HALLWAYS A PUBLICATION OF THE HARPETH HALL SCHOOL
SUMMER 2021
The Strength of Community
When the 2020-2021 school year challenged us, our students, teachers, parents, and alumnae came together in support of Harpeth Hall and one another.
FOUNDERS SOCIETY
Spotlight
Floy Oliver Daugherty Mills ’72 and Gray Oliver Thornburg ’72 As members of the Founders Society, what is your planned gift of choice? FLOY: I am naming Harpeth Hall in my will. Life insurance was an option, but it didn’t make sense for me, based on other family needs. GRAY: Life insurance was and is a way to leverage my giving so that Harpeth Hall benefits more in the long run. When I bought the policy in 1984 and made Harpeth Hall the beneficiary, I was much younger and couldn’t afford to make a large gift. The insurance policy allowed me to acknowledge the importance of my education at Harpeth Hall early in my adult life.
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Gray Oliver Thornburg ’72
Floy Oliver Daugherty Mills ’72
win sisters Floy Oliver Daugherty Mills ’72 and Gray Oliver Thornburg ’72 attended the same schools and sound exactly alike on the telephone, but they aren’t identical in every way. Each woman is uniquely talented and accomplished. Floy and Gray came to Harpeth Hall in 1968 bringing with them lively personalities and flair. After graduating in 1972, they went to Vanderbilt University where they both majored in economics and business administration. As they pursued careers, their paths diverged. Floy became an expert in corporate insurance, earning her CPCU and ARM designations, and Gray excelled in publishing and civic leadership, ultimately serving as a commissioner of the City of Belle Meade from 2006 to 2018 and mayor from 2010 to 2014. As they prepare to celebrate their 50th reunion with their classmates in 2022, Floy and Gray reflect on what Harpeth Hall has meant to them and how they are giving back.
Why do you give to Harpeth Hall? FLOY: Harpeth Hall was and is a great place for young women to learn and find their stride, to gain confidence, and figure out how to lead others. I have lived in Atlanta for many years and was amazed that an all-girls opportunity like I had at Harpeth Hall was not available for a long time here. I shudder to think what it would have been like to miss the leadership opportunities I had at Harpeth Hall. GRAY: Harpeth Hall gave me an incredible foundation for my education and life. My teachers taught me to look for opportunities to learn, to agree, to disagree, and to research all types of things. Floy and I grew up in a family that loved to engage in lively conversations. The analytical thinking I gained was invaluable, and not just at our dinner table! Harpeth Hall taught me to “learn how to learn,” and whatever age we are, we still have much to learn.
What are your thoughts about Harpeth Hall and the future? FLOY: Harpeth Hall is an important place for young women to develop their own voice and learn what that means. My great nieces, Aubrey, Taylor Gray, and Lucy Oliver are at Harpeth Hall now. The future is bright thanks to their education at Harpeth Hall where they are learning, struggling, and enhancing their lives. Giving girls the chance to grow and think on their own is a timeless tradition. GRAY: Education is the greatest gift you can give someone. My daughter, Anne Gray, had a solid education at Harpeth Hall, and she mentioned it often when she was writing papers in college and nursing school. She was much better trained than many of her friends, and she was grateful. In addition, she developed her passion for dance at Harpeth Hall and still takes classes when possible despite her demanding career as a NICU nurse in Austin, Texas. Harpeth Hall gives broad opportunities to intelligent young women of all backgrounds and teaches them the values and skills that change their lives and the world.
Thank you, Floy and Gray, for your loyalty and generous support. Happy 50th!
If you are considering a planned gift to Harpeth Hall, please contact Susan Moll, Director of Advancement, at 615-346-0087 or moll@harpethhall.org
4 7 6 Contents 20
FEATURES
ACADEMICS & ACCOLADES
COMMUNITY
CELEBRATIONS
6 Our Next Bright IDEA
2 Observations from Jess Hill
34 Honor Day Class of 2025
10 Green is the New Black
7 SEEK Scholars Shine
3 Community Reflections
36 Step Singing
17 With Best Wishes
8 Winterim ReImagined
4 Learning to Soar
25 HHPA: In This Together
37 Lady of the Hall 39 Graduation Class of 2021
20 ‘Teachers are Heroes’
38 Cum Laude Senior Awards
26 Nurses with a Purpose
22 Meet Our New Administrators
44 End-of-Year Awards
28 Classroom Champions
ATHLETICS & THE ARTS
32 Alumna Builds Connection During COVID
46 Almost Alumnae Luncheon
48 Distinguished Alumna Earned France's Most Prestigious Award
52 Reunion Fun 2021
30 Career Day Wisdom
12 From the Stage to the Virtual Theatre 14 Scholastic Writing Awards 15 Outstanding Art 18 Honeybear Nation
ALUMNAE NEWS
47 Harpeth Hall’s New Trustees
50 Spirit of Service Award Recipient Brought Education to Those in Prison
19 ‘New Adventure’ for College Signees
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54 Class Notes 60 Births 61 Marriages 62 In Memoriam
HALLWAYS STAFF Jessica Bliss, Editor Lauren Finney, Designer Elizabeth Floyd ’09, Editorial Staff Contributing Writers: Jessie Adams ’00, Susan Moll,
Scottie Coombs ’78, and Miller Callen ’94
Photographers: Rory Fraser, Peyton Hoge, Greg Johnson,
Alan Poizner, Mike Strasinger, Elizabeth Floyd, Jessica Bliss, and Uchida Photography
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Hallways is published twice a year by: The Harpeth Hall School 3801 Hobbs Road Nashville, TN 37215 Follow us on:
Twitter @HarpethHall
Facebook HHBears
Instagram @Harpeth_Hall SUMMER 2021 | 1
OBSERVATIONS
This
past year, as the world turned upside down and our lives twisted with new complexities, we considered what truly mattered to us — and we clung to it. For me, that was our school community. Harpeth Hall is not simply a collection of classrooms in a cluster of beautiful brick buildings. Our school community stems from something much deeper. It is built around a sense of place, a shared purpose, a feeling of belonging, and the strength of our connections to each other and the world. We are a collection of complex individuals who hold true to the idea that girls deserve an excellent education full of possibilities, and in the hardest of times we have come to truly understand what makes community special at Harpeth Hall — the knowledge that we are here for each other. We know that our students are always better together, and our girls found new ways to connect this year. They absorbed and built on each other’s strength. They tackled their hardest subjects, worked side-by-side for presentations, and inspired each other to do more and be brave in their pursuit of excellence. When one student questioned an assumption or chose not to acquiesce to the opinion of the group, she inspired another student to do the same. Our girls and young women demonstrated how to lead confidently as part of our community. Our faculty did too. Faced with the unknown and unfamiliar, they were heroic. They learned to teach both in-person and online simultaneously. They rewrote lesson plan after lesson plan to ensure that, even in hybrid or quarantine, learning never stopped. They moved their classrooms to reimagined spaces to be physically distanced and yet intellectually connected as a class. Together, our community of faculty adapted and achieved. And then, our alumnae showed their strength. These women — a community of 5,600 strong — represent the very best of Harpeth Hall. When their alma mater needed them, they came. Our alumnae readily stepped in as teacher assistants, helping in classrooms when faculty were sick or quarantined. They joined us as school nurses, serving as the steadying force in the face of a disease that left us with more anxieties than answers. Our alumnae delivered joy in the form of notes of gratitude and treats to help fuel our faculty through the fatigue of uncertainty. And they shared with our students personal experiences as innovators, educators, and community builders near and far. All of this when so many other communities, from families to businesses to schools, were split apart this year. The gestures big and small reaffirm the significance of this place where girls thrive. The stories you will read in this issue of Hallways will inspire you and touch your heart. They will remind us what community at Harpeth Hall means and how adversity makes it grow stronger. 2 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
I am reminded of Margaret Wheatley’s words during this year when many school missions have been questioned and many school communities remain fragmented, “There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about.” We care about supporting girls and young women in their growth and education throughout their unique journeys. As we emerge from this challenging year of worry, questioning, and confrontation, we have equipped ourselves with new tools, new understandings, and new reasons to stay connected. We are all different in our thoughts, opinions, and beliefs, yet our care and respect for each other are what remain at our core. And that’s what truly matters.
Jess Hill Head of School
What Does Community Mean to You?
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
Faculty Reflections
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Relationships that depend on a mutual desire to help each other succeed. To lift one person is to lift all.
Many things come to mind when I think about communities, specifically our community at Harpeth Hall. Community provides a sense of belonging, an opportunity to really see and hear others, and to work alongside each other to meet the needs of others. It means coming together to support each other through difficult times and to celebrate the joyous times. — Kate McGowan
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Everyone working towards one goal — what is best for our students!
Community means a solid group of trustworthy people that you can depend on. It means a decided-on core group of values, understanding and respect for one another.
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— Lori McDermott
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Community is a group of people whose common thread is a mutual desire to support and encourage one another in any way possible. A community does whatever is necessary to ensure the well-being of its members by lifting them up when they need it and by helping them navigate the rough waters of life.
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Student Reflections
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are so grateful for the school we attend.
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Community means supporting the girls in your grade through the best and worst times. It means celebrating with them as they sign the wall in the Senior House, but it also means comforting them when they are not having a good day. The best part about community is that you are able to support others while being supported at the same time.
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— Libby Tarantin ’21
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To me, community means unconditional love, encouragement, and support.
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— Lily Majors ’21
Community is a demonstration of how people and girls are stronger together.
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— Hannah King ’21
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— Dina Stevenson
We have similar comunidades (communities) yet each community is different, unique, imperfect, and complex. ... Putting ourselves in the shoes of others allows our perspectives to shift and become better for each other. La comunidad is important, but not so much for what we can do for it, rather for the strength there is within the members of a united comunidad. — Maureen Aguilar
— Amy Miller
When I think of the word community, I think of walking down Bullard hallway and greeting everyone with a wave and a smile, and everyone doing the same to me. We all have this special bond for we all absolutely love and
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— Denise Croker
— Martha Downey ’21 .
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The Harpeth Hall Community is a true sisterhood that supports and uplifts each other.
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— Kayla Gardner ’21
Community means a group of people who continuously support you throughout your endeavors and hardships, and in turn a community is a group of people or a place that you give back to with whatever skills, joys, or support that you have to give. A community is composed of individuals who each take responsibility to do their best to support one another. — Zoe Burnett ’21
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SUMMER 2021 | 3
Learning to Soar
Harpeth Hall junior becomes one of the country’s first female Eagle Scouts
S
ome nights, when she is far enough away from the city, Emma Pierce looks up at the darkened sky and marvels at the Milky Way. Being out in nature, with the cool air and campfire stories, is one of her happiest places. “It’s like you are the only one who exists, and the only thing that matters at that moment,” she said. “And that’s what makes it so special.” For Emma, a rising senior at Harpeth Hall, a love for hiking, camping, and the outdoors inspired her to follow a path less taken. In January, she became an Eagle Scout — the highest rank a scout can achieve and one previously reserved for boys. With the achievement, Emma joined a select group of young women in becoming the first female Eagle Scouts in the world. “I have been doing all the stuff you do in boy scouts my whole life,” she said. “It was always a hobby.” Now, it has become a hobby with a purpose — a way to help the community around her.
4 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
New challenges, new skills
and it can teach the kids responsibility, care, and so much more. It takes time and a lot of work, but in the end, something beautiful happens.”
Eagle Scout hopefuls must earn 21 badges and hold leadership positions as a Life Scout within their troops for at least six months. They must also plan, develop, and complete a service project — which often serves as the culminating achievement for those pursuing Eagle rank. A Scout must meet all the requirements before turning 18 years old.
Equipped with power tools and PVC pipe, Emma spent part of last year’s winter break constructing the gardening systems. She led the project in her family’s garage, assisted by a couple of friends from her troop.
On Feb. 1, 2019, the Boy Scouts program changed its name to Scouts BSA and opened the path for girls ages 11 to 17 to pursue the organization’s highest rank.
Scouts who are boys may have been working on their Eagle Scout status as early as age 10. For young women such as Emma, that timeline was significantly accelerated.
Emma with her dad, Chuck, who is also an Eagle Scout
“The kids at this school don’t always have it easy going,” Emma said. “So as they grow herbs and berries they can reap the benefits of the work they put in. My goal for this project is to help brighten the lives of these kids, even if it is just with something small.”
She joined the Scouts BSA program as soon as she was eligible in 2019. In her first month as a Scout, Emma started a troop with six other girls. The group was sponsored by St. George’s church, which also sponsors Troop 31 for boys — one of the oldest troops in Nashville. With more than 100 boys and 100 years of history, it was natural to wonder how they would work together. Emma said she loves the BSA community. It has been very accepting — and she has been thrilled to be a part of it. For almost two years, she worked to collect badges in first aid, citizenship, communication, emergency preparedness, camping, aviation, environmental and nuclear science, climbing, archery, and many other areas as she learned to be self-sufficient and dedicated to serving others. She also served as a patrol leader and senior patrol leader in her troop.
In February 2021 — to mark the 111th anniversary of scouting — BSA officially recognized the inaugural class of female Eagle Scouts and Emma made history as one of the first girls in the world to achieve the rank. Principal Josiah Holland and Emma pose with her Eagle Scout project
“It’s cool to learn new skills,” she said.
‘In the end, something beautiful happens’
True to her character, Emma brushes aside any pride that may come with this glass-ceiling-breaking milestone. That’s not why she pursued the rank of Eagle Scout. “You can get a patch, but at the end of the day, it’s cloth — something that can get lost,” she said. “The title doesn’t matter. It’s how you get there, what you learn, and the memories you make on the journey.”
For her service project, Emma built three hydroponic systems for Williamson County Schools Alternative Learning Center so the students can learn to garden at school. Emma researched the mental health benefits of gardening and connected with the idea of helping other kids get through tough stretches in their lives by growing and caring for something else. “Kids can face a lot of problems that are hard to solve,” she said. “Gardening has been proven to be therapeutic, help with anger management,
At the turn of the new year, she met with Williamson County Alternative Learning Center Principal Josiah Holland and delivered the completed project.
Emma instructs friends helping with her project build
SUMMER 2021 | 5
ACADEMICS
Our Next Bright IDEA
As
a school founded on bold ideas, Harpeth Hall continues to look beyond tomorrow to innovate for the global community our girls will enter. The next level in the school’s educational excellence is on the horizon — the Bullard Bright IDEA Lab. Modeled after the Stanford d.school principles and inspired by leading innovations centers such as the Wond’ry at Vanderbilt University, the Bullard Bright IDEA lab will transform Bullard Gymnasium in the Hortense Bigelow Ingram Upper School into a place for learning, experimenting, and dreaming.
View from the entrance of the Bullard Bright IDEA Lab
In the Bright IDEA Lab, Middle and Upper School students and teachers will take part in hands-on creation and innovation in maker spaces, labs, a recording studio, and a kitchen. With access to new and innovative resources, students will embrace intellectual risks and pursue big ideas. The educational space aligns with Harpeth Hall’s 2018-2023 Strategic Plan and affirms the school’s commitment to leading-edge teaching and learning.
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In a time when life is reimagined for all of us and the norms and routines of
yesterday are shed, a Bright IDEA Lab gives us the opportunity to envision a different kind of learning space,” Harpeth Hall Head of School Jess Hill said. “A classroom, presentation space, studio, maker space, and lab all in one,
this flexible space is without definition in the traditional sense. … In this space,
View from the loft
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the connections, collaborations, and possibilities are endless.
The Bullard Bright IDEA Lab will promote: Innovation
• Connection between the sciences and the humanities. Design • Problem-solving skills through engineering, coding, entrepreneurship, digital humanities, and interdisciplinary scholarship.
Education in Action
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View from the staircase landing
Opportunities to learn from featured speakers, participate in professional development sessions, convene student/teacher meetings, and conduct workshops to research, build, and launch entrepreneurial projects.
Visionary projects like this one move forward through the generosity of the school’s community. In January, the Harpeth Hall Board of Trustees unanimously approved the design. Fundraising is well underway for the $5.9 million project, and construction began at the end of the school year with a target completion date of early 2022. Harpeth Hall looks forward to turning the Bullard Bright IDEA Lab into reality for the benefit of our students today and in the future.
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Student display corridor
With the Bright IDEA Lab, the limits of Harpeth Hall will forever be widened so that every student will have the ability to grow in a new way. — Draper Witherspoon, rising 9th grade student
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ACCOLADES
2020-21 SEEK Projects
Seek scholars
research everything from orca whales to Python coding For 8th grade student Hallie Gibson, it started with a question — are marine parks ethical? It was 2018 and she was on a trip to SeaWorld. Watching the trainers work with marine animals during shows, she began to think about the effect of confinement on the killer whale’s brain. Two years later, with this thought still on her mind, Hallie joined SEEK to better understand perspectives on animals in captivity. After a year of research and production, she created a non-fiction graphic novel with information about orca whales in captivity and in the wild to offer different perspectives that allow readers to form their own opinion on the issue. For the past 16 years, Harpeth Hall has encouraged 7th and 8th grade students like Hallie to further explore their curiosities through the Scholars Engaged in Extending Knowledge (SEEK) program. In SEEK, a student first enters the program with the desire to know more about a topic not covered in the Middle School curriculum. She works with a faculty mentor or an expert in the field who helps her formulate questions and guide her research. All scholars complete a final product such as a research paper, a publication, a performance, or an original composition that they present to the SEEK faculty committee as well as the Middle School student body. This innovative program encourages interdisciplinary modes of thinking to help students develop knowledge, empathy, and the capacities with which to act. Through SEEK, students build upon the academic foundation learned at Harpeth Hall in real-world situations that will help them thrive in college and beyond. Fifteen students completed the program during the 2020–2021 school year. Reika Nakagawa is no stranger to the independence and motivation needed to complete a SEEK project — this was the 8th grade student’s second year in the program. This year, she used Python to code her own website after being inspired by coding videos on YouTube. “Through my project, I had to problem solve and persevere because one incorrect coding element would throw off the whole program,” Reika said. “The best part of SEEK, though, is to see the finished product that I set out to complete at the beginning of the program.” For students in the SEEK program, everything around them offers questions to be answered. Eighth grade student Anna Bowman Fletcher wanted to learn the science behind breadmaking after she watched the Netflix cooking show "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat.” Seventh grade student Miriam John created her own website to highlight the achievements of women in science after questioning why she was only ever taught about male scientists in elementary school. From oceans to laboratories, students seek inspiration everywhere.
Addie Bowen ’26 “What’s in a Dream? A Qualitative Analysis of 7th Grade Dreams” Madi Chandler ’25 “Lifting Spirits with 2D Animation” Anna Bowman Fletcher ’25 “Science in Cooking: Sourdough Bread” Hallie Gibson ’25 “Understanding Orca Captivity Through Storytelling” Madeline Graf ’26 “Eco-Friendly Design: Creating an Upcycled Gown” Helena Harris ’26 “Making Better Worlds: The Art of Character and Setting Development” Miriam John ’26 “Women in STEM: Closing the Gender Gap” Elizabeth Lefler ’25 “School Spirit Animation” Ashley Maliakal ’25 “Persuasive Technology and the Adolescent Brain” Margaret Moore ’26 “Interior Design: Modern Farmhouse” Reika Nakagawa ’25 “Coding in Python” Taylor Gray Oliver ’26 “The View From Behind the Desk: A Documentary About Teachers” Cailin Rork ’25 “Examining Disney Princesses as Role Models” Lily Anne Thompson ’25 “The Effects of Social Media and the Internet on Mental Health” Shelby Tompkins ’26 “Creating an Original Song: ‘You Know Me Better’” SUMMER 2021 | 7
Winterim Reimagined
T
he students held their collective breath as Donna Boggs strode between the classroom laboratory tables. With each step, she tested the newly crafted prosthetic she wore on her left leg. “What first adjustment do you see?” classroom instructor Rob Pittman asked. “It’s not landing straight when she walks,” one student said. “Yes,” Mr. Pittman encouraged. “So what are you going to change?” As one student tightened the bolts on the prosthesis she built from scratch, the others listened to Mr. Pittman. He explained the science of how people find balance when they walk and the role that toe alignment and the external rotation of a prosthetic foot plays in finding that balance for an amputee. “You’ve got to be pretty good at what you are doing to get Donna to walk,” he said. And these girls are. This is Winterim 2021, a program filled with experiences that extend learning beyond everyday classroom curriculum to the new and unexplored. During the three-week session every year, students pursue their unique interests, develop new skills, and go on educational adventures. In, “Changing Lives: Technology and Techniques for Prosthetic Design,” the 9th and 10th grade students engaged in the full design, fabrication, and testing of a prosthetic. The course content and labs they participated in is typically post-graduate-level work, instructor Mr. Pittman said. Normally, students would complete their four-year undergraduate degree, then move into a two-year master’s program. The class content the Harpeth Hall students received would usually be presented during that master’s program. But during Winterim, students didn’t have to wait that long. The students — possibly future biomedical engineers or physical therapists — explored their career interests with hands-on STEM experiences. “I was motivated by their energy to learn, engaging questions, and feedback they brought to class daily,” said Mr. Pittman, the American Board Certified orthotist prosthetist who led the Winterim class. “They displayed confidence while encountering some very challenging content. I loved the way they worked together, lifting each other, and coaching for success.” 8 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
That success could be felt across Harpeth Hall’s campus. In a year when much of Winterim had to be reimagined due to COVID travel restrictions and safety guidelines, students and faculty rose to the challenge. The school’s premier program provided Harpeth Hall students the very best in experiential learning and created the chance to see their academic studies take a tangible, dynamic form. As always, Winterim 2021 held true to its promise to develop wonder in learning, independence of thought, honor in action, and joy in the community. Freshmen and sophomores took part in project-oriented courses on campus offered by our exceptional faculty and professionals from around the world. Students explored the field of genetic engineering, designed prosthetics for use in medical applications, contemplated gender roles in history and literature, discussed racial diversity in Latin America, and studied everything from Beyonce’s feminism to French fashion houses. “Winterim is a unique way for us as students to have an opportunity built into our school year to try new things and learn from new experiences,” said freshman Anna LeMarbre, whose Winterim classes included Cultivating Your Personal Brand, Medical School 101, The Art of Journaling, and Tao and Tai Chi. “You are bound to find activities that will enhance your experience of Harpeth Hall and deepen your connection to the community.” Upper School students developed their community connections through professional internships, independent studies, and three weeks of immersive experiences across Nashville. Harpeth Hall interns worked with a wide range of professionals from lawyers to doctors. Forbes magazine published an
article about “Six Hopeful Healthcare Trends for 2021” that Cate Frist helped write during her internship with a surgeon and former U.S. Senator Bill Frist. Independent study students created upcycled clothing with a nod to sustainability, a photography project that captures the beauty of Tennessee’s landscape, and a new mural in the Athletic and Wellness Center that illustrates the strength and confidence of Harpeth Hall students. Immersive learning groups provided juniors and seniors the opportunity to go off campus and explore educational areas such as psychology, art, and medicine. These groups traveled throughout the city and heard from experts around the world, while having meaningful hands-on experiences. The business and entrepreneurship group learned how to do taxes, worked with a financial analyst, and met with small business owners across the city, while the psychology and relationships group studied human behavior and the root of happiness as they discussed values like independence, resilience, resourcefulness, and community — and how those change across time, cultures, or an individual’s lifespan. The hallmark Harpeth Hall Winterim program created an unforgettable experience even in an unimaginable year. “Winterim is always the best three weeks of the school year,” sophomore Caroline Seehorn said. “I love that I get to explore topics that I am already interested in and also challenge myself with unfamiliar classes
and possibly discover new interests. Winterim fosters a stress-free environment and that joy can be felt throughout the Upper School.” Including inside the prosthetics lab, where Ms. Boggs — a double amputee — walked steadily between the students on prosthetics created specifically for her. The creation process began with a study of the history of prosthetics. Then the hands-on work took shape as students casted molds and sockets. After a lecture on the prosthetic foot, students learned to grind and polish their sockets. They discussed gait, alignment, and suspension while fitting their sockets to their patient, Ms. Boggs. “The most memorable part of this class for me was my first interaction with our patient, Donna, as I was casting her leg,” sophomore Kate Maree Brewer said. “My voice was shaking as I spoke, my hands were trembling, and I was so afraid I was going to do something wrong that might hurt her in some way. As I sat down in front of her putting my surgical gloves on, my eyes met her kind, smiling eyes while her soothing voice said, ‘Don’t worry. I promise, you cannot hurt me.’ ” Kate and her classmates became comfortable with the equipment and the process, and in the end, each student delivered her own hand-crafted prosthetic to Ms. Boggs. Ms. Boggs walked successfully on each one. “For me, the most challenging part of the class was getting over the initial fear in the process of fitting her for a leg and not being afraid to make adjustments to the mold,” Harpeth Hall 9th grade student Amelia Boggs said. “In other words, taking risks and being confident in my abilities.” Following the Winterim course, three Harpeth Hall students presented “Prosthetics Design — Walk On” at the Middle Tennessee Science and Engineering Fair. For their work, Amelia Alexopoulos, Kate Maree Brewer, and Caroline Seehorn won two first place awards: the TN Academy of Science Award for molecular biology/ medicine and the ASM materials science award. “Winterim is definitely one of my favorite parts of the year because, as students, we are able to focus solely on learning and enjoying our class without the stress of homework or tests,” Amelia said. “I love the variety of classes that are offered and the unconventional aspect of many of them. “This class opened my eyes to the many amazing careers that fall under the prosthetic design/amputee patient care umbrella, and I absolutely loved working with Ms. Boggs. She taught me so much about what it means to be resilient.” SUMMER 2021 | 9
GREEN is the New Black Harpeth Hall sustainability initiatives encourage students to make meaningful contributions to their communities and the world by Jessie Morris Adams ’00
Every few minutes, someone in the group inevitably paused to remark, “I just can’t believe the water was this high.” On a sunny spring day, a group of Upper School students and faculty gathered to tend to an area that suffered damage after recent floods and heavy rains. They picked remnants of plastic bags out of trees and tried to envision how tables and cars were picked up and moved hundreds of yards by rushing water. After a thorough round of trash collection, the group moved on to planting dozens of tiny saplings with the hope that enough would survive and grow into sufficiently strong trees to prevent future erosion of the creek banks. In one afternoon, they not only tackled the tangible consequences of damage already done, but also took steps to strengthen the area against future impacts. While not all Harpeth Hall club outings provide such tidy lessons, this experience encompassed our students’ understanding of our collective impact on our environment — whether that is Harpeth Hall’s 40-acre campus, the Nashville area, or the entire world. Interest in sustainable practices and environmental education has grown steadily over recent decades as the limits of the resources we rely on become increasingly apparent. As an educational institution and a hub of the Nashville community, Harpeth Hall realizes its duty to graduate 21st-century leaders equipped with the skills and knowledge to tackle the challenges their generation may face. Our commitment to sustainability has strong roots in our devotion to community. Holding close our mission to “develop responsible citizens with global perspectives who make meaningful contributions to their communities and to the world,” we recognize that a critical first step to impacting the outside community is to build our internal community. By harnessing students’ passion to do good for others, we also strengthen their bonds to each other and to the school. We see the impact of that connection not only during the spring days that students gather for disaster relief, but also in the bins on campus 10 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
brimming with compostable items during lunchtime and in the student clothing swap initiative meant to reduce the number of shirts and sweaters that end up in a landfill. We experience the power of purposeful sustainability as we upgrade the energy efficiency of our school buildings and create dedicated green spaces on campus, like the Dr. Stephanie Balmer Garden for Student Engagement. “We’re all working together as a community to have an impact,” said Annie Stewart ’21, who this past school year was co-president of Harpeth Hall’s Green Team, an Upper School club. “We all act as individuals, but our collective actions really add up.”
From green lunch containers to green landscapes
Even daily rituals such as lunch on campus can include small actions with a purpose. Students experience tangible reminders of our partnership with Compost Nashville as they compost remnants of sandwiches and single-use utensils in bins around campus. In 2020, this program diverted 14,931 pounds of food waste and organic material from the landfill. Further, our compost output quadrupled since the beginning of “COVID lunch,” owing to the tremendous efforts of our dining hall, maintenance, and cleaning staffs. Not only do we compost food scraps, but those teams have also sourced industrially compostable containers, utensils, napkins, and wrappers. In conjunction with the commitment to reusable takeaway lunch containers, the amount of trash we are not creating is visible to all the members of our school community every day. From green lunch containers to green spaces, our school landscape is another example of eco-friendly actions. In 2017, Upper School teacher Polly Linden and Middle School teacher Amy Emerson approached the Head of School, Dr. Balmer, about a school garden, and she
FEATURE
and woven into rugs that are donated to organizations that provide transitional housing for women. Single-use plastic grocery bags, one of the worst environmental offenders around, are ripped into strands of “plarn,” or plastic yarn, which students then crochet into waterproof mats that can be used by people experiencing homelessness. “I’m really captivated by the idea of turning things that get thrown away into something that benefits someone else,” said rising junior Maddie Meyer, a member of the Green Team and the Public Purpose Council. “I think if more people knew how easy it is to turn it into something useful, they’d be even more empowered to help.”
enthusiastically embraced their passion for this project. When the Harpeth Hall community lost our vibrant and energetic leader in February 2018, students, parents, faculty, alumnae, friends, and colleagues responded with heartfelt remembrances. The vision for a more substantial teaching garden, combining function and beauty, evolved as the Stephanie Balmer Honor Committee explored lasting ways to remember her on campus. For the past few years, an early-stage garden has become part of the 5th grade curriculum and Winterim classes. Students have designed beds and placed pollinator plants, as well as grown and harvested vegetables that the school has served in the dining hall. Students have and will continue to donate produce and partner with local organizations such as The Nashville Food Project in support of its mission to alleviate hunger in our city. Next school year, students will expand their green thumb expertise in the fresh soil of the beautiful new Dr. Stephanie Balmer Garden for Student Engagement.
Repurposing items to benefit others
While our outdoor spaces showcase the greenery, inside our buildings the hallways also hold ever-present evidence of students’ commitment to sustainability. Racks of clothing with signs proclaiming “Free!” stood in the junior lobby, Bullard corridor, and upper Patton during the duration of Green Team’s clothing swap initiative this school year. Emerging out of a collaboration between students who had taken “Fast Fashion Alternatives” and “Green is the New Black” Winterim courses, a constellation of student teams, committees, and clubs keep our efforts in view every day. Rising senior Katherine Hu took the “Fast Fashion Alternatives” class during her Winterim 2020 experience, which sparked her interest in continuing the work and highlighted for her the intersection of environmentalism and unjust labor practices. She founded the Upcycle Club and has not bought a new piece of clothing in two years. Now working under the umbrella of the Green Team, Upcycle Club members have also found ways to repurpose previously loved items into new products that can be of benefit to others. Some of those old T-shirts are torn into strips
Elisabeth Nelson, a rising senior, agrees: “I think people at this point are very aware of problems, but they’re less aware of solutions. We need to direct that concern about our environmental impact into these positive solutions.”
Committed to Sustainability
Upper School teacher Lori Grow is excited for the girls to take ownership of becoming a sustainable school. “I want Harpeth Hall to be there,” she said, “but I want them to take the lead on that, and to say, ‘This is who we want to be.’ ” Her colleague Carmen Noel affirmed this adding that part of that leadership initiative will set a tone for what comes even after they graduate. “They need to pass this commitment down to future students.” And that commitment must extend beyond what they see and do every day. In fact, a large part of Harpeth Hall’s effort to be a good environmental steward is mostly invisible to students and visitors. In recent years, repairs and updates to our buildings and grounds have been completed with best practices in mind. Many of our lighting fixtures have been changed to LED lights, which use less energy, provide better lighting, and require less frequent changing. At night, a control system monitors building temperatures to further save energy so that the HVAC system does not run at full power when no one is on campus. In addition, the school’s cleaning team uses eco-friendly materials to keep our buildings clean without using harsh chemicals. We are mindful of our responsibility to the wetlands that neighbor our campus, and we use eco-friendly fertilizers to protect the water supply. The upcoming renovation of Bullard Gymnasium into the Bullard Bright IDEA Lab is also implementing several sustainable practices. Foremost, the project is an adaptive reuse of an existing space, which prevents the building structure from going to the landfill. The latest and most sustainable lighting fixtures are being used, and they will be controlled by motion sensors and turn off when no one is in a room. The HVAC system for Bullard is also being replaced with new, highly efficient units. While the shell of Bullard will be a more than 70-year-old project, the new and reimagined interior will be a modern and sustainable space. “I think Harpeth Hall could be a model for getting young people committed to sustainability,” Katherine Hu said. “How we are getting students to think about these issues as early as middle school is great and can set a precedent for other schools. I hope we can use our position as a place where young people’s minds are influenced to ensure sustainability is at the forefront.”
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express themselves, to tell a story, and to share their talents. What emerged were new and inventive ways to collaborate and share performances through the world of virtual theatre. “Our choir program was hit hard by COVID safety protocols,” Choir Director Matthew Pyles said. “While we normally rehearse and perform shoulder to shoulder in a tight-knit community, we had to reimagine what it means to be a singer when that could be a dangerous action.” In every field, what was once live and in-person had to become recorded for the safety of the students, teachers, and the audience. In many ways, “recording performances is tougher, but it is also very educational,” reflected Orchestra Director Lori McDermott. “It requires the girls to really self-assess their performance. While this allows room for future growth, it does not provide the energy from the live audience.” The girls and their directors pivoted gracefully. In the fall, instead of an in-person workshop, orchestra students had the opportunity to work with renowned violinist Mark Wood for weeks over Zoom thanks to a grant from the Hays Foundation. They produced rocking music video performances with Mr. Wood that now live on virtually. Chamber Choir students worked with award-winning singer-songwriter Rivers Rutherford to create a modern twist on the Harpeth Hall alma mater “Magnolia.” Also funded by the Hays Foundation, the beautiful song was performed at Awards Day and Graduation. This unique experience was something the girls may never otherwise have been able to be a part of.
From the Theatre to the Screen: Virtual creativity showcases students’ bravery and vulnerability
Mr. Pyles saw recording as a chance for the students to have an experience similar to that of a Nashville studio musician. For the final choir performance, singers signed up for a time slot, entered the practice room-turned-recording studio, and recorded themselves singing their part. “This took incredible bravery and vulnerability from our students to not only record themselves, but also to watch themselves on video,” Mr. Pyles said. “I am so proud of the students for taking big risks, and for being such good sports in a class that looked very different from what they had initially signed up for.”
or creatives, the need to create and consume art doesn’t stop when our everyday life is put on hold. In fact, an outlet for selfexpression can become more important than ever. Not only, does art in every form provide a means of escape, but it also allows for both the artist and the audience to gain further understanding of the world around them in a time of so many unknowns.
The courage and adaptability of Harpeth Hall students was also demonstrated in our theatre department. This fall, plans were made to host a small, in-person production of Lauren Gunderson’s “Silent Sky.” Students rehearsed behind masks and over Zoom for weeks on stage. With a set built and costumes ready, three days before the performance was set to open, several cast members were sent into quarantine.
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This school year, the question became: When the physical theatre is closed, how do you perform for an audience? Across the world, COVID-19 forced creatives to look past the physical bounds of the performing space to discover new ways to make and present art. This was no different at Harpeth Hall. Here, teachers and students examined what it means to 12 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
“When we began ‘Silent Sky’, we did not anticipate we would have to move it to a virtual platform,” Director Janette Fox Klocko said. “It was a steep learning curve. Having to scramble from a completely live platform to doing it virtually was an incredible process. With girls at campus and at home, we had to talk them through how to record virtually, make sure they had their props and costumes, and deal with the technical roadblocks that came with the platform.” The students only had three rehearsals to shift their performances and blocking from the mindset of being on a physical stage to that of being on film. The results were inspiring to Ms. Klocko. She reflected that she is “just so grateful to the students and I was really pleased with what they were able to do.” This spring, Ms. Klocko chose to perform “Help Desk” by Don Zolidis, a play designed for the digital medium. “With ‘Help Desk’, we were able to take our time to create a performance specifically for recordings. It is a different medium. It was a great opportunity for the students, I am just really proud of them.” At the end of a year like no other, the Harpeth Hall performing arts department presented two plays, two choral and orchestra concerts, two dance concerts, and a musical, all digitally in our school website’s new virtual theatre. A remarkable feat. Moving forward, with the new technological skills and creativity Harpeth Hall students acquired through producing digital performances, audiences should expect to see more content created specifically with a virtual audience in mind. Even with the new skillset, our students can’t wait to perform in person again. As Ms. McDermott said, “Performers really respond to the energy of the audience. They rise to the performance when it is live.”
SUMMER 2021 | 13
ACCOLADES
Scholastic WRITING Excerpts Scholastic Writing and Art Awards
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rom the pensiveness of a portrait to the imagery conveyed in a poem, the creative works of our students capture life through unique and powerful artistic expression. Each year, Harpeth Hall students submit original works to the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards competition, which for nearly a century has “inspired bold ideas in creative teens” throughout the country. This year, over 70 Harpeth Hall students earned recognition in the regional awards. A showcase of drawing, painting, poetry, short stories, and more, the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards competition started in 1923 and offers students in grades 7-12 (ages 13 and up) a chance to submit an unlimited number of creative works for judging at the regional and national levels. From beautifully detailed still life drawings, to humorous short stories, to comprehensive critical essays the art and writing of our students not only examined the world around them during a year unlike any other, but also their place in that world.
Total Number of Awards by Grade 7th Grade............................. 3 8th Grade............................... 6 9th Grade............................... 8 10th Grade........................... 49 11th Grade........................... 54 12th Grade........................... 48
Writing Awards by Category
Critical Essays..................... 35 Flash Fiction.......................... 5 Journalism............................. 3 Personal Essay & Memoir.... 7 Poetry................................... 59 Novel Writing........................ 1 Science Fiction & Fantasy....... 1 Short Story............................. 6
Art Awards by Category
A young lady skates, living in the present, and although some things have changed some really haven’t. She twirls around in loose pants and a fitted top and she starts to dance. — Cailin ’25, “Ice-Skating Rink,” Gold Key for Poetry
Her toes touch up against the thick, white spray paint line on the grass. A line between the controllable and uncontrollable. She squints at the starter as he holds his gun and his free hand in the air. Even the sky seems to hold its breath for that split second. Then just as quickly as it came, the moment is gone. The starter’s arm is dropping and the crack of the gun reaches the ears of each runner simultaneously. Her heart jumps with a jolt of adrenaline, and her toes leap across that bold white line. — Bella ’23, “A Quiet Mind,” Gold Key for Personal Narrative 14 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
Painting.................................. 8 Drawing and Illustration...... 5 Comic Art.............................. 1 Printmaking........................... 1 Photography.......................... 8 Digital Art.............................. 3 Mixed Media......................... 2 Art Portfolio.......................... 1
A light blue, like the color of the sky, but only the color one would use when painting the sky, not the color of the sky itself. A fake sky blue for a fake blue sky. — Angie ’21, “Sky Blue,” Gold Key for Flash Fiction
ACCOLADES
Scholastic ART Highlights
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5 7 1 Pauline Bailey, Juicy Red Tomatoes, Silver Key 2 Lucy Callen, Under the Strawberry Sun, Silver Key 3 Ellie Bowles, Simple Times, Silver Key 4 Taylor Nisbet, Indestructible, Honorable Mention 5 Zoe Miles, Ignorance is Bliss, Silver Key 6 Pauline Bailey, The Anarchy of Ducks, Gold Key 7 Holly Powell, All Ears, Honorable Mention 8 Caroline Johnson, Cling, Gold Key 9 Sarah Braam, A Shadow of A Doubt, Gold Key
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VISUAL ARTS
Nora Wang, Silent Drowning
Zoe Miles, Nothing hurts if you don’t let it
Alli Baker, Endorphins
Mariam Al-Rawi, Bride
Maia Roark, Growing Into Color
Maddy Corts, Girls in Water
Lily Silvester, Me Too
Lily Majors, Childhood Reflections
Abby Moschel, Through the Flora
Ava Sohr, Nothing Lasts Forever
Visual Arts AP ART SHOW 16 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
With best wishes Few are better at their job than Ms. Byers. If each of us were a little more like her the world would be a much more kind, prepared, prompt, and efficient place. Though Harpeth Hall will miss you dearly, we cannot wait to see all the lives you will enrich at MUS. — Sophie Pilkinton, ’15
Jenny Byers leaves a legacy as a counselor, confidante, cheerleader, and advocate
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o say that Jenny Byers raised the bar of Harpeth Hall’s college counseling program over the last 15 years is an understatement. A nationally recognized leader and one of the most knowledgeable and respected college counselors in the field, Ms. Byers has dedicated herself to helping students discover their best future and inspiring colleagues to be their best selves. Now, it is our turn to wish Ms. Byers the best. After an incredible tenure at Harpeth Hall, she moved to Memphis at the end of the 2020-2021 school year to be with her husband and pursue the next step in her continued career success. Since 2006, Ms. Byers shepherded Harpeth Hall students and families through the college process with grace and aplomb. She brought students and families the very best expertise coupled with a genuine interest in each girl. She also served as a steadfast colleague and strategist alongside the last three Heads of School.
Ms. Byers is the type of person everyone needs in their lives. She is a friend, good counsel, an advisor, a friendly face in the hallway, and someone I know I can always count on. — Neva Bass, ’21
She contributed a wealth of knowledge about independent schools, colleges, and universities across the country, but, more importantly, she brought a quick mind and sharp problem-solving skills to all situations. A constant student of national trends in higher education, Ms. Byers put Harpeth Hall’s college counseling program in the top tier for independent schools locally and nationally. Her legacy will benefit students for years to come.
Ms. Byers: You are way more than a college counselor, you are a mentor for how I want to be in the future. — Kaili Wang, ’18
Harpeth Hall seeks to empower women, and when I think of this mission, I think of Ms. Byers. — Millie Kirkland, ’19
Nancy Turner filled our school with beautiful music
After
17 years of service to Harpeth Hall, beloved faculty member Nancy Turner retired at the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year. Some of my warmest and happiest Harpeth Hall memories originated in the theatre, gym, or lawn during a performance in which Ms. Turner had a hand,” Head of School Jess Hill said. “A beloved teacher, she set a high yet joyful bar for her students who rose to every public occasion under her leadership to share beautiful music with our community. Ms. Turner joined Harpeth Hall in the fall of 2003, straight from working in England. Through the years, she took the choir and orchestra students on the road to experience renowned music programs at Southern universities. She executed expansive projects by hosting choirs from the southeast, and she directed performances celebrating female composers and benefiting Lwala. If Ms. Turner is asked to do something, she does it well,” Ms. Hill said. “She filled our school with beautiful music and led our students to competitions in the state and region, almost always returning with a superior ranking. When Ms. Turner took over the helm as department chair, she advocated for all areas of performing arts, always ensuring a solid place for music, theatre, and dance within our school program. Her commitment to the arts elevated Harpeth Hall’s program, and she is missed beyond measure.
SUMMER 2021 | 17
HONEYBEAR ATHLETES IN 2021
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Scholarship Signings Set Path to ‘New Adventure’ for Harpeth Hall Athletes Harpeth Hall proudly recognizes four students who signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) to continue their athletic careers For many athletic programs, National Signing Day has become a celebrated event marked by cakes, balloons, and a lot of colorful college gear. The moment a student signs her name to paper, it makes a university’s athletic scholarship offer official and represents the realization of years of hard work. On the first day of the early signing period in November, Harpeth Hall coaches recognized our college-bound athletes not only for their accomplishments in the pool, on the court, and from the boat, but also for their strength of character and leadership. “The signing not only signifies their intent to play at the collegiate level,” Harpeth Hall Athletic Director Kylene Lee said, “but also signifies the promise of a new adventure.” This spring, another student joined the celebration signing a National Letter of Intent to run track. Congratulations to the following Harpeth Hall seniors who committed to play their sport at the Division 1 college level.
Emory Moore • track • Belmont University Gretchen Walsh • swimming • University of Virginia Claire Wilson • volleyball • University of South Carolina Emily Wood • rowing • Oregon State University SUMMER 2021 | 19
FACULTY
Educational Excellence A lot changed in 2020. The excellence of a Harpeth Hall education did not. From opening convocation to graduation, Harpeth Hall’s steadfast community of educators worked tirelessly to make sure students were set up for success. The hard work, collaboration, fortitude, and flexibility displayed by our classroom leaders set an example of what resilience looks like at its best.
“To say that our teachers are heroes is an understatement,” Hannah King ’21 said. “It takes a certain type of person to be a teacher. It takes someone who is patient, kind, understanding, motivating, adaptable, and has a personal love for learning. I can say with full confidence that every teacher at Harpeth Hall embodies each of those characteristics and more.” In the school’s annual faculty recognition assembly, Harpeth Hall extended special honors to three teachers for their excellence in the classroom: Middle School science teacher Elsa Davids, Visual Arts Department Chair Carmen Noel, and Upper School orchestra teacher Lori McDermott. “I believe in patience; I believe in hope; I believe in community; I believe in females. I believe in education, and specifically, I believe in female education,” Hannah said during her speech at the assembly. “But above all, I believe in the people that make female education possible. I believe in the power of teachers. Thank you to the Harpeth Hall teachers, staff, and community members. You are what we believe in.” 20 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
FACULTY
Ellen Bowers Hofstead Chair in the Humanities
James W. Hofstead established The Ellen Bowers Hofstead Chair in loving memory of his wife. Mrs. Hofstead was a 1934 graduate of Ward-Belmont Preparatory School and a 1935 graduate of Ward-Belmont Junior College. The recipient demonstrates a high level of distinction in learning and teaching, has earned an advanced degree, and has made a full-time commitment to Harpeth Hall for a minimum of five years. The appointment is for three years. Carmen Noel, Visual Arts department chair When she arrived on campus six years ago, Carmen Noel helped to develop a rich elective curriculum that allows hundreds of students to explore their artistic passions in the studios of Patton each year. Since that time, Ms. Noel has “tirelessly dedicated herself to expanding opportunities in the visual arts for all Upper School students and to supporting her colleagues as a caring and visionary educator,” Ms. Hill said. Ms. Noel also held the role of department chair and “has always been open to new possibilities with a focus on enhancing the student experience. Her leadership style encourages her colleagues to lean into their talents because they feel supported by her.” Most significantly, Ms. Noel “has become a part of the fabric of our school in the very best ways and has made Harpeth Hall better.”
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Receiving the Ellen Bowers Hofstead Award was such a surprise! I feel honored to be recognized and was so touched by all of my colleagues, students, friends, and family who reached out after the assembly. My daughters watched the livestream, which felt like a significant moment in my life as a working mom. They can’t wait for me to bring the actual chair home!
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— Carmen Noel
Lulu Hampton Owen Chair for Excellence in Teaching
This distinction, established through a bequest from Lulu Hampton Owen, is awarded annually to an outstanding member of the Harpeth Hall faculty who demonstrates excellence in scholarship, an unusual ability to communicate with students, excitement about teaching and learning, a commitment to the moral and intellectual development of students, and dedication to the life of the school. The appointment is for one year and carries with it honor, remuneration, and a Harpeth Hall chair that serves as a symbol for this award. Lori McDermott, Middle and Upper School orchestra teacher Ms. McDermott “makes teaching look effortless, joyful, and smooth,” Ms. Hill said. During her 11 years at Harpeth Hall, Ms. McDermott has dedicated herself to building the orchestral music program. Drawing upon a vast repertoire of innovative teaching practices and experiences, her classes flow seamlessly from one activity to the next, and she has a remarkable way of providing individual instruction while also attending to the needs of the group. “One need only listen to know that she is masterful in bringing out the very best in all of her students,” Ms. Hill said. This year, Ms. McDermott also served as interim director of the performing arts department. The Lou Hampton Owen Chair recognizes the patience, enthusiasm, and skillful teaching Ms. McDermott offers to every student whether just beginning the path as an orchestral musician or honing her craft and building her confidence.
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I am so humbled to receive such an honor, especially in the presence of such amazing teachers and colleagues. The students and the support of this community really make this one of the greatest places to teach. — Lori McDermott
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Heath Jones Prize for the Promise of Excellence in Teaching
Dedicated to A. Heath Jones, who worked as a teacher and academic dean at Harpeth Hall from 1984 to 1996, the prize for promise is given to a full-time teacher who has had five-years or less of classroom experience and who has taught at Harpeth Hall for two years or more. Elsa Davids, Middle School science teacher Elsa Davids describes her classroom as engaging, challenging, and joyful. She inspires her students to see themselves as scientists and to value the struggle in finding solutions to complex and interesting problems. And she does so, Ms. Hill said, “with great humility and confidence.” “This year’s Heath Jones Award recipient sets a high standard for the craft of teaching by always remaining a student herself and relishing in innovative teaching practices and research-based approaches to learning,” Ms. Hill said. “…It is abundantly clear to all who meet her that she is a rising star with all of the qualities one needs to become a masterful teacher.”
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It feels so strange hearing all of these wonderful things said about you that you didn’t know your peers were paying attention to. Since receiving the award, I have heard from parents of former students and my family, and it has just been so nice to have everyone’s congratulations, support, and love. I think that is really characteristic of Harpeth Hall — that community of support and love and wanting to see you succeed.
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— Elsa Davids
SUMMER 2021 | 21
New Administrators MarQuis Chappell • Director of Equity and Inclusion
MarQuis Chappell joined Harpeth Hall in 2018 as an Upper School English teacher and was named 9th grade dean in July 2020. MarQuis fosters a classroom culture where students are encouraged to value their neighbors and support each other in taking risks. This year, MarQuis served as the founding faculty sponsor for the Black Student Alliance and also co-sponsored the Free Speakers club. He is a capstone advisor for the Global Scholars program. He also collaborated with school leadership to establish Harpeth Hall’s first affinity group for BIPOC faculty, a group he now co-moderates.
What does community mean to you? I believe community to be a place wherein all members are not only connected through shared interest, but also feel responsible for how their words and actions honor their neighbors’ experiences.
What is your favorite part about being an educator? The intellectual
stimulation I receive from learning alongside students and faculty for whom it is common practice to interrogate everything, so as to deepen their understanding. I also love when students approach me with questions to which I don’t know the answer, and we figure it out together. It highlights the community aspect of a school.
What is your mission as a director? A compelling part of Harpeth Hall’s
mission is to provide each student with a global perspective, and that charge will be the impetus for much of my work. My hope is that by the time each girl leaves this school community, she is well equipped with the vocabulary and cultural competence to engage in sophisticated, respectful dialogue with peoples from diverse cultural, racial, religious, socio-economic, and linguistic backgrounds. We live in a global society, and our students must be prepared for it.
What are three fun facts about you?
• I am a classically and gospel-trained pianist. I studied for 15 years. • The Wiz is my favorite musical. • My homemade cheesecakes are legendary (according to my close friends)!
Carol Garaby • Director of Auxiliary Programs
Carol Garaby joined Harpeth Hall as Director of Auxiliary Programs in January of 2021. Before moving to Nashville, Carol spent three years at Georgetown Day School in Washington, D.C. as a member of the auxiliary programs team, specifically working with rental groups and the middle school extended-day program. Prior to GDS, Carol spent 13 years at Baylor School in Chattanooga where she oversaw all-day and boarding summer programs, as well as worked with community partners outside of the school for rental space on campus.
What does community mean to you? It means having a network, a
support team, a cheering section, and a helping hand. It means finding your place and your comfort zone that allows you to explore your fullest potential.
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What makes Harpeth Hall the right place for you? I have felt a
part of the community very quickly. Being a Nashville native, it’s been a great welcome home!
What is your mission as a director? To continue to grow the programs by listening to students, faculty, and administration about what helps the overall school mission, to lead by example, and to constantly evaluate programs for mission alignment, equity, and outreach.
What are three fun facts about you?
• I spent the last four years in Washington, D.C. • I went to college in Little Rock, Arkansas. • I love to be outside – gardening, hiking, running, relaxing!
FACULTY
Kylene Lee • Director of Athletics
Kylene Lee joined Harpeth Hall as Middle School athletics director in 2015 and this past school year served as interim athletics director. During an unprecedented time, Kylene called on her experience as a Division I college and professional athlete to stay flexible, handle stress, and problem solve. With her background as a high-level competitor, teacher, coach, and athletic administrator, Kylene not only empowers students to build memorable experiences as teammates and athletes, she also collaboratively leads a staff of more than 120 coaches.
What does community mean to you?
To me, community is a place of support, belonging, and fellowship. Sports have a natural way of creating connected communities through shared experiences, and I am excited to continue being part of this Harpeth Hall community.
What makes Harpeth Hall the right place for you? Our
students, single-gender education, and the leadership. From an athletics perspective, girls are more likely to engage in competitive athletics while in a single-gender environment. I’m always inspired when watching our girls take healthy risks and push beyond their comfort zones. Harpeth Hall is a place that encourages growth in its students, educators, and administrators. As a lifelong learner, this is an environment I thrive in.
What is your mission as a director? First, I want to support our
students to pursue excellence in all phases of life. Second, is to create a safe environment that allows student-athletes to stretch themselves and see their mistakes as a critical part of growth. Finally, my goal is to help them develop into strong leaders who are confident, collaborate well, and have a healthy sense of emotional wellbeing.
What are three fun facts about you?
• If I ever need to feel empowered, accomplished, or proud of my physical body, I hike. Preferably to high places. Sedona has my heart. • I’ve played in a U.S. Women’s Open. • I’m a huge animal lover, owner of two rescue pit bulls, and volunteer at Saddle Up in my spare time (even though I knew nothing about horses when I started). continued on page 24
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New Administrators continued from page 23
Brion Kennedy • Director of Performing Arts Brion Kennedy joins Harpeth Hall from St. Pius X Catholic High School in Georgia. He spent 11 years in the classroom teaching AP music theory, guitar, and music appreciation before becoming the fine arts department chair, a position he has held since 2013.
What does community mean to you? Community
is a network of people who support one another. Community creates a sense of belonging and is familial in many ways.
What is your favorite part about being an educator? As educators, we can truly have a positive
impact on our students’ lives and that is a unique perk of our vocation. As an arts educator, it is all about helping students discover their passion. What brings me the most joy is following the trajectory of a student from their first performance on stage, to college, and then on to a career in the arts.
Janet Weller • Director of College Counseling
Janet Weller joins Harpeth Hall from Roland Park Country School, a girls school in Baltimore, Maryland, where she worked as a college counselor for 15 years. She has a love for working with students on their individual journeys, providing support and guidance through the important college exploration and decision-making process. In addition, Janet is actively engaged in national organizations, including the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools where she currently serves as the committee chair for data trends and analytics.
What does community mean to you? Community is
where you feel at home and supported in being your authentic self. A community, at its best, passes continuously through seasons of shared hopes and expectations, genuine encouragement, and empathetic support when there are setbacks. It both grounds you and helps you to grow.
What makes Harpeth Hall the right place for you? When I began
work in girls' schools 18 years ago, I joined a community in Baltimore where former Harpeth Hall Head of School Ann Teaff served as Upper School Head. A close family friend replaced Ann and spoke often of Ann’s impact. Later, when I became a college counselor, I had the privilege to work with another former Head of School before her service 24 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
What is your mission as a director? First
and foremost, I am here to support the amazingly talented performing arts teachers and help the department maximize its potential. I come to Harpeth Hall with a tremendous amount of respect for the reputation of the performing arts department and look forward to growing that reputation within the school community and in the community at large.
What are three fun facts about you?
• My wife and I watch Jeopardy religiously. • I did the Chattanooga Ironman once upon a time. • We love traveling and have been to 23 countries and counting!
to Harpeth Hall began — Stephanie Balmer. In addition to leading the admissions team at Dickinson College, Dr. Balmer also served as the area representative who visited Baltimore schools. I am so grateful to have known her. When I first visited Harpeth Hall, the students that I met impressed me with their genuine warmth, wit, incisive questions, and authentic interest in welcoming and getting to know someone new. I am privileged to take a position at a school where I can both follow in the footsteps of great leaders and help support a younger generation as they discover how to contribute with their own voices.
What are three fun facts about you?
• I am a runner and have many years of experience coaching athletes from elementary grades up through high school. • My husband, Dan, is a classically trained chef. • I have never lived outside of Maryland until now! My family and I are so excited for this new adventure and look forward to exploring Nashville.
None of us can do this alone.
FEATURE
By Barbara Keith Brown Payne ’85
B
eing part of the Harpeth Hall community has been an essential and joyful part of my life — as a student, alumna, and now as a parent. I have always understood the privilege of a Harpeth Hall education and the confidence and independence instilled here, but more than ever I value the friendships, support, motivation, and inspiration from my classmates from the Class of 1985, the community of alumnae, past and present faculty and staff, and fellow parents. I know for sure, especially after the past year, that we truly need each other and the support of our community. It has been a privilege to give a little back to this community by serving as president of the HHPA this year. My tenure looked a little different than my predecessors to say the least. There were many, many Zooms, and we stayed connected as the HHPA continued to do our best to fulfill our goal of “fostering a connected community.” With none of the usual parent gatherings, we kept our attention focused on our faculty and staff who were committed to keeping our girls in school and who deserve all the love and support we could provide. Volunteers served monthly coffees outdoors with treats and all the Dunkin’ coffee they could drink. We provided pumpkin bread at Thanksgiving, takeaway dinners from Corner Market mid-December, raffles at faculty meetings, homemade Valentine’s treats, and hosted a celebratory spring lunch cookout. I hope they felt the immense gratitude of the parent body in these small gestures.
The Harpeth Hall community is one of strength and purpose with our girls at the center of all we do. It has been abundantly clear to me during the pandemic that none of us can do this alone, and that being part of a community who cares deeply about the same values and goals is essential. Being part of a community means giving back. Harpeth Hall parents are immensely generous with their time and talents. The creation, planning and execution of the 2021 Main Event was an exercise in practicality, creativity, and teamwork by parent volunteers and the Advancement office that was a huge success. Our community once again stepped up in a big way financially and in volunteering and taking part. With tenacious and hardworking chairs, we continued our tradition of fundraising and bringing the community together through an event that culminated on a sunny March day as we drove through the
beautiful campus and celebrated optimism about the waning of the pandemic. Our entire community embraced The Main Event enthusiastically and as a result the HHPA will be able to make a meaningful contribution to the Bullard Bright IDEA Lab, a place that our girls and the entire community will enjoy and use for years to come. The Harpeth Hall community is one of strength and purpose with our girls at the center of all we do. I am proud that even during a pandemic the Harpeth Hall Parent Association has continued to fulfill our commitment to our connected community that enhances our girls’ experience and our own. SUMMER 2021 | 25
FEATURE
Nurses with a Purpose
Two Harpeth Hall alumnae returned to campus to care for all of us in a year when their work was more important than ever.
The
night that Rachael McKenzie Nusbaum ’08 slipped on a stretch of clear liquid at a college party, she didn’t think much of it. Her feet came out from under her, and she landed on her back. Yes, she was in pain, but she chalked it up to the fall. Nothing that a few Benadryl and some sleep couldn’t cure. As she got ready for bed later that night, she took a shower. That’s when she saw her backside — black and charred from her shoulders down past her waist. The substance she slipped on was floor stripper. She had suffered a severe chemical burn. “She could have died,” her sister, Harpeth Hall nurse Ann Randolph McKenzie ’12, said. “And that was really scary.” Ms. Nusbaum spent two weeks in the hospital — one in Athens, Georgia, and another at Vanderbilt in Nashville — and then transitioned home. For the next weeks and months, Ms. McKenzie who was in high school then, worked alongside her mom to treat her sister’s burns. She used washcloths to clean her sister’s back, delicately rubbing separate cloths on each area to avoid the spread of infection. She applied ointment underneath gauze pads. She cut the skin that peeled away as it healed. She also did so much more. “She held my hand the first time I asked to see my back — the severity of my burns,” Ms. Nusbaum said. “She held my hand as I turned to the mirror. She held my hand as I cried— in horror and disbelief — that this was my new reality. That the stranger in the mirror was me. She held my hand as I sobbed for what I thought I had lost. “I’ll never forget those precious moments that she looked me in the eye and said, ‘This is just a scar. It doesn't define or change who you are. I’m here.’ ” That experience set Ms. McKenzie’s future path to becoming a nurse. “I saw what she was going through, and I told myself you have got to stay strong,” Ms. McKenzie said. “Once she got hurt, I realized this is something I want to do and something I can do — take care of other people.” Nearly a decade later, in Fall 2020, Ms. McKenzie returned to her alma mater as a nurse. This year, she has cared for others who, like her sister, truly needed her. 26 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
“Harpeth Hall really prepared me,” she said. “It challenged me. It taught me a lot, especially about being a female and speaking up for myself. So I wanted to come back and be a support to the school that supported me growing up.” It was her sister’s injury that moved Ms. McKenzie to be a nurse — and it was Winterim that helped shape that career path. Ms. McKenzie interned in Vanderbilt’s burn unit her junior year. She became the first student to work in the unit, with Harpeth Hall facilitating that opportunity because of how important it was to her personal experience. At Vanderbilt, Ms. McKenzie shadowed a child life specialist, a nurse, a physical therapist, and others. “That experience solidified me wanting to be a nurse,” Ms. McKenzie said. After graduating from Harpeth Hall and University of Tennessee nursing school, Ms. McKenzie returned to work in the Vanderbilt burn unit full time. There, she learned that injury often extends beyond the physical and that wellness means more than a healthy body. “There’s so much more to nursing than giving meds and treating a cut,” she said. “Nursing is about being an advocate and a caretaker. You have to consider a person’s emotional needs, their mental needs, their spiritual needs. All of those factors make up a person, and you need to get that overall picture when caring for someone so you can give them the best care possible.” When she joined Harpeth Hall as the school nurse in 2020, Ms. McKenzie became an advocate for students. With the pandemic at the forefront of all health and safety decisions, she navigated policies, quarantine periods, and communication with parents and students. Ms. McKenzie confidently guided everyone she worked with, serving as a solid and steady source of support. “It was a difficult year for everyone,” Ms. McKenzie said. “It’s been a journey.” But that journey has been part of shaping who she is as a caregiver. Whether it’s her sister or a student, Ms. McKenzie wants the same outcome. “If someone is in pain or hurting,” she said, “I want them not to go through that.”
As
a teenager, Ellie Osteen Garstin ’14 felt drawn to mission work. She built houses on an Apache Nation reservation in San Carlos, Arizona, and painted schools in New Orleans as part of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in the still-neglected areas almost a decade after the storm. Most memorable, though, was her trip to Jamaica where she connected with the little boys and girls at a school for students who are deaf. While her mission group freshened classrooms in disrepair, it was the time spent with the kids that left the biggest impression. “All they wanted to do was play and have a friend,” Ms. Garstin said. That relationship building — and care for others in need — became the cornerstone of her future. Even as a high school student, Ms. Garstin knew she wanted to become a nurse. It was Harpeth Hall science teacher Lisa Keen’s anatomy and physiology class that opened Ms. Garstin’s eyes to the possibilities. As a student, she wasn’t grossed out by the organs and blood vessels she learned about. “I was so intrigued,” she said. “I started wondering, ‘Why doesn’t everyone know this?’ It’s our own bodies. We should know how they function. That’s what sparked my interest in nursing.” After graduating from high school, receiving her nursing degree from the University of Tennessee, and caring for patients at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital, Ms. Garstin brought that interest back to Harpeth Hall. She returned during a time of the school’s greatest health need — the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. “From the beginning, the nurse-patient relationship was most important to me,” Ms. Garstin said. “And that’s what drew me to Harpeth Hall, knowing I would get to spend time with the girls.” Working in a school during a pandemic is not for the faint of heart. Ms. Garstin had to be responsive to the continually changing guidance of the state and local health departments as new information about the disease brought new understanding and protocols. She needed to be the ever-present communication link to parents who had questions about quarantines and contact tracing. And she needed to serve as a trusted adult for the students who came to her seeking care and support. Ms. Garstin was all of those things and more. So much of her kind and disarming demeanor and her steadiness under pressure developed during her time as a nurse at Saint Thomas West. Before she joined Harpeth Hall, Ms. Garstin worked in the pulmonary unit caring for individuals with lung cancer and acute chronic lung diseases.
These individuals were often facing the hardest times of their lives. They spent weeks in the hospital, not hours. Ms. Garstin took care to develop relationships with those she treated, to get to know them as people, not just patients. “What I loved the most working as a bedside nurse was having that same patient day after day,” she said. “Getting to know them as a person and seeing them improve and recover and getting to send them home. That was honestly the best. Seeing that smile on their face as we said goodbye.” She also experienced some more difficult departures. When COVID emerged in the United States in 2020, the pulmonary floor of her hospital was one of the first to be turned into a COVID unit. One of Ms. Garstin’s first duties in those initial weeks was to conduct COVID tests for patients. “Unfortunately, the whole nation was so unprepared to face this virus,” she said. “We had so many questions. As Healthcare employees, we were learning new information every day from the CDC. Everything changed so rapidly. I can’t even imagine how those patients felt being the first ones to have the virus.” One particular patient’s experience sticks with Ms. Garstin even now. He came in as an otherwise healthy 40-something-year-old male with a cough. That turned into difficulty breathing and then to a trip to the ICU to be intubated. “I wheeled him out three weeks later, and you could see what the virus had done to him,” Ms. Garstin said. When Ms. Garstin joined Harpeth Hall as a nurse only a few months later, she knew the seriousness of the disease and committed to doing everything she could to keep the students and faculty healthy, safe, and supported. For her, the experiences of this past year — the Nashville tornadoes, the pandemic, the focus on racial injustice, the Christmas Day bombing — all underscore the importance of community. “When I think of community, I think of being kind to whomever you interact with because you never know what they are going through at that time,” she said. “That’s really important for all we have faced this year. We need to empathize with one another, to lean on each other, and have each other for strength. That’s what really makes a difference.” SUMMER 2021 | 27
Commitment
to Community
Harpeth Hall alumnae returned to campus to help as classroom champions during a pandemic year
Leslie Severns ’96 and Anne Elizabeth McIntosh ’96 always had lockers close to each other in Middle School. They participated in Harpeth Hall dance together, often passed in the hallways in between classes, and sat together at lunch. They had a thing about ketchup — never sitting at a table with any — and they loved the potato bar and the Coke machine. “And we ate curly fries every day,” Ms. McIntosh remembers. Neither girl would have imagined that in 2020 — more than two decades after they graduated from Harpeth Hall — they would be back sitting together at the school lunch table talking about the day’s events. But several days a week last fall and occasionally this spring, they did just that. Ms. Severns and Ms. McIntosh were two women in a dedicated group of alumnae who stepped up and stepped in when Harpeth Hall needed them — coming back to campus to work as teachers’ aides, substitutes, and support staff during the 2020-2021 pandemic school year. With alumnae helping in the classrooms, the health clinic, at before care and aftercare, and across all corners of campus, Harpeth Hall was able to keep school open and students learning to their highest ability during the pandemic. “That’s a gift that Harpeth Hall gave to these girls that not everyone was able to access this year,” Ms. McIntosh said. On campus, alumnae served as champions in so many ways. They ran Zoom sessions when a quarantined teacher was leading a lesson online from home. They helped with student clubs, ran study halls, proctored exams, and even led Winterim classes and immersion experiences. A dedicated group of alumnae spent time with the girls before school and after school helping with homework or playing games. And several women filled in to give even small breaks to those working so hard to keep everything running smoothly in a year that was anything but normal. “Our Harpeth Hall alumnae who stepped up to serve as TAs in our classrooms kept our Upper School open during the pandemic,” Upper School Director Armistead Lemon said. “The fact that they understood the school’s culture and were already familiar with so many people and places on campus made their transition a seamless one.” For Ms. Severns and Ms. McIntosh, it was a blast from the past being back. They walked through campus remembering what the library looked like when they were students, joking about the papers they put off writing, and recalling dance numbers they did together. “For our senior talent show, we choreographed a Madonna medley,” Ms. McIntosh laughed. “I can totally still do the Vogue moves.” 28 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
FEATURE
And, as the alumnae helped in the classrooms, they often came across teachers they had as students. “I never would have dreamed that I would be back chatting in the workroom with Dr. Echerd,” Ms. Severns smiled. The alumnae came back because they care. When Harpeth Hall students graduate, they take all they learned out into the world. They become scientists, entrepreneurs, lawyers, communication professionals, community leaders, and so much more. But even as they move forward part of them remains here. And when called upon, they return. So often it is as mentors for the students — assembly speakers, internship hosts, career day visitors, Winterim instructors — but this year Harpeth Hall needed something more. And Harpeth Hall alumnae were there to help. What they experienced when they returned to campus was so much of what they remembered and loved from their own time as students. “Even in this weird year, Harpeth Hall remained true to tradition,” Ms. Severns said.
“From Convocation on the very first day of school to opening of the Senior House and on throughout the year.” Ms. McIntosh agreed: “There was a commitment to really maintain a sense of community. When you heard other places were so disconnected, at Harpeth Hall you were able to connect with someone on a daily basis.” And that made a difference for students and alumnae alike.
Even as the school year came to a close, Ms. Severns and Ms. McIntosh continued their commitment to Harpeth Hall. Together, the two longtime friends are serving as chairs for the Class of 1996’s 25th Reunion this coming fall. Though 2020 has shown we never really know what the future may bring, perhaps there is a Madonna performance on the reunion horizon — or at the very least some curly fries at the party.
ALUMNAE RETURNED TO HARPETH HALL TO HELP DURING COVID-19 Ellen Smith Simpson ’82 returned as a before and aftercare staff member. Sarah Taber Englert ’95 returned as a teacher's aide. Leslie Caldwell Severns ’96 returned as a teacher's aide. Meredith McDonald Stewart ’96 returned as a substitute teacher. Anne Elizabeth McIntosh Tachek ’96 returned as a teacher's aide.
Laura Cade Flippo ’00 returned as a teacher's aide. Jean-Marie Bibb Clark ’04 returned as a teacher's aide. Meggie Hill ’13 returned as an aftercare staff member. Emily Stewart ’14 returned as a teacher's aide. Catherine Baker ’16 returned as a teacher's aide. Gabby Kapanka ’19 returned as an aftercare staff member. SUMMER 2021 | 29
CAREER DAY
Inspires
Words of Wisdom from Alumnae Everyone you work with is a person, and if you can connect with them on a human level you can go a lot farther than PowerPoint slides can take you.
On
— Caroline Tanner Everett ’07, director of corporate responsibility
Zoom screens across the country, 50 Harpeth Hall alumnae gathered virtually to speak to Upper School students about their transition from Harpeth Hall to college, the journey through their career path, and the many lessons they have learned along the way. Students joined panels ranging from “Do you enjoy solving problems?” to “Do you enjoy leading others?” based on their interests, skills, and talents. Each panel gave students the chance to have meaningful conversations in a small group setting with alumnae from a variety of professional backgrounds. It was a new take on what is traditionally an in-person experience, and our students enjoyed it just as much.“I enjoyed hearing from the different panels, it gave me a good perspective about types of careers in different fields,” junior Mallory Thomas said. “I learned how many of the panelists did not follow a straight career path, but instead faced many setbacks and alterations in their courses, and I learned that that is okay.” Sophomore Mary Meacham thought it was rewarding to hear from Harpeth Hall alumnae who could give advice on how to make the most of their experience in high school. “I found the Winterim panel very helpful going into my first year of internships,” Mary said. “It helped provide information on what to look for in an internship and helped me to realize that I should not be discouraged if what I thought I could see myself doing in the future is not necessarily a good fit for me.” 30 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
With engaging personal experiences and helpful advice, our alumnae highlighted a future of opportunities for our students. Here are some of their words of wisdom.
Being told to ‘be yourself ’ can seem so trite, but it is absolutely true. I do a man’s job. Women were not allowed to do what I do until the 80s. I am only in the second generation of women who are able to do what I do. I find myself often bound and determined to prove people wrong, but that is a really easy way to get exhausted and burnt out. You have to take care of yourself. — Claire Berry ’05, associate pastor
Being in a leadership role as a black woman and on a team with other leaders of color, I am a mirror to my students. It is exciting for me to be a part of that group, which is something that many students had not seen before. — Tobi Lee Erwin ’08, dean of students
It’s just really important to have a good working relationship. — Marla Mazer ’96, collegiate global experience advisor
Having good communication skills and also humility in whatever career you choose is going to help you be a really good problem solver. — Glory Beveridge ’08, physician
I firmly believe that if you do what you love and tap into your gifts it will take you where you need to be. Some of us are drawn to academia, some of us are drawn to art . . . Tuning into your purpose is the work. — Sarah Scarborough ’93, entrepreneur
My experiences outside of the general college curriculum opened up my world. I was allowed to dive into opportunities that were not in the rooms on campus. It diversified my learning. — Catherine Workman ’97, senior director of science
An answer we give all the time is ‘I don’t know, let me do some research, and I will get back to you.’ Finding the answer is part of the job. Finding the solution is why I am hired. — Abby Spaulding ’03, financial planner
Thank you to our alumnae co-chairs: Caitlin Anthony ’07 (left) and Margaret Riley King ’03 (right) and many thanks to all of our fantastic alumnae who were able to join us virtually!
ALUMNAE
Do you enjoy helping or assisting others?
Do you enjoy analyzing people or things?
• Eva Rawlings Parker ’93, Assistant Professor of Dermatology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
• Addie Boston Askew ’07, Assistant District Attorney, Davidson County Office of the District Attorney
• Lisa Meyer Holzapfel ’81, Program Director, Pearl Haven TN
• Catherine Ramsey Schulte ’08, Director, Senior Research Analyst, Baird
• Stella Taylor Bergan ’84, Health and Human Performance Coach, StellaFit
• Katie Fredericks Wild ’06, Vice President of Marketing, Transportation Insight
• Elle Worsham ’05, Owner + CEO, Beyond Your Type and Gracious Garlands
• Elizabeth Conrad ’04, Medical Information & Pharmacovigilance Specialist, Cumberland Pharmaceuticals
Do you enjoy solving problems?
• Glory Beveridge ’08, Resident Physician, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt • Erin Lehner Mello ’00, Senior Product Manager, GridPoint, Inc. • Elaine Sulc ’11, Lead Software Engineer, Tableau • Abby Sinks Spaulding ’03, Owner and Financial Planner, Continuum Planning Partners Do you enjoy creating things? • Ellen Fuson ’02, Architect, Hastings Architecture • Mary Stengel Bentley ’03, Artist, Mary Stengel Bentley • Cate Connery Bury ’99, Owner and Photographer, Cate Connery Bury Photography • Margaret Waltemath Ash ’03, Principal Designer and Owner, Margaret Ash Design & Home • Vanessa Jones Cowley ’99, Development Officer and Artist, Irish Museum of Modern Art Do you enjoy conveying information to others? • Marla Mazer ’96, Global Experience Advisor, Centennial College • Caroline Hallemann ’07, Digital News Director, Town & Country Magazine with Hearst Corporation • Sarah Riley Saint ’12, Epidemiologist, Tennessee Department of Health • Caroline Tanner Everett ’07, Vice President/ Director of Corporate Responsibility, AllianceBernstein
Do you enjoy the outdoors and the environment? • Sarah Scarborough ’93, Founder and Owner, Tea Huntress • Crispin Davis Menefee ’94, Owner, Ironhorse Farms, LLC, Rumors Pulaski, LLC, and The Clayton Potter Foundation • Brianna Bjordahl ’15, Conservation Technician, Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy • Catherine Workman ’97, Senior Director, Science, National Geographic Society Do you enjoy leading others? • Claire Berry ’05, Associate Pastor, Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church • Crissy Wieck ’96, Chief Sales Officer and Minority Owner, Western Express • Tobi Lee Erwin ’08, Dean of Students & Culture, KIPP Charlotte Public Schools Do you enjoy training and managing others? • Dwyla Beard ’98, Director of Human Resources, The Harpeth Hall School • Holly Whetsell Coltea ’94, Owner and Instructor, barre3 Nashville • Emily McAlister Frith ’75, Co-Owner, The Corner Market Catering Company Do you enjoy connecting people with one another? • Sally Anne Harrell ’07, Director of Global Shared Trade, Thistle Farms • Lacy Jamison Nelson ’76, Senior Associate Director and Career Coach, Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management • Julie Hartzog Garcia ’89, Director of Pediatric Social Work, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt
Do you enjoy helping and working with children and families? • Catherine Mayes Knowles ’88, Homeless Education Program Coordinator, Metro Nashville Public Schools • Hannah Reed ’02, Medical Director, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Pediatric Psychiatry Clinic • Leanne Little West ’87, Chief Engineer of Pediatric Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology, President, International Children’s Advisory Network (iCAN) • Ann Ezzell Williford ’01, Obstetrician/ Gynecologist, Ascension Saint Thomas/ University of Tennessee Do you enjoy organizing people or things? • Hannah Claybrook Gibbs ’10, COVID-19 Task Force Commander, Tennessee Army National Guard • Ellie Hitt ’13, Executive Coordinator, Harvard Kennedy School, Belfer Center • Pauline Lewis ’03, Research Librarian, Stanford University Library • Julia Sturgeon ’09, Senior Biostatistician, Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. Do you enjoy thinking outside the box? • Shelby Potter ’15, Range Safety Officer, Department of Defense, Air Force • Kate Sherrard Chinn ’93, Global Head, Community and Civic Engagement, AllianceBernstein • Xinrui (Tina) Qian ’12, Trading Associate, Bridgewater Associates • Margaret Riley King ’03, Partner and Literary Agent, WME Do you enjoy creating change? • Cari Johns Isham ’03, National Director of Development, 50CAN • Kendra Abkowitz Brooks ’03, Director of Policy and Sustainable Practices, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Office of Policy and Sustainable Practices • Megan Youngblood ’98, Associate Vice President, Vanderbilt Health Services, Vanderbilt University Medical Center • Reid Patton ’14, Product Manager, Facebook SUMMER 2021 | 31
FEATURE
‘A communal mindset’
In challenging times, Harpeth Hall almuna builds connections through empathy and understanding PHOTOGRAPHY BY GREG JOHNSON
Devin Graham’s work in healthcare began with autopsies. In her senior year at Harpeth Hall, she interned in the Davidson County Medical Examiner’s office during Winterim. As she learned alongside a team of pathologists and technicians, she developed a respect for the vocation and those called to it. “We were life's last responders,” she said, “charged with the duty of caring for those at their most vulnerable, whether they were deceased or mourning the loss of a loved one.” Through her Winterim experiences, Ms. Graham, a graduate of the Harpeth Hall Class of 2015, felt connected to that mission. After high school, she attended Brown University and continued her work in the medical examiner’s office during the summers. She spent months at a time behind the locked doors of an otherwise ordinary office, only resurfacing to return to her undergraduate studies. Through the work, she felt compassion for her community in a way she never had before. Over the last year, that role became more salient. For Ms. Graham, the pandemic underscored the importance of connection — of coming together to care for one another and lift each other up. When March of 2020 came, she watched along with the rest of the world as news reports showed refrigerated trucks pulling up to New York’s 32 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
morgues. The images left her feeling that we, as a country, were not prepared for the pain and loss about to come. “We weren’t ready structurally, emotionally, or mentally,” she said. At the time, Ms. Graham was living at home in Nashville — her travel plans to Morocco canceled because of the emerging pandemic. With the support of her mother, Dr. Cherise Felix, Ms. Graham decided to volunteer her time as an assistant at the COVID-19 testing site at Nissan Stadium. “I tend to run towards a disaster rather than away from it,” she said. She began by directing traffic and was soon recruited under the management of Meharry Medical to screen patients. She continued to volunteer nearly every day until the testing center officially hired her in July 2020. She not only directed traffic but also triaged, co-managed logistics, and swabbed the inside of patients’ noses for COVID-19. More than anything, she became a source of reassurance for patients seeking answers. As cars pulled across to the asphalt and drivers stopped to meet Ms. Graham, their questions usually started with standard logistics: “How does testing work?” “When do I get my results?” “How long do I have to quarantine?” Then, there often came a pause — a silence prompted by fear and incomprehension.
Ms. Graham’s supervisor Dr. Julie Gray, a Meharry Medical College dentist who ran the drive-thru COVID testing site, reminded the team during its huddle each morning to “Be kind, do good, and love all — even when it’s difficult.” So, in the short time Ms. Graham and the patients were together, she looked into the car window through the protective visor she wore over her face — and she filled the silent space. Sometimes she cracked a joke to ease the tension. Other times it was simply asking, “How are you doing?” She invited individuals to share what was on their hearts and met that with compassion. Through those simple gestures, she made a connection with someone who had been a stranger only minutes before and showed her dedication to helping the people in her community. “Devin’s level of empathy is unsurpassed by some clinicians in our field,” Dr. Gray told The Tennessean in a January 2021 article published about Ms. Graham. “She’s keen on reading the patient and what their issue is. She has a very special way of making you feel like you’re the only person in the room.”
LEANING INTO COMMUNITY
Ms. Graham carries that sense of care to the Harpeth Hall community. At Harpeth Hall, teachers and school leaders take seriously the obligation to cultivate a strong sense of community so that all students, faculty, and families feel a sense of belonging. So does Ms. Graham. “I was raised with a communal mindset, and the more I have leaned into community, the better my life has gone,” she said. “If anything, it’s important to me because it sustains me. It reminds me what’s real and what’s important.” Ms. Graham came to Harpeth Hall with a different life experience than many of her classmates. She lived across town. She was raised by a single parent. She felt the challenges of being a new 6th grade student who joined school midyear. Still, she shared connections with her classmates — her mother instilled in her the importance of the best education. So, she focused on building relationships — getting to know her new friends better and helping them get to know her.
conference during her junior and senior years at Harpeth Hall. After she graduated, she became a faculty facilitator. She has spent the last five years working with hundreds of students across the country collaborating in discussions of identity. At each annual conference, she reaches out to the Harpeth Hall students in attendance to say hello and reflect on what she has learned in the years since she graduated.
In her adult life, Ms. Graham has brought that forward. Using the communal mindset she was raised with, Ms. Graham and a group of her Harpeth Hall classmates came together over the last year to reflect on ways they can continue to make their beloved alma mater better and more beautiful than they left it. That discussion, which focused on community building, inclusivity, and belonging, brought them together to form a more profound kinship with each other.
“There is great importance in expanding community,” she said. “It’s so important to find people who are different than you are and invite them to share. If you aren’t able to see other people’s perspectives, you aren’t going to ever bridge the gap.”
“I believe we have a responsibility to the spaces we have inhabited,” Ms. Graham said. “Harpeth Hall gave me a massive opportunity to learn all these amazing skills that would carry me far. That connection doesn’t end when you leave. It continues.”
Her work with the medical examiner’s office and at the COVID testing center reinforced to her that even the most different individuals — whether in beliefs or circumstances — have the commonality of humanity.
Ms. Graham also connects with current Harpeth Hall students through her work with the National Association of Independent School’s Student Diversity Leadership Conference. She first attended the
“They are fallible and ephemeral,” she said, “and absolutely deserving beings who require care and attention.”
As she looks forward, Ms. Graham will continue to create spaces to come together and better understand each other.
SUMMER 2021 | 33
Middle School Honor Day CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 2025
“
The Middle School faculty and I have no doubt that the members of the class of 2025 will continue to lead confidently and live extraordinary lives. We will take great joy in watching the next part of your journey.
”
— Judi O'Brien, Director of the Middle School
The class of 2025 would be the first to tell you they aren't afraid to make some noise.
AWARD RECIPIENTS
“Loud is an adjective that describes our class — and our enthusiasm for each other,” said 8th grade student Lillian Yarbrough, who was chosen by her peers to be the speaker at the 2021 Honor Day celebration. “Our class is not only loud with our voices, but with support for our peers.”
Carol Clark Elam History Award
Going into 8th grade, this class knew it would be a different type of school year than they once imagined. They would be challenged to learn in new ways, and they would miss some traditions and trips they looked forward to. There were, at times, more questions than answers and many hurdles to overcome as everyone figured out how to persevere. “And while none of us would ever wish for the challenges of a global pandemic, you have navigated it with courage and determination,” Director of the Middle School Judi O’Brien said. The class of 2025 not only made the best of the year but also made it better for the entire Middle School. Throughout the year, they introduced new traditions from Kindness Week to the “Detective of the Week” program that highlighted students who supported classmates, did a good deed, followed new protocols, had a positive attitude, or welcomed others and helped uplift the school community. On May 21, with the support of that same community, Harpeth Hall’s 8th grade students marked the end of an unforgettable year with one of the school’s enduring and beautiful traditions. Honor Day celebrated the 91 members of the class of 2025 who successfully completed the Daugh W. Smith Middle School program. “Your kindness is contagious,” Ms. O’Brien said to the 8th grade class as they sat together on Souby Lawn joined by family and friends. “You appreciate and acknowledge each other’s contributions and make an effort to celebrate them. ...Thank you for teaching me lessons of kindness, hope, and resilience. Thank you for bringing your best selves to school every day, for asking for help when you needed it, and also extending a helping hand to others.” Honor Day marks the passage from Middle School to Upper School. This fall, the class of 2025 will transition across the lawn where they will begin their journeys in high school. But the girls will not soon be forgotten. “You are leaving the Middle School better in so many ways,” 7th grade student Louisa Brown said. “Your laughter is infectious, your smile is contagious, and your steps are full of pep. Our grade is so fortunate that we will spend almost all of our Harpeth Hall years following in your footsteps. Not because we have to by age, but because we want to by choice.”
Ava Stewart Rumsey
Daugh W. Smith English Award
Quinn Virginia Merlyn Erim Director’s Award
Elizabeth Pinner Lefler Elizabeth Hausman Community Service Award
Mary Jackson Tatum Head’s Award
Madisyn Amori Chandler Honor Day Speaker
Lillian Cline Yarbrough Lindy Sayers Award
Elizabeth Jean Draper Witherspoon Louise Wills Algebra I Award
Ashley Anne Maliakal
Most Outstanding Athlete Award
Lyla Reed Schick
Patty Chadwell Award
Clara Scott Harden Polly Fessey Award
Kaitlin Irene Day SPIRIT AWARDS Fifth Grade
Caroline Virginia Young Sixth Grade
Rebecca Delaney Settle
Congratulations to the Class of 2025 — a group of students who will be remembered for remaining positive and supportive to the entire Honeybear community and who will undoubtedly carry that resilience into the future.
Seventh Grade
“In our lives, we will be faced with challenges to overcome where we will need to be confident in ourselves and use our loud and powerful voices to rise above,” Lillian said to her class as she concluded her Honor Day speech. “As my favorite Super Bowl halftime performer and fashion icon Katy Perry once said, ‘Your voice is your superpower.’ To the class of 2025, you are all superheroes in your own ways, and as we continue our Harpeth Hall journey together remember to always speak your truth and keep the volume on loud.”
Lillian Cline Yarbrough
34 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
Shelby Hope Tompkins Eighth Grade
CELEBRATIONS
STUDENT COUNCIL OFFICERS Stewardship Chair
Elizabeth Jean Draper Witherspoon Student Activities Chair
Clara Scott Harden
Service Learning Chair
Mary Jackson Tatum
Environmental Issues Chair
Kate Faulconer Linley Athletic Chair
Taylor Dianne Hurst Honor Education Committee
Ya’el Noa Amsalem Saskia Auguste Christopher Lucille Avery Farringer Tara Elizabeth Hagerty Anna Elizabeth Lamb Elizabeth Ryan Van Mol Caroline Yu Rou Murphy Cailin Margaret Rork Corinne Ashley Smith INTRAMURAL CLUB CAPTAINS Angkor
Evie Andrews Moore Lyla Reed Schick Ariston
Caroline Kemp Barker Anna Catherine Graham Eccowasin
Charlotte Oaks Bartholomew Campbell Meadors Counter Triad
Mary Claire Smith Lillian Cline Yarbrough
SUMMER 2021 | 35
CELEBRATIONS
Step Singing CLASS OF 2021
Harpeth Hall senior Spencer Robbins doesn’t have any real fears. Except for one. And a half. She couldn’t care less about heights or spiders. She has a “super minor, half fear” of gibbons swinging over the fence at the zoo and landing on her head. But that’s not the one that gets her. Her true fear is forgetting. “We don’t have enough room in our brain for every ounce we wish we could store away there,” she said, “and I am worried of running out of room.” Spencer wants to remember what it feels like when a Harpeth Hall teacher looks her in the eye and encourages her by saying, “You do know.” She wants to hold on to the laughter in the classroom when a teacher offers advice on a silly topic. She wants to recall the discussions with her teachers that left her “wanting to change the world.” And she wants to remember Harpeth Hall, a place that for the last eight years has given her and her classmates an excellent education and enduring memories. “I wish I could capture our countless Souby picnics this year with the sun warming our backs and the ‘eye smiles’ in the hall that we got so good at,” she said. “I’m devoted to remembering all of it, and the relationships I’ve formed here will remind me of this place always.” That devotion — a love, a loyalty, an enthusiasm — spread across Souby Lawn as the seniors and juniors gathered together for the 2021 Step Singing ceremony.
In a special tradition that has endured since the 1920s, each year Harpeth Hall’s graduating class passes leadership of the school to the juniors. The ceremony also honors the Lady of the Hall, the highest honor given to a member of the senior class. This year, Spencer Robbins received that honor, speaking of a respect for the place that taught her it’s not just about what you learn but how you use that education. “I hope we can all say we are devoted to learning,” Spencer said. “Not devoted to a grade, or recognition, or college acceptance, but to learning — to being present, and to listening, and to speaking up.” Because, Spencer said, “I have grown up in this place — and it has taught me to devote my every effort to the things I care about.” After Spencer spoke, the classes carried on the beautiful singing tradition started by the women of Ward-Belmont over a century ago. Lined along the steps of the Ann Scott Carell Library, the Class of 2021 passed on their leadership of Harpeth Hall by singing “My Wish.” The juniors accepted leadership of the school with their own song to the seniors “Slipping Through My Fingers.” Then the Class of 2022 pledged to transmit Harpeth Hall better, greater, and more beautiful than it was transmitted to them. To close the ceremony, Ms. Sinclair Kelly ’98, a Harpeth Hall alumna and mentor to this year’s senior class, offered some words of encouragement. She called on the Class of 2021 to trust their gut, to learn more by experiencing more, to crowd their tables with friends they care about, and to become individuals who do more. “Make that a part of who you are,” Ms. Kelly said. “Don’t just post or hashtag something. Do something yourself. Do something because it is the right thing to do. Do something because it gives you purpose.” Those are words Spencer and her classmates will never forget.
36 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
Lady of the
Hall
AND HER COURT
Lady of the Hall
Spencer Robbins Senior Representative
Sinclair Walker
Junior Representative
Betsy Rogers
Sophomore Representative
Lailah Rucker
Freshman Representative
Ivey Mayes
Eighth Grade Herald
Kiki Christopher
Seventh Grade Herald
Sarah Roper
Sixth Grade Crownbearer
Josie Hassell
Fifth Grade Crownbearer
Julia LaFreniere
SUMMER 2021 | 37
CELEBRATIONS
Senior Awards
Katie Wray Valedictory Award
Sarah Cook
38 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
Second Honors
Clara Murff
Third Honors
Gretchen Walsh
Graduation
CELEBRATIONS
HONORING THE CLASS OF 2021
W
hen she was in the 5th grade, Edith Kiprono sat in the Frances Bond Davis Theatre and watched the senior class run down the aisles laughing, dancing, and singing on the first day of school. She thought they were the “coolest girls ever” and she could not wait until her senior year. May 2021 marked the end of Edith’s senior year at Harpeth Hall. Though she has grown over the last eight years, she still thinks the seniors are the “coolest girls ever.” The Class of 2021, aside from being a remarkably cool class, led a difficult year with grace, flexibility, and good humor. They kept the spirits of the entire school community lifted and taught us all how to care for one another during hard times. “You inspired and led us all — students and adults — by helping us focus more on what was, rather than what was not,” Head of School Jess Hill said. “Some of us started this Harpeth Hall chapter of our lives as 10- and 11-year-olds, barely knowing anyone,” senior Frances Bradford said. “No matter who we were a few years ago before Harpeth Hall, we have all become something greater. This time has changed us for the better.” The 98 members of the graduating class have changed the school for the better, as well. From creating new programs that help serve our community, including spearheading efforts to make over 2,000 masks during COVID-19, to providing constant support and guidance to each other and the rest of the student body during a year of uncertainty and disappointment, each student has left an enduring mark on campus and they will be missed by all. On a beautiful evening in May, the bell rang across Souby Lawn, signifying the beginning of the 70th commencement ceremony at the current Harpeth Hall campus. For the first time in over a year, family and friends came together on campus to celebrate the Class of 2021 in person as the graduates collected their diplomas and began the next exciting step in their lives. From here, the Class of 2021 will continue to grow the roots they planted at Harpeth Hall as they travel across the continent to continue their studies as college students. “After we walk up Souby Lawn as graduates, no one will be able to guess what we will accomplish next,” senior Nora Wang said. Whatever dreams these graduates follow, we cannot wait to see what they achieve. “This evening,” Ms. Hill concluded, “we send you into the world with our very best wishes and a solid belief that you, Class of 2021, will help us envision a better one.” SUMMER 2021 | 39
CELEBRATIONS
40 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
CELEBRATIONS
SUMMER 2021 | 41
CELEBRATIONS
42 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
CELEBRATIONS
The CLASS OF 2O21 received offers of admission to 140 colleges and universities throughout
the United States and abroad. All 98 young women will attend 60 schools in 27 states plus Washington, D.C. and Canada.
Catherine Ryan Wake Forest University Eliana Schneider Syracuse University Lily Silvester Texas Christian University
Mariam Al-Rawi Belmont University
Emma Dube Belmont University
Cate Kohl University of Tampa
Coco Smith Auburn University
Isabelle Arnold University of South Carolina
Mallory Egly University of Tennessee
Jojo Lampka Santa Clara University
Ava Sohr Loyola University Chicago
Mary Catherine Aylward Syracuse University
Georgia Elder University of Miami
Grace Lee Washington University
Weatherly Spence Rhodes College
Angie Baird Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Lila Elrod DePaul University
Ellie Leschen Colorado State University
Annie Stewart Cornell University
Alli Baker Belmont University
Nev Fenelon University of Washington
Grace MacLachlan University of Vermont
Nora Sullivan Saint Louis University
Olivia Barlow Auburn University
Lily Ford University of Tennessee
Lily Majors University of San Diego
Libby Tarantin Wake Forest University
Neva Bass Vanderbilt University
Kalla Freeman University of Tennessee
Ava Malnati Lehigh University
Sloane Thor Wittenberg University
Frances Bradford Bryn Mawr College
Kayla Gardner University of Tennessee
Tori McDermott Auburn University
Mary Beth Tune Bates College
Janet Briggs Bowdoin College
Macy Gilmour University of Washington
Madeline McGrew Southern Methodist University
Sydney Vandewater Texas Christian University
Zoe Burnett Tulane University
Anna Parker Griffith Texas Christian University
Claire Mendes Loyola University Chicago
Sinclair Walker Washington and Lee University
Devon Campbell Columbia University
Bailey Grissom University of Texas at Austin
Abby Mertz Tulane University
Virginia Wall Southern Methodist University
Hannah Britt Campbell Auburn University
Megan Hannon Purdue University
Zoe Miles University of Rochester
Gretchen Walsh University of Virginia
Kenna Carter University of Miami
Tessa Haws Colorado School of Mines
Kate Miller Boston College
Nora Wang University of Pennsylvania
Sabrina Chandra University of Miami
Ellen Hedera Auburn University
Emory Moore Belmont University
Ava Claire Williams University of Georgia
Eva Christopher Davidson College
Maggie Hedera University of Southern California
Liliana Morrison Clemson University
Claire Wilson University of South Carolina
Clare Coleman Southern Methodist University
Lela Hooper University of Georgia
Abby Moschel University of Michigan
Kate Wilson Auburn University
Mary Collins Howard University
Belle Huang Vanderbilt University
Fiona Muldowney University of Mississippi
Emily Wood Oregon State University
Sarah Cook Yale University
Falcon Hudson University of Mississippi
Clara Murff Stanford University
Simms Woodward University of Georgia
McKenzie Cooper Florida State University
Elise Ikejiani Baylor University
Olivia Pickens University of Alabama
Sydney Wynn Spelman College
Maddy Corts University of Tennessee
Taylor Kappelman Washington and Lee University
Elise Presnell University of Richmond
Quinlan Cyr University of British Columbia
Tina Karimaghaie Princeton University
Lily Przybylinski University of Southern California
Cate Yappen Sewanee: The University of the South
Isabella Davé Wake Forest University
Kathleen Kerr Wake Forest University
Macy Richards University of Kentucky
Margo Dobbs Baylor University
Hannah King University of Georgia
Maia Roark Haverford College
Martha Downey University of Georgia
Edith Kiprono University of Tennessee
Spencer Robbins Columbia University
Lynleigh Young College of William and Mary Mary Neely Young Miami University Christina Zua Loyola University Chicago SUMMER 2021 | 43
ACCOLADES
Upper School 2020-2021 End-of-Year Awards BOOK AWARDS
ATHLETIC AWARDS
Rhodes College Book Award Kate Maree Brewer
Outstanding Athlete Award Gretchen Walsh
Wesleyan College Book Award Priyanka Chiguluri
Emmons Woolwine Scholar-Athlete Award Spencer Robbins
University of Chicago Book Award Cate Frist Harvard University Book Award Brooke Lytle Hollins University Book Award Autumn Nash University of Pennsylvania Book Award Elisabeth Nelson Princeton University Book Award Sabrina Russell RPI Medal Michaela Hamman University of Rochester Book Award Mary Holine Van Mol Tulane University Book Award Betsy Rogers University of Virginia: Jefferson Book Award Taylor Nisbet Washington & Lee University Book Award Sarah Lillard Wellesley College Book Award Gabby Welhoelter
44 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
Yale University Book Award Eleanor Taylor
Pat Moran Sportsmanship Award Catherine Ryan Susan Russ Competitors Award Emory Moore DEPARTMENT AWARDS
Outstanding Choral Student Madeline McGrew Outstanding Instrumental Student Christina Zua Outstanding Thespian Frances Bradford Marnie Sheridan Art Award Maddy Corts and Abby Moschel Souby Hall Award Nora Wang Cindy Crist Art Purchase Award Ava Sohr Susan Souby Spirit of English Award Mary Neely Young English Award Zoe Miles History Award Janet Briggs Spirit of Science Award Tori McDermott
Pickens Science Award Sarah Cook
CLASS SPIRIT AWARDS
SENIOR AWARDS
9th Grade: Lauren Wynn
Math Award Gretchen Walsh
10th Grade: Lailah Rucker
Idanelle McMurry Award Lela Hooper
Helen Mullins Manning Mathematics Award Spencer Robbins
12th Grade: Georgia Elder
Ottarson Latin Award Ava Malnati and Spencer Robbins Mary Varina Frazer Latin Award Grace Lee Róngyù Jiǎng Belle Huang Chen Jiann Min Award Sarah Cook Lucie L. Fountain French Award Macy Gilmour and Elisabeth Nelson Spanish Award Clara Murff Cum Laude Award Sinclair Walker
11th Grade: Eleanor Taylor
ELIZABETH POPE EVANS AWARDS
9th Grade: Linden Alldredge, Lilly Bartholomew, Madeline Bell, Madison Chung, Davern Cigarran, Carly Frist, Charlotte Hagood, Sarah Hinds, Alex Hu, and Izzy Willers 10th Grade: Pauline Bailey, Bella Guillamondegui, Annie Linley, Lena Qian, Mary Roper, and Caroline Seehorn
Patsy White Bradshaw Citizenship Award Martha Downey Susan McKeand Baughman Award Sinclair Walker Director's Award Clara Murff Head's Award Janet Briggs
11th Grade: Cate Frist, Brooke Lytle, Elisabeth Nelson, Alexa Sheldon, and Eleanor Taylor 12th Grade: Devon Campbell, Sarah Cook, Clara Murff, Gretchen Walsh, and Nora Wang
SUMMER 2021 | 45
ALUMNAE
SENIORS AND THEIR ALUMNAE MOTHERS AND GRANDMOTHERS
Almost Alumnae LUNCHEON
46 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
Harpeth Hall New Trustees
Bahar Azhdari ’00 Kate Sherrard Chinn ’93 Bahar Azhdari ’00 is associate general counsel, labor and employment at Brookdale Senior Living Inc., a national leader in senior living solutions. She was formerly an associate with Waller. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and Middle Eastern Studies from Emory University and received her law degree from the University of Tennessee Law School. Bahar is a current member of the Board of Directors of the Nashville Bar Association, and she has served on the Board of Directors and executive committee for First Steps, Inc. Bahar served on Harpeth Hall’s Head’s Young Alumnae Council from 2010 to 2019 and served as co-chair from 2015 to 2017. She has served on numerous alumnae panels for Harpeth Hall’s Admission Office and is a frequent Career Day participant. Kate Sherrard Chinn ’93 is vice president/head of community and civic engagement at AllianceBernstein in Nashville. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, graduating Phi Beta Kappa. Previously, she was the senior vice president of growth at the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. Kate lived in New York City from 1999 to 2015 where she worked in project management and marketing fields, including a stint as senior director of marketing at Rockefeller Center. Kate is completing her term as the alumnae board president, and served as president-elect in 2019-2020, which included two years as an ex officio member of the Board of Trustees. She served on the National Advisory Council from 2006 to 2012. Kate has chaired The Annual Fund alumnae committee and has
Greg Hagood
Harpeth Hall salutes trustees whose terms concluded at the end of the 2020-2021 school year. Thank you Brie Brown Buchanan ’99, Craig Buffkin, Patty Delony ’66, Carol Len Portis, and David Vandewater for your years of trustee service. We welcome the following new trustees beginning 2021-2022 and congratulate two new honorary trustees.
Hal Hess
served as a reunion class chair. She has participated on the distinguished alumna committee and most recently participated in Career Day 2021. Kate was celebrated as Harpeth Hall’s Lady of the Hall in 1993. Greg Hagood is a co-founder and co-CEO of Nephila Capital Ltd., which is a leading investment manager specializing in catastrophe reinsurance risk and has offices in Bermuda, London, Nashville, and San Francisco. He received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Tennessee. He began his financial career at Bear Stearns in New York, where he managed the mortgage servicing trading desk. In 1997, he joined Willis Group in London to help start up what is now Nephila Capital. He is a former member of the Franklin Road Academy Board of Trustees and serves on the Board of the Martha O’Bryan Center. He is completing his term as Harpeth Hall’s Annual Fund major gifts chair with his wife Barbara. Their daughter Charlotte is a rising 10th grade student at Harpeth Hall, and their other two children are graduates of FRA. Hal Hess began his career at King & Spalding in Atlanta and later joined American Tower Corporation serving as executive vice president of international operations and president for the Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Africa regions. American Tower Corp. is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns, operates, and develops multitenant communications real estate all over the world. During his tenure at American Tower, the Hess family lived in Boston and the Netherlands. Hal earned his undergraduate degree from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas, and his
Arie Nettles, Ph.D.
Michelle Wolfe Proctor ’89
J.D. from Vanderbilt School of Law. Hal currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, and prior to moving to Nashville, served on the boards of Kingsley Montessori School and the Montserrat College of Art in the Boston area. He and his wife, Jodi, recently served on Harpeth Hall’s Annual Fund major gifts committee. Their daughter Emery is a rising 9th grader and Lila is a rising 5th grader. Arie Nettles, Ph.D is a professor of clinical pediatrics and a psychologist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She works with patients ranging from school-age children to young adults who have developmental disabilities, autism, and cleft and craniofacial disorders. She founded the VUMC Office of Inclusion and Health Equity at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and serves as its director. She earned a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science from the University of Tennessee and her Ph.D. in Clinical and School Psychology from The George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. She served on the Harpeth Hall Board of Trustees from 2006 to 2012 and as an ex officio member from 2004 to 2006 during her tenure as HHPA president and president-elect. She served on the Campaign for Harpeth Hall parent committee in the early 2000s. Her daughters are all Harpeth Hall graduates: Ana Nettles ’05, Sabin Nettles ’09, and Aidan Nettles ’13. Michelle Wolfe Proctor ’89 is a certified financial planner and financial advisor with Crown Capital Securities, L.P. She received her Bachelor of Science in Corporate Finance from the University of
Alison Smith ’79
Patty Litton Delony ’66
Alabama. She has worked with AmSouth’s Investment Services Group, Powell Johnson, and Stifel, Nicolaus & Company as a financial advisor. She has served for multiple years on The Annual Fund alumnae committee and has been a reunion class chair. She and her husband, Steve, recently served on The Annual Fund major gifts committee. Their daughter Mimi is a rising 10th grader at Harpeth Hall. Alison Smith ’79 is senior vice president of distribution and administration services at Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) headquartered in New York City. She oversees all of BMI’s domestic and international royalty distribution and administration services to its more than 900,000 members. Alison earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Belmont University’s School of Music Business. She served on Harpeth Hall’s National Advisory Council from 2012 to 2019, and was the co-chair from 2017 to 2019, which included an ex officio term on the Board of Trustees. She has hosted Winterim interns at BMI both in New York City and in Nashville and has hosted numerous regional events for students and alumnae in the New York area during Winterim.
HONORARY TRUSTEES Patty Litton Delony ’66 served as a Harpeth Hall trustee from 2015 to 2021 and was an invaluable member of the finance committee. She has an undergraduate degree in economics from Duke University and an M.B.A. in finance from Georgia State University. She also holds the C.F.A. designation. Earlier in her career, she was a vice president of Sara Lee
Jackie Glover Thompson ’64
Corporation and worked as a portfolio manager and economist for an Atlanta bank. A resident of Chicago, Patty served on the National Advisory Council, of which she was named an honorary member in 2007 and has chaired numerous alumnae committees. With her deep roots in Harpeth Hall history, Patty was a contributing writer to Celebrating Milestones: The Life and Legacy of the Harpeth Hall School published in 2001. Patty is the daughter of Jane Chadwell Delony ’39 and the niece of Patty Litton Chadwell ’35, who founded Harpeth Hall’s physical education and tennis programs for whom the fitness center is named in the Athletic and Wellness Center. Jackie Glover Thompson ’64 served her first term as a trustee in 1978. As she ends her most recent term as secretary of the Board of Trustees, Jackie concludes a total of 34 years of extraordinary trustee service. She has served on numerous committees for all aspects of Harpeth Hall school life including Head of School search committees, alumnae and campaign fundraising, finance, security planning, and trustees and governance. In 1999, Jackie received the prestigious Dede Bullard Wallace Award, which honors individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the school. Jackie and her husband, De, have many family ties to Harpeth Hall, including their two daughters, Mary Britton Thompson Cummings ’93 and Jacqueline Thompson Towery ’00, daughter-in-law Margaret McNeilly Thompson ’03, and two granddaughters who are current students, Marion Cummings ’22 and Adelaide Cummings ’26.
SUMMER 2021 | 47
2021 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA
T
he Legion of Honor is France’s highest decoration — and one of the most famous in the world. For two centuries, it has been presented on behalf of the Head of State to reward esteemed service to the nation. Honorees include acclaimed women of politics, literature, and art, including Eleanor Roosevelt, J.K. Rowling, and Toni Morrison.
Candice Burgess Nancel ’78
Among them, is also a Harpeth Hall graduate and 2021 Distinguished Alumna Award recipient — Candice Burgess Nancel. In a career dedicated to humanitarian and cultural causes, Candice has met presidents, diplomats, philanthropists, and celebrities. She has devoted her life to preserving French history and promoting strong Franco-American relations. She has raised millions of dollars in support of historic restoration and preservation. And she has embraced life as the global citizen all Harpeth Hall girls strive to become. Her journey began with a Winterim trip to France her senior year at Harpeth Hall. “I learned that what I knew and where I lived was not the center of the universe,” she said. “It was humbling to realize that there are different ways to live, to have a family, and these ways may be just as good and creative as the way we do things in the United States.” Candice didn’t especially stand out in the classroom at Harpeth Hall. A self-described average student, she found the curriculum challenging. She managed “with a lot of acceptance and encouragement from my classmates and the Harpeth Hall teachers, which is a testimony to the great place Harpeth Hall is.” The support set her up for the great journey ahead. Early in her professional career, Candice sold World Trade Center memberships in Paris. She drew upon the “discipline, rigor, and persistence” she gained at Harpeth Hall in mastering the French language and understanding French history, art, and architecture. Clients remember her “conviction.” “I quickly learned that the favorite answer for most French people is ‘no,’ ” Candice said. “To a typical American, that can be quite 48 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
discouraging. I eventually learned that ‘no’ in France doesn’t mean the same as it does in the U.S. ‘No’ in France means maybe — persuade me to want to say ’yes.’ French men and women like to be brought around to a ‘yes.’ “... To this day, I believe if you know your product is good, you know to whom you are selling, and you add pep, a smile, a joke, a surprise — something they are not expecting, you can have successes.” There were many successes on the horizon for Candice. She served as the founding director of Un Enfant par la Main, a French nonprofit association affiliated with the Christian Children’s Fund. Within four years, she recruited six employees and 70 volunteers, generating over 6,000 sponsorships for children in developing countries. In 1998, she began work for the American Embassy in Paris devoting herself to the George C. Marshall Center, located in the Hôtel de Talleyrand on the Place de la Concorde. A remarkable example of a late 18th-century Parisian townhouse, the Hôtel de Talleyrand has been the site of diplomatic activity for over a century and once served as the American headquarters of the Marshall Plan, the post-war reconstruction plan for Western Europe. As coordinator at the Center, Candice was responsible for all official American Embassy events. When she was promoted to manager, her role became even more consuming as she took on responsibility for fundraising for the Center’s ambitious interior restoration. Candice stepped up to the restoration challenge knowing it was a vast undertaking that would require extensive on-the-job learning.
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA
She explained, “I often wondered why a person thought I could do a task, but I didn’t spend too much time wondering. I just went out and did my best.” Candice successfully raised over $5 million for the restoration project while coordinating events and experts to achieve the highly specialized task of restoring this historic treasure to its grand past. When asked about working within budgets while inspiring both donors and artisans, Candice said: “Artisans love what they do and just want to keep doing it. They have a great capacity to adapt if they know you are on their side. When funds got tight during the 10-year restoration of the Marshall Center, the artisans slowed down to stay on the job while we kept trying to raise more funds.” Once again, Candice figured a way to get a “yes” by connecting the artisans and donors: “At one point we began working together. I would ask the artisans to come to an evening event and show the donors what they do. This was meaningful for both groups.” Candice currently serves as cultural asset manager for the U.S. Embassy in Paris, France. She oversees the archives and conservation for 10 embassy buildings in France and a collection of over 2,000 cultural assets belonging to the U.S. Government in France. In addition to her demanding professional role, Candice volunteers as president of the Nashville-based American Friends of Chantilly. This nonprofit organization strives to increase awareness among Americans of the Domaine de Chantilly, France, and raise funds for restoration and educational exchanges. Candice’s advice to women? “Help other women. Do the best you can and work with others who complement your expertise. Make it fun. Find a partner who supports what you do. I am so fortunate to have Frederic, Nicolas, and Natasha, who enrich my life. Set firm limits with your time for work, your family, your faith, and your time for you, which is something I am still working on. One of my regrets is spreading myself too thin. I accomplished a lot but at the price of my health. I have survived cancer twice and still work more than I should because I love what I do. Most importantly: Take care of yourself.”
In reflecting on her achievements, Candice said Harpeth Hall is the best springboard for its students and that any career can be successful when a person enjoys what she does, no matter where she is in the country or the world. “I’m a swimmer, so an analogy might do,” she said. “Harpeth Hall taught me to develop my intellectual and physical muscles. Harpeth Hall held me up as an example even when I was just a work-in-progress as an honored dancer. Harpeth Hall showed me that those who think or swim differently aren’t necessarily wrong, and Harpeth Hall encouraged me to swim with others who brought different strengths to the team when I spent Winterim in France. “In short, the school encouraged me to stride out to the end of the diving board and take the plunge because I had something unique to contribute even though I wasn’t at the top of the class. I have swum in ponds and crossed oceans to find my best stroke. At times, the water has been calm and my strokes had to be consistent; at other times, there have been large waves in which I found treading water was the only way to ride them out. Successes were found in diving deep to bring up and preserve treasures. Perhaps the biggest success has been that I have enjoyed and continue to enjoy the swim.” Candice’s years of experience living in the country taught her the ways of the French, and a deep appreciation of and respect for French culture allowed her to be successful in her career as an American in France. The culmination of her extraordinary work occurred on May 25, 2010, in the U.S. Embassy’s George C. Marshall Center of the Hôtel de Talleyrand when Candice received the Legion of Honor Medal, France’s most prestigious award. She accepted this honor, created by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, with a speech to celebrated guests from both sides of the Atlantic. The first American female to receive this exceptional French award was the Titanic’s “Unsinkable” Molly Brown. She was followed by the likes of Josephine Baker, Julia Child, Barbara Streisand. And Candice Burgess Nancel.
SUMMER 2021 | 49
As
Exposure to prisons was intertwined in the trajectory of Julie’s life. Her family’s business, American Paper & Twine, was located near all the Middle Tennessee prisons. She made a documentary on the oldest prison in the United States, Eastern State Penitentiary, with her 10th grade history students in Philadelphia. Julie also refers to a family history tied to the Holocaust. “I’m a grandchild of Holocaust survivors, and I don’t think my later passion for helping the incarcerated is a coincidence,” Julie says. “There’s something about that barbed wire.”
a small child, Julie Doochin often accompanied her father to work. On the car ride, they would pass by what she saw as a beautiful castle. One day, she asked her father if a prince or princess lived there. Her father shook his head and replied, “that’s not a castle — it’s a prison.” It was, in fact, the original Tennessee State Prison. Ever since she saw the building, with its Victorian architecture and fortress-like facade, she could not stop thinking about the human beings who were hidden behind the stone walls and barbed wire. Years later, Julie established the Tennessee Higher Education in Prison Initiative (THEI), a nonprofit that brings degree-granting college programs to prisons in Tennessee. Julie embodies the tenets of the Harpeth Hall Spirit of Service Award, and her accomplishments highlight the impact one person can make through passion, commitment, and perseverance.
‘I just had a vision’
Julie Doochin ’90
All of these influences culminated in 2009 when Julie happened to catch a 60 Minutes segment about the Bard Prison Initiative, Bard College’s program behind bars. Julie knew she wanted to make a meaningful difference in an area where she was truly needed, and the 60 Minutes piece lit the match of inspiration to do the same thing in Tennessee. “I wanted to bring light to a dark place, and I believed education was the way to do that,” Julie says.
Julie believes her Harpeth Hall education, 2021 and certain teachers in particular, served ALUMNA SPIRIT OF SERVICE as inspiration for her path. “Dr. Art by Paige Ferragina Bainbridge ’89 Echerd, my European history teacher at Harpeth Hall, made a huge impact on me,” The path to create a college-in-prison program would not prove easy. she says. “His breadth and depth of knowledge was incredible, and his “I didn’t have a college, I didn’t have a prison, and I had no money,” passion for the subject was infectious. Not only did he inspire my love Julie recalls. “I just had a vision.” of history and subsequent decision to become a history educator initially, but I also took from him the belief that you must have a deep She approached the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) and understanding and comprehensive knowledge relative to your chosen Nashville State Community College (NSCC), and a partnership was area of expertise, which would serve me well later.” formed where Julie, through the nonprofit she founded for this purpose, Dr. Derah Myers’ English class served a pivotal role as well. “In her class, I nurtured a love of literature and poetry, and by providing the incarcerated access to a liberal arts curriculum,” Julie says. “I knew the students would read some of the classics just as I was able to do at Harpeth Hall.” The love of learning instilled in her at Harpeth Hall drove Julie to advance her own education while simultaneously pursuing careers that allowed her to educate others. Prior to founding THEI, Julie taught high school AP European History and Psychology spanning nine years at Franklin High School, the American School of Milan in Italy, and Germantown Academy in Philadelphia. She later served as education director for the Tennessee Holocaust Commission. Along the way, she earned a bachelor’s degree in European history from Vanderbilt University (’94), a master’s degree in secondary education from Peabody Vanderbilt (’97), and a master’s in European history from the University of Pennsylvania (’03). In 2013, she received her doctorate in learning organizations and strategic change from Lipscomb University. 50 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
would fund and coordinate NSCC degree-granting college courses behind bars. Unlike today, there was no bipartisan support for criminal justice reform and the idea of providing college education to prisoners was minimal at best in 2010. Since federal Pell grants for prisoners were banned in 1994, Julie had to find funding. Julie had to convince a lot of stakeholders along the way, including the state legislature and the department of correction, to support her initiative.
The next obstacle was getting the students to meet the admissions criteria of Nashville State and enrolled to start classes in January 2012. “During all the craziness, something beautiful happened,” Julie explains. “We were all so invested in making it work. The warden, the principal, some correctional officers, and the incarcerated applicants themselves all came together almost every night. I tutored, and students tutored other students.” More than 50 students tested and, in January 2012, 25 newly enrolled Nashville State students, taking English Composition I and World Religions, began pursuing their college degrees behind bars at Charles Bass Correctional Complex in Nashville.
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“
I wanted to bring light to a dark place, and I believed education was the way to do that.
”
When Julie created the model for the Tennessee Higher Education in Prison Initiative program, she designed it as a credit-bearing curriculum with on-site professors offering a liberal arts education leading toward an associate degree.
A path forward
Following Julie’s success with THEI, Dismas House of Nashville sought her out. Julie became the Dismas vice president of programs in 2019 overseeing all aspects of resident care for this re-entry facility for men returning to the community from all 14 state prisons and all county jails statewide. In April 2020, Dismas moved from an eight-bed house on Music Row to a 72-bed campus. The program grew from serving 20 men to 175 men a year, making it one of the largest facilities of its type in Tennessee.
“There’s a level of critical thinking skills in a liberal arts education you don’t obtain through vocational education,” she says. “At Harpeth Hall, I learned the value of a quality, liberal arts education and over time came “At Dismas, I have shifted focus from higher education behind bars to to believe that access to this sort of education shouldn’t be a privilege for helping ‘returning citizens’ successfully reenter the community by facing a few, but a right for all, including those living behind bars.” the multitude of barriers they encounter,” Julie says.
Valuable partnerships pave the way
The pilot program was so successful it paved the way for a second college program at Turney Center Industrial Complex in Middle Tennessee, also with courses and credits being offered by Nashville State. In January 2017, a third program bringing college access to incarcerated men in West Tennessee through a partnership with Dyersburg State Community College started at Northwest Correctional Complex. Twelve months later, in December 2017, 23 incarcerated scholars earned Associate of Science degrees in political science or business administration from Nashville State. Since stepping down as THEI executive director in late 2017, Julie’s initial vision of providing college access to prisoners statewide was realized when THEI, in partnership with Roane State Community College, implemented a college program in East Tennessee at Morgan County Correctional Complex. In 2019, THEI received support from the office of Governor Bill Lee to begin the development of a bachelor’s degree program, and the organization is solidifying college partnerships now. Since its inception, the Tennessee Higher Education in Prison Initiative has enrolled hundreds of students who have benefited from the program. THEI college programs have been at four prisons statewide and operate actively at three today. To date, 56 college degrees have been awarded through THEI’s college partners and this number will grow to 75 by late 2021. Julie proudly notes, “not one person who has earned a degree has returned to prison.”
Julie’s goal has been to help Dismas House become a model for reentry success in the state. “In Tennessee, roughly 50% of those who are released from prison will return to incarceration within three years. It’s hard to maintain employment or excel in school if you are suffering from untreated PTSD, bipolar disorder, or have a methamphetamine addiction,” she stresses. Julie has developed an innovative and holistic reentry program that addresses both the underlying factors to successful reentry such as mental health and substance abuse disorders, in addition to the more tangible barriers such as lack of education and technology deficits, employment discrimination, driver’s license reinstatement, financial literacy, and lack of family support. Coming full circle, the Tennessee Higher Education in Prison Initiative and Dismas House are now collaborating to strengthen the reentry pathway for THEI college students as they return to the community. “It has been wonderful and heartwarming to see several college students I knew behind bars walk through the Dismas doors as free men and to collaborate with THEI to support them as they work toward their degree completion on this side of the bars,” Julie says. Julie continues in her work of “bringing light to a dark place,” and indeed her gift of service shines as an inspirational beacon for us all.
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REUNION 2O2O • 2O21
Honeybear Homecoming Twice the FUN in 2-O-2-1
October 8 and 9 are the dates for our reimagined Honeybear Homecoming Reunion Weekend Whether it’s your fifth, your 65th, or somewhere in between, we welcome you back to campus this fall!
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8 11:30 a.m. • Milestones Society Luncheon honoring the classes of 1955, 1956, 1960, 1961, 1965, and 1966 3:30 p.m. • Campus Tours 4:15 – 5:15 p.m. • “Harpeth Hall Today” with Head of School Jess Hill 5:15 – 6:00 p.m. • Wine and Cheese following Harpeth Hall Today
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9 Winterim in May • Lifelong Learning — Classes, times, and locations to be announced 10:00 a.m. • 50th Reunion Brunch honoring the Class of 1970 12:00 p.m. • 50th Reunion Brunch honoring the Class of 1971 3:15 – 4:30 p.m. • Reunion Alumnae Panel Discussion — Beyond the Plaid 4:30 p.m. • Campus Tours 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. • Cocktails on Campus: A Complimentary All-Alumnae Celebration Individual Class Parties Friday and/or Saturday Evenings
1955 1956 1960 1961 1965 1966 1970 1971 1975 1976 1980 1981 1985 1986 1990 1991 1995 1996 2000 2001 2005 2006 2010 2011 2015 2016 WE INVITE ALL 26 CLASSES TO JOIN US FOR ‘Twice the FUN in 2-O-2-1’ Questions? Visit HarpethHall.org/alumnae/reunion or email alumnaeoffice@harpethhall.org 52 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
The Alumnae Network Spotlight Bev Statland Klau ’96 is the founder, CEO, and chief curator of Verbina, a new social media app for anyone who wants to participate in intentional conversations about things that matter. The Alumnae Network is designed to be much more than an online directory. What features do you find most beneficial on the platform? The Alumnae Network is an incredibly powerful tool. I know that when I reach out to any alumnae, they will be happy to connect because of our shared history. It is fascinating to scroll through the Network and see all the different, interesting jobs and industries represented. The events feature is a quick and easy way to see alumnae events on the horizon. Earlier this year, I attended the virtual alumnae book club winter gathering with current Harpeth Hall faculty and alumnae. Has it helped you to find and connect with alumnae in your area or your industry? Yes! Recently, while scrolling through the Alumnae Network I came across Briley Newell ’15 who is listed as a Jewish educator near me in Massachusetts. Since there are not many alumnae living in my area, and I previously worked in Jewish education, I was excited to connect! I reached out to Briley directly through the Network app just before the Passover holiday. We plan to meet in person after we are vaccinated! As a business owner, how do you plan on using the platform to promote your business? After months of development, I recently launched my social media app, Verbina, which is designed to make it easy to gather stories and build community. Now that the app is available for use, my focus is to get the word out to those in my personal and professional network that this resource is available. I will use the Alumnae Network to expand my reach to those in different industries and cities across the globe. I am excited to connect with my fellow honeybears because I know that we share the values of service, honor, and female empowerment, as well as the desire to see fellow alumnae succeed. To join the Alumnae Network, visit www.HarpethHall.org/alumnae/alumnae-network and learn more about accessing and using the platform.
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CALL for NOMINATIONS! NOW ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR HARPETH HALL'S 2022 ALUMNAE AWARDS Harpeth Hall strives to recognize the extraordinary achievements of our alumnae with a variety of awards. From leadership and serving as an example for other women to outstanding service to excellence in athletics, these recipients deserve recognition from their alma mater.
Harpeth Hall/Ward-Belmont Distinguished Alumna Award
The Harpeth Hall/Ward-Belmont Distinguished Alumna Award recognizes graduates who have achieved wide recognition for professional excellence and leadership. Candidates for this award are women who are trailblazers, display extraordinary gifts of leadership and organizational ability, are moving spirits in health, welfare, cultural, or civic affairs, have achieved wide recognition for professional excellence and leadership, serve as an example for other women, and have attained unusual success in highly competitive fields. Distinguished Alumna Award candidates may also be women who have been nationally recognized for vision, skill, and commitment to make things happen.
Alumna Spirit of Service Award
The Alumna Spirit of Service Award recognizes and celebrates outstanding service by a Harpeth Hall/Ward-Belmont alumna. The recipient of the award is a woman who has gone above and beyond the call to serve and who embodies Harpeth Hall’s mission to “develop responsible citizens who have global perspectives and make meaningful contributions to their communities and the world.” Award candidates are women who demonstrate an innovative approach to solving a problem or meeting a need, show a high level of commitment to their project, make a meaningful impact on the people or community they serve, inspire others through outreach and education, exhibit visionary and empowering leadership, and teach and mentor others interested in making a difference through service.
Athletic Hall of Fame
(Awarded every four to five years) Established in 2013, the Harpeth Hall/Ward-Belmont Athletic Hall of Fame honors notable alumnae athletes, coaches, and administrators who have demonstrated outstanding athletic ability by competing or coaching at the state, national, or international level. Through their good sportsmanship, citizenship, and character, these outstanding women left a lasting impression of achievement and excelled within the school’s athletic family.
For more information and to find nomination forms visit HarpethHall.org/alumnae/awards SUMMER 2021 | 53
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Laura Parrish ’73 is now retired from her position as a librarian for the Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera at the Winterthur Museum, Garden, and Library in Delaware.
Tina Cummings Frisse ’69 wrote a children’s book called The Nodders, a whimsical story about magical creatures who leave special treats for nappers while they snooze! A Nodder will peek in to see if a child is napping. If the child is asleep, a small treat will be tucked into her NapPouch for a surprise upon waking up. This rhyming naptime book for ages 2 to 5 encourages children to look forward to snuggling in their bed. Chrissie McClure ’71 is a contact tracer for the Metro Nashville Department of Health. She completed her training last July alongside Isabel Kennon ’15. Vernon Rose ’71 was chosen as one of Nashville Business Journal’s 2021 Women of Influence. The women on the list are female leaders making a difference in Music City. Vernon serves as the executive director of the Nashville General Hospital Foundation.
As director of student media at West Virginia University, Adell Crowe ’74 received the 2020 Distinguished Adviser Award by the College Media Association, the nation’s largest organization dedicated to serving collegiate media advisers. The award is presented to a faculty member who has had five years or more college student media advising experience. Adell retired in November and moved back to Washington, D.C. The Tennessee Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates presented Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle ’75 the Judicial Excellence Award for her outstanding contributions toward Tennessee’s fair and impartial rulings, in addition to her leadership both in and outside the courtroom. Jeannette Charlet Goddard ’77 of ChefWorks and Lee Phillips Oakley ’79 of Oakley’s Southern Delights released a new book, Tried and True: A Celebration of Food and Friendship. The book includes recipes, both old and new, as a distillation of their life, knowledge, and experience. In March, Amy Grant Gill ’78 appeared on the TODAY show with Ellie Holcomb, performing “A Woman,” the debut single from the FAITHFUL: Go and Speak album. Ellie is the daughter of Amy’s Harpeth Hall classmate, Debbie Hogue Bannister ’78. The United Way of Westchester and Putnam in New York recognized Jeannette Warner ’78 with the 2021 Spirit of Caring Award.
Vernon Rose 54 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
Frontline worker Col. Dr. Rachel Tidman Kaiser ’80 is an emergency medicine physician at Ascension Saint Thomas West and a colonel and emergency physician in the U.S. Army Reserve. She had the exciting experience of attending a reception at the White House for frontline personnel in December 2020.
Melissa Norton Carro ’81 wrote her first novel, Mt. Moriah’s Wake. She has over 20 years of experience in marketing and communications, including owning
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her own business, Norton Carro Communications. She also writes a weekly blog, In the Middle, about life in the sandwich generation and is currently working on another novel, Bagels at Nine. Melissa is the manager of clinical placements at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. Ellen Smith Simpson ’82 returned to Harpeth Hall this fall as a before and aftercare staff member.
Dr. Mary Laird Warner Stewart ’82 assumed the newly created associate chief medical officer position at Swedish Medical Center in Denver, Colorado. In her new role, she will partner with the chief medical officer to ensure high-quality, patient-centered care by leading clinical and quality initiatives that support consistent clinical performance and practice standards across the hospital. She is a board-certified medical intensivist and pulmonologist. Billboard named Jacqueline Saturn Dakar ’86 one of its 2020 Women in Music Executives. Jacqueline is president of Virgin Music label and artist services, formerly Caroline Records. Julie Riven Dretler ’89 recently became a licensed realtor at Fridrich & Clark Realty, LLC. Katie Sergent Cour ’90 was voted as one of the 2020 Most Admired CEOs by the Nashville Business Journal. She serves as president and CEO of the Nashville Public Education Foundation.
Holly Sears Sullivan ’90, Amazon’s director of worldwide economic development, is the current chair of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry board. The board, composed of 54 executives from across Tennessee, oversees a chamber that is a chief business voice in state politics. Also, the Nashville Business Journal named Holly to its “Power 100 2020: Disruptors List.” Leigh Fitts ’91 began a new position as director of operations at Daigh Rick Landscape Architects in Nashville, Tennessee. She previously served as an architect and project manager at Hastings Architecture for almost 14 years. Three alumnae have been selected for a Harvard Business School leadership program: Tara Scarlett ’91, Lissa Smith ’91, and Marcie Allen Van Mol ’92. In June, the participants from 14 cities across the country will engage in a case study on “urban and rural regions collaborations and strategies for economic resilience.” Langford Barksdale ’92 was one of two artists featured in The Bulletin, a central Oregon news publication. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from the University of Georgia, pursued additional art studies in Switzerland and Massachusetts, and taught and painted in Aspen, Colorado. She now lives in Bend, Oregon, where she paints full time. The Nashville Business Journal named Marcie Allen Van Mol ’92 to its “Power 100 2020: Connectors List.” She was also named one of the honorees for Billboard’s 2020 Women in Music Executives. Anna Ruth Brown Kimbrough ’94 was named a partner at the Nashville-based commercial and residential architecture design firm Studio 8 Design. She has demonstrated her design talent excellence throughout her career but has taken on more leadership responsibility and become a vital part of the firm as it
continues to grow. She is a registered architect and LEED-accredited professional with over 20 years of industry experience. Jennifer Towbin ’94 is a hospitalist in Chicago, Illinois. She has worked with COVID-19 patients since March 2020. In addition, Jennifer is a medical director which allowed her to help with the transition as surgical floors were converted to COVID-19 floors. Reese Witherspoon’s ’94 media company Hello Sunshine was named to TIME magazine’s “2021 TIME100 Most Influential Companies.” The company directive is to “create work that centers women, showcasing their agency and offering a glimmer of hope.” continued on page 56
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The Nashville Edit featured Kelleigh Bannen ’99 for her outstanding and passionate work as a musician, singer, podcaster, writer, and broadcaster with Apple Music. She has carved out a new path in her career as the host of The Kelleigh Bannen Show and Today’s Country Radio on Apple Music. As the cornerstone of Apple Music Country and the first female to helm her own country radio show, she does it all, from running the board to curating the music and more.
at Amazon in Nashville. In her role, she supports all public policy and advocacy efforts throughout Tennessee, focusing on Nashville as the location of Amazon’s new corporate operations office. Raleigh Anne Blank Gray ’03 is currently in business development for DraftKings Inc., which is committed to responsibly creating the world’s favorite games and betting experiences by building the best, most trusted, and most customer-centric destination for skin-in-the game fans while developing the most innovative and entertaining real money products and offers.
The San Carlos School District in San Carlos, California, appointed Sarah Allen Cassanego ’00 as its newest member of the SCSD School Board.
Dr. Rachel Glick Robison ’97 is a board-certified pediatric allergist and immunologist at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and an assistant professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. She was named as one of the top 100 women in the food allergy community. In addition to her clinical work, she has participated as a site co-investigator for the Chicagoland Metropolitan AsthmaNet Consortium for the AsthmaNet clinical research network and a site principal investigator and co-investigator for multiple clinical trials for food allergy therapy. Cate Connery Bury ’99 was officially recognized as a certified professional photographer by the Professional Photographers of America in March 2021. 56 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
Laura Cade Flippo ’00 returned to Harpeth Hall this fall as additional help for the school’s COVID-19 learning model as a teacher’s aide.
Nashville Business Journal named Michelle Gaskin Brown ’01 to its “Power 100 2020: Connectors List.” Michelle is an attorney and the manager of public policy
Margaret Riley King ’03 was chosen as one of the Nashville Business Journal’s 2021 Women of Influence. The women on the list are female leaders making a difference in Music City. She is a partner and literary agent at WME. Also, The Washington Post featured Margaret in an article entitled ”Glennon Doyle doesn’t work alone: The Untamed author and agent Margaret Riley King discuss their creative process.” The magazine Departures highlighted Kimia Ferdowsi Kline ’03 in an article entitled “Meet the Art World Rising Star Kimia Ferdowsi Kline.” Her paintings were shown in several virtual exhibits this past year, including the SWAB Barcelona Art Fair and Galerie C.O.A. in Montreal.
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Samantha Williams ’08 has a new job as commercial counsel at Colgate-Palmolive in New York City. She and her mother, Gail Carr Williams, were the featured speakers at the fall 2020 mother-special friend-daughter coffee virtual assembly for our Upper School. Meg Zager Glick ’09 founded her own private therapy practice in Brooklyn, New York, in October 2020. In her practice, she specializes in evaluating and treating children with ADHD, disruptive behavior disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and anxiety disorders. Jean-Marie Bibb Clark ’04 returned to Harpeth Hall this fall as additional help for the school’s COVID-19 learning model as a teacher’s aide. Allison Milam Diehl ’05 was selected to serve on the Oak Hill School board of directors. She is a program coordinator and counselor at Catholic Charities in Nashville, where she supervises a counseling program for children and adolescents impacted by trauma. Whitney Downs Hermandorfer ’05 was selected to clerk for Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett. She previously clerked for Justice Samuel Alito. Victoria Schwab’s ’05 latest book, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, has garnered outstanding praise as a New York Times, USA Today, National Indie, and The Washington Post bestseller. Ryan McLaughlin Wood ’05, brand manager for UBS in Greenville, South Carolina, was appointed to the UBS Leadership Advisory Council. It is an elite and diverse group of field leaders who work directly with senior management to build upon the tremendous success of the preeminent global wealth management firm. Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis elected eight new partners in the Nashville office, including Lindsay Jacques Irving ’06.
Lindsay works with health care companies on mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactions. Caroline Anderson Millican ’06 participated in the virtual alumnae perspectives panel in November 2020. Caroline is an aftersales operations senior analyst at Nissan Motor Corporation. Caroline Tanner Everett ’07 has joined the Nashville office of AllianceBernstein as the vice president/director of corporate responsibility. She was formerly a strategy director with BCG BrightHouse in Atlanta for over eight years. Caroline Hallemann Farno ’07 was recently promoted to digital news director of Town & Country at Hearst Magazines. Evaline Franks ’07 spoke to Harpeth Hall’s Global Scholars in December 2020. Evaline is a program officer at Women First International Fund and has participated in women’s rights projects in the United States and abroad. Mary Killian ’08 participated in the virtual alumnae perspectives panel in November 2020. Mary is currently a first year fellow in pediatric cardiology at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.
Amaryllis Lyle ’09 started working for Honey, a Los Angeles-based tech company. Honey was acquired by PayPal in November 2019, setting a record for the largest tech company acquisition in Los Angeles. As a copywriter on Honey’s creative team, Amaryllis helps create and maintain the voice for Honey’s suite of products. Writing for 17 million Honey members and over 30,000 online retailers presents unique creative challenges, especially in the wake of COVID-19, but she is excited to help shoppers save more money. Katie Martin Taylor ’10 was awarded Tennessee’s Social Studies Teacher of the Year by the Tennessee Council for Social Studies. The award recognizes exceptional Tennessee classroom social studies teachers in elementary, middle, secondary, and civil rights/civil liberties. Eleanor Hudson Callaway ’11 graduated from the University of Texas law school in May 2020. She was admitted to the Texas Bar and now practices patent and commercial litigation with McKool Smith in Dallas, Texas. Eleanor is currently on secondment at Ericsson, working with their IP litigation in-house counsel. continued on page 58
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Kendal Herring Peterman ’11 was selected as one of Metro Nashville Public School’s English language fellows for the 2019-2020 school year. Kendal is in her fourth year of teaching second grade at Cole Elementary in Antioch. “The English Language Fellowship is a selective program, with only 15 available seats. It is funded through a grant awarded from Conexión Américas. The program looks for teachers who want to channel their energy into policy changes at the district and state level and to elevate student voices. The ideal candidate is a visionary, a self-starter, an education leader, and a changemaker.”
is the director of client engagement at Elevation Search Solutions.
StyleBlueprint featured Mary Liza Hartong ’12 in its “Southern Voices” series with her story entitled “Crisp: When Reflections of the Past are Impossible to Bury.”
Brianna Bjordahl ’15 spoke with Harpeth Hall’s Global Scholar students about global climate change in February 2020. Brianna is a conservation technician at Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy and is a certified leader with Climate Reality Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public about the climate crisis.
Ann Randolph McKenzie ’12 returned to campus in August 2020 as one of the two nurses in Harpeth Hall’s health clinic. In February, Rebekah Webster ’12 was the board member spotlight for the Nashville chapter of Women in Healthcare. She serves as the organization’s communications chair. Rebekah works at Vanderbilt University in research and development, helping to design and optimize an analytical device that can be used for early disease detection, femtomolar analyte quantification, and various pharmacologic studies. Meggie Hill ’13 returned to Harpeth Hall this fall as additional help for the school’s COVID-19 learning model as an aftercare staff member. Emily Martin ’13 has joined The Next Generation Board for The Next Door, Inc. in Nashville. TND is a nonprofit organization that has empowered women for lifetime recovery by providing evidence-based substance abuse and mental health services for 17 years. Emily 58 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
The University of Tennessee Knoxville alumni announced its inaugural class of Volunteer 40 Under 40 award winners, including Erin Anderson ’14. Erin previously worked as a pediatric ICU nurse at New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City but has returned to Nashville and now works at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Ellie Osteen Garstin ’14 returned to campus in November as one of the two nurses in Harpeth Hall’s health clinic.
Devin Graham ’15 was featured in a Tennessean article entitled “Nashville’s COVID Test Site Angel” for her remarkable ability to “handle thousands of interactions at the Nissan Stadium test site with empathy, kindness, and an uncanny ability to connect with strangers in distress.” Isabel Kennon ’15 is a contact tracer for Metro Nashville Department of Health. She completed her training in July alongside Chrissie McClure ’71. Isabel will attend the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy to pursue a Master of Public Policy. Courtney Dunn ’16 graduated from the University of San Diego in May 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in international relations and a minor in Chinese. She earned first honors, magna cum laude, and was on the Dean’s List. Taylor Farrington ’16 graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in landscape architecture and a minor in business. She has accepted a full-time position with Norris Design as a landscape designer in the company’s Denver, Colorado office. Keely Hendricks ’16 was the first-place recipient of the 2020 James Applewhite Poetry Prize. A Morehead-Cain Scholar, she graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Arts in English literature and French. Keely has been teaching English at Jewish Middle School in Nashville and will be participating in a Fulbright program in Senegal. Lucy Massey ’16 graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Johns Hopkins University with a bachelor’s degree in international studies and economics. She is working part time at the university while helping write
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a constitutional law textbook for the high school level with Professor Bruce Hamilton from Johns Hopkins. Saffee Croker ’17 graduated early in November 2020 with a double major in psychology and child and family studies from the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Karen Dordor ’17 participated in the virtual alumnae admission perspectives panel in November 2020. Karen recently graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a bachelor's degree in Anthropology. Mary Blake Graves ’17 graduated from the Honors College at the University of South Carolina with a double major in international business and accountancy and a minor in French. She will continue one more year at the university to earn a Master of Accountancy. Anna Clarke Harrison ’17 spoke at the annual Winterim kick-off assembly in January 2021. She discussed how her Winterim and Global Scholars experiences led her to pursue and receive a Bachelor of Science in public health majoring in health policy and management from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Kelsey Kay Herring ’17 was inducted into the Alpha Chi National Honor Scholarship Society at Belmont University in March 2020. “Alpha Chi membership is the highest academic honor awarded by Belmont University. Membership requirements are to be in the top 10% academically of all students. Members are nominated by faculty and must have outstanding moral character and display leadership, integrity, and service.” Sophia Howard ’17 received the Distinguished Leadership and Service Award from the Bonner Office of Civic Engagement at Spelman College in Atlanta.
Emily Myers ’17 received a Volunteer of Distinction Award for Academic Achievement and Professional Promise as part of the Haslam College of Business. She earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration and is excited to return to the University of Tennessee this fall for the Master of Accountancy program. Grace Ann Robertson ’17 graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Richmond with a double major in computer science and chemistry. She will attend the University of Tennessee Health Science Center for medical school in Memphis. Mary Triplett ’17 graduated from Wake Forest University with a degree in mathematical economics and will be pursuing her Juris Doctor as a Dean’s Scholar at the University of Virginia School of Law. Marguerite Coombs ’18 serves as the vice president of committees for Phi Mu sorority at Miami University in Ohio. This summer, she will participate in a study abroad program at Miami’s campus in Luxembourg. Naomi Haddock ’18 serves as president of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) at Auburn University. She is pursuing a degree in public relations with a minor in marketing. Gracie Harris ’18 was elected chapter president of Kappa Delta sorority at Arizona State University (Beta Psi) after previously serving as vice president of finance. She is majoring in supply chain management and psychology. Maddie Miller ’18 is serving as chapter president of the Beta Omega chapter of Alpha Delta Pi sorority. She is a public relations major with minors in both marketing and business at Auburn University.
Gabby Kapanka ’19 returned to Harpeth Hall this fall as additional help for the school’s COVID-19 learning model as an aftercare staff member. Millie Kirkland ’19 participated in the virtual alumnae admission perspectives panel in November 2020. Millie is a rising junior at Georgetown University. The University of Virginia’s swimming and diving team won the 2021 NCAA 800 free relay, which included Ella Nelson ’19 and Alex Walsh ’20. The victory marked the first NCAA Championship win in a relay in program history. In June, both Ella and Alex competed in the U. S. Olympic swim trials along with Gretchen Walsh ’21. Alex won the 200-meter IM at the Trials and earned a spot in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Stefanie Chuguluri ’20, Keona Dordor ’20, Amy Gilmore ’20, and Rebecca Viner ’20 spoke to the senior class in April about their transition to college as part of Harpeth Hall’s senior transition to college series. Grace Lebo ’20 is a member of the University of Virginia women’s rowing team and earned a gold medal and summa cum laude on the national Latin exam. Rebecca Viner ’20 was elected as a freshman senator to the student government at Colgate University.
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SUMMER 2021 | 59
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Births
Anderson Wakefield Coppeans
Rumi James Nirula
Catherine Frances Ryan
William Felix Hart
Margaret “Maggie” Anne Washburn
Lee Gwaltney Pettway
Lucy Grace Barnes
Marie Caroline Reynolds
James Fitzgerald Crum
Wallace Edward Palmer
Charles “Charlie” Christopher Petro
Charles “Charlie” Brownlow Austin
Rivers Aaron Barrett
Levi John Lane
Emily Lucille Taylor
Jacob Wade Fisher
Ruth Duncan Coppeans ’97 son, Anderson Wakefield Coppeans, on January 28, 2021
Caylan Cheadle Jarman ’02 son, Franklin Maxey Jarman II, on August 24, 2020
Ginny Brown Crum ’06 son, James Fitzgerald Crum, on November 25, 2020
Ellie Maloy Austin ’08 son, Charles “Charlie” Brownlow Austin, on July 30, 2020
Katie Koban Braddy ’00 son, Charles “Charlie” Michael Braddy, on March 22, 2021
Kendall Fort Laycock ’02 daughter, Caroline McKay Laycock, on October 1, 2020
Dede Nesbitt Palmer ’06 son, Wallace Edward Palmer, on February 11, 2021
Ann Ralls Niewold Brown ’08 daughter, Laura Ralls Brown, on March 24, 2021
Reed Harrison Nirula ’00 daughter, Rumi James Nirula, on October 31, 2020
Pauline Lewis ’03 son, William Felix Hart, on October 19, 2020
Jillian Peterson Wright ’06 daughter, Eloise Odette Wright, on December 21, 2020
Alex McLure Colvin ’08 daughter, Elle Sofia Colvin, on February 1, 2021
Casey Robinson Horton ’07 daughter, Frances DeBow Horton, on November 12, 2020
Frances Phipps Grote ’08 daughter, Emerson Anne Grote, on February 11, 2021
Gabrielle Gioia Leonard ’07 son, Michael “Mac” Travis Leonard, on February 3, 2020
Camille Bentz Barrett ’09 son, Rivers Aaron Barrett, on June 22, 2020 Phoebe Carver Lane ’09 son, Levi John Lane, on January 27, 2021
Grace Clayton ’01 daughter, Margaret Murray Young Clayton, on October 23, 2020
Elizabeth Warner Shayler ’03 daughter, Sara Eastland Shayler, on April 8, 2021
Casey Taherian Gotwald ’01 daughter, Claire Cecil Gotwald, on November 23, 2019
Sara Isenhour Washburn ’03 daughter, Margaret “Maggie” Anne Washburn, on March 2, 2021
Frances Lewis ’01 daughter, Robin Lewis Orshak, on October 19, 2020
Hadley Hines Pettway ’04 son, Lee Gwaltney Pettway, on November 1, 2020
Emily Johnson Mitchell ’07 son, Michael William Mitchell, on June 23, 2020
Helen Martin Nonn ’01 sons, Cyrus Kirke and Ziegler Frederick Nonn, on March 15, 2021
Elizabeth Triggs Tipton ’04 son, Charles “Charlie” Perry Tipton, on February 19, 2020
Kathleen Geer Petro ’07 son, Charles “Charlie” Christopher Petro, on November 5, 2020
Sally Jackson Ryan ’01 daughter, Catherine Frances Ryan, on December 10, 2020
Anne Granbery Barnes ’05 daughter, Lucy Grace Barnes, on September 7, 2020
Kazzie Zerface ’01 daughter, Winsley “Winnie” Jane Crockin, on July 20, 2019
Katy Bowers Kuhlman ’05 daughter, Ann Frances Kuhlman, on March 2, 2021
Graham Hartong Rucker ’07 daughters, Claire Elizabeth and Charlotte Graham Rucker, on March 10, 2021
Caroline Landry Doyle ’02 daughter, Isabel Dylan Doyle, on May 25, 2019
Annsley Miller Reynolds ’05 daughter, Marie Caroline Reynolds, on October 1, 2020
Kate Corcoran Sias ’07 daughter, Margaret Grace Sias, on October 28, 2020
Katie Martin Taylor ’10 daughter, Emily Lucille Taylor, on February 12, 2021 Madison Longmire Fisher ’11 son, Jacob Wade Fisher, on September 30, 2020 Griffin Saunders Jamerson ’11 son, Stephen West Jamerson, on July 11, 2020
Ali Smith Strauss ’07 daughter, Louise Brittingham Strauss, on March 9, 2021
We welcome photos in our Class Notes, Marriages and Births sections. 60 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
We prefer high resolution, 300 dpi jpegs. Email your digital photos to Alumnae Relations Manager, Whatley Hamilton, at whatley.hamilton@harpethhall.org.
Marriages Norda Aguilla ’80 to John Wisdom Gonce on August 22, 2020 Kirkland Ahern-Jones ’90 to Robert Hendrickson on April 16, 2020 Christy Stallings ’91 to Allan Comstock on February 29, 2020 Samantha Richter ’98 to Jonathan Hart Price on April 10, 2021
Janie Jackson Ward
Maria Asad O’Bryant
Emmy Weikert Smith
Carly Rolfe Symington
Sara Brown Fleishman
Kynlie Freeman Reames
Sam Hopp Fabian
CiCi Rutherford Young
Maggie McCain ’07 to Steve Bradley on July 31, 2020 Allison Dowdle ’07 to Alexander vanZandt Janeway on October 17, 2020 Caroline McDonald ’07 to Stephen Hutchins on October 10, 2020 Allison Buntin ’07 to Derrick Ryan Snavely on January 16, 2021 Janie Jackson ’07 to Colin Michael Ward on January 25, 2020 Megan Turney ’08 to Jonathan Evan Clark on April 10, 2021 Kellyn Angell ’09 to Ryan Middleton on November 23, 2019 Lucy Meadors ’10 to Noland Moorer on August 22, 2020 Maria Asad ’10 to Dustin O’Bryant on September 1, 2019 Emmy Weikert ’10 to Kyle Robert Smith on November 21, 2020 Carly Rolfe ’10 to Ian Symington on April 24, 2021 Sara Brown ’11 to David Fleishman on October 10, 2020 Griffin Saunders ’11 to Jarod Jamerson on February 3, 2020 Libby Smith ’11 to Lee McLellan on April 17, 2021 Meg Stark ’12 to Tommy Conaty on April 10, 2021 Anna Kate Jernigan ’12 to Taylor Neiswander on April 24, 2021 Kynlie Freeman ’13 to William Reames on October 31, 2020 Mia Brady ’14 to Jordan Charles Dean on October 24, 2020 Sam Hopp ’14 to Petey Fabian on February 6, 2021 CiCi Rutherford ’14 to James Young on March 20, 2021
SUMMER 2021 | 61
IN MEMORIAM — PAST TRUSTEES Robert “Bob” Candee Hilton Honorary Trustee Robert “Bob” Candee Hilton passed away April 7, 2021. Mr. Hilton served as a Harpeth Hall Trustee from 1984-1992 and again from 1995-1998 when he served as Board Chair. Mr. Hilton was instrumental in hiring Ann Teaff, the fifth Head of School. He was named an Honorary Trustee in 2003. “Bob was a great Board Chair — consistent, caring, focused, and a leader. He continued to stay involved and was a loyal supporter of Harpeth Hall the rest of his life,” said Honorary Trustee and past Board Chair Mary Schlater Stumb ’53. Mr. Hilton lived a full life. He was known for being smart, driven, an avid reader, and having a strong positive influence on those around him. He attended Mercersburg Academy, Princeton University, and University of Virginia Law School. After serving for a brief time in the Army, he moved back to Nashville where he started a career with Genesco. He then joined Hospital Affiliates International and began a long successful career in healthcare management. He was the founding CEO of two start up healthcare companies, American Healthcorp and Home Technology Healthcare. In addition to Harpeth Hall, he was a board member of many organizations including Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores and the Salvation Army. He is survived by his daughter, Elizabeth Hilton Lasley ’84, one son, sister Martha Hilton Nolen ’64, three grandchildren, a stepson, two step-grandchildren and eight nieces and nephews, including Julia Hilton Calkins ’86. 62 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
F. Hamilton Hazlehurst F. Hamilton Hazlehurst passed away on November 12, 2020. The father of Hadley Hazlehurst Mullen ’78 and Abigail Hazlehurst Karroubi ’80, he served as a Harpeth Hall Trustee from 1976 to 1982. Dr. Hazelhurst was a graduate of The Hill School and Princeton University where he obtained B.A. in fine arts, a Master of Fine Arts, and a Ph.D. in French baroque architecture and garden design. He served as chairman of the fine arts department at Vanderbilt University for 27 years and transformed what initially consisted of a painter and a sculptor into a department with more than a dozen respected faculty, an annual lecture series and more than 6,000 pieces of museum quality art. His passion for art was infectious and palpable. Dr. Hazlehurst authored Gardens of Illusion about Andre Le Nostre and was honored by the French Ministry of Culture, receiving L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for his significant contribution to the enrichment of French culture. In addition to Hadley ’78 and Abigail ’80, he is survived by his wife, Carol Foord Hazlehurst, two sons, four grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. Patricia Frist Honorary Trustee Patricia Champion Frist (Trish) did much to enhance the quality of life in Nashville from the arts to education. She passed away on January 5, 2021, and is remembered for her generosity and her devotion to her family and the causes about which she cared deeply. She served on the Harpeth Hall Board of Trustees
from 1982 to 1992 and was later named an Honorary Trustee. After graduating from Vanderbilt in 1961 with a B.A. in English and history, she married Thomas F. Frist Jr. and taught school in Nashville and St. Louis through 1964. Always at the center of her family’s activities, she achieved equal success in business, charitable, and philanthropic endeavors. Mrs. Frist was the first woman to serve on the board of SunTrust Bank in Atlanta. She also served on the boards of the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, SunTrust Bank Nashville, Ensworth School, and The Frist Foundation. Mrs. Frist served as chairman of the Symphony Ball and was on the Symphony’s executive committee. She received numerous awards including the United Way’s Women’s Initiative Spirit of Giving Award and Cheekwood’s Swan Ball Swan Award. Mrs. Frist was instrumental in the founding of the Frist Art Museum, United Way’s Alexis de Tocqueville Society, the Thomas F. Frist Centennial Sportsplex, Frist Capital Partners, the YMCA Frist Teen Center in Green Hills, the Patricia Champion Frist Hall at Vanderbilt University’s School of Nursing, the Dorothy Cate Frist Hall at Harpeth Hall School, and the Frist Campus at Ensworth School. In addition to her husband Dr. Thomas F. Frist, Jr., Mrs. Frist is survived by her daughter, Patricia Frist Elcan ’83, two sons, daughters-in-law including Jennifer Rose Frist ’89, sisters-inlaw including Mary Frist Barfield ’64, nine grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews including Mary Lauren Barfield Allen ’88
and Candy Colton Bass ’86. Mrs. Frist’s great-nieces are Leah Portis ’15, Crissa Portis ’22, Ellie Frist ’20, Cate Frist ’22, Carly Frist ’24, and Evie Frist ’25. Dr. Eric Martin Chazen Eric Martin Chazen, a celebrated pediatrician in Nashville for over 40 years, passed away on April 19, 2021. Dr. Chazen served on the Harpeth Hall Board of Trustees from 2002-2008, specifically on the education committee. With great intellect, compassion, curiosity, and love of learning, Dr. Chazen was a renaissance man and a mensch. Dr. Chazen earned his undergraduate degree at Vanderbilt University, and his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Tennessee. He trained at the Montefiore Medical Center in New York and Boston Children’s Hospital before returning to Nashville to complete a residency in the Vanderbilt University Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Chazen earned a reputation across the city as a strong advocate for children, an academic leader, and a noted contributor to a range of medical journals. He served on numerous boards and medical societies. After retirement, he continued to teach at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine as a clinical professor of pediatrics. Dr. Chazen had a true joie de vivre as he loved to read, play golf, run, and cycle in his spare time. He enjoyed classical music, dancing, and traveling the world. He is survived by his wife Barbara, his daughter, Lisa Chazen Levine ’79, son-in-law and daughter-in-law, four grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
IN MEMORIAM — JOSEPH COUGHLAN DAVIS Joseph “Joe” Coughlan Davis was a passionate
supporter of athletics at Harpeth Hall, Montgomery Bell Academy, and in the broader Nashville community. He passed away at the age of 57 on December 17, 2020, after valiantly battling cancer. The son of Rascoe Davis and Harpeth Hall English teacher and coach Dugan Coughlan Davis, Joe grew up spending a great deal of time on Harpeth Hall’s campus with his mother and three older sisters who attended Harpeth Hall: Anne ’73, Beth ’74, and Pat ’82. In his youth, Joe loved and played many sports in a variety of little leagues. He attended Montgomery Bell Academy and was a member of the football team where he excelled as a kicker. He went on to play football at Eastern Kentucky University. After returning to Nashville, Joe built a restaurant business and, at the same time, pursued his love of sports and football. Having experienced the transformative impact a coach has on a young person, Joe dedicated much his life to coaching and supporting football and the young men who played it. Joe also coached kickers at Vanderbilt, Tennessee State University, and at other Nashville colleges and high schools. Joe was a philanthropist at heart and invested generously in the causes that were important to him. Wanting girls at Harpeth Hall to have athletic facilities comparable to those at boys schools, he provided the lead gift for the Dugan Davis Track and Soccer Complex. At the opening of the complex honoring his mother in December 2002, Joe said “Coaches play a real important role in kids’
lives, and I’m sure my mom played a role in a lot of girls’ lives here – I know she did in mine. Hopefully, this facility will give you girls the chance to be as good as you can be, because I know that is what she would want for each of you.” In 2007, Joe gave a gift to replace the grass soccer and lacrosse field at the complex with a synthetic turf field and later made a gift for the LED scoreboard. His investment in girls athletics at Harpeth Hall elevated the school’s program to the next level of excellence. At Montgomery Bell Academy, Joe was known as Coach Davis and was wholly devoted to the football program and the development of boys to good men on and off the football field. In the broader Nashville community, Joe founded Backfield in Motion, an organization dedicated to using football to provide academic and athletic opportunities to at-risk children in Nashville. Backfield in Motion now provides after-school programs and summer enrichment for over 300 young people annually. Above all, Joe was a devoted family man. His wife, Tamara, brought much joy to his life and invaluable comfort in the end, along with their three boys Eli, Jack, and Ike. Joe was predeceased by his much-adored daughter Dugan, his beloved parents Dugan and Rascoe Davis, and his inspirational sister Beth Davis ’74. In addition to his sisters Anne and Pat, Joe is also survived by nephews and nieces including Frances Dean ’12 and Wallen Dean ’14.
IN MEMORIAM — ALUMNAE Betty Baird Graham ’40 of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away March 16, 2021. Betty was active in many community organizations. She is survived by her daughter, Shirley Graham Crawford ’66, two sons, two grandsons, one granddaughter, and 10 great-grandchildren. Mary Farris Lynch ’40 of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away October 31, 2020. Mary lived in Pulaski for over 50 years and was devoted to her church and several community organizations. She is survived by two daughters, one son, eight grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, and sister-in-law Carney Overall Farris ’50. Susan Eblen McGinnis C’43* of Henderson, Kentucky, passed away January 18, 2021. She was a teacher and member of First United Methodist Church. Susan is survived by one daughter, two sons, seven granddaughters, two grandsons, and eight great-grandchildren. Renita Rogers Duncan ’44 of Fort Worth, Texas, passed away February 28, 2021. Renita enjoyed traveling and playing bridge and was active in the Baptist Church. She is survived by one son, one daughter, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Mai Sawyer Hosee C’44* of Brentwood, Tennessee, passed away May 26, 2020. Mai was an active member at Cheekwood, the Ladies Heritage Association, and Calvary United Methodist Church. She is survived by one daughter, one grandson, one granddaughter, and many nieces and nephews. Elaine Wack Maffie C’44* of La Jolla, California, passed away April 7, 2021. She enjoyed needlepoint, foreign travel, and was involved in the community. Elaine is survived by her son, two granddaughters, one grandson, and two great-grandchildren. Jane McCall Montague ’45 of Franklin, Tennessee, passed away February 9, 2021. Jane was active in her family business, McCall Electric Company, and also was a community volunteer and avid tennis player. She is survived by her daughters, Becky Montague Jorrisch ’69 and Leila Montague Eaton ’77, one grandson, and three great-grandchildren. Rebecca Cobb “Becky” O'Steen C’45* of Franklin, Tennessee, passed away December 15, 2020. She had a career in real estate. She is survived by one daughter, six grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren.
Claribel Martin “Connie” Stewart C’45* of Indianapolis, Indiana, passed away October 13, 2020. She is survived by her daughter, her son, six grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren. Carolyn Anne Sharp Hale C’47* of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, passed away March 3, 2021. She had a career in education and founded St. Timothy's School. Carolyn is survived by her daughter, one granddaughter, one grandson, and two great-grandchildren. Bennie Jones Cannon Nolen ’47 of Fayette, Alabama, passed away January 8, 2021. She was a long-time member of Fayette United Methodist Church and enjoyed travel, needlework, and volunteering in her community. Bennie is survived by two sons, four daughters, 14 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Helen Louise Schreiber Pettigrove C’47* of Tulsa, Oklahoma, passed away April 24, 2021. She loved to travel, collect antiques and play bridge. Helen is survived by one daughter, one son, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Camille Hancock Wood C’47* of Monroe, Louisiana, passed away February 17, 2021. Camille was an accomplished singer and also had an antique business. She is survived by two daughters, one son, a brother, seven grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. Anne Kellam Nicks Williams Rochelle ’48 of Gallatin, Tennessee, passed away on March 30, 2021. Anne Kellam loved to bake and to work for her family business. She is survived by her four sons, two stepdaughters, 16 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandson, many nieces and nephews, step-grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Carol Kessler Anthony C’49* of Stow, Massachusetts, passed away on August 17, 2020. Carol was one of the founding members of The Stow Historical Society and was the general editor and director of publications for The History of Stow. She was dedicated to the study of the ancient Chinese book I Ching and wrote four books on the subject. She is survived by her spouse, brother, four children, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
SUMMER 2021 | 63
IN MEMORIAM — ALUMNAE Nan Tompkins Rowe ’49 of Owensboro, Kentucky, passed away December 26, 2020. Nan was a member of First Presbyterian Church and helped establish the Boys and Girls Club there. She is survived by two sons, two grandsons, and four great-grandchildren. Jennie Ann Arthur Delk C’50* of Austin, Texas, passed away on July 17, 2020. Jan enjoyed traveling, hiking, biking, and canoeing with her family. She is survived by one sister and several nieces and nephews. Dorothea “Dottie” Sensing Hetzel ’50 of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away May 3, 2021. She owned and ran Parkview Day Camp for 32 years and was involved in many clubs, civic organizations, and charities. She is survived by her daughter Honey Hetzel ’76. Peggy McTyre Mandle C’50* of Naples, Florida, passed away November 19, 2020. She was an avid bridge player and a lover of books. She is survived by four daughters, one son, 13 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren. Edith Bills McClelland C’50* of Lexington, Kentucky, passed away on March 30, 2020. Edith was a retired school teacher and an advocate for animals. She is survived by one sister, two daughters, one son, four grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. Alice Stockell “Punky” Robison ’50 of Chattanooga, Tennessee, passed away February 4, 2020. She had a career in banking and was a longtime member of the Methodist Church. Alice is survived by one daughter, two sons, four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Martha Robin Stephens Branyan C’51* of Natchez, Mississippi, passed away November 22, 2020. Martha had an antiques business and was a member of the Catholic church. She is survived by two daughters, two sons, one brother-in-law, and one nephew. Diane Dorton Brown C’51* of Crossville, Tennessee, passed away December 22, 2020. She was a teacher and then had a career in banking. Diane is survived by her husband, two granddaughters, and one great-grandson. Susan Thomas Castner '51 of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away March 28, 2021. Susan was involved in many community organizations and was a member of St. George's Episcopal Church. She is survived by her husband, two sons, two granddaughters, one grandson, and nieces and nephews. Eleanor Greer Drake '51 of Dallas, Texas, passed away October 18, 2020. She became a horticulturist and then worked in the airline industry. She is survived by her daughter, her son, and one brother. Jeanne Holiman Florence C'51* of Horseshoe Bay, Texas, passed away on March 20, 2020. Jeanne was an active member of the Chi Omega Alumni, Pilgrimage Garden Club, Garden Club of America, and William Dunbard Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She is survived by her husband, two sons, five grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Doris Ann Creagh Jansing '51 of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away September 26, 2020. Dee Dee was active in her church and several community organizations. She is survived by her husband, brother, sisters Char Creagh Creson ’54 and Glo Creagh Frye ’59, four children, six grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter. Laurale Rozelle Johnson ’51 of Anderson, Indiana, passed away February 14, 2021. Laurale worked for many years in the family business, Rozelle-Johnson Funeral Service, and she was active in the Anderson community. She is survived by one daughter, one son, and three granddaughters. Barbara Ann Locke C’51* of Shreveport, Louisiana, passed away December 30, 2020. Dr. Locke earned her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in Ohio. She taught voice, piano, and music courses for many years. She is survived by many cousins and friends. Ada Oakley McElhenney C’51* of Austin, Texas, passed away March 8, 2021. She was an accomplished painter and artist. Ada is survived by one daughter, one two granddaughters, and two grandsons. 64 |son, HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
Madeline Reynolds Adams ’52 of Atlanta, Georgia, passed away November 21, 2020. She was a member of Harpeth Hall's first graduating class. Madeline was passionate about music, the outdoors, and the Presbyterian Church as well as many community organizations. She is survived by her husband, two daughters, two sons, 12 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Nancy Perry Bowers ’52 of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away October 2, 2020. She was a member of Harpeth Hall's first graduating class. Nancy is survived by her husband, brother, daughters including Sally Bowers ’78, Beth Bowers Vaughan ’79, and Anne Bowers Gobbell ’82, as well as seven grandchildren including Kathleen Gobbell ’12, and two great-grandchildren. Patricia Warterfield Des Prez ’52 of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away October 29, 2020. She was a member of Harpeth Hall's first graduating class. Patsy is survived by two sons, three daughters, and eight grandchildren. Truesdell Grimes “Trudy” Madden ’52 of Atlanta, Georgia, passed away January 12, 2021. She was a member of Harpeth Hall's first graduating class. She was involved in many community organizations, Northside United Methodist Church, and The Lovett School. Trudy is survived by her husband, two sons, one daughter, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Suzy Johnson Vincent ’55 of Oregon passed away April 13, 2019. She had a long career as a medical office manager in Falls Church and Alexandria, Virginia. Suzy is survived by one daughter, two sons, and four grandchildren. Linda MacMurray Gibbs ’59 of Tampa, Florida, passed away March 19, 2021. She had a long career as an educator and as a Head of School, including at Hutchison in Memphis and The Hewitt School in New York City. Linda is survived by her son, daughter, granddaughter, grandson, and nieces including Becky Gibbs Davidson ’78 and Louisa Gibbs Basarrate ’82. Rebecca Comer Tindall ’61 of Greenville, Mississippi, passed away December 4, 2020. She was a retired teacher, a member of First Presbyterian Church, a founding member of the Community Foundation of Washington County. Also, she was involved in many charitable organizations. Becky is survived by her husband, one son, one daughter, and two grandchildren. Mary Weaver “Winkie” Barksdale Huddleston ’61 of Bowling Green, Kentucky, passed away January 16, 2021. She was a social worker, artist, preschool teacher, and community volunteer. Winkie is survived by one brother, two daughters, and three grandchildren. Emmy Collins Wright ’70 of Asheville, North Carolina, passed away April 28, 2021. She had a long career with Caterpillar. Emmy is survived by two stepsons, six grandchildren, and two brothers. Barbara Brothers Cairns ’76 of Fairview, Tennessee, passed away May 13, 2019. Barbara was an advocate for abused and neglected children and had a passion for animals. She is survived by her mother, Ann Huddleston Brothers ’55, two brothers, her sister, two sons, one daughter, and two grandchildren. Jennifer Lynne Belote ’77 of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away January 25, 2021. Jennifer spent most of her life living in New Orleans working in the jewelry and antique business. She is survived by her mother, two brothers, a niece and nephew, and a great-niece and nephew. Denise Ann Daniel ’78 of Hendersonville, Tennessee, passed away January 19, 2021. She had retired from the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Neonatal Unit where she was a registered nurse. Denise is survived by her sister and cousins. Jennifer Wright Pennington ’78 of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away May 14, 2021. Jennifer had a long career as an equine property manager and teacher and she was very involved with Saddle Up! She is survived by her brother, sister Inez Scott Pennington ’76, one niece, and one nephew. Ellen Lee Abbott ’83 Nashville, Tennessee, passed away January 11, 2021. She was the Director of Criminal Justice Services with the State of Tennessee. Ellen is survived by her husband, three daughters, four stepchildren, mother, and three sisters including Teresa Lee Williams ’75 and Lisa Lee ’77. * Indicates an alumna of Ward-Belmont College.
The Annual Fund 2020 – 2021 Alumnae
Katie Howell Fayard ’00, Chair Committee
As
we celebrate a successful 2020-2021 school year, we do so with immense gratitude for this community. In a difficult year, we found strength and resolve in the steadfast support of our parents, alumnae, faculty and staff, grandparents, and trustees. We look forward to recognizing over 2,600 Annual Fund donors from this past year in our Annual Report on Philanthropy this fall. We give special thanks for the anonymous donor whose single act of extraordinary generosity inspired a thousand more within our alumnae community. Harpeth Hall women rose to this challenge and set a new record in giving. We do not take this supportive community for granted, and we stay grounded in appreciation for the myriad ways our donors help us fulfill our mission and live our values. Strong leaders and role models compose our 2020-2021 Annual Fund team of volunteers. We thank them for their wholehearted dedication to achieving our goals for our 719 girls. Thank you. Jess Hill, Head of School Susan Moll, Director of Advancement
2020-21 Annual Fund Chairs
Maxine and Frank Majors Parents
Lyn and Frank Downey, Chairs Class Chairs
Leigh and Morgan Hillenmeyer, 5th Monty and John Steele, 6th Greg and Anjali Upadhyaya Lewis ’91, 7th Hobbs and Anna Kristin Yarbrough ’95, 8th Daniel and Sarah Roberts Hart ’90, 9th Amy Seigenthaler and Tim Pierce, 10th Caroline and Brian Browder, 11th Tahra and Greg Cyr, 12th Major Gifts
Barbara and Greg Hagood, Chairs Committee
Sarah and Bo Bartholomew Megan and Brian Fox Shea and Doug Ghertner Jodi and Hal Hess Maxine and Frank Majors Steve and Michelle Wolfe Proctor ’89 Sandy and Jay Sangervasi Alice and Andrew Wall
Mary Schlater Stumb ’53 Ann Dobson Tidwell ’58 Emily Glasgow Bruno ’64 Mindy Thompson Orman ’67 Ophelia Thompson Paine ’68 Mary Lea Gibson Bryant ’72 Connally Davies Penley ’79 Capell Teas Simmons ’82 Lisa McNeely Harrison ’83 Julie Riven Dretler ’89 Kat Ward Booth ’97 Katie Jackson Robinson ’97 Meg Milam Chamblee ’99 Amy Warner Greathouse ’02 Lauren Campbell Hancock ’02 Grace Richardson Johnson ’02 Mary D. Bartoe Oldacre ’02 Katie Atkins Ritzen ’03 Ellen Green Hoffman ’04 Abby Sinks Spaulding ’03 Liza Trickett Averbuch ’04 Lauren Riegle Mitchell ’07 Laurie Spradley ’07 Mary Julia Bressman Hannon ’08 Reunion
Marguerite Nielsen Orndorff ’90 Meredith McDonald Stewart ’96 And all reunion class chairs for 2020 and 2021 Parents of Alumnae
Betsy and Ridley Wills, Chairs Committee
Frank Andrews Emily and Jim Flautt Laura and Hayne Hamilton Cynthia and Chip Hickerson Gail Williams Boo and Pat Winsett Grandparents
Bert and Margie Shaffer Dale ’69, Chairs Faculty Co-Chairs
Lori McDermott Matthew Pyles
Support the 2020-21 Annual Fund online at HarpethHall.org/Giving. Questions? Please contact Tracy Campbell, Director of Annual Giving, 615-346-0083.
Non-Profit
The Harpeth Hall School 3801 Hobbs Road Nashville, Tennessee 37215
U.S. Postage
PAID Nashville, TN Permit No. 1857
1955 1956 1960 1961 1965 1966 1970 1971 1975 1976 1980 1981 1985 1986 1990 1991 1995 1996 2000 2001 2005 2006 2010 2011 2015 2016
Honeybear Homecoming
Twice the FUN in 2-O-2-1
REUNION 2O2O•2O21 Join us for REUNION REIMAGINED! Friday, October 8 and Saturday, October 9, 2021
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8 Milestones Society Luncheon honoring the classes of 1955, 1956, 1960, 1961, 1965, and 1966 • 11:30 a.m. Campus Tours • 3:30 p.m. Come Learn about Harpeth Hall Today with Head of School Jess Hill • 4:15 – 5:15 p.m.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9 Winterim in October: Lifelong Learning • Classes and times to be announced
50th Reunion Brunch honoring the class of 1970 • 10:00 a.m. 50th Reunion Brunch honoring the class of 1971 • 12:00 p.m. Reunion Alumnae Panel Discussion “Beyond the Plaid” • 3:15 – 4:30 p.m. Campus Tours • 4:30 p.m. Cocktails on Campus: A Complimentary All-Alumnae Celebration • 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Individual Class Parties • Friday and Saturday Evening
PLEASE VISIT the Reunion page at HarpethHall.org/Alumnae/reunion
