HIES Torchbearer Fall 2022

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Paul A. Barton

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Mr. Adam T. Fuller, Chairman of the Board

Mr. Pickens M. Lindsay, Vice Chairman

Mr. Rakesh Chauhan, Treasurer Mrs. Kristin W. Roch, Secretary

Mr. Paul A. Barton, Head of School Mrs. Allison Bittel

Mr. Ryan Cameron Mr. Richard Courts Dr. Sarah Carr Evans

Mr. James Gates

Mr. Ryan Hardwick Mrs. Heather Henn Ms. Hadley B. Laughlin

Mr. David Love

Mr. Peter J. Mace

Mr. Ian A. Marshall

Mr. Mike C. McMillen

Mrs. Lorin Middelthon

Mr. Mark Miles

Mrs. Jennifer Mirgorod

Mrs. Elizabeth Mooney

The Rev. Dr. William S. Murray IV Mrs. Keisha Noel Mrs. Kim Peterson

Mr. F. Neal Sumter III Mrs. Donna T. Toledo

Mr. Todd P. Wandtke

ALUMNI ADVISORY BOARD John Mitchell ’09, President Mary-Wade Ballou Blake ‘13 Christine Dial Buckler ‘10 Jackson Davis ‘09 Mitchell Davis ‘12 Missy Evans Gardner ‘02 Laura Phillips Green ‘04 Michael Griffin ‘00 Geoff Malcolm ‘06 Kate Stice Stewart ‘04 Elizabeth Dunham Thompson ‘98 EJ Thurmond ‘13 Martin Williams ‘16

MISSION

Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School develops in students a love of learning, respect for self and others, faith in God, and a sense of service to the world community.

Golden Bear cheerleaders warm up the crowd for the ribbon cutting and dedication of the new Dorothy Sullivan Lower School on August 19, 2022.

ON OMAHA BEACH AND BEYOND

Two Upper School students participated in an immersive education about World War II.

SCALING NEW HEIGHTS

The PEAK Institute launches as a place for students to explore their passions.

WALL OF FAME

Four new inductees join the HIES legacy.

On the cover: The Rev. Dr. Bill Murrary, rector of Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church; the Rt. Rev. Rob Wright, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta; Jim Hannan, Board of Advisors; Dorothy Sullivan, retired associate head of school and Lower School principal; Adam Fuller, chair of the Board of Trustees; Neil Pruitt, Our Time Capital Campaign co-chair and chair of the Board of Advisors; and Mebane Pruitt, co-chair of the Our Time Capital Campaign

04 Dawn of a New Day // 12 Golden Bear Annual Fund // 13 Alumni Notes // 16 Alumni Events // 23 Alumni Athletes Turn Pro

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the Dawn of a New Day at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School. This 2022-2023 school year marks a historic milestone for our community with the successful completion of the Our Time capital campaign – the largest and most transformational in the history of our school.

The view out my office windows has changed dramtically. I now look across the beautiful Owen Family Quad and see kids throwing a frisbee and playing Spikeball. Upper School students are proudly walking into the stunning new Upper School Humanities Building. Little ones are joyfully skipping behind their teacher heading towards the just opened Dorothy Sullivan Lower School. Behind these fabulous buildings and amazing quad is an all-star cast of professionals. I want to thank the teams at Hodges and Hicks, our general contractor, Perkins and Will, our architects, and BDR, our project manager, and Russell Landscaping. They

worked tirelessly to make this dream a reality for our community, particularly through all the challenges of the past two years.

The components of this campaign were all about enhancing and transforming the student experience in academics, athletics and the arts, and in new spaces for our community to gather, connect, play, perform and innovate. Whether on the school’s new cross-country course, in the new Lower School black box theater, or in the Harkness classroom of the Humanities Building, our goal remains the same – to develop the whole child.

It has been a privilege to have a front row seat as our students and teachers adopt the new spaces and make them their own. I’m already looking forward to Commencement for the Class of 2023 on the new quad.

We will also learn in this issue of the Torchbearer about two other exciting new opportunities for our students to dive deep into learning. The PEAK Institute opened this fall. PEAK promises to be

PAUL BARTON

HEAD OF SCHOOL

an incubator for innovation throughout HIES and will offer unique, experiential, real-world learning opportunities. Thanks to a generous donor, we will continue to send two students a year to the Normandy Academy for a 12day immersive experience through the National WWII Museum in New Orleans.

Whether it’s a campus that feels and functions in a new and exciting way, innovative and transformational programs, a world class faculty and staff, a community committed to the our mission and our Episcopal identity, it is indeed the Dawn of a New Day and a Great Day to be a Golden Bear! Thank you for being a part of the HI family. We are grateful for your support and your commitment. Go Bears!

Paul A. Barton, Head of School

PAUL

ON OMAHA BEACH AND BEYOND

THE FIRST HIES NORMANDY ACADEMY FELLOWS TOUR THE TRAIL OF WORLD WAR II HEROES. >>>

Walking in the footsteps of others provides a unique and impactful way to learn history. An immersive experience takes education beyond books and films, as seniors Jacob King and Annie Waters learned this summer during their time as Mike Thornton Fellows with The National World War II Museum’s Normandy Academy.

In the 12-day program, Jacob and Annie first traveled to New Orleans where they toured the museum in depth, met with veterans and college professors, and researched fallen soldiers. Their group of 24 students and their guides then flew to Paris to begin the second portion of the Academy experience.

Using Bayeux, France, as their home base, they visited numerous sites, including museums dedicated to World War II, the Normandy beaches and the American cemetery in Normandy, which overlooks Omaha Beach. Bayeux served as a strategic gateway for the Allied soldiers during the war. The town was not destroyed and was well positioned to serve as a medical center to treat wounded soldiers and civilians. Each student presented a two-minute report at the grave of the fallen soldier they selected to research in New Orleans. Annie’s subject was Charles E. Grady, a member of the 82nd Airborne division; Jacob’s was Henry Blankenship, a soldier among the first to land on Omaha Beach. The students each laid a flower on the grave of the soldier they profiled.

From Bayeux, the students visited numerous neighboring cities to tour their museums and historic sites, including areas where the “Band of Brothers” 2001 miniseries was filmed. Some museums were dedicated solely to one aspect of the

war, such as the Battle of Normandy, the Canadian role or the U.S. role. They learned about the airborne operations, the boat landings at the Normandy beaches, the French Resistance, the bombings designed to push back German troops and other aspects of the war.

They were surprised to see that many of the towns were still somewhat in war-like conditions. They observed bullet holes in the walls and bloodstains on the pews of a church they visited.

The trip as a whole encapsulated the war and greatly impacted the students. “You see how massive the war was and the individual human cost,” Jacob said. “It was very influential.”

Annie offered advice to any students who receive the fellowship: “Cherish your time there, keep a personal journal during the trip and make bonds with everyone on the trip,” she said. Annie and Jacob have maintained connections with the other students in their group and hope to cross paths with them again.

The Normandy Academy scholarship opportunity (including flights, tuition and meals) was made possible thanks to the generosity of HIES grandparents Shellie and Tee Baur and is named in memory of Middle School history faculty member and lacrosse coach Mike Thornton.

“I want high schoolers to understand the price of freedom,” Mr. Baur said. “These soldiers were not much older than high school and it’s important to learn about them.”

Each year, two HIES students (rising juniors or rising seniors) will be selected as Mike Thornton Fellows.

— Christina Mimms

Annie Waters ’23 and Jacob King ’23 are the inaugural recipients of the Mike Thornton Normandy Academy Fellowship in which they visited both New Orleans and Normandy, France, for an in-depth education about World War II.

THE DAWN OF A NEW DAY

It is the Dawn of a New Day at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, notably marked by the completion of the Our Time Capital Campaign. The final projects of Our Time, the largest capital campaign in the school’s history, were the new Dorothy Sullivan Lower School building and the Owen Family Quadrangle. A ribboncutting and dedication ceremony were held on Friday, Aug. 19, celebrating all the members of our community whose vision, hard work and devotion to transforming our school campus made this day a reality.

The new Lower School is dedicated to Dorothy Sullivan, former associate head of school and former lower school principal, and longtime friend and supporter of the school. Neil Pruitt, chair of the Our Time Campaign, welcomed everyone to the event and recognized the challenges associated with running a campaign during the pandemic. “This was a monumental task with HIES’ largest campaign in school history. You all came to the rescue,” he said. “Now we have a physical campus that matches the quality of the education you receive.”

The new Dorothy Sullivan Lower School marks the final project of a $32.5 million capital campaign that has completely transformed the school campus. The 39,000-square-foot building replaced the previous 1970s LS building. With light-filled classrooms, fully equipped makerspaces, a spacious science center, a large common area and an expansive library/media center, the new school building is a place where students can learn in an innovative environment and explore, create and grow. A unique outdoor playground provides the perfect place for the students to enjoy recess with their friends.

The Our Time Capital Campaign for Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School included the new Lower School, a new Upper School Humanities Building totaling 60,000 square feet, a new cross country course on campus, a large greenspace in the center of the campus, new pedestrian pathways, security enhancements and a new campus entry and parking.

welcome to the quad!

SCALING NEW HEIGHTS

by Christina Mimms, MANAGING EDITOR

PEAK: Passions, Experiential Learning, Authentic Tasks, Knowledge Building. Heather Bradford, former director of professional learning, was named director of the PEAK Institute and Daniel Forrester, former PK3-12 director of STEAM and Upper School mathematics & engineering teacher, was named associate director.

Classrooms

represent places for the exploration of ideas, where students learn, discuss, grow and discover. An idea birthed in the classroom might evolve into more. But what do they do with those ideas? Are they merely talking about them or do they convert their passions into purpose and even professions?

Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School this year launched the PEAK Institute, a program that is designed to fulfill Pillar IV of the 2019-2024 Strategic Plan, which called for the creation of an on-campus institute for leadership and learning. Through the institute, students can discover their passions, dive deep into their areas of interest, develop entrepreneurship and enjoy experiential learning.

The plans for the program were developed in the 2021-2022 school year. School leaders held focus groups with students and met with alumni to develop a blueprint for the institute, which was christened

In April 2022, Ms. Bradford and Mr. Forrester presented Upper School students with the opportunity to register for the PEAK Institute seminar, a year-long, one-credit elective in which to complete collaborative projects, visit local businesses, hear from guest speakers and explore varied interests. Twelve students signed up. “We are building something with an entrepreneurial spirit that is unique and distinctive to HIES,” Ms. Bradford said. “How we do that can be accomplished through a lot of different ways.”

PEAK’s first partnership launched with Sixthman, a local company that creates festivals at sea featuring musical artists, athletes, actors, comedians and brands. Guests enjoy immersive experiences and activities in a fan-friendly environment crafted by Sixthman.

The seminar students are creating their own festival cruise and designing three activities with a musician of their choice. They are responsible for budget management, logistics, all aspects of a performance, promotions and schedule. During the course of their project, they met with professionals at Sixthman for information and guidance. On Sept. 14, 2022, they met with a senior project event specialist for Sixthman to learn about her role at the company. They later visited

THE PEAK INSTITUTE LAUNCHES TO PROVIDE A SPACE FOR STUDENTS TO PURSUE THEIR PASSIONS THROUGH EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING.

the Sixthman offices to meet with the CEO and other executives and presented their project for review and feedback.

Throughout the school year, the seminar students will collaborate on a variety of projects, hear from guest lecturers on campus, and engage with other professionals, mentors and entrepreneurs, including some HIES alumni and parents. As part of their coursework, students research the company and the speaker to prepare thoughtful questions to ask during an in-person visit or lecture. Students also are tasked with writing thank-you notes to the professionals they encounter.

On Sept. 2, 2022, the PEAK seminar students enjoyed a meeting with Paul Barton, head of school, on the subject of “initiative.” Mr. Barton spoke about his personal life, his career choices and the path that led him to the headship of HIES in 2014.

“It’s important to do something in your life that is difficult and that is big,” he explained. “Your life can be influenced by the many decisions that you make.”

Mr. Barton complimented the students for “taking the initiative” to enroll in the PEAK seminar in its first year. “You are having an impact with the opportunities you are bringing to our school,” he said. “You are part of something that is influencing the whole school.”

Atlanta’s offerings, including several major corporate headquarters, sports teams and media, will be explored and maximized by the PEAK Institute as much as possible.

Students who are not enrolled in the seminar can participate in opportunities offered by PEAK as well. On Aug. 22 and 24, students in tenth, eleventh and twelfth grades were invited to a lunchtime Master Class hosted by the PEAK Institute to learn about

ALEX THOMAS '18 LENDS TALENTS TO PEAK

When plans were in the works for the new PEAK Institute classroom, located in Groesbeck Hall, the blank walls nearly begged for some type of custom artwork. Heather Bradford, director of the PEAK Institute, considered some type of mountain range as portrayed in the program’s logo. Because a key component of the PEAK Institute’s mission is the involvement of alumni and other professionals in the community, she wanted to recruit a HIES graduate to create the artwork.

After connecting with Alex Thomas ’18, a well-known artist as a student at HIES, they met and decided the space could easily fit a mural. Alex drafted a few design concepts and together they decided on the look and color.

“We wanted something simplistic so as not to be distracting but with defined peaks,” Alex said. “The dark blue we chose is a good shade color that integrates well with the white walls.”

Drawing and painting the mural to scale was aided by the existing block walls in Groesbeck Hall. “It can be hard to translate sketches to murals but the squares served as a built-in grid, which was very helpful,” Alex said.

“We’re thrilled with how it turned out,” Ms. Bradford said. “It was wonderful to immediately connect PEAK not only with

our alumni, but also with the larger idea of the foundational role HIES has always played in launching student passions and interests.”

An Alpha-Omega student, Alex enrolled in nearly every available art class from Lower School through APs in Upper School at HIES. He competed in track & field and was a two-time state champion in pole vault. He enrolled at SCAD in Savannah but decided to change his major to landscape architecture and transferred to UGA. In addition to his studies, he works freelance in landscape design and web site design. He hopes to own his own firm one day.

— Christina Mimms

Mission

The PEAK Institute guides student exploration of emerging interests and passions through experiential learning, project work, and broader career discovery supported by a network of mentors and professionals. Passion projects, on-campus internships and the signature PEAK Seminar elective course are all current opportunities available to Upper School students to engage with the Institute.

Inaugural PEAK Institute Students

Jake Alston ’26

Rania Bhatia ’26

Sophie Cardillo ’26

Holden Culbertson ’24

Macon Core ’26

Claire Hobbs ’26

Galen Kilburn ’24

Carter McMillen ’24

Graham McNulty ’26

Ethan Meisinger ’26

Haidee Quechol Flores ’23

Ella Vanderver ’24

on-campus internships. Students heard presentations from faculty and administrators offering internships in the Horizons program, Esports, Lower School, Athletics and PEAK. Lisa McFarland, director of human resources, spoke about professional skills needed to acquire internships and jobs, how to build resumes and how to use LinkedIn.

“Internships are a great way to learn more about a job area of interest, develop skills and grow a professional network,” Ms. Bradford said.

Kate Kratovil, director of the Horizons Atlanta program at HIES, offered an internship for schedule development for the summer program, which serves hundreds of underprivileged students in the community. “Because Horizons has experienced significant growth in the past two years, the schedule needs a complete overhaul,” Ms. Kratovil said.

The tasks associated with the internship will focus on planning, organization and logistics – applicable skills in a wide variety of roles and industries, and in life.

“Crafting our daily schedule is a true authentic task and a critical part of the Horizons program,” Ms. Kratovil said. “It also allows a HIES student to engage with Horizons in a meaningful way.”

Five Class of 2023 seniors committed to completing a PEAK Capstone Project, in which they can pursue an emerging passion or broaden a curiosity under the guidance of both a faculty advisor and a professional mentor. Students are using LinkedIn as an online portfolio to track their progress and gather feedback from the community. At the end of the fall semester, they will make a presentation; some projects will continue into the spring semester.

Additionally, PEAK’s reach extends into Middle School. On Sept. 14, the PEAK Institute organized a field trip for Mekisha Parks’ eighth-grade Sports and Entertainment Marketing course to visit Truist Park. Students toured behind-thescenes inner workings of the promotions team with the Atlanta Braves and met with Scott Cunningham, vice president of fan experience, to review what promotional

marketing looks like at the professional level. They discussed the concepts of engagement and awareness as well as practical matters such as attendance, signage and rain plans.

The talk’s content and the tour helped to reinforce the language, strategies and coursework the students have been tasked with this quarter in Ms. Parks’ class.

“To be able to be in a space like Truist that kids know as fans made a connection for them,” Ms. Parks said. “They got to see in action what we talk about it in class and gained a new set of tools. The energy when we returned to the classroom was the highest it’s been all year. The language they were using and the questions they were asking were elevated by the experience we had.”

On Sept. 22, University of Alabama and Georgia Tech engineering students involved with the EcoCar Challenge visited Upper School students on campus. Select universities participate in the program each year, which provides an opportunity for students to work in handson automotive research and development using contemporary industry standards and practices.

HIES juniors and seniors were invited to participate in the Excellence Academy, hosted by Smith + Howard on Oct. 25, 2022, to introduce students to the different aspects of public accounting and leadership within an accounting firm.

In the PEAK classroom in Groesbeck Hall, a virtual reality screen is available to all divisions seeking immersive-type instruction. PEAK also partnered with the Office of College Counseling to host an interview workshop for Upper School students to practice for college and job interviews.

In the coming months, students will be offered additional opportunities with site visits and guest speakers coordinated by PEAK to broaden their horizons.

“PEAK is really a resource for the whole school,” Ms. Bradford said. “At the heart of PEAK is connecting our students with our community.”

FAME

FOUR INDUCTED TO 2022 WALL OF FAME

Four of Holy Innocents’ all-time best athletes were inducted into the Wall of Fame at halftime of the Oct. 7, 2022, football game against Miller Grove. The Wall of Fame was established in 2008; it recognizes and honors outstanding varsity athletes, coaches and/or contributors who have demonstrated excellence in their athletic pursuits.

The four inductees included Arden Birdwell, Erika Cassell, Haley Collins and Chelsea Zoller.

At the ceremony, the former athletes received a commemorative plaque — a replica of the one displayed on the Wall of Fame in the Main Gym — as well as a “free ticket for life” to any HIES sporting event.

ARDEN BIRDWELL ‘12 — LACROSSE

Arden Birdwell is our all-time leading scorer in lacrosse at HI – she was First Team All-American in 2011 and 2012, and First Team All-State for three of her four years. At Georgia, her squad won the national title in 2012 and she was named National Attack MVP in the process. She was also a WCLA First Team AllAmerican, was the Southeastern Women’s Lacrosse League MVP in 2011, and her Dawgs were league champions in 2013, 2015 and 2016. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., where she currently works for a fintech company.

ERIKA CASSELL '16 — BASKETBALL

Erika Cassell’s basketball career at HIES included a team state championship, one runner-up finish and two Final Four slots. During this, she stayed among the top in the individual stat charts in both scoring and rebounding. Moving on to play at N.C. State, her teams had two Sweet 16 appearances, had the most wins (101) in her four-year class (48) in school history, and the most home wins. Currently, Ms. Cassell is the VP of Citibank Global Operations and Issue Management in Tampa, Fla., where she has lived for more than two years.

HALEY COLLINS '16 — VOLLEYBALL

Haley Collins rewrote the volleyball record books while at HI as she is first all-time in career digs, total kills and kills per game, and is fourth in career aces. A four-year starter, her teams won three state titles, and, in the process, she was GHSA Player of the Year twice (2013 in Class A, 2015 in AA), was All-State 2013, 2014 and 2015, and was also named by the GVCA as an All-Star selection (2015). She graduated from Alabama magna cum laude and lives in Atlanta; she’s working for NCR Corporation in hospitality sales and marketing.

CHELSEA ZOLLER ‘16 — TRACK

Chelsea won four state titles while at HI – three in the 400-meter run and another in the 300-hurdles. At Georgia, she ran a relay leg of one of the best 4 X 4 teams in UGA history, has a top-five record in the 400-hurdles, was SEC Academic Honor Roll every year, and was selected as a track representative for the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, where athletes voice their opinions regarding life as a student athlete. She works at Merrill Lynch in Atlanta after earning a double-major in finance and management.

Congratulations to all!

— Dunn Neugebauer

NEW YEAR, NEW NAME: GOLDEN BEAR ANNUAL FUND

Gifts to the Golden Bear Annual Fund enhance the full Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School experience. To honor the interests of our donors, the school allows more ways to give now, so donors may direct their annual giving donation to a particular area of the school’s operations that they find meaningful. Gifts to the Golden Bear Annual Fund support areas campus wide. Please consider directing your gift to an area of personal interest:

photography, film, chorus, band, orchestra, theater, photography, yearbook and C&G magazine. These programs provide teachers with resources to unlock each child’s creative expression and opportunities to interact with guest artists.

GOLDEN BEAR Annual FUND

Where HIES Needs It Most — the Golden Bear Annual Fund — Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School’s No. 1 priority — provides vital resources that enhance every aspect of a HIES education and benefits every student. Gifts keep the school financially sound and allows it to be nimble when challenges arise.

Academic Programs – Gifts provide students with experiential learning opportunities such as the global scholar in residence, field trips, guest authors and speakers, service learning and curriculum enhancements. HIES students learn in small classes and the community fosters connections between student and teacher to flourish within the curriculum.

Fine Arts – Gifts support a robust visual and performing arts programs, including

Athletics – Gifts support HIES’ outstanding athletic program, which offers 59 sports teams in the Middle School and Upper School, by providing equipment, sports medicine and training. HIES’ athletics give students an array of opportunities for personal growth and physical challenges, and instill core values that benefit student-athletes on and off the field.

Faculty Support – Gifts help the school to recruit and retain talented faculty and staff, and a counselor and nurse in each division, including an additional US counselor this year. The school also provides opportunities for faculty and staff to expand their knowledge through advanced trainings.

Technology – Gifts support the integration of technology throughout the educational environment for students and faculty. These dollars allow technology instruction incorporated into the curriculum, with fifthgraders through seniors being issued laptops via our one-to-one laptop program.

SCHOLARSHIPS DEDICATED AT HIES

Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School is delighted to announce the donation of two endowed financial aid scholarships to support students.

The Laura and Larry A. DeMarcus Fund was donated by Laura and Larry DeMarcus. “Laura and I want ed to create an enduring legacy that would outlive us and influence future generations,” Mr. DeMarcus said. “Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School was a wonderful place for our

two sons, Clay and Glenn. Our goal is to make it a wonderful place for future HIES students.”

The Barbara Klein Endowed Fund will provide financial aid for students in Lower School. This donation was made anonymously in honor of Barbara Klein, a HIES employee since 1995. She is one of the Lower School admin istrative assistants and tutors Lower School students as well.

If you are interested in contributing to the endowment, please contact Michele Duncan at michele.duncan@hies.org.

ALUMNI

Claire McDonald Benedict ’88 attended Holy Innocents’ from PK3 through the eighth grade before heading to Riverwood High School after completing eighth grade. Claire stayed in touch professionally in her early career working as a vendor with the HIES Communications department for many years (her family business has printed the Torchbearer magazine). Claire then joined the HIES staff in Admissions/Enrollment Management in Fall 2019. Go Bears!

Russell Flynt ’97 started a Christian counseling ministry called Heart Song Counseling, located in Birmingham, Ala., in March 2021 after leaving his role as a pastor.

Lawson Thompson ’00 and his family spent the summer in Idaho. They live in Wilmington, N.C., and Lawson’s daughter Mavis Thompson, age 6, attends the Friends School of Wilmington for first grade.

Anthony Tarantino ’03 is currently entering year two of being an assistant principal at The Alliance Academy for Innovation in Forsyth County. His school was recently named the No. 2 public high school in Georgia by School Digger.

Susan Karimiha ’04 was recently sworn into the foreign service as an agricultural attaché.

Rebecca Barrow Milligan ’07 and her husband Michael are the proud parents of their little girl, Penley Ann; she was born in February 2021. They reside in Atlanta with their two Labrador Retrievers, Shafer and Milledge.

Emily Carter Gaston ’07 and her husband Nick welcomed their daughter, Anna Maeve Gaston, on September 1st, 2022 in to their family. She is their greatest gift in life and they are so in love with their baby girl.

Rob Aitkens ’08 is engaged to Kathryn Sigmon; a wedding is planned for May 2023.

Class of 2009 alumni held a mini-reunion in Boston in July 2022 with their new family additions. From left to right: Collin Rhea (Margot, 8 months), Jackson Davis (Hattie, 2 months), and Jennie Hardin Nevins (Rosie, 4 months). Three future Golden Bears!

Joey Maxwell ’09 and his wife Megan welcomed Charles Marsh Maxwell, going by Marsh, on August 18, 2022. He was 7lbs, 4 oz. He’s very excited to be a future Golden Bear!

Emma Borne Streit ’12 began a new job as a school-based therapist in a school district in the Austin, Texas, area. Emma and her husband, Stuart, were married in 2020.

Lindsey Klopfenstein ’13 married Tommy McGlone on May 14, 2022, at Peachtree Presbyterian Church with a reception following at Cherokee Town Club. Many HIES alumni attended. They took their honeymoon in Tuscany and the Amalfi Coast, Italy.

Margaret Crewdson ’13 earned a Bachelor’s in Psychology from the University of Miami, Fla., a Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis and a Ph.D. in School Psychology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Margaret recently moved back to Atlanta and works as a psychologist in a private practice, ALC Psychological Services, in Sandy Springs, providing evaluations and therapy for children and adolescents.

Kramer Deans ’10 married Ashley Olds, the woman of his wildest dreams, on Sept. 4, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn.

Delaney McMullen ’11 married Mac McKinney at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., on June 24, 2022. The couple met in Washington, D.C., where she moved after graduating from the University of Georgia. They had HIES alumni and even a former HIES teacher in attendance.

Brooke Ann Barry ’14 and Holland Lane Hailey were married Oct. 1, 2022, at Northside Methodist Church in Atlanta with their reception at Capital City Club Downtown. They have known each other since they were middle school students at HIES and started dating while at the University of Georgia, from which they both graduated in 2018. Brooke is a VP, middle market portfolio manager at Truist Bank in Atlanta and Holland is an acquisitions manager for RESICAP, a real estate investment firm in Atlanta.

Emily Mace ’14 is pursuing an MBA at The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

’96

’97

’98

Jill Herndon Littlefield: jilllittlefield@hotmail.com

Allison Dunham Parrish: allisondparrish@yahoo.com

Audra Mullen Thompson: audra.thompson@hies.org

Raine Crumpler Hyde: raine.hyde@gmail.com

Monique Caracola-Biddle: monique@ vacationstoanywhere.com

Matt Little: mlittle@mcgriff.com

Ashton Thurmond Ragone: ashtonragone@gmail.com

Kristin Wolford Tiliakos: kristinjwolford@aol.com

Aida Mahmutovic Mayhew: aida.mayhew@stemcell.com

Elizabeth Dunham Thompson: elizabethdunhamthompson@yahoo.com

’99 Rich Braund: braundr@gmail.com

’00

’01

Caroline Clear Rudolph: cdclear@gmail.com

Shelarese Ruffin: ssruffin@gmail.com

Allender Laflamme Durden: allenderl@gmail.com

Cara Puckett Roxland: cara.roxland17@gmail.com

Rebecca Brown Rivera: rebecca.rivera@hies.org

Kristen Novay: kristenwnovay@gmail.com

’02

Missy Evans Gardner: missylauren@gmail.com

Jennie Strassner Wilson: jennielwilson@gmail.com

’03 Emily Weprich: emily.weprich@yahoo.com

’04

Bryan Jones: bryanj611@gmail.com

Liz Young Hayes: lizhayesuk@gmail.com

John Cook: jmcook42@gmail.com

Bennett Gottlieb: bennett.gottlieb@capitalre.com

Amy Fore Kane: kaneamyf@gmail.com

Susan Karimiha: susan.karimiha@gmail.com

’05 Tyler Rathburn: tprathburn@gmail.com

’06

’07

Rachel Shunnarah: rshunnarah@gmail.com

Allyson Young Barganier: allysonbarganier@gmail.com

Whitney Mitchell: whitney5574@gmail.com

Liz Walters: lizwaltersatl@gmail.com

Maryanne Stumb McWhirter: mcwhirtermaryanne@gmail.com

Ben Cornwell: ben.cornwell@gmail.com

Sean Butkus: seanbutkus@gmail.com

’08

Kelly Garrison Johnson: askseekknock3@gmail.com

Daniel Blaustein: dsblaustein@gmail.com

Rob Aitkens: raitkens14@gmail.com

Jackson Davis: jacksondavis5470@gmail.com

John Mitchell: johnsmitchell@gmail.com

Halle Addison: haddison34@att.net

Annie Hollett Snell: anniehollett@gmail.com

After four years in technology consulting in Atlanta, she moved to Chicago to further her education and specialize in growth and scaling. She is planning to graduate in May 2024.

Lauren Duncan ’14 graduated from Emory University in 2018 with a bachelor’s in psychology. Following graduation, she moved to Colorado where she began working as a registered behavior technician with autistic kids, teens and adults. Lauren graduated in May 2021 with a master’s in applied behavior analysis from Ball State University. She works as a board certified behavior analyst in Denver, Colo., to empower autistic children by teaching them communication skills, adaptive skills and replacement behaviors for behaviors lagging skills.

Julia Wright ’14 and William Morton ’14 married on October 9, 2021, at Church of The Apostles in Atlanta and held the reception at the bride’s home in Atlanta. Julia said, “Holy Innocents’ will always be a special place because it’s where we met and where we started dating.” Several HIES Alumni were part of their wedding day: Bailey Lyles ’14, Madison Miller ’14, Emma Higgins ’14, Joanna Wright ’16, Faith Wright ’18, Elle Wright ’20, Sean Barrett ’14, Connor

Thompson ’14, Robert Rousseau ’14, Owen Penn ’14, Clay Pfohl ’14 and Connor Dolan ’15. The couple moved to Denver, Colo., in March 2022.

At the Girl Talk Honors Gala held in Atlanta on Oct. 4, 2022, Amber Abernathy ’14 received the first-ever Alumni Spirit Award in recognition for her continued leadership in Girl Talk. She is an active volunteer, supporting Girl Talk chapters around Atlanta, including the HIES chapter. Ms. Abernathy is a graduate of Brandeis University and is employed as an account executive at Travelers Insurance.

Connor McClain ’15 will graduate from Georgia State University School of Law in spring 2023.

Savannah Smith ’15 married Jacob Hamilton in June 2022 in Birmingham, Ala. They met after she graduated from The University of Alabama and they now live in Northwest Alabama. Jacob is the head football coach at Tharptown High School and Savannah owns a clothing boutique called “Smith and Mode,” along with also working with her family’s company handling communications and digital work. Other HIES alumni that were a

DistinguisheD Alumnus nominAtions

HIES is seeking nominations for the Distinguished Alumnus Award. This award will recognize an outstanding alumnus for their personal and profes sional accomplishments and contribu tions to their community. This alumnus must embody the Mission Statement of the School (Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School develops in students a love of learning, respect for self and others, faith in God, and a sense of service to the world community.) All nominations are due by February 15, 2023. The winner will be recognized during the State of the School Luncheon. Use the QR code to submit your nomination.

part of their wedding party include: Sophie Smith ’18, Scarlett Smith ’21, Stone Smith ’22, Rebecca Maitski ’15, Hanna (Been) Durbin ’15 and Brittany Rottner ’15.

Rebecca Maitski ’15 is a second-year medical student at LSU-New Orleans. Rebecca is enjoying shadowing in different specialties, helping with gynecological oncology research and volunteering in the emergency room.

Allie Creekmuir ’16 married James Pyle on September 17, 2022, at Barnsley Resort in Adairsville, Ga. She is an associate analyst at The Marketing Arm in Dallas. Allie and James are both graduates of SMU in Dallas. Allie later completed her Masters of Science in business analytics at Elon University. James is a private equity associate with Tailwater Capital in Dallas.

Emma Rolader Martin ’16 and her husband Matt Martin moved to Nashville, Tenn., last fall. She aims to start a local office for Atlanta-based PR/Marketing firm Jackson Spalding in 2023. Emma and Matt have two vizslas, Maggie and Millie.

Brent Duncan ’16 graduated from the University of Tampa in May 2022 with an MS in marketing. He received an athletic scholarship to play basketball from the University of Tampa and played for six years while receiving undergraduate and graduate degrees. Brent is interning in the Wealth Management division of Morgan Stanley.

Andris “Andee” Poulos ’17, graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of South Carolina with a B.S. degree in sport and entertainment management. She works as a community affairs ambassador with the

2021 World Champion Atlanta Braves, a dream since she was young, so this was the opportunity of a lifetime.

Ansley Earle ’17 recently accepted a social media coordinator position at Jackson Spalding where she serves on the Chickfil-A team.

Shepherd Bridges ’17 graduated from Baylor University in 2021 and is now a University of Georgia School of Law J.D. Candidate 2024.

Taylor Morton ’17 works as the organist and director of music at Winter Park Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, N.C.

Carson Staples ’17 will participate in the Trinity Fellows program during the 2022-2023 academic year in Charlottesville, Va. Trinity Fellows is a church-based leadership and professional development program for recent college graduates in all fields, involving a marketplace job, extensive volunteerism and graduate level seminary courses. Carson works as a clinical research coordinator at UVA Orthopedics and directs ankle reconstruction research studies under the direction of Dr. Seth Yarboro in the trauma division. She will volunteer with Abundant Life in Charlottesville to mentor and tutor underprivileged students and with youth ministry at Trinity Presbyterian Church. After completion of the program, Carson plans to attend PA school and work in empathetic and holistic patient care.

Katie Smith ’18 graduated from Southern Methodist University with a major in applied physiology and sport management with minors in psychology and health management. She was awarded the Sport Performance Leadership Departmental Distinction Award and was nominated as the SMU Senior Woman of the Year. She is continuing her

’11

’12

’13

(cont’d) class

Representatives

Delaney McMullen: delaneymcm@gmail.com

Callan Phillips: callan.phillips@yahoo.com

Nicole Farmer: nicolefarmer@beacham.com

Greg Sullivan: gregsullivan12@gmail.com

Victoria Hovancik: victoria.hovancik@gmail.com

Kendall Jackson: kendallrjackson@bellsouth.net

Lindsey Klopfenstein: Lindsey.klopfenstein@gmail.com

’14

’15

Bailey Lyles: blyles14@gmail.com

Anne-Claire Pittman: acpittman15@gmail.com

Mary Hollis Schmidt: mhschmidt12@gmail.com

Julia Wright: juliawright5@yahoo.com

Matt Gates: mattgates95@gmail.com

Rebecca Maitski: rebecca.maitski15@gmail.com

Savannah Smith: smith.savannah15@gmail.com

’16

’17

Peyton Hayes: pehayes@icloud.com

Emma Rolader: roladerem@gmail.com

Cade Anderson: cade.anderson1999@gmail.com

Ansley Earle: ansleyearle99@gmail.com

Amanda Gibson: gibsonam17@gmail.com

Kendall Jabaley: kjabaley@gmail.com

’18 Bryn Foster: ebrynfoster@gmail.com

’19

’20

Blake Morain: blake.morain@gmail.com

Kent Malcolm: kentrm10@aol.com

Elizabeth Dickson: elizabethdickson09@gmail.com

Katie Leonard: katieleonard032@gmail.com

Lucy Brumbaugh: brumbaughlucy@gmail.com

Kate Moore: kate.moore2020@gmail.com

MaryCamille Quigley: mcquigley20@gmail.com

’21

’22

Sophie Corts: sophiecorts@gmail.com

Eliza Gregory: elizagregory53@gmail.com

George Wray: georgewray22@gmail.com

Abigail Jablon: sajablon@gmail.com

Caroline Williams: carolinegrace486@gmail.com

Taylor Rand ’20 is a junior at Belmont University, majoring in creative and entertainment industries with a minor in music business. She is an active member of Service Corps and assistant philanthropy director of Phi Mu Theta. This fall she is interning with Taillight TV, a media production company.

studies at Texas Christian University in the masters program for athletic training.

ALUMNI EVENTS

EVENTS

Caroline Ford ’16, Josie Barton ’16 and Susanne Sokolowski ’16 at the dedication of the Jim Barton Tree house on the new Lower School playground.

On Oct. 5, 2022, the HIES Alumni Office hosted the inaugural HI College Roadshow at Ray’s NY Pizza in Midtown Atlanta for all HIES alumni currently enrolled in a greater Atlanta area college or university. More than 20 alumni attended the luncheon along with HIES faculty members Jason Rutledge, Amie LaPorte-Lewis, Daniel Forrester and Mike Plant. Alumni enjoyed a complimentary pizza lunch and shared their college updates

with the HIES team. Keep an eye out for the next HI College Roadshow location and date!

On Oct. 8, 2022, the Class of 2012 celebrated their 10 -year reunion on campus. They toured campus, played cornhole and feasted on a delicious fajita bar from Taqueria del Sol. They even had a live stream of the college football games on that evening so they could cheer on their teams!

Amie LaPorte-Lewis, Tanvi Shanbhag ’22, Robert McDonald ’21 and Mike Plant at the HI College Roadshow Oct. 5, 2022.

Shea Fleming ’19, Jason Rutledge, Kate Moore ’20

The Class of 2012 enjoyed their 10-year reunion on campus on Oct. 8, 2022.

Christina Touzet ’10, Rob Aitkens ’08 and Erin Gates Faulstich ’10

Thank you to everyone from the Class of 2012 who attended and we look forward to your 15-year celebration!

Holy Innocents’ Parents of Alumni and Alumni gathered together to celebrate HIES Founder’s Day on Sept. 9, 2022, at the Stewart-Rathburn Family Alumni Hall. Guests tasted a variety of bourbons and wines hand selected by experts Harry Constantinescu and Jack Smith and enjoyed heavy hors d’oeuvres. This annual fall event is a fun celebration of our Founder’s Day that brings our alumni community back together again on campus.

Our HI Alumni Summer Social sizzled at Monday Night Brewing Garage on July 21, 2022. More than 30 alumni and HIES faculty members socialized and reconnected over delicious food and Monday Night’s infamous brews. We hope all alumni keep an eye out for an announcement on next year’s Summer Social location and date.

Alumni at the July Social

Lisa and Scott Loux with Rick and Lisa Shunnarah at Founder’s Day

Carson Staples ’17, Caroline McClatchey ’17 and Christine Dial Buckler ’10

Erica and Scott Seaborn ’03, Catherine Johnson Bastow ’03 and Jason Bastow

FLYING HIGH

As a junior at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, LT William Rasmussen ’13 faced the decision that every Upper School must. With college on the horizon, the question about his future needed an answer.

Growing up flying with his dad, a private pilot, and his grandfather, a World War II veteran, signs pointed to a potential military career. “After my grandfather served in World War II, none of my immediate family had joined and I did not want that legacy to end,”

LT Rasmussen said. “I always enjoyed sailing and the ocean and settled on the Navy. I thought it would be a good way to see the world, too.”

He continued his college search and earned acceptance to Georgia Tech with a HOPE scholarship and decided to enter the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps as well. NROTC covered the cost of tuition in exchange for a minimum of five years of service. He was able to use HOPE funds for other expenses, including a study abroad program.

During his first year of NROTC, he explored all the options for Naval service, which include pilot, surface warfare officer (who works on regular navy ships and drives them) and nuclear submarine officer (who is in charge of submarines and their nuclear reactors).

After one year of NROTC students can decide if they want to continue or leave the program. LT Rasmussen committed to continue with his eye on becoming a pilot. As a senior at Georgia Tech, he was thrilled to be selected as a pilot.

After graduating in 2017 with a degree in industrial engineering, he moved to Pensacola, Fla., to begin flight school. He earned his wings after three years of training. He selected jets out of primary flight training, then the F/A-18E/F out of advanced flight training, and from there was selected into a single seat F/A-18E squadron, where he has worked for more than a year. His squadron is the VFA-136 Knighthawks, based in Lemoore, Calif.

They are currently on an eight-month deployment on the USS George H. W. Bush aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean. He flies the F/A-18 Super Hornet.

“It is incredible to be able to take off and land on an aircraft carrier every day,” LT Rasmussen said. “There are some awesome people in our community and I’ve made a lot of great friends in the Navy through flight school and training in the F-18.”

Prior to deployment, he and his squadron friends did see the movie “Maverick” and thoroughly enjoyed it. One of their pilot mentors played a part in the movie as a stunt double flying real maneuvers on screen. They also participated in a flyover at a San Diego Padres baseball game, which his parents and brother Christian ’09 were able to attend.

LT Rasmussen will fly for six more years to complete his commitment and is considering a wide variety of options in the future, including returning to college to earn a Master’s degree, entering NASA or becoming a test pilot.

While the current distance and separation from family and loved ones, including girlfriend Liz Hamel, a fellow Georgia Tech graduate who works for IBM in Atlanta, are challenging, his supporters know that his mission is extremely important.

“I’d recommend this career choice to anyone, but caution that it is unpredictable,” LT Rasmussen said. “Make yourself competitive for selection to programs that facilitate your goals. Good grades, sports, clubs and all the things that are already stressed will give a good starting point and will keep your options open.”

by Christina Mimms, MANAGING EDITOR

LT WILLIAM RASMUSSEN ’13 IS DEPLOYED ABOARD THE

USS GEORGE H.W. BUSH AIRCRAFT CARRIER AS AN F/A-18 PILOT.

Even as a teenager, Sakia Delaney ’09 always kept law school in mind for her future.

As an Upper School student, she attended a law camp at Georgia State University and that sealed her plans.

After graduating from Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, she enrolled at Georgia State and earned a B.B.A. degree in 2013.

Ms. Delaney joined Teach for America and taught in a school in South Carolina for a year before returning to Atlanta to take the LSAT and apply to law schools.

She earned acceptance to Georgia State and completed her J.D. degree in 2018. She participated in moot court and served as president of the Ronald J. Freeman Chapter of the Black Law Students’ Association.

She received two CALI Excellence for the Future Awards, which is given to the highest-scoring student in each law school class at many law schools across the country.

“HIES gave me that competitive edge. The curriculum was very much

college prep and everyone wanted good grades,” she said. “I was very well prepared and used to that level of work.”

As a member of the HIES basketball and soccer teams and cheer squad, Ms. Delaney also was accustomed to managing her time well. As an undergraduate student, she lived on campus at Georgia State, volunteered with Big Brothers & Big Sisters, worked at the student center and worked in an internship with Radio One Atlanta. “I formed some great friendships and thoroughly enjoyed my undergrad experience,” she said.

Law school upped her workload significantly, as expected. “Law school is

intense,” she said. “I loved the professors – they were invested in my success, and I felt like they really prepared me for the legal field.”

In 2017, she worked as a summer associate at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough in Atlanta and was hired there after graduation. After three years, she moved to Troutman Pepper, where she is a corporate associate focusing on mergers and acquisitions, and joint ventures. The firm has 23 offices across the U.S.

“With mergers and acquisitions, you interact with clients in many different industries so there is continuous learning to do,” Ms. Delaney said. “There are often different complications that have to be handled but it’s very satisfying to get the deal done.”

In 2019, Ms. Delaney was named on the “Top 40 Under 40” list by The National Black Lawyers.

On August 11, 2022, she welcomed the arrival of her son Noah Amari, 8 lbs., 4 oz.

— Christina Mimms

ALUMNI PROFILE: BEN CORNWELL

In 2007, Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School varsity baseball team brought home the Class AA State Championship – to date, the only one in baseball. That day represented the hard work, dedication and dreams of many students, including Ben Cornwell ’07, captain and pitcher of that varsity team. It is one of his most treasured memories from HIES.

After graduating, Mr. Cornwell matriculated to Virginia Tech, where he played baseball until an elbow injury cut his time short. He returned to Atlanta and enrolled at Georgia Perimeter campus in Covington, where he earned an associate’s degree, played baseball and had Tommy John surgery. Post-recovery, he transferred to University of Georgia for his junior and senior years to play baseball for the Dawgs.

After graduating UGA with a degree in sports management in 2011, Mr. Cornwell signed with the Seattle Mariners. “I had a lifelong dream of playing major league baseball,” he said. He hung up his glove in May 2012 and started a career in finance, eventually following work –and his heart – to Texas. Mr. Cornwell married Anna Heald, a graduate of the Lovett School and Southern Methodist University, in June 2015.

They live in Dallas, where Mr. Cornwell is senior vice president in Middle Market banking

for Truist and Mrs. Cornwell teaches first grade at Episcopal School of Dallas (ESD). “Dallas is a great business community and very familyoriented, similar to Atlanta,” Mr. Cornwell said. A lifelong Atlanta Braves fan, Mr. Cornwell watched the 2021 World Series (in that happy place called Truist Park) intently from Dallas.

They are the proud parents of Thomas, age 2.5, and identical twin boys Redding and Peyton, five months. They plan to apply their children to ESD where they can receive the Episcopal education that has meant so much to Mr. Cornwell.

“Holy Innocents’ had such a great impact on me, not just in academics but the environment, the small classes and the close relationships,” he said. “My very best friends to this day are from HIES.”

— Christina Mimms

UPCOMING EVENTS

HOMECOMING FOOTBALL TAILGATE & GAME

October 28, 2022 at Baker Field

Tailgate 2:30 pm • Game 3 pm

ALUMNI PUMPKIN BASH

Saturday, October 29, 10:00 am-12:00 pm

CLASS OF 1997 REUNION

October 29, 2022

Punch Bowl Social Atlanta

CLASS OF 2017 REUNION

November 22, 2022

Monday Night Brewing Garage

HOLIDAY COOKIE EVENT

December 4, 2022, 3:00-5:00 pm

When Meredith Weiss ’18 signed up for Model U.N. at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, it sparked an interest that carried through college and into her career. She graduated from George Washington University summa cum laude with a B.A. in international affairs in May 2022 with special honors in international affairs.

She now works as a wargaming analyst for Booz Allen Hamilton, specifically working as a cyber analyst for the Institute of Security Governance.

“As a senior I knew I wanted to go into international affairs, so I knew Washington, D.C. was the place for me,” she said. “I loved GW’s location in the center of downtown D.C.; it was the perfect place to explore my interests.”

As a HIES student, she was involved in a variety of clubs and activities, including theatre, the National Honor Society, and the Spanish and Science National Honor Societies. “HIES allowed me the time and space to try a lot of different things,” she said.

In college, Ms. Weiss was a member of the GW Residence Hall Association and served as president of

The National Residence Hall Honorary, where she advocated for the interests and welfare of residence hall students at the regional and national levels. She found her love of experiential learning through her involvement with Strategic

Crisis Simulations, a student group that designs interactive and engaging simulations on issues in U.S. foreign policy and international security.

Throughout her coursework at GW, Ms. Weiss became enamored with space policy and strategy. She completed two internships with Aerospace Industries Association, one in international affairs and another in strategic initiatives for The American Rocketry Challenge. She wrote her senior thesis about Chinese space strategy, entitled “China’s Space Program: Lessons from the Essence of Decision,” under the advisement of Dr. Scott Pace, former Executive Secretary of the National Space Council.

“The space industry is full of professionals who are passionate about their work,” Ms. Weiss said. “They are full of excitement for the future and what space can do for humanity.”

Her projects at Booz Allen Hamilton focus on security cooperation with allied and partner nations to enhance interoperability with the United States.

She researches and creates content for workshops and seminars in cyber security.

— Christina Mimms

Back in the ’90s when Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School first began its high school sports, it was unusual for a student/athlete in a school this small to even get a Division I athletic scholarship. Now with a history consisting of more than plenty performing at that level, a recent look at our athletic alumni sees four now playing at the professional ranks. Three of them are 2017 graduates

– Mollie Belisle is now playing professional soccer after a great career at HIES and at University of Georgia; Lexie Knox is also competing in pro soccer after collegiate successes at both Tennessee and Georgia State; and Khayla Pointer, who starred both at HIES and at LSU on the basketball court, is now in the WNBA.

The fourth – Skye Bolt – is a 2014 graduate who is currently seeing active duty on the Oakland Athletics major league baseball roster.

Starting with Ms. Belisle, she is in Denmark, competing for HB Koge – a professional Danish football club located about 35 minutes from Copenhagen.

“I never in a million years thought I would go abroad but, to make a long story short, I had a really good fifth year at UGA last year, therefore I ended up getting invited to be a discovery player at Kansas City (professional team in the NWSL),” Ms. Belisle said.

“I spent a few months there but ended up falling on my elbow and tearing my UCL which set me back.

“Regardless, Kansas City has ties to this team in Denmark and I ended up meeting an American girl who plays here. From there, it made more sense for me to go overseas and get adjusted to the professional level while actually getting the opportunity to play in games — and not to mention the once

in a lifetime experience this has given me.”

Ms. Knox has a similar story, as she is playing in Shkoder, Albania for KFF Vllaznia in the UEFA Women’s Champions League.

“Playing professional soccer has always been a dream of mine,” Ms. Knox said. “I am truly grateful and blessed to have the opportunity to play the sport I love for a living and be able to do so out of the country. This experience has been amazing and I’m excited to continue this journey.”

As for Ms. Pointer, she went on to star on the basketball court at LSU where she was a three-time All-SEC star and was second in the conference in both scoring and assists as a senior. Picked up by the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA, she is now a guard for the Indiana Fever.

While at HIES, Ms. Pointer was a four-year starter on our more than stellar hoops squads, including the 2016 state champions.

Mr. Bolt, after rewriting the record books on the baseball field, was drafted in 2012 by the Washington Nationals but chose instead to play for the University of North Carolina, where he did so for three years. He was later drafted by the Oakland Athletics, where he made his debut in 2019.

He also had a brief stint as a San Francisco Giant, but soon returned to the A’s where he is seeing plenty of action this season. He is a switchhitting outfielder who already has some key hits to his credit, including a walkoff homer in early season 2022 action.

Congratulations to all four for making us all proud, during your high school, collegiate and now professional ventures.

— Dunn Neugebauer

Mollie Belisle ’17

Khayla Pointer ’17

Lexie Knox ’17

Skye Bolt ’14

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