Summer 2023 Magazine

INDIAN SPRINGS

A GRAND OPENING

PLUS: COLLEGE ATHLETES

ANNIVERSARY

INDIAN SPRINGS

HEAD OF SCHOOL SCOTT G. SCHAMBERGER

ACADEMICS

Dr. Jonathan Gray

ADMISSION

Taylor Docking

ADVANCEMENT AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

Jim Simon

ATHLETICS

Greg Van Horn

COLLEGE ADVISING

Amelia Johnson

COMMUNICATIONS

Rachel Wallace Preskitt

FINANCE AND OPERATIONS

Tanya Yeager

FACULTY

Weslie Wald

RESIDENTIAL LIFE

John Fahey

STRATEGY AND SPECIAL PROJECTS

Lauren Wainwright ’88

STUDENT LIFE

Hunter Wolfe

Elizabeth Goodrich

Robert Aland ’80

Myla Calhoun

Martin Damsky ’68

Joe Farley ’81

Jerolyn Ferrari

Clara Chung Fleisig

Elise May Frohsin ’88

Braxton Goodrich ’93

Kyung Han ’85

John Hudson, III

Ben Hunt ’82

Leo Kayser, III ’62

Emily Hess Levine ’01

Jimmy Lewis ’75

Ellen McElroy ’78

Randall Minor ’99

Scott Pulliam ’85

Lia Rushton

Hanson Slaughter ’90

Alan Engel ’73, Ex Officio

Starr Turner Drum ’02, Ex Officio, Alumni

Council

Connie Hill, Ex Officio, Parents Association

MISSION STATEMENT Guided by our motto, Learning through Living, Indian Springs School fosters a love of learning and creativity, a sense of integrity and moral courage, and an ethic of participatory citizenship with respect for individuality and independent thought.

EDITORS

Rachel Wallace Preskitt

Erica Richie

Jim Simon

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Ellen S. Padgett

FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHER

Keith McCoy

CONTRIBUTORS

Kathryn D’Arcy

Will Carey

Alan Engel ’73

Sarah Mills Nee ’03

Andy Schwebel ’22

Jeffrey Sides ’91

Quez Shipman

Gareth Vaughan

Iron City Studios

At Indian Springs School, we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint. If you would prefer to receive Indian Springs Magazine or other school communications electronically, please let us know via email at indiansprings@indiansprings.org

CLASS NOTES

classnotes@indiansprings.org

©2023 Indian Springs School. All rights reserved. 190 Woodward Drive, Indian Springs, AL 35124 Phone: 205.988.3350 | Website: www.indiansprings.org

NOTICE OF NONDISCIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS Indian Springs School, an independent school nationally recognized as a leader in boarding and day education for grades 8-12, serves a talented and diverse student body and offers its admission to qualified students regardless of race, gender, religion, national origin, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. Located in Indian Springs, Alabama, just south of Birmingham, the school does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religion, national origin, ethnicity, or sexual orientation in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, or athletic and other school-administered programs.

BOARD OF GOVERNORS 2022-2023

ELIZABETH GOODRICH P ’20, ’23, ’28 Chair, Board of Governors Indian Springs School

FROM BOARD CHAIR ELIZABETH GOODRICH

As I write to you, we are preparing to celebrate the graduation of the Class of 2023. Every class at Indian Springs is exceptional in its own way, and this one is especially dear to me as it includes our son, Gibson. These are bittersweet days!

This school year has been an important one for my own Indian Springs family and even more so for the broader community. We’ve rejoiced at the opening of the new Kayser-Samford Community Commons, our successful re-accreditation, and a return to “normalcy” in the form of a vibrant community life. I say that now with deep gratitude to the many people who worked hard to keep the Indian Springs spirit alive during the challenges of the last few years.

The 2022-2023 school year marked the milestone 70th anniversary of Indian Springs School’s opening in 1952, and I am pleased to say that, from the Board of Governors’ perspective, we’re as strong as we’ve ever been. Voices from our past intermingle with the Indian Springs of today in this issue as we both look back on the impact the school has had on some of its earliest graduates to the impressive achievements today’s students have had in this current year.

Also, in this issue, you will learn more about how the new building that houses Indian Springs’ dining and social spaces is transforming the student experience for the better. This incredible new space would not be possible were it not for the nearly 200 donors who have collectively pledged over $11.5 million. We are a more vibrant school because of this support, and I hope that everyone who has yet to consider making a gift, regardless of the amount, will consider doing so in the near future. Work is still underway on both the indoor and outdoor spaces, and funds are still needed to complete the project.

Learning through Living continues in impressive ways on our beautiful campus. Whether you are a member of the parent and alum communities or a friend of the school, we are grateful for your support. We hope you will find in these pages encouragement to nurture your own love of learning and creativity, sense of integrity and moral courage, commitment to participatory citizenship, and respect for individuality and independent thought.

Association Annual Fund Celebration in April 2023.

ABOVE: With her son, Gibson Goodrich ’23, and Head of School Scott Schamberger at the 2023 commencement ceremony. Look for more photos of the Class of 2023 graduation festivities in the next issue of Indian Springs Magazine.

Photos by Quez Shipman and Will Carey

FROM HEAD OF SCHOOL SCOTT SCHAMBERGER

One of the great joys of serving as head of school at Indian Springs is the opportunity to meet and visit with members of the alum community. It is wonderful to learn about their personal and professional journeys and successes. I get particularly engrossed when I hear about the role Indian Springs played in their lives. I am overwhelmed by the number of Indian Springs alums that make the trek back to campus months, years, and decades after they graduated. We’ve seen quite the uptick in alum visitors this school year, and it has been amazing to watch as they engage their teachers, mentors, and friends.

Throughout the 2022-2023 school year, our dean of students office has been inviting alums back to campus each month to speak with the student body. Topics ranged from their respective careers, life journeys, and reminiscing about their Indian Springs experiences. Each has shared a meaningful message with our students and broadened individual perspectives on unique career paths and life opportunities. A favorite and recurring question has been regarding what traditions/classes/experiences did the alum enjoy most. A few responses elicited laughs; others reaffirmed that our unique culture stands the test of time, and still others I am relieved no longer endure. Let this stand as a reminder to our oldest students that throwing eighth graders in the lake is not appropriate despite what may have occurred decades ago.

I have been struck by the stories and the messages that each alum has left with our students. Our students, in return, asked both fun and thought-provoking questions of our speakers. One such question elicited a response that has stuck with me, almost haunting me since I heard it. Pape Fall ’93, Vice President of Compliance and Quality Control at Hoar Construction, shared that his favorite construction project was the Children’s Hospital building in downtown Birmingham. He noted that although he loved the design of the building and the plethora of colorful lights, it was the building’s purpose that made it his favorite. What a great reminder for our whole community to be intentional about our own sense of purpose.

From the school’s founding and for a remarkable 70 years, there has been a clarity of mission and purpose at Indian Springs School: “Guided by our motto, Learning through Living, Indian Springs School fosters a love of learning and creativity, a sense of integrity and moral courage, and an ethic of participatory citizenship with respect for individuality and independent thought.” What the school does is timeless; how Indian Springs delivers on its purpose evolves over time.

I am grateful to be part of a community with such clarity of mission, and I am humbled by how generous our alumni, parents, and friends continue to be as they invest in our People, Program, and sense of Place. This investment allows us to remain laser-focused on our purpose. Our students benefit from this generosity. Thank you.

SCOTT SCHAMBERGER Head of School,

TOP: Scott talking with alums at the Directors’ Dinner in April 2023. ABOVE: With Kevin Tavakoli ’98 and Sebastian Ahn ’98 at the Alumni-Faculty Reception in April 2023. Turn to page 28 to see more photos from this year’s Alumni Weekend festivities.

A Grand Opening

THE KAYSER-SAMFORD COMMUNITY COMMONS

CUTTING THE RIBBON

INDIAN SPRINGS SCHOOL WAS JOINED BY representatives from Lake Flato Architects, ArchitectureWorks, and Indian Springs Village, as well as former Head of School Gareth Vaughan, to commemorate the completion of the Kayser-Samford Community Commons with a ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony on Friday, December 9.

The Kayser-Samford Community Commons serves as the school’s new social hub and dining hall. It is located on the site of the school’s original dining hall, overlooking the campus lake. The facility provides indoor and outdoor seating for the school’s 325 day and boarding students, faculty, staff, and guests to gather and eat. New serving stations feature a variety of meal options prepared in a state-of-the-art kitchen. The facility also provides a private dining space for meetings and events and a lakeside venue for recreation.

“This is a momentous occasion and an exciting new chapter in the life of the school,” says Head of School Scott Schamberger. “This facility will give the next generation of our students a place to build enduring relationships and develop lifelong friendships.”

Construction on the 12,000-square-foot building began in November 2021. The project’s funding was led by Indian Springs alum benefactor Leo Kayser III ’62, for whom the building is named, alongside Kayser’s late classmate and fellow board member, Frank Samford III ’62. Over 200 other donors have contributed to the school’s historic capital campaign so far.

“The beautiful new Kayser-Samford Community Commons is the result of the work and investment of many people from many places and different backgrounds, who share the ideal that Indian Springs should be a community that gathers around tables to enjoy and learn from one another,” says Board Chair Elizabeth Goodrich

P ’20, ’23, ’28.

FROM THE LEFT: Board member and project manager Jimmy Lewis ’75 P ’11, ’11; Board Chair Elizabeth Goodrich P ’20, ’23, ’28; Sharon Samford P ’90, GP ’16 (wife of the late Frank Samford III ’62); Leo Kayser III ’62; Head of School Scott Schamberger; and Fall 2022 Mayor Lucy Craig ’23

Photos by Keith McCoy and Quez Shipman

Now Serving Fresh Food...

Photos by Keith McCoy

...and Fun!

Photos by Keith McCoy

Still Rings True THE STORY OF OUR BELL

BY ANDY SCHWEBEL ’22

The bronze bell that sat atop Indian Springs’ original dining hall from the 1950s has undergone restoration and has been reinstalled in the facade of the Kayser-Samford Community Commons, visible from the front entrance and inside the private dining room.

Indian Springs young alum Andy Schwebel ’22 served as Mayor in the Fall of 2021 when construction began on the Community Commons. Upon his graduation, Andy penned the following essay on the history and significance of the bell to our school.

“It’s said that our school’s original director, “Doc” Armstrong, once walked into a class, took off his shoes, pointed at a chair, and asked: “Which do you think is more real, this chair or your idea of this chair?” I am not personally familiar with the chair in question and therefore don’t think that I can answer conclusively. But it still might be illuminating to apply Armstrong’s query to some iconic Indian Springs objects, like, for example, our bell.

Really, the bell has had two lives. In its first, it was perched on the front of a Southern Railway steam locomotive. Here, it had a simple job: ringing at depots and crossings to warn of the incoming train. The ‘idea’ of the bell was, perhaps, more interesting.

The Southern Railway was born in 1894 but had predecessors dating to the 1820s. The bulk of its creation, though, happened in the decades immediately following the Civil War. Southern Railway trains would have pulled segregated cars over tracks built by convict leasing, effectively slavery, but the sound of their bells still signified the revolutionary industrialization and post-war reformation of the South. They were, therefore, harbingers of the economic changes that ultimately moved Alabama toward the slow and ongoing overthrow of its old power structures. These changes also, incidentally, created the industrial wealth of the Woodward family that eventually became Indian Springs School.

The bell’s second life began in the 1950s when the Southern became the first major American railroad to go fully diesel. Because of this, the railway went on a philanthropic spree, donating bells from their retired steam locomotives to churches, courthouses, and schools across the South.

In 1955, one of them landed at our newly-opened Indian Springs School. Initially, it had a well-defined job. M.D. Smith ’59 recalls how it rang daily at mealtime so that the students without watches would know when to eat.

It didn’t take long, though, for the bell to outlive its usefulness and just languish on the dining hall as an iconic symbol of our school, but nothing else. But even if the usefulness of the bell had diminished, the ‘idea’ of the bell was stronger than ever.

As the crown of the dining hall, it was the most obvious symbol of our school’s unique community. Despite students’ differences, they all enjoyed sharing meals and community responsibilities under the shadow of the bell. Further, it was a link to the past; I don’t personally know many kids who graduated from Indian Springs 10, 20, 30, or 70 years ago, but I know they ate under the same bell as I have. It’s no wonder, then, that while private secondary schools across the country have to use coats of arms to show what they’re all about, we can use a stylized bell as a logo and understand everything automatically.

Now, our bell will have a shiny new glass case in our new Community Commons. From its perch, it won’t have any trains or mealtimes to announce. But it will cast its watchful eye over us students as we continue to Learn through Living. So long as we use our burgeoning talents for good, it will watch society progress, just as it has since it was cast by the Southern Railway. This is the ‘idea’ of the bell we at Indian Springs have in our heads, and it’s this idea that makes it real.”

Photo by Rachel W. Preskitt

Contribute to the Commons

THANK YOU TO THE 200+ DONORS WHO HAVE SUPPORTED the ongoing effort to fund the new Kayser-Samford Community Commons. Your incredible generosity has yielded over $11,500,000 in gifts and pledges toward our $13,500,000 goal. All of us at Indian Springs are grateful for the support and this amazing new facility that has already had a transformational impact on our school community.

Since the last issue of Indian Springs Magazine, we formally opened Kayser-Samford with a ribbon cutting and, more recently, hosted our spring Parents Association dinner as well as events for Alumni Weekend. We look forward to everyone in the broader Indian Springs family having the chance to experience first-hand what our students and faculty are enjoying every day.

Work on the building is still ongoing, with punch lists, landscaping, and hardscaping around the exterior of the Community Commons. Indian Springs still has a critical need for funds to successfully finance this project, so there is still time to show your support! Gifts of any amount are welcome and needed, but donors who give $1,000 and more will be recognized on our permanent donor wall, and gifts of $5,000 to $50,000 may be acknowledged with the naming of a table. Please contact me with any questions or go to www.indiansprings.org/communitycommons to see more photos and information about the capital campaign as well as a full list of giving opportunities.

We appreciate your consideration of support!

JIM SIMON Assistant Head of School for Advancement & External Affairs

Head of School Scott Schamberger, Director of Advancement for Individual Giving & Special Events Leah Taylor, and Assistant Head of School for Advancement & External Affairs Jim Simon at the Kayser-Samford Community Commons ribbon-cutting ceremony

Photo by Quez Shipman

Photo by Quez Shipman and Iron City Studios

1. Head of School Scott Schamberger speaks at the first parent event at the new Community Commons in April 2023.

2. Nan Jiang P ’27 and Courtney Gunnels P ’25

3. Noble Hendrix ’63; Roy Knight ’59; Pattie Hendrix; and Allan Cruse ’59

4. Larry Brook ’87 P ’25, ’27 and James Henry Brook ’25

5. Leigh Leatham and Dana Gale P ’25, ’28

6. Marita Strauss; Hank Strauss ’73; Gary Rubin ’73; Paul Roberts ’73; Goddy Fies ’73; Deborah Dozier

7. Emily Hess Levine ’01 P ’27 and Mohit Mehra P ’27

Celebrating a Record Number of

COLLEGE ATHLETES

Over the past five years, Indian Springs School has welcomed an influx of talented students who excel beyond our academic program into competitive sports. Among this cohort are seven members of the Class of 2023 who have committed to continuing their athletic careers with some of the country’s most competitive and highest-ranked college teams.

BY RACHEL W. PRESKITT • PHOTOS BY KEITH MCCOY

ELISE PICARD ’23

EMORY UNIVERSITY I CROSS-COUNTRY & TRACK DIVISION III

management of the crosscountry and track teams. She helps with coaching, ordering uniforms, registering for meets, and arranging transportation for her teammates. She has been instrumental in growing the track team, adding (among others)

Catherine Hinson ’25, who finished runner-up to Elise at the indoor and outdoor track state championships, and Cara Huff ’26, who won a state title for discus.

With her experience and determination, Elise would be an asset to any college team. After careful consideration of numerous schools in the Northeast, she chose the “Southwestern outlier” and her mom’s alma mater, the NCAA Division III Emory University.

“I am very excited to be able to combine running with the academic prestige and academic pathway that I want,” says Elise. “That’s a dream for me.”

Elise’s goal for her first year of college is to qualify for the cross-country finals and to make the All-America list. She plans to major in Politics, Philosophy & Law.

Cross-country, indoor, and outdoor track superstar Elise Picard ’23 holds the record for the most state titles acquired by any Indian Springs student. If that’s not impressive enough, consider that she earned all seven titles over a span of six months and after training for only two years.

That’s right; Elise didn’t begin training until the summer before her junior year, though she grew up running alongside her dad, Cris, a former Mississippi State athlete.

“It’s been a huge connection that we’ve had,” says Elise. “I love hearing stories about him in college, and that was definitely one of the things that inspired me to run in college.”

When Elise started the eighth grade at Indian Springs, the school had an established cross-country

team but no track program. Elise asked her dad to become certified as a coach, and the duo entered a few races, but then, the pandemic struck, halting progress.

Fast forward to the spring of 2022, when Elise took the podium for winning third place in the 3200m at both the indoor and outdoor track state meets. Her first hardearned state title came that fall at the 3A cross-country championship. In a field of 148 runners, Elise crossed the finish line more than a minute ahead of second place with a time of 19:11.23.

“I usually get really nervous the day before races, but that day, I just felt at peace going into the race and happy and grateful to be able to do it,” says Elise. “But it was raining. It was very muddy, and the course got progressively more difficult throughout the day.”

Rain or shine, Elise

welcomes the challenge. On school days, she wakes up at 5:45 and heads to campus to warm up for running her routine of seven miles. Some days Elise doesn’t leave for home until 6:00 p.m. Her home is in Talledega, an hour’s drive from campus, though on weeknights, she stays nearby with her grandparents.

Logging over 50 miles a week is demanding on the mind and body. Elise says hydration and nutrition are critical. As a vegetarian, she is especially conscious of her diet.

“Every time I build a meal, I always make sure I have a good ratio of carbs to fiber and protein,” says Elise. “So a nice lunch for me would be a Buddha bowl with brown rice, some really good roasted tofu, broccoli, and maybe a Thai peanut sauce.”

Elise has an attention to detail that transfers to her

Elise was a founding member of the Indian Springs Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee and Sustainability Club and served as a Commissioner of Citizenship in her senior year. Last semester she took a Malone course called “Diversity in a Global Comparative Perspective.” She is also a member of the National High School Climate Forum.

“I would say there is a social justice theme to all my extracurriculars,” says Elise. “I think that is because of the way world events have culminated. Activism has always been a part of my time in high school, and I’m passionate about making the world a better place, obviously, and examining structures of injustice inherent in our society.”

Elise credits Indian Springs for teaching her to think critically and says she is grateful for the time the school has allowed her to devote to running and other interests.

Mark Underwood

’23 was the top swimming recruit in the state of Alabama this year and is well on his way to becoming Indian Springs’ first Olympian.

If you ask Mark when he first started swimming, he answers, “I honestly cannot remember. It was kind of like walking.” But Mark does remember the moment he decided to pursue swimming as a career: “I was ten years old at the Southeastern LSC championship. I performed really well and was able to win my event, the 200 IM, by five seconds. I went up to my parents after the event, and I told them, ‘I figured it out.’”

From that point, Mark dove head-first into training. He competes in the spring with the Birmingham Swim League and in the fall for Indian Springs but practices year-round six

days a week in one-and-a-half to four-hour sessions, plus weightlifting every morning.

“Everyone sees the gold medals, but no one sees the years of work you put into it. ‘It’s what you do in the dark that puts you in the light,’” says Mark, quoting a 2018 Under Armour advertisement featuring his inspiration, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps.

In a decorated career of his own, Mark has won six titles from the USA Swimming Southeastern Local Swimming Committee (LSC) and five from the Alabama High School Athletic Association (ASHAA). He has medaled in every AHSAA meet he has competed in (for a total of ten medals) and holds the state record for the 100-yard breaststroke.

“Swimming is unique in that you wait hours, weeks, months, and even years for a single swim,” says Mark. “Then you

put everything you’ve learned, all your strength and energy, into those 55 seconds. It’s a tiny amount of time compared to all the effort and hard work it takes to get to that day. Although it’s a lot of pressure, I like that. That’s where I’m most comfortable. My anxiety and nervousness disappear, and it’s just me and the clock.”

The stakes increase for Mark this fall as he takes the block for the athletic powerhouse, The University of Alabama. Though Mark’s ultimate goal is to become an Olympian, he is excited about this next stage in his career and development.

“I think my greatest accomplishment so far is being worthy of participating at the collegiate level,” says Mark. “Especially Division I, University of Alabama.”

Mark says college recruitment was initially “a little scary” due to setbacks caused by the Covid pandemic and

his fractured wrist in the 10th grade. His breakthrough came at last year’s National Club Swimming Association (NCSA) international meet.

“I came into that meet as a first-time nobody, a lanky kid compared to the other guys,” says Mark. “As low as I was in the rankings, some of my teammates laughed at the idea that I was planning on making finals. But then I produced a very fast swim which was a motivating factor for the rest of the meet, and it kind of set the tone for me. I even surprised my coach. I did this amazing time, and all these people were suddenly interested in me.”

It was important to Mark and his parents to choose a college where Mark could expand his swimming career and intellect. They were mainly looking at Ivy Leagues, but The University of Alabama came into the picture after they learned about the prestige of its business school. Then Mark realized how many things he enjoyed about the university.

“I like the community aspect of the tailgates before football games, hanging out with the other swimmers at the lake, or even playing guitar in the dorms,” says Mark. “That was more special to me than anything I saw at the other colleges.”

Mark plans to double major in finance and marketing— interests furthered at Indian Springs through economics and business entrepreneurship classes.

Mark operates a successful small business reselling musical equipment and is a talented musician in his own right, contributing to Indian Springs’ contemporary music program.

Mark’s legacy in the school community lies not only in his athletic records but also in the younger generation he has inspired. Mark embodies our core values of Inclusion and Involvement, using his platform on campus to spread the message that any student is welcome on Team Indian Springs and everyone should embrace trying something new.

MARK UNDERWOOD ’23 UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA SWIMMING, DIVISION I

AURELIE WALKER ’23 UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO SWIMMING, DIVISION I

qualify for the National Club Swimming Association Age Group Championships.

“I had really fast progress, and it was a little overwhelming,” says Aurelie. “But at the same time, I was doing really well, and it just kept getting better from there.”

Aurelie made her first big cut for club nationals in the seventh grade, qualifying for the 50-yard freestyle and competing against all the best swimmers around the country through the age of 18. She was on a streak until the pandemic hit during her sophomore year, prohibiting pool access for 15 months.

“When we came back in June of 2021, I had to start from scratch,” says Aurelie. “It’s still been a struggle recovering, but luckily, it came back to me pretty quickly.”

Just six months after diving back in, Aurelie represented Indian Springs on the podium as she received gold medals for not one but two AHSAA individual state titles. She won first place in the 200-yard freestyle at 1:54.59 and the 100-yard butterfly at 57:57. She claimed her third state title this school year in a new event, the 50-yard freestyle, at 24:10.

“My initial reaction was actually disappointment because I didn’t go my best times in any of the events that I won,” says Aurelie. “But when I look back now, I know I did great. Those races were good. It doesn’t have to be my best time for it to be a good race.”

and end in the weight room at 9:30 p.m.

Making her schedule more impressive is Aurelie’s ability to balance those athletic commitments with her academic pursuits. She’s a straight-A student and a top contributor in many classes. This year, her courseload has included Conceptual Physics, Sports Medicine, Economics, Latin III, Religious Literacy, Film Rhetoric, and Crime Fiction.

Aurelie is naturally gifted, persistent, and fearless. It’s no surprise she had a lot of options when it came time to choose a college. With help from her mom, Alison, she narrowed down the list until finding one that checked all the boxes: the University at Buffalo.

“Buffalo was my favorite from the beginning,” says Aurelie. “But it ended up being my favorite by a long shot. I love the area, the school itself, the coach, and the pool. It was somehow nostalgic when I got to visit, and it just felt like home to me.”

Growing up, Aurelie Walker ’23, the daughter of Rhett ’83, spent many carefree summer days playing in the lake at Indian Springs. She never imagined that one day, she’d be training in those same swampy waters to win three state titles for the school.

Don’t worry; we’re only joking. The Indian Springs Swim Team doesn’t practice alongside the swans. They

practice at a local pool. However, it’s no joke what Aurelie has accomplished in the five short years since she became a student here.

Aurelie began competitive swimming at the age of 12. She attended her first practice with the Birmingham Swim League in September of 2016 and made her first Southeastern Championship time standard by December. She placed third in her best event, the 50-yard freestyle, that February to

Between the lines is Aurelie’s genuine passion for swimming. She loves “the feel of the water, the feel of a good workout, and being around [her] teammates”—a “found family” who she’s “grown up with, see[s] every day, and hang[s] out with outside of school.”

Though Indian Springs’ competitive swim season runs October through December, club swimming runs yearround. Aurelie’s team at Wake Aquatics trains six days a week and two to three hours a day. In addition, Aurelie lifts weights a few nights a week. Some days begin in the pool at 5:30 a.m.

Aurelie isn’t deterred by the sub-zero temperatures and snow and looks forward to exploring her new stomping grounds on the Canadian border. She is excited to join Buffalo’s NCAA Division I team of 28 and make new friends. She plans to major in pre-law, though she’s keeping an open mind about her future career path and swimming goals.

“Honestly, I think one of the best things I’ve decided is that swimming doesn’t define me and that I do it for myself and not the prestige,” says Aurelie. “As I’ve learned to let go of those expectations I put on myself, it’s become more enjoyable to just go with the flow.”

Aurelie credits much of her success to the support of her parents.

“They’ve been just as proud of me from the beginning as they are now.”

Norah Roller ’23 led the Indian Springs Girls Varsity Soccer Team to its historic state championship win in 2022, scoring three goals, her second consecutive hat trick in the tournament, in the 5-0 shutout of East Limestone to claim the coveted title of finals Most Valuable Player (MVP).

“Honestly, last year was totally surreal,” says Norah. “I still look at pictures from the game, and I’m like, ‘Did we actually win?’ Like, that’s kind of crazy.”

Team Captain Norah racked up 47 goals and 12 assists in her 11th-grade year and 55 goals, 12 assists, and ten hat tricks in her 10th-grade year, stats that earned her the distinction of Birmingham All-Metro Player of the Year backto-back in both 2021 and 2022.

Outside of Indian Springs, Norah has played for Alabama FC 05 in the Elite Club National League since she was recruited in the eighth grade. From finishing last in the region her first year to making nationals last year, she has grown with the team.

“I didn’t really understand how good I was when I first started,” says Norah. “A lot of people were telling me, ‘You could play at collegiate level’ and ‘There’s a ton of schools who will want you,’ ‘Oh, okay. I’m in the eighth grade.’”

Fast forward a few years, and Norah is being sought out by colleges across the region, including Auburn, Georgia State, South Alabama, and Mercer.

“Behind the scenes was a little crazy,” says Norah. “It was difficult and stressful. A lot of people don’t see that part. The hardest part was having to reject schools.”

Anyone who has seen Norah in action comments on how effortless she makes it seem, maneuvering the field with precision at a pace all her own. It is a joy to watch her play, and that is because she genuinely enjoys the sport. For Norah, choosing a college was about finding a program that would give her space to continue enjoying soccer on her own terms. She knew she had found the one when the pressure subsided and her anxiety faded away.

“When I would go on visits to other schools, I would find myself constantly checking the clock, ‘Is it time to go?’ But when I went to Furman, the whole day passed, and I realized I never checked the time. Afterward, my parents and I went out to eat, and they were like, ‘What do you think?’ and I was just so smiley. It really just felt like my place.”

Norah is excited to step up her game playing Division I for Furman University. Though much of her success is attributed to her natural talent, she is no stranger to hard work in training. During Indian Springs’ soccer season, Norah practices every day except Wednesday. She practices twice a week during her club season and plays every weekend.

Besides being on the field, Norah’s favorite thing about soccer is trekking cross-country for club games, even if it means writing her essays in the car.

“It’s worth it because I never would have been able to travel that much,” says Norah. “Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle, New Orleans, Jacksonville, Atlanta…I’ve been everywhere.”

All the while, Norah has been a straight-A student with a daunting course load, including titles such as AP Statistics, AP Environmental Science, International Relations, French IV, and Web Design. She is also a member of Indian Springs’ renowned choir.

Norah is undecided about her college major but feels at home in Furman’s art building.

“It’s so beautiful,” says Norah. “If I had to choose right now, I would say ‘graphic design.’ But there’re definitely some more interests I want to explore.”

NORAH ROLLER ’23

FURMAN UNIVERSITY SOCCER, DIVISION I

ENOCH XIAO ’23 AND ETHAN XIAO ’23

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY I FENCING, DIVISION I

gold medals from the International Fencing Federation World Cup and Pan American Junior Fencing Championships.

Complimenting the brothers’ long list of fencing achievements are their excellent academic standings at Indian Springs. Enoch is a 2023 National Merit Scholarship Finalist, ranking in the top one percent of all graduating seniors nationwide. Ethan is a 2023 National Merit Commended Student ranking in the top three to four percent. Both are AP Scholars and members of the Indian Springs Physics Club and Asian Culture Club.

Enoch and Ethan began researching colleges in the summer before their 11th-grade year. From the beginning, the top choice for both brothers was Columbia University. Their priorities were, first, an elite fencing program and, second, an elite academic program.

“Columbia is hands-down the best fencing school in the Ivy Leagues,” says Enoch. “And one of the best overall in all the fencing colleges. The team spirit is pretty nice.”

“The coaches are nice,” adds Ethan. “Plus, it’s a really good school academically.”

Twin brothers Enoch Xiao ’23 and Ethan Xiao ’23 rank among the best junior fencers in the United States and have competed globally, from Italy to France, Colombia to Peru, and numerous other countries. Their careers began in Jacksonville, Florida, and launched when they joined the Birmingham Fencing Club after moving to Alabama in the eighth grade.

“It was for fun at first,” says Enoch. “But after we started going to more competitions, our parents said, ‘You should consider getting more serious about it.’”

Enoch and Ethan took their parents’ advice to heart and centered their lives around the sport. They attend two to four hours of individual and group training and free

fencing practice every day after school and spend most weekends traveling to tournaments.

“Practice and experience are the two things you need the most,” says Ethan.

But fencing also requires technique and strategy, especially with the foil, the weapon of choice for both brothers. The foil is lighter and has fewer targets than the epee and saber. Fencers can only score by touching the point of the blade to the opponent’s torso.

“I’m more defensive,” says Enoch. “I try to make the opponent miss or counter-attack once they finish their attack. So I hit them, but they don’t hit me.”

“I like staying in the back and watching the opponent for weakness,” says Ethan.

Both brothers—members of Indian Springs’ cross-country

team—value strength and stamina, though their favorite aspect of fencing is the cognitive challenge.

“It’s an intellectual sport where even if your body isn’t as physically fit, you can still win against your opponent if you know how to beat them,” says Enoch.

“Your physical ability is only part of it,” agrees Ethan. “Half the sport is mental fighting. It’s individualized, so you can create your strategy to suit your body.”

The brothers’ dedication to mastering fencing has landed them atop some of the most prominent podiums in the sport. Most notably, Enoch won a bronze medal at the Junior Olympics, and Ethan a bronze medal at the Junior World Cup. In the past year, both have been members of Team USA, bringing home

In February 2022, six months after their first contact with the coaches, the Xiao family learned that Columbia University had accepted not one but both of the brothers. Enoch and Ethan had never planned to attend the same college, but everything “just worked out.”

“I’m looking forward to experiencing fencing with a team,” says Enoch. “And winning with a team…maybe winning the Ivy Leagues like they did last year.”

“I definitely want to have friends on the team and to do well with them,” says Ethan.

“Maybe in my freshman year, I’ll try to make it onto the junior team.”

Outside of fencing, Enoch plans to study engineering and Ethan economics. They are excited to explore new opportunities and have fun in New York City.

Since she was five years old, Campbell Swanner ’23 has been perfecting the art of English-style riding. At age 10, she began competitive showjumping and flatwork with a local barn. She practiced five days a week and rose quickly through the ranks. It wasn’t long before she had an end goal in sight, though a few roadblocks stood along the path.

“I had goals I wanted to accomplish, and one of those was to be on a DI equestrian team,” says Campbell. “That was not something that my past coaches believed could happen.”

In her 10th-grade year, Campbell bravely left the barn she had ridden with for over a decade to work with a new trainer and began competing across the country.

Campbell’s efforts landed her at a number of national finals, including the Washington International Horse Show, Pennsylvania National Horse Show, Capital Challenge, and Junior Hunter Finals. She also competed in regional and national levels of the Junior Jump Seat Equitation Finals and the ASPCA Maclay. Her most significant achievement to date was finishing fifth at The National Horse Show this past October.

“You have to continue showing up,” says Campbell. “There have been times when I wanted to give up because I wasn’t feeling confident in myself or my trainers weren’t confident in me. I think persevering through that is a big thing that made me reach my goals.”

College recruitment began in the second semester of Campbell’s junior year. She attended camps with several teams, though only one stood out: Baylor University.

“When I went to Baylor, I just knew that was where I wanted to be,” says Campbell. “The girls are so sweet, and I love the coaches. Outside of riding, I love the school. The Christian atmosphere is important to me, and I also love that it’s in Texas.”

Campbell’s commitment to Baylor last July surprised most Indian Springs classmates and teachers, who didn’t know she was an athlete…or a successful entrepreneur. Parallel to Campbell’s career in horseback riding is the boom of a business she founded at the age of 11—FoxyKitchens, a national supplier of designer horse treats.

In her parent’s kitchen, Campbell and a friend developed a recipe that horses across the land would devour. The treats are made with molasses, oat flour, and flaxseed and are cut into custom shapes and decorated with icing for holidays and special occasions.

Campbell also built a brand that equestrians everywhere would come to recognize. She designed the company’s logo, thoughtfully selected packaging products, opened an Etsy store, and set to work on social media marketing. In 2011, the early days of Instagram, FoxyKitchens was ahead of its time in adopting brand ambassadors and influencers.

“We would give the ambassadors a 25 to 30% discount to promote our products, which is what got us to make a name for ourselves,” says Campbell. “We would do an ambassador search and accept about 25 girls, and then all of a sudden, we’d have hundreds of orders. We would also sponsor people. We’d get famous equestrians on YouTube to post unboxing videos.”

FoxyKitchens sells small bags of five to 15 treats for $10 to $15 each, plus shipping. The duo first ventured into wholesale with Carousel Tack Shoppe, a few miles from Indian Springs School. Soon they were approached by Dover Saddlery, a chain with over 30 stores nationwide. Dover placed a series of orders, the largest totaling nearly $40,000.

“We weren’t even promoting ourselves to do those big orders,” says Campbell. “That was definitely a huge accomplishment for us.”

Baking and managing the fulfillment of large orders from Campbell’s home kitchen was a considerable challenge. Time grew short as the girls grew older and more involved in riding competitions and school activities, and eventually, they opted to close wholesale. However, as of spring 2023, Etsy sales are still going strong in FoxyKitchens’ seventh year.

“I just wanted to make a little company,” says Campbell. “I don’t think my parents thought it would blow up as much as it did or that it would last for this long.”

Campbell thanks her mom, Heather, for supporting FoxyKitchens and overseeing finances. Campbell’s share of the profits has gone towards helping her parents cover the many expenses of horseback riding, the passion that ignited the business.

Campbell looks forward to new opportunities at Baylor and plans to major in marketing.

CAMPBELL SWANNER ’23 BAYLOR UNIVERSITY EQUESTRIAN, DIVISION I

SINCE THIS FEATURE WAS COMPLETED IN THE SPRING, TWO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CLASS OF 2023 HAVE COMMITTED TO CONTINUING THEIR ATHLETIC CAREERS IN COLLEGE. GUS COLVIN ’23 WILL PLAY SOCCER AT POMONA COLLEGE, AND CARSON HUFF ’23 WILL PLAY BASKETBALL AT AUBURN UNIVERSITY AT MONTGOMERY. READ MORE ABOUT THESE STUDENTS IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF INDIAN SPRINGS MAGAZINE.

Thank you for helping us celebrate Indian Springs’ 70th year by

INVESTING In Our Future

WITH YOUR SUPPORT OF THE 2022-2023 ANNUAL FUND!

All of us at Indian Springs would like to express our gratitude to the many alums, parents, grandparents, friends, faculty, and staff who supported the school in this past milestone 70th year with a gift. Founding Director Louis “Doc” Armstrong’s vision of Learning through Living began with a handful of students in 1952 and remains alive and stronger than ever in 2023. You are part of the multi-generational legacy of excellence and have helped build a unique experience that continues to benefit Indian Springs students today.

This ongoing “participation in creation” is made possible through your generous gifts to the Annual Fund. So much of what the school is able to provide is thanks to our many annual giving donors. We appreciate your loyal support that enables us to ensure that Indian Springs will continue to thrive.

Please consider making your gift to the 2023-2024 Annual Fund today in the envelope provided. Go online to indiansprings.org/give to give by credit card, or call 205.332.0592 to make your gift.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT, AND GO SPRINGS!

JOIN THE LEGACY SOCIETY

Your Planned Gift is Indian Springs’ Future

WE THANK THE MANY MEMBERS of the Indian Springs community who have made a provision in their estate plans to benefit the school. The list below includes alums, parents, faculty, and friends who have remembered Indian Springs in their wills or have given assets today with deferred benefits. Former Head of School Gareth Vaughn recently informed Indian Springs that he had made a bequest in his estate plans for the school.

2022-2023 LEGACY SOCIETY

Judy* and Hal Abroms

Patrick Anderson ’92

Susan and Steve Apolinsky ’80

Pris and Eddie Ashworth ’67

Julia and John Badham ’57

Candi and C.P. Bagby ’63

Murray and Keehn W. Berry, Jr.*

Lois and Ben Blackwell*

Karen and Bill Boyle ’62

Kay Armstrong Carter and Frank Carter ’62

Pinkie and Bryan Chace ’74

Hanelle Culpepper Meier ’88 and Jeff Meier

Heidi and Martin Damsky ’68

Cathy and Mell Duggan ’76

Coo Hirschowitz Engel ’79*

David Faber ’66

Ginny and Joe Farley ’81

Robert Friedel ’67

Howard E. Furnas III

Chris Genry ’78

Gertrude Gildea

Sylvia Goldberg

Rachel Krantz and Edward Goldstein ’67

Billie Grace and Henry Goodrich*

Gillian and Mike Goodrich ’63

Eugenia and Larry Greer ’63

Emil and Jimmie Hess*

Ronne and Donald Hess ’66

Martha Diefendorf and Bob Hogan ’68

Lauren and Glen Howard ’67

Robert W. Johns*

George Johnston ’65

Gilbert Johnston ’63

Pamela and Prescott Kelly ’61

Sandy and Wayne* Killion ’68

Judy and Philippe Lathrop ’73

Sharon Kean and Bob Lipson ’68

Lawrence Matthews ’64*

Cecilia and Alan* Matthews ’68

Kristine Billmyer and Russell Maulitz ’62

June and Joe Mays ’63

Susan and Tennant McWilliams ’61

Margaret R. Monaghan

Bob Montgomery ’74

Marcia and Mike Nichols ’70

Joe Nonidez ’62*

Margaret and Kip Porter ’60

Nancy and John*

Poynor ’58

Carol and Wilmer*

Poynor ’56

Cindi and Michael Routman ’72

Sharon and Frank*

Samford ’62

Cooper Schley ’64

William S. Schuler ’66*

John Tanquary ’74

Jane and Kevin Tavakoli ’98

Ann and David Tharpe

Jill and Chip Thuss ’74

Fergus Tuohy ’96 and Michael Barnett

Nancy and Jim Tyrone ’73

Gareth Vaughan

Irvin “Bucky” Weaver ’68*

Pamela and William Weeks ’69

Marjorie and Jim White ’60

Amy McDaniel Williams ’80 and Steve Williams

*Deceased

To learn more about how you can benefit Indian Springs through your estate plans, please visit www. indiansprings.org/plannedgiving or contact Assistant Head of School for Advancement & External Affairs Jim Simon at james.simon@indiansprings.org or 205.332.0615.

“Indian Springs School holds a very special place in my heart. My tenure at Indian Springs was one of my most rewarding professional experiences, and it warms my heart to see the school continue to thrive. Indian Springs was also a caring and supportive community that helped carry me through the most trying of times in my personal life. I cannot imagine an educational institution more deserving of my financial support.” —Former Head of School Gareth Vaughan

EXPLORATION OF THE MICROSCOPIC WORLD

Discovering a Micrometeorite on the Gym Roof

BY DR. JEFFREY SIDES ’91 P ’24, ’26 INDIAN SPRINGS SCIENCE FACULTY

Indian Springs’ theme for the 2022-2023 school year is “Intellectual Curiosity.” As a biologist, I can imagine no better embodiment of this theme than launching an elective course dedicated to exploring the microscopic world.

The late Alabama native Dr. E.O. Wilson, a world-renowned Harvard ant biologist and conservationist, once said, “we are sort of like the Godzillas of the world—gigantic organisms. We walk, crunch, across this [microscopic] world like Godzilla over New York.”

My goal this year was to introduce Indian Springs science students to an extremely diverse and ubiquitous part of our world that is underfoot and surrounding us each day of our lives but that most of us never see. With that goal in mind, I set out last summer to create a course I call “Exploration of the Microscopic World.”

Research-quality scientific equipment of any sort is often extremely expensive and way beyond the reach of most high school classrooms. Despite this, I knew my students would have the best experience in this class if I could provide them with the kinds of microscopes used in research laboratories around the world.

Weeks of purchasing surplus microscope components on eBay at very low cost and my love of refurbishing and assembling such equipment allowed me to put together a small but respectable microscopy lab in the back room of my classroom.

The Indian Springs microscopy lab now consists of one Nikon Optiphot compound light microscope capable of several interesting microscopy techniques, including fluorescence microscopy and high-resolution digital photography; two Nikon Diaphot inverted research microscopes also with digital photography capability; and a rotary microtome for making very thin sections of material to be examined under the microscope.

While developing this course, I decided I wanted to pursue some projects in the class beyond viewing the usual specimens examined under the typical high school science class microscopes. I wanted something that I knew not many people were studying and something that had almost certainly never been attempted at Indian Springs. I know this desire to think beyond the ordinary is, without a doubt, the result of the greatest gift I received during my own education at Indian Springs from 1987 to 1991: the desire to be a life-long learner.

Indian Springs gave me the insatiable urge to be curious about the strange, unknown corners of our universe and the never-ending will to explore these mysteries despite the difficulties often involved. Without this gift, I doubt I would have had the ability to pursue and earn a doctoral degree in biology. Working in

teachers at Indian Springs.

One day last summer, I fell down a Google search rabbit hole of microscopy projects that ultimately led me to a fascinating potential line of research to pursue with my new class.

I read about a Norwegian jazz musician and citizen scientist named Jon Larsen and his quest to find micrometeorites in urban areas. These minuscule meteorites, generally between 0.2 and 0.4 millimeters in diameter, had only previously been found by scientists in pristine areas like rarely visited locales in Antarctica. The dogma held by the scientific community was that there are simply too many human-made lookalikes in urban areas, making finding genuine micrometeorites there akin to finding one needle in a thousand haystacks.

wildlife conservation, ecology, systematics, and microbiology research for over 20 years was not something I would have ever imagined possible. Why choose such a complicated, uncertain path?

From my first day as a student at Indian Springs, I began to understand the excitement and beauty of learning about the world around me to a depth I never before knew was possible. A new and wonderful world was daily being revealed to me during classes with Dr. LaCasse (physics), Dr. Cooper (western civilization), Mrs. Tuohy (English), Madame Payne and Dr. Horn (French), Mr. Lantrip (math), Mr. Stegner (expository writing), and so many more areas of study under the guidance of so, so many talented

In 2009, while Jon Larsen was sitting on his back porch in Oslo eating breakfast, a tiny black speck suddenly appeared on the white table before him. Hours of research led him to the conclusion that he had just witnessed a small extraterrestrial particle, a speck of space dust that had been molten as it passed through Earth’s atmosphere at high speed only moments before, land on his table. His path to upsetting the dogma surrounding the ability to locate these particles in urban environments had begun.

Within a few years, Larsen had developed techniques for locating these fascinating and beautiful tiny space rocks; the key was to focus on areas like rooftops with way less contaminating particles than ground level. He collected hundreds of micrometeorites. He published scientific articles about his work and detailed guides to finding and identifying them and concluded that it was likely that every square meter of the surface of the Earth had at least one micrometeorite land on it per year. The typical house roof could hold dozens of micrometeorites amongst its dust, grit, and organic debris.

Objects falling on Earth from space hold such

“Indian Springs gave me the insatiable urge to be curious about the strange, unknown corners of our universe and the never-ending will to explore these mysteries despite the difficulties often involved.”

—DR. JEFFREY SIDES ’91 P ’24, ’26

an allure for so many of us that this search for micrometeorites seemed like the perfect project for my new microscopy class.

Ibrahim Hamo ’25 was brave enough to be the sole student in this inaugural run of my course. He was open-minded and patient enough not to flinch when I handed him a broom, dustpan, and handful of plastic baggies, telling him we were going to climb onto the roof of Indian Springs’ gym in search of space dust.

As we followed Shane Smith of the campus maintenance department up the steep ladder to the gym roof, I saw not a split second of hesitation in Ibrahim’s determination to complete this project. That resolve continued through to the recent day when we confirmed that one of the particles he had found on the roof of the gym, a building that I saw built when I was a senior at Indian Springs, was without a

doubt a genuine micrometeorite.

Jon Larsen himself confirmed our discovery when he saw the incredibly detailed image of Ibrahim’s micrometeorite we were able to generate using an extremely powerful scanning electron microscope at UAB’s School of Engineering.

Intellectual curiosity—gifted to me by Indian Springs and sparked in Ibrahim—led a Norwegian jazz musician and citizen scientist to disrupt long-held dogma and led my class to succeed at doing something scientists deemed impossible a little over a decade ago.

Although “Exploration of the Microscopic World” had but one enthusiastic student this school year, I consider it mission accomplished. As for future projects in the class at Indian Springs, it’s very clear that not even the sky is the limit.

DR.

DAVID

TAVAKOLI ’91 AND THE SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE

BY DR. JEFFREY SIDES

In early November 2022, Indian Springs alum Dr. David Tavakoli ’91 kindly loaned us a Hitachi TM3000 portable scanning electron microscope (SEM) for a week.

LEFT: “Pictured is a barred olivine micrometeorite we found on the roof of the Indian Springs gym in September 2022. The micrometeorite is about 0.25 mm in diameter. We added false color to enhance the image we produced using a scanning electron microscope at UAB. The yellow bump is a bead consisting mainly of nickel. Such metallic beads are relatively common on this variety of micrometeorites. As it enters Earth’s atmosphere traveling at as much as 50 times the speed of a rifle bullet, the micrometeorite melts, and the denser nickel in it moves toward the center of the molten droplet until it slows. At that time, the inertia of the nickel core inside carries it toward the forward end of the micrometeorite, emerging as a bead on the droplet’s surface.”

David is a research scientist in the IEN/IMat Materials Characterization Facility at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. Under an NSF grant for education and outreach, his lab purchased two portable SEMs to loan out to schools and other educational programs.

David was kind enough not only to deliver the SEM to our lab at Indian Springs, he spent the entire day with 9th-grade biology classes and some AP chemistry classes, demonstrating the use of the instrument and allowing students to have some hands-on experience running it.

The students were very excited to have an Indian Springs alum who works as a research scientist teach them about this incredible technology.

For the remainder of the week that the SEM was on loan to us, the instrument was used by my “Exploring the Microscopic World” class and several other highly motivated students working independently under my guidance.

’91 P ’24, ’26

Dr. David Tavakoli ’91 and Dr. Jeffrey Sides ’91

RIGHT: Under the supervision of Dr. Jeffrey Sides ’91, Ibrahim Hamo ’25 operates an electron scanning microscope loaned to the school by Dr. David Tavikoli ’91.

NATIONAL MERIT & PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARS

Arecord percentage of our recent graduates in the Class of 2023 earned national recognition for their excellent academic records and standardized test scores.

Twins Mayu Nakano ’23 and Yuji Nakano ’23 were named National Merit Scholars, each receiving $2,500 in scholarships to their colleges of choice: the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of California, Los Angeles, respectively.

Mayu was named a Semifinalist in the United States Presidential Scholars Program. Cynthia Li ’23, a University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) commit, was also selected as a candidate for the program. Both students earned perfect scores on the ACT.

In addition to Mayu, Yuji, and Cynthia, Star Cheng ’23, Gus Colvin ’23, Vickie Kim ’23, William Kong ’23, Nour Shoreibah ’23, and Enoch Xiao ’23 were named Finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program. The

nine students named above rank among the top <1% of all graduating seniors nationwide for the Class of 2023.

Kimely Li ’23, Olivia Li ’23, Ember Szaflarski ’23, and Ethan Xiao ’23 were named Commended Students in the National Merit Scholarship Program.

Learn more about our recent graduates in the Class of 2023 and see photos from their commencement ceremony in the next issue of Indian Springs Magazine

FROM THE LEFT: Star Cheng ’23, Yuji Nakano ’23, Enoch Xiao ’23, Ember Szaflarski ’23, Gus Colvin ’23, Mayu Nakano ’23, Nour Shoreibah ’23, Cynthia Li ’23, William Kong ’23, Vickie Kim ’23, and Ethan Xiao ’23. Not pictured: Kimely Li ’23 and Olivia Li ’23.

ART & WRITING

Forty-four of our students received over 100 honors in the 2023 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, setting a new record for Indian Springs School.

Zykeria Dowdley ’24 received a national Silver Medal for her poem “Eviction Notice,” placing her work among the top .7% of

all submissions in this year’s competition.

Misbah Meghani ’24 and Rezi Ubogu ’23 each received five Gold Keys, the highest honor at the regional level. Indian Springs received 46 Gold Keys in total.

Violet Levine ’27 was named an American Voices Nominee.

DEBATE & MOCK TRIAL

Evan Jack ’23, a recent graduate in the Class of 2023, advanced to the National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA) tournament for a second year after winning first place in Lincoln-Douglas Debate at the Mockingbird District Tournament in February. Evan won Indian Springs’ first state championship in debate when he was a sophomore.

Sophia Graham ’24, a member of Indian Springs’ Mock Trial team, advanced to the national YMCA Youth in Government Youth Judicial Competition after receiving the “Outstanding Witness” award at the state competition in November. Evie Frohsin ’25 received the “Top Attorney” award at the regional competition in October.

MISBAH MEGHANI ’24

ZYKERIA DOWDLEY ’24

EVIE FROHSIN ’25 AND SOPHIA GRAHAM ’24 EVAN JACK ’23

VIOLET LEVINE ’27

REZI UBOGU ’23

RECOLLECTIONS & IMPACT

HOW THE INDIAN SPRINGS EXPERIENCE IN THE SCHOOL’S EARLIEST YEARS SHAPED GRADUATES’ LIVES

BY JIM SIMON

IN THIS MILESTONE 70TH YEAR, WE ARE fortunate to have clear memories from alums who were on the Indian Springs campus when the school first opened in the fall of 1952. It was a bold experiment in education for our area when Dr. Louis Armstrong assembled the first teachers and students to begin an ongoing quest for Learning through Living that is now in its third generation. We had the opportunity to speak with several alums recently who joined the school as students in those early years to recall how their lives were shaped by their time at Indian Springs and who some of the influential figures were as they embarked upon “Doc” Armstrong’s exhortation to join in “participation in creation” of what has become the Indian Springs School of today.

Preston Haskell ’56 is a member of the first graduating class of four-year Indian Springs students and entered the school’s first ninth grade in the fall of 1952, despite having originally planned to attend Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire.

“My mother was impressed by Dr. Armstrong and his vision and decided to give it her full support,” said Preston.

He started as a day student but eventually became a boarding student. He has fond memories of all his teachers, particularly Dr. Frank Cantey (Math), Dr. Charles Bryan (Music/Glee Club), and of course, Dr. Armstrong.

“Of all the fine educators at Indian Springs, Dr. Armstrong himself had the strongest influence on me,” said Preston.

Preston also recalled a watershed moment when he was first exposed to blueprints for the school’s new buildings. This foreshadowed a lifelong passion for construction that became his successful choice of profession and business.

“Dr. Moore showed me the blueprints for the buildings I was actually in at school. This was the first time I was able to see such a thing, and it fascinated me,” said Preston.

Preston was one of the mayors during his senior year and was chosen to speak at his 1956 graduation.

“I expressed gratitude for the balanced education I received at Indian Springs School. I was rather well prepared for college and life afterward,” said Preston. “My schools and colleges prepared me for life in so many important ways. Both within and beyond the classroom, I gained knowledge, ways of thinking, and behavioral traits which would have been unattainable anywhere else.”

Like many other Springs students from the early 1950s, Grady Richardson ‘57 came from the Lakeview School before his four years at Indian Springs. “I was half a year behind Bill Slaughter ‘56 (at Lakeview),” Grady recalled. While there were many memories from those early years of the school’s history, Grady’s most poignant memories occured during his tenure as mayor. “As the recently elected Mayor, my first Town Meeting was a disaster!” he said. “So much so that Doc told my faculty

advisor, Dr. Sipe, that I needed to learn ‘to think on my feet’.”

“During my tenure as Mayor, I never learned to do this nearly as well as my predecessors, Preston Haskell ‘56 and Cory Jackson ‘56; I just got by—so I was greatly relieved when my term as Mayor was over!” Grady said.

Grady went on to Sewanee and then Birmingham Southern College where he graduated in 1961. After trying some different jobs, including active duty in the U.S. Army, Grady went on to Virginia Theological Seminary and a 55-year career in the Episcopal Church as an ordained minister.

“In college I took some speech courses that must have worked—so that now, having preached thousands of sermons as a clergy person, I am told that some of my best are the kind that are preached spontaneously! So thank you, Doc (Armstrong) and Dr. Sipe for encouraging me to ‘think on my feet’…since my days at ISS, I’ve had to do a lot of this!”

John Bigger ’56 was also in the first graduating class of students who spent four years at Indian Springs and recalled his own memories.

“At age 13, a major event occurred for my future when we were approached by Dr. Louis Armstrong, who was starting a new all-boys prep school in the Birmingham area. This was in 1952, and I (thanks to scholarship help), along with six other boys from Anniston, entered Indian Springs School in September 1952,” said John.

“There is little question that the major Indian Springs influence then, and for many years, was “Doc,” said John. “As Director, he set the direction for the school and put it on a fast course to becoming the outstanding school it is now. He was a brilliant person but a down-to-earth person. He could seem to be your best friend but would not hesitate to call you down when needed.”

Other standout faculty for John included storied names such as Crosby, Cantey, Payne, and of course, Mac Fleming.

“Mac was special, and I had the honor to spend some time with him a couple of years ago when he was in his late 90s and shortly before he passed on,” said John.

“The significant things that Indian Springs left with me, now at age 84, are a curiosity for knowledge, the ability to know how to satisfy that curiosity and where to find the information I need, the confidence in my ability to compete with my peers academically, and the ability to communicate what I know either in writing or verbally,” said John.

“In my first semester of medical school, I faced the feared gross anatomy course with mixed feelings,” said John. “Here I was with a group of top students from around the country, wondering if I could handle it. The Indian Springs background provided confidence and motivation. I quickly found that my ability to learn was competitive, and I completed gross anatomy with two awards as the top student in the class. Interestingly, this was the first time I realized that my ability to learn by memorization was also a factor in learning.”

“In summary, what did Indian Springs teach me?” said John.

“If you have something to do, then have at it; know you can do it and ‘git-er-dun.’”

Read John’s unedited submission at www.indiansprings.org/john.

Mark Myatt ’55 P ’86 GP ’24 came to Indian Springs with several other boys who had been students at the Birmingham University School (BUS) after it became known that Indian Springs had hired Frank Cantey, who had been BUS’s head.

“Mr. Cantey and Mr. Fleming were two of my all-time favorite teachers,” said Mark as he remembered his time as a member of Indian Springs’ first graduating class.

“There were others like Mr. Moore, who we liked, and Coach Cameron, who we called ‘Chrome Dome.’ He was the nicest person,” said Mark.

The rigorous academics that Indian Springs was known for, even in the 1950s, were not aspects of school that came naturally to Mark.

“I learned how to struggle,” said Mark. “I had to work hard, and that served me well later. If I hadn’t gone to Indian Springs, I’m not sure I would have amounted to much.”

He went to the University of Alabama and became involved in successful real estate and insurance ventures.

“The school was different then, a lot simpler, but you learned people have to trust you, and you have to have friends you can lean on for help,” said Mark. “Our teachers here taught us how to learn and work hard. Some of the smartest kids in college I knew bombed out because they didn’t work. There were a lot of folks at Indian Springs who were a lot smarter than I was, but I learned to associate myself with smart folks and listen to them and emulate them. Those lessons served me well later in my business life.”

BELOW: The Indian Springs Glee Club quickly took shape in the 1950s. OPPOSITE: Students quickly embraced the individualized learning environment at Indian Springs School

Alumni Weekend 2023

Alums from near and far gathered across Birmingham April 20-23 for Alumni Weekend 2023 celebrating 70 years of Indian Springs School. Photos by Will Carey

HEAD OF SCHOOL SCOTT SCHAMBERGER; KEVIN TAVAKOLI ’98; AND SEBASTIAN AHN ’98

KAZUO MORIYA ’84 P ’19, ’25; MICHAEL PAYNE ’84; AND HOLLY ELLIS WHATLEY ’84 P ’12, ’14

KYUNG HAN ’85; LONGTIME FACULTY MEMBER DR. BOB COOPER P ’94, ’98 GP ’27; CHER HU ’18; AND AMY LI ’18

GREY TILDEN ’98; GEORGE JONES ’98; SANJIV BAJAJ ’98; AND KATE TILDEN ’01

DEVELOPMENT DAY: GUT THE HUT

Over a dozen Indian Springs alums gathered on campus Friday, April 12, for a special alumni Development Day project that was billed as “Gut the Hut.” This marked what we hope will be the first of many opportunities for alums to participate in future Development Days, made easier this year by its coinciding with Alumni Weekend.

Alums came equipped with hammers, crowbars, and protective gear to help undertake the first stage of upcoming renovations to the Hut. This involved removing interior paneling, kitchen cabinets, and baseboards to aid in the effort to repair and modernize this iconic space. An entire dumpster was filled with debris which saved the school considerable costs that would have been associated with interior demolitions.

Head of School Scott Schamberger has said he hopes that as funds for capital improvements become available, new bathrooms and a new kitchen can be installed in addition to much-needed repairs to the aframe structure’s roof.

Thank you to the alums who came to help out, and please contact Assistant Head of School for Advancement and External Affairs Jim Simon at james.simon@indiansprings.org if you’re interested in learning more about our efforts to renovate the Hut and how you can support this. —Jim Simon

School for Advancement & External Affairs Jim Simon; Maintenance Associate Kevin Bates; Athletic Director Greg Van Horn P ’02, ’05; Larry Brook ’87 P ’25, ’27; Matias Gutierrez ’13; Rhett Walker ’83 P ’23; Tom Ray ’83; Steve Hart ’83; Maintenance Associate Velch Denny; Assistant Head of School for Finance & Operations

Assistant Head

Tanya Yeager P ’16, ’21; Avonne Brackett Thomson ’82; Emily Hess Levine ’01 P ’27; and Kevin Tavakoli ’98.

SHANNON JOHNSON ’88; ELISE MAY FROHSIN ’88 P ’20, ’25; MICHELLE EMANUEL ’88; AND JOHN MICHAEL BODNAR ’88 P ’25

LARRY QUAN ’68 AND DEBBIE QUAN

AVONNE BRACKETT THOMSON ’82 AND DEBORAH DOZIER

TOM RAY ’83 AND LONGTIME FACULTY MEMBER DR. MAC LACASSE P ’88, ’95

RHETT WALKER ’83 P ’23 AND LARRY READ ’77

ALLAN CRUSE ’59; BILL BROSS ’79; CLARA CREEL; AND JOHNNY CREEL ’79

Photos by Will Photo by Iron City Studios

CLOCKWISE FROM THE TOP LEFT:

of

Alumni Weekend 2023

CLASS REUNIONS ON SATURDAY, APRIL 22, 2023

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: BILL BELL ’73; DAVID CROWDER ’73; PHILIPPE LATHROP ’73; TOM MONTGOMERY ’73; FRANK SPENCER ’73 P ’00; TOMMY SINIARD ’73; GARY RUBIN ’73; BILL JENKINS ’73; RITTER ARNOLD ’73; DOUG HUNTER ’73; JOHNNY SCRUGGS ’73; PAUL ROBERTS ’73; HANK STRAUSS ’73; DAVID SIMON ’73; GODDY FIES ’73; DARRELL JONES ’73; PHILIP DOZIER ’73; DEE DENSON ’73; ALAN ENGEL ’73 P ’03, ’12; MARTIN BLOOM ’73 P ’08; AND HARVEY MAY ’73

REBECCA OWEN ’03; LONGTIME FACULTY MEMBER KELLY JACOBS P ’19, ’23, ’23; KENT HAINES ’03; JESSICA O’LEARY ROGERS ’03; MIA SWIER CRISS ’03; ALASDAIR MARTIN ’03; LONGTIME FACULTY MEMBER STEPHANIE THOMAS P ’15, ’20

CHRISTINE STRANGE; KEEHN STRANGE ’08; DEVON WELDON EDGAR ’08; QUINN EDGAR; JILLIAN THEIBERT JAMES ’08; CHAPPELL STEWART COVINGTON ’08; ALICIA YORK ’08; TERRA STANLEY SILVA ’08; GERARDO SILVA

JEFF TOLBERT ’03, D.G. PANTAZIS ’03; BIZZA THEIBERT MARKLEY ’04; SARAH MILLS NEE ’03; ANDREA ENGEL HAINES ’03; SARAH PANTAZIS; ELEANOR HODGES TOLBERT ’05; STARR TURNER DRUM ’02

TOM MONTGOMERY ’73 AND DARRELL JONES ’73

BRAD TRICK ’93 AND JONATHAN EPSTEIN ’93

JOHN MAULDIN ’98; LEAH GREEN ’98; ANNIE DAMSKY ’98; LAUREL MILLS ’98; KEVIN TAVAKOLI ’98

Photos by Will Carey and Rachel Wallace Preskitt

Photos by Will Carey

CLASS OF 1966

FENCE DEDICATION

Members of the Indian Springs School Class of 1966 gathered on Saturday, April 22, to dedicate the new rail fence along the front entrance to the school. The fence was replaced late last year thanks to the generosity of over 20 members of the class and honors their nine Class of 1966 classmates who have passed away since their graduation.

The idea for replacing the fence came from Bill Goodrich ’66, who was driving by the school and noticed the poor shape the rail fence was in. Posts (some of which dated back many decades) had rotted, and several rails had been damaged by fallen tree limbs, so he began to discuss with the school what would be involved in repairing or replacing the fence. He and classmate Donald Hess ’66 appealed to their class’s alums to support this endeavor and received a tremendous response.

The more than $15,000 raised by the class funded the removal of the old fence posts and rails, all new replacement fencing, and even allowed for the extension of the fencing along Route 119, helping to expand the demarcation of the Indian Springs property line.

Thank you to the great Class of 1966 for their generosity and for helping to address a much-needed improvement for Indian Springs.

—Jim Simon

JESSICA SPIRA KAHN ’82; CAROLINE CLARK ’82 P ’15, ’18; MARY TRECHSEL-SMYER ’82

SUZANNE TISHLER PIHAKIS ’78 P ’05, ’10; BEN LEE ’78; TOM CARRUTHERS ’78 P ’20; ELLEN MCELROY ’78; MACKE MAULDIN ’78

PHILIPPE LATHROP ’73; DAVID SIMON ’73; AND ALAN ENGEL ’73 P ’03, ’12

FRANK MORRING ’68 AND MARTIN DAMSKY ’68 P ’98

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: WOODROW BARNES ’63; B.G. MINISMAN ’63; JAMES HENDRIX ’63; PERRY JAMES ’63 P ’88; GIBBY JOHNSTON ’63 P ’96, ’99; REESE GANSTER ’63; JOE MAYS ’63 P ’91; HEAD OF SCHOOL SCOTT SCHAMBERGER; GRAY PLOSSER ’63 GP ’25; MIKE GOODRICH ’63 P ’90, ’93, ’94 GP ’20, ’23, ’26, ’28; LARRY GREER ’63

Photos by Will Photo by Iron City Studios

FROM THE LEFT: Head of School Scott Schamberger; George LeMaistre ’66; Kirk Hawley ’66; P ’03, ’07, ’08, ’12; Fran Goodrich; Bill Goodrich ’66; Donald Hess ’66 P ’89, ’93, ’95, ’01 GP ’23, ’27; Patricia Sprague P ’01; Rick Sprague ’66 P ’01

REFLECTIONS ON 50 YEARS

BY SARAH MILLS NEE ’03

On Friday, April 21, Alan Engel ’73 P ’03, ’12 was awarded the 2023 Outstanding Alum of the Year Award. Alan received the award with several of his classmates in attendance, who then gathered the following night to celebrate their 50th reunion.

Since graduating 50 years ago, Alan has achieved great success as a real estate developer with his firm, Crowne Partners. However, it is his repeated and continuous service to Indian Springs that makes him truly worthy of this year’s OAY award.

Alan has served as president of the Alumni

Council and chair of the Board of Governors. He co-chaired the Springs Eternal capital campaign alongside his wife, Lisa, and Rusty Rushton ’74. The Springs Eternal campaign funded three new classroom wings, the Armstrong Administration Building, and the Kayser Academic Center. He oversaw two

ALAN WITH HIS GRANDDAUGHTER, HADDIE; DAUGHTER, ANDREA ENGEL HAINES ’03; AND WIFE, LISA

head-of-school searches and most recently spearheaded the fundraising efforts for the capital campaign that resulted in the Kayser-Samford Community Commons.

Alan’s devotion to Indian Springs is remarkable and is a shining example of the impact one can have when serving a community tirelessly and selflessly. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Alan to discuss his time at Indian Springs and his hopes for the school’s future.

Q: What is your fondest memory from your time at Indian Springs?

A: I guess it’s the relationships I built through time in the dorms, living with all these guys, and developing a real brotherhood. It may have been sitting in a dorm, doing intramural sports, or swimming in the lake, but being with them and living with them like we were all brothers.

Q: How did Indian Springs prepare you for your career and life after?

A: I learned two things. One was how to communicate. The second was how to think critically, handle any intellectual situation, and have confidence in what I can do. It’s very intangible, but it gave me the confidence to take academic and intellectual risks, maybe even social risks, that I would never have taken if I were sitting in a high school in Jasper.

Q: Was there a specific teacher that taught you how to communicate?

A: There’s no question it was R.J. Stegner. He was critical yet supportive and was that way with everybody. If you learned to write, which is all he taught, you learned to communicate. I still follow some of his rules, one of which is never to say “I think.” He would say, “damn it, Alan, I know you think it—you’re saying it.” It’s pretty easy, but you would be amazed how many people get lost in using too many words.

Q: Throughout your longstanding relationship with the school, what has changed, and what remains the same about Indian Springs?

A: The physical place has changed. The curriculum and academics have gotten broader and perhaps a little more rigorous. It has certainly improved in terms of offerings and what is available to the kids. What has stayed the same is the camaraderie, the community,

and the fact that it is a place where people of all backgrounds can be themselves. It is still the welcoming, safe place that it was 50 years ago.

Q: Do you see a through line with the type of student that was there when you were a student and the students now?

A: Absolutely. Students 50 years ago versus students today embrace it all and want to have as many experiences as possible. They are willing to step out. Before they came, they had never imagined themselves in a play, and suddenly, they are singing in front of an audience. One of the school’s missions is to be a place where people can experiment and see who they are and what they want to be.

Q: One of the special things about you as an OAY recipient is your many roles at the school, from student to parent to Board chair. With all that you have learned from your experiences in those different roles, what advice would you give to Indian Springs students?

A: First, it would be to embrace everything you can and see what you like and don’t. And to trust the academic process. It works. And be willing to stick your neck out there in an academic situation where it will be tough and you may not be successful. But you will learn a lot. It’s easy for me to say don’t worry about college, but if you don’t try new things and experiment and push yourself for that fourth year in French or take Calculus II, you don’t give yourself the opportunity to really succeed and know what you can do.

The other part is to learn how to give back. Someone else was very generous with their resources and time for us to have this experience.

We have to be generous as well so that someone in 15-20 years can have this experience. My most rewarding soliciting experiences have been where people told me, “The school gave me a full scholarship when I was a kid, and I went to Harvard, and I owe my success to that.” Or where someone could barely afford to be a day student, but [founding director] Doc let them live on campus under the promise that one day they would pay it forward. Those are really heartfelt donations.

Q: What is your advice for students who have just graduated and are starting their journey as alums? How do you suggest people begin the process of giving back?

A: You have to experiment, be willing to take on some roles, and see what you are good at. Some people are good at asking for money, and some are not. But it’s important to start by making a modest gift to get in the habit of giving back. It takes everybody. I have spent a lot of time serving Indian Springs, and what I have gotten back is so much more satisfying— to go on campus and see the buildings, listen to these kids at graduation, or hear current mayors speak at Board meetings.

Q: What is your hope for the future of Indian Springs?

A: Certainly, I hope the school will continue on the path it is on and continue to be the place where young kids can go who want to push themselves, explore, and be the best they can be. In particular, I would love to see the school have a significant endowment to guard against the shocks that happen. That would be the one thing I wish, moving forward: to significantly grow the endowment.

“WHAT HAS STAYED THE SAME IS THE CAMARADERIE, THE COMMUNITY, AND THE FACT THAT IT IS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS CAN BE THEMSELVES.” —ALAN ENGEL ’73

CLASS NOTES

CLASS OF 1964

Bob McGahey ’64, an alum and former Indian Springs faculty member (1970-1972), released a memoir, India: A Love Story, in April 2021. It records the complex, sometimes funny, and sometimes agonizing relationship of two Americans, each drawn deeply by Vedanta into a marriage of East and West on many levels. This passion for India is the driver and fulcrum of their love affair and marriage, beginning in the late 1960s and extending into the millennium. Visit robertmcgahey.com to learn more and purchase a copy of the book.

Erskine Ramsay ’64 welcomed his fourth grandchild, Anna Catherine Ramsay, on November 2, 2022.

CLASS OF 1973

Alan Engel ’73 P ’03, ’12, Indian Springs board member (pictured far right), and his wife, Lisa, enjoyed a trip to Antarctica in December 2022 with Indian Springs friends Caryn and Steven Corenblum ’75 P ’03, ’06, ’11; Cindy and Harvey May ’73; Sheri and Jimmy Krell P ’11, ’14; Virginia and David Smith P ’09, ’10, ’12; and Beth and John Williams ’78

CLASS OF 1980

William Belser ’80, chair of the Indian Springs Computer Science Department and one of six current alum faculty members, was a December 16 guest speaker in the school’s 2022-2023 “Intellectual Curiosity” series. He talked to the student body about pursuing his passions, building his career, and returning to Indian Springs to become a teacher.

CLASS OF 1986

Laura Payne Martinez ’86 (pictured center right), and her husband, Rich, hosted a small gathering of Indian Springs leadership and alums at her home in Austin, Texas, on February 16, correlating with the 2023 choir tour. In attendance were Margaret Blackerby ’14, Greg Ippolito ’85, Edwin Marty ’90, Head of School Scott Schamberger, and Assistant Head of School for Advancement and External Affairs Jim Simon.

CLASS OF 1988

Alison Goldstein Lebovitz ’88 (pictured left center) was a March 17 guest speaker in the school’s 2022-2023 “Intellectual Curiosity” series. Alison is an Emmy-nominated television host, nonprofit executive, author, and podcaster. She encouraged students to step out of their comfort zones to gain a deeper understanding of each other and the world around them.

“We come from a place [Indian Springs] that taught us how to build a community: by surrounding yourself with people who are different from you and getting to understand them. A place where we got to do things that enlightened us to the cultures of others and broadened us in ways that we [alums] know today are, in some ways, immeasurable.”

Lauren Wainwright ’88, Indian Springs Director of Strategy and Special Projects and one of six current alum faculty members (pictured center), enjoyed a November 2022 weekend in Chattanooga with classmates Stephanie Meyerson Warshal ’88, Alison Goldstein Lebovitz ’88, Mary Dott ’88, and Elise May Frohsin ’88

CLASS OF 1992

Patrick Comer ’92 was an October 11, 2022, guest speaker in Indian Springs’ economics class taught by Dean of Students Hunter Wolfe. Patrick recently sold Lucid, where he was CEO and founder, to Cint AB, a public company in Stockholm, for $1.1 billion.

Courtney Bentley ’92 was an October 21 guest speaker in the school’s 2022-2023 “Intellectual Curiosity” series. She talked to the student body about the education and career path that led her to become the provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University of Montevallo. “What did I have at Indian Springs that followed me through my career? Close and critical reading. Critical thinking skills in general. Quantitative literacy. Ethical decision making. I could go on and on,” she said. “The foundation I received at Indian Springs gave me a skill set that could articulate into multiple fields; for that, I am forever grateful.”

CLASS OF 1993

Pape Fall ’93 was a January 30 guest speaker in the school’s 2022-2023 “Intellectual Curiosity” series. Pape came to Indian Springs as an international student from Senegal and remained in Birmingham, where he built a successful career in the construction industry. Pape recounted to the student body how the school community became his family as he practiced speaking English, explored American culture, and discovered his aptitude for basketball. He told the student body, “I encourage you all to never stop asking questions…you learn from each other and everyone you meet. More importantly than anything else, cherish the time that you have [at Indian Springs]. This is a place that embraces the whole of a student, where people listen to your concerns, your suggestions, and your thoughts. That is special.”

CLASS OF 1995

Clay Colvin ’95, chair of the Indian Springs Arts Department and one of six current alum faculty members, was a December 16 guest speaker in the school’s 2022-2023 “Intellectual Curiosity” series. He talked to the student body about pursuing his passions, building his career, and returning to Indian Springs to become a teacher.

CLASS OF 1997

J.W. Carpenter ’97 was elected 20222023 president of the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham, the world’s largest chapter of Kiwanis, and began his term on October 1, 2022.

CLASS OF 1998

Sanjiv Bajaj ’98, Indian Springs Alumni Council member, was a September 16 guest speaker in the school’s 2022-2023 “Intellectual Curiosity” series. He told the student body, “always ask the ‘why’ and ‘how.’ Don’t accept our world as it is. Learn about everything. Take advantage of all the opportunities in front of you. Be open to new experiences. Challenge the status quo. Be humble.” Sanjiv studied English at Princeton University and pursued his passion for theatre while completing medical school to become a radiologist.

CLASS OF 2000

Honora Gathings ’00 has served as the executive director of the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham, the world’s largest chapter of Kiwanis, since October 2020 and was recently featured in the Birmingham Business Journal.

CLASS OF 2001

Justin Ovson ’01 and Anna Tsui welcomed a son, Waylon Tsui Ovson, on November 13, 2022. Waylon is the first grandchild for both sets of grandparents, who are overjoyed to “finally” have a grandbaby to dote upon. Waylon looks forward to following in the footsteps of his father, grandfather David Ovson ’69, and aunt Sunny Ovson ’04 as a future Indian Springs alum. If that’s not in the cards, he can always be in a hair band.

CLASS OF 2004

Katherine Whitley Fuller ’04 continues her work as a psychiatric nurse practitioner at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland, California. She and her husband, Mark, welcomed a son, Cameron “Cam” Liam Fuller, in January 2022. Cam is very curious, loves books, and gives hugs to everyone he meets. Last year, he got to see the Maine coast, dip his toes in Hawaiian sand, and see snow for the first time. The couple can’t wait for more adventures with him and his big sister, River (their 4-year-old dog).

ALAN ENGEL ’73

WILLIAM BELSER ’80

LAURA PAYNE MARTINEZ ’86

COURTNEY BENTLEY ’92

PAPE FALL ’93

PATRICK COMER ’92

ALISON GOLDSTEIN LEBOVITZ ’88 AND LAUREN WAINWRIGHT ’88

CLAY COLVIN ’95 J.W. CARPENTER ’97

SANJIV BAJAJ ’98

HONORA GATHINGS ’00

JUSTIN OVSON ’01

CLASS OF 2009

Betsy Stewart Durst ’09 and Lucas Durst welcomed a son, William “Mac” Durst, on January 11, 2023, in Greenwich, Connecticut.

CLASS OF 2012

Arwen Hutchison Dillard ’12 and Jack Dillard ’12 welcomed a son, Henry Franklin Dillard, on October 26, 2022. He is spoiled by a long list of Indian Springs alums on both sides of the family, including great-grandparents Lester Seigel ’75 and the late Sue Hutchison (former Indian Springs staff), great-uncles Alan Seigel ’77 and Chip Dillard ’81, great-aunt Susan Dillard Phillips ’80, grandfather Clint Dillard ’84, aunt Liz Dillard ’15, and uncle Sam Dillard ’19

CLASS OF 2014

John Banks ’14, a local attorney, visited campus in October to help the Indian Springs Mock Trial Team prepare for the 2022 youth judicial state competition.

CLASS OF 2018

Caroline Baker ’18 graduated in the spring of 2023 from Duke University, majoring in biomedical engineering with a minor in chemistry. She is in her first year at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York. She hasn’t decided on a specialty and, for now, is adjusting to life in the big city and keeping up with her schoolwork.

Bela Patel ’18 recently graduated from Cornell University, majoring in hotel administration with a minor in real estate. She currently works in Birmingham, Alabama, as an associate at Aum Enterprises, streamlining operations within the company.

CLASS OF 2019

Lisa Hobdy ’19 and Whit McDaniel ’19, current students at Tulane University, met up with Head of School Scott Schamberger on a November 2022 trip to New Orleans.

IN MEMORIAM

ALUMNI

Walter Steele Patton, III ’57 passed away on August 24, 2020, in Fairhope, Alabama. He grew up in Sipsey, Alabama, and often spoke fondly of his childhood there. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Centre College in Kentucky and became a fourth-generation graduate of the University of Alabama when he earned his master’s degree in history. He later went on to obtain a law degree from Vanderbilt University. He lived and practiced law for many years in Mobile and retired from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a lieutenant colonel. He also lived in Fairhope, where he was a Knight of Columbus at St. Lawrence Catholic Church. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Rose Mary; son, Thomas (Amy); daughters, Laura, Ellen (Richard), and Rachel (Will); grandchildren, William, Margot, Ian, Rosie, Ruby, and Joseph.

Clifford Morris “Burr” Spencer, Jr. ’58 passed away on November 27, 2022, in Alabama. Clifford grew up in Homewood, earned his bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Alabama, and served in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps of the U.S. Air Force. After launching his legal career in Birmingham, Clifford continued serving in the Air Force Reserves for over 20 years, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. He practiced law with Pritchard, McCall & Jones until 1988, when he launched a solo legal practice. Clifford served on the board of directors of Buffalo Rock Bottling Company and Birmingham Summerfest (now Red Mountain Theatre). He was a devoted member of the Birmingham Handball Club, the Country Club of Birmingham, and the Independent Presbyterian Church. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Rita; sons, Thomas (Ivy) and Cliff (Leigh); daughter, Margaret (Archie); sister, Martha; and grandchildren, Peter, Anna, James, Virginia, Ivy, Spencer, Caleb, and Velma.

Alvin Robert Rosenbaum ’63 passed away on November 22, 2022, in Florence, Alabama. He grew up in The Rosenbaum House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. He studied art history at Bard College and was a research scholar for the University of Maryland Center for Architectural Design and Research and the George Washington University International Institute for Tourism Studies. He was a member of multiple architectural societies and a Fulbright lecturer. For three decades, he worked as a regional planner concentrating on cultural indus-

JOHN BANKS ’14

LISA HOBDY ’19, WHIT MCDANIEL ’19, AND SCOTT SCHAMBERGER

BETSY STEWART DURST ’09

ARWEN HUTCHISON DILLARD ’12 AND JACK DILLARD ’12

tries, tourism, and poverty alleviation. He was a senior fellow-in-residence for PYXERA Global, a senior advisor to USAID and the World Bank, and a policy advisor for the University of North Alabama. He wrote nine books, including The Muscle Shoals: First Frontier of these United States, for the 2019 Alabama Bicentennial. He was a leader in the Greater Shoals Initiative and the Shoals Golden Rule Week. Alvin is survived by his children, Aaron and Samuel, and their families. William Kenan Lupton ’66 passed away on February 6, 2019, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Kenan grew up in Birmingham and made New Orleans his lifelong home after attending Tulane University and serving in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He was a founder of the iconic music venue Tipitina’s and an early investor in Whole Foods Company uptown, which eventually became part of Whole Foods Market. He was a fisherman and skilled cook of Cajun cuisine. He and his wife, Linda, were known for throwing memorable oyster parties. He was a passionate Saints fan, enjoyed listening to music and collecting arts and crafts, and traveled the world. Kenan is survived by Linda; sons, John (Jessica) and Christopher; sister, Susan (Robert); sisters-in-law, Betty, Nancy (Scott), Julie (David), and Marjorie (Jack); brothers-in-law Timothy and Prior; aunt, Maude; uncle, Kenan; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Frank Edward Lankford, Jr. ’67 passed away on November 21, 2022, in Birmingham, Alabama. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Sewanee: The University of the South and worked on his family’s land in Macon County, Alabama, for several years before receiving his Juris Doctor from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1978. Frank was a partner with Huie Fernambucq and Stewart, LLC, for 42 years. Outside the office, he was happiest when wandering through the woods, working in his backyard, or fishing with one or more of his children. He loved music and was a master cook specializing in barbeque ribs. Frank is survived by his wife of 33 years, Carolyn; children, Frank, Frederick, and Mary; sisters, Allison and Lindsay (Drew); and several nieces and nephews. Wayne Worden Killion, Jr. ’68 passed away on December 12, 2022, in Birmingham, Alabama. He attended the University of Alabama School of Medicine and began his career as a private practice physician with Southview Medical Group, where he remained for 20 years. He then completed a master’s of private and public management at Birmingham Southern College and served five years

as the vice president of medical affairs at Ascension St. Vincent’s Birmingham. Wayne left the medical field in 2001 to continue his father’s legacy as president and CEO of the Shook & Fletcher Insulation Company. He was known as a true servant-leader and volunteered his time and resources to countless organizations in the Birmingham area. He enjoyed golfing, hiking, reading, singing in the church choir, collecting wine, and traveling. Wayne is survived by his wife of 46 years, Sandra; sons, Wayne, David Killion ’00 (Katy), and Cooper Killion ’03 (Ashley); mother, Christine; brother, Chris Killion ’72 (Lynne); and grandchildren, Anna, Joseph, Caroline, Clayton, and Christine. Roy Goodman White ’68 passed away on September 12, 2022, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English at the University of Alabama, attended Southwestern Baptist Seminary and Southern Seminary, and completed his master of philosophy at the University of Louisville in 1976. He then returned to Tuscaloosa to work for the University of Alabama Department of Continuing Education and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He taught Old Testament, New Testament, Philosophy, Ethics, and Religion courses at Shelton State Community College for many years. Roy loved reading, writing, poetry, and music. He was a gifted orator, writer, and teacher. In his retirement, he spent time writing poetry and other literature, studying the Bible, and sharing writings with his children. He is survived by his wife, Connie; children, Laura (Eric), Joanne (Terry), and David; sisters, Suzanne (Allen), Gail (Lennie), and Carolyn (Melinda); brother, David (Kate); grandchildren, Jonah, Abigail, and Alexandra; step-mother, Jayne; and step-siblings, Kenneth (Robin), Ramona, and Chuck (Jennifer).

Joseph A. Coplin ’83 passed away on November 12, 2022, in New York City. He attended Vassar College, began his career as an art dealer, and eventually became co-owner of his sister’s company, Antiquarium, Ltd. Located on Madison Avenue, Antiquarium specializes in antiquities from the Classical, Egyptian, and Near Eastern worlds and sells to many of the world’s finest museums and most prestigious academic institutions. Joseph finished five marathons to raise money for Fred’s Team and Project ALS and was a philanthropist for the fight against pancreatic cancer and for his alma mater, Vassar. He loved to learn and forged deep relationships with those he encountered. He is survived by his wife, Jenna; daughter, Maxine; brother, Bill Coplin ’81; and beloved family members, Max, Hannah, Robin, and Susan.

FAMILY & FRIENDS

BEN BOTHMA

February 17, 2023

Father of Sarah Bothma ’09

ROBERT EDWARD FRY, JR.

October 18, 2022

Father of Cayce Fry ’00; father-in-law of Megan Fortson Fry ’00

JANET REDMAN HILL

December 9, 2022

Mother of Ricky Hill ’72

ERNEST MATISZ

January 17, 2023

Father of Thomé Matisz ’80

JOHN WAYNE MORRIS

December 1, 2022

Grandfather of Ella Pigford ’21

JOHN FREDERICK SCHMITT

January 30, 2022

Father of Tyler Schmitt ’09

HOWARD SIMON

December 30, 2022

Father of David Simon ’73 and Indian Springs staff member Jim Simon

EDNA JUNE WADE

October 16, 2022

Former Indian Springs staff member

GEORGE EUGENE WILBANKS

January 22, 2023

Father of Dewey Wilbanks ’17

MARY ELLIOTT WOODROW

August 24, 2022

Spouse of Terry Woodrow ’63; mother of Andrew Woodrow ’88 and Elizabeth Woodrow Keys ’94; sister-in-law of John Woodrow ’69, Philip Woodrow ’84, and former Indian Springs board member Catherine McLean

Alumni Holiday Party

DECEMBER 23, 2022

JOE FARLEY ’81 P ’14, ’16; LISA DEAN COLUMBIA ’81; SAM POINTER ’81; AND GINNY FARLEY P ’14, ’16

ISAAC GRIFFIN-LAYNE ’17 AND GENELL SAMSON

NATHAN SHEPURA ’98 AND KEVIN TAVAKOLI ’98

HAL ROGERS ’18 AND SABRA ROGERS ’20

KRISTINA JACOB ’92 AND REGGIE MASON ’89

JOHNNY CREEL ’79 AND CLARA CREEL

SARAH; AMY GRACE LI ’18; DEAN OF FACULTY/SPANISH TEACHER WESLIE WALD

KAZUO MORIYA ’84 P ’19, ’25; TAMARA MORIYA P ’19, ’25; KIAM MORIYA ’19; AND SYDNEY KIRK

AMELIA KRELL; ETHAN KRELL ’11; WILLIAM RUSHTON ’11; LONGTIME CHEMISTRY TEACHER CHRIS TETZLAFF; JULIA PEARCE ’11; INGRAM MUNFORD; CAROLINE CHOY ’11; AND ZACH CORENBLUM ’11

ADAM VIEIRA; SARAH SIMMONS-AMES ’96; RENE SIMMONS; AND JOHN SIMMONS ’65 P ’96

LONGTIME CHEMISTRY TEACHER CHRIS TETZLAFF; CAROLINE CHOY ’11; MYLA CALHOUN P ’11, ’13; AND LIZZIE CHOY ’13

JOSH DOBELBOWER ’21; LILY GEISEN ’21; AND ALEX FORBES ’21

CATHERINE GOODRICH ’20 AND AVARY LANIER ’20

MIKE GOODRICH ’90 P ’20, ’23, ’28 AND BOARD CHAIR ELIZABETH GOODRICH P ’20, ’23, ’28

JIM YARBROUGH ’01; JON NEE; AND SARAH MILLS NEE ’03

MEG NUNNELLEY OLSEN ’94 P ’26 AND JESANNA COOPER ’94 P ’27

MIKE LEE ’13 AND LIZZIE CHOY ’13

PETER SCALISE ’18 AND DAVIS TYLER-DUDLEY ’17

ABIGAIL SHEPHERD ’19; TRENTON WILLIAMS ’19; PEARCE MACLEOD ’19; GRIFFIN GRAY ’19; AND SOPHIE YOUNG ’19

ADA COHEN ’18; TATE SHUTTLESWORTH ’18; AND CECILIA REISNER ’18

New York City Reception

OCTOBER 6, 2022

YICHUN CAROL ZHOU ’17; LONGTIME HISTORY TEACHER BOB COOPER P ’94, ’98 GP ’27; YUZHAO PAN ’16

KAYSER STRAUSS ’96; JOHN ABBOT ’80; AND HARRY KARTUS ’76

DEWEY WILBANKS ’17 AND LONGTIME DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS GREG VAN HORN P ’02, ’05

MIKE LEE ’13; ALICE MARSON ’13; AND LAURA WARD ’13

HEAD OF SCHOOL SCOTT SCHAMBERGER

ALAN ENGEL ’73 P ’03, ’12 AND LEM COLEY ’62

LONGTIME HISTORY TEACHER BOB COOPER P ’94, ’98 GP ’27

BOARD CHAIR ELIZABETH GOODRICH P ’20, ’23, ’28 AND HUNTER CRAWFORD ’20

MARTY MCGUIRE ’15; ASHLEY LEADER ’15; AND PATRICK MCGUIRE ’18

ROB HENRIKSON ’65 AND MARY HENRIKSON

190 Woodward Drive

Indian Springs, AL 35124

205.988.3350

www.IndianSprings.org

Photo by Will Carey