Virtu Spring 20189 by maclayschool

Spring/Summer 2019

A Letter from the Head of School James Milford Board of Trustees 2019-2020 Dear Maclay Community, Pardon Your Progress, What a wonderful and exciting time to be at Maclay. Among students competing for global business competitions, participating in state athletic championships, building partnerships in engineering across the nation, opening a state-of-the-art, sustainability-themed research center, to closing in on the final funding for the largest project in Maclay’s recent history...we have to “pardon the disruption” of our own progress. The student experience is our focus and I’m so very proud of the work of our faculty and staff. From listening to the stories of our recent alumni, hearing the voices of compassion and pride of our current graduates, and experiencing the deep connections a place like Maclay engenders, it is evident that Maclay continues to inspire and foster a strong community. One of the most meaningful moments for me recently was the opening of the Beck Family Research Center thanks to the deep commitment of the families who made this a reality for our school. The Beck Family, the Langford Family, and the wonderful memorial named in honor of late parent and Board Member Dr. Marie Krafft made by her husband, Dr. Bob Holton was the picture of philanthropy at its best. To all our supporters, thank you for making our hopes and dreams possible. I’m excited to share these and so many other stories with you in this summer’s Virtu. Thank you for being a part of our family and thank you for pardoning our progress so we can ensure your school moves ever forward! Go Marauders! Yours, James

Katrina Rolle, Chairperson Members: Sarah Bascom Kimberly Crowell Allison Deison Chris Dudley Kiki Dunton Meredith Hunter Emory Mayfield Murray Moore Alfredo Paredes Ananth Prasad Lori Rosenberg Chris Rumana Hugh VanLandingham Ben Watkins, III

Executive Committee Katrina Rolle - Chairperson Emory Mayfield - Treasurer Chris Dudley - Secretary

Spring/Summer 2019 | Volume 11 |

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14 22 26

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Cover Photo: Garrett Robinson Contributors: Kim McWilliams, Will Daughton, Dylan Burhans, Janine Couch, Cameron Barton, Sing Your Wang, Morgan Lewis, and Carri Smith. Graphic Design: Mamatey Graphic Design We make every effort to provide accurate information about the Maclay Community, and apologize for any errors or omissions. If you have story ideas for Virtu, please email: news@maclay.org.

Beck Family Research Center

GRAND OPENING

On May 13th, Maclay hosted the grand opening of the Beck Family Research Center (BFRC), named in honor of lead donors, Mike and Kelly Beck. The BFRC, part of the school’s iTHINK initiative, houses three new innovative labs designed to give students more opportunities to fulfill their intellectual curiosities in the areas of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. The labs, made from refurbished shipping containers, each house a different academic focus, including the Marie E. Krafft lab for Biomedical and Student Research; Art, Inspiration, and Design; and Computer Science, Robotics, and Engineering.

Senior Ryan Rumana officially cuts the ribbon to open the BFRC.

At the ribbon-cutting ceremony sponsored by Nextera Energy, guests heard from Mr. Beck, Head of School James Milford, and Chris Rumana, who serves on the STEM Leadership Council. When the time came, senior Ryan Rumana cut the ribbon with his homemade “lightsaber,” thus beginning a new era of opportunity at Maclay. With the creation of the Beck Family Research Center, Mr. Milford hopes to demonstrate how Maclay offers a dynamic education: “What makes us unique is our approach to transformation — we’re adding innovative programs to stretch our students’ critical thinking abilities and skills to collaborate across disciplines including the sciences and engineering.”

The Beck Family Research Center gives students the facilities and tools to accomplish their own individualized academic goals outside of the classroom and will help in our efforts to develop inspired, determined, unstoppable students that are well-versed in all fields and ready to shape the world.

Computer Science teacher Joe Kupiszewski demonstrates the new writable walls that are in all three labs.

John Fletcher Butler demonstrates the 3D printer at the grand opening.

Gary Droze demonstrates some of the equipment in the new Marie E. Krafft BioMedical Research Lab.

Features of the Beck Family Research Center • Solar Smart Flower: Just the second one in the area, the SmartFlower is a solar panel that changes its position based on the sun’s location. Unlike fixed solar panels, the flower rotates to track the sun’s position throughout the day, which optimizes the panel’s time in the sun’s path. It will also provide online data for students to monitor and study. • Steelcase Active Learning Furnishings: All three labs are outfitted with flexible and mobile furniture allowing for easy collaboration and student-centered instruction. Rethinking the traditional classroom allows the teacher to become more of a facilitator and the classroom to be a hub of exploration, discovery, and collaboration. • Outdoor Garden: The entrance of the BFRC raised garden beds doubles as seating and gathering places for students and will create an area where classes can meet outside this facility.

Beck Family Research Center

Head of School James Milford, with lead donors Lawton and Beth Langford, Bob Holton, and Kelly and Mike Beck.

For years, actually decades, dreams and discussions about a new and muchneeded science facility have been a topic within the gates of Maclay School. Plans were drawn and renderings were sketched in 2008 to try to create momentum for the project but little progress was made due to economic uncertainties of the day. It was the fall of 2017 when Head of School James Milford and Maclay parents Mike and Kelly Beck began discussions about the dream of a state-of-the-art science facility, movement for science at Maclay, the region, and the resulting curriculum and building needs that would come with it. In November of that year, two teams of faculty, parents, and Board Members took a whirlwind trip to Central and South Florida to visit eight of the top independent schools with new facilities for science and innovation. “The most noticeable thing about the tour and visit to the other independent schools in the Fall of 2017 was how behind Maclay was in terms of facilities,” recalled Mike. “It was time to do something, to improve our facilities for STEM.” 4

The opinion was shared by STEM Leadership Council Chair Chris Rumana and Board Member Chris Dudley who were on the discovery trip. It was evident that in order to prepare our students and provide a top-level education we would need to improve our facilities, gather support from our community, invest in faculty, and provide facilities that would match the quality of the work and passions of our students and faculty. The momentum absent in previous years was becoming a reality as was the philanthropic leadership and support for this project.

12th grade is also planning on engineering school. Daughter Kristian has followed a career path in related finance and marketing.

Mike and Kelly Beck have a long history with Maclay having four children graduate and Kelly being an alum herself. Their passion for the sciences and engineering have been a life long journey. Mike comes from a long line of engineers including his grandfather, father, and brother, while both of Kelly’s grandfathers were engineers as well as two of her uncles. Four of the six Beck children are engineers or are currently studying engineering Daniel, Nicholas (’13), Jon Luke (’15) and Anneke (’17), while Jillian (‘20) who is entering the

“Maclay has the potential to be a great independent school. We have the bones, but there are facility needs that would push the school to the next level,” shared Mike.

“Engineering school teaches you how to solve problems, a useful discipline throughout life,” said Mike. Seeing the need to provide students and a future generation of scientists the programming and facilities to be successful motivated the Becks to step forward with a lead gift to begin the largest transformation of Maclay’s campus in the institution’s 51-year history.

In March of 2018, just three months after the South Florida school tour, Maclay launched the iTHINK initiative – the transformation of curriculum, classrooms, and campus. iTHINK – Individual, Technology, Hands-on, Innovation, Network, and Knowledge – is the framework for advancing the sciences and engineering

while shifting the traditional legacy classroom from a “death-march through the textbooks” to a hands-on, experiential learning model for students. On May 13th, 2019 the first major campus addition, the Beck Family Research Center held its official dedication ceremony. The Research Center is home to three new classrooms made of upcycled shipping containers that will house the Computer Science, Engineering, and Robotics; the Art, Inspiration, and Design Lab; and the Marie E. Krafft Biomedical Research Lab. Each lab will have classes and an academic concentration for students to pursue their areas of interest and provide them with state-of-the-art spaces and equipment. “Kelly and I believe in value creation, especially thru better science, engineering, and mathematics. We believe the best investment that one can make is in young minds and in providing a space that inspires learning, creativity, and discovery. This is the principal mission of the new Research Center. If it inspires but one Maclay young mind to go forth and do great things it will be an unqualified success.” The Becks have also been a major driving force and lead supporters of the new 21,000 square foot Innovation Center campaign that will be the largest addition to the campus since the Webster Center was built in 2004. The Beck Family Innovation Center will be comprised of six science labs, College Counseling and Upper School Administration Offices, a school store for the new Business and Entrepreneurship Concentration and a 5,000 square foot Student Commons space. The seven million-dollar building is one million dollars away from being fully funded thanks to the Maclay community and generous supporters who share the Beck’s vision of making Maclay School a top independent school. “Looking back on the last 18 months, it has been inspiring to see the Maclay community really step up and support this important project,” said Mike.

Jillian Beck

The Beck family enjoys a love of polo together, another thing that they have shared with the Maclay community. In 2016, Mike and Kelly hosted the first annual Polo Under the Oaks, a fundraiser and community event which has supported both the Innovation Center effort and other academic programs at the school.

“The involvement and generosity of the Beck family has been the monumental factor in making this transformation possible for our students. Mike and Kelly are true partners in every sense of the word – generously giving both their time, ideas, and resources to making this ambitious effort possible,” said James Milford, Head of School. Milford continued, “Most notable to me is the level of genuine interest Mike and Kelly have in making an impact on an individual student level – it is truly remarkable and inspiring.” “We want to especially thank all those who contributed so much of their time and money in making this vision a reality,” shared Mike. “We are pleased to see the Research Center completed and look forward to the next milestone of completing the much larger STEM Innovation Center. “ The Innovation Center preliminary construction and site work will begin this summer while the final million dollars is raised to fund the project. Milford is hopefully the doors will open for students in 2020. Momentum is defined as strength or force gained by motion or by a series of events. After decades of dreams and dedication, Maclay School finally has the momentum to make dreams a reality thanks to the Beck Family’s generous support and leadership.

Mike Beck

Beck Family Research Center Donors

The Beck Family Research Center’s iTHINK Labs and garden area were made possible through the generous support of the following individuals and businesses: The Beck Family Dr. Robert A. Holton Lawton and Beth Langford Cecilia and Peter Loeb, M.D. Ken and Marilynn Evert Chris and Susanne Dudley Drs. Laurence and Lori Rosenberg Mr. and Mrs. Paul R. Bradshaw EMI Architects Ajax Building Construction Ultimate Fencing/Wes and Emillye James MS Signs/The Cherashore Family Mr. and Mrs. James Gustafson Dr. and Mrs. Austin Jackson, Ph.D. Chip and Susan Johnson Mr. Dan Koeppel and Dr. Anna Koeppel Drs. Matthew and Janice Lawson Chris and Mara Rumana Crit and Dee Ann Smith Mr. and Mrs. Jay Smith Class of 2019

Monesia and Junious Brown Mr. and Mrs. Matthew A. Bryan Dr. Frederick Corpuz and Dr. Joanna Yao Jim and Kathy Dahl Ms. Rosemary J. Farrell John Hugill and Kiki Dunton John McFarlain and Ellen Camp McFarlain Mr. and Mrs. Timothy J. Meenan, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Kevin M. Sokolow Mr. and Mrs. Tony Boulos Mr. and Mrs. Glenn T. Burhans, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Angelo D. Crowell Mr. and Mrs. Sean P. Culliton Mr. and Mrs. Chris Eldred Mrs. Whitney Smith Ellis and Mr. David Ellis Mr. and Mrs. William A. Fixel Dr. and Mrs. Farhat Khairallah Bradford and Morgan Lewis Mr. and Mrs. Eduardo S. Lombard Emory and Autumn Mayfield Jeffrey and Sara Knox Merrill Mr. and Mrs. Brian Snow Mr. and Mrs. William G. Thames Mr. and Mrs. Sutton Webb Mr. and Mrs. James L. Yearty

Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Aubuchon G. Mark and Diana L. O’Bryant Drs. Christopher and Shanna Daniels Dr. and Mrs. William Dobak Drs. Jill and Timothy Fitzpatrick Ms. Lee Phillips Mr. and Mrs. Jay Pichard Mr. and Mrs. Jason S. Pustejovsky Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Scheer Drs. Joseph and Caulley Soto Mr. and Mrs. Erik Tate Christian and Andrea Tunnicliff Amos Ms. Kathryn E. Cashin Mr. and Mrs. Robert Chaney Mr. and Mrs. Wilburn T. Davis III Mr. Keith Finlayson and Dr. Susan Lumpp Mr. and Mrs. Will Lawler Mr. and Mrs. Stanley T. Nation, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Paddack Dr. and Mrs. Alfredo Paredes Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Roberts Mr. and Mrs. Miguel Masferrer Ms. Christie King Ray

Beck Family Innovation Center Donors Thanks to the generosity of the donors below, we have reached $6 million committed toward the Beck Family Innovation Center campaign. The Beck Family Drs. Jeannine Silberman and Joe Gray Dr. Robert A. Holton Firman Fund Lawton and Beth Langford Carl L. Owenby, Jr. and Helen G. Owenby Ms. Ermine Owenby, Jr. Renee and Thad Beshears The Rosenberg Family

Mr. and Mrs. John A. Owenby Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey S. Phipps Gerry and Tim Phipps Ananth, Sunita, & Risha Prasad Mr. and Mrs. John B. Thomas III Mary and Hugh VanLandingham Ben and Joy Watkins as of June 2019

Ajax Building Corporation Chris and Susanne Dudley Dean and Lina Knox John and Rebecca Matthews Chris and Mara Rumana Mr. and Mrs. Jay Smith The Adelaide & Pat Suber Family Dr. and Mrs. Scott Tetreault Tripp and Susie Transou Dr. and Mrs. Pat M. Woodward Narlin and Eva Beaty Monesia and Junious Brown Tom and Allison Deison Mr. and Mrs. William A. Fixel The Gustafson Family John Hugill and Kiki Dunton The Lawson Family G. Mark and Diana L. Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Bryant Dr. Gary and Katrina Rolle Bill and Paula Smith Jason and Karen Unger Mike and Sarah Bascom Younes and Helen Errahali Mr. and Mrs. Chip Johnson Emory and Autumn Mayfield Corbin and Murray Moore Mr. William C. Owenby

Beck Family Innovation Center conceptual image.

Individual Technology Hands-On Network Knowledge Transforming Maclay’s Classrooms, Curriculum, and Campus

This fall, students who participate in the science fair research will enjoy a new dedicated space in the BioMedical Lab.

It’s been just over a year since Head of School James Milford announced the launch of Maclay’s new iTHINK initiative and what a year it has been! Besides the official opening of the Beck Family Research Center, we have seen our classrooms transform, curriculum expand, and campus thrive.

Classrooms Thanks to the generous donation of the Unger family, Mrs. Callaway’s Upper School English classroom became the next iTHINK room outfitted with the new active learning furniture. In addition, the “Raise the Paddle” at the 2019 Maclay Auction included a surprise announcement – the creation of a new iTHINK lab for Media Production. Librarian David Low will spearhead the new program and room construction of a lab with cameras, tripods, audio monitors, and a teleprompter. The lab will be used for several different purposes, including the production of broadcasts and podcasts, the practice of on-campus musical groups, and will be available for classes to create and produce multi-media presentations. We will also see a revamp of the Maclay news soon!

Curriculum Astronaut Challenge

After performing extremely well on the Student Astronaut Challenge test in September, Upper School students Ethan Tetrault, Simon Corpuz, Hannah Hosay, Katie Merrit, and Mercy Crapps advanced to the state competition. Coached by faculty member Joe Kupiszewski, the students studied a 100+ page manual about the anatomy of a space shuttle. The team had success at the state competition and expects to be back there next year as all its members are returning.

Science and Engineering Fair

This spring, Ananda Chatterjee, Nirmay Bhanderi, Sameer Ponnaluri, and Dhenu Patel all qualified for the Florida State Science and Engineer Fair. Ananda and Nirmay won the Florida Association of Science Supervisors award for outstanding scientific research and a recognition award in the Earth and Environmental Science category. They examined radon levels in homes before and after Hurricane Michael. Sameer Ponnaluri received an honorable mention in the Intelligent Machines, Robotics, and Systems Software category. He created an application to predict kidney waitlist time and survival using machine learning. Dhenu Patel placed 3rd in the category of Cellular/Molecular Biology and Biochemistry out of 31 projects. She created pseudoparticles made of Zika virus structural proteins which are used as identifiers of the virus – an early step toward producing a Zika virus vaccine. She also advanced to the International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix, Arizona.

Campus Beck Family Innovation Center

This summer, fences for the Beck Family Innovation Center will be going up so that the pre-construction work can begin. The Innovation Center will provide cutting-edge space for students to learn and test their 21st-century skills developed across all grades at Maclay School. The design for the Innovation Center was born from the need to respond to the growing ambition of both Maclay’s students and faculty as programs and curriculum have outgrown current facilities. This Center provides faculty and students the spaces they need to be flexible, innovative, and to apply concepts and skills necessary to prepare for tomorrow’s world. This 21,000 square foot facility will create spaces that match the exemplary STEM curriculum offered in the Maclay Upper School, the School’s responsive, dynamic and growing College Counseling program, and a collegiate-style student commons area for meetings, studying, and collaboration.

1 SCHOOL 1 COMMUNITY

Dance Marathon Success! On February 23, Maclay held its annual Dance Marathon. All the funds generated by the event throughout the year went to UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital in Gainesville. This year, Dance Marathon raised over $75,000 “for the kids.” Way to go Marauders!

Parent Education Series On January 26, the Guidance Department welcomed guest for its Parent Education Series: Dr. Sameer Hinduja. Dr. Hinduja spoke to parents about cyberbullying and gave them tips on how to help their children be safe on the internet. He also held two assemblies for students addressing safety and personal responsibility on the internet.

Marauder Day of Service On April 13, Maclay held its Marauder Day of Service for the second semester. Many students, faculty, and administrators spanned different service organizations in the community, including Lee’s Place, Keep Tallahassee Beautiful, and One More Child. At One More Child, Marauder volunteers packed 470 food bags to be delivered to students at five area elementary schools!

Marauder Madness In late February, Maclay held its annual “Marauder Madness” week. Many of the events and activities throughout the week went towards raising money for the Hang Tough Foundation. A new aspect of Marauder Madness this year was the competition between the four schoolwide teams- Langford Leaders, Outrageous Oaks, Webster Warriors, and Cartee Crew- for the coveted Marauder Cup. Marauder Madness also witnessed the premiere of “Friendly Feud,” a new event put on by the Upper School Student Council. The week finished off with a schoolwide pep rally full of games and performances. What a fun way to keep students excited during the final few weeks before spring break!

MACLAY PARENTS ORGANIZATION Daddy Daughter Dance On February 8, the Maclay Parents Organization hosted the annual Daddy Daughter Dance, with this year’s theme being “Enchanted Forest.” Upper School art students helped make this theme come to life by helping paint the backdrop of the enchanted forest. It was another successful outing for this beloved Maclay tradition!

Senior Mothers Luncheon On April 30, the Maclay Parents Organization hosted the Senior Mothers Luncheon at Z Bardhi’s to give the mothers of this year’s seniors a chance to get together and reminisce. Guest speaker Liz Hurst gave some wonderful tips to the moms who were later given pictures of their children as well as notes written to them from their sons and daughters. 12

Mother/Son Fun Station Social On January 27, the Maclay Parents Organization hosted the Annual Mother Son Social, which was at Fun Station this year. What a fun way to start the second semester for our Lower School moms and sons!

Teacher Appreciation Week In early May, the Maclay Parents Organization organized Teacher Appreciation Week to show their gratitude to all our wonderful Marauducators. Each day of the week had a different theme, including “Thanks-a-Latte,’ where the Lucky Goat Coffee truck came to campus, and “Jeans and Cuisine,” where faculty could wear jeans and were treated to a catered lunch. What a great way to demonstrate our love and appreciation for our Marauducators!

Many thanks to Angela Gibbs who served as MPO president this year.

n March 2nd, Maclay hosted its annual auction, with this year’s theme “Passport to Paradise.” The Auction was held in the dining hall and Cartee Gym, and the proceeds and donations from the event helped to enhance our academic programs, faculty development, and new facilities that are part of Maclay’s iTHINK initiative. The evening opened with a silent auction that was attended by over 350 faculty, staff, parents, and friends of Maclay. Everyone then enjoyed dinner from Social Catering. During the dinner, guests witnessed student presentations by Ellie Casteel and Will Daughton, as well as a musical performance by Justine de Saint Mars. The night closed with an afterparty with music from DJ Pressure. The auction would not have been possible without the hard work of the committee, committee chairs, and sponsors like our presenting sponsors Scott and Karen Tetrault. The volunteers and supporters truly made the auction a night of “paradise.”

Auction 2019 Tropical Sunset Sponsors

Senior Will Daughton and junior Ellie Casteel spoke about the impact of the iTHINK initiative in their classrooms.

Senior Justine de Saint Mars played a special concert piece for guests.

2019 Presenting Sponsor Scott & Karen Tetreault Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic Dance Party Sponsor Ajax Construction Band Sponsor Capital City Bank Bar Sponsor Pavon, Ortiz, Rodriguez, Leparulo families & Big Easy Snowballs Floral Sponsor VanLandingham & VanLandingham families Volunteer Sponsor Tallahassee Neurological Clinic Hospitality Sponsor William & Melissa Dobak Signature Drink Sponsor Radey Attorneys at Law Valet Sponsor Matthews, Brown, & Deison families Pre-Party Sponsor Dudley, Dudley, & Watson families Sponsor Florida Virtual School Technology Sponsor Bascom Communications DĂŠcor Sponsor

Auction 2019 Table Patrons

COMMITTEE CHAIRS Underwriting Sophie and William Smith Live Auction Kiki Dunton Silent Auction Roby Bethke Baskets Andrea Tunnicliff Decorations Lisa Jackson

Food/Bar Somer VanLandingham Fine Wine Christine Boulos Program Michelle Dickson Packaging Mary Jayne Sokolow Entertainment Michele Shapley

Student Art Jessica Gonzalez-Loumiet Pre-Party Carrie McNeil, Brooke Browning, and Melissa Dobak Hospitality Mary VanLandingham

McClure & Jablon families Hill, Spooner, & Elliott Lewis, Silberman/Gray, & Harnden families Tharpe Construction & Remodeling Dickson, Dean, Long, & Kerr families Crowell, Daniels, Blake, & Fuller families The Langford family Browning, Lloyd, Minter, & Fielder family Couch, Fixel, Nalls, & Upton families Bishop, Cannon, Cotton, & Rentz families Perdue, Ho, Durant/Miller families Remedy Intelligent Staffing Hunter, Strange, Willett, & Guzzo families Haute Headz, King, & Obrecht families Elliott, Marshall, Innes Architect The Roberts family Boulos, Bastien, Kasper, & VanZyck families Scheer, Mitchell, Price, & Holt families Burns, Farber, Wang, & VanLandingham families Austin & Lisa Jackson Hugill, Green, Secreast, & Culliton families Rex Lumber Company 15

LOWER SCHOOL NEWS Family Activity Night The Lower School hosted its second annual Family Activity Night filled with fun classroom activities showcasing project-based learning and hands-on work the students do in the classroom. Some of the night’s activities included building ramps, digging for arrowheads, and modeling roller coasters all to show parents how we learn in the classroom.

Etiquette Lunch with Third Grade On January 31, the 3rd graders attended their “Manners Luncheon” to learn about proper table etiquette in a formal setting (and to have some great food). Upper School students helped serve the meals for the event.

Tropicana Finley Boland competed at the county-wide Tropicana Speech Competition after being selected as Maclay’s winner for best speech and presentation.

LIVING HISTORY

On April 25, the 1st graders held the annual Living History Museum Performance, dressing up as figures such as Abraham Lincoln, Pocahontas, and Walt Disney. All the students researched their selected icons and brought their historical figures to life on the 16 Cartee Stage.

TALENT SHOW

Lower School Students wowed the audience with their performances and acts at the Lower School Talent Show on March 15. We saw singers, dancers, musicians, comedians, and loads of other talented students on the stage. What a fun way to end the third quarter right before Spring Break!

Pre-K Cleanup

The theme of “One School One Community” begins in the Pre-K. Our Mini-Marauders helped keep Maclay looking beautiful by embarking on a campus cleanup this spring.

Memorizing Pi

On March 14th, known as Pi Day, Mrs. Ferraro held a competition in the Lower School to see who could recite the most digits of pi. Nishi Bhanderi won the competition with 202 digits, with Suhani Gawde and Anna Chuku memorizing with 171 and 103 digits, respectively.

The 5th graders got a fun send off to their graduation ceremony with the traditional “clap-out” from the Lower School students.

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LOWER SCHOOL NEWS When the words went away… By Sing Your Wang When Theo started school at Maclay in August of 2018, my husband and I were not sure what to expect. We just knew that we wanted the best for our son who had an intense difficulty speaking, especially outside of the home. Not that he did not know how to talk. In fact, Theo developed speech normally, but around the time he was 3 years old, he started speaking less and less and to fewer people, until he stopped speaking altogether for several days at a time. In an attempt to increase socialization, we placed Theo in a preschool, but the teachers reported that he was silent all day. Theo met the criteria for the diagnosis of a childhood anxiety disorder known as Selective Mutism (SM). Selective Mutism is manifested by an inability to speak in certain social settings (e.g., at school) while being able to speak normally in other settings (e.g., at home with mom).

“Theo taught our

class that just because someone isn’t talking, doesn’t mean they don’t have anything to say. It was such an amazing experience to watch his classmates genuinely want to interact with him and figure out little ways to do so. They didn’t judge him or try to change him, they just tried very hard to make sure he was included in games and activities.” – Fran Preston, Pre-K Teacher 18

By the time we started at Maclay Pre-K4 with Mrs. Fran Preston and Mrs. Lindsey Freeman, Theo was able to speak as long as I was by his side. But the instant I turned around to leave for work, he inexplicably and reliably fell silent. As is common among children with SM, he would report that he could not locate his words, sometimes they were “on the playground,” sometimes “at home.” Theo grew to love his teachers and his friends but still, the words did not come back. His friends accepted his silence and helped him with accommodations, reminding him to use a thumbs up or thumbs down signal for Yes or No. They were very kind to him, in ways I did not think 4-year-olds were capable of. Over the winter break, Theo and I took a trip to New York to seek out help from a group of psychologists and therapists that specialized in Selective Mutism. There, we learned skills to help increase “verbalization.” We learned how to successfully “fade-in” another adult, and “fade-out” mommy, so Theo would remain verbal with another person. We learned how to use forced-choice questions (would you like

white milk or chocolate milk) that are easier to respond to than open-ended questions. We learned how to praise and reflect any verbalizations (oh great job telling me you want chocolate milk). Even while we were still in New York for therapy, Mrs. Preston was already texting me (how is it going, is it working, etc). I relayed back as much as I could. And almost the moment we landed, she was ready to put our new skills to work. The staff at Pre-K took to the task of getting Theo to talk like it was the new mission. Teachers worked with him outside of school, before school, during school, and after school. The staff was very careful in talking to him in just the right way, asking just the right types of questions, and praising him every time he uttered a word. Teachers adjusted each day to his needs-- creating situations out of thin air, even altering classroom routines, so Theo had ample opportunities to speak successfully. The texts started flying in: “Ramsey said Theo talked in school today and he got checkmarks for talking!” Teachers, not necessarily Theo’s teachers, reported proudly, “He answered a question on the playground today!” Theo very quickly talked more than he’d talked his whole life. He became a happy child, instead of a moody one. He grew in confidence, realizing that if he could talk in school, then yes, he did know how to hold the pencil—so he started drawing and writing too. He finally figured out what sounds letters make, and I got a text the day he verbalized “Uno!” The momentum of his progress was amplified by the fact that the Maclay community- teachers, parents, children, staff- had formed strong bonds with Theo early in the year. Theo really wanted to talk to everyone. Our main therapist in New York is quick to comment on how quickly Theo has progressed over the last several months. She tells me it is because of Theo’s early intervention and because of how willing the school has been to work with us. “Well, yes, I do believe it’s in large part related to the school.”

MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS

DISCOVER * IMPACT * LAUNCH

In the Middle School this year, each grade level was given a

different theme that guided discussion and activities in their classes. All the students worked with this theme throughout the year, and their efforts culminated with a spring field trip and a project exhibit at the end of the year. The Middle School experience could be described in three words: Launch, Impact, and Discover. The 6th graders “Launched” into global perspectives with their field trip to Kennedy Space Center and their follow up Space Exhibit that was displayed at the Celebration of the Arts. The 7th graders made an “Impact” with their research into solving problems in the community and their

service experiences on their trip to Washington, D.C. The 8th graders “Discovered” what they were made of through taking an idea that they were passionate about and applying their individual knowledge of the idea to a real world setting and audience. Through working with these themes, students brought together what they had learned in different subjects and connected them to use towards a common goal. This valuable skill will help them in upper school, as the labs of the Beck Family Research Center and other aspects of the iTHINK Initiative will give them opportunities to explore their academic interests through a multi-disciplined approach.

6th graders showed off their LAUNCH displays in the library 1919

MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS National History Fair

WASHINGTON DC This January, the 7th grade class went on the annual Washington D.C. trip. The class saw many famous sites, including the Lincoln Memorial. The 7th graders also incorporated service into this trip, as they packed hygiene kits for the local DC community one morning on their trip. Maclayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s emphasis on service learning would not be possible without Led to Serve, an organization that helped coordinate Marauder service endeavors on many school trips this year.

On January 25, 8th graders presented their National History Fair projects. 13 students were selected to advance to the Leon County District Competition on February 22nd in various categories, such as website, documentary, exhibit, and historical paper. At the district competition, Sara Grace Dodson placed second in the exhibit category, which qualified her for the state competition. Additionally, Myriel Banfield and Paloma Rambana received honorable mention in the website category, while Colin McAlister also received honorable mention in the exhibit category.

CIVIL RIGHTS TRIP In April, the 8th graders embarked on their end-of-the-year trip to Alabama and Georgia. The trip lasted three days, with the first two being dedicated to visiting numerous civil rights sights they had discussed in their classes throughout the year. Students visited the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, the George Washington Carver Museum, and the Legacy for Peace and Justice Museum and Memorial, as well as the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. This year, service was also incorporated into the trip, as the students spent one of their mornings participating in the Autauga Creek Trails Cleanup Project. The last stop on the trip was Six Flags over Georgia.

FAMU-FSU

College of Engineering On February 8, the middle school hosted members of the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering as part of Maclay’s iTHINK initiative. The college guests helped the students make snow, endothermic lights, and endothermic ice.

Final Four On January 15, 8th graders received a warm introduction to their “Final Four” years at Maclay. Their experience began with a sit-down session with current high schoolers and hearing from faculty and administration speak about different aspects of upper school life, including Freshman Academy and college counseling. Afterwards, the 8th graders ate lunch with the freshman and attended a variety of shortened Upper School classes, including biology, computer science, and pottery.

6th Grade Trip to NASA

Spelling Bee Champ 7th grader Venkat Maddipoti won the Maclay Middle School spelling bee to advance to the Leon County competition, which was held on January 15. At the Leon County competition, Venkat placed 3rd. Way to go, Venkat!

On March 28, the 6th graders took a trip to Kennedy Space Center and received a VIP tour of the facility from Maclay granddad, Mr. Mark Smith. Going on this trip helped the students with their own space projects that were displayed in the library during Celebration of the Arts during the next week.

UPPER SCHOOL NEWS LIP SYNC BATTLE FOR RED CROSS

On January 26, the Maclay Red Cross Club hosted its annual Lip Sync Battle, which is one of the most highly anticipated events of the year. All proceeds from the event went to the American Red Cross.

MARC Workshops Throughout the year, the Maclay Academic Resource Center (MARC) hosted several workshops for students who wanted to get help in different areas. Some of the different workshops offered covered topics such as linear equations, data analysis, and grammar review.

ENTREPRENEURIAL STUDENTS ATTEND POWER FORWARD On February 6, a number of students attended a studentonly reception where they had the opportunity to meet Kevin O’Leary guest speaker for the First Commerce Credit Union’s Power Forward Series.

CLASS TRIPS This January, the Junior class went on the annual Junior Ski Trip to Winter Park, Colorado. After some of the Juniors took skiing lessons, the class hit the slopes for a fun week of class bonding, and the memories they made will certainly last for years to come. In April, the sophomores embarked on their own class trip, the Sophomore Safari. The sophomores went to Talladega, Alabama where they stayed at a camp and participated in class bonding activities as well as service projects.

International Women’s Day On March 8, the Maclay Upper School celebrated International Women’s Day. The celebration took place during Community Time, and featured a collaborative activity in honor of the day. Students had the opportunity to write the names of women who are major influences on their lives and attach it to the tree in the center of the courtyard. 22 22

Brain Bowl Qualifies for Nationals After placing 3rd at the Leon County District Brain Bowl in February, the Upper School Brain Bowl team, coached by Matt Schnippert, competed at the NAQT Florida State Championship tournament in Lake City. After a rough 0-3 start, the team was able to pull off six consecutive wins to claim 4th place in the state. This finish allowed the team to qualify for the High School National Championship Tournament in May, which featured a competitive field of 336 teams from 38 states, the District of Columbia, and South Korea. Congrats to the team members Madeleine Roberts, Eli Jaffe, Ananda Chatterjee, Nirmay Bhanderi, Spencer Gibbs, Madelyn Stout, and Collin Roberts. We cannot wait to see what this team does in future years!

Yeti Investors Update

BEST AND BRIGHTEST On May 8th, the Best and Brightest awards ceremony was held at Ruby Diamond Auditorium, where six Maclay seniors were recognized in front of their friends and family in six different categories. Anna Kate Daunt won first place in English, and Dhenu Patel won runner-up for the science category. Maclay also has several winners of honorable mentions: Hailey Hobbs in foreign language, Helen Bradshaw in journalism, Judy Wang in mathematics, and Lexi Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Rourke in music. Congrats to our amazing Marauders for being recognized as some of the Best and Brightest young people in the community!

After placing 2nd in the regional finals (out of 654 teams) at the KWHS investment competition, the Yeti Investors advanced to the global finals. The team, made up of Madeleine Roberts, Hayden McDaniel, Collin Roberts, and Madelyn Stout, ended up as the top American team, placing 3rd in the world at the global finals in its first year of competition.

PROM

On April 7, Maclay held its prom at the Florida State University Alumni Center. Congrats to our Prom King and Queen, Max Eastman and Cody Paddack!

Urban Planning In early May, Mrs. McCannâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Economics students presented their UrbanPlan projects at City Hall. UrbanPlan is a realistic, hands-on group simulation of three weeks where economics students experience the fundamental economic forces that affect development in our communities. Members of the winning team were Hailey Hobbs, Camille LaRocca, Ella Thames, Emma Grace Bass, and Alex Secreast.

2019

SENIORS

The senior class accumulated over

16,900

hours of community service. On average, each student averaged over 185 hours of community service.

graduating seniors will be attending Honors Programs.

graduating seniors will be competing in a collegiate sport.

63%

of the graduating class will attend a top 100 university or liberal arts college as ranked by US News and World Report.

526

applications submitted

Maclay seniors were accepted to

106 different colleges in 26 states.

396

and acceptances

75%

a acceptance rate.

99%

of the senior class were accepted to their 1st or 2nd choice college.

88%

of the graduating seniors were offered scholarships.

75%

of seniors qualified for the Bright Futures Scholarship and

71%

of those seniors received the top Bright Futures Academic Scholarship award.

The senior class accumulated

$11,914,275

in merit scholarship offers, an average of

$130,926 per student.

Congratulations to the Co-Valedictorians for the Class of 2019, Jackson Hugill and Dhenu Patel!

4 National Merits -

1 National Merit Scholar Finalist, 3 National Merit Commended Scholars,

1 National Hispanic

Recognition Scholar.

Breakdown By State FLORIDA 57 ALABAMA 6 GEORGIA 5 TEXAS 5 COLORADO 4 SOUTH CAROLINA 3 VIRGNIA 3 CALIFORNIA 2 NORTH CAROLINA 2 ILLINOIS 1 TENNESSEE 1 NEW JERSEY 1

COLLEGES ACCEPTED Agnes Scott College Appalachian State University Arizona State University Auburn University* Belmont University Berry College Birmingham Southern College Boston College Boston University Clemson University* Coastal Alabama Community College*+ College of Charleston* College of William & Mary Colorado School of Mines* Davidson College* Eckerd College* Elon University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Emerson College Emory University* Flagler College Florida A&M University*+ Florida Atlantic University FAU Wilkes Honors College Florida Gulf Coast University Florida Institute of Technology Florida International University

Florida Southern College* Florida State University* Furman University George Washington University Hampden-Sydney College High Point University Hofstra University Hollins University Huntingdon College Jacksonville University*+ James Madison University Louisiana State University Mercer University Michigan State University Milwaukee School of Engineering Misericordia University New York University Northeastern University Northwest Florida State College*+ Northwestern University* Nova Southeastern University Oglethorpe University*+ Oxford College of Emory University Pepperdine University Presbyterian College Purdue University Quinnipiac University Randolph-Macon College* Regis University*

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rhodes College Rice University Rollins College* Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Samford University* San Diego State University Savannah College of Art & Design Sewanee: The University of the South*+ South Georgia State College*+ Southern Methodist University* Stetson University*+ Stevens Institute of Technology Texas Christian University* Troy University* Tufts University University of Alabama University of Alabama at Birmingham University of Central Florida* University of Colorado, Boulder* University of Denver University of Florida* University of Georgia* University of Kentucky University of Miami* University of Michigan

University of Mississippi University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of North Carolina at Wilmington University of North Florida* University of Pennsylvania University of Portland University of South Carolina University of South Florida* University of Southern California*+ University of Southern Mississippi University of Tampa* University of Texas, Austin* University of Tennessee University of Virginia* University of West Florida University of Wisconsin Valdosta State University Virginia Tech* Wake Forest University* Washington & Lee University Washington State University Webster University Western Michigan University Westmont College Wheaton College (IL) Worcester Polytechnic Institute * = attending, + = playing a sport

2525

Super Students National Merit Scholars Each year, seniors are recognized all over the country for outstanding achievement on the PSAT they take during their junior year. Four members of the class of 2019 were recognized for their achievements on the test. Congratulations to Jackson Hugill, Ryan Rumana, and Casey Hanley our National Merit Commended Scholars; Jackson Hugill, our National Hispanic Recognition Scholar; and Judy Wang, our National Merit Scholar Finalist.

Polo Players at Youth National Tournament Robert Wood: Geography Bee In March, Robert Wood competed in the National Geographic Bee in Jacksonville and placed 5th out of 101 competitors.

Jillian Beck, Ian Campbell, and Pippa Campbell all represented Maclay playing in the polo National Youth Tournament Series in March with high schoolers from all across the country. The team came in 2nd overall, and Ian was selected as an all-star to compete in the finals in South Carolina.

Science and Engineering Fair: Dhenu at International After winning 1st place at the Capital Regional Science and Engineering Fair in February, senior Dhenu Patel qualified for the State Fair in March. At the state fair, Dhenu placed 3rd out of 31 in her category. Additionally, she was selected to compete at the Intel International Science Fair in Phoenix, Arizona in May and present her project, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Can Zika Virus Entry be Replicated through the Development of Zika Virus Pseudoparticles?â&#x20AC;? 26

Gawde Excels at Math Star Competition Suhani Gawde participated in the Tallahassee Math Star 2019 competition at the Tallahassee School of Math and Science. Suhani placed 4th among 4th and 5th graders in Leon Country.

Paddack Wins Biletnikoff Scholarship In February, Cody Paddack was one of four high school scholars to be awarded a Biletnikoff scholarship from the Tallahassee Quarterback Club. She was presented the Foundation Trustees Scholarship for her dedication to maintaining an outstanding academic record through adversity.

Chatterjee at History Fair Freshman Ananda Chatterjee won the Florida Panhandle History Bee Tournament in Cantonment, Florida. With this win, Ananda has qualified for the 2019 National History Bee in Arlington, Virginia, as well as the International History Olympiad in 2020. Well done, Ananda! 27

The The Arts COTA T-Shirt Drive After the devastation of Hurricane Michael, the Maclay Middle School COTA (Community Outreach Through the Arts) class brainstormed ideas on how to support hurricane relief efforts when Liisi Schnippert found the idea to make dog toys for local animal hospitals. The class decided to start a t-shirt drive for the entire school, and the shirts collected were used as the materials to make the toys. The students delivered over 200 toys to the Ox Bottom Animal Hospital and the Leon County Humane Society.

Celebration of the Arts On April 5, Maclay held its Annual Celebration of the Arts. The rain that fell during the afternoon certainly did not dampen the spirit of the event, as all the activities were moved indoors to the Cartee Gym, Dining Hall, and Library. The event featured numerous booths for students of all ages to enjoy, including Twister, giant chess, face painting, four square, and bracelet-making. COTA also had a number of alumni on-hand who shared their art expertise and had a surprise, spur-of-the-moment musical performance from students Jake Cooper and Justine de Saint Mars!

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang:

Lower School Play During the second week of May, Lower School classes in grades 2-5 presented the production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on the Cartee Stage. What a fun way to end the year! 28

Number of the Stars: Company Play On April 10-11, Maclayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Company and Junior Company ran their production of Number of the Stars on the Cartee Stage.

AP Art Exhibition On April 19, the work from many of our AP Art students was featured at The Plant on Gaines Street. What a great way to recognize the hard work and achievements of our talented artists!

WORLD LANGUAGE Latin at Regionals and State

On January 26, the Maclay Middle School and Upper School JCL team competed at the regional competition and placed 2nd overall. Many Maclay students placed first in their respective categories, including Kate Krisner, Nirmay Bhanderi, Madeleine Roberts, Ethan Tetrault, Isabel McDaniel, and Devin Rankin. This strong performance from Maclay allowed the team to qualify for the state Latin competition in April.

International Fair On April 17, Lower and Middle school students brought the cultures and traditions of 31 different countries together for the International Fair. To learn about the different countries represented in preparation for the fair, some students skyped with a school in Bolivia, made Spanish flags and enjoyed paella, while others discussed the Ethiopian calendar system with a special parent guest. The evening International Fair featured food trucks from different countries, displays of projects, a parade of flags, and student performances.

Modern Language Expo hosted by Maclay In February, Maclay hosted the Modern Language Expo. Students from all around the county came to perform and showcase their proficiency in foreign languages. 29

ATHLETICS Boys Basketball The Maclay boys varsity basketball team finished as runner-up in its district, losing a tight game to P.K. Yonge in the championship game. The team saw its season come to an end in the regional semifinal game against state semifinalist University Christian. The Marauders were led by second team All-Big-Bend selections Jack Murrah and Robert Parker-Crawford.

Girls Basketball The Maclay girls basketball team finished second in their district. Maclay senior guard Marie Shapley was named to All-Big-Bend 2nd team after averaging over 20 points per game.

Boys Soccer After dominating its district, the Maclay boys varsity soccer team saw its season end after a 1-0 defeat at the hands of St. Johns Country Day in the regional semifinal. With only four seniors on the roster, the team expects to make another deep run into the postseason next year. The team had two players named to the All-Big Bend first team: forward Jordan Pichard and defenseman Alex Guzman.

Girls Soccer After winning the district championship, the girls varsity soccer team lost to eventual state champions St. Johns Country Day in the regional semifinals. The Marauders 2-0 loss was the closest game that St. Johns Country Day played all season. Four players were named to the All-Big-Bend first team: goalkeeper Alexis Agramonte, forward Katie Lynch, midfielder Colleen Donahue, and defender Ramsay Grant. Head Coach Paul Dickson was also named All-Big-Bend Coach of the Year.

Track and Field After winning the regional championship where both 4x100m relay teams broke school records, both the boys and girls varsity track teams advanced to the state meet in early May. At the state meet, junior Jay Brown took home two gold medals in the 1600m and 800m, while 8th grader Ella Porcher took home silver in the 1600m. The boys team placed 6th overall, and the girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; team placed 9th. With this strong finish to the season, both teams have a lot of confidence going into next year.

Baseball After finishing as runner-up in its district, the boys varsity baseball team lost to St. Johns Country Day in the regional semifinals. With only two graduating seniors, the team hopes to make it to the postseason again next year. All-Big-Bend first team selection Jason Norris and All-Big-Bend honorable mention selection Grant Harrison will be playing at the collegiate level next year, with Jason playing at Northwest Florida State College and Grant playing at Coastal Alabama Community College. 30

Softball The varsity softball team finished 3rd in its district and was led by senior Haley Harrison, who signed with South Georgia State College to play softball at the next level.

Lacrosse This season, the Maclay Varsity Lacrosse team returned as District Champions and qualified for the regional semifinals. Junior Sam Chase, an All-Big-Bend Player of the Year was also named U.S. Lacrosse All American, while Senior Jackson Hugill was named Academic U.S. Lacrosse All American, and Junior Matthew Winegardner was named an All-American Honorable Mention.

Weightlifting Both the boys and girls weightlifting teams have a lot to be proud of after strong seasons. The girls’ team sent Addyson Lewis and Rachel Bethke to the regional meet, where Addyson placed 6th and broke her previous school record with a total lift of 235lbs. On the boys’ side, Eljin Rhymes qualified for and competed in the state meet. Rhymes also set two new Maclay weightlifting records this year!

Tennis After sweeping district titles at all positions, the Maclay boys varsity tennis team defeated South Walton 4-1 in the regional semifinal to advance to the finals against rival Pensacola Catholic. The Marauders lost the match 5-2, and the team saw its season end just one match short of the state tournament. Even though the team lost overall, the doubles team consisting of senior Will Daughton and sophomore Nick Cicchetti qualified for the state tournament. Additionally, Daughton and Cicchetti were named to the All-Big-Bend first team. The girls team garnered similar success in districts, earning district titles in all positions. Unfortunately, the team saw its season end, losing to South Walton 4-3 in the regional semifinals. Sophomore Madison Perkins was named to the All-Big Bend first team. With everyone returning next year, the girls’ team expects to be back in postseason contention.

Sand Volleyball (Club) This year, Maclay started its first ever sand volleyball club team that competed against other club teams in the city. Coached by Kathryn Leckinger, the Marauders brought in an energetic team with no experience and went into the ring against the area’s best. With only two seniors on the team this year, the Marauders expect to be real contenders for the area championship next year.

ATHLETICS

COMPETITIVE CHEER

This year, Maclay’s competitive cheerleading team advanced to the state semifinals and placed 6th. With this being only the first year competing for the team, there is a lot of hope for what this team will be able to do in the coming years.

Powerade $10k to Swimming Maclay was awarded $10,000 from Powerade after brothers Maxwell and Wade Eastman won the company’s “Power Your School” video contest. The winning school received monetary prizes ranging from $2,000 to $10,000 to preserve the playing fields that often serve as an extension of the classroom. The entries in the contest were judged based on school need, creativity, and quality of submission.

Student Athletes at the Next Level Nine Maclay seniors are headed to play sports at the collegiate level. From Left to Right: Top Row: Eljin Rhymes (football, Florida A&M University), Jack Murrah (basketball, Oglethorpe University) Bottom Row: Haley Harrison (softball, S. Georgia State College), Addyson Lewis (volleyball, Jacksonville University), Karie Pearson (equestrian, Stetson University), Jason Norris (baseball, Northwest Florida State College), David Durden (football, Sewanee: The University of the South) Not Pictured: Ezi Emenike (rowing, Southern California), Grant Harrison (baseball, Coastal Alabama Community College) 32

UPCOMING EVENTS October

October

November

HOMECOMING & REUNION WEEKEND 2019

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS & HALL OF FAME CEREMONY & LUNCHEON 12:30pm Dining Hall & Performance Center

FOUNDERS DAY

4-5

Weekend- parade, pep rally, alumni tailgate, football game Class of 1973 & 1974 (45 years) Class of 1978 & 1979 (40 years) Class of 1983 & 1984 (35 years) Class of 1988 & 1989 (30 years) Class of 1993 & 1994 (25 years) Class of 1998 & 1999 (20 years) Class of 2008 & 2009 (10 years)

October

Celebrating all that is Maclay Check the Maclay Web Page for the 2019 locations

ROBERT C. WEBSTER FRIENDS OF MACLAY GOLF TOURNAMENT Benefitting the Alumni Legacy Endowment

Alumni Association Board of Directors | 2019-2020 Officers: Nat Higdon ‘92 President Richard Cassedy ‘04 Vice President Michel Lester Gregory ‘97 Secretary Ginny Boggs Yearty ‘92 Treasurer

Members: Niki Cotton Bishop ‘84 Jason Gassett ‘97 Liz Morales Hunter ‘08 Patrick Hurley ‘99 Adam Montgomery ‘98 Dylan Rivers ‘96 Michael Ruff ‘93 Jenny Moore Singletary ‘07

William Smith ‘02 Kevin Strange ‘04 Melissa Moody Tate ‘97 Andrea Tunnicliff ‘96 Halley Stephens Van Asten ‘90 Jacqueline Long Webster ‘93 Mayo Woodward ‘88 33

ALUMNI AFFAIRS ALUMNI AFFAIRS Hall of Fame/Distinguished Alumnus After having to reschedule from Hurricane Michael, Maclay hosted its 5th annual Athletics Hall of Fame and Distinguished Alumnus induction ceremony in February. Nearly 100 people attended the Saturday luncheon to honor the 2018 honorees.

Bruce Irvin

Coach and Athletic Director, 1975-2012 Bruce was instrumental in growing Maclayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s athletic program and established Maclay as a powerhouse in the state for many years.

Stefanie Kurgatt

Cross Country/Track, Class of 2013 Stefanie went undefeated at the Florida State Track and Field Championships for five straight years in the 800m and led the Marauders to a state title in 2013.

Blake Miles

Basketball, Class of 1987 Blake was a standout basketball player for the Marauders and had 25 triple doubles over his career. He was named to the All-State and All-Big Bend teams twice each and was recognized as one of the top five players in Florida during his senior year before playing for FSU in college.

Danny Pellegrino

Cross Country/Track, Class of 2010 Danny is the Maclay all-time points leader at the state meet and helped lead the Marauders to two state titles in 2000 and 2002.

2005 Boys Basketball team After finishing the regular season undefeated at 21-0, this team captured Maclayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first district title since 1979 and finished as state runner-up.

Mary Shovlain Class of 1988

2018 Distinguished Alumna Mary has worked extensively in the Vatican and with some of the largest religious media organizations in the world as a producer and program host. She currently serves as the Public Diplomacy Specialist at the United States Embassy to the Holy See.

ALUMNI AFFAIRS NEWS

LEADERSHIP MACLAY On February 10 and 11, Maclay held its 2nd Annual Leadership Maclay retreat. This year’s Leadership Maclay Class consisted of 25 Maclay graduates representing five states and 17 different graduating classes. During the retreat, participants were given a behind-thescenes view of the school, participated in discussions on the internal and external forces that affect the School’s direction, and learned about opportunities that lie ahead for Maclay. The honorary chair of this year’s Leadership Maclay retreat was Mr. John P. “Jack” Frazee, Jr. Applications for Leadership Maclay III will be taken in the fall.

LEE’S GARDEN REDEDICATION In 1996, Eagle Scout Mike Moody created Lee’s Garden at Maclay to honor his friend and fellow student who had died that year, Lee Rabalais. Over the 23 years that have passed since its construction, Lee’s Garden has shown natural wear and tear. Sophomores Nick Cicchetti and Spencer Gibbs, along with the Maclay Community Service Club and sponsor Kristin Kline, led an effort to completely renovate Lee’s Garden. In April, there was a beautiful re-dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony. We are so grateful to the Rabalais family, Mike, Mrs. Kline, Nick, and Spencer for helping to ensure that Lee’s memory remains on campus.

LEGACY BREAKFAST On April 9, Maclay Alumni Association held its annual Legacy Breakfast in the Dining Hall and Cartee Gym. The breakfast was an opportunity for both present and past Maclay students to come together and celebrate our “dear ‘ole Maclay”.

ALUMNI AFFAIRS ALUMNI ASSOCIAION

Maclay School Alumni Association Announces Endowment T

he Maclay School Alumni Association announces the establishment of a new endowed fund named the Alumni Legacy Endowment. This fund will be the Association’s legacy to the school and future generations of Maclay alumni. The purpose of the fund will be to assist students with receiving a Maclay education. The idea came about after several record-breaking years of fundraising through the Robert C. Webster Friends of Maclay Golf Tournament. Alumni Board member Richard Cassedy (’04) originally proposed the idea of establishing a fund that would make an impact for future generations. Under the direction of Board President Blake Dowling (’92), Alumni Board members spent the next year brainstorming different options and developing a long-term plan to streamline dollars into an established fund. Board member Jenny Moore Singletary (’07) created the fund logo and the official paperwork was signed on March 12, 2019. “The Alumni Board has been very active and well-supported by our fellow classmates the last several years,” said Dowling. “We all feel that streamlining our efforts as a Board to focus on making a long-term impact on a student’s life is important, not just in the short term, but for future Marauders. The Alumni Board is thrilled to be a part of building a foundation of giving, inspired by our academic home that has provided so much growth and opportunity for all who have set foot on our special campus.” Alumni interested in donating to the Alumni Legacy Endowment can visit www.maclay.org/AlumniLegacy

In Memoriam Summer 2019

Karl Lemuel Suber

Ann Ballard Blake

George Evans “G.E.” Light

Class of 1981 June 26, 2018 Tallahassee, FL

Maclay Middle School Faculty 2009-2018 Teacher of Reading, Writing, and Thinking June 2, 2019 Tallahassee, FL

Class of 1981 June 18, 2019 Tupelo, MS

ALUMNI AFFAIRS WEDDINGS Aaron Andree (’01) and Erin Ludeke November 4, 2018 Finest Playa Mujeres Cancun, Mexico Best Man: Twin brother, Kyle Andree (’01)

Blake Cavell (’12) and Ciara Moore February 23, 2019 Tallahassee, FL

Ryan Kelly (’06) and Nicole Graganella (’07) March 23, 2019 Old Fields Plantation, Monticello, FL Best Man: Brother, Blake Cavell (’12)

Maclay Groomsmen: Evan Webb (’06), Lee Porter (’06), Andrew Rutledge (’06), Kyle Jones (’06), Ryan Andrews (’05), Chase Watkins (’10), Chet Smith (’06) – l to r

Kathleen (K.C.) Hagan (’06) and Perry Pink March 9, 2019 Goodwood Museum & Gardens Tallahassee, FL Maclay Groomsman: K.C.’s brother, John Hagan (’07)

Todd Behrman (’05) and Meagan Dowd April 13, 2019 New Braunfels, Texas Maclay Groomsmen: Chad Lancaster (’05), Chase Lancaster (’05), Michael Burchfield (’05), Chris Thompson (’05), and Brett Behrman (’04)

Erin Landau (‘10) and Dr. Jonathan Courtney March 23, 2019

Nathan Rillstone (‘09) and Genna Tanner

Mary Hall Lester (’98) and Erik Chambers March 16, 2019 St. Teresa Beach, FL Matron of Honor: Michel Lester (’97) Gregory Maclay Friends in Attendance: Jennie Ruff Dunn, Kelley Cox Garner, Sheri PeacockLiepshutz, Katie Copeland Smith, Susan Allen Wellman, and Jay Priddy. Tyler Russell (’10) and Katy Grammer March 30, 2019 Tallahassee, FL Maclay Groomsmen: Jonathan Romero, Jared Romero, and Chase Watkins, all Class of 2010

April 27, 2019 Atlanta, GA

Pebble Hill Plantation Thomasville, GA Maclay Alumni: Celebrating with Erin in her bridal party were Brett Landau (‘12), Devon Cavanaugh (‘08), and Emily Massy Scala (‘09)

Maclay Groomsmen: Sandy Teaf (’09) and Theo Meros (’09) Maclay Bridesmaids: Meaghan Rillstone (’11) and Molly Rillstone (’16) Maclay Alumni Guests: James Caster, Matthew Prescott, Jessica Fryzel, Caroline Eubanks, Elizabeth Garcia, and Austin Roberts Clay Meenan (’13) and Summer Naquin May 25, 2019 The Chicory New Orleans, LA Maclay Groomsmen: Mac Meenan (’10) and TJ Meenan (’16). Maclay Ushers: Nick Aronson (’16) and Michael Garcia (’13).

ALUMNI AFFAIRS WEDDINGS Andrew “Andy” Platt (’13) and Breanna Nowell May 25, 2019 Tallahassee, FL

David Stewart (’06) and Devon Curran May 11, 2019 Jamaica Maclay Alumni Guests: Celebrating with David were Andy Hunter, Brooke Weidenbenner, Zak Rosenkoetter, Katy Cashin, Whitney Smith Ellis, and Matthew Kilgo. Christen Sloderbeck (’01) and Eric Swope June 1, 2019, Birmingham, AL Maclay Groomsman: Paul Sloderbeck (‘05)

BIRTHS Magnolia Grace Elwell September 7, 2018 Kevin and Sarah Criser (’05) Elwell Palm Beach Gardens. FL

James Generette Hunter

Ryder Arnold Willoughby

December 18, 2018 Henry Hunter (’01) and his wife Aris Generette Washington, D.C.

February 21, 2019 Jason and Ivy Jordan (’03) Willoughby Jupiter, FL

Rose Spencer Tuell September 15, 2018 Spencer (’00) and Allie Tuell Mobile, Alabama Joins big sister Blythe

February 25, 2019 Dan and Kimmy Stewart (’04) Hogan Tallahassee, FL Joins older brother Harrison

January 17, 2019 Langley (’10) and Spenser Dickeson Tallahassee, FL Archer Jackson McKannan September 23, 2018 Aaron and Christine Navarro (’94) McKannan Charter Township, Michigan

Theodore Kimball Hogan

Jackson Buster Dickeson

Isabelle Kathleen “Libby” Caughran January 22, 2019 Jack and Katy Kiser (’01) Caughran Birmingham, AL

Dylan Sawyer Davenport

April 8, 2019 Jamie (’98) and Bonnie Johnson (’98) Davenport Tallahassee, FL

ALUMNI AFFAIRS CLASS NEWS Class of 1983

Class of 1986

In an effort to learn what other cities are doing well and how Tallahassee can learn from them, the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce sent a delegation to Greenville, SC to learn how that city has been building and telling their story. One of the speakers to the group was Andrew Kurtz, Founder, President and CEO of Kopis, a custom software development firm located in Greenville . Left: Andy and Blake Dowling (’92) Below: Nat Higdon (’92), Blake Dowling (’92), and John Dailey (’91).

Mary Byrd Lewis Sims hiked the Sewanee Perimeter Trail with her daughter Melissa (20) in early April. It’s a 22-mile trail around the mountain-top campus in Tennessee. It’s the third time they have completed the whole trail, which winds around waterfalls, rock outcroppings, wildflower ravines and is the equivalent of 148-floors in elevations!! The mother-daughter team was fabulous!

Class of 1988

Class of 1985

Nick Fowler was in Tallahassee in May reading from his newest book My Virtuous Sister at Midtown Reader. Maclay friends Charles Robinton, Paul Dickson, and Michael Obrecht were some of those attending the book signing.

At their April board meeting, the Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors voted to name Todd Thomson President/CEO of the organization. “Before joining the Chamber, Thomson had a twenty-year career in Florida government and politics; including serving as Staff Director for the Redistricting Committee in the Florida House of Representatives and as Director of Government Relations for BP following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Thomson has experience as a legislative lobbyist, grassroots organizer, and political campaign consultant. Thomson has managed and consulted for numerous successful campaigns on the federal, state, and local levels.” Congratulations, Todd!

ceremonies. He spoke to graduates of the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Motion Picture Arts and Social Work. John received his bachelor’s degree in political science from Florida State, where he served as president of the Student Government Association. He also earned a master’s degree in public administration from FSU. John was elected mayor of Tallahassee in 2018.

Class of 1992 There are 400,000 firefighters in the United States but only 16,000 of them are women, even fewer are in leadership positions. Three women in the Georgia firefighter ranks have risen to Decatur Assistant Fire Chief Ninetta Violante the top in Decatur, GA and they make up the only all-woman command staff in the world of the heavily male firefighting profession. One of those three is our very own Ninetta Violante!

Class of 1998 Julie Miller Torres: It’s official: Austin rocks, as does the new Delta Sky Club! A special “thank you” to all the amazing people at Delta for the opportunity to be a part of this special project. And “thank you” to Austin for sharing your love and creativity with me these past few days!

Class of 1991 John Dailey, Mayor of Tallahassee, was the keynote speaker on May 3, at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center at one of FSU’s four spring commencement

ALUMNI AFFAIRS CLASS NEWS Class of 1999 Jamie Ostrov DeSieyes and her sister-in-law Kim Null started an olive oil company called Wild Poppies, LLC, this year in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and their oils are winning awards and are quite popular on the west coast. Wild Poppies Ascolano extra virgin olive oil won the Best of Show – Medium Oil, (plus Best of class & Gold Medal) in the 20th Anniversary of the Los Angles International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition. The 2019 Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition received 530 extra virgin olive oils from 302 producers from 17 countries. More info can be found on their website www.wildpoppiesoliveoil.com !

Class of 2000 Tallahassee Magazine featured an article on Katie Campbell with the title “Katie Campbell is Rocking California’s Design Scene.” Since graduating from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2004, Katie has expertly designed apparel, packaging and digital assets for stars ranging from the Wu-Tang Clan to David Bowie, and most recently Harry Potter. In September 2018 she signed on with Warner Bros. Entertainment as the art director for all things World of Wizardry. To read more, go to: https://www.tallahasseemagazine. com/katie-campbell-is-rocking-californiasdesign-scene

Class of 2001 Two members of the Class of 2001 deserve a big “Thank You” from all the Maclay family.

David Chichetti and Rosie Hunter, thank you for your service to our country!! They both have returned to the States after being deployed to Afghanistan. They were fortunate that their paths crossed while based overseas.

Class of 2006

Moving from Chicago this past year, K.C. Hagan Pink and her husband Perry are making their home in the D.C. area with their goldendoodle, Harper. K.C. is a civil rights attorney with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and Perry is Senior Business Director for Capital One.

Contributing to Maclay’s Celebration of the Arts in April was Chase Jordan. Chase, a graduate of Emory University and then Harvard University’s School of Design, shared his design background with students with displays and hand-on opportunities. It was great to have our alumni back on campus to inspire current students!!

Class of 2009 Liz Landers was with CNN for the last five years as an embed and producer and has jumped to “VICE News Tonight” on HBO. There she is a political correspondent, reporting to VICE News DC bureau chief Shawna Thomas. Vice said Landers would be “covering President Trump, the 2020 election and Capital Hill…”

Class of 2007 Congratulations to Kyle Maurey who released a children’s book The Beast of the Forest. Kyle, who teaches Upper School art at Maclay, had a reading and signing at Tallahassee’s Midtown Reader bookstore to help launch her book. We are so proud of our creative and artistic faculty member!

Class of 2011 Kyle Goller: “Excited to announce that I’ve been selected to be on the coaching staff for Team Florida in the Zone Meet at the end of summer in North Carolina. We will be competing against other states in the southeast region of the U.S. Thank you for all of you who have supported me and been by my side. All the hard work I’ve put in is finally paying off!”

ALUMNI AFFAIRS CLASS NEWS Congratulations to Harrison Miller! Harrison graduated from the University of Florida’s School of Dentistry!!

Marco Cognetta just completed a Google Internship in New York City.

Class of 2014 Kolby McWilliams – See Class of 2016

It happened in New Haven, Connecticut on May 21st - Kendall Schmidt graduated from Yale University. Congratulations, Kendall!!

Class of 2016

Class of 2015

Haley Donaldson graduated from Loyola University in New Orleans in the spring – Congratulations, Haley! She is staying in New Orleans where she is continuing her work with the Ashley Longshore Gallery. She has been promoted to Multi Media Manager.

Another graduate celebrating with his family was J.T. LaVia. J.T. graduated from Wake Forest University in Raleigh, North Carolina. Congratulations!!

What an opportunity!! Page Secreast landed a great summer internship with IBM in Dallas. And who should be her IBM mentor? None other than fellow alum Kolby McWilliams, Class of 2014. Kolby graduated from Florida Southern in 2018 and has been working for IBM’s Digital Sales division.

At the 2019 National Philanthropy Day luncheon, the Big Bend Chapter of Association of Fundraising Professionals honored individuals, groups and businesses in the Big Bend region for their outstanding work in philanthropy. We are very proud to share that Margaret Fowler received the Youth in Philanthropy award for her remarkable philanthropic work in our community!

From Chris Mondak who attended Maclay for kindergarten and 1st grade before moving to Illinois: “I’m wrapping up my junior year as a jazz performance (bass) major at the New England Conservatory. The members of my band attend Berklee and NEC. The piano player is an NEC grad student from Italy, and the rest of us will be seniors next year. If your students have any questions about college auditions, we’re definitely up for it. I auditioned at Illinois, Indiana, Eastman, Frost, NEC, MSM, Juillliard and New School, and I am part of the rhythm section that plays with the auditioning jazz students during their live auditions at NEC. We all played in orchestras in high school, and take classes with classical majors, so we also can answer at least some questions classical and music education students might have.” It’s wonderful when our alumni reach out to current students – Maclay alumni are great resources and make us proud!!

Class of 2018 Great to see 2018 grad Peter Yang in as goalie for Princeton Club Lacrosse! Way to go Peter!

ALUMNI – Let us hear from you!!! We would love to share your news, too. Whether big happenings or smaller happenings, it is great to hear what you are doing. Family milestones are wonderful to share – weddings, births, graduations, trips, or career milestones - whatever is happening in your world, we want to hear from you. Send your news to alumni@maclay.org

ALUMNI AFFAIRS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

I N UM

Maclay Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Alumni Association Wants to get Involved with You and Wants You to Connect with Us!

H o w? Would you like to be a Class Agent, mentor young Maclay alumni, help with an alumni or school event, serve on the Alumni Board? There are so many ways, so come on!!

I t's Ea s y ! Go to www.maclay.org/maclayconnects There is a form to fill out and submit and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be in touch with you! Get Involved!!

Institutions that find sustained greatness through generations are those that place value in the connections they make and then transfer that value on to their graduates. All our families can benefit from the connection via the alumni office where they can receive the access and knowledge from anyone in the extended Maclay network. Maclay School continues to strive to build a network students and alumni who can connect by mentoring and sharing experiences about colleges, careers and more. Please update your contact information on our website so we can connect with you!

ALUMNI AFFAIRS MACLAY 50TH HISTORY BOOK

PRESENTING OUR SCHOOL’S FIRST 50 YEARS 50TH ANNIVERSARY HISTORY BOOK MACLAY SCHOOL OF TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA Published by Balfour Publishing Company, the Maclay 50th Anniversary Book is a 10”x10” hard cover keepsake that presents the history of Maclay School.

ABOUT THE BOOK From one building in 1968 as Alfred B. Maclay Day School, to the sprawling beautiful 100-acre campus, the book will feature, through photographs and written word, five decades of growth that the founding families envisioned 50 years ago. Contributing writers include Bill Jablon, Deborah Mayer, Tenley Toole Barnes (’77), Kelly Boyd Kirby (’84), Garrett Kursteiner Robinson (’95), and Laura Armstrong (’07).

ORDERING THE BOOK The 148 page book can be purchased by going to www.maclay.org/50thbook.

100

% of Tuition funds the operating budget allowing your Maclay Fund donation to directly IMPACT our Classrooms, Curriculum, and Campus. Why Give? Your Maclay Fund gift supports faculty training, campus improvements, capital projects, and new programs and opportunities for our faculty and students – it is an investment in new possibilities to move our school forward.

Where will your donation go? CLASSROOMS • CURRICULUM • CAMPUS

Leadership Gift Clubs

3 Ways to Make a Gift

Century $25,000+ Grand Benefactor $10,000 - $24,999 Cornerstone $5,000 - $9,999 1968 Society $2,500 - $4,999 Andalusion $1,000 - $2,499

Online: credit/debit card at www.maclayfund.com Check: Please make check payable to Maclay School and write ‘Maclay Fund’ in the memo line. Checks May be Mailed To: 3737 N. Meridian Rd Tallahassee, FL 32312 Stock Gifts: Contact Giving Coordinator lclary@maclay.org for stock instructions for your broker.

Supporters Virtu $500 - $999 Marauder $250 - $499 Blue & White $25 - $249

3737 North Meridian Rd. Tallahassee, FL 32312

www.Maclay.org

Matching Gifts: Please check with your employer to see if your gift is eligible. Pledge Now and Pay Later: Pledges made now may be paid any time before July 31, 2019.

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