Girls Preparatory School Magazine | Winter 2024 by Girls Preparatory School

Girls Preparatory School Winter 2024

M AG A ZINE

Learning in Action Fostering curiosity and wonder in each student

The Big Picture

HEAD OF THE HOOCH

GPS Rowing achieved the best results in school history at the fall’s Head of the Hooch, the secondlargest regatta in the country. While the regatta is a team favorite considering it takes place on our home river, a medal finish at the Hooch has never seemed within reach—until this year. The Women's Youth U19 4x placed second of 47 boats in their race, and the Women's Youth U19 2x placed third out of 69. Head Coach Laura Foster said, “The girls have done a great job of trusting the process these last couple of years, and they're starting to see the rewards of their hard work and dedication.”

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A Message From Our Head of School

his fall I attended a conference where a speaker told us to close our eyes and imagine receiving an inconceivably huge donation—like the stuff of your wildest dreams—with which you could build a school. What would that school look like? we were prompted. My first thought was, It would be GPS. Not only would it be situated on an enviable, waterfront location in a town replete with entrepreneurs and changemakers, it would also have a rich history of inspiring young women—something that takes decades to build. This aspirational school would have arts and athletics, humanities and STEM, and liberal arts offerings that allowed each girl to try anything and everything to discover what she was passionate about without a fear of failing.

This dream school would have teachers who are engaged and invested in student success—not only test outcomes but life outcomes. Teachers would model curiosity and wonder and truly value what matters most. Girls would be supported and encouraged to become the best versions of themselves, both here on campus and decades from now in their own communities. Again, just like GPS. As you’ll read in this issue, every day at GPS we see learning in action (page 16) as our faculty create opportunities for each student to reach her full potential. Whether she’s dancing like no one’s watching (except her classmates and her teacher!), learning to pitch a tent and cook food over a campfire, or deciphering an inscription on a discarded desk to discern what GPS girls of the ’90s (Ancient Civilizations!) cared about, each GPS girl is part of a learner-centered practice that is designed for how she learns best.

Do I have bigger dreams beyond what GPS is today? Of course, and so does every adult on our campus as we stay true to our mission and honor our legacy. We’ve been hard at work on our five-year strategic plan, working alongside our board of trustees to build a better GPS for tomorrow. One that will serve our students well with spaces that truly engage and inspire their learning. A school that meets each girl where she is and then gets her where she wants to go. An educational experience that lifts her up so that she can reach her potential with confidence and joy. As we approach the culmination of our admission team’s efforts and see our newest students enroll for the 2024-25 school year, I confidently and boldly say that every girl deserves a GPS education. We can’t wait for what is to come, and I hope that you will partner with us as we dream big for the future of GPS. With great pride in our school,

OUR STRATEGIC PLAN

Scan the QR for all the recent updates regarding our new Strategic Plan.

Megan D. Cover Head of School

2023-24 Board of Trustees Executive Committee

Board Chair Amy Arrowsmith

Vice-Chair Ashley Rowland Davenport ’97 Secretary Dori Thornton Waller ’99 Treasurer/Finance Chair Jimmy Scotchie Ex Officio Clay Watson At-Large Member Ashley Moore Palmer ’99

Trustees

Caroline Caulkins Bentley ’83 Glenn Breazeale Jr. Jeff Burns Elouise Busby, DPT Blair Bennington Cannon ’93 Laurel H. Carney ’79, PhD Allison Cowan Carroll ’89 Carolyn Chandler Allen Coffman, MD Aimee Owings Harvey ’93 Hamp Johnston Jr. Jennifer Kline Beth Steele Newbold ’84 Andrea Saul Nosbusch ’00 Mary P. Tanner, PhD Stephen Thomas Austin Watson Karen Welborn

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What's Inside

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A Message from Our Head of School

Getting to Know Amy Arrowsmith GPS Board of Trustees Chair shares her vision

The Black & Blue Review A look at the first semester’s honors, learning opportunities, events, and more

Class Notes Professional updates from our treasured alumnae

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Learning in Action Students enjoy hands-on, real-world experiences in and outside the classroom.

On the Cover

A student works on a learner-centered lesson in her Global Cultures class.

Table of Contents 2023-24 Administrative Team Head of School Megan D. Cover Head of Upper School Beth Creswell Wilson, PhD ’96 Head of Middle School and Director of Student Support Services Kathryn Outlaw Chief Advancement Officer Ali Gant Chief Financial Officer Mark Vosskamp Director of Athletics Jay Watts Director of Belonging and Community Engagement Lauren Lawrence Swanson ’09 Director of College Counseling Andrew Reich Director of Communications and Marketing Caitlin Riddle Director of Development Lisa Reynolds Shanahan ’83

Students from GPS and McCallie share the joy of attending single-sex schools.

Alumnae from near and far gather to celebrate the GPS sisterhood.

Coordinate Connection

Reunion Weekend

Director of Enrollment and Financial Aid Alice Smith Harris ’03 Senior Communications Specialist Pamela Hammonds

Editorial Staff

Lucy Morris Blancett ’09 Pamela Hammonds Rachael Land ’12 Caitlin Riddle

Contributing Photographers Emily Lester Ryn Fager Tompkins ’10 The McCallie School

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Spotlight

getting to know Amy Arrowsmith GPS Board of Trustees Chair

As Amy Arrowsmith takes the helm of the GPS Board of Trustees this year, she shares with us a bit about her hopes for the school’s future, why she trusts Megan Cover to lead GPS, and how she spends her free time. Amy is a graduate of Sewanee: The University of the South and received her master's degree in education from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. This devoted leader has served on the GPS Board of Trustees for six years in various roles, including chair of the community working group, secretary, and vice chair, and she held an important role in last year’s strategic planning committee. Amy is also a past president of GPS Parent Council and past chair of GPS’s former fundraiser Bruiser Bee.

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“I love all things GPS, but what currently excites me is the momentum we have with enrollment and the improvements we have begun to make to our campus. I am especially excited about future plans for our campus and how that will all flow from our new strategic plan.”

Spotlight Amy with her daughter, Mary Margaret Arrowsmith ’18, and her mother, Sally Bacon Smartt ’61.

GPS BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIR

Amy Arrowsmith How would you describe our board of trustees? We have a fantastic board full of smart, dedicated individuals who love GPS and are committed to its mission. They bring a wide variety of experience and talent to the table and are open to new ideas. We are all focused on the future and not afraid of hard work. The board has a solid track record of having a healthy relationship with its head of school, and that is certainly the case with this board and Megan Cover. We all know our roles and have a tremendous amount of respect for and trust in each other. How is it working with Megan? It is such a pleasure working with Megan. She is smart, driven, future-oriented, and also very warm and relational. She really is everything you want in a Head of School. Megan is a wonderful leader. She listens and communicates well, and she makes good decisions. Megan knows where she wants to go with the school, and she has been very intentional about listening and learning from our community, knowing how important it is to build those relationships and trust.

What do you hope for the future of GPS?

Favorite pastimes

I think GPS is doing great, and my hope is that we are able to take everything to the next level—academic programming, athletics, and the arts, as well as our buildings and grounds. We have been providing an extraordinary education to girls in Chattanooga for over a century. I have seen how women in my family have benefited from a GPS education, and I want to see GPS continue to provide that service for the next 100+ years.

»Tennis » Reading » Gardening

Why is single-sex education important? I have seen the benefits of a single-sex education with all four of our children— our daughter at GPS and our three sons at McCallie. They each developed a strong sense of self-confidence and are very comfortable speaking in public. There is something very unique about single-sex education that gives adolescents the freedom and space to figure out who they are during what tends to feel like the most awkward and insecure time of their lives.

Other passion projects

» St. Paul’s Episcopal Church » Community Partners Board at Orchard Knob Elementary » MCR Foundation Favorite GPS tradition

» Opening Day

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The Black & Blue Review Chattanooga Day of the Girl

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The Black & Blue Review

A look at last semester’s honors, learning opportunities, events, and more! HONORS

National Merit Recognition

Semifinalists: Abigail Carpenter, Lucie DeGaetano, and Ella Harris

Commended Students: Arysa Kayasit, Caroline Barnes, and Ash Day

Six GPS seniors were recognized in the National Merit Scholarship competition after earning impressive scores on their Preliminary SAT/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Tests. Caroline Barnes, Ash Day, and Arysa Kayasit were named Commended Students; Abigail Carpenter, Lucie DeGaetano, and Ella Harris were named Semifinalists. Abigail, Lucie, and Ella will continue on to compete for Finalist recognition and ultimately a National Merit Scholarship. To become a Finalist, they will each submit a detailed scholarship application that includes information about their academic successes, cocurricular pursuits, leadership abilities, and more.

LEADERSHIP

Head’s Table Throughout the year, Head of School Megan Cover hosts lunches with students to get to know each girl, as well as answer any questions they may have about her role at GPS. The first to be afforded the opportunity, Middle-Schoolers asked Megan what it's like to run a school, how she ended up in Chattanooga, and more. In turn, she learned a bit more about each girl and her interests in an effort to continue prioritizing wellness, character, and individuality at GPS.

COMMUNIT Y

Chattanooga Day of the Girl

October 25

The second annual Chattanooga Day of the Girl was a joyous celebration of girls’ education and leadership in our city. Alongside friends from Girls Inc., our students and faculty traveled to Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy for an afternoon of community and connection featuring sweet treats from Bruster’s and Snow Daze, as well as fun on the playground, friendship bracelet-making, lawn games, music and dancing, and a dodgeball tournament! Partnerships in the Community President Abigail Carpenter ’24, one of three student speakers, talked about how much the arts have helped her find her place and how important it is for all girls to have opportunities that allow them to find their voices and learn more about themselves. G P S .E D U G I R L S P R E P A R A T O R Y S C H O O L

The Black & Blue Review

HOLIDAYS

HISTORY & LEGACY

Halloween

Global Cultures

There was no shortage of creativity on campus for the Halloween picnic! Avocados, princesses, grandparents, Barbie, and even Alvin’s chipmunks made their way outside for a block party with lunch and sweet treats.

In her Global Cultures class, Tiffany Simms '03 charged her sixth-graders to explore the question, "What does it mean to be a GPS girl?" To aid in their research, students interviewed local alumnae about their experiences. It was through these conversations that the girls discovered the evolution of our norms, traditions, and values. We're incredibly lucky to have teachers, students, and alumnae who value the history and legacy of our school.

BELONGING

Advisory Programming

At GPS, we strive to provide a safe place where each girl feels she belongs and where all girls have access to the opportunities and support they need to succeed. Building relationships with teachers and classmates creates a sense of belonging that allows girls to feel socially connected, supported, and respected.

Chattanooga Zoo

During advisory, students participate in belonging curriculum that focuses on empowering each student to embrace her authentic self, fostering a sense of confidence in her identity and beliefs and encouraging her to use her voice for herself and others, building and growing a culture of acceptance and belonging, cultivating listening with an open heart, and advocating for a world where each individual is valued.

What better way to learn about animals and their care than to visit them in person? Sixth-graders ventured to the Chattanooga Zoo for a field trip full of fun, hands-on exploration. They read about everything from lemurs to giraffes, goats, and reptiles, and they even received a private presentation from one of the zookeepers.

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EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

The Black & Blue Review

SERVICE

Bluebell Society Thirty-one members of the GPS Upper School were inducted into the Bluebell Honor Society for Service and Volunteerism. Head of Upper School Dr. Beth Creswell Wilson ’96 served as emcee for the event, acknowledging that the society’s purpose is to encourage continual service to the community beyond GPS and recognize students with high participation in community service. “The bluebell’s color represents GPS’s identity and history of honor and integrity,” she said, “and the bluebell is a symbol of humility and gratitude.” EXCHANGE PROGRAM

COLLEGE COUNSELING

College Night

Down Under

Three sophomore Aussies ventured to the United States to attend GPS for eight weeks through a new exchange program established with St. Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Ascot, Australia. In January, three GPS students headed to St. Margaret’s for their turn! A brief faculty exchange is also happening with history teacher and Dean of the Eighth-Grade Class Dr. Jordan McCarter ’96, too.

We had an incredible turnout of students and parents for our second annual College Night with McCallie and Baylor! A big thanks goes to the College Counseling teams from each school for organizing this opportunity for our students to connect with representatives from more than 70 colleges and universities.

TRADITIONS

The GPS Honor Code In a special Chapel presentation, Megan Cover and our Honor Council representatives, led by senior Caroline Breazeale, spoke to the student body about the importance of the GPS Honor Code. Developed around the belief that “a girl’s honor is her most valuable possession,” the honor system provides guidelines for our community while allowing each student her individual freedom. In her speech, Mrs. Cover said, "The GPS Honor Code began in 1945 at the request of students, just like you, to ensure each community member clearly understands that individual actions make up and reflect those of the collective. These students established a system that self-governed and empowered each individual to be accountable and responsible for upholding the standards for herself and our community." Following the presentation, each girl signed a pledge to uphold the Honor Code, creating a solid foundation of honesty, trust, and respect upon which she and her classmates can learn and thrive.

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The Black & Blue Review

STRATEGIC PL AN

Empowering Girls for a Changing World Faculty and staff continue to collaborate on the implementation of the 2023-2028 Strategic Plan in professional learning sessions. By selecting a goal from the plan that most closely alignes with their professional focus, faculty and staff contemplate ways the Strategic Plan can be applied in the classroom, around campus, and in the Chattanooga community. TEACHING & LEARNING

Professional Development In our ongoing commitment to learner-centered education and meeting the needs of each girl, faculty and staff participated in on-campus professional development. Led by Jen Cort, an educator, clinical social worker, school counselor, and author, the session helped the adults on campus grow in their practice to make learning meaningful while recognizing the unique challenges students face. We learned the "power of the pause,” the importance of a balance between “culture creators" and "culture carriers,” and listening for learning.

COORDINATE PROGRAM

Head-to-Head Collaboration McCallie Head of School, Lee Burns, visited campus for a tour led by GPS Head of School, Megan Cover. The duo visited classrooms, spoke with teachers and students, and discussed the continued focus on enhancing our coordinate program through events, service, athletics, arts, and more. INNOVATION

REAL Discussions On the recommendation of Liza Garonzik, Founder and CEO of R.E.A.L. Discussion, Harriet Piercy of the Haggerston School, a researcher from the UK working on a project on classroom discussion, visited campus to sit in on Dr. Ralph Covino’s Ancient Civilizations classes to observe the girls during a R.E.A.L. Discussion. Dare we say, Ralph is a bit of a R.E.A.L. Discussion influencer!

Jen Cort

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The Black & Blue Review

ALUMNAE

With Love from Home Parents of alumnae from the Class of 2023 were invited to Founders House to create care packages to be shipped to their daughters in college! A big thank you to our Office of Alumnae Engagement for coordinating this sweet opportunity. CONNECTION

Parent Coffees

TRADITIONS

Founders Day

Held by grade level, parent coffees are offered throughout the year to allow parents to gather with one another, ask questions, and share experiences. The GPS Parent Council hosts these regular get-togethers to help all GPS parents and caregivers connect with our community.

Founders Day 2023 was one for the books! During the school day, students, faculty, and staff celebrated with a picnic on Smith Courtyard and a special Chapel presentation featuring Bruiser Feud (a la Family Feud) with Team 2000s competing against Team 1900s. GPS history teacher Dr. Ralph Covino served as the “Voice of History,” and English teacher Lindsey King acted as emcee.

EVENTS

Guests & Goodies The Class of 2030 met their guests at Founders House for the annual Guests and Goodies gathering. We love hosting this special opportunity for parents to come to campus, meet their daughters’ friends, and enjoy quality time together! COMMUNIT Y

A Special Treat Through Bruiser Eats For their December selection, Parent Council partnered with local chocolatier Cocoa Asante to provide hot chocolate bombs! Founded by Ella Livingston, Cocoa Asante sources cacao beans from her native Ghana. Perhaps you heard of these “almost too pretty to eat” chocolates when a TikTok review sent the company site into meltdown! The Parent Council sold 125+ of these midnight blue and gold delicacies that came packaged for gifting.

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Fall Photo Review

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Fall Photo Review

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Fun with friends at the Senior Dinner 2 Matching umbrellas connected Cats and Rats 3 Good times at the Back-to-School Picnic and Open House 4 Whitewater rafting during the junior retreat 5 All smiles during the freshman Walk Across the Lawn 6 Time to choose activities at the PIC & Club Fair 7 Dads and daughters on Founders Day at a Lookouts baseball game 8 Cheering on the varsity volleyball team 9 The GPS | McCallie pickleball tournament 10 Rainy day donuts from Student Council 11 A special performance for Hispanic Heritage Month 12 A “blue out” for the Bruisers 13 A trip to McCallie for the Baylor vs. McCallie pep rally 14 Faculty mentorship in action 1

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Learning

Action

B Y L U C Y M O R R I S B L A N C E T T ’ 0 9 A N D R A C H A E L L A N D ’ 12

From on-campus exploration to off-campus field trips, activities, and more, our students have enjoyed engaging, learner-centered lessons all semester long. 16

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o underscore our commitment to the 2023-2028 Strategic Plan, this year GPS moved to an interdisciplinary way of structuring departments with the creation of Humanities (English, World Languages, History, and Religion) and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) departments. This adjustment allows departments more opportunities to collaborate and help our students make connections across disciplines. One of the action steps of the plan, Celebrate the Whole Girl, calls to create a learner-centered school program that fosters academic excellence and curiosity by appropriately challenging each girl.

A learning-in-action model encourages students to investigate why the world works the way it does and develop criticalthinking skills that will serve them throughout their lives. What follows is a sampling of the creative ways our faculty and staff engage students in and outside the classroom. Oh, and a bonus? They seem to have a lot of fun along the way!

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Humanities

1 In the spirit of fall, Ms. Tiffany Simms '03 assigned her sixth-grade Global Cultures students an engaging and imaginative project. Instead of using a standard globe to identify important geographical markers, Tiffany had each girl paint the map of the world on a pumpkin! To demonstrate their knowledge, the girls outlined countries, oceans, and lines of latitude and longitude and then filled in their outlines with paint. What a fun and creative way to learn about geography!

2 True learning requires students to go beyond the classroom—to engross themselves in experiences—and Ms. Callie Hamilton's Social Justice class did just that! Students traveled to the Chattanooga African American Museum at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center to learn how national trends play out locally and gain a sense of Chattanooga's historical landscape. 3 Dr. Ralph Covino's seventh-grade Ancient Civilizations classes studied the five types of evidence that historians use to help discover more about humanity's distant past, one of which is epigraphy, the study of inscriptions. To help the girls understand how inscriptions allow people from the past to 'speak' to them directly, they examined an ‘artifact’ found on our campus. "In our learner-centered teaching, we strive to provide authentic examples for the girls that show the real-world application of what we are teaching. Ancient inscriptions can seem a world away from our girls’ lives, so being able to make them relevant to them and, thus, come alive is something of a treat," says Ralph.

Students in Ms. Rosie Espinosa's Spanish class enjoyed creating their own papel picado, or perforated paper, designs to string together into banners. Rosie uses this hands-on cultural lesson so students have a better understanding of Mexican folk art traditionally seen at Día de los Muertos and other special events and holidays. Papel picado originates from an Aztec practice of chiseling figures into a rough paper, called amate, made of tree bark. 4

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S C I E N C E , T E C H N O L O G Y, E N G I N E E R I N G , M AT H

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STEM

gpsbruisers

408 likes gpsbruisers To aid in their study of circular motion, students in Mr. Lyons’ AP Physics classes performed a lab using flying pigs! 5 Hours ago

WANT TO LEARN HOW PIGS FLY?!

Use the QR code to see Mr. Joe Lyons’s fun physics lab! 18

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10 As Ms. Reed Solly’s biology students wrapped up their chemistry unit and moved on to ecology, they explored the history of photography and the chemistry behind a photographic technique called cyanotypes. Girls applied these concepts by collecting native species around campus, identifying and classifying them into their proper taxonomic ranking, and creating their own cyanotypes. 11 In anatomy and physiology with Mrs. Tracie Marlin Durham '80, girls studied the skin and how it regulates body temperature. Using surface temperature sensors, the girls investigated how quickly different areas (upper arm or face) recover after exposure to cold. Typically, areas with more blood vessels recover faster than those with fewer blood vessels. Can you guess whether the upper arm or face recovers faster?

12 Students in Ms. April Ross’s eighthgrade STEM class took to the skies for an egg drop experiment. They were tasked with building protective cases for their eggs, and they tested them by dropping them off of the second story of the Davenport Middle School. We’re happy to report that many eggs survived the impact! 13 In Mrs. Martha Carpenter’s sixth-grade

math class, students practiced one-step equations with cats! (Well … sort of.) They drew pictures of cats using quadrants and integers to learn to better visualize where plot points fall on a grid. We think their pictures look purrrrfect!

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Cocurricular & After-School Enrichment How do the values that we hold most dear impact our individual experiences? Middle School Counseling Specialist Casey Caldwell Santos ’08 asks her eighth-graders to contemplate this question in her Human Growth and Development classes. By sorting and prioritizing cards with different core values, girls expand their understanding of values, recognize their impact on individual experiences, and develop skills to respect the values of others as they engage in potentially vulnerable conversations.

See the visual and performing arts come together in a collaborative project inspired by emotions!

Members of Health Club learned the art of suturing with the help of School Nurse Melissa Nati. Using bananas, students practiced their newfound knowledge and stitched them right up! 5

6 Before exams, the Health & Wellness Center hosted a wellness day, complete with mindfulness, breathing, and stretching exercises each period as well as healthy snacks with a focus on foods that boost brain memory such as cauliflower, broccoli, blueberries, cantaloupe, watermelon, berries, apples, pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate, and ginger.

DID YOU KNOW?

All students are asked to participate in an afterschool activity each trimester so they can discover and explore various interests while also connecting with the GPS community and beyond.

7 Inspired by a session during the National Education of Dance Organization’s annual conference, Laurel Moore Zahrobsky ‘90 and Diane Yu led students through an interactive, collaborative experience. Eighth-graders in dance and visual arts combined forces to engage in an improvisational painting and movement lesson where students created a dance inspired by an emotion displayed in their paintings. 8 The GPS Garden is the perfect place for our environmental scientists-in-training to enhance their green thumbs! Thanks to the coordination of Parent Council President Amanda Austin Miller ’94 and Dr. Brandon Noel, students can get their hands dirty while learning what it takes to cultivate crops. The best part? Everything grown is donated to the Chattanooga Area Food Bank!

After exploring academic interests during the school day, students have the opportunity to cultivate various skills as part of our After-School Enrichment Program. One of the winter offerings this year is pickleball with Mrs. Beth Flint Gaffney '79. In the afternoons, students practice their paddle prowess and winning strategies while having a blast on the court. From perfecting the art of the dink to mastering powerful serves, it's all about fun and skill development! 9

Our eighth-graders danced like no one was watching at the Pop-Up Project, a nonprofit dance production company that invites local dancers to create and perform. With the help of three instructors, the girls got warmed up and learned a fun and energetic dance routine to “Love You Different” by Justin Bieber. The girls had a blast learning and then performing their new routine in a professional studio. 9

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Introducing GOLE

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ast spring, English teacher Andy Arick approached Megan Cover about enhancing the GPS Outdoor Program. He had been a sponsor of the Outdoor Club and had coached the Middle School soccer team, and he knew a more robust outdoor program previously existed. “I expressed a desire to see us commit to making the outdoor program more official, and she was very responsive,” Andy says. “We put our heads together and found a natural alignment between outdoor education and leadership training, which works well with our strategic plan goals. It’s been very exciting.”

Andy explains that part of his new role encompasses developing leadership opportunities through outdoor education. Collaboration, team work, problem solving, advocacy, and agency are just some of the leadership skills our girls will learn through this pilot program. In its first year, GOLE can be broken down into three separate buckets: MIDDLE SCHOOL CLASSROOM LEARNING

Andy teaches an outdoor leadership class for each grade—eighth grade in the fall, seventh grade in the spring, and sixth-graders will enjoy the class all year. Throughout the course, girls will learn basic outdoor skills such as taking bearings, counting paces, shelter building, knot tying, and more. However, the class is designed to teach the girls about their leadership styles and teamwork skills. For example, at the beginning of the year, he had students take a personality quiz to see what kind of team member they might identify with best to help them develop awareness of who they tend to be: The Achiever, The Leader, The Friend, or The Brain. Throughout the semester or year, each student will take a turn as a team leader. UPPER SCHOOL OUTDOOR LEADERSHIP TRIPS

Andy Arick, Dean of Outdoor Leadership and English Teacher 20

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Upper School students can sign up for special outdoor leadership trips during school breaks. The first trip took place over fall break, with 10 girls venturing to Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area for a long weekend alongside Andy and GPS history teacher and

rowing Head Coach Laura Foster. Over the course of the three-day trip, the crew hiked 19 miles, set up camps, learned how to cook meals in the backcountry, and more. “Laura and I were the leaders, but each girl had an important role,” Andy explains. Future trips are planned for both spring and summer breaks, and Andy is eager to see some of the students from the first trip help plan and serve as student leaders for subsequent adventures. AFTER-SCHOOL ENRICHMENT

New for the 2023-24 school year, all students are required to participate in after-school enrichment activities that align with their interests. GOLE is offered for all students— Middle School girls meet once a week and Upper School girls meet twice—for outdoor excursions around town. Throughout the first semester, they went hiking, visited blue holes, learned about the land trust at Lula Lake, visited Sunset Rock, explored Maclellan Island, and more. Adreanna Calloway ’27 has enjoyed the after-school program and went on the fall break trip. “The program has taught me how to be patient and grounded in nature. I’ve learned to truly appreciate the outdoors and its complexity,” she says. “It has given me the opportunity to really motivate myself and make new relationships in the GPS community while bonding in the beauty of Chattanooga.” Andy has enjoyed seeing girls blossom through GOLE. “Girls Outdoor Leadership Education is just one way we challenge our students to take on new experiences that require them to operate outside their comfort zones,” he says. “While not always easy, these opportunities push the girls to build the resilience to find their true potential. While they may not all become lifelong backpackers, these trips help teach the lessons they will use as they tackle obstacles in high school, college, and beyond.”

Athletics

Middle School Softball Goes Undefeated! TE A M WINS ISC CHA MPIONSHIP TO COMPLE TE PERFEC T RECORD

ith a roster 20 players deep, Head Middle School Softball Coach London Cornelius had high hopes for her players’ fall season, but she hadn’t predicted a perfect 13-0 run. “I knew we would be successful, and the hope is always to win a championship, but these players exceeded all expectations,” she says.

“They worked extremely hard and never took ‘no’ for an answer.” Over the season they triumphed over in-town rivals Chattanooga Christian School, Boyd Buchanan, and Silverdale Baptist—both at home and away—all the while growing closer as teammates. “These girls truly bought into the black and blue,” says London. “They had a very tight bond both on and off the field.” Of course, even with the will to win and great team chemistry, not all games are easy battles. “There were games where they really had to fight through it,” says London. “But because they’re such competitors, even if we were behind, they would say ‘We’ve got this!’

I remember one game in particular I was nervous about, and one of our players—Sky Marshall— came up to me and said, ‘We’ve got you, Coach!’” In middle school softball, games are either seven innings or 90 minutes—whichever comes first. Leading up to the championship game against Baylor, the Bruisers had never had to play a full seven-inning game, as the others had timed out. “This was the hardest battle all season long,” says London. “We were losing late in the game but were up to bat. Sky was walked and Addison Smith, who was also pitching that game, came up and hit a homerun to give us the lead.” The icing on the cake? The championship game was played during Rivalry Week. Looking forward to next season, Coach London hopes for continued success but says the most important part is seeing them bond as a team. “If they can play together as a team and continue to work hard, the success will come,” she says. She’s also excited about seeing this year’s seventh-graders step up and become leaders and this year’s sixth-graders use their experience to welcome new players to the team.

Jayla Gladden ’28 is interviewed on ESPN Chattanooga 95.3 FM by Gregory Larnerd in a segment called “Future Stars of Tomorrow.”

The Bruisers celebrate a 14-6 win over the Seahawks and earn themselves the top seed heading into the league tournament.

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Athletics

VOLLEYBALL

COLLEGE SIGNEE

Brooklynn Smith

Head Coach: Alfie Dodd Season Highlight: After winning only four matches in 2022, earned 16 victories this fall and finished just one victory away from state tournament berth Seniors: Alexandra Blye, Emma Leinberger, Emma LaRosa, Scarlett Kelch, Brooklynn Smith Accomplishments: Brooklynn Smith and Cat Nygaard ’27 were named to the Division II AA All East Region Volleyball Team.

Volleyball | Trevecca Nazarene University ATHLETES OF THE WEEK*

Ellie Holland ’27 | Volleyball L uci Baker ’29 MS Cross Country 3 H aylee Breaux ’27 Cheerleading 4 L ucie DeGaetano ’24 Cross Country 5 Jayla Gladden’28 | MS Softball 6 Eileen Nash ’24 | Rowing 7 Hannah Smith ’26 | Soccer 8 W eezie Respess ’28 MS Soccer 1

*at the time of printing

ROWING Head Coach: Laura Foster Season Highlights: First medal finishes in team's history of competition at Head of the Hooch regatta Seniors: Caroline Barnes, Arysa Kayasit, Sadie Pacenti, Brenna Plemons, Isabel Ponce Accomplishments: Eileen Nash and Caroline Barnes earned silver in the Youth Doubles at the Secret City Head Race, and Eileen captured gold in the U17 Singles. At the Head of the Hooch regatta, Caroline and Eileen also earned the bronze medal in the Women's Youth Under 19 Double. In the Women's Youth Under 19 Quad, Caroline, Eileen, Isabel Ponce ’24, and Cat Feeney ’25 put together a strong performance to earn second place in a field of 47 crews.

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Athletics

CROSS COUNTRY Head Coach: Beverly Blackwell Season Highlights: Fifth place at state meet; first-place finish at the Bethel Christian Academy Invitational Seniors: Holly Beale, Zoe Byars, Lucie DeGaetano, Mary Mueller, Emma Bell Proshkin Accomplishments: Gilly Shumate ’26 set a new school record 5K time of 18:15.34 and was also named to the All-State team for the fourth year in a row.

SOCCER Head Coach: Patrick Winecoff Season Highlight: After graduating 15 seniors from last year’s roster, ended with impressive 11-3-1 record Seniors: Sofia Bean, Gracie Pritchett, Jolee Smith, Autumn Woodard, Linley Zahrobsky Accomplishments: Brooke Arnold ’26, Mary Wamack ’26, and Kallie West ’27 were all named to the Division II AA All-East Region Soccer Team; Kallie was also selected to the Tennessee High School Soccer Coaches' Association DII AA All-State Team.

CHEERLEADING Head Coach: Lillie Noles Wolf ’13 Season Highlight: Cheered the McCallie Tornado on to a state championship win over Baylor. Seniors: Harper Grant, Ava Kostka, Kaitlyn Melda, Lakyn Vaughn, Courtney Willingham Accomplishments: The squad significantly improved their tumbling skills and learned their state halftime dance in just two days before performing in front of 20,000 fans!

GOLF Head Coach: Rob Riddle Season Highlight: Competed in East Region Tournament Seniors: Sara Kate Elrod, Claire Scotchie Accomplishments: Both seniors recorded at least one nine-hole competition with a score of 40 or below.

MIDDLE SCHOOL FALL SPORTS

Cheerleading Cross Country Soccer Softball Tennis

G P S .E D U G I R L S P R E P A R A T O R Y S C H O O L

Fine & Performing Arts The GPS Fine and Performing Arts Department honed their crafts during the fall semester with performances, projects, and more. 1 MIDDLE SCHOOL MUSICAL

It was "A Lovely Night" as audiences witnessed Cinderella defy her wicked stepmother and stepsisters with the help of her fairy godmother in search of a better life! Bravo to the talented Middle School cast of Cinderella: Youth Edition for bringing this magical fairytale to life. "It's Possible" that this was one of our best productions yet!

FALL MUSIC RECITAL

It was an afternoon of music in late October as 10 McCallie and GPS acts took the stage and performed various music numbers, from classical piano to a barbershop quartet. 2 TERPSICHORD

THANKSGIVING CONCERT

For several decades, it has been a timehonored tradition for Terpsichord to dismiss the student body for break with its annual Thanksgiving Concert. This year, the dancers choreographed a concert focused on exploring the mysteries of the universe.

to unwilling comrades and unlikely heroes, Peter and the Starcatcher encouraged audiences to playfully explore the depths of greed and despair ... and the bonds of friendship, duty, and love. 4 TERPSICHORD ORIGINALS

At the beginning of every school year, members of our contemporary dance company, Terpsichord, take the stage to perform original choreography for peers, faculty, and parents. Aptly named, "Originals" allow each girl to experience the power of creating—through learned skills, risk-taking, collaboration, decisionmaking, and the often humbling and edifying process of revision.

3 UPPER SCHOOL FALL PL AY

The action-packed production upended the century-old story of how a miserable orphan became The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up (a.k.a. Peter Pan). From marauding pirates and singing mermaids

5 WINTER INSTRUMENTAL

MUSIC CONCERT

Middle School students filled the Frierson Theatre with songs of the season during their winter concert, where they shared their talents with family and friends.

4 6 2

1 24

3 |

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Fine & Performing Arts

which will be performed in March.

6 CANDLELIGHT CHORUS

GPS | McCallie performers that included singers and Honors Orchestra instrumentalists treated a packed audience to a beautiful medley of holiday tunes during the annual Candlelight Chorus, held on McCallie’s campus. CHORAL AND HANDBELL CONCERT

Handbell ensembles from GPS and McCallie Middle School, as well as Middle and Upper School choirs from both schools, performed a variety of holiday favorite songs, including titles such as "Jingle Bells" and "Jolly Old St. Nicholas," as well as traditional choral classics and Hanukkah music. GUEST ARTIST

Terpsichord members enjoyed a special treat—and some hard work!—when Jake Bone, the company manager for Doug Varone and Dancers, visited campus for a weekend dance intensive. They learned and set a 15-minute piece, “Strict Love,”

FLETCHER BRIGHT FELLOWSHIP

FALL ARTIST SPOTLIGHTS*

As part of her grant from the Fletcher Bright Fellowship, Julia Steffner ’24 curated an exhibit about women’s health at Clearstory Arts and commissioned adolescent and adult artists across Chattanooga to enter their works. She also held monthly peer-mentoring meetings with the adolescent artists.

Summer Cobb ’24 Ceramics

10 Juanitta Garcia ’24,

Lexi Hirayama ’24, Olivia Center ’26, Tass Coylewright ’26 Visual Arts

FUTURE BRUISERS 7 All area princesses were invited to a special showing of the Middle School musical, Cinderella: Youth Edition. Surprise! There was a princess carriage on site for photos!

Karen Kal ’28 Orchestra

12 E bba Cox ’25

Upper School Fall Play

13 Evie Crutchfield ’26,

Lauren Gardner ’26, Madeline Hudson ’26, Ella Wiley ’26 GPS Singers

8 Current GPS students weren’t the only ones to enjoy the fun! At this year’s Art & Motion clinic for elementary school-aged girls, the theme was discovery. Girls created imaginary worlds and mapped out dance paths to traverse their magical lands.

14 Aiyana Steadman ’28

Middle School Musical

*at the time of printing

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Fine & Performing Arts

Crafting School Spirit

or GPS senior Juanitta Garcia, jewelry has always been a way to showcase her style and creativity. In fact, she remembers the first piece that really resonated with her: a pair of earrings with cherries on them. “That’s when I fell in love with unique, expressive jewelry,” she says.

It wasn’t until the pandemic, though, that her interest in creating her own jewelry blossomed. “I had time to work on different creative projects, so that’s when I picked it up, and I’ve been doing it ever since,” she explains. Today, one of Juanitta’s custom designs is featured in the GPS school store, The Bow, and they’re pretty apropos. She’s making GPS dress earrings—all class colors included! She first started experimenting with the concept her sophomore year, when she made a pair from craft foam, but she has since gone through various models and modifications to get the best product and now uses polymer clay. Susan Davidson, Director of Retail Merchandising for The Bow, first noticed Juanitta’s earrings when she was wearing a pair while working a shift in the store. Juanitta explains, “Mrs. Davidson saw them and was like, ‘Those are so cute!’ She was impressed that I had made them myself and said, ‘We have to sell those!’” The idea sounded great to Juanitta, who loves sharing her art with others. “I love expressing myself through art and jewelry, so I thought spreading that joy would be so much fun,” she says. “There is something about being able to spread that GPS spirit, not just to students but alums and girls who may want to be Bruisers in the future. I hope these earrings can bring them joy!” JUANITTA’S GPS DRESS EARRINGS ARE MADE TO ORDER AND AVAIL ABLE THROUGH THE BOW. SHOP IN STORE OR ONLINE TODAY!

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GIRLS PR E PA R ATOR Y SCHOOL

JEWELRY DESIGNER

Juanitta Garcia CLASS OF 2024

Coordinate Connection dinate Connection Coord tion Coordinate Connec Coordinate Connection dinate Connection Coord tion Coordinate Connec A look at the Coordinate Connection strong bond between GPS and McCallie Coord dinate Connection tion Coordinate Connec Coordinate Connection BY LUC Y MORRIS BL ANCE T T ’09

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Coordinate Connection

“My

husband said, ‘You’re either going to last one year or do it for the rest of your life,’” says Beth Flint Gaffney ’79, Director of the GPS | McCallie Coordinate Program. (With Beth currently in her 16th year, you can guess which path came true.)

While the GPS | McCallie Coordinate Program launched in 1985, Beth started her role in 2008, after she and her husband and children returned to Chattanooga to be closer to family. “I couldn’t wait to send my kids to GPS and McCallie,” she says. “I attribute everything I am to my time as a GPS student.” As the Director of the GPS | McCallie Coordinate Program, Beth is in charge of planning and facilitating more than 50 events each year that bring the two school communities together. “While I wholeheartedly believe in single-sex education, I also think it’s so important to develop the whole person,” she says. “Girls and boys need coeducational opportunities so they can learn how to form friendships, grow, and develop in fun, active, satisfying ways. That's why I believe in this program.”

wider variety of their peers, and it expands the programmatic offerings for both school communities.” Although Beth knew the importance of coordinate opportunities, she says a chance trip to a conference in Baltimore a decade ago left her enlightened. “Jessica Good, who was Head of Upper School at the time, had the forethought to send me to the conference,” she says. “GPS and McCallie were doing things as well as we could. However, I learned that for a coordinate program to succeed, it needs leadership that is aligned and working toward the same strategic goals,” she says. Beth says she’s excited about the recent renewed interest in the coordinate program. “In the past we were doing best practices, but in terms of really getting momentum, that happened under the leadership of Megan [Cover] at GPS and Lee [Burns] at McCallie. Everything changed when we started working toward the same strategic direction. Communication is better, and we have the same goals. We’ve had a lot of traction.”

Hank underscores her sentiments. “Megan has brought a renewed emphasis on and enthusiasm for strengthening and growing the coordinate program. She's encouraged a wide range of activities and offerings that have helped bring the two schools closer together and helped Hank Hopping, Upper School Principal at both schools support each other in a wide McCallie, has a similar mindset. “A strong range of ways,” he says. “She and Lee have coordinate program makes two amazing scheduled regular conversations, and other schools that much more administrators from both schools amazing. It allows students have also communicated and to enjoy the best of both coordinated more regularly, worlds—single-sex all of which has improved “Girls and boys education and coed communication and opportunities need coeducational programming between and experiences,” the two schools.” opportunities so they he says. “It Both Beth and can learn how to form encourages Hank see students students at friendships, grow, and as huge proponents both schools to of the program. Beth develop in fun, active, build and deepen manages a group of relationships with a

satisfying ways.”

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Coordinate Connection

Meet Chelsea Padro Director of Theater and Musicals for GPS | McCallie B Y E M M A D AV E N P O R T ’ 2 5

around 70 students—half GPS students and half McCallie students—known as Coordinate Crew. These juniors and seniors are responsible for getting students engaged and active at events. She credits them with coming up with some of her favorite events over the years, such as pickleball tournaments and Got Talent, a coordinate talent show. But the coordinate program is not only social events. From Habitat for Humanity builds to theater and music performances throughout the year, a Health and Wellness speaker series for parents this spring, a shared GPS | McCallie athletic field on McCallie’s campus, and even a new transportation arrangement that allows students to be dropped off and picked up at either school, the GPS | McCallie Coordinate Program offers authentic experiences with real-world connections. Looking to the future, Beth and Hank are enthusiastic. “I'd love to see students from both schools continue to lead us to thoughtful and creative ways to grow and refine the program and its opportunities,” Hank says. “I think their interests and ideas are superb; they do such a good job of recognizing what's unique about each school while embracing opportunities to work, think, and play together.” “We’re on the right path,” says Beth. “You can see that more and more is happening, and everyone is on board. It’s been transformational.”

Behind every great theater production, there is a director who works tirelessly to ensure everything runs smoothly. After serving as the theater director at St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School for four years, where she directed productions such as Fiddler on the Roof, The Sound of Music, Into the Woods, Much Ado About Nothing, and Robin Hood, Ms. Chelsea Padro joined the GPS | McCallie family this year as Director of Theater and Musicals. During her time at St. Andrew’s, Chelsea developed and taught upper school classes in theater, filmmaking, and technical theater, as well as middle school drama and public speaking. In her new role with GPS and McCallie, Chelsea directs and produces all upper school productions. She’s already completed a successful run of Peter and the Starcatcher, and she's currently directing the coordinate musical Mean Girls this spring. Though she’s been here just a semester, she has made a positive mark on the theater program, and we cannot wait to see what’s to come during her time at GPS. What were the main reasons you chose to join the GPS | McCallie theater department? I was excited to be a unifying force within the GPS | McCallie coordinate program. It’s a unique opportunity to be able to work on two campuses and unite the communities using art. I also love that the students get to experience working in both the McCallie Black Box and the Frierson Theatre at GPS. The spaces are very different, and this inspires us to create various forms of theater. Were you involved in theater arts when you were in high school and, if so, how do you think that prepared you to now be the director of the theater department? My first theater experience was when I played a cavewoman in the second grade, and I was hooked! I met some of my best friends in the theater program, and I strive every day to be like my high school theater teacher, Midge Marshall. I think this experience prepared me for what I do now, because I know how meaningful it is to perform on a stage—or work backstage— with your best friends. Each of us has our

own unique role to add to a production. It’s scary and stressful, but it’s also magical and empowering, and you’ll remember it for the rest of your life. What is your vision for the theater department in the coming years? In addition to the wonderful productions we put on stage, I’d love to start an improv group that would perform several times a year. I also would love us to get more involved in the community by performing in outside venues and competitions, as well as attending local theater workshops. I think we have enough talent and resources to be a leading force of theater arts in the Chattanooga area. What excites you most about the spring musical, Mean Girls? I’m excited to do a musical with modern pop songs. Sometimes in high school theater, we get stuck in a rut of performing traditional musicals that have been around for the past 50 years (and longer!). This is a newer musical that had a very successful run on Broadway, and I’m excited to bring it to the GPS stage. Also, the original movie is super fetch!

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G I R L S P R E P A R A T O R Y S C H O O L G P S .E D U

From Our Chief Advancement Officer

You might have noticed an ongoing theme around campus: Community and Connection. For the first time, and after 18 months without a reunion to allow for the change, GPS welcomed over 450 alumnae and guests back to campus for Reunion Weekend. While the event featured many highlights, I feel most proud of the ceremony to honor our Athletic Hall of Fame and Notable Alumnae inductees from classes ending in 3 and 8. We celebrated 14 alumnae and one beloved athletic trainer in the Frierson Theatre with the entire student body in attendance. Current GPS girls witnessed the impressive accolades of alumnae who have made a difference in their communities all around the world. And who knows? Maybe some students will be inspired to follow similar trajectories! Witnessing the ties between Bruisers of all ages made my heart sing. And sing they did! To hear our girls sing the “Alma Mater” in the audience while facing alumnae in their mid-20s to mid-70s doing the same on stage was enough to send chill bumps through the entire room. This bond is truly special, and I feel honored to witness the magic that is GPS. When asked what it felt like to be back on campus, some of the responses we received from alumnae were

“Like I never left.” “Warm—I feel seen.” “Like I’m back in my community.” “Amazing, exciting—an absolutely wonderful experience.” That spirit of sisterhood continued beyond campus, too. Megan Cover and I visited 10 class parties the Saturday night of Reunion Weekend, and the joy was palpable. Whether held at restaurants around town or in the homes of our local alumnae, the gatherings' takeaway was the same—the opportunity to reunite and reconnect is precious. Right now, campus is abuzz with prospective families looking for the right fit for their daughters—a place where they can form those same unbreakable bonds we witnessed during Reunion Weekend. If you know of any girls in your life who you think would thrive at GPS, let us know! We’d love to invite them to campus to experience the magic for themselves. Here’s to the girls and the women they become!

Ali Gant Chief Advancement Officer G P S .E D U G I R L S P R E P A R A T O R Y S C H O O L

Reunion Weekend | New Events, New Notables, New Season

NOTABLE ALUMNAE

Front Row, from left to right: Ameera Bhatti ’18, Becca Stimson, PhD ’73, Ann Kimball Johnson ’63, Elizabeth Bridge Bailey ’58, Ebbie Rowe Cruddas ’78, Susan Stimson Peak ’68, Emma McCallie ’13; Back Row, from left to right: Shelley Schmissrauter Kay ’03, Katherine Ruffner, MD ’83, Renita Eason, MD ’98, Ashley Wolfe Evans ’93, Christa Clumpner Cauley ’88; Not pictured: Stephanie Ryals Komic, MD ’08

SEPTEMBER 29 & 30

crisp breeze was in the air for this year’s Reunion Weekend—the first hosted in the fall instead of the spring. The season change was made at the behest of alumnae in years past. While all alumnae are always invited and welcome at Reunion Weekend, this year’s event celebrated the classes whose graduation years ended in 3s and 8s.

Attendees at this year’s Reunion Weekend enjoyed two full days of activities, including some new events sprinkled in with treasured favorites. On Friday morning, alumnae, guests, faculty, staff, and students gathered in Frierson Theatre for the Notable Alumnae and Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony. From there, alumnae were encouraged to walk the halls of their alma mater to reminisce and to visit the new school store, The Bow. Friday afternoon, the Class of 1973 celebrated its 50th reunion with a special reception at Founders House before heading to DeFoor Patio and Smith Courtyard for a new event—the All-Alumnae Family Picnic. Other graduates and their families joined joined them at the picnic, which featured a

barbeque dinner from Edley’s, music from DJ McLovin, lawn games, and areas to watch the McCallie vs. Baylor football game. It was an added bonus to see the Tornado edge out the Red Raiders with a last-minute touchdown to cement a win on the gridiron. Saturday morning saw the addition of more new events, starting with the Networking Coffee in the Rotunda hosted by Head of School Megan Cover, the GPS Alumnae Council, and the GPS Black Alumnae Council. At the conclusion of the networking event, guests ventured back to Frierson Theatre for student performances from Terpsichord and GPS Singers as well as a sneak peek of the upcoming Middle School Musical, Cinderella: Youth Edition. Later that morning, the Class of 1973 gathered together again for a memorial service to honor and remember their classmates. All attendees were invited to the Main Gym for Mingling and Mimosas—another new event hosted by the Alumnae Councils— and class photos before the Alumnae Awards Brunch, which again honored the Notable Alumnae and also presented three special awards. During the brunch program, guests heard from Megan about her plans for GPS this year and beyond, with a focus on the new strategic plan, Empowering Girls for a Changing World: Investing in the Future of GPS. That evening, classes gathered at various venues across the city for their individual reunion year parties, hosted by the Reunion Class Committees. The events offered a wonderful way for our graduates to connect on a more intimate level with their friends. Scan the QR code or visit GPS.edu/ReunionWeekend to experience all the joy and sisterhood from this year!

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| Reunion Weekend

SEPTEMBER 29 & 30

The Class of 2003 poses for a photo at the Alumnae Awards Brunch 2 The Bow has all the best items! 3 Saturday's Networking Coffee provided laughs. 4 A future Bruiser legacy attends the Fall Family Picnic. 5 Catching up with classmates before the Notable Alumnae ceremony. 6 Cheers to 50 years for the Class of 1973! 7 Like mother, like daughter! 8 All the hugs on Reunion Weekend. 9 The new Fall Family Picnic is a hit for folks of all ages! 10 Did you even toast if it wasn't with commemorative glasses?! 11 Alumnae Council members host a networking event. 12 Frances Street Smith ’48 represents her class 13 Who said balloon bounce houses were just for kids? 1

TURN THE PAGE TO READ ABOUT OUR REUNION WEEKEND AWARD WINNERS!

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Reunion Weekend |

SEPTEMBER 29 & 30

AWARD WINNER

Becca Stimson, PhD ’73 | MARGARET RAWLINGS LUPTON AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

stablished in 1989, the Margaret Rawlings Lupton Award of Excellence recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of GPS alumnae. Women chosen for this honor have exhibited exceptional citizenship and service to the communities in which they live and beyond, either professionally or in a volunteer capacity.

Becca (left) poses with her sister, Susan, a fellow 2023 Notable Alumnae, and niece Rachel after receiving her award.

“I didn’t know that the strength I carried into that was largely due to my high school experience.”

Dr. Becca Stimson ’73 has given back to the community through both her career accomplishments and her heart for others for decades. She studied chemistry at Davidson College, where she was a member of the first coed class to graduate from the school. She admits the transition from high school to college life was tougher than the transition from an all-girls school to a primarily male college. She says, “Most of us were coming from small environments, so going to college was a big deal. Being on your own and in a completely new place— that was the overwhelming experience.” During her tenure at Davidson, Becca made such an impression on the school community that she was awarded the inaugural Rebecca E. Stimson Award, a scholar/athlete award named in her honor. (Coincidentally, this very award was given to another GPS alumna—Lindsey Martin VonCannon ’07—years later!) In 1996, Becca was inducted into Davidson’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Becca continued her education at Northwestern University, receiving her MS and PhD in chemistry, and launched a 26-year career with Dupont, rising in the ranks from research scientist to global business manager. She says, “When I look back, I think what my managers recognized in me, I didn’t appreciate myself at the time, which was a good liberal arts education— this person can speak, can write, can present herself with confidence. As a young person, you’re not always aware you have those skills” Today she shares her knowledge with the leaders of tomorrow as a senior lecturer at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga and says her favor-

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ite part is helping students learn how to tackle problems and deal with adversity. “You feel like you’re providing something to a young person that they’re going to use for the rest of their life,” she says. In addition to her career, Becca has been heavily involved in community service over the years. Prior to her service as trustee and Board Chair at GPS, Becca served on boards at Davidson College, First Centenary United Methodist Church, Putnam County YMCA, Friends of the Library and International Host Family Association at Tennessee Technological University, and the Women's Fund at the Delaware Community Foundation. While Board Chair at GPS, she steered the search committee that resulted in Megan Cover’s headship—a role for which she feels especially proud. “Education is the philanthropic category I feel most passionate about,” says Becca. “My parents had this belief that education is a very important and freeing opportunity. I was lucky enough to have a really good education, and that’s why I choose to give back in this area.” Becca has been supportive of GPS as an alumna, a parent, a trustee, and more, and she says it’s because of her belief in the importance of single-sex education. “I really believe in it. I didn’t know what the benefit was when I was going through it, probably not really even in college,” she says. “I didn’t know that the strength I carried into this potentially awkward situation at Davidson College was largely due to my high school experience. I had learned to look at people as people, not because they were male or female, and I didn’t step aside for the men.” This year, Becca’s class celebrated their 50th reunion, and what a time they had! “What I most appreciate about these reunions is getting to know people you didn’t know well in high school,” she says. “You gain a different appreciation for these individuals whom you knew as teenagers when you see where they’ve been and what they’ve done with their lives.”

SEPTEMBER 29 & 30

| Reunion Weekend

AWARD WINNER

Ann Kimball Johnson ’63 | DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA AWARD

he Distinguished Alumna Award is given to the GPS graduate considered to be the most deserving, taking into account her service in the home, church, and community; her professional achievement; and her commitment to GPS.

Ann Kimball Johnson ’63 grew up in Chattanooga and received a degree in English and a high school teaching certificate from Vanderbilt University in 1967. After graduating, she married Johnny Johnson, and they settled in his hometown of Houston, Texas. While their children were young, Ann completed a two-year program at the Neuhaus Education Center to teach reading to individuals with dyslexia and continues to be actively engaged there as a lifetime trustee. “I believe if you get children help, they can stay in the game, and, if they can graduate from high school without getting passed along automatically, they can be successful,” she says. As a certified academic language therapist, Ann taught reading comprehension classes for 13 years at Episcopal High School and then at KIPP Houston High School and Yes Prep charter school for six more years. Her time teaching in schools came after her daughter was diagnosed with dyslexia in middle school. “She had been doing well in elementary school, but when she got to middle school, it suddenly dropped off,” she explains. “We got her a tutor, and I helped her with homework at night. I was able to see how important it was to help as many children as possible who had similar struggles.”

This outlook is reminiscent of her time at GPS, though she says she didn’t necessarily realize it when she was a student. “Teachers were truly caring. They wanted us to succeed and made sure we learned,” she says. “I didn’t realize how valuable I would think a good education is, but it allowed me to go to Vanderbilt and gave me the critical thinking skills to be successful.” In addition to her work in the classroom, Ann has served on the PTAs of Briargrove Elementary and St. John’s School, and worked with Meals on Wheels, River Oaks Garden Club, and the docent program of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. She has also taught Sunday school for more than 40 years. In choosing the organizations she works with, Ann searches for those that serve the underserved. “There are so many people who want to do well but don’t have the resources and just need a boost,” she says. Today, she works closely with Connect Community, a Houston-based nonprofit that uses a holistic model that focuses on creating a high quality cradle-throughcareer pipeline, mixed income housing, and community wellness opportunities. At Reunion Weekend, Ann was able to reconnect with classmates and enjoy herself. “It was so much fun!” she says. “Everybody seemed exactly like the old GPS girl. The Notable ahead of me was my Cat during Cat-Rat week! It was fun to see her. Everyone is so uninhibited in an allgirls environment.”

Ann (right) poses with her Cat, Elizabeth Bridge Bailey ’58, another 2023 Notable Alumnae.

“Everybody seemed exactly like the old GPS girl. Everyone is so uninhibited in an all-girls environment.”

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Reunion Weekend |

SEPTEMBER 29 & 30

AWARD WINNER

Cate Tinkler Mueller ’83 | LOVE OF GPS AWARD

he Love of GPS Award, not given every year but only in special circumstances, celebrates an alumna who loves GPS wholeheartedly and shows her support in a variety of ways. Those who earn this award are incredibly loyal to the school and have a commitment to foster involvement and growth.

Cate (left) poses with Head of School Megan Cover after receiving her award.

“All these women, no matter what they’ve done in their lives, have such impressive accomplishments. It was uplifting and fun to be with them.”

Alumna Cate Tinkler Mueller ’83 has been devoted to her alma mater from the moment she walked on campus as a seventh-grader in 1978. She was a brilliant, highly involved student, whose talent as a gymnast was the envy of the entire student body. Cate chose to return to Chattanooga after her long military career so that her two daughters, Caroline ’20 and Mary ’24, could attend GPS and says things are similar in many ways to when she was a student but different in the best ways. “When I was a student, there was that same emphasis they have today on strong friendships and helping educate well-rounded girls, but there are way more opportunities now,” she says. Cate’s favorite activities while she was a student were the track team—she competed in the high jump, as it allowed her time for gymnastics outside of school—and the school newspaper, for which she was the editor her senior year. After GPS, Cate attended Duke on an ROTC scholarship, which resulted in a 26-year career with the Navy as a public affairs officer, and time spent in the Philippines, Italy, Singapore, and Washington, D.C. But while her career took her away from Chattanooga for two-plus decades, Cate has been able to maintain her connection to the school through a group text with her GPS friends. “We are all going through similar things, so going through these stages together has been really fun,” she says. The family returned to Chattanooga in 2015 so that her girls could attend the school, and the family could be closer to Cate’s mother. As expected, Cate has been a devoted, engaged

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parent ever since. She’s attended nearly every parent coffee, fundraiser, and parent book club, and the list goes on. She was even the emcee for the annual Veteran’s Day luncheon for many years. “I’ve enjoyed participating in everything that goes on at GPS,” she says. “Both my girls have done various activities and sports, and it’s been fun to watch.” While Cate intended to attend this year’s Reunion Weekend simply as a member of the Class of 1983, she was honored to receive the Love of GPS Award. “It was such a nice surprise,” she says. “There are so many people who do so much for GPS, so to be recognized as someone who has supported GPS on a number of fronts—not just from a parent perspective but as an alumna and board member, too—was really neat.” Cate, who has been battling cancer for more than a year and a half, wanted to help as much as she could for her class party, so she offered to host it at the house she grew up in—one many of her classmates remembered fondly. “We had great attendance from our class—almost 40 people,” she says. “We had so much fun. You realize coming back to these things just how much you enjoy catching up and seeing what everyone is up to. You realize that having that background together at GPS was such a rewarding time, and you think back and talk about the teachers, the events, the things you did, and where you’ve gone since then. All these women, no matter what they’ve done in their lives, have such impressive accomplishments. It was uplifting and fun to be with them.” When it comes to her love for the school, Cate says it best. “GPS continues to prepare girls for the world as it is today, and it maintains that crucial role of building relationships among the students and teachers that will never be forgotten and—even after 40 years, like for me—can be instantly rekindled with a remembered song, smile, or story.”

Artist: Phoebe Mills ’18

Reunion WEEKEND OCTOBER 4 & 5, 2024 C E L E B R AT I N G C L A S S E S E N D I N G I N 4 & 9

GPS.edu/ReunionWeekend G P S .E D U G I R L S P R E P A R A T O R Y S C H O O L

Nationwide Alumnae Gatherings

n Tuesday, September 12, alumnae across the United States gathered for GPS Founders Day, a schoolwide celebration designed to honor the legacy of our innovative, gutsy Founders—Tommie Payne Duffy, Eula Lea Jarnagin, and Grace McCallie—whose intrepid resolve changed history for girls in Chattanooga 118 years ago.

The nationwide meetups served as the official launch of GPS’s new alumnae chapters, located in cities with the densest graduate populations. Each chapter is led by a GPS alumna (or two!) based in that community, with the intention of organizing regular events to celebrate sisterhood, reminisce, and connect. Cities whose chapters met in September included Chattanooga, Birmingham, Boston, Knoxville, Houston, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. Mary Margaret Arrowsmith ’18, chapter leader, said of their event, “The Boston GPS alumnae chapter event was so much fun! It was a great way for the Boston Bruisers to connect by sharing GPS stories, giving advice on living in Boston, and generally catching up and getting to know each other better. Having GPS contacts in Boston makes the big city feel a little more like home!" Lauren Waters Rice ’03, who headed up the Birmingham gathering said, “We connected with a lot of people and really enjoyed each other. Our young alums were so impressive, lovely, and brilliant!” Chattanooga’s event, held at the appropriately named Founders House, the home of our Head of School and her family, saw 90 alumnae in attendance. Kim Leffew, Director of Alumnae Engagement, said, “It was such a joy to welcome so many alumnae back to campus. We hosted women just a few years beyond GPS all the way to those who are celebrating their 65th reunion this year. There has been a lot of interest in these new alumnae chapters since we announced them, and we can’t wait to see them continue to grow and flourish across the country!”

Interested in learning more about the alumnae chapter in your area or starting one? Contact the Office of Development & Alumnae Relations at KLeffew@GPS.edu

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Share your news with us at AlumNews@GPS.edu and scan here to update your contact information.

1970s

Evelyn Miles DuVal ’73 has retired as a special education teacher. Betty Lyon Murray ’74 has retired as a dental hygienist.

1 Leadership Tennessee, a collective with a mission to foster non-partisan dialogue on issues of state importance, named Lynda Minks Hood ’76, Executive Director of the Chattanooga Bar Association, to its 2023–24 Signature Program Class X. The cohort includes representatives from 14 Tennessee counties with diverse professional experience in business, government, education, and nonprofit sectors. Over the course of 10 months, the cohort will visit all corners of the state, analyzing challenges that Tennessee faces, and will work together to identify the best solutions and opportunities. The statewide study will result in concrete plans to continue dialogue and actions addressing the most serious issues uncovered. Then in October, Lynda and her professional dance partner, Joel Thomas, delivered an upbeat and award-winning performance at this year’s Dare to Dance, benefiting the Kidney Foundation of the Greater Chattanooga Area. Lynda raised over $80,000 for the Kidney Foundation, crowning her the 2023 People’s Choice Champion. Along with her fundraising efforts, Lynda and Joel won third place overall for their performance.

Georgia Carney ’78 became an ordained Episcopal Deacon in 2014 and founded the not-for-profit SewGreen@Rochester, Inc.

Class Notes 1980s

Peggy Wood Townsend ’81 has been named as one of the recipients of the 2023 Ruth Holmberg Arts Leadership Award. The award was created nine years ago to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the arts in Chattanooga and who are actively engaged in the cultural life of the community—the so-called “arts builders” who exemplify ArtsBuild’s mission to build a stronger community through the arts. Julie Betts Brandao ’84 has been named as new Board Chair at WTCI-PBS. She was appointed to WTCI’s Board of Directors in 2019 and served on the Executive Committee in 2020–21. Julie joined Huffaker & Associates in 1991 and has been with the same firm, now known as McGriff Insurance Services, for 32 years. She inherited her parents’ passion for community service and philanthropy and has shared her time, talent, and treasure with multiple nonprofit organizations for over 30 years. She is an active member of St Paul’s Episcopal Church and the proud mother of two daughters, Katie ’17 and Emma ’21. 2

Patty Felts Arnold ’88 lives in San Diego with her partner and their 13-year-old daughter. She works in product marketing for a technology company based in Switzerland.

1990s

Pansy Vore Price ’93 makes art, fundraises for a nonprofit, and serves on the Board of Directors at Shumla.org. She is a mom of one and stepmom of four.

3 Kinna Patel Crocker ’95 has been appointed by Governor Newsom to serve as a judge of the Sonoma County Superior Court.

Anna Joujan Goss ’97 flew from Chattanooga to Stuttgart, Germany, to be at a friend’s wedding in August, and since her sister, Helen Joujan Mertens '99, lives in Nagold near Stuttgart, they enjoyed some time together after not seeing each other in quite a few years. 4

Erin Miller Wallin ’99 was selected as one of two national Pegasus Scholars for 2023 by the American Inns of Court. As a part of this scholarship, Erin participated in a six-week legal study with top barristers and judges in London, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. She even spent a week with the Supreme Court of the UK! Erin proposed a dual study for this time, which began in October; she studied the UK’s legislative methods for creating online safety for children and did a comparative study of the American and English bankruptcy systems. As for Erin's life back home in the U.S., she lives at the McCallie School with her husband, Bart, and their three children (and German shepherd). Their oldest daughter, Belle ’23, is studying at Rollins College; middle child, Brie, is a GPS jolly junior; and their youngest, Sellick, is a McCallie seventh-grader. In another GPS connection, Erin accepted a position as the career judicial law clerk to the Honorable Chief Judge Shelley Rucker ’76, United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee. Chief Judge Rucker is married to Mr. Glen Vey, retired GPS teacher. 5

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Class Notes

2000s

6 In March 2023, Alexis Willis ’01 became head of the commercial division at The Group Real Estate Brokerage, a boutique firm in Chattanooga. The daughter of an entrepreneur, Alexis says she’s always been drawn to the grit it takes to start a business or expand an existing one. Over the past decade, she’s honed her skills in positions at Second Story Real Estate Management, The Company Lab (CO.LAB), and later as director of the INCubator program for the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce while running her own venture, Natural Beautiful Me, a platform designed to empower women.

Katie Kent ’03 traveled to Kona, Hawaii, in October to compete in the Ironman World Championships. 7 Lizzy Mouron ’06, a Principal Engineer, R&D, with Nestle Purina in St. Louis, Missouri, received the 2022 Helen Bevacqua Award from Nestle Women in Engineering. The ideal candidate for this award is a person who has shown passion and effort in building and supporting women in engineering within Nestle as well as tenacity and agility in service to engineering in the field. Lizzy has worked closely with product development 40

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colleagues to be an essential technical bridge connecting the science of product innovation/renovation work to current and future Purina processing capabilities. She has been key in leading the industrialization of the U.S. wet pet food portfolio. Kellan Gibson ’07 completed her PhD in physics at the University of Georgia in late 2022 and started as a systems engineer at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Labs in Laurel, Maryland. 8 Erin Dunn ’08 won the Margie E. West Distinguished Alumni award. The award recognizes outstanding alumni of the University of Georgia’s Lamar Dodd School of Art.

Kristina Kyle ’08 is an Emergency Medicine Physician with a subspecialty in Pediatric Emergency Medicine. Hillary Holmes ’09 lives in Los Angeles and works for the movie studio Lionsgate as Head of the Film Music Department. She traveled to London for two weeks to work on The Hunger Games prequel movie and worked on John Wick 4 and Are You There God? It's Me Margaret. Natalie Berg Horyna ’09 was elected to the position of Executive Board Chair of Network of Women at Burns & McDonnell, 9

her company’s women's focused employee resource group (ERG), which has the highest membership numbers of the entire company—1,500 members and counting. As well as being elected chair of NOW, she also successfully passed her architectural registration exams to become a Registered Architect.

2010s

10 Laura Higbee ’11, a litigation attorney with Husch Blackwell, was one of two recipients of the Bruce C. Bailey Volunteer Lawyer of the Year Award. The award honors Bailey, a Tennessee lawyer who helped support Legal Aid in the ’90s when significant funding cuts in Congress threatened the future of the organization. Laura clocked 58.6 hours on Legal Aid matters in 2023 through one-off clinics and appointed cases. The American Bar Association’s Model Rules encourage all attorneys to donate at least 50 hours per year.

Isabella Chiareli ’13 earned her PhD in sociology with a focus on gender studies and reproductive health. She also enjoys teaching Zumba in her community. Mary Rebecca “Becky” Gardner ’13 was appointed by the City of Cambridge to be a Commissioner on the LGBTQ+

Class Notes

Commission. She also started a new position as an Assistant Attorney General in the Energy and Environment Bureau of the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office. Maggie McBrayer Webb '13 is the Middle and East Tennessee Sales Manager at Cunningham Recreation for GameTime/PlayCore. Sharron Bockman ’14 started a new job as the Executive Team Assistant for Government and Corporate Relations for Diageo North America. 11 Kelby Crownover ’14 assisted the Heritage High School (Catoosa County, Ringgold, Georgia) softball team this fall and helped them win the GHSA AAAA State Championship.

Kobi Cummings ’15 has embarked on a new business endeavor in Wildwood, Georgia. In partnership with her father, Paul Cummings, Kobi opened The Valley Venues, a specialty wedding and event venue near Chattanooga. The 79-acre, multifaceted property mirrors the romance and tradition of the house in The Notebook, while providing guests with the luxury and accommodations of today.

12 Abigail Jansen Sutton ’15 has accepted a

position as an attorney in the estate planning department at Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel. 13 Bonnie St. Charles ’16 graduated

from University of Chicago School of Law and finished a clerkship with Travis McDonough, the Chief District Judge of the United States Eastern District of Tennessee. She now works as a law associate in the commercial litigation and disputes department for Sidley Austin, LLP, in Chicago, Illinois. Malynn Berger Rowland ’16 works as a Solar Preconstruction Estimator for Lightsource bp. Lea Mulligan ’17 traveled to Chamonix, France, to compete in the International Trail Running Series Ultra Trail Mount Blanc CCC, a lengthy 100-kilometer race through France, Italy, and Switzerland, and was the 10th American female finisher and 31st female overall. She finished 126th out of 2,200 entrants from all over the world, completing the 62-mile race with almost 20,000 feet of elevation in 15 hours 3 minutes. Lea was captain of her Maryville College cross country team and has participated in numerous trail races in the United States. She was the first-place female at Chattanooga’s 2022 Stump Jump, setting the course record; has

raced the Pinhoti 100-Mile Endurance race, the 52K Broken Arrow Sky Race in Tahoe, Canyons100K in California, and the Black Canyon 100K in Arizona. 14 Taylor Floyd ’18 graduated from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center on October 15, 2022, and from the James J. Rowley Training Center (aka the Secret Service Academy) on March 15, 2023. 15 Abby Walden ’18 accepted

a marketing position with Chi Omega Executive Headquarters. 16 Pictured, from left, Olivia Evans ’19

and Emily Peoples ’18 participated in the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine White Coat Ceremony. Both are members of the UTCVM Class of 2027. Over 900 people applied for this class; 96 were selected. 17 Three GPS alumnae are employed

through University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA). Pictured, from left, are Nancy Richardson Rucker ’86, Elizabeth Davis ’92, and Haley Treadway ’15. Nancy is Extension Director and 4-H Agent in Hamilton County. Elizabeth is Editor and Writer with UTIA Marketing and Communications. Haley is the Agriculture Agent for UT Extension in Hamilton County. G P S .E D U G I R L S P R E P A R A T O R Y S C H O O L

Why I Give

We asked our alumnae to complete the following prompt:

“Because someone gave so that I could have the privilege of attending GPS.”

“Because my GPS education was invaluable. I want the same for other girls.” — J ULIA RAMSEY-THARP ’05

“Because it is a wonderful school and gave me a fantastic education that has suited me well in life and in my career. It is also a very special place for girls to learn.”

I give to

—KAKI SCROGGINS ’00

—AMY WHITTIMORE MAHONE ’92

“To support the girls who are currently at GPS; I give as a teacher who supports other teachers and those in education; I give back to keep the circle of aid and scholarships available to those who wouldn’t otherwise get to walk the halls of GPS; I give because GPS gave me the foundation to be the woman, the artist, and the educator I am today.” —HADLEY ROWLAND ’93

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“Because I am thankful for all that GPS has done for me—from an amazing educational experience, to lifelong friends and a community that has supported me since the seventh grade.” —ALLISON CARROLL ’89

Why I Give

Because so much of who I am and how I interact in the world, personally and professionally, stems from the supportive environment, academic rigor, and deep-rooted individuality and confidence that were instilled in me as a GPS student. I want to do everything I can to help that legacy live on to impact generations of girls to come.”

"Because when I was a student, I struggled with confidence; I felt like I was more of a follower than a leader. After graduation, though, in nearly every setting—college, grad school, various offices, sitting on boards, volunteering—I have unequivocally felt like a leader in my space. GPS prepared me more than I realized for life after middle and high school, and I want my donations to help give every GPS girl that same sense of confidence. Even if it is a late-blooming confidence!" —LELA MOORE ’94

GPS ... “Both in gratitude for everything that GPS gave to me as a student and in celebration of the numerous ways GPS continues to enrich the lives of young women every day.” —MARY CADY EXUM BOLIN ’01

“To allow as many girls as possible to experience the opportunity to belong to a place where positive female relationships are at the core, and they can gain the confidence necessary to achieve in today's world.”

—NICOLE COFFEY ’13

“Because I appreciate how valuable a GPS education is for our girls. I love seeing my daughter grow in her education and confidence as a GPS student.” —SARAH HIPP ’01, P’27

—TIFFANY SIMMS ’03

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Weddings

Weddings 1

Malynn Berger ’16 to Turner Rowland 2 Brianne Clure ’14 to Windham Taylor 3 Sarah Evans ’10 to Anthony Pagnani, III 4 Abigail “Abby” Jansen ’15 to Tucker Sutton 5 Mary Melissa Manuel ’16 to Harrison Lloyd Matherne 6 Maggie McBrayer ’13 to Houston Webb 7 Lucy Newbold ’17 to Casey DeBruyn

WE LOVE HEARING ABOUT YOUR SPECIAL DAY! SEND YOUR PHOTOS AND DETAILS TO ALUMNEWS@GPS.EDU.

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New Arrivals

New Arrivals 1 Becca Gunn Allen ’07, a son, Parker Garrison Allen 2 Betsy Burnett ’05, a daughter, Collins Reese Farrar 3 Christine Anderson Cooper ’09, a daughter, Mary Ann Cooper 4 Keli Shipley Cooper ’10, a son, Carroll Marcus “Mac” Cooper IV 5 Shelby DeWeese ’11, a daughter, Rory Grace DeWeese 6 Laura Laughlin Dickinson ’10, a son, Benjamin “Ben” Randolph Dickinson 7 Megan Grant ’05, a daughter, Martha Clark Hodnett 8 Ellys Peeples Green ’10, a son, Beau Matthew Green 9 Maddie Smith Hughes ’09, a daughter, Hazel Gray Hughes 10 Mary Margaret Taylor Jamison ’12, a son, Walter Newlin Jamison 11 Lauren Winkler Kreis ’14, a daughter, Caroline Leigh Kreis 12 Lindsay Watts Mauney ’05, a daughter, Margaret Lucille Mauney 13 Mary Claire Spann McLagan ’13, a son, Coleman Delmont McLagan 14 Courtney Alexander Meissner ’08, a son, Owen William Meissner 15 Lucy Henson Osetinsky ’09, a daughter, Georgia Louise Osetinsky 16 Arabi Spears Philips ’14, daughter, Mary Elliott “Elle” Philips 17 Louise Knight Rayburn ’01, a daughter, Hazel Parker Rayburn 18 Lauren Glenn Reabold ’12, a son, Hudson Brown Reabold 19 Monica Harvey Ridenbaugh ’08, a son, Chilton Pierce Ridenbaugh 20 Kathleen Teague Robbins ’07, a daughter, Liza Mae Robbins 21 Margaret Brock Tillett ’06, a son, Paul Fischer Tillett 22 Katy Wills White ’10, a son, Caleb Atticus White

BRING ON THE BABIES! SHARE BY EMAILING US AT ALUMNEWS@GPS.EDU. G P S .E D U G I R L S P R E P A R A T O R Y S C H O O L

In Memoriam

In Memoriam LaVonne Collins Jolley ’47 | November 11, 2023 2 Joann “Jo-Jo” Lawrence Cormier ’48 | July 7, 2023 Nancy Marler Dykers ’48 | September 4, 2023 4 Margaret “Peggy” Paty Forbes ’48 | September 24, 2023 5 Grace Robinson ’48 | August 3, 2023 6 Caroline “Kobo” Chobot Garner ’50 | June 21, 2023 7 Margaret “Peggy” McAfee Lukken ’56 | October 2, 2023 8 Carolyn Jennings Baird Cofer ’58 | November 19, 2023 9 Mignonne Weber Pearson ’59 | September 25, 2023 10 Carol Corbitt Overend ’60 | November 22, 2023 1

PAST FACULT Y AND STAFF

Voreata Anne Sanders Waddell | October 19, 2023 Jennifer Williams | October 9, 2023

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Th a n k You!

We are thrilled to announce a record $406,089 was raised this year on Giving Day from 459 donors— the most who have ever given on one day! Your generous support of the GPS annual Impact Fund immediately benefits students, faculty and staff, and programs in areas such as STEM AND HUMANITIES

FINANCIAL AID

SAL ARIES AND FACULT Y SUPPORT

FINE ARTS AND ATHLETICS NEW COURSES

TECHNOLOGY

AND MORE!

GPS celebrates gifts every single day of the year. Join fellow supporters by making your impact at GPS.edu/Give. G P S .E D U G I R L S P R E P A R A T O R Y S C H O O L

G IR L S P R E PA R AT ORY SC H OOL

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Girls Preparatory School provides an exceptional, independent day school education for girls grades 6-12. 205 Island Avenue | Chattanooga, TN