Alumni Weekend 2021 Goes Virtual

More than 600 alumni from across the globe enjoyed Alumni Weekend 2021. The annual event featured four days of virtual gatherings and activities that brought together George School alumni in a new and creative way, while maintaining the traditions that we all hold dear.

The weekend kicked off on Thursday, April 29 with a Career Networking Event and ended on Sunday, May 2 when the George School community gathered to share silent worship and reflection during Meeting for Worship.

On Friday, April 30 George School held the inaugural Hall of Athletic Honor Induction Ceremony to honor those who have had an enduring impact on George School, its athletics, and the community. This year’s inductees are Anne LeDuc, Paul Machemer ’65, Robert Geissinger, Elaine Maddox ’83, and Stanley Sutton. (see page 30)

Retiring Faculty Saturday morning, May 1, we honored retiring faculty members Debbie DiMicco ’72 and Marion Wells during Coffee with Faculty and visited with favorite faculty members from the past and present. Afterwards, Head of School Sam Houser delivered the State of the School Address.

Debbie DiMicco ’72

Throughout her George School tenure, Debbie has taught multiple levels of French, Language Arts, ELL English, and various levels of literature and composition in the English Department. Debbie regularly attended IB conferences and workshops, foreign language pedagogy seminars, workshops on the use of technology in the classroom, and coaching clinics. In addition to her time in the classroom, Debbie has coached field hockey, track and field, and basketball. For a long stretch, Debbie was both the head coach of the varsity girls’ track team and head coach of the junior varsity girls’ field hockey team. Debbie cares deeply about the athletic experience at George School. If she wasn’t coaching, you could often find her cheering from the sidelines.

Marion Wells

With her Master of Library Science degree from Rutgers University, and her undergraduate degree from San Francisco State University, Marion joined the George School faculty in 2014 as a librarian with valuable experience, having worked as a librarian at Princeton University’s Firestone Library, in addition to numerous other university and public libraries. During her time at George School, Marion has worked tirelessly to ensure the Mollie Dodd Anderson Library (MDA) is a welcoming, peaceful, and academically focused space for students and

the community. Marion developed cutting edge learning modules for academic research across a range of subjects, teaching George School students valuable, lifelong skills.

Alumni Awards Alumni awards were presented to George School alumni in recognition of their extraordinary achievements, community activities, honors, awards, or George School affiliation and service. This year, those awards recognized:

Alumni Award 2021: Jaki Shelton Green ’71

Jaki Shelton Green ’71 received the 2021 George School Alumni Award to recognize her talents, expertise, and personal commitment to make a positive impact on those around her. She is the ninth Poet Laureate of North Carolina—the first African American and third woman to be appointed. She is a 2019 Academy of American Poet Laureate Fellow, 2014 NC Literary Hall of Fame Inductee, 2009 NC Piedmont Laureate appointment, and 2003 recipient of the North Carolina Award for Literature. Jaki teaches Documentary Poetry at Duke University Center for Documentary Studies and has authored eight publications. Jaki has performed her poetry and taught workshops around the world. She is the owner of SistaWRITE, providing writing retreats and travel excursions for women writers.

Young Alumni Award: Lila Anton ’01

The 2021 Young Alumni Award was presented to Lila Anton ’01, creative marketing manager at Netflix Japan. Lila is responsible for building creative suites including trailers, teasers, and all accompanying artwork and the resulting successes have been instrumental for Netflix overtaking competitors to become a top livestreaming service in Japan. The Young Alumni award recognizes alumni who have excelled in their chosen profession or have done extraordinary things through volunteer and philanthropic endeavors.

Lifetime Service Awards: Mike Kosoff ’56 and Betty Lou Thompson ’56

George School Board of Trustees members Mike Kosoff ’56 and Betty Lou Thompson ’56 were honored with the Lifetime of Service Award, recognizing alumni who have celebrated their 50th George School reunion whose commitment to volunteerism and generosity on behalf of George School make a significant impact on our community. Since joining the George School Board of Trustees in 1997, Mike has served on various committees including the Alumni Annual Fund Committee, Athletic Hall of Honor Committee, Institutional Advancement Committee, Governance Committee, Physical Plant Committee, and Reunion Committee. For Betty Lou, it is the George School experience that has led her to be such a loyal supporter over the years. While on the George School Board of Trustees for the past six years, Betty Lou has served on several committees including the Reunion Committee, Governance Committee, and Clerks Committee. She is currently the Clerk of the Institutional Advancement Committee.

Gatherings, Reunions, and Meetings for Worship Saturday afternoon activities included affinity gatherings, a presentation by the Admission Office, a faculty panel on teaching and learning in the time of COVID, and a virtual campus tour including a Q&A with current students. Family and friends gathered for Memorial Meeting for Worship to remember those who have passed away. Reunion class gatherings on Saturday evening provided classes celebrating their milestone reunion the opportunity to share memories, reconnect, and reflect on their George School experience.

Alumni Weekend ended on Sunday, May 2 when the George School community gathered to share silent worship and reflection during Meeting for Worship. Plans are already underway for Alumni Weekend 2022, scheduled for May 6–8, 2022.