TorchBearer Spring-Summer 2020

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THE HOLY THE INNOCENTS’ EPISCOPAL ALUMNI MAGAZINE SUMMER 2020 HOLY INNOCENTS’ EPISCOPALSCHOOL SCHOOL ALUMNI MAGAZINE | WINTER| 2017

Resilience During Covid HIES COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER IN CRISIS

TORCHBEARER | THE HIES ALUMNI MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2020

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Seventh-grade teachers utitlize Zoom to wish their students a good summer break.

HEAD OF SCHOOL Paul A. Barton BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2019-2020 Dr. Michael B. Stewart, Chairman of the Board Mr. Pickens M. Lindsay, Vice Chairman Mrs. Jolie Maxwell, Secretary Mr. Neil L. Pruitt Jr., Treasurer Mr. Paul A. Barton, Head of School Mrs. Alexandra Allen Mr. Kevin L. Brown Mr. David Calhoun Mr. Chris M. Carlos Mr. Robert L. Cullens Jr. Mrs. Helen Donahue Mr. C. Brandon Downs Mr. Adam T. Fuller Mr. John Fuller Mrs. Heather Henn Mrs. Leigh S. Jackson Mr. David Love Mr. Peter J. Mace Mr. Ian A. Marshall Mr. Mike C. McMillen Mrs. Bonnie T. Meshad The Rev. Dr. William S. Murray IV Mrs. Kristin W. Roch Mr. F. Neal Sumter III The Rev. C. John Thompson-Quartey Mrs. Donna T. Toledo 2

ALUMNI ADVISORY BOARD Jackson Davis ‘09, President Laura Phillips Green ’04, President Elect Jessica Bailey ‘10 Christine Dial Buckler ‘10 Sean Butkus ‘07 Michael Griffin ‘00 Julie Walker Grigsby ‘91 Kelly Voyles Kardian ‘91 John Mitchell ‘09 Lily Rolader Baucom ‘11 Cara Puckett Roxland ‘01 Andy Stroman ‘08 O’Neal Wanliss ‘11

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EDITOR Andrew Payne

andrew.payne@hies.org

MANAGING EDITOR Christina Mimms

christina.mimms@hies.org

DIRECTOR OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT Michele Duncan michele.duncan@hies.org

DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS/ SPECIAL EVENTS Tamika Weaver tamika@hies.org

CONTRIBUTORS Shannon Bell Scott Coggins photography

MISSION S TAT E M E N T

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.

Whitney Meadows design Dunn Neugebauer writer Debbie Reams photography Holli Wilkins photography Tim Williams illustration

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CONTENTS

TA B L E O F The Class of 2020 was celebrated at the first—and perhaps only— Carpool Commencement on Saturday, May 16, 2020.

See more photos on p. 30.

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Q & A WITH PAUL BARTON

Our Head of School takes a look at the current state of the school in our 60th anniversary year.

HISTORIC ‘OUR TIME’ CAMPAIGN UNDER WAY AT HIES Plans for the future will transform the campus to serve a wide variety of needs.

60 YEARS IN THE MAKING

It started with the desire to help those less fortunate and grew into so much more.

RESILIENCE DURING COVID A most unexpected turn of events caused our community to rethink daily life, campus celebrations and how to serve.

09 Our Time to Build a Legacy — Donor Profile // 10 Farewells — Retiring Faculty // 13 All In for HI // 13 Apogee at HIES // 24 Alumni Notes // 28 National Signing Day @805 // 30 Carpool Commencement 2020 // 32 The Final Word 3

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Q & A WITH PAUL BARTON >

PAUL BARTON HEAD OF SCHOOL Q Our spring semester took an unexpected turn with the global spread of the coronavirus. What are your thoughts on how our community responded to the situation?

It’s still surreal but I have been blown away by a calm confidence in the community, the creative ways people have retooled their jobs, the poise with which teachers are conducting themselves, the way the chaplains have reached out and the spirit of the administration. As a community, we come through time and time and time again, and we’ve come to value the HIES community even more. It is vital to who we are.

School can be delivered in very different ways and we have found new ways to create experiences to connect. Technology has forever changed and when we look back years from now, we will see a huge leap in what technology could deliver.

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...WE’VE COME TO VALUE THE HIES COMMUNITY EVEN MORE. IT IS VITAL TO WHO WE ARE. -Paul Barton Q What have we learned from this situation and how does it make us stronger as a school and community?

This will forever change this generation but some of it is no different than facing any challenge in life. We have to step back and see the good of the human spirit and find that endurance.

This has been another chance in our 60th year to reflect on who we are and the Episcopal ethos of worth, dignity and community. Our community has a greater appreciation for teachers and the art of teaching, as well as an appreciation for healthcare workers, truck drivers, grocery employees and others. We have a greater depth to us than we thought and a greater sense of confidence. The resilience and the perseverance of the human spirit, and the levelheadedness of our parent body, has been amazing.

Q We still have had much to celebrate as Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School is 60 years young this year. What does our 60th anniversary mean to you and for our community?

It’s really a time to stop and pause and appreciate how far we’ve come and a chance to celebrate what we have. It is a time to pause, reflect, remember, appreciate and celebrate what the present is and to

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envision a future. When we invited people who were part of that first class to convocation and when we brought back the Rt. Rev. Clay Matthews, our first school chaplain, it was a chance to hold them up and thank them for their courage to have a vision. We are now the largest Episcopal parish day school and it was founded with them. We stand on the shoulders of past generations and we get a chance to see the school anew through their eyes. We can leverage the momentum of the last 60 years to do something really transformational that will lay a foundation for the next 60 years of excellence.

Q Looking to our future, why is this ‘Our Time’ to strike ahead?

When we started the Upper School, we changed and joined a whole different league of peers in Atlanta. We’ve been finding our footing in that league while still being true to our identity.

We’ve taken our light and held it up for the metro area to see who we are and to really own our own identity and our own space in the market. When we were a new high school, we didn’t have program, facility, reputation or college placement, and in the last two decades we’ve been building that record of success in all areas. The arts, academics, athletics, community service, servant leadership, college placement, you name it, now there’s a track record.

When I first came to HIES, I wanted to find a school that had been around long enough to know its identity, but yet still had a long runway left. I wanted it to be a place where it was still open to innovation and new ideas. And that’s what I have found in the last five and a half years. I’m very proud of who we are. We represent something very special, very unique in the Atlanta area. At the same time, we have a long runway and a lot of ability to take the school to places it’s never seen before. And that excitement is palpable in our community and among our alumni. And with all that said, now is our time.

Q Checking in on our ‘Aim HI’ strategic plan, what is the current status of our goals?

These six pillars were laid out to touch all areas of the HIES experience – HIES Culture, Episcopal Values, Excellence in Teaching & Learning, Discover Passions, Campus Transformation and Institutional & Financial Stewardship.

We’re making great progress simultaneously in all these different areas. There’s a strategic planning committee as a standing committee on the Board of Trustees and their job is oversight of this plan and to hold us accountable to the plan.

In this past year a lot has been focused on Pillar V, Campus Transformation, and that goes hand in hand with raising money and financial stewardship. What we’ve seen with the STEM building in Pillar III, Excellence in Teaching & Learning, is that new buildings are nice. The game changer is faculty, program and students. But it’s not just bricks and mortar—the new space allowed us to innovate new programs, new curriculum and new opportunities to attract, develop and retain the highest caliber of faculty. They want to work in a state-of-the-art space. And kids want that as well. And that space allows and inspires people to innovate and be creative in all sorts of new ways.

Campus transformation impacts teaching and learning, financial stewardship, HIES culture and our Episcopal values all at the same time. The one that we need to lean into as we finish up this campaign and we get to construction is Pillar IV, the most generative pillar to the plan, Discover Passions.

Q What is our current relationship with Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church?

I couldn’t ask for more. Our relationship is based on mutual respect, the ability to listen to what each organization needs to be strategic, to be compassionate and to be understanding. [The Rev.] Bill Murray has brought a tremendous amount of energy and strategic vision as rector. Bill has brought such experience and expertise and the right temperament that I have seen a great deal of growth, both for the school and for the church and for me—personally and professionally. We have stability. We’re in a relationship that truly is a win-win-win for the school, the church and the community.

Q This year we are graduating our 25th class. What are your thoughts about our alumni as the product of the Episcopal education we have provided?

I love to hear people who graduated in the 1990s say the school is the same but the value of their diploma has gone up. When they look at what it’s become, they can be even more proud to say that they were on the ground floor of something that none of us could have envisioned, except for Alice Malcolm.

It’s humbling and it’s inspiring at the same time when we look at the impact that Holy Innocents’ has had in the last 25 years because of its graduates being well prepared and well positioned to make the most of opportunities in college and in their careers. Alumni will share that they are quite naturally the community builders in their workplace and in their families, in their churches, in their communities and their neighborhoods and that it has impacted everything that they’ve achieved. Our alumni see diversity and inclusivity as absolutely essential to the work of community. Holy Innocents’ teaches that we are much better together than we are alone and we can achieve more, accomplish more and appreciate more. As an Episcopal school, we’re most proud of being able to give them that experience.

What about Holy Innocents’ has enabled that to happen is whether it was chapel, community service or religion classes, the diversity of faith traditions in the school or the inclusivity of “draw the circle wide,” it’s the notion that we’re all in this together and that has been the differentiator. It’s something that is appreciated even more so five years out, 10 years out or 25 years out than it is when it’s happening. All of a sudden, you’re talking to alumni and they articulate it back to you so beautifully through their own lens and then we know that truly we’ve been successful. These graduates have such a deep abiding sense of purpose and community. When we have something happen, both good or tragic, to see people rally and support one another and really exercise community is just incredible. And I’m very proud of the way that our alumni continue to care, not only about the school, but for one another.

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OUR TIME CAPITAL CAMPAIGN > 6

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HISTORIC ‘OUR TIME’ CAMPAIGN UNDER WAY AT HIES

by Neil Pruitt,

OUR TIME CAMPAIGN CHAIR

This is a remarkable time to be part of Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School. We are the largest Episcopal day school in the nation and have a made tremendous strides in our 60-year history. Today, we are one of the first-choice independent schools in Atlanta and we are widely recognized for our high standard of excellence and dedication to preparing our students for academic success. Our campus is bursting with optimism, innovation and a palpable sense of anticipation for the future.

Our Board of Trustees has completed a robust master planning process to envision a learning environment that reflects the quality of our programming and the caliber of our students, while laying the foundation for our long-term vision. That vision starts with the Our Time campaign that will give our students the facilities and tools they need to dream big and achieve extraordinary things.

In January 2020, we officially launched the Our Time campaign, which will accomplish far more than constructing new buildings on campus. It is building a community of citizens for tomorrow who are well-rounded and prepared for whatever the future holds. This campaign is about strengthening the future of the school to attract and retain the very best faculty, and to provide an outstanding experience where students will excel in academics, arts, athletics and servant leadership.

Our campaign goals will transform the campus with state-of-the-art new facilities:

> We will construct a new 60,000 SF Upper School humanities building to replace the Riley

Building, which dates to 1962. The new building will house the English, World Languages, Religion, History, Global Education and College Counseling departments with collaborative learning and social spaces for students and faculty, a new library and media center, and a new campus shop. This innovative building will overlook a large greenspace and central courtyard, strengthening the campus’ feeling of community.

> The current 1970s Lower School building will be replaced with a new 40,000 SF building

filled with natural light, high-tech classrooms, a new STEM lab and makerspace, hands-on learning spaces and flexible common areas including a green space and play area.

> In addition, we will add a cross-country course around the perimeter of the campus, which will allow us to host cross-country meets for the first time in school history. Look for new green spaces and new and improved security measures, driveways and traffic flow as well.

This campaign is the largest in the school’s history at $32.5 million and we are well on our way to achieving this fund-raising goal, with 100 percent support from the Board of Trustees and our faculty and staff. We are confident that we can raise the remaining funds through the collective contributions of our current HIES families, foundation grants and alumni.

Join us in making history at HIES with your gift to the Our Time campaign at www.ourtimecampaign.com.

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OUR TIME KICKOFF

celebrating the start of something new

More than 300 parents, alumni, grandparents, faculty, staff and friends were in attendance at the ‘Our Time’ Campaign kickoff celebration on Jan. 23, 2020, at the Atlanta History Center.

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OUR TIME CAPITAL CAMPAIGN >

OUR TIME TO BUILD A LEGACY >>>

Tom and Bonnie Flournoy

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itnesses to many changes at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School over the years, Bonnie and Tom Flournoy last year recognized the opportunity for their family to be a part of the most impactful change on our campus that will occur with the Our Time capital campaign. With their youngest child, Connor ’20, heading into his senior year, Bonnie and Tom were the first parents to commit a pledge, which will hold an impact long after his graduation.

Tom himself attended HIES from 1972-1980, entering Kindergarten and departing after seventh grade.

At that time, his family had just moved to the neighborhood and his parents thought HIES would be a great fit. The close-knit community that Tom experienced as a student was still in place when he and Bonnie enrolled Connor.

“Holy Innocents’ is special because of the teachers and their love for

teaching and their love for the kids,” Tom said. “Not every school has that and we’re all going to miss the community.”

That feeling became more palpable when the spread of the coronavirus forced the school to close the campus and transfer daily instruction, as well as the crucial operations of college counseling, to a remote format.

“Even in the online classrooms, the teachers know what’s going on with each student and we have direct lines with each teacher,” Bonnie said.

The new Humanities Building that will be constructed as part of the Our Time campaign appealed greatly to the Flournoys. As their son and his classmates have enjoyed classes and meals in the state-ofthe-art STEM building over the last four years, the physical differences between that facility and the Riley building are inescapable.

“We have world-class teachers and we want to help the facilities become world class as well,” Tom said.

“We felt this was exactly what the school needed,” Bonnie added.

And so even though Connor won’t participate in classes in the new building, he will become part of the HIES legacy as he transitions to Auburn University in the fall. The memories from senior year and the lifelong friendships created at HIES don’t end with the conclusion of the semester.

Holy Innocents’ extends heartfelt thanks to the Flournoy family for supporting the Our Time capital campaign. If you are interested in contributing to the plans to transform our campus, please contact Michele Duncan, director of institutional advancement at michele.duncan@hies.org or (404) 847-1153.

­— Christina Mimms

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FACULTY FAREWELLS >

farewells WITH A COMBINED 165 YEARS AT HIES, >>> PARTING WITH THESE FACULTY MEMBERS IS TRULY BITTERSWEET.

by Dunn Neugebauer,

WRITER AND HOLDER OF LOTS OF JOBS

DONNA JO AUSTIN

MIKE BRYANT

Holy Innocents’ bids a heartfelt goodbye to Donna Jo Austin, who served our community for more than 21 years.

After 29 years – and 40 total in education – Mike Bryant is retiring from Holy Innocents’.

Donna Jo – seen mostly in the Lower School library – did more than that during her stay. She started as a substitute teacher before coming on board as the Assistant Lower School librarian. From there, she was promoted to Library Media Specialist – a position she held until her retiring at this year’s end.

Mike worked at Woodward and Lovett before coming to HI in the ’90s, where he started the instrumental band and orchestra program in the fall of 1991. Head of School Alice Malcolm promoted him to the Fine Arts Department Head before Sue Groesbeck – who replaced Malcolm – changed his title to Director of Fine Arts.

She also served our world outside the library walls.

Her two sons – Jack ’08 and Joe ’10 – were both athletes, therefore Donna Jo spent plenty of time as a team mom for both basketball and baseball.

Mike ran the gamut at HI; he taught in the Lower, Middle and Upper Schools, while also serving as piano accompanist for choral concerts, band and orchestra productions, and chapels.

“Both of my boys were Alpha Omegas, and both of them received incredible educations here,” she said. “Through all this, I still have close friendships with many of the parents that were around when they were here.

“I was very interested also in starting a parent support group, so that’s how the Fine Arts Alliance was born,” Mike said.

“I have loved being a part of this great community, and I adored working with the students, who I will miss very much.”

Looking back, many things come to mind when she recalls her work days.

“Some of my favorite memories with students are Halloween in the Storywell and reading stories and novels to them. Starting the Caldecott and Newbery Clubs were also highlights, as I’m proud of those students who made it into the Medalist Club.

“I’m also glad I started the Dr. Seuss Day Celebration; student costumes were always so creative and amazing.

There are many wonderful memories from here that I will always cherish!”

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The FAA now has grown to be a huge support organization for our Fine Arts program, which includes many fundraisers. “I’ll never forget being asked to model for the ‘Heart for the Arts’ fashion show years ago,” he said.

Mike also won the coveted Greenbaum Award in 2003, where he studied Visual Art in the Basque regions of France and Spain. “I’ll always be grateful for Judie Jacobs and Jo Thacker for their help in getting me prepared for that adventure.”

Mike leaves expressing his gratitude at what he has seen over the years.

“It’s been wonderful to see the instrumental music program grow at HIES, due to the exceptionally talented faculty members.”

Finally, Mike isn’t simply “riding off into the sunset,” but will attend Georgia State University to study art beginning this fall.

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MELODY CANNON Melody Cannon’s creative side, mixed with her love for teaching, will leave more than a positive impact on her students and peers alike as she rides off into retirement.

Melody taught Upper School English for seven years. While the stereotypical classroom setting consists of lectures, videos and tests, she brought a different element into her lesson plans.

“I love to watch the kids develop their own voices,” she said. “It has always been a joy to watch our kids be willing to be creative.”

Some examples: Melody didn’t just have the kids read “The Kite Runner”, but would follow that by having them make kites, fly them and even participate in “Kite Wars.”

One Christmas, her advisory visited the Sandy Springs Mission for Children. One of her students was a guitar-playing Santa Claus; several more were singing elves. With her classes, it was never just a visit, but a full participation.

“I’ve been unusually blessed by the number of incredible kids who walked into my classroom each day,” she said. “Every day brought new and wonderful pleasures.”

In moving forward, she isn’t one who plans on leaving the youth behind, but instead still wants to make a difference.

“I want to still be connected; I’d like to tutor the kids regarding college essays; help them with their writing.

I’d like to play some golf, do some painting, work on my art.”

Her retirement plans fit who she is, as her creative side will always remain a big part of her. Our community is and was more than fortunate that it got to be on the receiving end of it.

SYLVIA GONZALEZ Lower School Spanish teacher Sylvia Gonzalez, after serving Holy Innocents’ for 17 years, has announced her retirement.

She came here in 2002, where she taught Spanish for Kindergarten, Pre-First and first grade. When Pre-First was eventually cancelled, she added Pre-K teaching to her portfolio as well.

Eight years ago, she moved to the position she most recently held – teaching all Lower School grades with co-teacher Joan Schochet, as well as being team leader for first through third. She leaves here with fond memories and a warm heart.

“I found at HIES a welcoming community where I confirmed that hugs are international, they don’t need a language,” she said. “I also found caring teachers who drove me to school until I learned how to drive and get my driver’s license, and quickly fell in love with students who wanted to know everything about the language.

“Holy Innocents’ has not only been my place of work; it has been my second home.”

Sylvia, despite successfully making the move from country to country, remembers that it wasn’t that easy at first. “Honestly, it turned out to be harder than I thought. I was lucky – I was received by this community, and by you all getting to know me you welcomed me. This gave me the opportunity to overcome my fear of change and to discover resiliency through adversity.”

“I have to thank all of you – for smiling back at me; for giving me a hug when I needed it; and for motivating me to continue. Joan, and this school, are appreciated not only professionally, but personally.”

JOAN SCHOCHET Joan Schochet is leaving Holy Innocents’ after 29 years of excellent service.

She began in the Upper School in the early ’90s where she taught Spanish to our first ninth grade class in HI history. She stayed in the upper grades for two years, before moving to Middle School for several successful years after.

Once Spanish was added to the Lower School curriculum, she made the jump where she served out the rest of her HIES tenure.

Besides having a hand in teaching almost every grade Spanish, Joan served on the Admissions Committee while in the Middle School, and also played a role in many other committees and administrative activities during her time.

Joan also practiced what she preached; she went on several trips to Spain with her classes in successfully taking her lesson plans on the road.

Looking back on her time here, she leaves with gratitude and looks back with fond memories.

“I have seen this campus grow from a small school to the largest Episcopal day school in the country,” she added. “This place has been like a family to me for all of my 29 years here. My son Logan graduated from HI and I have taught some of our present faculty and some of their children.”

What’s next for her? “I’m looking forward to simply not having a schedule, though I do look forward to volunteering at the zoo.”

Congrats Joan on a well-deserved retirement! All the best and good luck!

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NIKI SIMPSON

LEANNE WEAVER

Holy Innocents’ is losing a legend as Niki Simpson – after serving here for 43 years – is retiring.

After 19 years at HI, LeAnne Weaver is riding off into the sunset.

She came here in 1972 where she served as Alice Malcolm’s secretary for three years before moving over as drama teacher for fourth through eighth grades from ’73- ‘75. She was Speech and Drama Teacher three more years before moving to California with her husband when he joined the Navy.

While there, she worked in secretarial positions and also taught and directed plays, both at a theater and later at a local high school.

“I knew the business world wasn’t for me, and it was then I realized I wanted to be a teacher,” she said.

After returning to HI in ’83, she taught Middle School English, later also went to the Upper School Drama program where she served from ’90- ‘95, and then on to eleventh grade English from 19982019. She also was the English Department Chair, the eleventh grade Girls’ and Boys Dean, then Girls’ Dean, later became Director of Humanities, and was the Director/Principal of Summer Academics.

She also did Summer Scholars at Westminster for eight summers, both as a teacher and later a co-director.

Needless to say, Niki has seen plenty of growth in her years – though she still relishes the “family” feel of Holy Innocents’. “As it grew, it became a lot like a business; though I still believe we are on the path of keeping that familial warmth and closeness in larger areas.”

In leaving, she looks back in gratitude. “This is where I was supposed to be. I love the people, the adults, and the kids I’ve worked with.”

Getting her foot in the door as a sub, she first served as a Primary School assistant for eight years.

Later, when Alice Thompson left her yearbook advisor role to concentrate on photography, LeAnne then split time between mornings with 4-year-olds followed by taking over Thompson’s role with Upper School teenagers.

The Upper School gig then morphed into full time; as she held this post through the 2019-2020 school year.

“I never dreamed I would love teenagers so much,” she said. “I had the privilege of having yearbook and advisory students in both Primary and Upper School, so I really got to see them grow.”

Besides loving her advisories, she oversaw many awardwinning yearbooks. “Because of the students’ hard work, our publisher awarded us with the Yearbook Program of Excellence every year. Our books have also been recognized by Jostens several times, as well as several other associations across the country.

“Each yearbook did a wonderful job of covering the history of the school year. And, as an advisor, I’ve enjoyed seeing what amazing things the teachers do in their classrooms, too.”

In looking back, LeAnne leaves feeling gratitude from different perspectives.

“I may be called the teacher/advisor, but I think I learned more from them. If you just take a few minutes, they’ll open up to you, and seeing life through their eyes keeps you young. I only hope I’ve blessed them as much as they’ve blessed me!”

That feeling is more than mutual. Congrats!

Frances Buckland IN MEMORIAM

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Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School mourns the loss of former teacher Frances Mayher Buckland, who passed away on Jan. 30, 2020. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Georgia and attended graduate school at Auburn University and Georgia State University to complete teacher certification. She taught in Atlanta Public Schools for several years and later returned to teaching when her children Ren and Lori both attended primary school at HIES. She taught fifth through seventh grades for 27 years and then became an assistant teacher in Middle School for eight more years. She retired from Holy Innocents’ in August 2010 after 35 years and almost 40 years of teaching. She was preceded in death by her husband Lauren Sr.

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All In for HI Your participation in the Annual Fund shapes lives. We are most grateful for the generosity of those who have gone “All In for HI” – including parents, alumni, parents of alumni, grandparents, faculty, staff and friends. Your gifts make it possible for Holy Innocents’ to deliver an extraordinary educational experience.

The 2019-2020 Annual Fund benefits every HIES student by providing direct support of academic programs, classroom enhancements, STEM resources, funds for attracting and retaining faculty and staff, athletic initiatives, equipment and materials for fine arts, and laboratory upgrades.

Your support makes a difference and

demonstrates your commitment toward our continued success, and we are appreciative of those who have gone “all in” for HIES by giving back. When we approach foundations for large gifts and grants, they strongly consider the participation of the HIES “family,” as it is viewed as an indicator of support for the school and its mission.

The 2019-2020 drive runs from July 1, 2019 thru June 30, 2020. Holy Innocents’ asks that if you can make only one gift, please make it to the Annual Fund. Every gift matters! Tuition alone does not cover the full cost of educating a child our exceptional programs and faculty; in fact, tuition covers 87%. The

school relies on the Annual Fund to bridge the gap between tuition income and operating the school.

Strong participation by Leadership Circle donors, has led the way in giving by making up a substantial portion of total giving. Support has come from 195 families so far at this level, $1,959 or more annually.

Thank you to everyone who has already supported the 2019-2020 Annual Fund!

You can learn more and give today at www.hies.org/annualfund. For more information, email Whitney Amos at whitney.amos@hies.org

APOGEE AT HIES

A GREAT YEAR FOR HIES & THE GEORGIA TAX CREDIT PROGRAM The 2020 Georgia Tax Credit Scholarship Program began last June and ended in early March of this year. Holy Innocents’ received approximately $955,000 from 290 participants for financial aid.

This was the second year that the tax credit cap was increased to $100 million. This meant participants from the Holy Innocents’ community could expect the full amount of their application to be approved and for the school to receive more financial aid to be made available.

Strong participation by partnerships, LLCs and S-Corps led the way in giving. Support came from parents, grandparents, parents of alumni, corporations, partnerships, trusts and friends.

HIES has participated in this program for 10 years, and it still sounds too good to be true — Georgia allows you to redirect your tax payment to Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School. This costs you nothing!

It is a free, easy way to support the HIES financial aid program. Your taxes will give deserving students the opportunity to join the HIES community.

This year we had 54 scholarship recipients receive financial aid from the tax credit program. These students met HIES admission requirements before being admitted and before being offered Tax Credit financial aid. Participating financial aid families must be able to fund a portion of their tuition as there was a cap of $10,387 on the amount of tax funds a student can receive this year. Remaining funds are kept in an endowment for future years’ use for approved students.

Thank you to everyone who took advantage of this simple and convenient way to redirect your taxes to support HIES financial aid. These Apogee tax credit funds free up other dollars for current financial aid students, faculty children, and new financial aid requests. Everyone wins!

If you are interested in this program for tax year 2021, pre-applies will begin through the Apogee Scholarship Fund in June, 2020.

You may sign up for 2021 by going to apogee123.org. For more information, email Mary Chris Williams at marychris.williams@hies.org.

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state of the school 2019-2020

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oly Innocents' Episcopal School's State of the School report was delivered via video on April 16 this year. Head of School Paul Barton and Dr. Michael Stewart, chair of the Board of Trustees, shared updates with the community.

Following an opening prayer from Head Chaplain the Rev. Ricardo Bailey, Dr. Stewart offered thanks to all in the community ­— from teachers to clergy to alumni — who work so hard to make the school what it is today. "We, as your Board of Trustees, have immense gratitude for all that you do for the school, and a hope with an abundance of faith for all to recover."

Mr. Barton reflected on the fantastic start to the school year, which included our 60th anniversary celebration, our firstever home football game for Homecoming held on Oct. 4, 2019, and the many accomplishments of our Golden Bear athletes and artists. The Class of 2020 has led in all areas, with academics at the top of the list. The seniors were admitted at more than 140 colleges in 35 states. Some will continue

DAVID ALDRIDGE:

Mr. Barton spoke about the "Our Time" capital campaign, plans for which are continuing this year. (Read more about the campaign on page 7 of the TorchBearer.)

"It is often said that we do not know our full potential until we are truly tested," Mr. Barton said. "I feel privileged to have a front-row seat to how our community is meeting this test. 'It takes a village' has become the understatement of the year. Teachers, students and parents have come together like never before. The reason we can rally and rise to meet this crisis is that we have spent 60 years building a community of grit and grace that not only survives but thrives when the chips are down."

Alumni parent and former trustee Clay Rolader presented the Distinguished Service Award to David Aldridge and Director of Humanities Niki Simpson presented the Distinguished Alumni Award to the Class of 1995.

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

David Aldridge has been associated with Holy Innocents’ in a number of ways and in a number of years – 29 to be exact.

This past spring, he was rewarded for his impressive and loyal service as he received the Distinguished Service Award.

“I was very flattered when I was told of this prestigious honor,” he said. “I look back at all the people I’ve worked with over the years – Bruce Ford and David Stockert to name only two – and I feel people such as this contributed so much more than I ever have. Still, I knew I was in good company while serving the school; I’ve always been very fortunate.”

To clarify the award, it recognizes an individual who has provided outstanding service and loyalty to Holy Innocents’ 14

their athletic careers at the collegiate level (see page 28 of the TorchBearer).

Episcopal School through leadership, recruitment, advocacy, fundraising and faithful service to the school.

David and his wife, Dana, began at HI as parents in the ’92-’93 school year. They have three boys – Radford – who attended HI through 5th grade; John (’09), and Creighton (’13). Both John and Creighton were Alpha Omegas.

Besides their role as parents, David and Dana chaired the Annual Fund during the 2004-2005 campaign; David later went on to serve on the Board of Trustees from 2007 to 2014.

While on our Board, he chaired the Investment Committee before later chairing the Finance Committee.

During this tenure, he was also on the Head of School Search Committee that brought Gene Bratek to HI. Bratek served as our head for three-plus years prior to current Head Paul Barton. Besides all this, David still isn’t finished with his impressive work at HI, as he currently is serving on both the Audit and Finance Committees on the Advisory Board.

Congratulations and thank you for your time, commitment and service to HI. ­­— Dunn Neugebauer

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golden bear gala goes virtualI Holy Innocents' Episcopal School extends a special thank you to all of the parents, alumni and businesses for your generous support of the Holy Innocents’ Parents’ Association’s 2020 Golden Bear Gala. Everyone’s commitment to their sponsorship and donation in spite of the shift from an in-person to an online event was instrumental to the PA’s success, and they are deeply grateful.

Kim Peterson, Gala 2020 chair, had this to say about the success of the re-imagined Golden Bear Gala: “I am so grateful to our wonderful community for the support you showed for the 2020 Golden Bear Gala. I am thrilled to say that we raised approximately $324,000! This amazing outcome for our re-imagined Gala would not be possible without the generosity and loyalty of our sponsors and ticket holders. Thank you!”

In keeping with the PA's mission to support our school, our students and our faculty, the PA has historically provided educational and experiential enhancements for students,

CLASS OF 1995: IN MEMORIAM This year, Holy Innocents' Episcopal School recognized the entire Class of 1995, our first graduating class of seniors, with the Distinguished Alumni Award. Niki Simpson, director of humanities, spoke about the class in the State of the School address. "You were the foundation of our Holy Innocents’ Upper School. Being in this position also brought you closer to each other and as a result, you continue to take ownership in this great community You began all the firsts for Holy Innocents' Upper School. You have earned today’s recognition by being the first HI 'turtles' to stick out their necks and take a chance on a small day school that wanted to expand its boundaries as well. You put your hearts and souls into developing the best HI Upper School ever," she said.

Many of the students attended HIES Lower School and Middle School and their families chose to continue with HIES as the school grew. That dedication and support remains

many of which were the result of special requests by division principals for compelling additions to their curricula, classrooms and student learning, and developmental experiences. As stated in a previous communication by PA President Chrissie Bogart, the funds raised by this year's Golden Bear Gala will continue to be used in accordance with the PA's mission, but the PA will remain flexible in order to support what could be new and different needs when we are able to return to campus.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD

palpable to this day. Below are the names of the students who have earned this distinction.

The award recognizes an outstanding alumnus for their personal and professional accomplishments and significant contributions to their community. This alumnus embodies 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.)

Thomas Anderson Holli Austin Belaski Cam Brown Drew Carlyle Liz Smith Carroll Jennifer Austin Euart Joel Foster Andrew Funk Ladd Gould John Grafton Carter Hatcher Najet Hawkins

Alex Johnson J.D. Jordan Dana Lamont Emmy Wolfe Larkin Jill Herndon Littlefield Ian Marshall Matthew Mays Ann Elizabeth Jarvis McCroskey Christopher McHagge William Morgan David Neumann Allison Dunham Parrish James Plunkett Javier Roman Jonathan Smithgall Hunter Spence Jeb Staples Ziad Suidan Stephanie Little Theoharis Nicole Thomas Thibo Audra Mullen Thompson Marshall Tyler Christopher Wall David Werk Heather Haralson Williams

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 A 1960 classroom at Holy Innocents' Episcopal School.

HOLY INNOCENTS' EPISCOPAL SCHOOL OPENED WITH 72 ENROLLED CHILDREN AGES THREE THROUGH FIRST GRADE.

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60 YEAR ANNIVERSARY >

60 years in the making IT STARTED WITH THE DESIRE TO HELP THOSE LESS FORTUNATE AND GREW INTO SO MUCH MORE.

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t is driven by the simple, yet powerful concept, of caring for and educating children and guided by a simple philosophy which directs the purpose in a straightforward manner: 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. This is what has led the school through the years and to this occasion of celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.

And to appreciate where one is, one needs to understand from where they came. In 1950, Bishop Claiborne of the Diocese of Atlanta was looking for a suburb to house a new parish. It was then that the mission which St. Philip’s had started just after the Civil War was slated to relocate to Sandy Springs ahead of the construction of the I75/I85 interchange which would once again cause the mission to be displaced. The first church service was conducted in Sandy Springs in 1954 in Hammond Elementary School under Reverend James Vaught, who served as priest-in-charge with Bishop Claiborne’s support. Later, he held services in the gymnasium of Sandy Springs High School when the congregation outgrew

the space of the elementary school. After a year, Reverend Vaught left and Holy Innocents’ carried on with lay-readers until June 1957 when Reverend Hugh Saussy, Jr. became rector.

Holy Innocents’ purchased five acres from Mrs. James L. Riley, and the next year an additional 2.8 acres was purchased also from her on which the church would be constructed.

Twenty-seven families moved their letters from St. Philip’s to Holy Innocents’ between 1956 and 1958, and Holy Innocents’ gained parish status in 1958. The little parish was moving full-steam ahead into the future.

With a growing membership in the suburbs where families with young children were the predominant members, it soon became evident that some type of childcare or preschool program would be very popular with the ever-growing membership in Sandy Springs.

In 1959, the desire to offer a Holy Innocents’ Parish Day School was realized under the direction of Reverend Hugh Saussy, Jr. The school was established with the emphasis on an enriching education centered in a JudeoChristian tradition, which stresses the worth and dignity of the individual child.

Excerpted from "60 Years of Holy Innocents' Episcopal School" by Tammy Galloway TORCHBEARER | THE HIES ALUMNI MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2020

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RESILIENCE DURING COVID > 18

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Resilience During Covid A MOST UNEXPECTED TURN OF EVENTS CAUSED OUR COMMUNITY

TO RETHINK DAILY LIFE, CAMPUS CELEBRATIONS AND HOW TO SERVE OTHERS IN A PANDEMIC.

by Christina Mimms,

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eading into spring break in early March 2020, school leaders carefully monitored daily updates on the COVID-19 virus.

At that time, there were no confirmed cases in Georgia but the spread throughout Asia and Europe caused great concern.

Returning from spring break, school leaders planned Friday, March 13, as a teacher workday so that faculty could craft plans for remote learning, should that option become necessary.

It became necessary. Monday, March 16, originally was set to be a “test day” of remote learning but instead converted to an actual day of remote learning, which extended for several weeks. Students adjusted to the virtual format of their classes, interacting with each other on-screen instead of in-person. Faculty kept a close watch on their students, taking time to check their emotional temperature as they signed on each day. They adapted learning schedules, took calls at all hours of the day – and sometimes the night – and leaned on a vast support system that included division principals, chaplains and school parents.

MANAGING EDITOR

“We didn’t even know what real storm lay ahead, and we never imagined a storm of this scale and duration,” Paul Barton, head of school, said. “I credit a lot of folks who were all pulling in the same direction.”

“We thought at the time we were making a decision for two weeks,” Steven Turner, associate head of school, said. “The plan became less like a Band-Aid and more like fixing the plane while it’s in flight.”

On March 23, the school announced that remote learning would continue until April 30 and on April 3, plans changed again to state that campus would remain closed through the remainder of the semester.

The disappointment of multiple canceled events came to a head as parents, faculty and students, in particular the graduating senior class of 2020, faced the realization that the 2019-2020 school year would end without the usual celebrations and fanfare the Golden Bear Nation has come to know and cherish.

Or would it?

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“The change allows us to extend our senior year a little longer and provide that closure for this time in our lives,” MaryCamille said. “This really makes you think about all the little things and makes you appreciate one another.”

SAFE AT HOME

Sadness and fear gave way to faith, resilience, calm and creativity as administrators and faculty banded together to re-craft the school calendar and even their roles to respond to a situation like no other. Comparisons to 9-11, natural disasters, deaths, public relations matters and other crises on campus, in Atlanta and in the nation fell short in the reality of a global pandemic.

The priority was to continue the school’s mission by whatever means necessary.

“We learned how to be nimble,” Mr. Turner said.

“Calibrating this whole situation has been the hardest – figuring out how much screen time is appropriate, the right amount of work and how long students can sit and work independently. We serve such a wide array of ages.”

One change that occurred fairly early in the remote learning process was shifting

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each Wednesday to become an independent workday with no Zoom classes. That allowed students to schedule one-on-one sessions with teachers, catch up on assignments or just take a break. Teachers frequently held department meetings on Wednesdays. “That was a pressure relief for both teachers and families,” Mr. Turner said.

Fr. Bailey said. “This is a challenging time but also a time of renewal. We have the blessing of being together to recommit and re-establish bonds. It’s no coincidence that this happened during Lent, before Easter and before Passover and it’s helped us to grow spiritually.

It’s going to make us better citizens of the world and what God calls us to be.”

“None of us in seminary were ever prepared to address a worldwide pandemic,”

Senior MaryCamille Quigley, who serves as senior class president, continued to meet with the Donuts & Devos Club every Monday on Zoom to share verses, talk and pray with her classmates. “Some verses

HIES Head Chaplain the Rev. Ricardo Bailey took to video format to deliver messages of reassurance to the community, which turned into regular installments on school channels. The Rev. David Wagner, Middle School chaplain, and the Rev. Melanie Rowell, Lower School chaplain, also delivered weekly messages on their normal chapel days to provide consistency to students.

With online services at different houses of worship, more people have received a message than ever before.

People have not used the excuse of sports, travel or even having appropriate clothing to attend a service. And many have leaned on their faith in this time of uncertainty.

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have a whole new meaning to see how God is working during these crazy times,” she said.

That time in faith gave her and many other classmates a break from the stress that accompanied their changed lives. But determined to deliver the anticipated senior year experiences, MaryCamille and other student leaders, along with the support of 12th grade Dean Adrienne Rowe and senior parents, got to work.

Zoom hangouts became the new Senior Commons. The Tassel Turner ceremony, at which seniors select the faculty member who will turn their graduation cap tassels at commencement, became a video presentation attended by the entire senior class and Upper School faculty. A senior brunch changed to a boxed meal delivery by senior parents. Spring sports senior nights converted to at-home drive-bys. Parents delivered congratulatory yard signs to each senior.

And the original May 16 graduation ceremony turned into a “Victory Lap” car parade on campus. Seniors arrived with their cars emblazoned with HIES spirit décor and their college of choice. Bill Dickey, who was selected as this year’s Tassel Turner, served as emcee and while music blared across the campus, faculty and staff cheered throughout the parade. Seniors received a box of gifts that included their cap and gown, yearbook, merchandise from the campus shop and their school laptop. The in-person graduation ceremony has been rescheduled to July 25.

“The change allows us to extend our senior year a little longer and provide that closure for this time in our lives,” MaryCamille said.

“This really makes you think about all the little things and makes you appreciate one another.”

Ms. Rowe has witnessed what began among students as anger and grief morph into love and support. “They had their feelings and I didn’t always have the answers they were

looking for. Parents were emotional but also supportive. The students have rallied and have been much more conscious of checking on each other and supporting one another,” she said. “They have found creative ways to use Zoom to see each other and the parents stepped up to make sure their kids got their work done. Class leaders have done a phenomenal job to make sure they stay bonded.”

REACHING OUT

As people settled into quarantine life, they began to look beyond their own walls and took what steps they could to support the greater needs. In learning that HIES parent Neal Sumter was hospitalized with COVID-19, friends organized a car parade past the family’s home and sent numerous messages offering love and support.

When Mercy Care, a local organization that provides healthcare and support for the homeless, noticed an increase in the need for meals, HIES volunteers sprang into action. School Nurse Carolyn Rankin posted a request for help on HIES channels and students assembled 454 meal kits in two weeks. One student alone organized a project in his neighborhood to assemble 60 kits.

School parent Larren Adams has been driving around the city to pick up the meal kits from HIES families and delivered them to Mercy Care for distribution.

“I have been blown away by the quantity of kits we received,” Mrs. Adams said. “As schools still require service hours, this can be educational and meaningful to students in so many ways and it’s a safe experience. They are making a huge impact on this great area of need.”

The organization estimates it will need about 2,000 meal kits per month to meet area needs and students are welcome to continue to support

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 Aida Mahmutovic Mayhew ’98

 Josh Anderson ’97

the cause throughout the summer and beyond.

Eighth-grader Norah Hannan put her creative skills to work sewing protective masks for nurses, a cause close to home as her older sister Emily ’17 is a junior nursing student at the University of Cincinnati. Emily works on the cardiac surgery floor at Christ Hospital in Cincinnati as a personal care assistant but has been pulled onto the floor serving COVID-19 patients on occasion.

Kelsey Randall ’05, a fashion designer based in New York not only started making masks but recorded a YouTube video with proper instructions for sewing a mask at home.

At American Spirit Works (ASW) in Midtown Atlanta, where Josh Anderson ’97 is director of sales, the company modified part of its whiskey operations to start producing hand sanitizer. They follow the World Health Organization’s requirements for the solution.

For each ounce of sanitizer sold, the company donates an ounce to organizations such as Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Open Hand Atlanta.

“We have the means to get the ingredients and the equipment,” Mr. Anderson said. “We saw a need for our community and said let’s do this.”

With its two tasting rooms currently closed, ASW has experienced a loss of revenue like many businesses but is currently utilizing one tasting room as a production line for the hand sanitizer, which is available for purchase on site along with its liquor products.

While many in the HIES community are working externally to fight the virus, others are working behind the scenes on research and prevention.

Aida Mahmutovic Mayhew ’98, a former microbiologist at the Centers for Disease Control now works at STEMCELL Technologies Inc. as a territory manager. The

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Laura Tison Meis, BSN, MPH ’00

company’s PneumaCult media was used to grow the epithelial cells from which the virus was isolated and sequenced, and its intestinal organoid culture system was used to help identify a potential treatment target. Its cell separation tools are being used to isolate immune cells from infected patients to help identify vaccine candidates.

Dr. James Crowe from the Vanderbilt University Vaccine Center is using STEMCELL’s custom-made products in the fight against COVID-19. In interviews with

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rson ’97

Dr. Sanjay Gupta on CNN, Dr. Crowe has discussed the use of the products to build a comprehensive “toolkit” to identify and analyze antibodies isolated from patients who have recovered from SARS-CoV-2. He is rapidly developing potential coronavirus antibody therapies, which hopefully will become available soon, ahead of the future vaccine to help those currently infected or those who will become infected in the near future.

“I wanted to learn how to prevent some of the things I was seeing in critical care,” Mrs. Meis said. “Nursing has given me the greatest skills in communication and how to work with stakeholders. Nurses are the backbone of healthcare and it’s such a diverse career. Public health is the perfect place for me and I’m very proud to be a part of the CDC.”

ALL MEMBERS OF THE HIES COMMUNITY SHOULD TAKE SOLACE IN THE FACT THAT WE ARE BUILDING WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW MORE THAN EVER...

In knocking on doors around the city, Mrs. Meis enjoyed the opportunity to be on the front lines in the community.

“The support from people in Fulton and DeKalb was really wonderful and everyone was so nice. People are really motivated to help,” she said.

Laura Tison Meis, BSN, MPH ’00 has seen her role at the Centers for Disease Control change dramatically recently. As a nurse consultant, she typically works in the global HIV and tuberculosis branch but when the CDC As the school year wound activated its emergency to a most unusual close operations center, all available and with school leaders hands were directed toward looking to the new 2020the COVID-19 response. She 2021 school year, living -Paul Barton has worked with the Georgia through a pandemic has Department of Health to changed many. In one of respond to inquiries from his messages to the HIES community, Mr. clinicians as well as from state and local health Barton stated: “All members of the HIES departments seeking guidelines to reopening community should take solace in the fact that businesses. Mrs. Meis also served with teams on we are building what the world needs now the serology (antibody) study that went doormore than ever: responsible men and women to-door in Fulton and DeKalb counties to test who can meet the challenges of an everpeople for antibodies. changing world with confidence and embrace She credits her education, training and past all of its people with compassion.” experience as crucial to navigating the current “It is going to change us forever, for the situation. Mrs. Meis earned a bachelor’s degree good,” said Fr. Bailey. “Let’s continue to learn in health education at the University of Georgia and think. Let’s celebrate the people who and then her BSN at Johns Hopkins University. have really worked hard and thank God for She worked as a registered nurse in critical care sparing so many. Let’s not take any moment in Maryland for seven years and then earned a for granted and let’s move on intelligently Master’s in public health at the University of and safely. Let’s celebrate how God has seen North Carolina – Chapel Hill. She has worked us through. The new normal is going to be at the CDC since 2012 – a very different role even better.” from in-hospital nursing but a place that she felt led to go.

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ALUMNI N Marisa Blank Gewertz ’96 graduated on May 7, 2020 from the University of West Georgia with a Master’s in Education and Media/IT. She held her Bat Mitzvah on April 25.

Brittany Espy Ward ’98 and her husband Sean welcomed Georgina Goodman Ward (Gigi) on August 20, 2019. The family resides in Ridgewood, N.J. David Windham Willis ’99 and his wife, April welcomed a baby girl, Braylee Ann on April 23, 2020. She weighed 8.5 lbs and was 20.75 in. long.

Caroline Clear Rudolph ’00 and her husband Benjamin welcomed their first child Asher Gene on December 29, 2018 - he weighed 8 lbs 12 oz and was 21.5 in. long. Caroline currently works as the Director of Projects at Emory University's SOM Dept of Surgery where she manages a variety of research programs.

Tisha Lanier ’00 married Nick Avouris on September 24, 2019.

Tisha is an English teacher in Holy Innocents’ Middle School.

Scott Tucker ’00 and Lauren Fryer Tucker ’01 welcomed William Whitman “Whit” Tucker to their family on Feb.12, 2019. He joins his big sister Clare.

Scott was installed as an Associate Pastor at Peachtree Presbyterian Church in November 2019. This moment served as a 24

special marker in his professional journey after serving the church under a contract call since 2016. They are blessed to advance his role within the church in this way!

Marisa Puckett Howell ’01 and her husband, Dustin, welcomed Ryder William Howell on Jan. 21, 2020.

He joins puppy brother Winston.

Patrick Ray ’01 was recently named one of the Top 20 Under 40 in the 2020 Engineering News-Record Texas and Louisiana Top Young Professionals contest, which recognizes leaders in all aspects of the construction industry. He is an operations manager for Brasfield & Gorrie in Dallas, TX. He has worked on several prominent projects totaling more than $100 million in value. Past projects include the Loews Atlanta Hotel at 1075 Peachtree and Twelve Centennial Park in Atlanta. He also volunteers locally in Dallas for Buckner Ministries, 2nd Saturday Dallas and Compassion International. He earned a bachelor’s degree in construction science from Clemson University and a master’s degree in building science from Georgia Tech.

Malinda Greenbaum Hlavenka ’02 and her husband, Jim, welcomed their second child James Pierce on July 9, 2019.

He joins big sister Harper, who turned 3 on May 19, 2020.

Halle Hagenau ’04 married Matt Lozano on Sept. 21, 2019 at Shadelands Ranch in Walnut Creek, CA. Halle is a licensed architect with the Berkeley, CA,

TES firm of Studio KDA. She and Matt live in Oakland, CA. James Williams ’04 and his wife, Maggie, welcomed their third child on March 2, 2020. Evelyn Williams weighed in at 9 lbs., 1 oz. and 21 in. tall. She is protected by her two big brothers, Jack and Joey. Evelyn told James if college football doesn’t happen she is going to cry. Let’s all wash our hands so she can watch Clemson win another national championship this year.

Christy Brown ’05 married Sharice Williams on June 8, 2019 in Cancun, Mexico, with family and friends present.

The couple resides in Atlanta. Christy is currently working for State Farm Insurance as a property claims specialist.

Clay Buckalew ’05 joined Silectis as director of sales in Washington, D.C., in May. The company has built a platform for easy implementation data lakes and data analytics; Clay is responsible for building and maintaining the sales team.

Clay resides in Arlington, Va., with his wife Sharlyn and his daughter Ceci.

Laura Thompson Woodward ’05 and her husband, Richie welcomed their third child, Avery Green Woodward on Dec. 22, 2019. He has two big brothers, James and Greyson (both very excited and in love with their baby brother). Laura’s mother and Avery’s grandmother, Alice Thompson, is the Holy Innocents’ upper school photography teacher.

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Jack Margeson ’06 recently started his tenure as a board member – supply chain, logistics and manufacturing for the Technology Association of Georgia. He is also the senior director of alliances at Deposco.

Caroline Votta Rosenberg ’06 and her husband Kyle are expecting a baby girl in October 2020. Their son Rollins is 10 months old. The family resides in Nashville.

Mallory McCoy ’07 read her published children’s book “Rupert The Grouper” to the first grade at Holy Innocents’ on Feb. 11, 2020. She is the illustrator of the book. Having the children so engaged with the book, asking questions about the illustrations and sharing their friendship stories truly was one of the most memorable experiences she’s had. It was a full circle moment for Mallory as an alum.

Maryanne Stumb McWhirter ’07 and her husband Terrell welcomed their first child, Anne Blair McWhirter on Sept. 3, 2019.

Clover Street ’07 and his family relocated to Aberdeen, N.C., in April 2019 from Colorado.

In May 2019, Clover competed on the TV show "American Ninja Warrior" Season 11 in Tacoma, WA. Clover still trains police, military and executive family protection dogs across the country and now subcontracts as an adjunct instructor for an entity called HRD Police K9 teaching high risk deployment scenario-based training for law enforcement. They welcomed their son Austin James on March 12, 2020.

Their 5-year-old daughter Kalea attends kindergarten and is an avid snowboarder and jiu-jitsu competitor alongside her dad.

Blair Barrows Payne ’08 married Paco Payne on May 18, 2019 in Nashville, TN. Rachel Dabbs ’08,

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Norma Nyhoff ’08, and Carter Seifert ’10 were attendants in the wedding. Blair will be starting a Ph.D. program in special education at the University of Texas at Austin this fall.

Jordan Miller ’10 is currently Chief Operating Officer for Titus Industrial in Dallas, TX. Under his guidance, Titus was awarded the second-fastest growing company in Dallas with over 2000% growth in three years.

Jordan started with one partner and has grown the business to 130 people and nine offices in seven countries. He graduated from SMU with a Masters in Finance in 2015. Jordan was also announced as Forbes 30 Under 30 for 2020.

Liz Aitkens ’14 and Mary Catherine Thomson ’14 are first-year students at the Medical College of Georgia in the MD program. Lorry Elizabeth (“Liz”) Aitkens was an Alpha-Omega. Mary Catherine was the valedictorian of the class. They are seen here at their white coat ceremony.

Sam Asbury ’15 passed away on Feb. 11, 2020.

He attended Georgia State University for two years and was a member of the men’s golf team.

He transferred to the University of Georgia and graduated from the Terry College of Business in 2019. He was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity and played men’s club golf. He worked as a financial representative at Northwestern Mutual in Atlanta.

Walker Thomas ’15 recently started a new position as financial analyst at Cousins Properties in Atlanta. He graduated in May 2019 from Washington and Lee University with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and management.

Alexandria J. Cannon ’16 graduated from The George Washington University Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in History. Her honors thesis

CLASS Representatives

’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05

Jill Herndon Littlefield – jilllittlefield@hotmail.com Audra Mullen Thompson – audra.thompson@hies.org Raine Crumpler Hyde – raine.hyde@gmail.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 Rich Braund – braundr@gmail.com

Stephanie Brown – brown.stephaniekay@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 Missy Evans Gardner – missylauren@gmail.com Jennie Strassner Wilson – jennielwilson@gmail.com Emily Weprich Campanella – emily.weprich@yahoo.com James Jackson – j.jackson@hies.org Liz Young Hayes – lizhayesuk@gmail.com John Cook – jmcook42@gmail.com Amy Fore Kane – kaneamyf@gmail.com Susan Karimiha – susan.karimiha@gmail.com Tyler Rathburn – tprathburn@gmail.com Rachel Shunnarah – rshunnarah@gmail.com Allyson Young Barganier – allysonbarganier@gmail.com

CLASS OF 2006 needs a class representative. Please volunteer.

’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12

Maryanne Stumb McWhirter – mcwhirtermaryanne@gmail.com Ben Cornwell – ben.cornwell@gmail.com Kelly Garrison Johnson – askseekknock3@gmail.com Jackson Davis – jacksondavis5470@gmail.com John Mitchell – johnsmitchell@gmail.com Halle Addison – haddison34@att.net Annie Hollett – anniehollett@gmail.com Delaney McMullen – delaneymcm@gmail.com Andrew Parrish – m.andrewparrish@gmail.com Callan Phillips – callan.phillips@yahoo.com Katie Keith – katiekeith12@gmail.com Brittany Ketchup – brittanyketchup@yahoo.com Greg Sullivan – gregsullivan12@gmail.com Shannon O’Hanlon – sohanlon12@gmail.com 25

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(cont’d) class Representatives

’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18 ’19

Victoria Hovancik – victoria.hovancik@gmail.com Kendall Jackson – kendallrjackson@bellsouth.net Lindsey Klopfenstein – Lindsey.klopfenstein@gmail.com Bailey Lyles – blyles14@gmail.com Anne-Claire Pittman – acpittman15@gmail.com Mary Hollis Schmidt – mhschmidt12@gmail.com Matt Gates – mattgates95@gmail.com Rebecca Maitski – rebecca.maitski15@gmail.com Savannah Smith – smith.savannah15@gmail.com Peyton Hayes – pehayes@icloud.com Emma Rolader – roladerem@gmail.com Cade Anderson – cade.anderson1999@gmail.com Amanda Gibson – gibsonam17@gmail.com Kendall Jabaley – kjabaley@gmail.com Carson Staples – carsonstaples@gmail.com Bryn Foster – ebrynfoster@gmail.com Blake Morain – blake.morain@gmail.com Kent Malcolm – kentrm10@aol.com

entitled “The Washington Family and Native American Slavery” has been showcased at GWU’s Research Days. She published an Encyclopedia Entry entitled “The Gradual Abolition Act of 1780” on George Washington’s Mount Vernon’s website. Her museum label entitled, “The Gettysburg Portrait” was displayed at the GW Textile Museum. Alexandria plans to pursue a Master’s degree in public administration/ public policy or a Juris Doctorate in fall 2021.

John Crumpler ’16 graduated from Wake Forest University with a BS in Biology and a double major in Economics this May. John will be attending Emory School of Medicine in the fall to pursue his M.D. Elizabeth Kendrick ’16 graduated from UNC Chapel Hill in May. She had a double major in environmental studies and public policy with a minor in economics, philosophy and politics. She recently received a Chancellor’s Award for Leadership at UNC.

If you would like to submit class notes for the Fall issue of Torchbearer, please contact Tamika Weaver at tamika@hies.org or (404) 303-2150, ext. 181.

Caroline Ford ’16 will graduate from the University of Georgia – Terry College of Business in May. She is this year’s recipient of

If you are interested in serving as a class representative, please contact Heather Hahn ’91 at heather.hahn@hies.org.

the Terry Real Estate Academic Excellence Award. After graduation, Caroline will work as an acquisitions analyst at Jamestown LP in Atlanta.

Brendan McCloskey ’16 graduated with honors from Virginia Tech in May 2020 with a BS in computer science. He will move to New York in July to work with Google in their Engineering Residency Program.

Grace Asbury ’17 performed on Facebook live on 1055 The Hawk, a country music station based in Idaho Falls, ID, on April 8. In her own 30-minute concert, she sang and played acoustic guitar on both cover songs and originals, including “Greatest Angel,” which she wrote for her brother Sam ’15. Her concert received more than 3,000 views. Grace’s single “Poor Me” is available on streaming services.

Kourtney Buckner ’19 attends George Washington University with a major in American Studies and a minor in Criminal Justice. This summer she has an internship as a teaching fellow with Breakthrough Collaborative in Atlanta.

Missing Bears We are missing contact information for the alumni listed below. If you are in contact with any of the above HIES graduates, please encourage them to get in touch with the HIES alumni office at tamika@hies.org or (404) 303-2150, ext. 181. You can also log on to the website at www.hies.org. Click on alumni. If you have never logged onto the site before: Your username is firstnamelastnamegraduationyear (i.e. TamikaWeaver97). Your password is your date of birth (i.e. MM/DD/YYYY) this includes the slashes.

CLASS OF 1996 Katherine (Kathy) L. Schultz William (Will) P. Thomas CLASS OF 1997 Kimberly (Kim) A. Campuzano (Perisino) Christopher (Chris) B. Chappell Kathryn (Kate) N. Wegman CLASS OF 1998 Keith A. Cooper Mary M. Kyle George (Michael) M. McCord Katie (Kamie) D. McKoy (Harkins)

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CLASS OF 1999 Laura H. Bond Lauren D. Friedrichs Melanie L. Fudge CLASS OF 2000 Katharine (Kate) M. Duke Jasmine Nadja M. Grape (Smiri) CLASS OF 2001 Anthony (Tony) J. Seichrist Dickson J. Vaughan

CLASS OF 2002 Jason V. Dee Noah K. Hauber CLASS OF 2003 Lawrence (Larry) E. Gill Margaret K. Patrick CLASS OF 2004 Mary (Ginny) V. Coleman CLASS OF 2006 Hillery G. Champagne (Brown) Paul M. Duke Claire P. Sellers

Lauren E. Webb (Taylor) CLASS OF 2007 Andrew (Chase) C. McMullen CLASS OF 2011 Elisabeth Johnson Erin R. Peck CLASS OF 2012 Nicole D. Hansen Austin R. Holland CLASS OF 2017 Kyle J. Murdock

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A lu m n i p r o f i l e > > > For Jackson Pellegrini ’17, military service runs in his veins. His grandfather is a West Point graduate and his father graduated from the ROTC program at Tulane University in New Orleans and both served the military in different roles for many years. Jackson was undecided about his military future and at the last minute applied to the U.S. Army ROTC program at Tulane. Now in his junior year, he is pursuing a dual bachelor of science in economics and public health while also preparing for his future military assignments.

In summer 2019, Jackson completed a nineweek internship with a European command in Stuttgart, Germany, along with 20 other cadets from around the country. He worked primarily in medical operations.

“It was really interesting to see all the policy creations and I really appreciated the leadership aspect of Army training,” he said. “Some of my Model UN experience from HIES came up and helped with my job—being in thinktanks, problem-solving

and making decisions. I developed a natural curiosity at HIES.” A highlight of the summer, the unit took a five-day trip to St.-Michel-en-Grave near Normandy, France, to celebrate the town’s 75th anniversary of their liberation during World War II. The townspeople welcomed the command with open arms and hosted them in the local inn.

“It was the most beautiful place I’ve seen in my entire life,” Jackson said.

He also was moved when a 92-year-old woman approached him to recount her memory of being rescued by the U.S. Army as a 17-year-old.

“She said, ‘I see you how I saw them back on that day,’” he said. “And I could see how so many countries came together to support the cause.”

Upon his graduation from Tulane, Jackson will be commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army.

-Christina Mimms

Former State Championship Teams Honored The victors returned to the scene of their history making athletic successes as both the 1994-1995 boys’ soccer team and the girls’ 1998-1999 girls’ basketball squad were honored in a special ceremony at halftime of the Holy Innocents’-Wesleyan hoops games on January 31, 2020.

We have 16 state championship teams in school history – the honored boys’ soccer team was the first. Coached by Brad Kolowich (Coach K), the Bears went through the regular season with a 15-0-2 record before knocking off rival Pace Academy 1-0 in the finals back in November of ‘94.

The team featured many stars, among them include current Wall of Fame member Javi Roman and former student and faculty member Clay Kelsh, who scored the lone goal in the title game.

This squad compiled 11 shutouts during the season, while outscoring its opponents an astounding 54-7.

“I don’t think these kids know what they’ve accomplished,” Coach Kolowich

was quoted as saying after the title match.

Now and fortunately so, we all do, as this bunch paved the way for plenty more successes down the road.

“This place has always been near and dear to my heart – getting honored here (tonight) just reminds me of how special this place is,” Kelsh added. “Also, getting to see a lot of my old teammates and classmates just put more icing on the cake.”

Moving to basketball, this championship team brought home the first girls’ hoops crown and did it in a more than powerful fashion. Finishing the season with a 30-4 record, Coach Buster Brown’s girls won the region title before facing mighty Buford in Macon in the state finals.

Buford had beaten HI twice during the regular season but in the finale, the Lady Bears whipped the Wolves 71-46 in claiming the crown with an exclamation point.

Many starred on this team as well – among them 2000-plus point scorer and All-American Wynter Whitley.

“My many thanks to Tony Watkins (athletic director) and the Holy Innocents’ family for putting all this together,” Coach Brown said. “It was great reconnecting with a bunch of former players and coaching staff who remain near and dear to my heart. It was a special night.”

On a side note, the event was more than well attended, as roughly 127 alums were on hand, some traveling from out of state.

—Dunn Neugebauer

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NATIONAL SIGNING DAY 2020 >

National Signing Day @805

STUDENT ATHLETES COMMIT TO CONTINUE THEIR ATHLETIC CAREERS

by Dunn Neugebauer,

WRITER AND HOLDER OF LOTS OF JOBS

The Holy Innocents’ Golden Bears were definitely not left out at the Feb. 5 National Signing Day, as nine were honored at a special ceremony in the gym Wednesday morning.

Moving on to play at the next level include Hall O’Neal and Hunter Hawk (football); Abby Pilkenton and Madigan Starr (swimming); Caleb Ketchup and Freddie Reams (baseball); Leighton Dickson and Patton Mooney (lacrosse); and Cannon Crane (golf ).

O’Neal, a four-year varsity lineman, has inked with Kennesaw State, while Hawk will leave as the leading tackler in school history from his linebacker slot and will play at Washington & Lee. Both were a huge part of this past fall’s 10-0 regular season and first ever trip to the Final Four.

Pilkenton will continue her swimming days at N.C. State. For the third year in a row, senior swimmer Abby Pilkenton was the Georgia state champion in both the 100- and 200-freestyle, giving her six individual crowns in her high school career. She is also a national champion on her club team and will leave with All-American status.

Starr wasn’t able to compete at the varsity level due to her transferring from her home in Columbus. She inked with the Air Force Academy Wednesday and moves on with a more than impressive season with HI despite having to compete at the JV level. She also stars for her club team – Swim Atlanta.

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Ketchup (Georgia) and Reams (The University of Charleston) have already led their baseball squads to two Final Four appearances and postseason spots in their previous three years at the varsity level.

Reams, besides a big asset with his bat, also starts at first base and is one of the top pitchers for the Bears. Ketchup begins this spring with a strong possibility of being drafted into the big leagues and has been a four-year starter at shortstop.

Over to lacrosse, Dickson will move on to play at Rhodes College after enjoying a versatile high school career. He has successfully shifted from midfield to attack and back to midfield, and has excelled regardless.

Mooney – a Sewanee signee- has been a varsity starter most of her high school days and is once again the team captain. Mooney – a team leader in the classroom and on the field – is expected to star at midfield for the Lady Laxers.

Last but not least, Crane has inked with Washington & Lee – he already has helped lead his team to a state title and a Georgia runnerup slot his last two years. With numerous low medalists’ honors to his name, Crane should be one of many who will keep the Bears in contention once again come May. Congrats to these nine HIES student/athletes and best of luck as always!

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TAKING SIGNING DAY ONLINE >>>

In what will go down in HI history as the first – and perhaps only – virtual signing day on April 22, 2020, seniors Michael Cox and Jada Farrell have inked to continue their allstar athletic careers.

Starting with Michael, he has signed with Missouri after a record-breaking football career at HI that saw him rewrite the record books from his fullback position. Besides helping lead HI to a 12-1 record, a region title, and a Final Four finish this year, some of Michael’s records include total yards and touchdowns, both in a season and in his high school career.

Perhaps the most impressive stat, however, is that Michael only fumbled twice during his four years and NEVER ONCE in his last two years on our gridiron, which included more than 500 carries.

“He’s a solid kid and he was out there every day, not for himself, but for his teammates,” Coach Todd Winter said.

Besides eluding would-be tacklers on the field, Michael had one more elusive trick up his sleeve when signing Wednesday. While originally considering Rutgers, our beloved senior kept it under his hat that he was going to Mizzou instead.

Moving to Jada, she has signed with Loyola University of New Orleans to continue her basketball career, and she leaves as one of our most decorated athletes in HI history. During her four years in hoops, she helped the Bears to two second-in-state finishes to go with two state titles the past two years.

Earning numerous All-Region honors, she was named 3rd Team All-State this year and leaves with over 1,000 career points, close to 800 rebounds, and a school record of 48 charges taken.

In a virtual signing held May 12, 2020, Senior Tyler White inked with Maryville College (TN) to continue his football career.

Tyler came to HI as a freshman and was a two-sport athlete throughout his high school stay. Playing JV football as a freshman, he was elevated to varsity his next three years. He saw starting time at center, guard, and defensive tackle, and was a huge contributor this past fall during the Bears 10-0 regular region championship season and Final Four finish.

“Tyler is the consummate servant leader,” Todd Winter, head football coach, said. “He always took care of the brother to his left and the brother to his right. He’s also a great teammate and person – whether on the field, in the classroom or in the hallways.”

Tyler also was a state placer in wrestling in three of his four years; he was team captain from his sophomore season on. He also competed in track, where he threw the discus and shot as a freshman and sophomore.

Tyler will be remembered by many positive things before he goes. His hustle on and off the field, his attitude, and his huge smile that lit the place up wherever he went are just some of his many qualities.

—Dunn Neugebauer

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CARPOOL COMMENCEMENT 2020 30

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THE FINAL WORD >

The Final Word

by Niki Simpson,

DIRECTOR OF HUMANITIES

THE COMMON EYE SEES ONLY THE OUTSIDE OF THINGS, AND JUDGES BY THAT, BUT THE SEEING EYE PIERCES THROUGH AND READS THE HEART AND THE SOUL, FINDING THERE CAPACITIES WHICH THE OUTSIDE DIDN’T INDICATE OR PROMISE, AND WHICH THE OTHER KIND OF EYE COULDN’T DETECT. -Mark Twain Culture – simply put is the ideas, customs, and social behavior of a group of people – culture is known as the heart and soul of an organization.

Holy Innocents’, like all places, has its own culture. Education is the basis of HI’s culture of the traditional and the progressive; however, no matter how traditional or progressive we

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become, we always keep the main ingredient of our Holy Innocents’ culture – her heart and soul. The individuals who are Holy Innocents’ create her heart and soul, which transcends time and change because said heart and soul is pliable and adapts as it should when it should.

Putting heart and soul into something is

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doing it with a great deal of enthusiasm and energy. Holy Innocents’ first members are the ones who set a temperament of passion, trust, support and attention as they educated their charges not only in classes but also through the professional manner in which they conducted themselves.

Walking into the front office of HI in fall 1972, where did I first notice the heart and soul in this little day school that went only to the seventh grade? In the people – faculty, staff, administration, students, parents – in the church, in the focus on education, in the passion for knowledge, in the dedication and the warm and welcoming attitudes of all.

In the care of each other and of the schools’ facilities. In everyone enthusiastically working kindly and vigorously together to help develop responsible citizens of the children entrusted to them. I experienced all of HI’s heart and soul culture first-hand as I began my career here as Alice Malcolm’s secretary in the front office of the now Dorothy Sullivan Building.

Respect is always the key to our culture of doing everything with heart and soul. It is in holding a ladder for Rogers Matthews to make it easier for him to fix a hall clock; in helping a young student reach the water fountain; in Mary Byrne’s heartwarmingly reading books in our first small library to the eager minds ready to absorb the information; in the libraries we now have for each division; in Nan Cuthbert’s teaching music in the same room in which Mike Bryant taught.

It is in the dedication of many classroom teachers like Frances Smoot who were here when I first arrived to those with whom I teach today. It is in parents of the 1970s going to the Board of Trustees to pitch starting a drama club and classes for their children. It is in my moving from being Alice’s secretary to teaching speech and drama and directing the many plays of the newly established HI drama program for the Lower, Middle and Upper Schools. It is in the school’s first play production, Reynard the Fox (1973), which was staged on the altar of Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church, and it is

in all the parents who, because of an electrical outage opening night, rushed home to get their Coleman lanterns so that the show could go on.

It is in the many students I have been able to work with since 1972 as well as all the faculty, staff and administration I have been fortunate to know. It is in the parents I have met throughout the years and all the friendships that have developed over time.

HI’s heart and soul extends beyond the classroom, the playground and the office.

Her heart and soul materialize itself in the celebrations of our weddings, births, retirements, transfers to other cities, new careers, in compliments for jobs well done, pats on the back, hugs, cards, parties, happy wishes and much laughter.

HI’s heart and soul is also in the attention and support our school provides for us in order to grow personally and professionally beyond our limits. I began as one of two school secretaries and was able to grow into full-time directing, teaching, and administration. And yes, her heart and soul is forever present to sooth and to comfort us in times of sadness, unrest, illness and confusion. Many here can attest to it, especially during this time of the COVID virus.

To protect the heart and soul of our culture, we must continue to hold onto the values set so early in 1959, to know and stick to our direction of educating our students with determination and purpose, to consciously walk our walk, and to always communicate with each other no matter how difficult the conversation.

Author Julie Hyde agreed with Richard Branson that culture does not have a perfect formula to follow. According to Ms. Hyde (11/9/2017), “There will be trial and error [,] but [culture] is not something that will flourish if left to chance. It does have to be treated with the respect it deserves. Because when you get it right, only great things can come of it.” Just look at HI! Her greatest culture is her heart and soul – which is all of you.

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The Riley Building deconstruction, June 2020 34

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S AV E T H E DAT E S F O R 2 0 2 0 - 2 0 2 1 E V E N T S Run Beyond the Horizon 5K/10K Saturday, August 15 HIES Campus Registration starts at 6:15 a.m.

5K at 7:30 a.m., 10K at 7:35 a.m.

Register at active.com.

Volunteers also welcome!

Alumni Athletic Wall of Fame Induction Friday, October 2 4:30 p.m. Football Game 6:30 p.m. Reception HIES Campus

Crimson and Gold Golf Tournament Monday, November 2 9:30 a.m.

Capital City Club

Parents’ Association Golden Bear Gala Saturday, March 20, 2021 The Roxy

Events are subject to change. Please check the HIES web site for updates.

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t rchbearer

THE HOLY INNOCENTS’ EPISCOPAL SCHOOL ALUMNI MAGAZINE | WINTER 2017 THE HOLY INNOCENTS’ EPISCOPAL SCHOOL ALUMNI

MAGAZINE

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Parents Only— If this issue is addressed to your child who no longer maintains his or her permanent address at your home, please notify the HIES Development Office at (404) 303-2150, ext. 107 of the new mailing address. Because college addresses change so frequently, we are unable to use them for general mailing.

Grandparents, Parents, Alumni— Please make sure we have your current email address so we can share up-to-date news and information with you, including digital editions of Torchbearer.

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The Class of 2027 celebrated the end of their Lower School careers at a carpool fifth-grade graduation TORCHBEARER | THE HIES ALUMNIceremony.

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