Echo Summer 2022

Head of School

"Attention is like energy in that without it, no work can be done, and in doing work, it is dissipated … Memories, thoughts, and feelings are all shaped by how we use it. And it is an energy under our control to do with as we please; hence attention is our most important tool in the task of improving the quality of experience."

At a time in which our attention is pulled in thousands of directions every day by a relentless barrage of pictures, images, texts, emails, and distractions, how can anyone properly cultivate the deep thinking necessary to grow into the type of person one wants to become? That question lingered in the background of all of our discussions and planning for our Strategic Plan and more specifically, designing a new daily schedule for Middle and Upper School students. The culmination of two years worth of research, input, practice, and reflection, the schedule is not groundbreaking in its design, nor is it unique in the annals of education. It is, however, thoughtful, intentional, and, we believe, timely for our students. I hope you enjoy reading more about it in this issue ("According to Plan" begins on page 20).

To accommodate these changes, we are focusing our attention on the student experience and carefully considering the role our spaces and facilities will play in creating that experience. This year, we've seen student experience flourish — our first volleyball state championship, fine arts recognition, increased elective opportunities, and a renewed focus on community service. With the new schedule, academic concentrations, grade-level programming, and a re-emphasis on student well-being, we're building an elevated educational experience that meets our students’ needs now and long after they’ve left the halls of the Academy.

Likewise, our facilities play a vital role in creating that experience. The opening of the Sondra Morris and Robert N. Moore, Jr. '52 Center for Arts and Entrepreneurship has underscored that we can provide world-class facilities for our students and faculty when our community works together. Renovations and reimagining of current spaces continue as part of the Creating Our Future capital campaign as we consider long-term plans.

Recently, I spoke to the faculty and staff about being prepared and hopeful for what's to come at BGA. At BGA, we have prided ourselves on responding well to the challenges of the past couple of years. The schools that remain thoughtful about the future, reflective about the lessons learned, and active in their planning for the next iteration of excellence in education are the ones that thrive. I truly believe that because of the incredible hard work and dedication of our faculty, staff, students, and families, BGA will be just such a school.

Will Kesler Head of School

-Flow

One for the history books

On October 21, 2022, the Wildcat varsity volleyball team captured the program’s first TSSAA Division II-A State Championship title in a 3-0 win over Concord Christian Academy. The state championship win closed out a historic season that included a third consecutive district title, second consecutive regional title, and a 34-2 overall record.

Read more about the volleyball team’s road to the state championship on page 12.

CENTER FOR ARTS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

In April 2021, the Sondra Morris and Robert N. Moore, Jr. ‘52 Center for Arts and Entrepreneurship hosted its first stage production, the Upper School’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest.”

Since its opening, the state-of-the-art theater has provided programming for the BGA community and the Williamson County community-at-large, from school day assemblies to our Alumni Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony to StudioTenn’s “Elvis My Way.”

On April 8, 2022, BGA’s Upper School students took the stage in Disney’s “High School Musical,” the academy’s first musical since the pandemic began. The sellout performances transported attendees to East High School, where they caught up with Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, and other favorite characters from the classic Disney Channel Original Movie.

JOSH MONTGOMERY

envision our family becoming a part of the community,” said Montgomery.

“After a search that included dozens of well-qualified candidates, Josh emerged as the right choice with the strong experience, relational focus, and academic acumen necessary to lead our Upper School,” said Head of School Will Kesler. “Throughout the process, it was apparent that his philosophical approach, coupled with his impressive record of leadership and growth, was a perfect fit for BGA.”

With over 18 years of experience in independent schools, Montgomery came to BGA from Bayside Academy in Daphne, Ala., where he was Head of Upper School since 2017. Before his 13 years at Bayside, he spent five years as a teacher and coach at Madison-Ridgeland Academy in Madison, Miss.

“As I explored possibilities for professional growth, BGA stood out as a school that deftly balances academic dexterity, character enrichment, and a future-focused mindset. It was exciting to

“Now, after an entire year as Head of Upper School and as a parent of a BGA middle schooler and lower schooler, it has become more evident that the BGA community is deeply committed to living out the mission and vision of the school,” Montgomery continued. “Our children have been welcomed with open arms and continue to benefit from the blend of academic excellence and character education that BGA offers daily. Likewise, my wife and I maintain a sense of connection to this community, one that reveres the foundation it was built upon while demonstrating a keen understanding of what lies ahead.

“Perhaps more than anything, I have so enjoyed my time getting to walk alongside the students and the faculty. They are an exceptional group of people, full of ambition, conviction, and a desire to leave BGA better than they found it.”

Following a nationwide search, BGA selected Josh Montgomery to serve as its new head of Upper School in Spring 2021.

HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL B.A. IN HISTORY FROM KENYON COLLEGE, M.A. IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP FROM MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY.

JOSH AND HIS WIFE, MEREDITH, HAVE TWO SONS, Mays (BGA eighth-grader) and Thatch (BGA third-grader)

SENIOR KENDALL GRIMES & LEAH HANDELSMAN:

GRIT, FOCUS & MENTORSHIP ON THE ROAD TO NATIONALS

BGA senior Kendall Grimes '22 and BGA English teacher and department chair Leah Handelsman sit together at a table on a normal Wednesday afternoon, discussing the nuances of words in a shorthand language that can only come from years of working together.

The two are preparing for their fourth year of Poetry Out Loud, a poetry recitation competition that first starts at a state level and then goes to the national level. Grimes was runner-up in last year’s national competition and is a three-time Tennessee state champion. She was unable to compete in 2020 due to COVID.

Started in 2005 by the National Endowment for the Arts, Poetry Out Loud has helped countless students learn more about poetry, public speaking skills, and literary history and contemporary life. It has reached more than 4.1 million students and 68,000 teachers from 17,000 schools and organizations.

The Poetry Out Loud website also hosts a poetry database, with more than 1,100 classic and contemporary poems. Students

use this anthology to pick poems that meet different requirements, such as word count, subject matter, time period, and more. Each year that Handelsman and Grimes have worked together, Handelsman picks poems from the database, brings them to Grimes, and the two work together to find the three best picks for the year’s competition. Grimes then has under two months to prepare for the competition.

The two spend a lot of time on their own, Grimes reading the poems out loud, while Handelsman gives feedback, offering different tones and approaches to certain lines and words. Despite Handelsman being the teacher and Grimes the student, the two engage in lively discussion on how certain parts of the poems should be read, what they mean, and what they can change to make the recitation the best it can be.

“I’ve worked with Kendall more than I’ve worked with any other student at this school. Since her freshman year, we have just bonded over poetry. And it’s

fun, it’s like our thing. We have it down,” Handelsman said.

Their poetry process began back in 2018, when Grimes performed a spoken word poem at the 2018 People of Color Conference. When Handelsman saw Grimes, she immediately realized that this was a student who needed to try Poetry Out Loud.

“Kendall is someone that when she speaks, everyone listens to her. And that’s a skill, to be someone who speaks and commands someone’s respect,” Handelsman said.

Grimes said that the feeling of commanding a room through reading poetry is something she truly loves.

“There is a very special feeling that comes with being able to stand on a stage and interact with so many people and say such important things. Having that power to communicate this message in a captivating way and knowing that people are actually getting something out of it, that’s so special,” Grimes said.

Also, Grimes sees her experience preparing for and competing in Poetry Out Loud as an integral part of her BGA journey.

"Some of the poems we’ve picked have been very relevant to my identity, my experience as a marginalized person at this school. And so I think without it, my time at the school probably would have been a little bit tougher,” Grimes said.“I’m really thankful for Ms. Handelsman helping me become a more well rounded student and a more resilient person.”

Handelsman thinks that with Kendall’s success, poetry has been brought more into discussion at BGA.

“We’re championing poetry,” Handelsman said.

This story was written in February 2022. In March, Kendall won her third consecutive Poetry Out Loud state championship. From there, she went on to win $1000 in the Poetry Out Loud National Finals.

MIDDLE SCHOOL LAUNCHES ENGINEERING DESIGN ELECTIVE

Taught by Kim Murray '97, the Middle School's Engineering, Design, and Function class is an inquiry-based course that allows seventh and eighth graders to use hands-on, interactive, and participatory methods to develop their critical thinking skills to solve real-world problems that can impact our economy, community, and environment.

“Students are learning how to build water purification systems, eco-friendly dams, motorized prosthetics, sustainable energy vehicles, and robotics used for search and rescue after natural disasters,” said Murray. “They work on smaller-scale projects at the beginning to develop their skills by using Legos to create prototypes of simple machines

LOWER SCHOOL HOSTS NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR

Throughout an academic year, Lower School students work on their creative writing and storytelling skills, covering a variety of subject matter and literary styles. On the heels of this fall's writing celebrations, where students shared their recent work with parents, peers, and faculty, second, third, and fourth-graders enjoyed a Zoom session with award-winning author Mac Barnett (author of the popular book series "Mac B., Kid Spy"), who engaged the children in humor and his love of storytelling. As a fellow author, he shared that the most frightening thing for him is a blank page and strategies for generating and developing ideas. He even provided some insider information about publishing.

and work up to the use of circuits, motors, and solar panels.”

In addition to encouraging curiosity, creativity, accountability, and resilience, the class is a fun way for students to investigate, experiment, and discover using an open-ended inquiry process that prepares them for the innovative Entrepreneurial Leadership Program in the Upper School.

MIDDLE SCHOOL PEP BAND ADDS SPIRIT TO STUDENT SECTION

A pep rally or game is nothing without music to infuse spirit into the crowd. At BGA, the pep band serves up live music at each rally, with a robust drum line and group of wind instruments.

The group is led by Director of Middle and Upper School Instrumental Music, Dave Lassell, who has been at BGA for three years. To Lassell, there is truly no comparison between recorded music played through a sound system and live music.

“There's a big difference between hearing a recording of music you know from the radio and having your friends standing across from you playing their faces off to get you hyped up,” Lassell said.

While it takes a lot of work for the band to prepare these tunes and sometimes plan choreography, in the end, it gives the students more experience and time to bond with their fellow bandmates.

“The best lesson from pep band is realizing that the hard work put in memorizing tunes lets you have more fun actually playing your instrument,” Lassell said.

“Students who participate in pep band get to be more independent, see more of their friends in social situations, and build better relationships with others in their section.”

Lassell hopes the pep band will encourage other students to join the band program.

“I really want the pep band to help us grow the program and to remove any misgivings or preconceived notions about being in band. Once kids start taking my class, they find out that there is a whole new world of success and expression available to them,” Lassell said.

“I stress to the kids that this is a process, not an event. All of our work and success is cumulative. The more we do, the more we can do.”

At BGA, fourth-grade students don’t just learn the standard STEM and language curriculums – they also become songwriters.

In a unique and rewarding partnership, the Country Music Hall of Fame works with the students to create new tunes and show the students the world of songwriting. Pam Dunn, a BGA fourth grade teacher, works with the students to develop their verses, choruses, and bridges, which are then submitted to the Hall of Fame. After that, students visit the Hall of Fame, where they see instruments and learn about country music history in person.

Dunn loves the process of helping the students make their ideas a reality, workshopping with multiple kids every day to ensure their musical success.

“I’ve been lucky enough to teach this [for four years], and I love it,” Dunn said.

“I don’t know any other schools that have the opportunity to do what we’re doing. I think it’s something that BGA can pride itself on, that we actually take the time to put songwriting in our curriculum.”

FOURTH GRADE SONGWRITING UNIT LEADS TO ORIGINAL SONG & VISIT TO COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME

UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS VISIT SIBANDE EXHIBIT AT THE FRIST

BGA’s Office of Equity and Inclusion hosted an Upper School field experience at the Frist Art Museum in downtown Nashville. Led by Director of Inclusion and Belonging Dr. Michelle Arnold, Head of Upper School Josh Montgomery, and Upper School DEI Coordinator Myles Thrash, 33 Upper School students spent the day exploring South African-based artist Mary Sibande’s recently installed “Blue Purple Red'' exhibit. According to The Frist, the exhibit “deconstructs the roles of women in South Africa as both individuals and in terms of race, gender, and class inequity,” using blue, purple, and red to lead viewers through the central character’s journey.

BGA UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS EARN PRESTIGIOUS SCHOLASTIC ART AWARDS

Twelve works, created by 10 BGA art students, earned awards in this year's regional 2022 Middle Tennessee Scholastic Art Competition. The Silver Key-winning work (noted below with an asterisk *) were displayed in the Frist Learning Center Great Hall at Cheekwood.

Seniors: Sophie Bruff Dalia Diab* Chloe Drugeot Faith Newman Juniors: Gillian Baisden* Grayson Douglas Isabelle Northam Andi Sandusky*

Sophmore: Olivia Whitley*

The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards are the most prestigious recognition initiative for creative teens and the largest source of scholarships for young artists. Scholastic Art Awards alumni include artists Andy Warhol, Philip Pearlstein, Cy Twombly, Robert Indiana, Kay WalkingStick, Mozelle Thompson, Hughie Lee-Smith, and John Baldessari.

MIDDLE SCHOOL ARTIST WINS STATEWIDE COMPETITION

Fifth grader Arabella Krafft won the Tennessee Foreign Language Teaching Association's World Language Contest. Her entry, an original piece that aligns with the organization's "The Power of Communications to Connect Cultures" conference theme, was on display during the statewide conference.

BGA VARSITY VOLLEYBALL MAKES HISTORY, ALVAREZ NAMED COACH OF THE YEAR

It was a quick final serve from teammate Jessi Meghreblian that resulted in the BGA girls volleyball team earning its first state championship win. After the ball hit the ground, the girls jumped up, all rushing toward one another at center court to celebrate the success.

They were led to victory by coach Tatiana Alvarez, who coached her largest roster of Upper Schoolers to date this year – 33 players from 9th to 12th grade. Despite the sometimes difficult logistics of a large team and being in the middle of a global pandemic, the team secured the win.

“I felt so immensely proud of our athletes for their dedication, and I was honored to witness them experience an incredible payoff after the hard work they put in day after day, year after year,” Alvarez said. “It is a feeling I will never forget.”

Not only have the team members worked hard, but so has Alvarez, who was named Middle Region Coach of the Year by The Tennessean for the 2021 season, an honor she is grateful to have received. She sees coaching as a way to facilitate growth in each player, both as an athlete and a person.

“The beauty in every sport is getting to see how capable we all are of improvement, development, and achieving our toughest goals with consistency, intention, and dedication,” Alvarez said.“I see it every day in big and small ways as a coach, and it still brings me great joy even after so long.”

Alvarez and the team are thankful for the support of the BGA community this past season, and hearing all the cheers and spirit at the final four matches.

“We look forward to seeing our community in the stands in the fall when we try to achieve greatness once again,” Alvarez said.

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM ENDS SEASON WITH HIGHEST TEAM FINISH IN PROGRAM HISTORY

This fall, the Battle Ground Academy Boys Cross Country team completed their season with the highest team finish in program history at the TSSAA State Cross Country Championship.

The team secured State Runner-Up honors in DII-A. They were led by individual runnerup Trace Alexander '22 (15:54) and medalist Jack Evans '23 (17:29, 13th), who received All-State honors for their top 15 finishes.

"I can't adequately express what a pleasure it's been to coach this team," said Head Cross Country Coach Luke Johnson. "It's a special group of young people and a talented group of runners. From the start of our training in June, they've been focused on bringing home a state championship. While we fell short of our ultimate goal, how this group competed, supported one another, and pushed through adversity was inspiring. They've helped to move our program forward in significant ways, and future BGA runners will reap the benefits of the culture they've helped to establish."

New BGA Middle School math teacher and fifth and sixth-grade girls basketball coach Mandy Nowlin was recently inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

"I was extremely humbled and honored to be a part of the 2021 Silver Anniversary Team for the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame," Nowlin said.

Nowlin considers basketball a significant part of her life. Her father coached it, and she and her brother played the sport for as long as she can remember. Now, Nowlin uses her love of the game to coach BGA middle schoolers, teaching them the game and the qualities she has learned through the game.

"On the court is where I learned hard work, mental toughness, and picking myself up after experiencing adversity," said Nowlin. "My experiences as an athlete have helped me become a better mentor and positive influence in the lives of my students and players."

BGA freshman Jackie Henderson won the 2021 James H. Fyke Women's Municipal Amateur Championship, becoming the youngest champion in the event's history. Henderson shot a 158 (74-84) for the weekend, clinching the tournament title with a must-make, 20-foot downhill birdie putt on the last hole. Sally Davis was on hand to present Henderson with the championship Sally Davis Trophy. The tournament was held at McCabe Golf Course in Nashville, Tenn. BECOMES

YOUNGEST CHAMPION IN TOURNAMENT HISTORY

Sally Davis (L) presents Jackie Henderson ‘25 with The Sally Davis Trophy alongside Harpeth Hills’ PGA professional Kevin Forte.

BGA MIDDLE SCHOOL FACULTY MEMBER & COACH INDUCTED INTO THE INDIANA BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME

BGA'S WORLD FAMOUS LITTLE DRIBBLERS RETURN TO THE COURT

There were many areas of athletics that BGA fans were excited to "return to normal," but maybe none as thrilling as the return of the BGA Little Dribblers. Coached by Lower School wellness instructor Kevin Wells, third and fourth-grade students treated peers, Wildcat fans, and spectators to their expertly choreographed dribbling and ball-handling routine. Throughout January, the Little Dribblers performed in school assemblies, at Wildcat varsity basketball games at the Cherry Sports Center, and during halftime at the Belmont University versus Tennessee Tech women's basketball game at the Curb Event Center.

"I am extremely grateful that we were able to resume Little Dribblers this year, after not being able to participate last year for the first time in 20 years," said Kevin Wells. "It was such an honor to coach these incredible kids! They worked hard to perfect the routine and were excited to perform it in front of a crowd. We are incredibly thankful for the BGA community and its continued support!"

MYLES THRASH NAMED COACH OF YEAR

BGA Head Varsity Girls Basketball Coach Myles

Thrash has been voted TSSAA District 3 Coach of the Year by his coaching peers for the third consecutive year and first as a coach at BGA.

“I’m so honored and grateful to be named coach of the year in my first year as head coach at BGA. It means a lot to be voted this honor while at BGA, where it all started for me as a coach,” said Thrash.

WILDCATS WINNING

Varsity Boys Cross Country Team named State Runner-Up in TSSAA DII-A State Cross Country Championship. Trace Alexander '22 named individual state runner-up, and Jack Evans '23 medaled with a 13th place individual finish.

Varsity Football

3rd in Division II-AA Middle Region

Varsity Girls Golf

Placed third in the TSSAA D-IIA State Golf Tournament. Bella Bugg '23 placed sixth individually.

Varsity Girls Soccer

Won Division II-A Middle Region District 3 Championship for the third season in a row. Won Division II-A Middle Region Championship for the second consecutive season.

Runner-up in TSSAA Division II-A State Tournament, first time in team history to play in back-to-back state championship games

Varsity Swim BGA swimmers Gracen Bailey '24, Benjamin Bush '24, Jack Cheney '22, Connor Donaldson '24, Greta Grier '23, Emery Howard '25, Grayson Krebs '22, and Alexander Walker '24 competed in the MTHSSA Region Swimming and Diving Championship.

Gracen Bailey and Benjamin Bush qualified to compete in the TISCA State Swim Championship.

Varsity Volleyball

Won Division II-A Middle Region District 3 Championship for the third season in a row. Won Division II-A Middle Region Regional Championship for the second consecutive season.

Captured TSSAA D-IIA State Volleyball Championship, the first in school history. Kyra Hampton '23 named TSSAA State Volleyball Championship MVP.

Varsity Wrestling Team named runner-up in Division II-A Middle Region Dual Tournament. Team placed fourth in the TSSAA Division II-A State Championship Dual Tournament.

Varsity Track

The varsity girls and boys track teams both qualified for the state meet, with the girls team taking home an eighth place finish and the boys finishing fourth. Overall, the team received 11 medals and included four state championships and three state runner-ups.

BGA PARTNERS WITH INDUSTRY-LEADING A BETTER WAY ATHLETICS

BGA Athletics partnered with A Better Way Athletics, the leading coaching development and engagement curriculum, to promote a positive and effective partnership between BGA athletic administrators, coaches, and parents.

"A Better Way Athletics and BGA believe athletics are an arena for growth, where young people's lives are changed for the good," said Fred Eaves, BGA Assistant Head of School for Operations and Co-Curricular Programs. "If we can provide coaches and parents with the tools, resources, and perspective they need, they can lead our student-athletes effectively and further promote a healthy Wildcat athletic culture and organization."

BGA & THE SOCIAL INSTITUTE PROVIDE STUDENTS & FAMILIES WITH RESOURCES TO NAVIGATE SOCIAL MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY SMARTLY

As part of our commitment to student well-being, Battle Ground Academy partnered with The Social Institute to support our families and help our students navigate challenges related to social-emotional health, social media, and technology.

In the fall, BGA students in grades 4 through 12 began participating in TSI's #WinAtSocial gamified curriculum that empowers students to navigate social media and technology in positive, highcharacter ways. Throughout the year, students and advisors work through the TSI curriculum to discuss:

• Reflecting our values, character, and interests in our actions online;

• Balancing our time and attention on tech with the people around us;

• Surrounding ourselves with positive and credible influences;

• Using social media as a microphone to create meaningful change;

• Finding your path no matter the pressure from others;

• Addressing relevant current events by providing strategies to respond positively.

TSI also provides BGA Middle and Upper School parents with resources that highlight best practices, insights, and trends, helping them reinforce critical takeaways in the curriculum with their children.

The BGA Way, our character education program, and its pillars of respect, compassion, accountability, and resilience are taught and reinforced schoolwide, in and out of class. From classroom curriculum and parent programming to athletics, clubs, and leadership, the BGA Way is woven through all aspects of the BGA experience to ensure social-emotional learning.

LOWER SCHOOL LEARNS THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING BACK IN COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS

This past May, Lower School students participated in community service days, learning about the importance of kindness and giving back.

On May 2, first graders spread cheer to the merchants of downtown Franklin by walking Main Street and giving flowers and special notes to business workers.

The classes split up and each took turns walking in and delivering their own gift to a specific business.

On May 3, kindergarteners delivered donated food items to the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church food pantry. That day, the students were told all about the food pantry, who it serves and why it exists. The students were able to ask questions and find out about what a food pantry is.

On May 5, second, third, and fourth graders gathered in the Lower School dining hall and prepared meal packets for Rise Against Hunger. With parents helping, the students were set up in stations where each was responsible for a different part of the packaging process. In the course of the day, more than 10,000 meals were packed.

While the pandemic provided challenges for traditional community service experiences like our annual Upper School Service Day, it also provided opportunities for our students schoolwide to think creatively as they searched for ways to help their neighbors. During the 2021-22 school year, the Academy partnered with 10-plus regional and national nonprofit organizations to make a difference in the community.

2,600 pounds of food and $2,000 donated to GraceWorks Ministries to provide Thanksgiving food boxes to families in need.

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BGA fourth graders joined the Wounded Warrior Project to march alongside and honor local veterans in the Franklin Veterans Day Parade.

150 blankets donated to Blanket Nashville for area homeless.

15 baskets with winter essentials and grocery gift cards donated to the Hard Bargain Association for elderly residents in Franklin's Hard Bargain neighborhood.

$2,791 raised and donated by Middle School students to Second Harvest Food Bank through the Ms. Cheap Penny Drive.

100 Snowmen adopted from the annual Middle School Snowman Tree, providing gifts for Middle Tennessee children in need, in foster care, or battling HIV/AIDS.

300 Holiday cards written and designed by Middle School students and sent to veterans living in Tennessee State Veterans' Homes in Clarksville, Humboldt, and Murfreesboro.

$2,425 raised by Lower School students completing chores at home for their annual "Santa's Helpers" project. The students used the funds to purchase 141 toys for children in Waverly whose families were still recovering from the August flood.

The BGA community, in a joint effort with Ravenwood High School, donated two busloads of school supplies to students at Waverly Elementary and Junior High Schools damaged by the flood. BGA families brought donations to school all week, and families at both schools were encouraged to bring donations to the BGA vs. Ravenwood varsity football game at Guffee-Brown Stadium.

Leo Froio '26 volunteered with Gilda's Club Nashville as part of his Bar Mitzvah project, a project completed in the Jewish faith dedicated to giving back to the community, inspired by those affected

WILDCATS DOING GOOD

by cancer in his family. Leo cleaned and organized the clubhouse spaces, created art for the kids' area, and raised $1,600 for the cancer support program.

Bella Bugg '23 hit the links in support of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, The Snedeker Foundation, and the American Junior Golf Association's ACE Grant program. Joining 23 junior golfers from around the state, Bugg played in the AJGA's third annual Tennessee Cup, a two-day Ryder Cup-style event, and helped her team raise more than $50,000 for St. Jude.

This year, BGA Middle School students participated in the Ms. Cheap Penny Drive for Second Harvest, hosting a bake sale and Out of Uniform Day. According to The Tennessean, their efforts helped the Ms. Cheap Penny Drive raise a recordbreaking $711,788.65.

The BGA Upper School Choirs used their fall concert, Story Hour, as an opportunity to sponsor a children's book drive in conjunction with their theme, donating new and gently used books to Love on Wheels, an organization that packs suitcases for children entering the foster care system.

Changes are coming to Battle Ground Academy, but students and parents don’t need to worry. It’s all according to the plan.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began to reshape the world in early 2020, administrators and faculty at Battle Ground Academy were already beginning the detailed work of reshaping the Academy’s curriculum, culture, and schedule based on the 2019 strategic plan, “Transforming Education.”

The pandemic quickly made clear that many of the priorities outlined in the 2019 plan –especially those focusing on student well-being and developing “future-ready” students – were becoming even more important.

So, as the BGA administration began to plan the new daily schedule for Middle and Upper School students, they sought to construct a daily flow that would not only create greater opportunities for connection and community but would also offer students enhanced options in their academic and extracurricular lives.

CARING FOR THE WHOLE STUDENT

When classes begin this fall, Middle and Upper School students are sure to notice several changes. Ranging from shorter class periods for Middle School students to a later start time for Upper School students, the changes are designed to better care for the whole student.

“These changes reflect a more holistic wellness approach,” said Layne Pickett, assistant head of Upper School and director of counseling services. “We are working to maintain a manageable cognitive load for our students. The additional flex and community time will allow us to introduce gradespecific, developmentally appropriate programming so we can build on the life skills students are learning at every stage.”

For Middle School students, this emphasis on overall wellness led to the creation of daily connection points. Students will start each day with an advisory check-in, meeting with the same small group of students and an advisor from their gradelevel team every morning. They’ll end each day in study hall, where they’ll be able to connect with their advisory group again.

“The morning advisory check-in is an opportunity to look over the schedule for the day and the week,” said Patrick Snead, head of Middle School. “It’s a chance to get a bearing on what’s going on, to reduce anxiety and get a pulse for where the kids are and what they’re feeling. Ending each day with study hall provides a constant in the daily schedule, where students will have access to teachers and advisors if they have a question about an assignment or class.”

For Middle School athletes, shifting study hall to the end of each school day offers an additional benefit.

“Occasionally we have athletic teams that require an early dismissal from school to get to competitions,” Snead said. “With our current schedule, if students leave school early, they are missing instructional minutes, which can cause them to get behind in class. With this new schedule,

HOW THE NEW SCHEDULE COMPARES

UPPER SCHOOL

• Later start time

• Fewer classes, but longer class times (60 mins)

• More flex and community time

• More time to pursue independent study, workouts or enrichment opportunities not possible during the school day

students won’t miss instructional time if they have to leave early.”

Additionally, Middle School students will move from a six-period rotating schedule to five classes a day.

“From an age/developmental standpoint, running a rotating schedule can be quite confusing to some of our younger Middle School students,” Snead said. “Simplifying the flow of the day and reducing the number of transitions should make the day feel less hectic for our students.”

Class lengths will be adjusted for both Middle and Upper School students, a move designed to better reflect students’ attention spans and cognitive load. Upper School students will also start classes later, a decision based on research.

“Research tells us that adolescents need to sleep later,” Pickett said. “Developmentally, it’s normal for them to sleep later and get up later, so when you have an early start time, it interferes with their normal rhythms.”

MIDDLE SCHOOL

• Opening advisory check-ins

• End-of-day study hall

• Shorter classes (45 mins)

• Less unstructured time

ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES

While planning the schedule update, BGA administrators and faculty members carefully considered ways to deepen the student experience. From enhancing opportunities for building community to examining ways to better support and encourage students, administrators sought to create a schedule with depth and flexibility.

For Middle School students, Snead said, that meant structuring the schedule so

that students never have more than two classes without a break.

“That gives students a chance to get a ‘brain break,’ to refocus and regroup,” Snead said. “We are trying to maximize our Middle School students’ ability to focus and engage at age and developmentally appropriate intervals.”

In the retooled schedule, community time is now paired with lunch and recess, offering Middle School students a midday break as well as opportunities for character education programming, club meetings, and guest speakers.

Likewise, the Upper School schedule includes increased flex time, a move that will help build community, Pickett says, but also provide students time for deeper study or enrichment.

“Longer flex time will allow for flexible programming and really gives us a chance to be a little more creative,” Pickett said.

“We can use that time for grade-specific activities, for faculty to hold office hours for student meetings and help sessions, and for expanded class times for labs or capstone projects in our concentrations.”

The X-Block, scheduled from 7:30-8:25 a.m., provides additional flexibility, giving interested Upper School students a head start on their day before classes officially begin.

“Having the X-Block in the morning, even though it is an early time, gives students more opportunities to explore their passions through additional elective offerings, take advantage of some wellness options, and meet with teachers if they need additional support,” Pickett said.

CREATING MORE

BUILDING FUTURE-READY STUDENTS

While the retooled schedule is designed to support a student’s ability to learn and ensure student well-being, the changes also create greater opportunities to help students prepare for the future.

“The new schedule will allow us to engage more consistently and thoroughly with our students who are embarking on and navigating the college search and application process, particularly our seniors,” said Dustin Lynn, director of college counseling.

During the X-Block, students will now have dedicated time to continue working on the college applications they began during the summer college bootcamp, Lynn says, through a new elective. The senior seminar will offer seniors consistent access to counselors within BGA’s College

Center and provide opportunities to break the application process into smaller, more manageable tasks.

“This will help students to stay on task, stay ahead of schedule in the college process, and have guidance while they are working on their applications,” Lynn said. “Our students have so many responsibilities – classes, extracurricular activities, work, family – this enables us to move some of that work to a dedicated time and help our students to achieve a better work-life balance.”

The schedule changes also allow for the introduction of three new concentrations in the Upper School, to be rolled out over the next two to three years. By allowing students to explore academic interests and demonstrate “intellectual curiosity,” Lynn says the new concentrations not only help to bolster an already strong academic experience but also pique the interest of college admissions officers.

“The more selective colleges will forever and always be interested in student academics – student performance in the classroom, the rigor of their curriculum, test scores,” Lynn said. “But beyond that baseline, colleges want to see that students are identifying their interests and engaging with them deeply. When a student can do that in an academic capacity – that’s especially appealing to colleges.”

The new concentrations will join BGA’s Entrepreneurial Leadership concentration, and each will culminate in a capstone experience. The new concentrations include STEM, Global Studies, and Fine Arts. STEM will be offered next year, while Global Studies and Fine Arts will be added in subsequent years. Administrators expect that students in the Class of 2025 will have access to all four areas of concentration.

“BGA has always prided itself upon a rich academic tradition that simultaneously inculcates a shared ethos of character development and core values. By increasing total instructional time in the classroom, honoring the sanctity of community time, and maintaining independent work opportunities, the new schedule encourages students to dive deeply into their course of study without sacrificing the balance that longer breaks in the day provide,” said Josh Montgomery, head of Upper School. “Students will have to make some conscious choices due to new Concentrations and increased course offerings, but ultimately, the Upper School experience at BGA will provide our students with a pragmatic, real-world journey that connects more explicitly with their lives as college students.”

And that, BGA officials say, is all part of the plan.

CONCENTRATIONS

UNDERSTANDING THE CONCENTRATIONS

Cheryl Borden, associate director of college counseling, along with a team of administrators and faculty members, have played a vital role in developing BGA’s new concentrations. She shared a few thoughts on how these new academic offerings enrich the overall BGA experience.

AN INNOVATIVE EDUCATIONAL APPROACH

BGA’s innovative Entrepreneurial Leadership concentration, the nation’s first four-year, secondary school entrepreneurship program of its kind, offers a hands-on, real-world learning experience. By creating three additional concentrations, more BGA students will get a chance to deeply investigate and engage with a subject that interests them. “The beauty of these concentrations is that they give students the opportunity to develop a specialized interest,” Borden said. “From a college counseling perspective, so many colleges want to see intentionality from students; they want to know why students want to pursue a particular major. Through these concentrations, students can answer that question with more intentionality and more demonstrated interest.”

BUILT ON EXPERTISE

When developing the content areas for the new concentrations, Borden says the team of administrators and faculties looked to the expertise already apparent in the BGA community. “We really created new concentrations in areas where we feel like we have enthusiasm from our students,” Borden said. That led to the creation of three new concentrations:

• STEM (launching Fall 2022)

• Global Studies (launching Fall 2023)

• Fine Arts (launching Fall 2024)

DEEPLY RESEARCHED

“We began with researching peer institutions that offered specialized tracks in a specific academic area,” Borden said, noting that research included schools in California, Ohio and Florida, among other states, as well as visits to institutions offering similar programs. “We are still doing research and benchmarking,” Borden said, “to not only offer the best program, but to offer the best program that fits our students.”

ENHANCES THE BGA EXPERIENCE

“We don’t want our concentrations to be islands unto themselves,” Borden explained. “We want them to be more broadly engaging – within our own community and within Middle Tennessee.” While the finer details of exactly what each curriculum will look like are still being decided, Borden says the concentrations will enhance the entire academic experience, whether students choose to pursue a concentration or not. “We recognize that some students might not know if they want to commit to a particular concentration, but the availability of the classes will create more opportunities and more encouragement for all students to pursue different opportunities,” she said.

The Sondra Morris and Robert N. Moore, Jr. '52 Center for Arts and Entrepreneurship opened in Spring 2021, and today, it buzzes with activity and excitement as classes, performances, and presentations fill the building daily.

There was never any denying that BGA's students and teachers needed a dedicated theater. In fact, you can look at the 2003 Cannon Ball yearbook and see exterior renderings of a performing arts center. To the credit of the school's vision for the Glen Echo campus, today's CAE stands exactly where it had been planned

almost 20 years ago. What is different is the emergence of the Entrepreneurial Leadership Program through the school's 2015 Strategic Plan.

Today, the CAE includes not only a 500-plus seat theater, complete with catwalks and soundboards, but the Yarbrough Family Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, four EL classrooms, five breakout rooms, an office for visiting entrepreneurs, and a Maker Space that supports both the drama department and the EL Program. During our Fall 2021 EL Symposium,

which focused on the impact of the attraction of "big technology" companies to the region and the effect it is having on Nashville's startup ecosystem, guest panelist, Founder and CEO of VendEngine, Silas Deane commented,

"I love the fact that this building is called 'Arts and Entrepreneurship' because it's such a great combination of that creative mind and creative thinking, and I think that’s the kind of thing we're going to see more of in Nashville."

The construction of the CAE is just one initiative funded through Creating Our Future: The Campaign for Battle Ground Academy. The comprehensive capital campaign includes interior and exterior enhancements to the Harpeth Campus, renovations to the Harlin Student Center

dining hall and the Middle School Academic building on the Glen Echo campus, and increasing the school's endowment. As of December 31, 2021, more than $21 million has been raised toward the campaign's $25 million goal.

The Center for Arts and Entrepreneurship includes a 500-plus seat theater; a Maker Space for the drama department and EL Program; and four EL classrooms, five breakout rooms, and a visiting entrepreneur office.

The theater in the CAE

The Yarbrough Family Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership

Since the incorporation of Harpeth Academy into Battle Ground Academy in 1998 and the move of the Middle School to the Glen Echo Campus in 2003, there has been regular discussion about the Lower School’s proximity to the other divisions and having all of our students

and teachers closer together. During the planning process for Creating Our Future, BGA’s stakeholders made it clear that the charm and location of the Lower School remain an important part of the BGA experience. So plans were created to address items like increasing natural light,

improving the transition from the house to the academic spaces, and making the classrooms more accessible. Construction during Summer and Fall 2022 addresses all of these needs.

GALLERY

GROUND ACADEMY

A view into the Lower School STEM and Media lab

Lower School Cafeteria

Lower School Main Hallway

Interior renovations include a remodeled academic corridor, a new STEM and Media lab, and a new dining area.

On the Glen Echo campus, the completion of the CAE creates a significant opportunity to improve each student’s day by transforming the cafeteria into a proper dining hall. Over the next two years, the stage and sunporch will be redesigned to increase functionality during lunch and school events. The serving areas will be revamped to improve traffic flow and serving spaces, and the tables and chairs will be replaced with more permanent furniture.

in the Harlin Student Center are now appreciating the new theater, Middle and Upper School students will be able to enjoy the daily activity of school lunch in a dining hall that is on the same level as some of the other new spaces on campus such as the Mary Campbell Visual Arts Center, the Jewell Athletic and Wellness Center, and of course, the Sondra Morris and Robert N. Moore, Jr. ‘52 Center for Arts and Entrepreneurship.

The additional classrooms that the CAE provides allow us to reimagine the space in the Middle School Academic Building. In the new plans, the center of the Middle School Academic Building would

access and interaction with students. We will also create two new classrooms, and the Middle School Admissions Office will move closer to the Middle School Administration Building’s front door. This work on the Glen Echo campus is slated to begin in Summer 2023.

The new administrative offices in the Middle School Academic building will house the Head of Middle School, the Assistant Head of Middle School, the MS/US Dean of Curriculum and Instruction, and others.

Middle School Academic Building Lobby

The Creating Our Future capital campaign also focuses on growing the school’s endowment by $5 million. Our endowment is relatively small for a school of our age and academic reputation, and it puts an annual burden on tuition and the BGA Fund. Increasing the endowment by $5 million will provide an additional $225,000 to the school’s operating budget each year. With a larger endowment, BGA can support the people and programs that have distinguished us since 1889, while also providing the financial flexibility to address needs and opportunities as they arise.

The endowment impacts every current and future BGA student’s educational experience.

So far, donors have created named endowment funds to support financial

aid and increase experiential learning opportunities for students. Naming opportunities begin at $100,000 and, based on a 4.5% annual payout, provide the school with $4,500 when fully funded. As the endowment grows, so does the yearly payout.

Capital campaigns come about because school leaders identify needs that can't be funded through tuition and annual funds. They are opportunities for school communities to come together and impact what today's students enjoy and ensure that tomorrow's students have not just the same opportunities but better opportunities.

If ever there was a school that represented the power of a community, it's Battle Ground Academy.

In 1889, leaders in the City of Franklin

identified a need in their community and built and gathered the pieces and people that would become BGA. Since then, our capital campaigns and the generosity of the BGA community have allowed us to build a new campus and expand to offer K-12 programming, among other significant decisions. It's now our turn to seize the opportunity before us and work toward creating our future, one that will benefit current students and generations of students to come.

If you would like to learn more about how your support can make a difference at Battle Ground Academy, please contact: Assistant Head of School for External Affairs Tom Evans at (615) 567-8309 or tom.evans@mybga.org.

Harlin Student Center Dining Hall

WILDCAT Roll Call

1960s

General Sessions Division II Judge Murrey Thomas “Tom” Taylor ‘69 won another term in the May 2022 election.

1980s

Mark Puryear '85 celebrated 24 years at Puryear, Newman & Morton PLLC.

Brad Jones '86 is in his first year as an Assistant Coach with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Chas Morton '89 was featured in the Swimming World Magazine article "Special Sets: Revisiting the Spectacular Days of Age-Group Legend Chas Morton." Morton was a three-time USA Swimming National Team member and a team captain at Stanford.

1990s

Hamilton Bowman '93 is the President and Chief Operating Officer at EnableComp.

Jane Anne Franks '95 and Thomas Crosby Webster, IV '96 were married on December 11, 2021.

Chevonne Wrenn Farler '97 is a wealth management advisor at TBH Advisors.

Geep Wade ‘97 is the offensive line coach at Appalachian State University.

Christian Lyles '98 is the engagement manager at Standish Management, LLC in Charlotte, N.C.

2000s

Graham Harlin Brazil '01 is now a hospitality consultant at Orior Furniture.

Chip Kain '02 serves as executive director of the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy and executive secretary of the Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission.

David Legg '02 is a real estate broker with ReMax Real Estate Center.

Bethany Schneider '02 is currently a partner at Schneider Injury Law in Atlanta, Ga.

Brian Horowitz ‘03 is running for General Sessions Judge in Davidson County, Division 9.

Cole Rose '03 is now the head men's basketball coach at Palm Beach Atlantic.

Judge Deana Hood '89 was recently appointed to the Judicial Ethics Committee and has announced her candidacy for circuit court judge for the 21st Judicial District Division II seat in Williamson County.

CDR Kelechi Ndukwe, USN '97 is slated to transition to the NSA Mid-South, located in Millington, Tennessee, just north of Memphis. The base serves as the Navy’s Human Resources Center of Excellence, and headquartered onboard NSA Mid-South are Navy Personnel Command, Navy Recruiting Command, the Navy Manpower Analysis Center, as well as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Finance Center.

Talmage Woodall ‘02 announced his candidacy for Dickson County General Sessions Judge.

Greer Bickley '04 is the director of business development at Brasfield & Gorrie LLC.

John Harlin '04 is the senior manager with the Boyle Investment Company.

Jared Johnson '04 won the Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic Employee of the Year award.

Tiffany Jordan '04 is the assistant girls basketball coach at Oxford High School.

Grant Walker '04 is the division president at Oak Street Health.

David Bailey' 05 is the director of development at Prologis.

Shannon Moran, M.D. '05 is a pediatrician with MMC in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Shannon, his wife Megan, and three children (Lincoln, Finn, and Sutton) reside in Murfreesboro.

Will Martin '07 is the head men's basketball coach at Missouri Western University.

Tyler Lawrence '12 is the director of product and director of data and services at Ethisphere.

Sarah Moran Zuniga '12 married Andy Zuniga in April 2021.

Del McSpadden '13 is the senior customer development associate at PepsiCo.

Wolly Legg '04 is a real estate broker with ReMax Real Estate Center.

Meredith Cross '04 married Nick Cross in May 2021 and moved to Denver in 2022, where she serves as a regional sales manager at Salesforce.

Jason Brace ‘06 is a partner at Waller Lansden Dortch and Davis LLP.

Elizabeth Pope Goodwin '06 has been named one of Nashville Business Journal's 40 Under 40.

Chris Reeves '09 is assistant COO of specialty services at Parallon.

Kyle Maynard '10 is an assistant attorney general for the state of Utah.

Deidre Ramer '10 is a technical recruiter at the Conexess Group.

Richard Rieck '10 is a senior associate at Colliers.

Lizzy Isaacs Woodall '10 is a loan assistant at Reliant Bank.

Brett Bauer '11 is a judicial law clerk at the United States District Court of the Eastern District of Tennessee.

Gilmore Conners '11 is a development associate at Chartwell Residential LLC.

John Michael Haddad '11 is a global account manager at Cisco.

Chloe Tillman '11 is a program coordinator at Aya Healthcare.

John Adgent '12 is a corporate and securities associate at Bass, Berry & Sims.

Nolan Auerbach '12 is a senior product analyst at Parallon.

Brad Hulker '12 is the director of recruiting at Campus Outreach.

Hasty Moran '13 is a CPA and a senior assurance associate at Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP. He and his wife, Kaitlyn Davis Moran '12, reside in Franklin.

Katie Scholl '13 is a product analyst at FreightWise LLC.

Katie McDaniel '14 is the attorney recruiting coordinator at Bass, Berry, and Sims.

Nathan Moran '14 is the Head Boys Basketball Coach for Copley High School, in Copley, Ohio.

CLASS NOTES

Grace Beathard Price '14 married Patrick Price in September 2021.

Rieves Berry '15 is the assistant property manager at Boyle Investment Company. He is engaged to Tori Warren '15, and their wedding will be in June 2023.

Harrison Welch '15 is an athletic marketing graduate assistant at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Myles Taylor '15 is a consultant at Ancore Health.

Jarrett Bristol '16 is a mechanical design engineer I at TKE.

A.J. Bethurum '16 is attending ETSU Quillen College of Medicine, pursuing a doctor of medicine and master of public health degrees.

Danielle Caron '16 presented her master's research on combined heat and power (CHP) systems in residential buildings at the 2022 ASHRAE Winter Conference in Las Vegas.

Matthew Minor '16 is an account executive at Hill+Knowlton Strategies.

Matthew Keith '17 is a production coordinator at Insomniac Events.

Henry Dambach '18 was selected as a Class of 2022 "Furman Fellow." Dambach is one of five senior students chosen for making a difference at Furman University.

Brandon Jackson '18 served as an intern for Senator Bill Hagerty in his Washington, D.C., and Tennessee offices in 2021.

Ashton Patton '18 graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in December 2021.

Mitchell Morrison '20 co-founded CarbonLink Inc.

Will Rieck '20 is an international affairs intern at Air Combat Command.

Births

Mark Dillard ’83 and his wife, Della, welcomed baby Walken DeWeese Welch Dillard in May 2021.

Tamra Jordan Berry ‘01, Akadius Berry, and big sister Zora Avery welcomed baby Langston Ahmad Berry on May 20, 2021.

Graham Harlin Brazil ’01 and her husband, Frank, welcomed Ida Jean on April 4, 2021.

Greer Bickley ’04 and his wife, Makenzie, welcomed Gray Williams Bickley on February 28, 2021.

Shelby Boyte Cunningham ’05 and her husband, Justin, welcomed baby Camden Joseph on April 22, 2021.

Logan Hostettler ’07 and wife, Christy, welcomed Maisel Lynn Hostettler in May 2021.

Sarah McGee Lipman ’07 and her husband, Marshall, welcomed Charlotte Elizabeth Lipman on April 29, 2021.

Sarah Elizabeth Berry Pop ’07 welcomed baby Isla June Pop on September 15, 2021.

Julianne Isaacs Cantey ’08 and her husband, Steele, welcomed Hayes Steele Cantey in April 2021.

Tyler DeBoer ’11 and his wife, Sarah Kate, welcomed baby Lily Mabel Deboer on August 12, 2021.

Scott Vick ’04 and his wife, Lauren, welcomed William Campbell Vick on December 25, 2021. Scott, Lauren, and baby “Liam” reside in Pensacola, Fla.

Kelsey Deboer Delaney ’09 and her husband, Tom, welcomed Harper Ann on May 15, 2021.

Laine Carrigan Mitchell ’09 and Frank Mitchell welcomed Margaret Grace Mitchell on May 27, 2021

Dawson Davies ’10 and his wife, Kelsey, welcomed Lillian Gatlin Davies on May 4, 2021.

Catey Hunter Fenner ‘10 and her husband, Paul, welcomed daughter Hayden Elise Fenner on December 17, 2021.

Luke Klausner ’11 and his wife, Kensley, welcomed Beckham Payne Klausner on February 3, 2021.

Ellen Williams Hart ’12 and her husband, Mason, welcomed Thomas Paul Mason Hart on June 14, 2021.

Sam Wade ’12 and Sami Wade welcomed baby Calvin Robert Wade on October 8, 2021.

Shantal Edwards Walker ’12 and her husband, Darryl, welcomed baby Khyler Jericho Walker on April 2, 2021.

WILDCAT CATCH UP WITH COACH GRETCHEN EISENHAUER

Tell us about your role at BGA. My role was to put the fun back into P.E. classes and win basketball games!

Plato or Greer?

Plato

What's your favorite BGA memory?

Some of my favorite memories were watching BGA win state championships in football and boys basketball and hosting sectional and regional basketball tournaments in our new gym – and winning both! It was a lot of work but great for the girls since it was the first time they had won both tournaments.

Who was your most memorable BGA coworker?

All my coworkers are so memorable and such great people to work alongside. Jody Jones got me to BGA; she and

Gretchen Eisenhauer Years at BGA: 1993-99

Former BGA Varsity Girls Head Basketball Coach and Wellness Teacher, with short stints as an assistant volleyball and softball coach

Tom are like family. They love sports and going to games, so that's all we did!

Also, Coach Beliford, Coach McNatt, Coach Myers, and I spent too much time together scouting and strategizing in the coaches' office. Also, Ms. Emma in the cafeteria was always making goodies for me.

Tell us about life after BGA. I have been in pharmaceutical sales since leaving BGA. I have had six roles with two companies, all back in Colorado and close to home.

In my spare time, I coach my niece's fifth-grade basketball team, attend many sporting events for nieces and nephews, play a lot of golf when the weather permits, and still ski a little bit. I'm also very involved at my church and in the God Behind Bars ministry.

Former BGA varsity girls head basketball coach Gretchen Eisenhauer and her nephew Roman take in a Denver Nuggets game.

Jerry B. Brinkley 1958

Thomas N. Bainbridge 1959

John E. Denny 1960

Sam L. Lee 1960

Larry M. Beadle 1962

Randolph Sherling 1956

Charles E. Yancey 1956 Howard G. Smithson 1957

Harry T. Spotts, Jr. 1957

Larry B. Stumb, Jr. 1957

Charles B. Haffner 1934

Ivy C. Agee, Jr. 1941

Claud C. Gatlin, Jr. 1947

Matt W. Henderson 1947

Frank T. Akin 1948

WAK "Sandy" MacPherson 1963

Stephen K. "Steve" Rush 1962

Doswell P. Brown III 1962

Granbery Jackson III 1963

Robert M. "Bobby" Morel 1963

James C. Tippens, Jr. 1954 William E. "Bill" Cherry 1955

J. Fred "Toby" Pilkerton, Jr. 1955 Pedro A. Paz 1956

William T. "Bill" Shanlever 1956

Jerry W. Dillard 1948

Coleman H. Sawyer, Jr. 1948 Robert O. "Bob" Brock, Jr. 1951 H. Dean Nichols 1953 Col. Fred W. Beesley Ret. 1954

Michael D. "Mike" Moody, Sr. 1978 William O. Rains 1987

Richard H. Hagan 1976

Charles E. Gore, Sr. 1972

Jon C. Kinnard II 1972 R. David McDowell 1975

Harold E. Brewer 1976

James B. "Jim" Moore 1970

James O. Dyer 1966

Richard C. Furman 1968

Leonard E. Herrington 1969

John W. Whiteman 1969

G. Eddy Woodard 1965

W.O. Greene III 1964

Robert M. Fleming 1964

Joseph H. "Jody" Bowman IV 1965

Beverly "Bud" Calvin 1966

Alex W. Tuttle 2007

William S. "Bill" Fleming IV 1990 Rebecca A. "Becky" Kemp 1992

Austin Lucas 2012

GRADUATION HONORS

KENDALL GRIMES was awarded the Pinkerton Watch, given to the senior who is the best all-around student, in the judgment of the faculty.

SEAN WILLIAMS was presented the Paul Guffee ‘61 Memorial Award, which, by a vote of the faculty, goes to the senior who exhibits leadership in athletics and all other phases of school life.

KATE O’HARA received the Katie Jeter ‘03 Award for Service.

AINSLEIGH HYLTON received the BGA Alumni Association Bill Ross ’72 Award as voted by the student body for helping those in need without the need for recognition.

GRACI SEMPTIMPHELTER was presented the Robin Leigh Altshuler Award given to the senior who exemplifies a spirit of unconditional service to others and the community.

BARRY "TRACE" ALEXANDER III received the Durwood Sies ‘40 Leadership Award.

DALIA DIAB was awarded the R.N. and Catherine Moore Art Medal.

CAMPBELL SLAUGHTER received the Helen and Ralph Brown ’49 School Spirit Award.

DAVID COPPEN was recognized with the David A. Hernandez ’49 Award for Courage.

On Saturday, May 15, 92 students graduated as part of BGA’s 133rd graduating class. The Valedictorian was Dalia Diab (attending Northwestern University), and the Salutatorian was Isabelle Grace Donoghue (attending the University of Michigan).

“The Class of 2022 has had remarkable success. While the context of their high-school career meant that every year brought new surprises and uncertainty, the one constant in their time at BGA was excellence. The Class of 2022 has left an indelible mark on our school community.

-WILL KESLER, HEAD OF SCHOOL

Arizona State University

Auburn University

Belmont University Boston College

Brigham Young University Centre College

College of Charleston College of Wooster

Dartmouth College

Eckerd College

Elon University

Furman University Georgia Tech

Middlebury College New York University

Northeastern University Northwestern University

Occidental College

Samford University

Savannah College of Art

Sewanee: The University Southern Methodist

Tulane University

University of Alabama

University of California, Berkeley

University of Georgia

University of Miami

University of Michigan University of Pittsburgh

University of Richmond University of Tennessee,

Vanderbilt University

Virginia Tech

Wake Forest University Washington University in St. Louis

Yale University