance to qualify for the state meet. Swimmers usually spend every moment not in the pool resting and conserving energy, but we rushed

to watch our teammates compete and cheer them on. Regardless of our individual goals, we as a team supported every swimmer in a show of true team spirit. Out of 41 teams, we placed twelfth in state meet and second in the 2A division. For a state championship team of six girls, this was a phenomenal finish. After all we achieved, it seems only fitting that our swimming t-shirts this year were emblazoned with the motto “A New Era” and a superman “S” on the front.

One of the most memorable moments of the season came in the form of a comment made after the boys’ 200 freestyle relay team qualified for state at the first meet of the year. We had just walked away from the starting block, worn out and tired after swimming as fast as we could in the top heat against some of the fastest swimmers in Mississippi. As we made our

way back to the bench, our teammate William Boyles said, “Michael Phelps would bow down to us in all our glory.” William was joking, but I actually believe that Phelps and the other Olympic swimmers who made history this year just might have been proud of us –a ragtag group of swimmers who managed to become a team of solid competitors and a group of solid friends.

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The dance team proudly display their winning trophies

Saints Fall Varsity Sports Records Varsity Football 8–3, District Champions Boys Cross-Country State Champions Girls’ Cross Country 2nd in State

Slow-Pitch Softball 21–2 Volleyball 11–11 Boys Swimming 20th in State Girls Swimming 12th in State

Hip Hop Hooray A victory dance with Lauren McMillin, Class of 2010 The St. Andrew’s dance team was founded in the spring of 2006 and became an instant crowd-pleaser. Last fall, the team competed for the first time in the MHSAA state dance championships, performing its own choreography in the 2A jazz and hip hop categories. It was incredible to see just how many dance teams were there and the level of talent they had to share. As new competitors we were a little nervous, but happy to be there and confident that we had performed well. Finally, the time came for the awards ceremony. We anxiously awaited the results as we gathered among the many other teams in the competition. Our first category was called – 2A jazz – and 53

we received second place. We adorned ourselves in silver medals, pleased with our efforts as first time competitors. Then it happened: the 2A hip hop results were announced and the first place winner was – St. Andrew’s Episcopal School. No one could hold back the excitement as we hung gold medals around our necks and proudly displayed our championship trophy. Our dance team, started from scratch only three years prior to this event, was the state hip hop champion. There was nothing left to do but dance the night away in celebration.

“No one could hold back the excitement as we hung gold medals around our necks and proudly displayed our championship trophy.”

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A Champion, On and Off the Field Farewell to David Bradberry

The St. Andrew’s community bid a fond farewell and wished the best of luck to veteran football coach and athletic director David Bradberry, who left St. Andrew’s in December to become assistant director of the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA). “Playing for Coach Bradberry filled me with a sense of pride and encouraged me to play to the best of my abilities,” said senior football player Graham Smith. “Off the field, he has meant so much to me and my family.

We will miss him dearly.” Bradberry came to St. Andrew’s in 2002 as athletic director and assistant football coach, and was named the Saints’ head football coach in 2003. Under Bradberry’s leadership, the Saints

won the district title four of the last five years. His finest year at St. Andrew’s came in 2006, when the Saints finished as the south state runner-up with a 12-2 season record. Bradberry wrapped up his final season at St. Andrew’s with

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“David Bradberry has been a positive and inspiring figure, not only for the football team, but for all of our student athletes, the coaching staff, faculty, parents, and those of us in the stands who take pride in sharing in the athletic success of St. Andrew’s. David’s tenure here will stand out as that of a strong role model who exemplified the highest moral character, the strongest ethical standards, the importance of hard work, and a commitment to the high standards of St. Andrew’s Episcopal School.” — George Penick, St. Andrew’s Head of School

a record of 8-3 and his fourth district championship. His final record over six years with the Saints was 52-19. Bradberry’s success wasn’t limited to the football field. In every year that Bradberry served as athletic director, St. Andrew’s was named Mississippi’s Best All-Around 2A Sports Program. Bradberry stood for more than just excellent coaching, serving as a role model for St. Andrew’s students. “Playing football under Coach Bradberry, I not only learned the game of football, I learned respect, honor, and a hard-working mentality,” said senior Jerrod Meyers. “David raised not only the level of our coaching at St. Andrew’s, but also the level of academics and the caliber of the entire sports program,” said George Penick, Head of School. “St. Andrew’s is losing a truly great coach, but the MHSAA is gaining a leader who understands and cares for the well-being of student athletes and will now be in a position to help young people statewide.” The Mississippi High School Activities Association is a nonprofit association responsible for academic and athletic competitions for the 569 Mississippi secondary schools in its membership, which includes St. Andrew’s. MHSAA directs contests, games, and

other interscholastic activities, and encourages scholarship and good sportsmanship among student athletes. As the organization’s assistant director, Bradberry will oversee baseball, powerlifting, and boys’ golf, and will assist with other sports. While Bradberry is looking forward to the challenges ahead, he’ll take away countless memories from his years at St. Andrew’s. “A couple of games stand out, like our win over McLaurin in 2004 when we were both 8–0 and the district title was on the line, or our playoff win over Lumberton in 2006,” Bradberry recalled. “But what I’ll miss most about St. Andrew’s are the family atmosphere and the hamburgers on the grill at the Friday night home games, the students I coached, and the closeness of the whole St. Andrew’s family. “I’ll never be able to express in words the impact that St. Andrew’s has had on my life,” Bradberry continued. “The administration, faculty, and staff at St. Andrew’s are second to none. To all of you, thank you for what you’ve done for me and for my family over the past seven years. It’s been an honor working here, and I would like to think I’m a better person because of my years at St. Andrew’s.”

Welcome to the Team St. Andrew’s new head football coach is Ted Taylor, former head football coach and athletic director at Madison Central High School. Taylor has taught and coached in high school programs in the Metro area and on the Mississippi Gulf Coast for more than 30 years. As the head football coach of Harrison Central High School in Gulfport, he led the team to the 1990 district championship and was selected to be an assistant coach in the 1991 Mississippi High School All-Star game. From 1993 to 1997 and 1999 to 2006, Taylor coached football and powerlifting at Madison Central High School. DeWayne Cupples, most recently athletic director of the Wesleyan School in Norcross, Georgia, and a former athletic director at Jackson Preparatory School, is St. Andrew’s new athletic director. Under his leadership, the Wesleyan School was named the 2007-08 GHSA Overall Directors Cup Champion (Georgia’s equivalent of the MHSAA All-Sports Award). Sports Illustrated ranked Wesleyan as Georgia’s number 1 high school athletic program among both private and public schools, and ranked the school number 16 in the nation. “St. Andrew’s is very fortunate to have two individuals who will provide such strong leadership to the school’s athletic program,” says Dr. George Penick, St. Andrew’s Head of School. “Each of these men has proven himself as a leader who can inspire our student athletes, build on the school’s winning tradition, and organize our sizable athletic program. Building on Coach Bradberry’s many accomplishments, I am excited about what these two proven leaders will bring to St. Andrew’s.”

lass

notes

Please e-mail future Class Notes to Mary Harwell ’93 at harwellc@gosaints.org. 1975 Dr. Joan Becker was appointed vice provost of academic support services at the University of Massachusetts – Boston. 1977 Jim Dressner and his wife have lived and worked in Bangladesh for the last 20 years. They currently teach English and oversee a vocational training program in a small town two hours from the capital. Jim recently accompanied their son, Brian, to the United States, where Brian will begin studies at the University of Chicago. The Dressners plan to remain in Bangladesh until June 2010, when their daughter completes her high school education.

Lily Wynne

1979 Ben Wynne and his wife, Carly, welcomed a daughter, Lily, on July 13 in Athens, Georgia. Ben is assistant professor of history at Gainesville State College and Carly is assistant professor of education at Gainesville State College. 1986 Missy Donaldson is the creative director at Ferguson & Associates, an architectural firm in Jackson. Her daughter, Addie, turned two in February. In her spare time, Missy plays tennis and takes Pilates classes. 1987 Cheryl Collins has launched a jewelrymaking venture and is looking to pursue her master’s degree. A Jackson resident, she is a member of the St. Andrew’s Alumni Board.

Traci Blair Strickland and her husband, Mark, welcomed their second son, Andrew, on June 26, 2008. Andrew joins big brother Carter (4). The Stricklands live in Memphis, Tennessee, where Traci is director of marketing at Sovereign Wealth Management and senior sales director with Mary Kay Cosmetics and Mark is a CPA with The Marston Group, P.C.

1988 Susan Adams Oliff is a stay-at-home mom with a three-year-old son, Nicholas. She is one of many assistant organizers of a large stay-at-home mom’s group in the Leesburg/ Ashburn, Virginia, area. Susan’s husband, Tony, recently celebrated his 21st year of employment with the federal government.

Arnold (Chardo) Smith lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with his wife, Kathleen, and their three children ages 20 months to seven years. Chardo is in practice as a radiation oncologist. Hamp Stennis is the 4th District legal rights attorney at the American Federation of Government Employees in Washington, D.C. 1989 Barbara Brunson David lives in Jackson and is the mother of three children, Isabel and D’Ella (6) and Noah (3). She is director of the policy and research division for the Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Special Education.

Pam Franklin has been named principal of North Jackson Elementary School. Cynthia Chunn Gibbs lives in Madison with her husband, Chris, and their three children, Hannah (9), Emma Claire (7), and Alex (2). Cynthia teaches preschool part time and enjoys being with her children. Cristen Coker Hemmins lives in a historic farmhouse in Oxford, Mississippi, with her husband and three children ages three, five, and seven. Cristen owns her own business selling ads for Delta Magazine, The Oxford American, and the Mississippi State Medical Association Journal.

Meg Lowry Mitchell and Jay Mitchell ’88 were married on July 12, 2008 in Covington, Louisiana. They live in Mandeville, Louisiana, with Meg’s children Andrew (9) and Rebecca (6). Tabitha Shinault is a graphic designer for M3A Architecture, an internationally known firm based in the Jackson area. On a freelance basis, she creates graphics for various events and sells her photography through different photo sites. A fledgling writer working towards getting published, Tabitha also enjoys reading, playing video games, and spending time with her boyfriend, family, and friends. 1991 Shelly Mott Diaz is in her second year of law school at the University of Mississippi School of Law. She has a three-year-old son, Nicolas. Shelly has lived in Oxford for eight years.

Allison Lightwine and her husband, Benoît Fanna, live in the Parisian suburbs of France with their two daughters, Sophie (3) and Charlotte (1). Allison has her own business as a communications consultant and works with companies across Europe. 1992 Sophie Debeukelear married Ben Sullivan and they live in Pacific Grove, California.

Mary Margaret Johnson Neal and her husband, Dave, live in Atlanta, Georgia, with their sons, Pete (5) and Sam (3). Molly McGeoy Pritchard and her husband, Michael Pritchard ’91, live in Ashville, North Carolina, with their sons, Paxton (4) and Bridges (2).

Fran Lymberis Lewis is a registered nurse at Duke Raleigh Hospital. She has worked as a nurse for 15 years. Fran has two sons, Justin (14) and Jacob (10). Fran and her family relocated to Wake Forest, North Carolina, from Madison, Mississippi, in August of 2008. 1990 Scott Braswell is in his sixth year working for AIG Retirement as a financial advisor. Scott and his wife have two children, Katie Brandt (3) and Charlie (10 months). The Braswells live in Atlanta. 56

Jake McGrath

Dani Nir McGrath and her husband, Mike, live in San Jose, California, with their one-year-old son, Jake.

Leah, Charlie and Wes Johnston

Leah Johnston and her husband, Wes, have a baby boy named Charlie. The family recently moved to Gainesville, Florida, where Leah will teach at the University of Florida School of Law. Lee practiced law in Washington, D.C., for the past five years. Allison Cooper Ellis and her husband, Nathan, lived in Tampa Bay, Florida, for 15 years. They recently moved to Denver, Colorado, where Allison is the assistant director at a school. They are expecting a baby girl in April. Ellen Meeks is a physical therapist at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Dawn Bishop McLin and her husband, Prentiss, welcomed a daughter, Paxton Elisabeth, on June 12, 2008. Amanda Thames Tucker lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband, Jody, and three children, Kingsley (6) and twins Wiley and John Herschel (2). 1993 Sharla Bacheldor is a realtor with RE/ MAX Alliance. In 2008, she celebrated her best year in business and was named top producer for her company in July. Sharla finished the year ranked in the top eight percent of RE/MAX agents in Mississippi for individual commission earnings.

Lee Knight Caffery and Dana Draa welcomed a son, Miller Murphy Caffery-Draa, on November 30, 2008. Lee Knight practices environmental and toxic tort litigation at Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Ben Montgomery married Carrie Peters on November 15, 2008. Ben and Carrie live in Fairhope, Alabama.

Price Chadwick and his wife, Lydia, welcomed a son, Kael Alexander Chadwick, on August 14, 2008.

Julie Graves Powell and her husband, Tom, live in Arlington, Massachusetts, with their daughters, Mary Thomas (4) and Sarah Grace (2). Tom is working toward his Ph.D in biology from Harvard University and Julie is a stay-at-home mom.

Caroline Ranck Newkirk married Jim Newkirk ’76 on January 24, 2008 at St. Phillip’s Episcopal Church in Jackson. Caroline and Jim live in Madison, Mississippi.

Amy Lymberis Mungur received a master of arts in East Asian studies from Duke University after the successful completion and defense of her thesis, Engaging Technology: East Asian Pedagogy in the Digital Age. She is also a 1997 graduate of Millsaps College. Amy and her husband, Vijay, will travel to China in August, where she will study advanced Chinese language. Neely Whites and her husband have a one-year-old son, Andrew. Neely is a financial planner and tax advisor. 1994 Mitchell Marcum is the director of operations for the Mississippi chapter of the March of Dimes in Jackson. He was previously the deputy director of finance and administration for the Mississippi Museum of Art.

Leah Pickett graduated from Mississippi College School of Nursing in December 2008 and works as a registered nurse in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Katherine Mills Scanlon and her husband, John Scanlon ’93, live in Jackson, where Katherine is a production manager for Marketing Alliance, Inc., and John is an attorney with Pyle, Mills, Dye and Pittman. 1995 Chris Chotard and his wife, Milena, welcomed a son, Evan Armand Chotard, in July.

Erica Ezelle Roberts and her husband, Brandon, welcomed their second daughter, Emerson Lenoir, on September 3, 2008. She joins big sister Charley (2). Ben Everett and his wife, Stacy, welcomed their second child, daughter Sarah Bray, on December 19, 2008.

1997 Janet Bradley and her husband, Brian, welcomed a son, Luke Finnegan, on December 22, 2008.

Rachel Martin Butler and her husband, Sim, moved to Colorado Springs in July and welcomed a son, Mac, in August. Rachel works part time as a women’s health physical therapist and Sim is the speech and debate coach at Colorado College.

Karen McAllister is entering her fourth year with Counter Culture Coffee in Durham, North Carolina. She is a customer relations representative for accounts in North Carolina and Virginia.

Joe Egger and his wife, Sarah, welcomed a daughter, Eloise Lindall, on June 19, 2008.

Sarah Bray Everett

Darrington Seward graduated from the University of Mississippi in 2000. He and his wife, Mary Katherine, live in Yazoo City with their four children, Christopher (9), Mary Elizabeth (4), Jack (2), and Sam (six months). Darrington farms with Seward & Son Planting Company and Seward & Harris Planting Company, growing cotton, corn, soybeans, and rice.

1996 Louis Britton will join a private nephrology practice in Tupelo, Mississippi, in June 2009. 57

Henry Stover Buyan

Elizabeth Stevens Buyan and her husband, Greg, welcomed a son, Henry Stover Buyan, on December 11, 2008. Deana Ciaccio Jennings and her husband, Thomas, welcomed their third child, Rhett Whittaker, on August 14, 2008. They live in Little Rock, Arkansas. Thomas completed his Ph.D in May 2008 and will graduate from medical school in 2010. Prior to Rhett’s birth, Deana worked in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Wellington Lee lives in the Adam’s Morgan area of Washington, D.C. He is senior consultant for Bearing Point in the National Security Sector. Alison Sullenberger and Nathan Keiser will be married in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in the spring of 2009. The couple lives in Denver, Colorado, where Alison works in educational publishing and Nathan works in wind energy production.

Heather Keith Weathersby completed her licensure exams to become a registered architect. Heather and her husband, Troy, live in Atlanta, Georgia, where Heather works at Lord, Aeck & Sargent architecture firm. 1998 Justin Croft and his wife, Frances Patterson Croft ’98, welcomed a son, Justin Benjamin “Ben” Croft, Jr., on November 1, 2008.

Meta Pool Ginn and her husband, Micha, welcomed a son, Micha Jr., on October 13, 2008. The Ginns live in Oxford, Mississippi. 1999 Taylor Morse Davis married Wes Davis on November 8, 2008. Taylor teaches prekindergarten at St. Andrew’s.

Kathryn McWhorter Post and her husband, Steve, welcomed a son, Andrew William David Post, on July 3, 2008. Jennifer Smith Welch and her husband, David, welcomed a son, Myers Haywood Welch, on December 11, 2008. Laura Young recently returned from a year spent traveling the world with Chris Louis ’99. The two traveled through Central America, South America, Africa, and Asia. Laura is assistant coaching track at St. Andrew’s this spring. 2000 Emily Rose Evans graduated from Vanderbilt University’s masters of nursing program. She is an acute care nurse practitioner in a 16-bed emergency room in a hospital near Nashville, Tennessee. She rides horses competitively.

Lauren Jones is continuing her career in acting and modeling. She appeared in FX’s “Rescue Me” and on the cover of Jackson’s Portico magazine. The Portico photo was taken by Josh Hailey ’99. Nicole Jumper will graduate from the University of Tennessee College of Law in May 2009 and has accepted a position as a corporate associate with the Nashville office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, P.C. 2001 Jesse Butcher lives in Austin, Texas, where he is a curatorial staff member at Okay Mountain and Mass Gallery.

Caldwell Collins Israel is in her final year of law school at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, where she is the editor-in-chief of the Washington University Journal of Law and Policy. After graduation, she and her husband, Bill, will move to Nashville, Tennessee, where Caldwell will join the litigation department at Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, P.C.

and acts as tour manager and front-of-house engineer during the band’s shows.

Andy Shores is in art school at the University of Auburn. He plays semi-pro baseball for the Auburn Grays baseball team.

Carrie Menist graduated from Rhodes College in May 2008 and is pursuing a master’s degree in speech-language pathology at the University of Memphis.

2002

Katherine Crowell married Matthew Sean Gunby on October 4, 2008 at St. James Episcopal Church in Jackson. Anna Marsh Selby teaches fifth grade at North Shore Elementary School in the Rankin County School District. In December 2007, she received her master of education from Mississippi College and is currently working on a master’s degree in counseling. Anna married David Selby on June 7, 2008. They live in the Belhaven neighborhood of Jackson. Molly Wallace is in Washington, D.C., completing her speech therapy clinical fellowship at the Chesapeake Center. Amanda Thompson is a cheerleader for the New Orleans Saints football team. She had the opportunity to travel with the team to London, where she participated in publicity activities for a week prior to the Saints vs. Chargers game. Amanda made appearances on various TV and radio shows, performed at soccer and rugby games, and performed at Wembley Stadium for the NFL International Series game. 2003 Woods Drinkwater mixed an album that has been nominated for a Grammy Award. The album, “Live at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival,” by Beau Soleil and Michael Doucet, was one of five nominated in the category of Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album (voice or instrumental). A 2007 graduate of Loyola University in New Orleans with a degree in music business, Drinkwater mixed the album while working for the 2008 Jazz Fest; 2008 marked his fifth year with the event. For the past two summer tour campaigns, Woods traveled with the Allman Brothers Band, recording their official CDs at each concert. He is now recording and producing an album for the New Orleans band My Name Is John Michael,

2004 Stephanie Bell earned a bachelor of arts in criminal justice and psychology from Loyola University in New Orleans. She is taking a year off and living in Jackson while working and applying to graduate programs; her goal is a master’s degree in community counseling.

2006 Caitlin Clarke is a junior at the University of Mississippi. She is majoring in international studies and Spanish and is studying abroad this semester in Chile.

Nell Knox completed her first half marathon, the Second Annual Mississippi Blues Marathon, in Jackson. Nell trained for three months in preparation for the half marathon and completed the race nine minutes under her goal time. A junior English and education major at Millsaps College, Nell works at Lemuria bookstore in the children’s department. She and St. Andrew’s first grade teacher Judy Menist are considering co-authoring a children’s book. Ashley Wright completed a journalism internship with MSNBC in 2008. Her internship included coverage of the presidential debate on the University of Mississippi campus. A Barksdale Scholar in the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College at the University of Mississippi, she will travel to Pamplona, Spain, for the 2009 spring semester to study abroad and conduct thesis research. Ashley is a Spanish and English major with a 4.0 GPA.

Help Wanted Looking for the right person to fill that open position? Send a description of the job and the ideal candidate to St. Andrew’s new Career Board, and we’ll post the job listing in the alumni e-newsletter. Who knows? Maybe a fellow alum has just the skills you’re looking for. Send information about the job to Mary Harwell at harwellc@gosaints.org.

Together Again Members of the class of 1998 celebrated their 10-year reunion last November. Class members and their families gathered on the North Campus for lunch and a tour of the school. That evening the former classmates gathered for dinner at Schimmel’s Restaurant followed by entertainment by a local blues band. Members of the class of 1978 reunited in September, gathering at the South Campus for breakfast and a tour of their former campus. The former classmates met again that evening for dinner and socializing at Sal and Mookie’s.

Oh, come all ye (St. Andrew’s) faithful December 23 found many St. Andrew’s alumni gathered at Hal and Mal’s for the annual Alumni Christmas Party. More than 400 alums representing the classes of 1974 through 2008 shared memories and updated their friends on all they’ve experienced since graduation.

alumni christmas party: Top Row: Holly Roach, Dan Roach; Brent Martin, Katharine Martin, Sim Butler, Rachel Martin Butler; Middle Row: Devin Cox Rivers, Crystal Utley, Kate O’Mara Chandler; Suzanne Sones, Ken Sones; Adam Griffin, Margaret Munford, Jessica Farris; Bottom Row: Nicole Jumper, Lauren Jones, Rashard Johnson, Jennifer White, Jay Sones, Hadleigh Foil, May Smythe

kcaB gnikooL | Looking Forward An Alum and a Student Share Perspectives