Triangle - Spring 2013

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TRIANGLE Brentwood Academy Magazine | Spring 2013

NURTURING GOD-GIVEN TALENTS pg. 5

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Faculty Make Lasting Impressions // Grandparents’ Day // Big Brother/Big Sister

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Spring 2013

FROM THE HEADMASTER Dear BA family,

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orty years have passed since our first graduation ceremonies at Brentwood Academy. During those years, in countless ways, what is “normal” has changed.

Fortunately, even from within the changing culture, we can recognize there is an unchanging Truth that yields neither to popular opinion nor to the encroaching tide of moral relativity. As we continue to live out our mission, nurturing and challenging each whole person—body, mind and spirit—to the glory of God, we have daily opportunities to recognize God’s claim to all that we are and all that we have and to recognize that real education has eternal purpose and significance. In the incredible words from John Milton’s On Education, “The end then of learning is to repair the ruins of our first parents by regaining to know God aright, and out of that knowledge to love him, to imitate him, to be like him.”

Values like these are not inherited; they are taught. Our values shape our understanding of what is right and our perceptions of what is normal. And increasingly our values determine how we respond when what is “normal” does not match what we know is right. Our most significant values come from our understanding of God’s authority over every aspect of our lives and our understanding of the authority of God’s word. Will I yield to God’s authority in my life and to the authorities God puts in my life? Does God’s word have authority?

The way we answer those questions leads to our education, not just by doing our best and by learning the most that we can, but because we are becoming certain kinds of people.

Each of our lives—every life—is a miracle, a sacred gift from God. Hopefulness and helplessness are learned behaviors, as the late Stephen Glenn told us years ago. What gives us reason to hope in the middle of a world that is full of uncertainty?

And where do we find a hope that will not disappoint? I am reminded of the words of the great hymn, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” God has a plan and a purpose for each of our lives, whatever the career path we pursue, whatever part of the world we call home, whatever the circumstances of the moment. The stories in the following pages give brief glimpses into the many ways in which God has used relationships and experiences at Brentwood Academy to help people grow in their understanding of who God is and who God intends us to become, along with practical life-long lessons of the benefit of hard work, the joys of discovering God-given talents, the habits of self-discipline, and the love of learning. May our continued efforts at Brentwood Academy help us all “to know God aright, and out of that knowledge, to love him, to imitate him, to be like him.”

Curt Masters Headmaster, Brentwood Academy

BRENTWOOD ACADEMY MISSION Brentwood Academy is a co-educational, independent, college preparatory school dedicated to nurturing and challenging the whole person­—body, mind, and spirit—to the glory of God.

On the Cover: Anna Czarnik ‘16 and Mr. Jeffrey Scot Wills, woodwind instructor, share a love for music and a story of unexpected surprises.

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TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

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T RIANG LE SPRING 2013

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HEADMASTER Curtis G. Masters HEADMASTER EMERITUS William B. Brown, Jr. 2012-2013 TRUSTEE CHAIR J. Mac Brown ‘83 2012-2013 ALUMNI COUNCIL CO-PRESIDENTS Rebecca Fletcher Holmes ‘93 Kim Smith Elliott ‘95

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2012-2013 PARENTS ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT Sherri Boatright EDITORS Leah Hoskins Susan Shafer Cindy Tripp

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Unveiling a God-given Gift Freshman finds her voice in the clarinet.

Lasting Impressions Alumni reflect on faculty influence in their lives.

Teaching and Learning Is a Two-way Street Faculty learn from students.

Big Brother/Big Sister Legacy Juniors and seniors mentor new students.

Grandparents’ Day and Spiritual Emphasis Week 400 grandparents attend.

Winterim 2013 Students expand their horizons with learning opportunities.

The Story Collector Meet BA’s new director of development.

Faculty Focus Eighth grade teacher becomes a U.S. citizen.

Athletic News Highlights from fall and winter athletics.

Fine Arts News Middle and upper school fine arts students receive accolades.

Alumni News Updates from alumni (1973-2012).

STAFF WRITERS Leah Hoskins Peggy O’Neal Peden Susan Shafer CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Wes Boling ‘03 Katie Greene Valerie Battle Kienzle ‘76 Jacqueline Lunsford ‘14 Brad Perry ‘92 Bill Traughber ‘73 GRAPHIC DESIGN Phil Goodman PHOTOGRAPHY Phil Goodman Barry Robbins Jennifer Vickery Smith The Triangle Magazine is published twice annually under the direction of the Brentwood Academy communications department and is distributed without charge to family and friends of the school.

Brentwood Academy 219 Granny White Pike Brentwood, TN 37027 (615) 373-0611 brentwoodacademy.com facebook.com/brentwoodacademy twitter.com/baeagles 3

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Spring 2013

F EATURE STORY

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UNVEILING A GOD-GIVEN GIFT No one would ever have predicted that a light-hearted joke among classmates would become the unveiling of God’s amazing gift in a young girl’s life.

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eady to begin their eighth grade year in 2011 and in need of a fine arts credit, Anna Czarnik ‘16 and three friends “dared” one another to choose beginning band, a class filled with mostly incoming sixth grade students.

It was a dare for Anna only because she had never picked up an instrument or read a note of music in her life, so she thought percussion would be the way to go.

Mr. Jeffrey Scot Wills, BA’s woodwind instructor, recalls the instrument trial session that all beginning band students are required to attend at the start of the year so they can be paired with the instrument best suited for them: “This particular night, we had some eighth grade girls who giggled their way through instrument trials. Afterward, we (instructors) joked about which one of us would end up with them in our section.”

Little did Mr. Wills know at the time, but pairing Anna with the clarinet would represent the start of a journey that has changed her life.

“I have heard the word ‘prodigy’ used, but I had never seen what one looks like before. I feel like I am working with one now,” says Mr. Wills of Anna.

On that famed night, in addition to testing out all of the percussion instruments, Anna picked up the clarinet. Then she picked up the flute. It would be less than a few months later when she would also pick up the saxophone and the piccolo.

“Whatever she does, it seems to come to life in her hands. Anna found a voice on the clarinet, in particular, and has taken off like wildfire,” says Mr. Wills, who is an accomplished saxophonist and in his sixth year at BA as an instructor.

“I have worked with some great players, and I teach a lot of private lessons.

I think that God clearly cut out Anna to be a clarinet player. She came with a package that most of us work our lives for. It just happened really naturally for her,” he says.

Mr. Matt Nygren, BA’s band director, echoes Mr. Will’s awe of Anna’s talents but is quick to commend the amount of energy and effort she puts into her work.

I have heard the word ‘prodigy’ used, but I had never seen what one looks like before. I feel like I am working with one now.

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Under the direction of Mr. Wills, who composed “Canzinarnak,” Anna performs her signature piece at the spring ensemble concert.

“Anna’s extraordinary progress is also due to the fact that she practices about 10 times more than most students practice, and she does so with joy and passion,” says Mr. Nygren.

Since the instrument trial evening less than two years ago, Anna’s love affair with music and the clarinet has exploded.

Because her natural talent quickly outpaced the rate of the classroom, she took a private lesson with Mr. Wills. It was obvious after that initial lesson that she needed to be under the guidance of a clarinet specialist, so he connected her with the principal clarinetist for the Nashville Symphony, Mr. James Zimmerman. Mr. Zimmerman has guest lectured and led master classes at Brentwood Academy.

“Anna’s mom called and was telling me all these incredible things about her daughter and that she had absolutely no musical background,” explains Mr. Zimmerman, who has taught private lessons for 12 years. “I’m picturing her as being very basic. She came in to meet me with her parents, and I asked her to play whatever she wanted. She picked up the clarinet, and it was as if she had known

how to play it her whole life. She was fearless and had no inhibitions.”

“Mr. Zimmerman kept asking my parents, ‘Are you sure she has never done anything musical­—not chorus, or even dance?’” Anna explains. “It is strange to think that this time two years ago, I didn’t even know that I liked music. God just put me into BA’s band program and opened up this opportunity, so I took it, and here I am.”

Written for Anna Czarnik July/August 2012

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In addition to quickly becoming part of BA’s beginner and intermediate concert bands and jazz band, Anna was named to the 2013 All Middle Tennessee Band and more recently was one of only 40 clarinetists invited to play with the MTSU Clarinet Choir. She is also a member of her church orchestra.

“Mr. Wills and Mr. Nygren are the reason I tried out for Mid State. I didn’t even know what it was,” says Anna. “When people hear I auditioned after only playing for a year, they are shocked.”

To prepare for her first audition, Anna practiced two hours a day for eight weeks.

“It was nerve racking,” she says. “I had to learn six major scales in multiple octaves and two prepared pieces, and I had to prepare for the sight reading portion.

Usually you have to get to the third sight reading piece to make Mid State. I didn’t do the third one perfectly, but I got past it.”

Because Anna could play clarinet before she could read music, the learning trajectory has been anything but conventional.

“Since Anna is so new, she is still absorbing a lot of things for the first time,” Mr. Zimmerman says. “She had never been to an orchestra concert and didn’t know the sounds of other instruments. My goal is to keep her moving in one direction and to make sure that she is being productive when she practices. I have never, ever had to tell Anna that she needs to practice more. She has that kind of passion.”

“I’m kind of a math person,” Anna

explains. “Fractions come naturally to me and I have a good sense of time.

Since music is divided into fractions with half notes, quarter notes, eighth notes, and so on, it makes sense.”

Mr. Zimmerman says that between studying at BA, taking private lessons, and immersing herself in music performances, Anna has all of the tools she needs to go as far as she wants to go with her talent.

“Anna’s story highlights the importance of music education in our schools,” he says. “When instructors like Mr. Wills and Mr. Nygren latch onto a student like her and pour their efforts into that James Zimmerman, principal clarinetist person, it is an investment. for the Nashville Symphony Mr. Wills went so far as to write a solo piece just for Anna entitled ‘Canzinarnak,’ which she performed at BA’s spring ensemble concert.”

Mr. Wills and Mr. Zimmerman are reluctant to predict the next chapter in Anna’s unfolding story because her options

It is strange to think that this time two years ago, I didn’t even know that I liked music.

God just put me into BA’s band program and opened up this opportunity.

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Spring 2013

are essentially unlimited. Anna echoes their notion, yet ultimately she dreams of traveling to orchestras around the world as a guest soloist.

“I have no idea where this gift will take me. If it leads me to play with orchestras, that would be great.

If it leads me to be a band teacher, I will do that,” she says.

One thing is clear: Anna Czarnik will continue to follow her heart and her passion.

She plans to pursue a music degree in college and says she has learned from Mr. Wills and Mr. Zimmerman that the name of the school is not as important as the professors who are there at the time.

Mr. Wills says he chose the University of Tennessee to pursue his master’s degree in jazz performance specifically because of the teacher who was there.

Anna’s experience so far is a testimony to the value of a good teacher.

“One of the best things that can happen to a teacher is to see a student succeed. For that to happen so quickly for Anna has been great. That’s why we are here as educators,” says Mr. Wills.

“The most valuable lesson I learned from Mr. Nygren and Mr. Wills is to do what you love. That’s what I’m doing,” Anna says.

WATCH THE VIDEO

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A LUM NI

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LASTING IMPRESSIONS Long after graduation, alumni

reflect the imprints of BA faculty

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orty years ago, Brentwood Academy presented its first valedictorian award to Kim Bauman ‘73 (pictured above, second from right) at the school’s inaugural commencement ceremony on

May 28, 1973. Since that day, 2,842 alumni have crossed the stage and spread their wings, pursuing dreams and in many cases, accomplishing more than they could ever have “asked or imagined.”

Regardless of the chosen path, a common theme emerges in the stories of these, and hundreds of other alumni, whose lives reflect the impressions left on them by BA faculty members long after graduation day.

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Spring 2013

KIM BAUMAN ‘73

By Bill Traughber ‘73

Attorney at Law

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orn in Tupelo, MS, Kim Bauman ‘73 made his way to Brentwood Academy by way of Greensboro, NC. “My family knew I wanted to go back to North Carolina for college, and it was important that I be academically prepared,” said Kim. “My parents felt what Mr. (Bill) Brown was doing at Brentwood Academy was going to make it an excellent academic school.

“I would be in on the ground floor, and being a part of a small school appealed to me. I was not the smartest kid at Brentwood Academy. I was not an athlete, nor could I sing like Maxey Sanders ‘73 (BA classmate), and I was kind of a ‘dork.’ Brentwood Academy embraced me. After two days I told my parents, ‘This is it. I’m staying,’” said Kim. This was 1970, and only 110 students walked through the BA doors that first day on September 8. The single building was constructed on 10 acres containing four classrooms, a science laboratory, boys’ and girls’ dressing rooms, administrative offices, and a commons area. The “lead” class was sophomores with a junior and senior class added the next two years. Kim transferred in November and felt accepted immediately.

“For me, the most influential teacher was Mrs. Ann Baumgartner, the science teacher,” said Kim. “I actually

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became a Christian while I was at Brentwood Academy.

I had not committed my life to Christ before then. Mrs. Baumgartner was a friend and a mentor. I had a lot of questions about faith. She and her husband, Bill, were influential in helping me wrestle with those questions.

“Coach (Carlton) Flatt was a Christian and very open with his faith. He influenced me in math classes like algebra and geometry.

I thoroughly enjoyed Dr. (R.O.) Beauchamp in biology. He was a wonderful man. Mrs. Barbara Stewart challenged me to do better,” Kim said.

During his three years at BA, Kim was on the student council, served as the school newspaper editor, and participated in plays.

His favorite activity was his involvement with the newspaper (he came up with the idea to name it The Talon). He taught himself photography and could be seen on cold Friday nights shooting Eagles’ football games.

As a senior, Kim was part of a high school challenge team that was taped during the week and shown on television on Sunday mornings. He gained attention when one of the questions referred to the movie Shenandoah.

“I hit the buzzer and said, ‘Oh, Shenandoah,’” Kim said. “They asked for the opening lines to the song. I sang the opening lines and everybody hooted and hollered. I

Kim and his son, Mike, in 2012 at the Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, NM, where he led scouts on a 12-day backpacking trip in the wilderness of New Mexico. Both of Bauman’s sons are Eagle Scouts, and he is their scoutmaster.

am not a singer and was awful. After the show aired, the are more important than the size of your house, the kind of phone rang at my home. A man said he was ‘so-and-so’ and car you drive, or how many cases you win,” Kim said. was with the Bluebird songwriters. He said, ‘I heard you sing Kim was admitted to the North Carolina Bar in 1980 and this morning and I’d like you to audition for a part. I was so made his home in High Point, NC. He has been married to gullible that I believed it and told my parents. As it turned wife, Patricia, for 22 years. They have two sons, Mark (17) out, the caller was the father of Cindy Howard Gillespie ‘74 and Mike (15). Kim is active in the community serving as a playing a joke on me.” scoutmaster for 30 years and a deacon of his church. He is Kim was honored as BA’s past board chair of the Westchester first valedictorian and became the Country Day School and has second person to receive a diploma served on the boards of Open Door “only because it was alphabetical.”

Ministries and the Children’s Home After his BA days, Kim was on the Society of North Carolina. campus at Duke University to work He has been with only one on his undergraduate studies. He law firm in his career, Wyatt, Early, graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1977 Harris and Wheeler. His experience and went on to law school at Wake is in civil litigation relating to Forest University, graduating in employment, personal injury, and 1980. insurance matters, Department “I was extremely well prepared of Labor and Equal Employment in going to Duke University,” Opportunity charges, and workers Kim said. “There were other kids compensation claims. He serves as who were smarter, but I had the Kim and his wife, Patricia, live with their sons, executive partner of his firm. experience of those three-hour Mike and Mark (l-r), in High Point, NC. In the 1973 Brentwood block tests at BA, and there were a Academy yearbook, Kim is listed as lot of kids at Duke who never had taken a three-hour exam. I the individual “Most Likely to Succeed.” He is very successful was prepared for Duke, but more importantly I was prepared and was asked to what he attributes that success. for life.

“I would first have to say my mom and dad,” said Kim. “BA got me “My mom for her incredible tenacity and perseverance and rooted in my Christian my dad for his integrity and leadership abilities. Credit walk, helping me see goes to my wife, Patricia, who is loyal, kind, thoughtful, and the bigger picture. supportive. My faith shapes my perspective and helps me It prepared me to prioritize things correctly. I know and trust that God is in understand the values control. I am not in control. When I have done my best, I let that are important like go. Those are my secrets.” character, honesty, and integrity. Those

I was prepared for Duke, but more importantly I was prepared for life.

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Spring 2013

DR. THOMAS DOTY III ‘76

By Valerie Battle Kienzle ‘76

Endocrinologist

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t’s 1970. Richard Nixon is in the White House, the Vietnam War continues, and The Beatles are about to disband.

A 12-year-old Nashville boy travels down Granny White Pike to a Williamson County cow pasture. He enters a construction trailer and meets a man with a vision. The man dreams of launching a college prep school devoted to developing students mentally, spiritually, and physically. The boy then takes an entrance exam for a school that doesn’t exist.

The man was Headmaster Emeritus and Founder Bill Brown.

The cow pasture became a school campus.

The envisioned school became Brentwood Academy. The boy named Tommy passed the entrance exam.

Fast forward 43 years. The boy is grown up. He graduated from Brentwood Academy in 1976 and from the University of the South at Sewanee in 1980. He spent the 1980s studying and training in medicine at the University of Tennessee Center for the Health Sciences at Memphis and Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) at Charleston.

At MUSC, he was internal medicine chief resident and was awarded an endocrinology fellowship.

Today, Dr. Tom Doty ‘76 is one of nine partners in private practice at Endocrinology Consultants of East Tennessee in Knoxville. It is the only endocrinology group in Knox County. He also serves on the University of Tennessee faculty, teaching the Knoxville internal medicine and family practice residents, as well as the UT Memphis students when they rotate through Knoxville.

He works long days plus spends time working at home many nights and on weekends. “I enjoy working with my patients. I enjoy getting to know them and helping them.

“I’m one of those people who knew what I wanted to do with my life from the beginning. I wanted to study medicine, and I was willing to work hard. For me, that hard work paid off,” Tom says.

Tom was the first Brentwood Academy graduate to become a medical doctor. His class of 1976 was the first to complete all six years of schooling offered at that time.

“So much has changed since I went to BA,” he says. “It was a start-up school then, and it’s gone on to produce so many successful individuals.”

What I learned from him (Coach Flatt) made college calculus and other classes so manageable. He laid a great foundation for getting me started in pre-med.

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He cites the positive influence of several teachers from BA’s early days. “Coach Carlton Flatt’s football coaching career at BA is legendary, but many people don’t know that he was also an excellent mathematician and math teacher,” Tom says. “He was my seventh-grade math teacher, plus I took more advanced math classes from him later. What I learned from him made college calculus and other classes so manageable. He laid a great foundation for getting me started in pre-med.”

Tom also credits Dr. R.O. Beauchamp’s science classes with providing his first introduction to physiology and anatomy. “I look at his class as a building stone in my life.” He says Coach Arnold Huskey’s Old Testament classes, which were held on BA’s first school bus due to a classroom shortage, helped him learn the foundations of religion.

While attending BA, Tom was a Big Brother, commander of the Color Guard for three years, and BA publications business manager. He also was involved with Latin Club, Gliding Club, and Drama Club. He appeared in several stage productions.

The small-school setting of BA’s early days sometimes led to unique teaching and learning experiences. Tom says a memorable BA experience happened in Mr. Richard Crocker’s 11th-grade language arts class. Mr. Crocker was a Rhodes Scholar and was an extremely intelligent individual. “He took our class outside on May Day and had us dance around the flag pole. He told us we might not remember anything else about our time with him, but that we’d remember that day. And he was right. That’s what I remember!”

Tom and his wife, Brett, who has a master’s degree in nursing, have three children: Walt, a University of the South graduate; Beth, a sophomore at Wofford College in

Spartanburg, SC; and John, a senior at Knoxville’s West High School. John is currently visiting colleges as he considers a pre-med major.

The Doty family is active in the Methodist church and scouting. Like their dad, both boys are Eagle Scouts.

They have season tickets for UT Knoxville football and basketball games. Some of Dr. Doty’s patients are former UT athletes.

Tom enjoys traveling. “I’m a big believer in travel. I think you can learn a lot about yourself by traveling to different places and meeting different people.” He’s journeyed to numerous states and national parks, to China, Scandinavia and Europe. He says his next adventure will be to Canyon Country in Utah and to Glacier National Park.

True to his roots as a native son of Music City U.S.A., Tom enjoys listening to country music and jazz. “Just don’t ask me to name who performs what!” he says.

“I’m very blessed and very thankful for my life. I’m proud to be a Brentwood Academy graduate, and I’m proud of the school’s success through the years. One thing I would say to BA students is that hard work pays off. Be willing to work hard. Take on a tough goal, identify a strong mentor or two you can learn from, and go for that goal.”

Tom with his sons, Walt and John; his wife, Brett; and his daughter, Beth

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Spring 2013

MIKE MACINTYRE ‘84

By Brad Perry ‘92

Head Football Coach, University of Colorado

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he last few months have been a whirlwind for new University of Colorado head football coach and Brentwood Academy graduate Mike MacIntyre ‘84. After leading San Jose State to its greatest season in history with an 11-2 record and a Top-25 BCS ranking, Mike was hired by the University of Colorado to rebuild the onceproud tradition of a program that had fallen on hard times with a 1-11 record last year. I caught up with Mike recently to ask him about how his time as a student at Brentwood Academy and the impact that coaches and teachers had on his life have helped shape his vision for leadership.

What are some of your fondest memories of your time at Brentwood Academy?

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I really have to begin with my parents sending me to Brentwood Academy. My father had just accepted the job as the new head football coach at Vanderbilt, and we moved to the Nashville area over a Christmas break. My parents chose BA because it seemed like a well-rounded school that would reinforce the Christian principles on which they raised me.

Of course, I didn’t know anyone there, and starting mid-year can be tough. I will never forget Coach Paul Compton, who was my middle school basketball coach at the time. Looking back now, Coach Compton’s steadfastness and consistency as a man was a real grounding influence for me as I started at a new place, and it really helped my transition. I actually thought about this recently as I watched my son practice basketball the other day and with our move to Boulder, Colorado.

As for Brentwood Academy, I will never forget the state championships, the basketball trips to Tampa, and hanging out with my friends in the commons between classes. The reason I love BA so much is for the nurturing atmosphere and how much the students are cared for and loved by the faculty and coaches. This is no exaggeration. I have maybe been into more high schools in the country than just about anyone because of my job, and I have never felt the Spirit of God on a place like I did when I went to BA and still do when I am able to come back. The Christian principles that were taught to me during my time at BA are so embedded in me that I still draw on them when I am struggling with tough situations today.

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What teachers/coaches at BA had the greatest impact on who you are and what you do today?

The first person that leaps to my mind is my 9th and 10th grade English and Latin teacher, Ms. Susan Smith. She dove into my life on the academic side and helped me to become a much better writer and truly prepared me well for college English classes.

Of course, Coach Carlton Flatt, whom I am still close with to this day, is a man who taught me a lot about football and coaching, but I also know that he cares much more about me as a person. Coach Ray Dalton was really the first faculty member I knew because my dad recruited some of his kids when he coached at Franklin High.

Coach Dalton taught me about toughness and the proper way to train and handle young men.

In addition to the teachers, I believe my friends at BA had a great impact on me and still remain my closest friends to this day even though we are spread throughout the country. Guys like Buddy Alexander ‘84, Greg Johnson ‘84, Richard Stahl ‘84, Scott Brown ‘84, and Joe Johnston ‘83 were my buddies in high school and are still close friends today. Scott actually came out to my first practice at Colorado on March 7, which sort of shows the bond that we have.

Tell me about your family today. What were some of the reasons that led you to accept the job at Colorado? What do you see as the greatest challenges to the job you have before you at Colorado?

We have three children: Jennifer, who is a junior at Baylor University; Jay, who is a junior at Monarch High School; and Johnston, who is an 8th grader. My wife, Trisha Rowan, graduated from Brentwood Academy in 1983, a year before I graduated. She is the steadying presence in our family, and I like to call her our “prayer warrior.” The college coaching profession is such a volatile vocation, and we have moved 10 times in 24 years. Throughout it all, she has been my family’s rock and has influenced people for Christ wherever we have gone.

As for the transition to Colorado, we really did not want to leave San Jose State. As we went through the process, however, we felt very clearly that God was placing us in Colorado at this time, and it really had very little to do with us. As a family, we are confident that we are called to this place, and even though the program has recently fallen on hard times, there is a great history here. I know winning is important, but I truly believe that my job is all about molding young men to be the best people that they can be.

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DR. SANDY

By Leah Hoskins

JOHNSON KLEIN ‘85 Professor of Economics, University of Missouri

D

r. Sandy Johnson Klein ’83 didn’t start out with a Ph.D. in economics in mind. In fact, she blew through four other college majors before she got to economics, but when finally there, it was a great fit. She earned an undergraduate degree from Auburn University. Back home in Nashville, she pursued a sales job, which was not a great fit, so she returned to Auburn with a doctorate in mind. Along the way, she met and married Peter Klein, who holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of California Berkley, Currently, Sandy and her family live in Columbia, Missouri, where Sandy teaches microeconomics and the economics of money, banking, and financial markets at the University of Missouri. Peter is also an economics professor.

When asked about her BA days, Sandy is quick to remember the discipleship group during her senior year led by Ms. Melissa Trevathan, who was BA’s spiritual life director. Sandy says, “My biggest take-aways from that experience were how to study the Scriptures and the understanding that only God can fulfill the longings of our souls. In Isaiah 55, we are invited to ‘come and drink from the waters that satisfy, and to listen to him that we may live.’ Ms. T taught us that there is an awful lot that we can chase after that will never satisfy. Instead, we should accept this invitation to the richest of fares, freely given!

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Another experience came with the help of Coach Ray Dalton. Sandy recalls, “I arranged my classes so that I loaded up during my sophomore and junior years so that my senior year would be much easier. I worked hard to make good grades and looked forward to ‘coasting’ toward graduation.

At the end of my junior year, I was pulled aside by Coach Dalton. He had somehow seen my schedule and saw that I was not signed up for Mrs. Barbara Stewart’s world history class and was ‘calling me on the carpet.’

He encouraged me to keep pushing myself, to get as much as I could while I was there, and to not miss any opportunity. My response was, ‘Aww, that’s so nice of him to be concerned about me, but my mind is made up.’ I didn’t take his advice, and I look back on that with regret because I know that he didn’t have to take the time to speak to me. He did it out of love and concern for me. I think about that sometimes, and I use it to encourage my own students to take the opportunities before them when they are young and not have regrets later.”

Another of Sandy’s goals in the classroom is to help her students understand the myths and realities of economics and the importance of a truly free market system. Besides the University of Missouri, Sandy has taught economics at Auburn, the University of Georgia, and the Copenhagen Business School.

Sandy states, “More than any academic achievement, I’m most proud of my family. They are a delight and a constant comfort to me. Family life includes her husband of 18 years, Peter; sons, Coleman and Nate; and daughter, Bonnie. The family will leave Missouri this summer for a one-year term in Auburn, Alabama, where Peter will be interim director of The Mises Institute, an economics/free market think tank. Sandy is exploring the possibilities of teaching again at Auburn, where her enthusiasm for economics would be a giant plus for her students.

He (Coach Dalton) encouraged me to keep pushing myself, to get as much as I could while I was there, and to not miss any opportunity.

Sandy with her sons, Coleman and Nate; her husband, Peter; and her daughter, Bonnie.

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DEEANN BOOTH HODGE ‘85

By Peggy O’Neal Peden

Ministry Leader

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; I know that full well.”

Psalm 139:13-14

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ne day, as DeeAnn Booth Hodge ‘85 walked her yellow lab, George, on the Brentwood Academy campus, she saw children enjoying BA summer camps and began to dream about starting one of her own. She envisioned a camp where little girls could learn to take joy in being girls. That’s when the idea for Camp Wonderfully Made was born.

For three weeks every June and another in July, DeeAnn brings together her training and experience in counseling and social work, her neighbors and friends, her daughter, Caroline ‘13, and other teen counselors. Their purpose is to give girls, ages 5 through 10, a time and place to take joy in being a girl and in using the gifts God has given them. “I felt called by God to do this,” DeeAnn said. “We help the girls identify their gifts, develop them, and encourage them to use their gifts to serve.”

The June camps, with a capacity of about 50 girls each week, are open to everyone. Girls begin with a time of worship, then rotate through three sessions.

Campers are grouped according to age with groups named for some of DeeAnn’s favorite desserts: cupcakes, gummy bears, and sprinkles. They swim, they learn tennis, and they practice traditional skills. Ten or more teens, including Caroline and other BA students, teach, mentor, and make friends with the campers.

The July camp features the same experiences but is limited to about 20 children who live in Nashville’s Preston Taylor Homes. Buses from Preston Taylor Ministries bring the girls, many of whom have

Seeing the smiles on their faces and hearing their sweet voices praise Jesus make my heart overflow with thanksgiving for the opportunity God has given me with this ministry.

DeeAnn and daughter, Caroline ‘13, are part of a BA team that will take Camp Wonderfully Made to the Dominican Republic this summer.

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never left their neighborhood, to learn tennis from an instructor, to learn to swim under the guidance of a lifeguard, and to explore the idea of developing and using gifts from God. “Coming to Camp Wonderfully Made is a true retreat for them,” said DeeAnn. “Seeing the smiles on their faces and hearing their sweet voices praise Jesus make my heart overflow with thanksgiving for the opportunity God has given me with this ministry.”

DeeAnn traces her commitment to serving to a discipleship group led by Ms. Melissa Trevathan, who was spiritual life director at Brentwood Academy while DeeAnn was a student here. That group helped inspire Trevathan to found Daystar Ministries, a Nashville counseling ministry for adolescents, and DeeAnn to pursue a career in counseling and social work. She holds BA and MSW degrees from the University of Tennessee Knoxville and is a licensed clinical social worker with more than 20 years of experience in working with children and families. DeeAnn has

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worked in foster care, as a school counselor, and in private practice.

Besides Ms. Trevathan, Bill and Beth Brown have also mentored DeeAnn. Mrs. Brown helped children learn to pot plants in the first summer of Camp Wonderfully Made. “Mr. Brown and I still meet regularly,” DeeAnn said, “to share coffee and encouragement.”

Counselors at Camp Wonderfully Made teach campers to cook, to pot plants, and to make homemade lotion, soap, and stationery. They make prayer journals and other crafts. “Then, throughout the day, we talk about to whom they’re going to take their craft. They don’t just make things to keep.

Everything they make is packaged with a scripture card attached,” DeeAnn explained.

One of DeeAnn’s favorite campers was a young girl with autism.

“Every day she would arrive with the whole schedule memorized. If we deviated at all, she let us know. She had Psalm 139:13-14 memorized and sang beautifully to us every day. It was wonderful to watch our campers and counselors encourage her.

What a blessing to share with this sweet girl that she is ‘wonderfully made.’”

DeeAnn traces her commitment to serving to a discipleship group led by Melissa Trevathan, who was spiritual life director at Brentwood Academy while DeeAnn was a student.

DeeAnn and daughter, Caroline ‘13 (back row), have recruited other students like Abbie Whitehurst ‘14 (second from right) and alumni to work in the ministry.

DeeAnn looks for godly women who are willing to come and teach the girls their specific gifts. She and her team, which includes friends BA alumna Amy Neill Husband ‘93 and BA mom Amy Butler, also work to bring the groups of girls together. Hodge also found inspiration in her own children, Will ‘11 and Griffin ‘18, in addition to Caroline. Will and Griffin provide support services, cleaning, and doing the heavy work, as does DeeAnn’s husband, attorney Freddy Hodge.

As idyllic as those summer weeks seem, Camp Wonderfully Made has grown into more than just summer camp. Throughout the year, one Friday afternoon each month, DeeAnn and her team take Camp Wonderfully Made to Preston Taylor Ministries to continue the experience. Now a non-profit organization, Wonderfully Made makes it possible for girls, both from Preston Taylor Ministries and from the area around DeeAnn’s Williamson County home, to develop gifts and skills year-round as well. The ministry puts together sports teams, often coached by campers’ fathers, in various sports leagues.

Grants provide girls who have gifts in art or music with the means to take classes and explore those gifts.

BA mom Jamie Brown (left) and daughter, Emerson ‘19 (right), help bring craft ideas to the camp.

DeeAnn isn’t finished. This summer, she, Caroline, and Griffin will accompany BA faculty member Mr. Jimmy Ker to the Dominican Republic and share the Wonderfully Made curriculum with children there. Several students going on the trip have been counselors with Camp Wonderfully Made and already know the songs, verses and crafts. “Our long-term goal is to have a full camp running all summer,” she added.

“Every year I pray that God will send the little girls who need to be here. I am always in awe of the stories and whom He sends.”

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JENNIFER POWELL ‘03

By Leah Hoskins

Television Producer

T

oday, Jennifer Powell ‘03 calls New York City home and has the dream job of working as a producer on the NBC hit show Dr. Oz. Before the Dr. Oz assignment, she worked as a producer on the TODAY show, rubbing elbows with the likes of Meredith Vieira and Matt Lauer (pictured above). Her journey had more humble beginnings.

More than a decade ago, as a rising BA senior, Jennifer decided to sign up for the yearbook class. It turned out to be a life-changer. She discovered she loved graphic design and the whole idea of working in media. In notes

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to faculty yearbook sponsor, Mrs. Gale Payne, Jennifer comments, “Had you not pushed me…I wouldn’t have had the courage to dive into the media world. Working on yearbook with you and the girls, I found my passion in life.

I got it.” She left BA with a goal of one day working on a top publication.

While at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, Jennifer discovered graphic design might not be “it,” but enrolling in an intro to broadcasting class in the College of Communications straightened out the road. Working at

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the UT campus radio station as an intern opened the possibility of taking the college’s media tour to the Big Apple. Under the leadership of UT communications professors Dr. Lyn Lepre and Dr. Naeemah Clark, the tour provided a glimpse into all of the possibilities of a career in broadcasting. Both Lepre and Clark became important mentors to Jennifer. Back in Knoxville, Jennifer interned at WBIR-TV, the NBC affiliate.

After a second NYC media tour and graduation with a degree in visual productions in 2007, Jennifer decided it was the time to strike out and make it happen.

When she presented the idea of a move to NYC to her parents, with “a lot of prayer and discussion,” she found support. Her parents had always told her, “Do what you love, and we will support your choices as long as it doesn’t compromise your morals and you can provide for yourself and your family. Be it curing cancer or digging ditches, we want you to do what makes you happy.”

On the island of Manhattan, she faced an extensive interview process to become a page at the NBC studios.

Jennifer breezed through the rounds of interviews and got the job. Goal achieved.

The second job came fast. Jennifer interviewed in 2008 for a researcher position on the weekend edition of the TODAY show on a Wednesday, was hired on Thursday, and started work on Friday. She was on the television fast track.

Working on yearbook with you and the girls, I found my passion in life.

I got it.

Jennifer remembers, “I wrestled back and forth whether to stick with PR or to see if I could go back to television. On the night Osama Bin Laden was killed…it finally clicked in my head that I wanted back into TV. That story was one of very few that comes along in a lifetime, and I would have done virtually anything to have been working in the news room that night.”

So it was back to television.

In July, 2011, she was rehired by NBC as an associate producer for the weekend edition of the TODAY show. That was followed a year later in July, 2012, with an offer to come onboard the weekday Dr. Oz show as an associate producer, where she is currently working.

According to Jennifer, “Working on Dr. Oz has been a real challenge at times because the world of talk is a whole different beast than network news, but I’ve really enjoyed it. I never thought I would work outside the world of news. I took it because the people I had initially met were really great, and I really liked Oz’s message.

He’s not your average guy.

He’s not a trained television host. He’s first and foremost a heart surgeon, but with the show, he strives to teach people how to heal, to grow together, and to give hope to those who need it.”

And what of Jennifer’s future? She sums it up by saying, “I am looking forward to what else comes down the road.”

Keep the name Jennifer Powell on your radar or maybe look for her name in the credits.

On the night Osama Bin Laden was killed…it finally clicked in my head that I wanted back into TV. That story was one of very few that comes along in a lifetime...

Jennifer with Dr. Oz and her parents, Sue and Jimmy Powell, on the set of Dr. Oz.

Magazines, however, were not out of her interest range so she interviewed for and was offered a public relations manager position with Glamour magazine. Even while there, Jennifer struggled with her shift in focus.

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Up against 38 countries around the globe, students from Belmont University (representing the United States) were named the 2012 World Cup champions in an international entrepreneurship competition.

Belmont’s Enactus team is a community of student, academic and business leaders committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a better, more sustainable world.

Once a year, the national champion Enactus teams from around the world meet at the Enactus World Cup, co-hosted by the U.S. Department of State, where they present the results of their community outreach projects. Teams are evaluated based on how successful they were at using business concepts to improve the quality of the life and standard of living for people in need. Belmont’s team defeated 600 other teams in the country to earn the right to represent the U.S. Team Belmont’s flagship project for the presentation was Spring Back mattress recycling, a nonprofit business that employs formerly homeless or incarcerated workers in recycling mattresses. Brennon Mobley ‘11 was the key leader for the project.

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Mobley (left) hoists the world championship cup with Belmont teammates.

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BRENNON MOBLEY ‘11

By Katie Greene

Student Entreprenuer

Reprinted with permission from BelmontVision.com

W

ith the leadership of Belmont University sophomore Brennon Mobley, Spring Back recycling has evolved from a small upstart Enactus project into a multi-state operation with a sustainable business model. Spring Back processes and recycles used mattresses that would otherwise take decades to decompose in a landfill.

His journey with Enactus, formerly Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), began during his senior year at BA, when neighbor and Enactus sponsor Dr. John Gonas (a BA dad) helped Mobley to become interested in Belmont’s College of Business, the entrepreneurship program, and ultimately Enactus.

local Isaiah 58 ministry which helps formerly incarcerated men readjust to society and find sustainable employment.

The list of work Mobley has done to help facilitate the growth of Spring Back is seemingly endless.

Last summer, he collaborated with a teammate to create a 200-plus page operations manual for the business. He also located the warehouse and helped in purchasing some of the capital equipment along with making sure the men of Isaiah 58 were appropriately trained in mattress disassembly.

Since then, Mobley has earned the position of project lead, which Gonas says is “pretty ambitious for a sophomore.”

“I appreciate his work ethic, his humility, his faith, and just

Having the opportunity to take Coach Jason Mathews’ economics class my junior year helped confirm my passion for business. Taking Coach Brad Perry’s ‘92 Bible class my senior year helped confirm my desire to use business to bless others.

Mobley said that two classes at Brentwood Academy, in particular, helped set the stage for this endeavor. “Having the opportunity to take Coach Jason Mathews’ economics class my junior year helped confirm my passion for business. Taking Coach Brad Perry’s ‘92 Bible class my senior year helped confirm my desire to use business to bless others.”

After joining Enactus, Mobley became involved with the Spring Back project. Belmont Enactus partnered with the

his selflessness,” Gonas said. “Brennon represents a student who took the bull by the horns and made it happen. You have to initiate, you have to take advantage of your opportunities here at Belmont, and I hope and pray that other students can do the same and use his example as motivation.”

Mobley said, “I am often reminded of the constant source of encouragement that Coach Buddy Alexander ‘84 provided in my life at BA. The same fundamentals of

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discipline, integrity, and perseverance that he taught on the baseball field transferred over to my business pursuits.”

Mobley also traveled with Gonas to land bids from the Navy and to open Spring Back’s first licensee, Spring Back Colorado, last summer.

“There was a lot of prep work involved,” Mobley said. “We weren’t necessarily ready to expand, but we were preparing for it, and the right partner came along, which enabled us to take that step and branch out to Denver.”

Mobley and Gonas are both quick to point out the importance of partnering with Isaiah 58, which offered a small part of its storage space from its landscape business and committed a couple of men to Spring Back.

“It’s difficult for a non-profit with a limited budget to donate resources, and donate labor, and donate capital to something like this. They came to the table, saw the long-term possibility, and so they walked with us,” Gonas said.

“It’s been a great partnership. They already had an existing business, which means they had a workforce that was ready, but the nature of their business, which was landscaping, has a considerable down time every winter,” Mobley said. “So they were looking for a more consistent source of employment, and they liked the idea just because they could employ men year-round.”

The next goal for Spring Back is to refine the local model before exploring more licensee options and securing national contracts. With those contracts, Spring Back will be able to provide future licensees with consistent inventory.

“We want the model that’s here locally to be as good as possible. We’re going to refine our operations manual still more and add some components to it, especially with regard in what to do with metal. We might look into shredding it and compressing it. It’s always going to be a work that’s in process,” Gonas said.

In April, 2013, Spring Back celebrates its twoyear anniversary. Since its inception, the organization has recycled more than 30,000 mattresses and 375 tons of waste has been diverted from landfills.

TOP Mobley and teammate at the national competition. BOTTOM The reigning world championship team from Belmont University led by Dr. John Gonas (front row, far right).

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brentwoodacademy.com

Rebecca Fletcher Holmes ‘93 joined BA’s faculty this year in the middle school English department. She is pictured with Jacob Gregory ‘18.

How have students at Brentwood Academy inspired you to become a better educator?

BA faculty members share how teaching and learning is a two-way street in their relationships with students.

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Teachers Are Lifelong Learners S

ince 1979, Brentwood Academy each year has honored one hardworking and dedicated faculty member with the Clyde E. Swift Award for outstanding service to students, parents, colleagues, and the school. While each recipient is known for his or her own “style” of teaching, all agree that part of teaching is being a lifelong learner with lessons often taught to them by their own students.

After hearing how teachers have impacted the lives of our alumni, we decided to turn the tables and ask some former Clyde Swift Award winners how they have been influenced by their students.

“Students are the heart of any school. The emphasis this school places on relationships makes communication with students all the more important.

Through the years, I’ve found my satisfaction in teaching when a student who struggles to understand our work finally masters a concept. My inspiration to become better is to help students find and fulfill God’s plan for their lives.”

Carrie Causey

Middle School Mathematics at BA since 1995

“My highly capable students lead me to carefully craft the questions I ask, in order to make them very clear and challenging. Any ambiguities or errors will be found, inspiring careful thought from me and encouraging me to seek continuing education in instructional and assessment methods. As I have taught an abstract subject, my students’ questions have helped me build creative analogies and sequences of activities that will connect with a range of perceptive styles.”

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Jeff Bryant

Science Department Chair at BA since 1999

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“What I’ve learned from students through the years is the importance of meeting them where they are and encouraging them to be successful. Helping students break through the barriers takes time; sometimes it means thinking of yet another way to explain a concept. In the end, however, there is no substitute for taking an interest in each student and in BARBARA STEWART History his or her growth as a person.”

Cindy Tripp

English Department Chair, Dean of Faculty at BA since 1976

“I am very blessed to have taught many wonderful students throughout my years at Brentwood Academy. They have taught me that they really want to be successful and that they will try to meet the challenges and standards that I set for them. As their teacher, I have discovered that providing a secure, nurturing, and stimulating learning environment encourages them to do their best. I have also realized the impact of my words on students when they come back as alumni and tell me about some of the things I said or did in class. They remind me that my job is important and that it sometimes has a lasting effect on people’s lives.”

Judy Flatt

Upper School Spanish at BA since 1979

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“One of the most important goals of the fine arts department is to provide students a professional platform on which to showcase their gifts. I have always been impressed by the extraordinary talents of our students, and we, as educators, are inspired and motivated to work alongside them to achieve that goal. I am amazed at how consistently students will meet our expectations when we demonstrate faith in their ability to excel.”

Jenny Oldham

Fine Arts Department Chair at BA since 1988

“In my English class when we have a quiz or a test and students perform amazingly, I always muse, ‘Wow, I’m so glad they read the story!’ Yet, when I reflect on what inspires better teaching, I believe it begins with a truly meaningful question that a student poses to me and the class as we move through a text. That single, extraordinary question can lead everywhere but most importantly to critical thinking. Those penetrating and special questions, throughout the past 25 years and those yet to come, inspire me most of all.”

Cameron Phillips

Upper School English at BA since 1987

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“I love my job because I enjoy seeing students learn new concepts in algebra courses. Teenagers’ wit, curiosity, and desire to learn keep me going year after year. When I feel that I cannot help students learn, then I will know it is time to move on.”

Floyd Elliott

Mathematics Department Chair at BA since 2008

“I love teaching, and BA has been the perfect school for me. I enjoy working with our students, and the faculty has been so supportive over the years. As I have told so many people, Brentwood Academy has been a wonderful place for me to have spent my life. ”

Barbara Stewart

History Department Chair at BA since 1972

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LO O KI NG BACK

1981

brentwoo-

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Circa 1981, BA students gathered at “the triangle” on the front lawn along Granny White Pike. With them is Spiritual Life Director Melissa Trevathan, now the head of Nashville-based Daystar Counseling Ministries. “The triangle” was a gift to the school from the Class of 1975.

(Pictured clockwise from bottom left) Phil Luckett ‘83, Lori Wells ‘83, Heidi Hall, Tommye Maddox ‘82, Angie Richards ‘82, Judy Knestrick ‘83, Susan McLendon ‘82, Lauri Grant ‘82, Lynn Mangum ‘82, Randall Smith ‘83, David North, Harry Frazer ‘83, 33 Ms. Trevathan, Laura Anderson ‘82, Joe Johnston ‘83, Tucker Curtis ‘83

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BIG BROTHER BIG SISTER A BA tradition that originated not long after the school’s founding remains a rite of passage for many rising juniors and seniors. More importantly, the program provides a sense of security and stability for new students who come to campus full of nerves and apprehension.

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he Big Brother/Big Sister program began in 1973, according to Headmaster Emeritus Bill Brown, as part of his original dream for the school. The idea came from the counselor-to-camper concept that he experienced as a boy at Camp Hy-Lake. “We wanted a place where our younger kids were lifted up by our older ones rather than being bullied or hazed,” Brown explains.

Director of Admission Hunt Atkins ‘97 says that even today he hears from many little brothers and sisters who say it was the greatest aspect of their first year at BA. “I’ve seen big brothers and big sisters in less than two months’ time become the number one go-to person in the life of a sixth or seventh grader when they are in need,” says Atkins.

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“Shelly Arms and Rachel Stone (my big sisters) were a wonderful support and my first real friends at BA when I first came, and they still are. My big sisters made Brentwood Academy that much better.”

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Lily Wellons ’19 (pictured right with Big Sisters Rachel Stone ‘14 and Shelly Arms ‘14)

“I love being able to help my little sister with anything she needs. We have so much in common and have a lot of fun together! She has turned into what feels like a real little sister to me, and I loved getting to be a help to her through her 6th grade year.”

Shelly Arms ’14

Every April, Atkins meets with current sophomores and juniors to get an idea of who would be interested in serving as a big brother or sister to an incoming new student in the fall.

“What is remarkable,” says Atkins, “is that more than 90% of our rising juniors and seniors sign up every year. It is a voluntary commitment. We always have more ‘bigs’ than ‘littles’ which means that several little brothers and sisters have two older ‘siblings.’”

Near the beginning of summer, assignments are made and contact information is shared with the big brothers and sisters. During the summer many will get together for lunch, a movie, or bowling, and then the Sunday before school begins in August, everyone is brought together for a kick-off event. The goal for the event is fun and face time so that “siblings” can get to know one another better as school is getting started. A few weeks later, a breakfast is held to provide a time for siblings to see how the year is going so far.

“Going into my first year as a Brentwood Academy student, building a strong relationship with my Big Brother has helped me become accepted and familiar with the Brentwood Academy family. The Big Brother program helps new students feel like they belong and are cared about before they begin their much-anticipated first day.”

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Jackson Gregory ’18 (pictured left with Big Brother Bryce Prior ‘13)

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“Even though the program was designed to be a first semester, welcome-to-BA relationship, I have seen many continue,” says Atkins, who was once a “little brother” as a new ninth grade student in 1993.

This 1973 article in the BA student newspaper, The Talon, introduces the Big Brother/Big Sister program as “An Answer to the Munchkin Problem.” The article says the program was an effort to further the idea of the Brentwood Academy “family.”

BOWL-BOUND “BROTHERS” FIND BOND

by Wes Boling ‘03

S

ince the school paired Jalen Ramsey ‘13 as a mentor to first-year student and seventh-grader Daniel Taylor in its Big Brother/Big Sister program, both students have taken the term “brother” to heart.

“I don’t have little siblings,“ Ramsey says. “He’s fun, and I enjoy being around him.”

“Jalen is an amazing role model,” Taylor says.

Taylor arrived at BA last fall with high hopes of contributing on the football field and in the classroom.

His role model was Ramsey, who not only led the Eagles in receiving yards (667) and interceptions (3), but also succeeded in the classroom despite a hectic schedule.

“Jalen always reminds me, ‘Keep your grades up and sports will take care of itself,’” Taylor says. “He’s a great mentor and not just on the football field. He’s

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taught me to be a better man. I’ve really tried to follow in his footsteps.”

Both players earned All-America nods this year— Ramsey at the Army All-American Bowl and Taylor at the Eastbay Bowl, the event’s junior high equivalent, also held in San Antonio the same weekend. When the two invaded the Lone Star State in January, each was thankful to see a familiar face.

When Ramsey learned the Eastbay Bowl was holding a press conference to announce Taylor’s nomination to the game, he didn’t just attend the gathering. He was the first person there.

“It feels good when you have someone supporting you,” Ramsey says. “Right when he texted me I said ‘No problem, I’ll come.’ I was proud of him.”

Even though Ramsey will be playing football next

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year for the Florida State University Seminoles, he insists that when it comes to his relationship with Taylor, he isn’t going anywhere.

“I’m going to stay in touch with him as long as I can,” Ramsey says. “I hope he can come to some of my games, and I hope I can get back and see some of his games when he gets in high school.”

For Taylor, the friendship doesn’t just serve as a source of strength.

It also acts as a reminder that brotherhood isn’t bound by blood, and that Brentwood Academy—the place he arrived in August with high hopes but few acquaintances—is more than merely a school.

“BA’s a family,” Taylor says.

Come explore exemplary academics in a culture built on Christ-centered values and rich relationships.

Campus Tours Every Tuesday and Wednesday at 8:30 AM Meet in the middle school lobby.

No reservations required.

brentwoodacademy.com/visit

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GRANDPARENTS’ DAY February 8, 2013—A Part of Spiritual Emphasis Week

In February, approximately 400 grandparents joined us on campus to hear a powerful testimony from Ashley Smith, our final speaker for Spiritual Emphasis Week. Sitting alongside their grandchildren, grandparents enjoyed hearing Ashley’s inspirational story of redemption. Thanks to the many parent volunteers who helped make this day special for our guests.

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Thank you, BA, for starting our grandchildren’s day with the mighty Word of God!

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Anita Kreid, BA grandmother

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I especially appreciate that the triangle philosophy at Brentwood Academy is equilateral, placing equal emphasis on each student’s physical, academic, and spiritual growth.

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Honey Rodgers, BA grandmother, parent of alumni, and former trustee

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1. Ryan Franklin ‘16 with Judy Franklin 2. Mickey Martin ‘17 with Joyce and Carl Barnes 3. Lily Wellons ‘19 with Buster Heneman and Carolyn Wellons 4. Ellie Smith ‘18 with Rich and Sherry Leipzig 5. Jack Victory ‘19 with Sally Fowlkes 6. Caroline Dean ‘17 and Ben Roberson ‘15 with Sallie Dean 7. Drae Martin ‘13 with Shirley Patton 8. Caroline Rodgers ‘17 with Billie McCollum 9. Katie Polenzani ‘17 with Rosemarie Kalil 10. Gavin ‘18 and Brock ‘16 Schoenwald with Judi Faurot 11. Sarah Kate Bennett ‘18 with Barbara Smith.

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SPIRITUAL LIFE

Spiritual Emphasis Week

By Jacqueline Lunsford ’14, The Talon Editor Editor’s Note: The following article appeared in the third quarter edition of The Talon, the Brentwood Academy student newspaper and is reprinted with permission.

I Can’t Do It, HE Can. T

his year’s Spiritual Emphasis Week at Brentwood Academy was one of the most diverse ever. Under the heading of “facing your personal giants,” students heard from five distinct speakers on topics ranging from sports to mistaken identities. Indeed, it was precisely the wide spectrum of subjects addressed that drove home the overarching topic of the week: not allowing those things that seem insurmountable to cause you to cower.

The week was kick-started by Charlie Ward, a Heisman trophy winner and professional basketball player. Oh, yeah, and then there is the tiny detail that he was offered to go pro in three different sports. Amazingly enough, he could not have been more humble as he urged us to bravely face down the giant of pride.

He was followed by Nick Walenda, the fifth generation tightrope walker, who became the first person to walk over Niagara Falls this past summer.

The casual manner in which he spoke to us about his life filled with death-defying stunts bespoke his unwavering faith in God. I was certainly taken aback by how he described his desire to perform the stunt that had killed one of his grandfathers.

Not even my ample pride would be able to override my self preservation in a similar situation. My

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appreciation of this man’s trust and respect for God cannot be overstated.

The next speaker was Don Van Ryn, a parent who lived for a month believing that his daughter had been the sole survivor of a car wreck, only to discover his daughter had died and the girl he helped recover for a month was only a friend of hers. His emotional and shocking story pulled at my heartstrings as well as those of everyone around me. I was very happy with my purchase of his book, Mistaken Identities. Without a doubt, many of the questions I would have loved answered in his speech were described in detail in the memoir.

It was Thursday that the crowd-pleasing, and my personal favorite, Jon Acuff, came to share his message of glorifying God in all pursuits. His humor and polish as a speaker was unparalleled.

An undeniable charisma seemed to ooze from him, and this kept me hanging on his every word.

Likewise, his willingness to acknowledge some of the hypocrisies of contemporary Christianity had me enraptured by his openness and honesty.

Last but certainly not least, Ashley Smith spoke on Friday to BA students and some 400 of their grandparents about her experiences of running away from, and eventually back to, God. Her poignant and honest retelling of her struggles

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“‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.’”

John 15:5 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Philippians 4:13

Charlie Ward

Nik Walenda

Don Van Ryn

Jon Acuff

Ashley Smith

with alcohol and drugs forced me to believe even more in her message. That is what I most sincerely appreciated about her.

There was no sugarcoating. There was no skimming over the bad things to make herself look better. Instead, there was an excruciatingly honest and heartfelt speech that gave us a perspective into the life of someone who had been just like any other Christian who was raised middle class in the Bible Belt yet fell out of touch with God. Overall, the diversity of speakers and topics rendered it unnecessary for anyone to need to love or agree with all five speakers. Armed with all this new inspiration, I have never been more empowered. Goliath doesn’t stand a chance.

Caroline Greene ‘13 was awarded the Joe Campbell Service award for her ongoing devotion to orphan care. The award is named for former faculty member Joe Campbell who dedicated his life to serving others.

Go to brentwoodacademy.com/sew to see video excerpts from each speaker.

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Spring 2013

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WINTERIM 2013 W

hether you found students traveling to foreign countries or to the library with Mr. David Sawyer learning to conquer other countries in the Great Diplomacy Marathon, you no doubt found BA upper school students getting the most out of Winterim 2013. It was another year of exploration, excitement, and exposure to new ideas which deepened their love for learning. Students brought back fond memories that will last a lifetime, along with a few photos.

1. New York—The Big Apple 2. Canoe and Ecology Tour: Suwanee River in FL 3. Choosing to Serve 4. New York—The Big Apple 5. New Nashville Non-Profits 6. Diving 7. The Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas National Park 8. Lifeguard Certification Course 9. Puerto Rico—Caribbean Adventure 10. French Film 11. Memphis—A Girls’ Basketball Tour 12. Fashion Stop

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Spring 2013

On Retreat F

rom the first year until now, BA retreats have highlighted the school year with opportunities to get away, have fun, rest, and most importantly, to connect with one another. They have also been times when students and faculty go deeper in studying the Word and dialoguing about the Christian life.

In earlier years, retreats were held in locations like Camp Hy-Lake, Easter Seals Camp, Camp Hickory Hills, or the Sunday School Assembly in Monteagle. This year, retreats have spanned the state, including the Senior Theme Verse Retreat to Fort Bluff Camp in Dayton, the upper school retreat to the Memphis Zoo, and the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade trips to Deer Run at the beginning of the school year.

The tradition of “retreating” has been kept alive through the years thanks to contributions to our Annual Fund. We are grateful to our generous donors.

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ABOVE Kelsi Ray ‘13 (center) is surrounded by her small group of 8th grade girls at the middle school retreat in February. This is a special time in the life of middle school students who share the day with their senior “mentors” and group leaders.

brentwoodacademy.com

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TRIANGLE |

Spring 2013

The Story Collector Introducing David Woodall, BA’s New Director of Development

W

hen asked about his favorite moment since joining Brentwood Academy in January, David Woodall moves quickly to his favorite topic—stories.

“I’m a rich collector of stories. There is no greater experience than when I meet with people, and I hear their voices get soft as they share tender memories about their experiences at BA,” says Woodall. “It is an honor to be trusted with those stories.”

After working on development teams at the University of Florida and Vanderbilt University for 40 years, Woodall says he has learned that being a good listener is his most valuable asset.

“Hearing testimonies of how unique experiences have shaped people’s lives here is so valuable,” Woodall says. “The greater conversation is the relationship conversation.”

Having goals in development is vital, he says, but subordinate to spending time with constituents to learn where they find value in the BA experience.

“It is sort of like a large market survey,” he says.

“My responsibility on this team is to bring forward my best, to have Christ in me, and to serve the interests of others.”

One of the favorite stories in his collection so far is from last November, before he was hired.

I know it was a moment from heaven, and a glimpse of what a gift it would be to have even a small part of making an impact for the Kingdom if I was invited here.

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(l to r) Lulu Luton Clark ‘76, BA’s alumni director, and Chase McTorry ‘03, who works in the BA business office, share memories with Woodall in front of the new alumni hallway display case.

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“On Admission Day, I’m standing in the dining hall listening to all of the administrators share about the mission and vision of the school, and I was very moved and drawn as though I were a prospective parent,” he describes. “Then J. Mac Brown ’83 (chairman of the Board of Trustees) shared a very poignant part of his story about a time when he was an 11th grade student here. It was a dark and difficult time in his life, and he described how two or three faculty members could sense something going on with him. His testimony of how they approached him in love, and how, for the following weeks, they consistently pursued him, brought me to tears.

“I just started weeping as I was standing there. I was crying for the lack of that in my life and in my two sons’ lives when they were that age. I know it was a moment from heaven, and a glimpse of what a gift it would be to have even a small part of making an impact for the kingdom if I was invited here,” he describes.

Woodall focuses most of his time now “inviting people into conversations” to learn what is most meaningful to them.

“In my younger years, I made the mistake of asking people to give toward a goal without knowing what they really cared about, nor did I care about their needs. I describe that as a ‘paper cut.’ It is imposing on their loyalties. What occurs to me is that in the same time that it takes for a solicitation presentation, you can have a listening engagement instead that over time turns into a meaningful relationship,” he says.

“A trusting relationship inspires a lot of giving.

Look at Who created us.”

Woodall’s goal each day is to model the attitude of a “little guy” he watched from his car early one morning before his first interview at BA. “An SUV pulls up, and the littlest person carrying the biggest backpack jumps out, slams the door, and moves very confidently and eagerly to the front door of the school. Something in my spirit was highlighted. Why was this little guy so motivated and confident? He couldn’t wait to get in the door. It was like he was saying, ‘I’ve got it from here, Mom. It’s going to be a great day at BA.’ That was before I even knew the saying, which is our headmaster’s trademark.

“So I couldn’t wait to get in the door. My focus every day is to come in and get rid of anything in my way that doesn’t match up with that little guy’s attitude.”

Woodall looks forward to adding more stories to his collection in the years ahead.

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avid Woodall worked for 26 years in several roles for the University of Florida Foundation prior to joining Brentwood Academy. During his tenure there, Woodall provided charitable estate planning and created and implemented strategic design for leadership giving as part of a $1.7 billion campaign to obtain funding for the university’s multi-disciplinary educational programs. He also has consulted with other non-profit organizations to provide values-based charitable estate planning services for their constituents. Woodall graduated from Vanderbilt University where he also served as director of development. David and his wife, Carol, have two sons and daughters-in-law and six grandchildren who all live in the Nashville area.

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FAC ULTY FOCUS

Jenifferlee Dager

U N L O C K I N G T H E C R E ATO R ’ S I N G E N U I T Y W I T H S C I E N C E

By Jenifferlee Dager—reprinted with permission from Nashville Christian Family magazine

Mrs. JenifferLee Dager teaches upper school biology and philosophy of Christian thought.

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love my job. That is my answer every time I’m asked. I LOVE my job. The most ironic part of this short response is that if you would have asked me in college what I wanted to do for a career, teaching wasn’t on the radar. As a matter of fact, you can rewind all the way back to elementary school, and I never wanted to be a teacher. I definitely didn’t imagine being a science teacher.

I was not very good at science in high school.

It was hard, and no matter how much I tried I seemed to fail more then I succeeded.

When I graduated from high school, I had a goal of being a doctor, so off I went to major in science. For the first time, I understood science as a way to see my Creator, so science came alive.

I loved what I was learning, and I was tutoring peers, so I pushed toward medical school. I spent

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my mornings in labs and my evenings working at the local church in youth ministry. Little did I know that the Lord was preparing me for a job I had never imagined.

The desire and excitement to teach the truth of God penetrated all aspects of my life. I began to travel and speak with organizations such as Youth For Christ at various state youth events.

Speaking to teenagers about their identity as a child of God and watching them embrace the power and victory they have in Christ is a powerful experience. This continues to be a part of my life as I speak around the country at youth gatherings.

Eight years after graduation I became a teacher at Brentwood Academy. The BA mission statement says that the school is a place where each whole person is nurtured and challenged— body, mind, and spirit— to the glory of God. This includes me. Moving into the classroom, I was now able to walk alongside students, not for a few days or a week but for years, to challenge them, encourage them, and watch them grow.

I love the opportunity to speak bold truth into the lives of my students. I love using science topics to unlock the ingenuity of our Creator. I love teaching in an environment that permits students to ask the questions that linger deep within their souls, and I love the opportunity to stir in my students a curiosity that brings about a passion for connecting the truth of Christ with daily life in and out of the classroom.

I love the opportunity to speak bold truth into the lives of my students.

brentwoodacademy.com

Warren Bezuidenhout

THE ROAD TO BECOMING A U.S. CITIZEN

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ost of us take for granted that we are U.S. citizens and live in a country where freedom is a “given.” Not so with Brentwood Academy faculty member Mr. Warren Bezuidenhout.

On October 12, 2012, Bezuidenhout attained his goal of receiving United States citizenship in ceremonies at the U.S. Immigration Office in Nashville. The road to U.S. citizenship was neither an easy one nor a fast one.

Born in Pretoria, South Africa, as a teenager Bezuidenhout became aware of possibilities outside his land of birth. Through Rotary International, he was able to spend a year in upstate New York as an exchange student, which led to an opportunity to go to college and play soccer at Campbellsville University in Kentucky. He earned his undergraduate degree there. His journey continued with a move to Canada for two years of teaching special education.

In 1998, Bezuidenhout’s parents left South Africa and settled in Franklin, TN, and through an association with J. Mac Brown ‘83, his parents learned of Brentwood Academy. This led Bezuidenhout to investigate the possibility of teaching and coaching at BA, and he interviewed with Coach Carlton Flatt and Headmaster Curt Masters. Masters offered Bezuidenhout a position teaching social studies and coaching soccer in the fall of 2001.

Bezuidenhout held a green card with the U.S. government, which allowed him to work, but he wanted more. His goal was U.S. citizenship, which required classes, background checks, finger printing and recommendations, interviews, and a citizenship test, all which took years to accomplish.

While all of this was occurring, Bezuidenhout met and married his wife, BA alumna Missy Knapp ‘93. This gave him added incentive to stay in the United States. His first date with Missy was “set up”

by BA alumni Lyle ‘93 and Amy Neill ‘93 Husband.

The Bezuidenhout family now numbers four, with the addition of sons, Will and Luke.

U.S. citizen Bezuidenhout continues on the BA faculty, serving as 8th grade chair, teaching history,

civics and technology, and coaching soccer.

According to Bezuidenhout, “This has been a long and worthwhile journey that would not have been possible without the support of so many great people at Brentwood Academy. I am so blessed that the Lord wove this school into His story for my life. I had no idea 12 years ago that all these wonderful adventures lay ahead: meeting my wonderful wife; welcoming two wild, crazy, but amazing boys into our lives; and, finally, becoming a U.S. citizen.”

I am so blessed that the Lord wove this school into His story for my life.

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ATHLETI C NEWS

BA fans, according to Coach Rhonda Brown, were instrumental in helping the Lady Eagles make it to the finals of the Div II-AA State Championships this year.

MARCH MADNESS­—BA STYLE The Brentwood Academy Lady Eagles fought the Ensworth Tigers for the Div II-AA State Championship Saturday, March 2, and came up short with a final score of 57-42. After an impressive end-of-season push, BA finished the year 18-11 and state championship runners-up. Congratulations to our girls and to Coaches Rhonda Brown, Dan Wilkerson, Mollie Wilson, and Victoria Dunlap ‘07 who helped lead this tight-knit team through an extraordinary season.

Breuna Jackson ‘16, Maren Kreid ‘14, and Hailey Pierson ‘13 were named to the all-tournament team.

The Brentwood Academy cheerleaders were awarded the Tournament Spirit Award.

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VOLLEYBALL

KARATE

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Congratulations to the middle school volleyball team, crowned HVAC champions on September 27 after defeating Harpeth Hall 25-22, 25-17. The team is coached by Shari Christiansen, Caroline Pederson, Doug Campbell, and Brian Christiansen.

Evie Kaestner ‘13 is the first BA female student to earn her black belt.

WRESTLING

Amos Mason ‘13 finished his Brentwood Academy wrestling career as the new state record-holder for most consecutive wins (132). Mason, who will play college football at the Naval Academy, won three consecutive Division II state titles in the 220 lb. weight class. Mason attributes his successful senior season to intensive coaching by BA alumnus wrestler Jason Jarrett ‘95.

SWIMMING

Bekah Friday ‘16 (left) set new BA records in the 200 Freestyle, 100 Butterfly, 200 IM, 100 Freestyle and 100 Backstroke. In the Backstroke and 100 Butterfly, Bekah is the first female swimmer in BA history to break one minute.

She also qualified for nine individual events at the Southeastern Championships and two events at Junior Nationals (pre-Olympic event).

Bekah now holds seven individual BA swimming records. She is pictured with Coach Jim 51 Chapman and her sister, Sarah ‘16.

FOOTBALL The 6th grade football team (above), coached by Matt Hoppe ‘95, finished an undefeated season with a 20-0 win over Oak Hill in the West Nashville Football League 6th Grade Football Championship game. The 8th grade football team (above, right), coached by Carlton Flatt, also finished the season undefeated. Derek Barnett ‘14 (right) received the Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Award for Div II-AA Lineman of the Year. Derek’s teammate Jalen Ramsey ‘13 was also nominated for the Div II-AA Back of the Year.

Allison Cheeseman ‘14 (left) was named to the 2012 All Midstate Girls’ Cross Country Team. She was also crowned the Div II-AA girls’ state champion at the state meet. Cross Country Coach Marshall Smith ‘92 (above) was awarded the 2012 Cross Country Midstate Conference Boys’ Coach of the Year.

TRACK & CROSS COUNTRY

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The middle school boys’ cross country team (right), coached by Hunt Atkins ‘97, captured the AA HVAC championship title on September 27, 2012 for the second year in a row. Earlier in the season, the team set a new school and HVAC record for the most boys (61) competing in a single cross country race.

Coach Brad Perry ‘92 (above) was named the National Federation of High Schools Coaches Association Tennessee Track Coach of the Year for 2012.

BASKETBALL

The freshman Eagles’ basketball team defeated MBA in the Freshman Middle Tennessee Tournament for the championship.

The team is coached by Spencer Richardson.

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The middle school boys’ and girls’ basketball teams captured the 2013 HVAC titles in championship games against FRA (36-25) and Harpeth Hall (40-35) on February 14. The girls are coached by Tim Reid and Doug Campbell, and the boys are coached by Matt Hoppe ‘95.

Coach Hubie Smith was recently named the new head coach of BA’s boys’ varsity basketball program. Coach Smith joins the Eagles after serving as assistant athletic director and varsity girls’ basketball coach at Ensworth. Earlier in his career, he was assistant men’s basketball coach at Lipscomb University and director of basketball operations for the men’s basketball team at Belmont University. Before coming to this area, Coach Smith coached boys’ varsity basketball for 19 years at Bartlett High School in Memphis, where he accumulated a record of 440-190. In his last eight seasons at Bartlett, his teams won seven regular season district championships, five regional championships, made four trips to the TSSAA State Tournament and won the 2001 AAA State Championship. While at Ensworth, he led the Lady Tigers to two state championships and two state championship runner-up titles.

Coach Smith has a wealth of experience with summer camps and leagues. He will oversee BA’s camps program and will help develop youth athletic programs in the community. Welcome, Coach Smith!

NATIONAL SIGNING DAY 2013

On February 6, nine senior student athletes signed letters of intent to play college athletics. Pictured from left to right are D’Montre Wade, football­—Murray State ; Deanna Tate, track­—University of Mississippi; Breanna Tate, track­—University of Mississippi; Garrett Wilson, cross country—Union University; Max Staver, football­—University of Florida; Jalen Ramsey, football—Florida State University; Amos Mason, football­—Naval Academy; Austin Jackson, baseball— Freed-Hardeman University; Will Haynie, baseball—University of Alabama. Other seniors signing after February 6 and not pictured are Reid Besch, football­—Rhodes College; Connor Johnson, football—U.S. Air Force Academy; Baylor McKay, soccer—Trevecca Nazarene University; Stephen Miller, football—Virginia Military Institute; Jai Murphy, basketball—Kansas State University.

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F I NE A RTS NEWS

GOLD KEY AWARD Eight art students from Brentwood Academy were recognized for their outstanding work in the 2013 Regional Scholastic Awards, which had more than 1,300 entries this year. Kate Pearce ‘14 was awarded the Gold Key in Digital Art for Changing Churches (left).

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Kendall Parsons ‘14 was awarded a Silver Key in Photography for Paws Up; Will Reynolds ‘13 was awarded a Silver Key in Design for Courage, Fortitude and Adventure; and Emily Klippenstein ‘13 was awarded a Silver Key in Digital Art for Spikes and Spirits.

ART Olivia Lentchner ‘18 was awarded honorable mention in middle school sculpture for Sweet Will Be the Flower (top left).

Mary Margaret Glass ‘14 was awarded honorable mention in sculpture for Floating Sphere (top right).

Molly Peach ‘13 was awarded honorable mention in design for Laughter (bottom left).

Tori Santi ‘13 was awarded honorable mention in design for The Silver Spoon (bottom right).

Three middle school students won awards for their artwork at the Middle Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition at the Renaissance Center in Dickson. Their works were among 500 submissions.

Palmer Hughes ‘17 won second place in printmaking for Off in the Distance (left).

Clayton Ladd ‘18 won first place in sculpture for Blue Fire and Ice (center).

Olivia Lentchner, ‘18 won second place in mixed media for Paper Flowers (right).

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Spring 2013

FORENSICS

Six upper school forensics students qualified for the national tournament to be held this summer in Birmingham, AL. Two more will be going as alternates. (l-r) Jacqueline Lunsford ‘14—Alternate, Dramatic Interp; Michael Rankin ‘16 and Andrew Wilson ‘14—Duo Interp; Michael DiLucchio ‘13—Humorous Interp; Coach Ryan Hubbard; Valerie Tewell ‘14—Dramatic Interp; Lexie Harvey ‘14—Original Oratory; Maddie Jarrard ‘16— Original Oratory; Will Boling ‘15—Alternate, U.S. Extemp

DANCE The middle school dancers (above) won first place at the regional UDA Dance Team Competition in Gatlinburg.

On November 17, the Brentwood Academy Dancers (right) competed in the TSSAA State Dance Team Competition for the first time in BA history and took home first place. Both teams are coached by Mrs. Robyne Kennedy, Mrs. Sarah Shoemaker and Ms. Erin Ellis.

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Under the direction of Ms. Joanna Franzke, the middle school forensics team brought home a lot of hardware this year. Eleven of these students will compete at the national tournament this summer: Brandon Black ‘17, Chris Clark ‘17, Riley Clemmons ‘17, Bryce Jarvis ‘17, Katherine Nesbitt ‘17, Gavin Schoenwald ‘17, Allie Sheets ‘17, Lottie Shudde ‘17, Sarah Bryant ‘18, Emmy Hickman ‘18, and Tre Stewart ‘18

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DRAMA Done to Death, a comedy/drama that tells the story of five washed-up mystery writers and their extraordinary adventure, was the inaugural production in BA’s newly renovated theatre last fall. The cast, crew, and directors enjoyed the benefits of state-of-the-art lighting and professional sound equipment. Pictured (l-r): Daniel Byers ‘13, Reagan Stovenour ‘14, and Ben Mason ‘13.

BA’s middle school drama presentation for the year was the beloved Princess and the Pea. Almost 50 middle school students made up the cast and crew. Brandon Black ‘17 (left) starred as the suave and sophisticated Prince Valiant while Tre Stewart ‘18 provided comic relief as Jackie the Jester.

Mrs. Holly Shepherd Urbanowicz directed the upper school and middle school drama presentations this year.

ACADEMY SINGERS

The Academy Singers and forensics performers lit up the stage on April 4 at The Franklin Theatre. With a new venue and the highly anticipated release of The Academy Singers’ new CD, this year’s performance sold out in less than 48 hours. Mrs. Jenny Oldham and Ms. Lindsey Fowlkes ‘86 produced the show.

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Spring 2013

REMEMBERING

DR. FERRELL

Headmaster Curt Masters (left) presents a plaque commemorating the dedication of the Sports Training Room at BA to Dr. Craig Ferrell’s sons, Aaron (second from left) and Jonathan (fourth from left), and his wife, Lorraine (third from right). Also pictured are Kate Ferrell, Aaron’s daughter (third from left) and Tanya Ferrell, Aaron’s wife (right) holding Dr. Ferrell’s grandson, Michael.

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raig Ferrell, M.D. served as team physician to Brentwood Academy athletes from 1981 to 2011.

In recognition of his faithful service, BA dedicated the sports training room in the Athletic Center to his memory in a ceremony held on January 12.

A plaque bearing the dedication message was unveiled during halftime of the BA vs. BGA basketball game and presented to Dr. Ferrell’s wife, Lorraine, and sons, Aaron and Jonathan.

Prior to the halftime ceremony, a reception organized by long-time friend and colleague Regg Swanson, was held in the school commons.

Dr. Ferrell’s medical practice partners and many BA coaches and friends gathered to share memories of their time with Dr. Ferrell and the impact he had on players during his 20 years of service.

The plaque honoring Dr. Ferrell’s memory now hangs outside the Sports Training Room of the Athletic Center, where many framed pen and ink caricatures of Dr. Ferrell, drawn by Coach Jimmy Gentry over the years, are displayed.

Dr. Ferrell, a Tullahoma native, was a graduate of the Webb School in Bell Buckle, Notre Dame University, and Tulane Medical School. Dr. Ferrell founded the Franklin Bone and Joint Clinic in 1979 and began his career in sports medicine serving as team physician for several area high schools, professional soccer, and the United States swimming team. He received the Athletics Appreciation Award and became the chairman of the U. S. swimming medical committee, serving as team physician for the U.S. Olympic swimming team in 1996.

Dr. Ferrell passed away in 2012 following a polo accident.

Regg Swanson outside The Craig Ferrell, M.D. Sports Medicine Center at Brentwood Academy.

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Brentwood Academy Leadership Trustee Board 2012-2013 J. Mac Brown ‘83, Chair Mary Lee Bartlett, Chair-elect Buddy Bacon ‘82 Dorothy Bullard Rachel Williams Burgin ‘80 Holly Dobberpuhl Dr. Mike Helton ‘88 Journey Johnson Jeff Moseley Pat Ralls Mitzi Renfro John Roberson David Rogers Daryl Terry

Honorary Trustees C. Dan Brown 1983-1986, 1991-1995, 2007-2009 Albert Gasser (deceased) T. P. Kennedy (deceased) Walter Knestrick 1976-1986 Hampton Pitts 1992-1998 Ambassador Joe M. Rodgers (deceased) Ben Rowan 1979-1985 William E. Sheriff 1978-1984 Dr. William Wadlington 1973-1982 Richard Wright 1994 -2005

Administration Curtis G. Masters, Headmaster William B. Brown, Jr., Headmaster Emeritus Ray Mullican ‘80, Assistant Head for Finance, Development, and Communication Paul Compton, Upper School Director Nancy Simpkins Brasher ‘73, Middle School Director Cynthia Tripp, Dean of Faculty Kent Bradford, Dean of Students Rian Berger, Spiritual Life Director Cody White, Athletic Director Hunt Atkins ‘97, Admission Director Susan Shafer, Communications Director David Woodall, Development Director Andi Holbrook, Donor Relations Director Leah Hoskins, Public Relations/Publications Director Lulu Luton Clark ‘76, Alumni Director Jason Oggs, Business Manager Paula Booten, Registrar Shelley Miller, College Counselor Courtney Jones, College Counselor

Parents Association Board 2012-2013 Sherri Boatright, President Callie Fowlkes Victory ‘83, President-elect Matt Anderson ‘88 Jody Bacon Kim Beamon Joseph Binkley Patsy Brown Laura Burkhart Scott Cole Joey Coppage Troy Dean ‘89 Thomas Dodd Jayme Foster Sarah Houser Betsy Koch Kathy Lee Barbara Prather Ann Rankin Lea Ann Renner Laura Reynolds Christie Smith Terri Vafiades Dana Whitehurst

Alumni Council 2012-2013 Rebecca Fletcher Holmes ‘93, Co-President Kim Smith Elliott ‘95, Co-President Debbie Butler Ballard ‘75 Harriet Brown Bailey ‘81 Dick Cole ‘84, Co-President-Elect Mike Terry ‘84 Mindy Davis McCullar ‘86 Russ Fitch ‘92 Amy Skaggs Harr ‘95 Destin Tompkins ‘95, Co-President-Elect Melissa Bath Clift ‘96 Curt Revelette ‘99 Meredith Kenny Hill ‘00 Brandon Keane ‘00 Alicia Hogin Potter ‘00 Meg Gering Wadlington ‘01 Jake Griffin ‘02 Bowman Richards ‘03 Sarah Kenny Wilkinson ‘04 Libby Ford ‘06 Rachel Brannon ‘07 Emeline Thrash ‘07

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219 Granny White Pike Brentwood, TN 37027 brentwoodacademy.com

REUNION WEEKEND 2013 1973 • 1978 • 1983 • 1988 • 1993 • 1998 • 2003 • 2008

Friday, August 2, 2013 •

Alumni Golf Tournament (location/time TBD)

Saturday, August 3, 2013 •

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Class of 1983

Pre-Party Reception at BA, second floor of The Rock (athletic center) Classes of 1973, 1978, 1983 5:00 to 6:00 PM Classes of 1988, 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008 5:30 to 6:30 PM Class Parties (location/time TBD, some classes may have additional events)

For more information, please contact Alumni Director Lulu Luton Clark ‘76, lulu_clark@brentwoodacademy.com or 615-377-0919