Perspectives CHARLOTTE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2015
ENGINEERING AND INNOVATION RECORD SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THE CLASS OF 2015 PATHS TO PEACE EXPERIENCE A MAN OF HONOR: GEORGE HODGIN ’05
Ready to Thrive Country Day READY
Contents 21 The Paths to Peace Experience
FEATURES
18 24 26 28
The Class of 2015 at a Glance Engineering Course Teaches Problem-Solving and Innovation A Man of Honor: Lieutenant George Hodgin ’05 A Love of Words: Mary Allen Todd and Lucinda Nisbet Lucas ’74
DEPARTMENTS 3 Head of School’s Message 4 News & Notes 14 Arts News 16 Buc Sports 29 Alumni Scrapbook 31 Class Notes
Perspectives EDITOR Lee-Anne Black CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Jonsie Evans ’95 CONTRIBUTORS Megan Fink Lisa Hernick Beth Lawing Natalie Pruett Abe Wehmiller PHOTOGRAPHY Lee-Anne Black Jonsie Evans Megan Fink FJ Gaylor Photography Lisa Hernick Beth Lawing David Lynn Carl McPhail Brian Osborne Photography Taryn Page Natalie Pruett Peter Zay DESIGN Windtree Studios/Robert Locklear Perspectives is published twice a year by the Marketing and Communications Office for alumni, parents, staff, and friends of Charlotte Country Day School. Please send questions, comments, or story ideas to lee-anne.black@charlottecountryday.org. ADDRESS UPDATES Send address changes to updates@charlottecountryday.org
Our Mission
Through excellence in education, Charlotte Country Day School develops the potential of each student by fostering intellectual curiosity, principled character, ethical leadership, and a responsibility to serve.
Affirmation of Community
Charlotte Country Day School is committed to living as an authentic, inclusive community. Our pursuit of this commitment to community recognizes and affirms the richness brought by difference and discovered through commonality. For more information about our Mission, Key Values, and Affirmation of Community, please visit charlottecountryday.org/mission.
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ALUMNI: Visit charlottecountryday.org/alumniupdate. You can also send address changes to alumnirelations@charlottecountryday.org. CURRENT PARENTS: Visit BucsNet to update your profile. PLEASE LET US KNOW IF: You received Perspectives addressed to someone who no longer maintains a permanent residence at your home. OR You have multiple community members at the same address, but you would prefer to receive only one copy for your household. Send requests to updates@charlottecountryday.org
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On the cover
Julien Souffrant ’15 is investigating the dynamic load in a free-standing Warren bridge that he built in his structural engineering course. Photo credit: Peter Zay
Inside cover
Rising fourth-grader Liza Grasty
Message from the Head of School School Leadership 2014–15 BOARD OF TRUSTEES
OFFICERS: Louis A. Bledsoe III ’77, Chair D. Ann Caulkins, Vice Chair Dr. Cheryl D. Courtlandt, Vice Chair Todd A. Gorelick ’82, Vice Chair Dr. James W. Roberts, Vice Chair Arthur C. Roselle, Vice Chair Gary R. Wolfe, Secretary-Treasurer
MEMBERS: Dr. Adelle Anthony-Williams David M. Benson ’85 Howard C. Bissell* Edison P. Cassels ’87 Theresa Drew Kenneth V. Garcia Dwight L. Hollier Dr. Ameesha P. Kansupada Kathleen Knox Krupa Leigh F. Moran James H. McLawhorn Amy Fonville Owen ’81 Mary Claudia Belk Pilon ’92 Walker L. Poole Steven L. Purdy ’87 Sally Cannon Saussy ’67* Laura A. Schulte Scott R. Stevens A. Wellford Tabor Ronald A. Veith William H. Zimmern ’95 Mark E. Reed (Ex-officio) *Life trustee
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n my first year as Head of School, I began asking our youngest alumni to reflect on their Country Day experience and share how prepared they felt for the rigors of college. I believe the best feedback comes from those who have lived an experience. Their thoughtful comments have been both affirming of our mission and helpful in our efforts to continuously improve our service to students. As in years past, the results from this year’s Sophomore College Survey show that these alumni overwhelmingly felt fully ready for college and for college life. They also consistently gave high praise to their Country Day teachers. One alumna put it this way: “Country Day has some of the most incredible teachers that I have ever had the pleasure of learning from. I was challenged by them, yet learned more (both inside and outside the classroom) than I ever could have hoped as a result.” In sharing the best part of the academic experience, another alumnus wrote: “The difficulty of both my courses and my teachers was highly helpful in terms of my college preparation…if it were not for the many years of a challenging workload I found at Country Day, I would not have experienced the success I did in my first years in college. Academically, I could not have been more prepared.” And one young alumna, in responding to a question about advice to current Upper School students, wrote: “Don’t be so concerned with college and your future that you forget where you are right now. Take advantage of how close you are to your childhood friends, get involved with something you’re passionate about, take classes you actually care about.” As you read through this issue of Perspectives, you’ll see the many ways we are ensuring future Country Day graduates will be ready for college and life. From stories of impactful teachers, challenging courses, and distinctive global opportunities to accomplished alumni and exciting plans for our school’s future, it’s clear that Country Day has never been stronger. Thank you to everyone who supports our students and our school. Sincerely,
Mark Reed Head of School
2014–15 ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL Mark Reed, Head of School Matthew Less, Head of Upper School Warren Sepkowitz, Head of Middle School Clare Walton, Interim Head of Lower School Joe Hernick, Director of Educational Technology David Lynn, Director of International Studies Brian Wise, Director of Diversity Planning Abe Wehmiller, Director of Athletics Nancy Ehringhaus, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Lauren Batten, Director of Advancement David Mancos, Chief Financial Officer
At the Reunion Weekend BBQ & Oyster Roast, Mark Reed had the opportunity to catch up with many alumni, including Ben Rhyne ’10, who recently graduated from Stanford University, where he earned academic and athletic honors as the football team’s kicker. SUMMER 2015
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News & Notes
1 BIG Thank You for 175 Years of Service
This year, these seven faculty and staff members retired from Country Day. We are grateful for their service.
Tammy Bucy—35 years
Bob Witman—25 years
Tammy came full circle in her more than three decades of service to Country Day. She began teaching music in the Lower School in 1980, then transferred to the Middle School to be the general music teacher and choir accompanist in 1991. In 2003 she began to split her time between teaching JK/K music while continuing as the 5th/6th grade general music teacher and the accompanist for the 7th/8th grade choirs. For the past two years, she enjoyed serving as the JK–4 music teacher again. Tammy won the Faculty Exceptional Performance Award four times and traveled to Ireland and Alaska as a recipient of Faculty Renewal Grants and the JR Williams Travel Grant.
Bob retired as Country Day’s winningest football coach. Please see page 16 for reflections from some of his players.
Bonnie Duckworth—27 years “Dr. Duck,” who retired in July 2014, served as the Lower School’s first drama teacher. Whether creatively linking popular songs to curricular connections, or developing wonderful costumes and choreography, Bonnie made every performance memorable. She also dedicated time to the entire school by writing songs for grand events like the opening of the Levine Center. Bonnie has directed more than 200 plays, and most importantly, she has touched the lives of more than 4,000 children—helping to build their confidence through drama. She won the Faculty Exceptional Performance Award in 1990.
Susan McGarity—25 years Susan wore many hats during her tenure at the Middle School—always with enthusiasm and a smile. She taught both seventh- and eighthgrade math and seventh-grade science. Additionally, she has served as seventh-grade team leader, Odyssey of the Mind advisor, Student Council co-advisor, and community service director. She has won the Faculty Exceptional Performance Award twice. 4
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STAFF RETIREMENTS Liz Connery—25 years As the official greeter, Liz was the first impression of Country Day as guests entered the Levine reception area or called the school. Liz always carried a welcoming smile and a kind word. She also compiled the school’s employee newsletter of personal milestones and won the Staff Exceptional Performance Award in 1993.
Art Davis—21 years Over the years, Art has driven bus routes with our students and kept our campus looking beautiful as a member of the grounds crew. He was recognized with the Staff Exceptional Performance Award in 2000.
Eileen Jones —17 years Eileen was the “first line of defense” for trouble tickets in the school’s Information Technology department. Her calm demeanor helped many employees when the printer wouldn’t work or the image wouldn’t project.
News & Notes Scott Waybright Joins Administrative Team
Thumbs Up for Our
Long-Serving Teachers Earlier this year, our Facebook pages lit up with likes and comments for this photo posted after the Years of Service celebration hosted by the Parents’ Association. The event honors faculty and staff who have reached the 10, 20, 30, 35, and 40 years of service milestones. Pictured (left to right) are Patsy Ratterree (35 years), Libby Helms (30 years), Gary Forbis (35 years), Win Robinson (40 years), Gerard Loiseau (35 years), and Clare Walton (30 years). In all, 32 Country Day professionals were recognized.
Here are just a few comments from our Facebook fans: Janice Clark Pollock My sons learned so much from them. Thank you all. Katherine Ferriott-Smith ’92 Oh my! Some of THE best educators in this whole world. I thank them and think of them often. Thank you for my love of music, and French, and science, and all life has to offer. Meredith Stuart ’09 Wow! Ms. Ratterree was my first math teacher at CCDS and one of the reasons I became a math teacher! Leslie Kaplan Schlernitzauer ’86 Awesome. So many of my teachers and now my children’s. How grateful we are. Tawny Thompson Stephens ’96 Some of my very favorite teachers in this bunch! Mary Nealon Kluttz What a wonderful and talented group of people! Anchia Kinard ’01 This is fantastic! Mr. Forbis introduced me to syncopated rhythm and Mr. Loiseau was one of my favorite French teachers.
This spring, after a national search, Scott Waybright was tapped to serve Country Day as an academic leader and member of the Administrative Council as assistant head of school. “In this role, Scott will continue our work of intentionally integrating the JK–12 curriculum and preparing our students for new challenges and opportunities in their futures,” said Head of School Mark Reed. Since 2003, Scott served the school as director of studies in the Middle School, proving himself to be a collaborative, thoughtful, and strategic leader, who is committed to innovative curriculum design, global mindedness, parent/ school partnership, and faculty development and assessment. Scott has also served as a full-time faculty member, department chair, coach, and advisor at our school. Additionally, Scott successfully co-chaired the multi-year Strategic Planning process and, this past year, served the school well both in helping to implement our 1:1 technology initiative and collaborating to develop a renewed faculty evaluation process. In this new role, Scott will oversee Country Day’s JK–12 academic program, as well as faculty recruitment, retention, and professional growth. Finally, Scott will continue to help the school reach its strategic goals from our most recent strategic planning process.
Carol Cross Morris Country Day continues to be great because of this group of dedicated faculty who give so much to their students.
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News & Notes
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n mid-May, fourth-grade Green Team members released 82 healthy rainbow trout into the Jacobs Fork River at South Mountains State Park. This is the fifth year Country Day students have participated in the hands-on education and conservation program developed by the non-profit Trout Unlimited. The program puts life sciences in the hands of our third- and fourth-grade students who, beginning in September, raise trout from eggs to fry (small fish), which are released in May. Throughout the year, students monitor tank water quality, study stream habitat, and learn about water resources and conservation. Lower School science teacher Taryn Page said, “We are also very fortunate to have the help and support of Ray McGee from our Plant Operations staff. He is a trout expert and the children love having his help with this project.”
Trout In the Classroom Going Strong
“What I liked most is that you could see the trout grow, because it reminded me of having a schoolwide fish family,” said fourth-grader Logan Yuhas, in a Charlotte Observer story about the program. “I definitely enjoyed the cute little fish scrambling for food and the life of the trout. It felt like a connection to everyone else.” Ray McGee, Plant Operations, shares his trout expertise with students.
Big Saturday Big Success!
Thanks to the Parents’ Association volunteers for another successful Big Saturday. This 54-year school tradition is a highlight of the spring and one of the school’s largest fundraisers.
Eighth-graders Loren Eastman and Elizabeth Edwards with parent volunteer Ima Etuk.
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Fourth-grader Davis Johnson
Middle School science teacher Michael Rinehart
News & Notes
Win Robinson Receives Alumni Association
Distinguished Faculty Award
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ach year at Commencement, the Alumni Association presents the Distinguished Faculty Award to a faculty member who has made outstanding and unselfish contributions to Country Day. Win Robinson has done just that as a beloved foreign language teacher, longtime department head, involved club advisor, dedicated coach, and compassionate student advisor for more than 40 years in the Upper School. He was honored in a speech delivered by Liz Hill ’11 and received an extended standing ovation. In her remarks, Liz shared poignant reflections from some of Mr. Robinson’s students over the years.
“There was never a need to worry about your voluntary participation grade in Mr. Robinson’s class. With almost athletic deception, he would quickly call on students left and right without warning, often looking at one student and then calling on another. Thanks to Mr. Robinson, I graduated from Country Day not only ready for college, where I majored in Spanish, but for law school as well.” — Sarah Eades ’09
“During my daughter’s first day of ninth grade, she had some scheduling issues and was unsure what to do. As she headed to the Upper School office, she met a man who offered to help her and told her he would stick around just to make sure everything was corrected. As it turned out, that man was also her Latin teacher, Mr. Robinson, and he had taught me. Win has always created a sense of community and belonging on campus. His enthusiastic, warm personality puts all his students at ease, creating an inviting learning environment.” —Francie Chapman Mangan ’79
“It was Mr. Robinson who first seeded in me the notion that fluency was a real possibility. That he taught me and my brothers to SCUBA dive with equal assurance is also much appreciated. And though my ears took less to the depths of the sea than to Spanish, the vistas and depths I’ve explored through his merit—cultural, social, linguistic, and aquatic—have enriched my life profoundly and ignited an exploratory spirit that lives in me.” —Danny Cohen ’05 “Mr. Robinson’s son Ted and my sister Katie both have Downs Syndrome. Through his caring nature and involvement in his son’s life, Mr. Robinson has been a role model for me and my family. He is by his son’s side on and off campus, which only adds to his genuine character. I know he means the world to Ted, but I also want him to know how much he means to our entire Country Day community.” —Liz Hill ’11
Win Robinson with his grandson Liam, son-in-law John Ambrose, daughter Helen Robinson Ambrose ’98, wife Toni, and son Ted. SUMMER 2015
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News & Notes
Spotlighting the Issues
On Students Minds Revised Speech Contest format lets students dig deep By Beth Lawing
Spotlight Challenge winner Philip Scheurer with Alice Barbour and Kasey Short. The other finalists included Hannah Baumgartner, Cal Benson, Casey Canale, Sam Davis, Eden Moore, Lilah Peck, and Aishwarya Sharma.
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ow do you shake up an annual Speech Contest that has perhaps grown a little stale? Sixth-grade language arts teachers Alice Barbour and Kasey Short answered the call with the Spotlight Challenge. Says Mrs. Short, “Alice and I wondered to ourselves, ‘What if the Speech Contest gave students a chance to find something they really cared about and to talk about that? What if they had a way to see that their words can make a difference in the world?’” The other grade-level language arts teachers liked the Spotlight Challenge idea. In every classroom, students worked hard to first narrow down and select a topic, then write a persuasive speech that incorporated ethos (ethical appeal/credibility), pathos (emotional appeal), and logos (logical appeal)—no easy task. After they finished writing and practicing, every Middle School student stood up in front of their classroom peers and delivered their very own Spotlight topic. 8
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“Each student was guaranteed an audience of 15 peers to speak about something which they care about deeply,” added Mrs. Barbour. “The time spent on the speech was productive for all students, winner or not.” Class finalists then competed against other grade-level finalists. Eight students— two from each grade—advanced to the finals, which were held in the gym in front of the entire Middle School on April 16. The Spotlight Challenge finalists raised awareness about a variety of topics, including cystic fibrosis, breast cancer, and equal pay for women, as well as ways to prevent teenage suicide, domestic violence, and LGBT bullying. “The Spotlight was neat to do because I wanted emotion in my speech, but I didn’t want to overload people with it,” said fifthgrader Casey Canale, who tied the need for breast cancer research to her own experience of losing her mother to the disease in 2011. “I had to figure out the right mixture of using emotion while blowing everyone away with my facts.”
In the end, the judges announced seventhgrader Philip Scheurer as the winner of the Spotlight Challenge. For his Spotlight, Philip explained how a pair of shoes on the feet of a needy African child can be a passport to a healthy, more-successful life. “For me, it’s easy to write about something that you’re passionate about,” Philip said, “and I’m passionate about Samaritan’s Feet ever since I heard their founder speak at my church.” Whether or not students moved on to the grade-level or finals round, they all benefited from the experience. “You’ve really got to know your facts when you write your Spotlight,” seventh-grader Christopher Manzano said during the grade-level finals.
TOPICS EXPLORED Here is a sampling of topics students explored during the Spotlight Challenge. Adoption Regulations in Russia Racism in Ballet AIDS Orphans Improvised Explosive Devices in War-Torn Countries Celiac Disease GMOs in Food Concussions in the NFL Domestic Violence Poaching Student Loan Debt Suicide Prevention in Teens LGBT Bullying Child Trafficking in India Female Leadership Around the World Daily PE for All Children
News & Notes
Author Mike Artell Delights Lower School Students By Lisa Hernick
Mike Artell, author of many well-loved children’s books, visited with Lower School students on March 24. During several grade-level sessions, he discussed the process of writing books for children, the research behind his writing, as well as how to draw different types of faces, structures, and animals. Mr. Artell also read from one of his best known books, Petite Rouge: A Cajun Red Riding Hood, complete with an authentic Cajun accent. A highlight of the visit came when Mr. Artell sat down at his laptop and started drawing. He explained the cartooning process to the students before he began, and how that process has changed over the years—from pencil and paper, to computer. The students all had clipboards, pencils, and paper. Mr. Artell walked them step-by-step through the drawing process, much the same way he does in several of his books (You Can Draw Creatures of the Oceans and Seas, Funny Cartooning For Kids, etc). He broke the process down into a handful of steps and the children created wonderful cartoons with his instructions. Special thanks to Lower School librarians Tara Kester and Jody Specker for organizing the visit.
Mike Artell and Michael Woodard, fourth grade.
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News & Notes
2015 Honorary Alumni Association Honorees The Honorary Alumni Association, now in its 34th year, celebrates the people who make Country Day such an exceptional educational experience for our students. This year, Chief Financial Officer David Mancos, and generous supporters Annette and Pat Hunter were honored on April 14. Todd Gorelick ’82 was also honored as our Alumnus of the Year.
David Mancos
Annette and Pat Hunter Annette and Pat have been supporters of Country Day since 1972, and Pat has served as a member of the Board of Visitors for five years. They are devoted and proud parents of Country Day alumni Pat ’79, Mike ’80, and Amy Emmanuel ’84; and six grandchildren, one who graduated in 2013 and five who currently attend our school.
“I am so grateful that the Hunters have chosen to show their appreciation for our teachers and our staff by providing an opportunity that addresses well-being.” – Head of School Mark Reed
In 2009, Annette and Pat generously established the Hunter Sabbatical Endowment Fund at Country Day in honor of his parents, Helen T. and G. Patrick Hunter Sr., who believed strongly in the value of travel as a broadening experience. The sabbatical supports four to six weeks of travel and personal renewal, and is awarded to a faculty or staff member each year. Six faculty and staff members have benefited from the grant since its inception. During the ceremony, Head of School Mark Reed said, “During the school year, I witness every day how committed and hard-working so many Country Day employees are in creating a great school for our students. I am so grateful that the Hunters have chosen to show their appreciation for our teachers and our staff by providing an opportunity that addresses well-being.” 10
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David joined Country Day in May 1999 and has proven himself to be an excellent chief financial officer and integral member of the school’s management team. As a committed and hard-working leader, he has set the strategic direction for the business office, and shaped and developed a “best practices” culture that touches every aspect of the school’s operations—from investment to accounting to property and grounds to ancillary services. Under David’s leadership, our school’s endowment has grown from $11 million to $46 million over the past decade. Former Head of School Margaret Gragg Bissell said, “David’s leadership is grounded in his personal values and his career army values: He will always see himself as a dedicated servant of Country Day and will, without fail, respect, honor, protect, and strengthen the school.” Watts Hamrick ’77, a former Board chair, added, “In the 2008–09 recession, when there was panic all around, David remained the calm in the storm, with a clear-eyed view of the tough decisions that needed to be made. Coming out of the recession, he embraced our model of nominal tuition increases and deftly guided the school’s finances through that adjustment.”
“He will always see himself as a dedicated servant of Country Day and will, without fail, respect, honor, protect, and strengthen the school.” – Former Head of School Margaret Gragg Bissell
News & Notes
Todd Gorelick ’82,
ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR Todd Gorelick has been a committed member of the Country Day community for more than 45 years as a former student, alumnus, parent, Annual Fund volunteer, and member of the Board of Trustees. He is also an active and passionate volunteer in the local community and has served on many boards, including the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, Discovery Place, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte where he served as president; he currently chairs the board of the Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust.
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n his acceptance speech, Todd eloquently expressed the value of Country Day teachers in helping to shape his identity and prepare him for future success. “The question of why I volunteer at Country Day had never occurred to me before being asked to speak about it tonight. I think the answer starts with Mrs. Jones in junior kindergarten. And it continues with Mrs. Yopp, Mrs. Ellis, and Mrs. Spearman who made me feel loved, and smart, and challenged in second grade. And Janice Hill, the only teacher from my earliest years whose first name I knew, probably because she was also the subject of my first boyhood crush in third grade. Then there was Frances Hyatt, a few years later, who taught me how to feel a sense of belonging and warmth by helping my friends celebrate Christmas, even though it wasn’t my holiday. For a kid who felt different, that was a great life lesson that came at the right time. You see, Country Day wasn’t just the place I learned geography and spelling—though those were also highlights in Mrs. Hyatt’s class, it was a home where I grew up. I owe a great debt of gratitude to Coach Dave Wheeler and John Bristor for correcting me when I was unkind to one of my best friends. The memory of my shortcomings remains a guidepost for me today. And, Bob Plyler, in similar fashion, taught me a lot about high
Todd ’82 and his wife, Stacy Gorelick.
expectations and second chances. I have to thank teachers like Dolly Hickman and Ed Kelly, even though I never sat in their classes. Such was the power of their presence that I learned about reputation, leadership, and dedication from their examples.
When thinking back on Country Day experiences, we alumni tend to remember the good. Almost universally, that means remembering our teachers. Thinking back on my experience, I gained skills that remain with me, and I learned to crave the rush of intellectual discovery. In a few short weeks before being whisked from our classroom into the administration building, Margaret Gragg taught me most of what I know today about writing a well-crafted paragraph. And, Rob Williams, Paulette
Beatty, Mary Todd, and Julia Britt stirred my curiosity, sense of engagement, and passion for learning. These are my most vivid Country Day memories. When thinking back on Country Day experiences, we alumni tend to remember the good. Almost universally, that means remembering our teachers. We remember them because they were the ones who helped to shape our identities; we remember them lovingly and gratefully because Country Day teachers were, and are, such good people. It’s the teachers, those who I named, and others just as memorable, who really deserve our praise and our support. It’s also people like Samantha Bosco, and Martha Thorne, and Tim Waples who have carried on this legacy, helping to shepherd our own children through adolescence and into adulthood. I volunteer because they have chosen to devote all of their time, and sometimes a lifelong career, to preparing children to lead successful and fulfilling lives. They deserve my partnership in the best way I can offer it.” Several members of Todd’s family attended the celebration, including his parents (seated) Bill and Patty Gorelick; (standing, left to right) brother Rael Gorelick ’90; son Jack ’18, wife Stacy, daughter Adelaide ’15, sister Marcelle Gorelick ’84, and son Charlie ’21. Son Henry ’13, a student at the University of Michigan, was unable to attend. SUMMER 2015
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News & Notes
Financial Aid at a Glance
Our mission’s Key Value of Community states that we respect each individual, embrace diversity, and value the relationships uniting us as a school. To that end, Country Day is committed to creating a diverse academic community of talented, motivated students and preparing them for a fast-changing, global society. Financial aid can serve as a tool in delivering our mission and the key value of diversity. In fact, the Board of Trustees allocates almost 12 percent of the operating budget to financial aid because economic diversity enriches the educational experience for all students. Below are a few facts about financial aid.
How Financial Aid is Awarded
$22,000
Financial aid is awarded annually in the form of grants and based upon a demonstration of financial need as determined by methodology used by the School and Student Service (SSS) by NAIS. This national organization is used by 2,100 schools and provides Country Day with a confidential statement of need based upon the Parents’ Financial Statement. Additionally, faculty and staff members receive partial to full tuition benefits depending on their role, number of children, and tenure with the school.
$3.6 MILLION
Total financial aid granted each year. Money comes from tuition, the Annual Fund, restricted funds, and endowment income.
$12,500
The average award per family
$2,000
16%
Day has provided the “typeCountry of education I have always
Student Government Leaders
Honor Council Members
Athletic Team Captains
Scholastic Art Winners
Academic Awards Day Winners
How the School Benefits
Club Officers
Students on financial aid contribute significantly to school life in numerous ways:
Musical Cast Members
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Total percent of student body that received financial aid in the 2014–15 school year. • 100 Lower School Students • 77 Middle School Students • 89 Upper School Students
Speech Contest Finalists
Award-Winning Musicians
dreamed of for my children. An amazing education that prepares them for WHATEVER they want to be in life. The school provides a safe environment for academic, athletic, artistic, and, most importantly, personal development; this development would not have been possible if it had not been for the exceptional faculty, staff, and administration. They were always there for us in our time of need.” –The parent of two Country Day graduates and a current Upper School student
News & Notes
Creating New Opportunities Work continues in developing a distinctive, student-centered campus
W
hat if organic chemistry students could learn and explore in a modern space that fully supported ongoing primary research? What if Upper School students could more easily engage, collaborate, and learn in a modern, flexible learning center? What if Lower School students could enjoy an age-appropriate and contemporary dining space that modeled the best in healthy living and allowed for scheduling to center around academic programming rather than a cramped food service space? These are just a few of the opportunities that many hundreds of members of the Country Day community envisioned for our students during the strategic planning listening sessions held in 2011. While Country Day has enjoyed tremendous success in fulfilling its mission over the years, community members recognized that we are at a point in the life of the school when older campus facilities are hindering student opportunities, as well as our continued position as the city’s academic leader. As was shared in previous issues of Perspectives, in May 2014, the Board of Trustees approved a long-range master facilities plan designed to create an innovative
learning environment, strengthen community, and prepare students well for a fast-changing, global society. The immediate needs outlined include: • A multi-level, state-of-the-art math and science building that will give students distinctive opportunities for academic growth and college readiness. • A flexible dining and community space that supports students’ physical and emotional well-being. • A learning center capable of handling both quiet study and student and teacher collaboration. This past winter, school leaders took another step forward in our strategic plan by conducting a feasibility study. We interviewed about 100 community members to further assess needs, as well as the funding and timing necessary to meet these pressing objectives. The Board is continuing to shape a funding and building plan, which we will communicate as it unfolds over the next few years. In the meantime, if you have any questions about our multi-year fundraising goals for the future of Country Day, please contact Lauren Batten, director of Advancement, (704) 943-4539.
SUMMER READING Country Day faculty will be reading a variety of fiction and non-fiction titles this summer. • Middle School teachers will read The Organized Mind by Daniel Levitin • Upper School teachers will read Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning (Brown et. al) and one of five mystery/suspense books that students are also reading: • All the Light We Cannot See (Anthony Doerr) • Murder on the Orient Express (Agatha Christie) • The Ocean at the End of the Lane (Neil Gaiman) • Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (Jonathan Safran Foer) • In Cold Blood (Truman Capote) • The Academic Council is reading Visible Learning and the Science of How We Learn (John Hattie) • In addition to choosing a book that will help them develop professionally, Lower School teachers are reading materials and watching video selections from commonsensemedia.org, including “The Importance of Teaching Digital Citizenship” and “1-to-1 Essentials: Encouraging Digital Citizenship.”
Due to dining hall constraints, the Upper School library is the default student-gathering spot. A more contemporary Learning Center will create opportunities for students and teachers to collaborate, work independently, and build relationships. SUMMER 2015
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Arts News
AP and IB Art Students Explore the
“Museum as Muse”
“Orion” by Bennett Stowe ’15 was displayed at the Mint Museum Uptown, along with works by 22 Country Day students.
Crossroads of Culture:
Spanish Colonial Art from the Robicsek Family Collection Earlier this year, the Robicsek family graciously shared their collection of devotional paintings and sculptures from Peru and Mexico produced from the 16th–18th centuries for the school’s annual community art exhibit in the Hance Family Gallery. Open to the public for one weekend, the collection chronicled a pivotal period in Latin American history and provided a glimpse into the ways cultures overlap to create new forms of expression. The exhibit was also integrated into classroom learning. Pictured are (back row): Charles and Frances Robicsek Furr ’86, Caroline Robicsek, Mark Reed, and Tom Delaney; (seated) Carlton Furr ’15, Dr. Francis Robicsek, and Dr. Lilly Robicsek.
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From April 15 through May 10, the works of 22 Country Day art students in Art III, Art IV, AP, and IB courses were exhibited at the Mint Museum Uptown’s STAR Gallery. The idea for the exhibit, however, actually germinated last summer when Upper School art teacher Meredith Green participated in a workshop with artist Jason Watson entitled “The Museum as Muse.” The workshop centered on how artists can use works within a museum’s collection as inspiration and a starting point for their own personal works. Wanting to share this creative process with her students, Ms. Green asked Mr. Watson to meet with her AP and IB Art classes to talk about his work and get them started on their own artworks. The students traveled to the Mint Uptown to see Mr. Watson’s work, and he guided them as they chose artworks in the museum to use as their inspiration. Mr. Watson came to two more of their classes to share ideas and provide guidance. Additionally, Ms. Green led her Art III and IV classes through a similar process and they were also inspired by Mr. Watson’s artwork.
Arts News
WE CAN FLY!
Matthew Dennis (Peter Pan), Zoe Conner (Wendy), Bo Phillips (John), Hall McCurdy (Michael), and Rob Deaton (Mr. Darling), not pictured, all got to “fly” during the Middle School’s performance of “Peter Pan.”
Generous donor gives students a remarkable experience
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In the past few years, the Middle School Artist in Residence program has helped students design a mosaic glass sculpture, direct a video, paint a mural, and compose a song. This year, the program allowed student actors the unique experience of performing “Peter Pan” in a way not usually attainable at the Middle School level. Flying By Foy is one of only two companies nationally that handles “flight” logistics in both professional and amateur theater. Their patented design harness, which was developed for the original Broadway production of “Peter Pan,” safely creates the illusion of flight. A week prior to the early May performance, the Flying By Foy team set up the rigging in Gorelick Family Theater, worked with the five cast members who would fly, and trained four
professional technicians to operate each flight line. “Creating the illusion of flight was exciting and memorable for us all, but student safety was our number-one priority,” said Jenny Goodfellow, Middle School drama director. “The funds provided by the generosity of the Triad Foundation made it possible for us to offer our students such an incredible experience. We are so grateful.” The staging, make-up, and costumes were also top-notch. “The love is in the details. It all came together beautifully,” said Mrs. Goodfellow. SUMMER 2015
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Buc Sports
Coach Witman Retires After 25 Years
U
pon his retirement in June, Coach Bob Witman was the winningest football coach in Country Day history, having led the Bucs to a combined record of 219 wins and 67 losses over 25 seasons. Included in those victories are eight North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association (NCISAA) state championships—in 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2010. A number of the players who have developed under his tutelage have continued their careers at the collegiate level, including more than 50 since the class of 2000. Coach Witman also served as a track and field coach and PE teacher for many years.
His positive impact on 25 years of studentathletes is immeasurable. Here are just a few tributes made in his honor. “Coach Witman shaped my life through football, and I will be forever grateful for his leadership as a coach and a mentor. Coach Witman brought passion and dedication to his coaching. His energy and positive attitude were contagious. Coach, thank you for believing in me.” —Neal Watterson ’04 “His first year at CCDS was my first year playing varsity. Coach Witman brought with him a winning attitude and determination that I know carried through to his final season. I am proud to know that I was there when it all started 25 seasons ago and more proud to see the tradition of excellence.” —Mike Hosmer ’93
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“What makes Coach Witman truly special and elite in his craft is not simply that his teams win, it is that he has consistently been able to maximize the potential of his players and coaches to get them to become the best…In any context, what separates the great leaders from the good ones is that special ability to get someone to buy into and be their best at their role. Coach Witman has done that consistently over a long career.” —Josh Branson ’03 “Coach Witman set us up to think and act as leaders…to play fair but hard. We lost games, but did so with honor and good gamesmanship, and we won games well, too—always being reminded of the importance of composure and grace. I’m glad for all those great life lessons.” —Evan Scheessele ’93
“Speaking from a personal standpoint, there could not have been a better mentor and role model to instill in me the drive, work ethic, and can-do mentality necessary to pursue my own career in coaching. The characteristics that he taught will help me and those with whom I associate for years to come.” —Nick Kamerer ’09
“You instilled in your young men the determination to be the best they could be, to represent the school well, and to achieve their best in the classroom!” —Mary McLanahan, parent of alumni
You can read more tributes or add your own at charlottecountryday.org/coachwitman.
Buc Sports
Girls’ Lacrosse
Wins Third Straight State Title The girls’ varsity lacrosse team closed out the 2015 spring season by winning the program’s third straight North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association (NCISAA) state championship, defeating Durham Academy, 16–10, on May 16. Juniors Lucy Pedlow and Riley Harrison led the way for the Bucs with four goals apiece, with Lucy adding one assist and Riley two. Other top scorers were juniors Julia Loesch (two goals, two assists) and Natalee Palmer (two goals, two assists), and sophomore Jaclyn Perkins (two goals). “This team kept their focus on a third state championship all season,” said Country Day head coach Kristy Boyles. “Through
a tough schedule and a couple of competitive losses, this team transformed mid-season to foster the important characteristics of their success. Their strength continues to amaze me.” Country Day has played in every girls’ lacrosse championship game since the NCISAA conducted its first state tournament in 2009, and has won five of those games. Three of those victories have been over Durham Academy.
ATHLETICS NOTABLES NCISAA State Teams 16 student-athletes were recognized with NCISAA all-state honors: • Girls’ lacrosse—Anna Comer, Riley Harrison, Julia Loesch, Natalee Palmer, Lucy Pedlow, Jaclyn Perkins, Grace Tabor • Baseball—Trent Alley • Boys’ golf—Drew Bernard • Boys’ lacrosse—John Donohue, Peter Pittroff, Charles Roselle, Sheppard Wilson • Boys’ tennis—Kavir Kumar • Boys’ track and field—Tre Seegars (shot put state champion), Jackson Widener (pole vault state champion) • Girls’ swimming—Stephanie Nelson (100-yard backstroke state champion)
All-American Honors • Academic All-American/girls’ lacrosse—
Anna Comer, Currie Engel, Elizabeth Merlo, Natalee Palmer, Lucy Pedlow • All-American/girls’ lacrosse—Riley Harrison, Lucy Pedlow • All-American/boys’ lacrosse—John Donohue, Peter Pittroff
All-Observer Team Boys’ Tennis—First team and Observer Player of the Year: Kavir Kumar; First team doubles: Kavir and Luke McClelland; Second team: Evan Cater
Drew Witman ’06 Named Head Football Coach In May, Country Day Athletic Director Abe Wehmiller announced the hiring of Drew Witman ’06 as the next head football coach and program head. The decision to hire Drew came after an exhaustive national search that began in late February. Drew
will succeed his father, Bob Witman, who announced his retirement earlier this year. This past season, Drew served as an assistant coach at Myers Park High School. His prior experience includes three years on the Country Day staff coaching quarterbacks and cornerbacks. At Country Day, Drew was a three-sport athlete (football, basketball, baseball) and won a state football championship with the Bucs in his junior year. He went on to become a three-year starter at quarterback for William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri. “In the end, Drew emerged as our pick because of his combination of passion for coaching and passion for our program at Country Day,” said Abe. “He’s a rising star in the coaching ranks, and I’m looking forward to the prospect of working with him for many years to come.”
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Features
The CLASS OF 2015 at a Glance
128 graduates, admitted to 144 different colleges, will attend 60 different colleges
Our graduates are prepared for a diverse collection of colleges and universities in 22 different states, Washington, DC, and Germany. Schools enrolling more than one 2015 graduate are indicated in parenthesis.
MIDWEST
NEW ENGLAND
Case Western Reserve University Miami University University of Missouri University of Wisconsin-Madison
Boston College Brown University (2) College of the Atlantic Massachusetts Institute of Technology Middlebury College (2) University of Vermont Yale University
MID-ATLANTIC Bucknell University (2) Columbia University George Washington University University of Pennsylvania Princeton University University of Rochester Rochester Institute of Technology United States Naval Academy
CAROLINAS
WEST Colorado College University of Colorado Boulder (5) University of Southern California
SOUTH SOUTHWEST Southern Methodist University University of Texas at Austin (2) Texas Christian University (2)
ABROAD Technische Universit채t M체nchen
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PERSPECTIVES
Appalachian State University (2) Clemson University (2) Coastal Carolina University College of Charleston Davidson College (2) Duke University Elon University (7) Furman University (2) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (11) University of North Carolina at Charlotte (2) University of North Carolina at Wilmington (3) North Carolina State University (5) University of South Carolina (2) Wake Forest University (7) Wofford College
University of Alabama (6) Auburn University (2) Flagler College University of Georgia (6) Georgia Institute of Technology (2) Hampton University University of Mississippi (2) Morehouse College University of Richmond Rhodes College Sewanee: University of the South (4) Shenandoah University University of Tennessee Tulane University Vanderbilt University University of Virginia (7) Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Washington & Lee University (3)
Features
$8.2 million total scholarship offers
School Record
based on academic merit, athletic abilities, or special talents.
FIVE
graduates are attending Gap Year Programs. Collectively, they will:
• Complete internships in France, England, and Australia in the sciences, law, and marketing
27 students each earned more than $100,000 in combined scholarship offers. 8 students received more than $100,000
• Explore more than 20 different countries
in scholarship offers to the school each is attending:
• Earn a pilot’s license
• Wofford College—Andrew Bach, College Merit Scholarship
• Develop and implement a new iPhone App
• Davidson College—Katharine Franz, Athletic Scholarship
• Teach youth sports in Morocco
• University of Colorado Boulder—David Kraynik, Army ROTC Scholarship and Chancellor’s Achievement Scholarship
• Work on a conservation project in Australia
• Hampton University—Asya Patterson, University Merit Scholarship • University of Virginia—Taylor Portland, Jefferson Scholarship • George Washington University—Alexis Robinson, President Academic Scholarship and University and Alumni Award • Middlebury College—Julien Souffrant, Academic Scholarship • U.S. Naval Academy—Sheppard Wilson, U.S. Naval Academy Scholarship
49.6%
of applications are Early Decision or Early Action
914 applications ÷ 128 graduates
7 seniors/6 sports at the collegiate level • Golf: Bucknell University–Jubal Early • Volleyball: Davidson College–Katharine Franz • Baseball: Clemson University–Jordan Greene • Soccer: North Carolina State University–Ben Locke • Field Hockey: Middlebury College–Megan Mahoney • Golf: University of Virginia–Ashton Poole • Basketball: Case Western Reserve University–Michael White
Average 7 applications per student
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Features
Celebrating Country Day Milestones Moving Up and Commencement ceremonies took place in May for our fourth graders, eighth graders, and seniors. You can see more photos and coverage at charlottecountryday.org and on social media.
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SENIORS
EIGHTH GRADERS
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FOURTH GRADERS
ARE COUNTRY DAY READY!
Before … During… Eighth-Grade Moving Up
After
Caroline O’Brien, Sadie Charles Calame, Elizabeth Redvanly, Emily LaFar
Myles Winston, Daniel Tierney, Hughes Edwards
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PERSPECTIVES
These fourth-grade students won their class speech contests and presented memories of Lower School at their Moving Up ceremony: Thomas Wheelock, Mary Morgan Harker, Kelsey Smith, Grace Puchalski, and Lance Toppin
Features
PATHS toPEACE
Energy, enthusiasm, and adventure were all essential ingredients of the first ever Middle School Paths to Peace experience. Over Spring Break, 14 students, along with trip leaders David Lynn and Megan Fink, traveled to Paris, Verdun, Frankfurt, and Amsterdam to explore the history of the peace process and to study the historical places, people, and events that contributed to the peace-making efforts of the twentieth century. In addition to connecting lessons learned in seventh-grade World Geography and eighth-grade Twentieth Century History, the students took part in the PACMUN (Model UN) conference at the American School of Paris. They developed skills in diplomacy, compromise, and public speaking through discussions on human rights, economic and
social development, the environment, disarmament, and regional and historical conflicts. Ms. Fink, co-advisor of the Middle School Model UN Club along with Mr. Lynn, said, “I was thrilled to work with students in the Paths to Peace group as we watched history come to life during visits to sites like the Dutch Resistance Museum. It’s an incredible experience for the students to see first-hand the battlefields and locations that were a part of the struggle for peace.” Turn the page to experience this distinctive opportunity through the eyes of the students. --Compiled by Megan Fink and Lee-Anne Black
In Verdun, France, a Country Day student shows his respect for American soldiers who died in WWI and were buried overseas. SUMMER 2015
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Features
Our PATHS toPEACE Experience
AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands Highlights of the group’s three full days in Amsterdam included visits to the Anne Frank House and Resistance Museum, the Peace Palace, the Hague, the Van Gogh Museum, and the Cheese Museum.
During the two-week experience, Campbell Bossong, Sadie Charles Calame, Zoe Conner, Hughes Edwards, Connor Hall, Thomsen Hoops, Cole Kochan, Laura McKinzie, Violet Phillips, Hidde Ploeger, Ben Price, Leila Samiy, Thomas Smoots, and Sarah Swank took turns writing journal entries to share with friends and family back home, some of which are highlighted here.
Lunch in Paris
The Army Museum, Paris “We learned about the rapid technological growth during WWI and how it led to trenches and combat with long distance weaponry. We learned about the Treaty of Versailles and how it led to bad times in Germany and the rise of Hitler.”
“We went to Rue Cler, a pedestrian-only street that smelled heavenly and was full of lots of small grocery stores, cheese shops, bakeries, and some boutiques. We checked off the items of an essential Parisian lunch: cheese, drinks, chips, and most importantly baguettes from a boulangerie (that’s bakery in French, something I learned). Then we walked to a park right in front of the Eiffel Tower and had a perfect picnic lunch.”
PARIS, France In Paris the students had dinner with the Danish Ambassador to France (two countries they represented at the Model UN conference), visited sites like the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and the Louvre, and stayed with a Parisian host family.
Fort Douaumont and Vauquois, Verdun PACMUN Conference, Paris “Saturday the conference started, and we all departed to our committee rooms. The groups debated about political, historical, environmental, human rights, and ECO-SOC problems. Then we took a very touristy boat ride around Paris and saw the Eiffel Tower light up. It was absolutely beautiful!”
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PERSPECTIVES
“The underground tunnels and Fort Douaumont really showed the horrors of World War One. The whole area was riddled with holes from the massive number of shells launched during the battle. Both of these locations truly showed the harshness of the war. I could not believe the conditions that the soldiers had to endure in these damp, dark, and dangerous places. It was a great experience to be able to see the true consequences of war first hand.”
StroopWaffels in Amsterdam! “Mr. Lynn and Ms. Fink got us StroopWaffels. StroopWaffels are cookies that look like waffles, but have a hard shell and are filled with flavors ranging from syrup to Nutella. They were so tasty, and as Mr. Lynn said, ‘You’ve never tasted heaven until you’ve tasted these!’”
Anne Frank House, Amsterdam Anne Frank wrote about her dreams and her wishes to become a writer. The students were asked to answer the question: “What are you inspired to do/make happen now that you have seen the Anne Frank House?” Below are a few responses: “I want to create a more diverse community, where different genders, races, and religions come together on a regular basis. It can start in small communities and eventually work its way up causing the entire world to be diverse and not divided into groups. I believe that is important because it will help everyone be less prejudiced and more open-minded.” “I want to do things with more meaning and put more effort into them after realizing that others do not have the privilege to be able to.”
VERDUN, France A moving day was spent visiting Fort Douaumont, Ossuary, Vauquois, and the American Cemetary
WWI Memorial, Verdun “Today we went on an extremely eye opening tour of Verdun with Ingrid, a retired tour guide and friend of Mr. Lynn’s. One thing we saw on our tour was a memorial that was dedicated to all the unnamed soldiers of WWI. In the memorial you could see names of soldiers whose family members had paid to have them named and you could even see the bones of soldiers that were housed beneath the memorial. We also saw a cemetery with thousands of graves from WWI. This was an American cemetery for Americans who died overseas during the war. As a group, we laid a wreath of flowers at the cemetery to honor those who fought in WWI and lost their lives for their country. Today was extremely moving for all of us, and I think we will always carry with us what we saw.”
“I would like to make sure that something as horrible and unforgivable as the Holocaust never happens again. To prevent this I plan to help educate anyone who is unaware of the horrors of the Holocaust in any way possible.” “I would live my life to the fullest and not complain about the little things.” “I wouldn’t waste my time with things I didn’t fully enjoy.”
FRANKFURT, Germany In Frankfurt, the group visited the Anne Frank Museum and learned what it was like for Mr. Lynn’s grandfather to grow up Jewish in the early stages of the Holocaust. They took time to notice the memorial stones in front of houses where Jewish families who perished lived.
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Features
Engineering Course Teaches
PROBLEM-SOLVING AND INNOVATION
A broad spectrum of college-level material By Lee-Anne Black, editor
According to the National Academy of Engineering, just 4.4 percent of undergraduate degrees awarded in the United States are in engineering, compared to 13 percent in European and 23 percent in Asian countries. Yet jobs for chemists, mathematicians, engineers, and other scientists have grown fivefold in the past 50 years, according to the National Science Board. At Country Day, students are expressing a keen interest in the sciences. In the past eight years, the number of science courses in the Upper School has grown from 12 to 21, and students regularly double up and take on independent study. By learning how to tackle complex challenges, our students will be ready
to help the U.S. retain its position as the global leader in innovation and technology. Charles Tuttle, a National Board certified teacher who joined the Upper School three years ago, developed a structural engineering course at Country Day with preparation for rigorous college programs in mind. “You hear of so many students who wash out of engineering school after just a semester or two,” he explained. “In developing this class, I looked at college course outlines and syllabi, and I also asked my former students ‘What did you wish you had going into college-level engineering?’” That led him to develop a curriculum that touches on a broad spectrum of courses they
“In developing this class, I looked at college course outlines and syllabi, and I also asked my former students ‘What did you wish you had going into college-level engineering?’” —Charles Tuttle
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PERSPECTIVES
will encounter and focuses heavily on skills like reverse engineering, spatial reasoning, analytics, structural testing, physics, and problem-solving. Though many of the 23 students who took the course this past spring intend to major in engineering in college, Ellie Lewis ’15 is undecided as she heads to UNC-Chapel Hill. Still, she considers the elective course to be one of the most eye-opening classes she has taken and one that has prepared her well for college. “This class taught me to question everything and that you can really learn through your questions,” she said. “We did a lot of labs and a lot of hands-on work. Mr. Tuttle would look at what we were doing and say something
Features like ‘Hmm, that’s interesting. Did you mean for that change to lead to this result?’ It was frustrating at times that he didn’t just tell us what he wanted us to know. But then I began to realize he was teaching us how to learn through our questions. In this whole labyrinth of questions, I was getting my answer.” Students begin the course learning about disasters that resulted from poor structural engineering. They focus on how an understanding of materials, along with math and physics, allows engineers to say with a fair amount of certainty—without ever building a structure— that a design is going to be safe. They also tested concrete to determine how the forces of weight, wear, and structure affect strength; studied the forces of oscillation on tall buildings; and compared the human anatomy to the basic theories of structural engineering. “It’s really important to me that students understand how things work,” said Mr. Tuttle. “There are too few people who are experts in areas like structural, nuclear, or mechanical engineering. If today’s students aren’t ready for the rigors of engineering school, who is going to solve tomorrow’s problems? In this class,
we’re not just learning engineering; we’re learning how engineering betters life.” The engineering class takes place in a mobile classroom, affectionately called “The Learning Hut,” tucked next door to the lower level of the Bruton Smith Athletic Center. This densely packed space serves as Mr. Tuttle’s office, workshop, lab, and classroom for three different science courses—he teaches physics and astronomy, too. “There are some constraints to what we can do,” said Mr. Tuttle. “With more dedicated storage and lab space, we could delve deeper into our testing, analysis, and understanding.” Mr. Tuttle also sees exciting cross-curricular opportunities that would open up with improved science classroom facilities. For instance, students taking 3-D art courses could design a building, a material science class would develop the materials needed using the school’s 3-D
printer, and the structural engineering students would build and test the structure for human capability. “From a student’s perspective, I would love to see the Upper School upgrade its science classrooms so we can do even more,” said Ellie. “An engineering class that actually takes place in a building that is made of concrete, and is designed to handle the kinds of things we want to do, makes a statement to future students and to colleges that Country Day is a school that values engineering. It would say we take it seriously and we have made it a prominent space in our academic setting.” The need for math and science facilities that allow for more dynamic and innovative academic programming rose to the top of priorities during the school’s strategic planning process. To learn how we are addressing these needs, please see page 13.
Ellie Lewis ’15
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Features LIEUTENANT GEORGE HODGIN ’05
A MAN HONOR OF
Since his graduation from Country Day just a decade ago, Lieutenant George Hodgin ’05 has accomplished more than most do in a lifetime—in the university classroom, in the harshest U.S. military training, and in treacherous foreign lands. And at 28 years old, he’s just getting started.
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PERSPECTIVES
Features
T
o sufficiently cover George’s impressive career to date would take up more than a few pages in a magazine. But to give you a sense of his achievements, here are a few highlights. Upon graduating from Country Day in 2005, George was awarded the prestigious Morehead-Cain Scholarship to attend UNC-Chapel Hill, where he earned a BA in economics and Mandarin Chinese. He was commissioned as an officer in the Navy in 2009, attained the revered designation of Navy SEAL officer, and has spent the past six years leading SEAL
The following are excerpts from George’s Cum Laude Society remarks on April 15, printed with his permission.
Never Give Up After roughly a year and a half of arduous training, which has an attrition rate of approximately 80 percent, SEAL trainees are redesignated officially as Navy SEALs and presented with their Trident. The Trident is our symbol. Earning this Trident isn’t easy. In Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training (BUD/S), every day starts hours before sunrise. The days and nights are long, cold, wet, and torturous. The nexus of SEAL training is an asphalt blacktop the size of a small parking lot. We call it the “Grinder.” Uniform inspections, hours of painful calisthenics, and military training take part there. Many young aspiring SEALs have shed blood, sweat, and tears on the Grinder...and the Grinder has shattered the dreams of many. It is a sacred place for us. My first day of BUD/S started at 4 am with physical training on the Grinder, just a short sprint away from the bone-chilling cold of the Pacific Ocean. I remember, so clearly, the loud instructors screaming in my face to quit the training and opt for an easier life. While I pretended to look at the instructors, I always found myself staring through the chaos and internalizing the three simple words that were painted in
teams conducting counterterrorism and counterinsurgency missions all over the world. This August, George will transition out of the military and attend Stanford University Graduate School of Business starting in the fall. In short, he seems to live by the adage, “If it is worth doing, it is worth overdoing.” We were thrilled to welcome George back to campus this spring to share his story and advice with our Upper School students at the Cum Laude Society induction ceremony.
block letters on the wall of the Grinder: “Be someone special.” The pain, the fatigue, the seemingly endless obstacles melted away when I focused on that phrase and the simple fact that I, and I alone, controlled my destiny.
Choose to Be Special
is that you are free to define failure and success. I encourage everyone to own your fate when challenged. Promise yourself that you will not fail, no matter how great the pain or the sacrifice.
Honor Above All
The SEAL Ethos, our code written in the Being someone special means pursuing blood of our brothers, says the following, excellence at all costs and at every “The ability to control my emotions and my opportunity. The choice to be special is actions, regardless of circumstance, sets me yours. I recognize that it seems overly apart from other men. Uncompromising simplistic to say that the pursuit of integrity is my standard. My character and excellence is nothing more than a personal honor are steadfast. My word is my bond.” choice, but I really believe it. These are certainly lofty During Hell Week, we put this ideals that guide my life, but Being someone principle to the test. they can and should guide special means Hell Week is the crucible of yours, too. Emotional control SEAL training. All students pursuing excellence means that you live life go Sunday to Friday with ethically on your terms at all costs and at about three hours of total without being persuaded every opportunity. sleep and operate in a by the noise of the crowd. The choice to be continuous state of cold, Whatever you do, just do it special is yours. misery, fatigue, and pain. with integrity as if your mom Trainees are enticed and is watching (if she’s anything encouraged to quit the training, walk away like mine, then she IS watching). from their dream of being a SEAL, and the Integrity and honor are the only pain stops. If at any time a trainee wants to currencies we have. Without them, all of stop, he simply rings a bell and drops from the pedigrees and dollars in the world training. can’t buy you fulfillment. Let’s promise We have a saying that the enemy always each other to not be so blinded by the prize gets a vote. It’s a true statement that there is that we sacrifice our honor and who we are some level of outside influence on our lives, on the path to greatness. but the beauty of being someone special
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Mary Allen Todd and Lucinda Nisbet Lucas ’74
Share A Love of Words By Jonsie Evans ’95, Director of Alumni Relations
M
ary Allen Todd and Lucinda Nisbet Lucas ’74 are strong, independent, and creative women whose lives are intertwined on many levels. From teacher-student to teacher-parent to adoring friends, the common thread has been a love of storytelling. For Mary, a retired Upper School English teacher, it is the stories of the great poets and authors that she brought to life for her students during her 35 years at Country Day. For Lucinda, it is expressing her soul through music and lyrics that she writes and performs. For both, the power of words is held in high regard. Mary is known and beloved for her lively Shakespeare courses and for teaching students how to craft a superbly written paper. Many alumni will recall their papers returned, covered in red correction marks. But they will also tell you that Mary taught them how to write, and write well. Lucinda shared the following about Mary’s influence, “I had an interest in songwriting early on, and I naturally gravitated toward her love of words. She taught me about meter and rhyme. To this day when I write prose, I always ask if I’ve used proper grammar, if Mary would 28
PERSPECTIVES
Mary fell in love with literature early on, and Shakespeare specifically, while reading Harold Goddard during her lunch hours as a teacher at South Mecklenburg High School. Around this time, Muriel Livingston, the librarian at South Meck and a former classics teacher at Country Day, encouraged her to meet with Headmaster Dave Howe. Lucky for us, not only did Mary join our faculty, she stayed long enough to teach multiple generations of Country Day families, including Lucinda’s children. Mary found fulfillment teaching at Country Day and especially in the relationships she formed. “I met so many good people and so many bright, capable students whom I was lucky to get to know beyond the classroom. When I think about the notes I’ve received by someone acknowledging the impact I had on their life, these are gifts to me. It pulls back a little piece of the past that you don’t want to let go,” confessed Mary. Recently, Lucinda invited Mary and her twin sister to her book club to perform some of the thousands of lines of poetry they have memorized, several Edna St. Vincent Millay poems in this case. Lucinda often returns the favor by performing her songs for Mary, which is how we wrapped up our visit. With childlike joy and admiration, Mary watched her former student sing soulfully in her living room as she tapped her feet to the rhythm. Then, as Mary asked Lucinda about the story behind the song, I witnessed a poignant moment— the ironic, but perhaps inescapable, role reversal of a teacher and student with a mutual love of words.
approve.” Lucinda distinctly remembers her Shakespeare class and how Mary had the students read along as she played an audio recording of the Royal Shakespeare Company performing the work. She remembers Mary explaining that it wasn’t a comedy because it was funny, it was a comedy because the protagonist didn’t die. Mary nodded as her former student reminisced, and then added with a laugh, “It ends in marriage; so some might consider it a tragedy.” Mary also taught courses in women’s and prison literature, which Lucinda admits were life changing for her. She shared, “This was back in the ’70s, when the women’s movement was young. Reading stories of strong, successful women had a profound impact on me.” Both Mary and Lucinda attended UNC-Greensboro, or the Women’s College while Mary was there. Mary said her dad insisted that she get her teaching certificate; he wanted to make sure she could take care of herself and had always admired teachers. Photos of Mary and Lucinda from the 1974 Postscript, Lucinda’s senior yearbook
Alumni Scrapbook
Alumni Reunion Weekend 2015 ALUMNI VOLUNTEER & DISTINGUISHED FACULTY APPRECIATION LUNCHEON Faculty and staff recipients of the Honorary Alumni Association Award and the Distinguished Faculty Award, and those with 20+ years of service, joined alumni volunteers for lunch on Friday of Reunion Weekend.
Eric Law ’76, retired faculty member Louise Cobb
Martha Woods (retired), Libby Helms, Bonnie Duckworth (retired)
Adam Farber ’05, Sarah Farber ’04, Associate Director of Admissions Robin Riggins, Caroline McGuire ’04
Middle School faculty members past and present enjoyed catching up: Carol Adler (retired), Kathy Babula, Jean Merchant (retired), Leesa Walker
HONORING COACH BOB WITMAN Football alumni from classes 1991–2015 traveled from near and far to surprise Coach Bob Witman as he prepared to throw out the first pitch at the home varsity baseball game on Friday night of Reunion Weekend. An online tribute page has been created to allow Country Day community members to offer their well wishes to Bob in his retirement. Share your tribute: charlottecountryday. org/coachwitman. Read more about Coach Witman’s retirement on page 16.
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Alumni Scrapbook BBQ & OYSTER ROAST Despite the wet weather, the second annual Reunion Weekend BBQ & Oyster Roast drew a big crowd of alumni and their families, parents of alumni, and current and former faculty and staff.
Parents of alumni Jane and Harold Hope, with their son Harold Hope ’90 and two of his three children.
Retired faculty member Liz Smith, Nethea Rhinehardt ’89
Head of School Mark Reed with the men in charge of the oyster roast: Patrick Hobson ’89, David Smoots ’81, and the head roaster Carl Showalter, who is a former trustee and parent of three alumni. Front row: Elizabeth Levergood George ’85, Eric Burgess ’85, retired faculty member Julia Britt, Sabrina Fadial ’85, retired faculty member Sylvia Ashcraft. Back row: Will Byron ’85, Harvey Grasty ’85, Chris Jost ’85, Sandee Smith Kirchhoff ’85, former faculty member Mary Karen Vellines, Heather McKee ’83
ALUMNI LACROSSE GAME Alumni lacrosse players came out on top when they took on the varsity team in this friendly, yet competitive, annual game.
Board of Visitor Kay Shaw with three of her grandsons: Andrew Shaw ’06, Connor Penegar ’16, Geoff Shaw ’00
We celebrated the 20th anniversary of our first lacrosse state championship at halftime, recognizing members of the 1995 varsity team who were present: Henry Carter ’95, Wes Hutchinson ’95, Matt Williams ’95, Jared Barrett ’95, Andy VanDerVeer ’97, Justin Carlson ’95
To view and download all Reunion Weekend photos, visit http://bit.ly/CCDS2015reunionphotos
Class Notes
Class Reunion Annual Fund Challenge a Success! You helped us reach our $2.1 million goal In the weeks leading up to Reunion Weekend, we challenged reunion classes to reach 25 percent participation in the Annual Fund. In addition to the $25,000 matching gift generously donated by Annual Fund co-chairs John and Ansley Bost Calhoun ’83, the class with the greatest increase in participation over last year won a photo booth at their Class Reunion party. The prize went to the Class of 1980, which more than tripled the number of Annual Fund donors for their class. Honorable mentions go to the Class of 2005, which was just a little behind in terms of increase in participation, and the Classes of 1985 and 1990 which both had over 35 percent class participation as of April 25. We are deeply grateful to everyone who participated in the challenge and to our generous alumni who support the Annual Fund each year.
CLASS NOTES 1962 Madeline Finney still lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and loves it. She got remarried in November 2014, happily adding two new grandchildren to her growing family, and then when her daughter, Jane, got remarried in March 2015, she gained two more grands!
The Annual Fund is Country Day’s first giving priority, and benefits every student, in every classroom, every day. Dollars raised each year support our superior faculty and staff, financial aid that fosters community, and small class sizes.
to participate in the national debate on world affairs. worldaffairscharlotte.org After 25 years in management, Edward Hipp went back to his first love of working with clients as their financial advisor. He lives on a farm in Smithfield, Virginia, with four horses, three dogs, two cats, and his wife of 40 years.
inspector for the National Women Business Owners Corporation (NWBOC) since 2001. NWBOC is an organization which certifies womenowned businesses for the purpose of competing for government and corporate contracts. Elizabeth’s efforts have resulted in more than 80 Women Business Enterprises being certified throughout North and South Carolina.
1968
1964 Members from the class enjoyed a mini-reunion in September at Robbie Smith’s home at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina.
1965 REUNION TIME - The Class of 1965 will celebrate our 50th Class Reunion on September 19, 2015. Look for your invitation in the mail later this summer.
1966 Millie Dalton Cox is serving as 2015–16 board chair for the World Affairs Council of Charlotte, an organization whose mission focuses on improving international education and encouraging citizens
Elizabeth Nisbet Miller was named the U.S. Small Business Association 2015 Women’s Business Advocate for North Carolina. Elizabeth has supported women in business throughout her career. She is active in the Charlotte chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners, she served on the board of First Trust Bank (now Bank of North Carolina) and BEFCOR, an SBA 504 lender, and she has been a site
1978–80: A group of longtime friends gathered for dinner in March: (left to right) Molly Wilmer Barker ’78, Poppy Holzworth ’79, Bill Mann ’79, Beth Mann Cavanaugh ’79, Gaston Gage ’78, Karen Culbreth Weatherly ’80, Gregg Giblin ’77, and Lucy White Butler ’79.
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Class Notes
CLASS OF
1980 REUNION
in May 2014. Brienna is a rising senior in the IB Program at Broughton High School in Raleigh. Myra retired from her product design job several years ago and now volunteers at her daughter’s school. She enjoys working with the students, especially in creative ventures. Kevin stays busy with his architectural firm, Davis Kane Architects, working with a variety of clients, including several North Carolina universities, public schools, SAS, and other city and state work.
1974 Country Day and the Class of 1974 extend our deepest condolences to Deryle Ivey Hunter and her family for the passing of her father, George Ivey Jr., in May.
1980 The Class of 1980 celebrated our 35th Class Reunion on April 25, 2015. View photos online. Marcus Hayes opened a personal injury law firm, Hayes Law, in Greensboro, North Carolina. His wife, Meg, is director of Operations for the firm.
Myra McAlister Kane and her family still live in Raleigh. Last Christmas, Myra, Kevin, and Brienna visited Caeley in Ecuador, where Caeley worked for 10 months after graduating from UNC-Asheville
Amy Lind Kaye lives in Atlanta and works as a family law attorney with Ellis Funk, P.C. She and her husband have three children. Her oldest son
Anne Pell Harkness ’74 Finds New Life in Oil Painting
S
trong visual design has been a fascination and forte of Anne Pell Harkness ’74 for as long as she can remember. Her eye for color, shape, and balance served her well in Rob Williams’ art class at Country Day and through her undergraduate studies at The Maryland Institute, College of Art, where she earned a bachelor’s of fine arts. It also led to success in her first career in graphic design as an art director in New York City for 15 years. It wasn’t until recently that Anne found a new medium to make her artistic talent truly come alive. In 2013, Anne took an oil painting class from nationally renowned landscape artist Curt Butler, and it was like a new world opened up for her. “I immediately fell in love with oil painting. The buttery texture of the paint, the use of different tools, different applications, different colors…the possibilities were amazing,” she explained. “It was like I had been training for this my whole life.” Anne had no idea that she was embarking on a career change, but it turned out to be just that. 32
PERSPECTIVES
Anne’s graphic design background shines through in her contemporary realistic compositions. Her works explore balance, rhythm, and movement, and convey Anne’s energy and joy for her subject matter and medium. “It is important to me to let the eyes travel into and through a piece, to create areas of interest for the viewer that will hold them captivated and create an emotional response. Whatever I am passionate about—the ‘life’ that I am trying to capture—if the viewer senses that, then it’s a successful painting.” Over the past few years, Anne has continued to develop as an oil painter and is quickly earning the respect and attention of galleries and collectors alike. In May 2015, she was featured in American Art Collector and she finished second place in an abstract art challenge in International Artist magazine. Anne is a permanent Artist-in-Resident at Butler Studio, in Gastonia, North Carolina, and has shown her work in regional galleries and shows, including Providence Gallery in Charlotte. > anneharkness.com
Class Notes works in Atlanta, and another son has just completed his first year at Georgia State University College of Law. Amy’s daughter attends the University of Texas in Austin. Mark Uptegraff is the church administrator for Ebenezer Baptist Church in Charlotte.
1981 REUNION TIME - The Class of 1981 will celebrate our 35th Class Reunion during Alumni Reunion Weekend, April 8–9, 2016. Stay tuned for more details. The Class of 1981 extends our deepest condolences to Jan Johnson Serafen for the passing of her father, Thomas Johnson, in February.
1982 The Class of 1982 offers our sincere condolences to our classmate and friend, Brian Meltsner, for the passing of his brother, David Meltsner, in April. David died tragically in a drowning accident while on vacation in Bali. Becky Johnson’s son, James Headen ’15, graduated from Country Day in May and is taking a gap semester to travel overland for four months from London to Australia. He plans to attend Clemson University in January. Shelley Boulware Schrum’s second son, Blake, will join his older brother, Christopher, at
UNC-Chapel Hill in the fall. Her youngest, Clay, is eagerly anticipating being the center of attention. He talked his parents into a new four-legged sister, Sadie, in the hopes that she will distract them. Go Heels!
1985 The Class of 1985 celebrated our 30th Class Reunion on April 25, 2015. View photos online. The Class of 1985 offers our sincere condolences to our classmate, Scott Meltsner, for the passing of his brother, David Meltsner, in April. David died tragically in a drowning accident while on vacation in Bali.
1986
courses and researching taboos: elaborate decorations on chamber pots, insect eating in the U.S., and the use of humor in cemeteries. Cammie Hunter Howard is the director of Family Ministry at Lake Forest Church, in Huntersville, North Carolina, overseeing both the children’s and youth ministries. She also has opportunities to speak at women’s events and retreats and absolutely loves her job. Cammie and her husband, Phillip, have two children, Taylor (9) and Zach (6).
1989 The Class of 1989 offers our deepest condolences to our classmate, Todd Gray, for the passing of his father, Bob Gray, in March.
REUNION TIME - The Class of 1986 will celebrate our 30th Class Reunion during Alumni Reunion Weekend, April 8–9, 2016. Stay tuned for more details. The Class of 1986 offers our sincere condolences to our classmate, Danny Meltsner, for the passing of his brother, David Meltsner, in April. David died tragically in a drowning accident while on vacation in Bali.
1987 Alison Bell’s twins are 13 years old, and she’s still on the faculty at Washington and Lee University, teaching a variety of anthropology
Chris Brady and his wife, Erin, welcomed their second son, George Buckner (“Buck”) Brady, on March 5, 2015.
CLASS OF
1985 REUNION
SUMMER 2015
33
Class Notes
CLASS OF
1990 REUNION
1990 The Class of 1990 celebrated our 25th Class Reunion on April 25, 2015. View photos online.
Cook Smith, Kristin Topka, and Lourdene Vane were in attendance.
1991 REUNION TIME - The Class of 1991 will celebrate our 25th Class Reunion during Alumni Reunion Weekend, April 8–9, 2016. Stay tuned for more details.
1993 Alicia Morris married Scott Rudd in a surprise wedding on October 11, 2014. Her sister, Jaime Morris Pearman ’93, served as matron of honor, and classmates Nancy MacDonald, Mary Ann
Will Bigham opened a new restaurant, The Improper Pig, located in the Cotswold neighborhood of Charlotte. theimproperpig.com Otis Morgan raised more than $23,000 for HIV and AIDS research in his fifth year participating in
the AIDS/LifeCycle bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles. James Scott published his third book, Target Tokyo, a World War II history about Jimmy Doolittle and the raid that avenged Pearl Harbor. jamesmscott.com
This October, Jon Simon begins a two-year term as president of the Levine Jewish Community Center in Charlotte.
Dee Rankin ’93 Develops Future L.E.A.D.E.R.S.
L
eading by example is more than a motto for Dee Rankin ’93; it’s how he lives his life and inspires Charlotte area youth to become responsible community leaders. Motivated by his own experience, Dee understands the importance of providing youth with the knowledge and training needed to develop key life skills that help pave the way for success. And it’s why he founded Future L.E.A.D.E.R.S., a non-profit serving Charlotte area youth. The mission of Future L.E.A.D.E.R.S. (Leading by Example, Always Displaying Excellence, Responsibility, having Self-Efficacy) is to empower youth to become responsible adults through mentoring, social adaptability, and community service programs. The goal is to help them develop a sustainable life plan and, ultimately, to become leaders in academics, their community, and desired profession.
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PERSPECTIVES
Dee shared, “I want youth, especially underprivileged youth, who may not be exposed to opportunities other than what they see in their immediate community or on television, to be able to experience the type of success I saw every day as a student at Country Day. Coming to Country Day my sophomore year opened my eyes to possibilities much different than what I encountered every day on the west side of Charlotte. I became open to accepting cultures and people that were different than me.” Future L.E.A.D.E.R.S. helps bridge the gap between what students learn in the classroom and from their surroundings and the skills they need to be competitive and successful in the workforce and a positive influence in society. > futureleadersnc.org
Class Notes 1994 The Class of 1994 offers our deepest condolences to our classmates Scott Gray and Ashley Estwanik Gray for the passing of his father/her father-in-law, Bob Gray, in March. Wibby Wells Chambers and her husband, Josh, have four children: Wells (9), Livy (6), Charlotte (3), and Case (1). They recently moved to Sandy Springs, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, and are adjusting to life with four kids and no grandparents in town! Sarah Nichols Hughes is the senior director of Law School Advancement at Washington and Lee University School of Law. Brian Johnston recently opened a second location for his restaurant and bar, The Rusty Rudder, in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. The original Rusty Rudder is located on Lake Norman outside of Charlotte.
1995
Alumni representing two decades of Bucs wrestling gathered to celebrate former, longtime Country Day wrestling coach and faculty member Rick Stack’s induction into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in May. Pictured here, left to right: Brad Hobson ’91 (squatting), Jay Murphy ’88, Edward Marshall ’91, Marcus Smith ’92, Ryan Gorman ’98, Miller Hartsell ’92, Phil Wigger (former assistant coach), Coach Rick Stack, Chris Baucom ’87, Richard Worrell ’91 (kneeling), Derek Barker ’99, Jeff Pacetti ’94, Coburn Hartsell ’95, Brandon Gorman ’96, and Abbott Whitney ’87.
1996
The Class of 1995 celebrated our 20th Class Reunion on April 25, 2015. View photos online.
REUNION TIME - The Class of 1996 will celebrate our 20th Class Reunion during Alumni Reunion Weekend, April 8–9. Stay tuned for more details.
David Kornstein and his wife, Emily, welcomed a son, Stuart Finn Kornstein, on September 29, 2014. David is a dentist at Wake Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry in Raleigh.
Mac McAulay and his wife, Lindsay, moved from New York City to Raleigh last fall. On November 16, 2014, they welcomed their second son, Thomas Smith McAulay, who joined big brother Sam.
Sarah Schwartz Wainberg and her husband, Jonathan, recently moved to London with their mini poodle. They relocated from Hong Kong, where they lived the past two years.
Angela Treadway married Derek Switzer on May 2, 2015. They have two children together, Faith (11) and Soren (8). Angela also has two other children, Justin (18) and Connor (14). Justin leaves for the U.S. Air Force on August 18, 2015. The family currently resides in West Texas, where Angela owns and operates an automotive shop, RodModz.
1998
Patrick Johnston and his wife, Sarah Horn Johnston ’99, welcomed their second daughter, Parker Katherine Johnston, to the family on February 11, 2015. Eldest daughter, Sydney, has welcomed Parker with open arms. The family lives in Charleston, where they, along with Patrick’s mother, Patter, own and run Simply j Boutique, a women’s clothing and accessories store located downtown on King Street.
CLASS OF
1995 REUNION
SUMMER 2015
35
Class Notes 2000 The Class of 2000 celebrated our 15th Class Reunion on April 25, 2015. View photos online. The Class of 2000 offers our deepest condolences to our classmate, Brett Gray, for the passing of his father, Bob Gray, in March.
Adrienne Plyler and Matthew Johnson were married on September 20, 2014, in Savannah, Georgia. Her sister, Megan Plyler Huntley ’04, served as her maid of honor. Classmates Margaret Brown, Megan Carr Henry, Holly Walker Hunter, and Meghan Clancey Murphy were in attendance. Adrienne works as a senior art director, broadcast for Belk, and Matthew is a Realtor with Helen Adams Realty. They live in Charlotte with their son, Stone.
Michelle Goryn Thomas and her husband, Caleb, live in Raleigh with their daughter, Ella (4), and son, Noah (1). Michelle is an independent consultant and strategist in the public policy field.
1999
Anne and Alex McLawhorn welcomed a son, Bobby, to their family in August 2014. Laura Wolf and Karl Schelhammer were married on May 16, 2015, at the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Asheville, North Carolina.
2001 REUNION TIME - The Class of 2001 will celebrate our 15th Class Reunion during Alumni Reunion Weekend, April 8–9, 2016. Stay tuned for more details.
2002 Sarah and Ben Dobson, along with big sister, Ellie (4), welcomed Kathryn (“Kate”) Grace Dobson on December 21, 2014.
Sarah James married Matt Barone on May 3, 2014. Anna Rainey Dickson, Emily Alphin Farinholt, and Leah Brown Wood were bridesmaids.
Q & A with Chef Nathaniel Felder ’98
N
athaniel “Natty” Felder ’98 is the executive chef and general manager at The Astor Room at the historic Kaufman Astoria Studios in Queens, New York. Natty graduated with honors from New York City’s French Culinary Institute in 2002 and has worked in award-winning restaurants in New York City, Las Vegas, and his hometown of Charlotte. He has apprenticed under noted restaurant-scene names Anthony Amoroso, a 2009 Iron Chef victor, and Matthew Accarino, named a 2014 “Best New Chef” by Food & Wine magazine and winner of a Michelin Star. Natty continues to hone his craft and create delicious food that draws in locals and visitors with a twist on the traditional. Q: How do you describe your cooking style? A: My style is American with Italian and French influences. I like to develop flavor combinations that people aren’t used to, but I also incorporate classic ideas that are too good to change. I’ve been lucky to work for some very well-known and influential chefs. Each one had a different style and philosophy, which gave me something unique to take away from my experiences with them. Q: What’s your most memorable cooking experience to date? A: My most memorable experiences come from different extremes. Many are injuries that happen in the kitchen, like being stabbed by somebody next to you not paying attention to what they are doing and waving a knife around, or pouring hot oil down my arm and getting second degree burns. These tend to stick in my head a little more, for obvious reasons. The good ones are around the camaraderie in the kitchen. Of course, it’s always nice when you cook for a celebrity and they come back to the kitchen to thank you and take a photo with you.
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PERSPECTIVES
Q: What are your biggest challenges? A: Challenges in this industry are plentiful. Burnout is a big one. I average 80+ hours of work each week with little time off. There is no such thing as a sick day, and I don’t remember the last time I was not working on a weekend. There is also the stress of maintaining perfection and trying to have grace in a fast-paced environment when things aren’t going the way they should. Q: Where do you find inspiration? A: I get inspiration from people and chefs around me, and I read as many cookbooks as possible. I enjoy trying dishes that other people are making and incorporating their ideas into my cooking. Q: Do you have a favorite cookbook? A: Yes, two. The French Laundry, by Thomas Keller, and White Heat, by Marco Pierre White. Q: Do you have an all-time favorite dish? A: My all-time favorite dish is one of the most simple. If I am eating alone or just get in a rut with things that don’t seem appealing, I always opt for spaghetti with tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil or macaroni with butter and parmesan cheese. Gets me every time.
Class Notes
CLASS OF
2000 REUNION
2003 Elizabeth Howze graduated from medical school at East Carolina University and began her residency in anesthesiology at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota in June.
Melanie Singer and her husband, Eric, welcomed a daughter, Vera, on March 18, 2015. The family resides in Boston.
2004
Meredith Ashcraft married Jonathan Schulz on October 25, 2014, at Myers Park Presbyterian Church in Charlotte. The wedding party included bridesmaid Grace Tucker Bailey and groomsman Hayes Ashcraft ’06. Meredith and Jonathan live in Charlotte, where she is a cardiac nurse with Novant Health Presbyterian Hospital, and he is with Nexsen Pruet law firm.
Bill D’Alessandro moved back to Charlotte after living in Colorado for the past six years and bought a house in the Chantilly neighborhood. He also moved his company, Elements Brands, back to his hometown and plans to open a new office/ warehouse combination space in South End. Elements Brands is a portfolio of high-quality consumer products brands with a specific focus on the personal care, organics, and outdoor sports markets. elementsbrands.com This summer, Will Daniel is leading a study abroad trip of his own creation, teaching a field course in European politics to undergraduates from Francis Marion University. He has also been invited to serve as a visiting professor of political science for the summer at the University of Duisburg-Essen, in Germany. Will’s first book, Career Behaviour and the European Parliament, was published by Oxford University Press in April. Thomas Ingram is president of American Southeast Insurance Group, located in Charlotte. ASIG is an independent agency representing over 50 companies, offering home, auto, life, health, commercial and bonds. americansoutheastinsurancegroup.com After serving as attendants in the June 2013 wedding of Trainor and Sarah Dorsett Walsh ’03, Hope Karney and Thomas Crosson became engaged at the Inn at Little Washington this past December. A wedding is planned for October at Yeamans Hall Club in Charleston, South Carolina. Evan Kridler is engaged to Kira Ilson. The couple plans to marry in Lancaster, South Carolina, in August.
Megan Plyler married Banks Huntley on April 18, 2015, at Myers Park United Methodist Church in Charlotte. Sister of the bride Adrienne Plyler Johnson ’98 served as her matron of honor; Sarah Bell Farber, Lee Norelli Pedersen, and Blair Rainey Thompson were bridesmaids; and Frank Ix served as the ceremony reader. The couple honeymooned in St. Lucia and resides in Charlotte, where Megan works for Belk Corporate’s Ecommerce division and Banks has his own criminal defense firm. Alvin Reynolds graduated from Boston College Law School in May. He is studying for the Massachusetts bar exam and plans to join the Boston-based law firm Ropes & Gray in October.
2005 The Class of 2005 celebrated our 10th Class Reunion on April 25, 2015. View photos online. JD Mills received a BS in information technology and network administration from Western Governor’s University in March 2015. He currently works as a senior IT manager at Akesis, a pharmaceutical contract research organization in Lake Wylie, South Carolina, and as the principal engineer of South Strand LLC, an IT development firm that he founded in 2012. JD and his wife, Audrey, reside in Mooresville, North Carolina, and are expecting their first child in September.
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Class Notes
CLASS OF
2005 REUNION
2006
2007
school. Julia Gray is a Tar Heel, while Harrison is a Blue Devil.
REUNION TIME - The Class of 2006 will celebrate our 10th Class Reunion during Alumni Reunion Weekend, April 8–9, 2016. Stay tuned for more details.
Tucker Mills relocated to Shanghai in May 2014 to work as a localization product manager for Reality Squared Games, an online video game developer. He was named “Employee of the Year” for his division in January.
Alison Schiffli and Curt Orshoski are happy to announce their engagement. The couple resides and works in Washington, DC.
Carl Burchette graduated from UNC School of Law in May 2014 and is working as a litigation attorney with The Van Winkle Law Firm in Asheville, North Carolina. Carl recently became engaged to Katie Bradshaw, and the couple plans to wed in spring 2016. Janie Howe Dickson and her husband, Paul, welcomed their first son, Paul Meade Dickson III, on December 19, 2014. “Meade” and his parents are happy and healthy living in Shreveport, Louisiana. Trewhitt McGhee married Virginia Hester on April 18, 2015, in Memphis, Tennessee, where the couple resides. The wedding party included the groom’s sister, Anne McGhee Bledsoe ’02, and classmates Alex Nurkin, Andrew Shaw, and Michael Tate.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Drew Witman will take over Country Day’s football program starting as head coach in July. Read more on page 17.
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PERSPECTIVES
Hannah Walton is engaged to Ross Bromberger. Hannah works as an asset specialist for the City of Charlotte, and Ross is a lawyer for David R. Badger, PA.
2008
2010 The Class of 2010 celebrated our 5th Class Reunion on April 25, 2015. View photos online. In July, Sarah Veith relocated to New York City where she works in global banking and market risk for Bank of America.
2011 REUNION TIME - The Class of 2011 will celebrate our 5th Class Reunion during Alumni Reunion Weekend, April 8–9, 2016. Stay tuned for more details. (Photo credit: Jay Sullivan)
After living in New York City and working as a Wilhelmina Fitness model and trainer, Katherine Mason has decided to pursue her lifelong dream of starting her own business. Katherine is opening SculptHouse, a group fitness studio and active wear boutique, in Buckhead, Georgia, in fall 2015. SculptHouse classes will combine Lagree Fitness “megaformer” machines with human-powered Woodway Curve treadmills, which burn 30% more calories than motorized treadmills. Julia Gray Saunders and Harrison Farber are engaged! The happy couple lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where they both attend medical
Stephen Deal graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a double major in business administration and political science. He is an investment banking analyst for Deloitte Corporate Finance in Charlotte. Paul Evans was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army on May 8 after successfully completing the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program and graduating with a bachelor’s degree from Appalachian State University. Katie McKaughn graduated from Elon University in May with a BS in business.
Class Notes
CLASS OF
2010 REUNION
2012
Sloane Mayberry is the subject of a short documentary film, Ovation for Oscar, which pays homage to the late fashion designer Oscar de la Renta. The film was screened at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and offers a behind-thescenes look at the creation of the first posthumous exhibit of the designer’s work at the Savannah College of Art and Design, through the eyes of Sloane, a young student at SCAD. Sloane is pictured here with the film’s producer, Tyler Reid, in Cannes, France.
2013 Antonià Keen was named the 2014–15 “Most Valuable Cheerleader” for the Statesmen Cheerleading Squad at William Penn University.
2014 Mary Hill Brooks spent the first semester of her gap year traveling with a program called Thinking Beyond Borders in Thailand, India, and Cambodia, where she studied and worked on developing issues in the fields of agriculture and education. Second semester she volunteered for The Foundation for Tomorrow (TFFT), a non-profit organization founded by Country Day alumna Meghann Gunderman ’01, whose mission is to secure quality education and emotional support for orphaned and vulnerable children in Tanzania, Africa. Spencer Butler had a busy freshman year at the University of Alabama. She was accepted into the National Honor Society, voted Pledge Class president and social chair of her sorority pledge class, and recognized by the Human Environmental Science Department as one of the top five in her Interior Design class. Spencer also serves as the University of Alabama College representative for LeahDeux Dorm Collection. This summer, she is working as an intern at Dickens-Mitchener Real Estate.
SAVE THE DATES SEPT 25–26, 2015: Homecoming Weekend • Alumni-Faculty/Staff Coffee • Homecoming Cookout & Football Game • Alumnae Field Hockey Game • Alumni Basketball Game • Alumni Flag Football Game
APR 8–9, 2016: Reunion Weekend • Alumni Volunteer & Distinguished Faculty Appreciation Luncheon • BBQ & Oyster Roast • Alumni Lacrosse Game • Alumni Baseball Game • Class Reunions (1s & 6s)
Cody Mendelow was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy.
This summer, Sterling Wilson is interning with Mandalay Capital Group, a private equity firm in Aberdeen, Hong Kong. While he will be working on Hong Kong island, he will be living in Kowloon, Hong Kong.
SUMMER 2015
39
Class Notes
Michael Brienza ’14 Wants to Change Your Perception of Bats
D
uring a family beach trip in 2010, Michael Brienza ’14 discovered the beauty and benefits of bats. As he watched a colony of bats fly from a neighbor’s chimney, he realized just how closely we live with these creatures of the night and how little he knew about them. Later that year, Michael attended a lecture by Rob Mies, executive director of the Organization for Bat Conservation, which addressed misconceptions about bats that cause people to view them as pests or even something to fear. For starters, bats won’t attack humans and they are no more likely to have rabies than any other wild animal. More importantly, they play a valuable role in the environment, from pollinating plants to insect population control. “One little brown bat can eat as many as 1,000 mosquitoes or moths each night, making them extremely beneficial to control nuisance insects that carry disease and damage crops,” Michael shared. “Our beach community spends time and money using crop-duster planes to spread insecticides to control the mosquito population, while bats can do this more effectively and, of course, for free.” Armed with this newfound knowledge and appreciation for bats, Michael wanted to help these misunderstood animals. He
decided to install bat houses, which can each hold a colony of 300 bats, around the community. This would remove the bats from people’s houses, where they can cause property damage, and give them a safe place to live without having to migrate or roost elsewhere. Looking for support, Michael reached out to the park rangers, biologists, and forest ecologists at local state parks and nature preserves, and they welcomed the project. In addition to providing him with a summer internship, they helped him obtain grant funding from Planet Connect to pay for the bat houses and assisted him with the installations. Michael shared, “The experience taught me that education is the key to change people’s perceptions. It’s not about me being a passionate environmentalist or bat conservationist. It was just an obvious win-win situation for both the community and the environment to do something small and make a change for the better.” Michael recently received a conservation grant from the Greenville Zoo and installed eight more bat houses in the beach community. When he is not looking out for bats, Michael is in class at Tufts University studying mechanical engineering
SHARE YOUR NEWS Submit a Class Note online at charlottecountryday.org/classnote, or contact your Class Agent. 1966 - Millie Dalton Cox - milliedcox@gmail.com 1972 - Dorothy Tull Mothershead - dotmothershead@gmail.com 1977 - Mary Lu Kelly Leatherman - marylul@bellsouth.net 1980 - Katherine Edwards - keedwards@live.com 1980 - Karen Culbreth Weatherly - kweatherly@charlottenc.gov 1981 - Alice Griffin Shrader - aliceshrader@gmail.com 1982 - Chip Knox - charles@knoxgroupinc.com 1982 - Wanda Culbreth Townsend - wtownsend@jahlaw.com 1983 - Betsy Downs McIntyre - bmcintyre@lincolnharris.com 1984 - Debbie Ostrow Vitale - dovnc@aol.com 1985 - Nancy Hanes Sasz - nancysasz@icloud.com 1986 - Melissa Gibson Estes - mgibsonestes@carolina.rr.com 1987 - Laurie Goldman Smithwick - laurie@leapdesign.com 1988 - Edwin Peacock - edwin.peacock@nmfn.com 1989 - Melia Northcott Hunt - meliahunt@msn.com 1990 - Mary Beth Tice McIntyre - marybeth@belleproperties.com 1991 - Steven Cole - steven.cole@us.army.mil 1991 - Jamie Harrison - james.r.harrison@bankofamerica.com 1992 - Jenny Hall Robeson - jennyhall1@yahoo.com 1993 - Jaime Morris Pearman - jaimepearman@carolina.rr.com 1994 - Sarah Nichols Hughes - shughes@wlu.edu 1995 - Jill Triana - jtriana76@gmail.com
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PERSPECTIVES
1996 - Karen Hutchinson Ridout - karen.ridout@charlottecountryday.org 1997 - David Walker - davidbwalker@gmail.com 1997 - Betsy Currie Zarzour - betsyzarzour@gmail.com 1998 - Holly Walker Hunter - ehwhunter@gmail.com 1999 - Logan Chalk Foose - lfoose@cchrealtors.com 2000 - Kara Hager - kara.hager@gmail.com 2001 - Amanda Lemonds Tomlinson - amandaltomlinson12@gmail.com 2002 - Brantley Anders Templeton - brantley.templeton@gmail.com 2003 - Blakely Offutt Infante - blakely.offutt@gmail.com 2003 - Ivan Mothershead - imothershead@gmail.com Don’t see a Class Agent 2004 - Sarah Bell Farber - sarah.b.farber@gmail.com for your year? Consider serving as your Class Agent 2005 - Caroline Henderson - henderson.caroline1@gmail.com and helping your classmates 2006 - Sarah Schweppe - sarah.schweppe@wellsfargoadvisors.com share their family updates, 2007 - Carver Morrow - carvermorrow@gmail.com professional awards, exotic 2008 - Anne Howard Dooley - annehowarddooley@gmail.com travels, volunteer work, 2009 - Caroline Davis - carolinelenoradavis@gmail.com and other news. For more 2010 - Gatesy Hill - shghill@gmail.com details, contact Jonsie 2011 - Lindsey Freedman - lfreedman11@gmail.com Evans, Alumni Relations, at 2012 - Alli Smith - smithal1@sewanee.edu (704) 943-4544 or 2013 - Caroline Allbert - ceallbert@gmail.com jonsie.evans@ 2014 - Megan Schlernitzauer - m.schlernitzauer14@gmail.com charlottecountryday.org.
BUCSNOTES A ROUND-UP OF FUN FACTS EVERY BUC MIGHT LIKE TO KNOW.
607
The number of college-level courses members of the Class of 2015 successfully completed over their junior and senior years (193 IB and 414 AP).
$550
82 35%
Amount raised by the varsity baseball team during their Cancer Awareness Game on April 21. The money was donated equally to Kids Cancer Research at Levine Children’s Hospital and ALL OUT at Hemby Children’s Hospital.
The number of trout fry released at South Mountain State Park by the fourth-grade Green Team on May 21. See story on page 6.
The average increase in class participation during the Class Reunion Annual Fund Challenge.
The Class of 1980 won a photo booth at their reunion party by tripling the number of Annual Fund donors in their class. THANK YOU to everyone who helped us reach our goal! See story on page 31.
20
The number of countries represented at the Big Saturday International Food Tent. This year, children received a special “passport” to help learn about each country represented.
Nonprofit Org. US Postage
PAI D
1440 Carmel Road Charlotte, NC 28226-5096 charlottecountryday.org
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Country Day took home first place in physics at UNC-Charlotte’s Super Math and Science Competition for the third year in a row. The team includes Irene Bao, David Conaway, Nancy Garrett, Gordon Cory, John Moore, Christien Williams, Byers Whitman, Austin Anderson, Anna Rhyne, and Chase Riley.
Charlotte, NC Permit No. 984