KnightTimes Fall 2024

ALIENS vs. CHEERLEADERS

Middle School thespians save the world!

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

PACE ACADEMY HAS LONG been committed to developing the whole child—it’s one of our core values—and with the launch of our expanded Mental Wellness Initiative this past fall, we took another transformative step in supporting our students’ growth. Rooted in the belief that children thrive when supported by informed families, empowered faculty and prepared peers, the initiative has already made a meaningful impact.

I hope you’ll take a moment to read Mental Health Matters: Informed Families on page 20, which highlights how Director of Mental Wellness ELLYE MILLAWAY and our counseling team, in partnership with the Parenting Connection committee of the Parents Club, are equipping families with tools to navigate parenthood. From Consulting Psychologist DR. CHRISTI BARTOLOMUCCI’s series Raising Prepared and Confdent Kids to the launch of topic-specifc Connection Groups for parents and caregivers, this semester provided meaningful opportunities for education and engagement.

I’m proud of our community’s embrace of this proactive approach to mental wellness, and I look forward to keeping you apprised of our progress.

CAITLIN GOODRICH JONES

’00

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

facebook.com/paceacademy instagram.com/paceacademy youtube.com/offcialpaceacademy

PLAY ALL DAY!

Thankfully, the weather was anything but Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, and the sun was out and shining for the 2024 Fall Fair. What a fun-flled day highlighting the unwavering support and spirit of the Pace community. See more on page 18.

Pace Academy

966 W. Paces Ferry Road NW

Atlanta, Georgia 30327

www.paceacademy.org

Our Mission

To create prepared, confdent citizens of the world who honor the values of Pace Academy.

Head of School

FRED ASSAF

Division Heads

DOROTHY A. HUTCHESON

Head of Lower School

GRAHAM ANTHONY

Head of Middle School

MICHAEL GANNON

Head of Upper School

Communications Department

CAITLIN GOODRICH JONES ’00

Director of Communications, editor

LELA WALLACE

Associate Director of Communications

DIDIER BRIVAL

Digital Content Producer

SAVANNAH ROOTES

Communications Associate

RYAN VIHLEN

Creative Services Manager, Graphic Designer

Contributing Photographers

JULIAN ALEXANDER ʼ17

FRED ASSAF

GEMSHOTS PHOTOGRAPHIC www.gemshots.com

Contributing Writers

LIZ COHEN

CASON GIVEN

Want to contribute?

To contribute ideas for the KnightTimes, please email Caitlin Goodrich Jones ’00 at caitlin.jones@paceacademy.org

Receiving multiple copies?

If you have received multiple copies of this publication, please contact the Advancement Offce at 404-240-9103 or advancement@paceacademy.org to update your information.

CONTRIBUTOR

BRADSHAW ’13, CAMERON RUSS ’17 and HANK WYCHE ’05

61 Calendar of Upcoming Events

62 From the Archives

GRACE DEMBA ’21 is a B.F.A. candidate at the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts at Washington University pursuing a major in studio art with a concentration in painting while minoring in art history and business of the arts. Demba’s work has been featured in various exhibitions, including the Art as Connection show at the Washington University Medical School, the 2023 Business of Arts Club exhibition, the 2023 Florence Study Abroad exhibition and the fall 2023 In a Similar Vein junior B.F.A. show. In addition, she has been featured in publications such as Spires Magazine, Culturally Arts Collective and Armour Magazine. She serves as layout director of Armour, WashU’s fashion and lifestyle magazine. In her time at Pace, Demba could be found in the Fine Arts Center creating oil paintings in DONICE BLOODWORTH ’s classroom. She hopes to one day lead a creative organization while continuing her art practice.

LETTER FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Dear Pace Community,

As we prepare to send this issue of the KnightTimes to print, we eagerly anticipate the holiday season and all it brings—joyful traditions like the Lower School’s production of Light One Candle, Cookies & Cocoa in the Middle School, exciting college news for our seniors, and cherished moments with family and friends. During this season of gratitude, I fnd myself especially thankful for the Pace Academy community—dedicated professionals, supportive parents and exceptional students, all united by shared values.

In the following pages, we refect on the fall semester, highlighting student and faculty accomplishments, community celebrations like Homecoming (page 16) and the Fall Fair (page 18), arts events that showcased our students’ many talents (page 36), and the Isdell Center for Global Leadership’s Year of Food (page 46), which has sparked meaningful conversations and learning experiences across campus.

The pages ahead are a testament to the energy, creativity and dedication that defne Pace. Whether cheering for the Knights from the sidelines, laughing through the Middle School’s staging of Aliens vs. Cheerleaders or reconnecting with alumni during regional gatherings, I’m reminded of how lucky we are to share in this vibrant and inclusive community.

As we look to the new year, I hope you’ll take a moment to celebrate all that makes Pace special—this is a place where tradition meets innovation, and it’s a place I’ve been proud to call home for the past two decades. Thank you for your continued partnership as we strive to create prepared, confdent citizens of the world.

Wishing you a joyful holiday season and a wonderful start to the new year.

Sincerely,

FRED ASSAF HEAD OF SCHOOL

Even a broken-down bus couldn't stop seniors from laughing their way down the Ocoee River on their annual post-convocation whitewater rafting trip. See more photos on page 15.

Image by FRED ASSAF

THE COVER

With the start of the 2024–2025 school year, the Pace Academy community welcomed the Class of 2037, which includes Pre-First students RYDER FRIEDMAN (left) and ZARI FULLER (right). For our newest Knights, the semester has been flled with Pace frsts—from the Fall Fair and football games to Fathers & Special Friends Day.

Image

by

DIDIER BRIVAL

STUDENTS PURSUE PASSIONS AT GHP

Each summer, a number of Pace students are selected to participate in the prestigious Governor’s Honors Program (GHP), a four-week academic experience that takes place at Berry College. This past summer, a record six Upper School students were chosen out of the 3,200 nominations across Georgia schools.

Faculty nominate students in a specifc subject, which becomes the student’s major at GHP. Pace’s 2024 GHP participants were VAN MULLER ’25 (Latin), ANGELIKA AVDYEYEVA ’26 (visual arts), NAYANA NAG ’26 (social studies), NILAYA NAG ’26 (physics), ARNAV MADDINENI ’26 (math) and SERENA SHANG ’26 (dance). After being nominated, these students underwent a selective application process, consisting of interviews, exams and portfolio submissions.

At GHP, students took classes pertaining to their majors as well as exploratory electives. As a social studies major, Nayana Nag participated in classes about topics such as Roe v. Wade, affrmative action and public communications, but she also took a class about Taylor Swift. Shang learned how the dance industry works while participating in an elective about the ethics of artifcial intelligence. Avdyeyeva pursued art courses while enrolled in an entomology class, and Maddineni took classes like Sequences and Series and Sacred Geometry, learning how math ties into nature and music.

The program also offered opportunities to socialize with students from other schools. “While in that bubble of 700 students for four weeks, I was shocked by how amazing it was to be surrounded by people who share the same amount of passion and love for learning,” Avdyeyeva says. l

—by GRACE DEMBA ’21

SCHOLARS OF

NATIONAL MERIT

For almost 70 years, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) has celebrated academic achievement through the National Merit Scholarship Program (NMSP). High school students nationwide enter the NMSP by taking the Preliminary SAT (PSAT) and progress through the competition by fulflling the program’s entry and participation criteria, which include showcasing leadership and involvement in school and community activities.

This year, the NMSC named eight members of the Pace Academy Class of 2025 Commended Scholars: HARPER AUCHINCLOSS ’25 [1], GRIFFIN BRYAN ’25 [2], QUINN CULPEPPER ’25 [3], JACKSON GANT ’25 [4], DYLAN HIROKAWA ’25 [5], JAKE JONES ’25 [6], GAVIN SENDER ’25 [7] and AMINA ZUBAIRI ’25 [8]

In addition, nine seniors were selected as Semifnalists. ENRIQUE ALVAREZ ’25 [9], KATE CUNNINGHAM ’25 [10], KATE GRICE ’25 [11], MEGAN KLINGLER ’25 [12], VAN MULLER ’25 [13], DREW PARK ’25 [14], OLIVIA RESNICK ’25 [15], DAVIS TRIMBLE ’25 [16] and STEPHEN YANG ’25 [17] placed among the highest-scoring PSAT test-takers in Georgia and are eligible to apply for National Merit Scholarships, which will be awarded beginning in March 2025. l

RISING STARS

The Atlanta Jewish Times has named KITTY LUBIN ’27, BENJAMIN GANZ ’25 and ABIGAIL RICHMAN ’25 to its 2024 “18 Under 18,” an annual list honoring “rising stars” within Atlanta’s Jewish community. Honorees make contributions in areas such as community engagement, advocacy, the arts and athletics, and serve as role models for their peers.

A well-rounded student and active community participant, Lubin is involved in everything from fag football and student council to the National Charity League and the Jewish Affnity Group. Ganz stands out among his peers for his leadership in Pace Athletics and his longtime volunteer work with The Christopher League, a baseball league for children with special needs. Causes close to Richman’s heart include the Pace Academy Sandwich Project Club and Aurora Day Camp, which provides summer camp experiences for children with cancer and their siblings. l

She’s the Real Thing

CLAIRE JIANG ’25 can add 2025 Coca-Cola Scholar Semifnalist to her long list of accolades. Jiang is among the 1,336 students nationwide—36 in Georgia—selected from more than 105,000 applicants as Semifnalists in the 2024–2025 Coca-Cola Scholars Program. Chosen based on her academic accomplishments, leadership and service, Jiang now advances in the competition in hopes of being one of 150 Coca-Cola Scholars and receiving a $20,000 college scholarship.

A joint effort of Coca-Cola bottlers across the country and The Coca-Cola Company, the Coca-Cola Scholars Program is the largest corporate-sponsored, achievement-based scholarship program in the U.S. With the addition of the 37th class, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation will have provided more than 7,050 Coke Scholars nationwide with more than $87 million in scholarships since 1986.

Sargent Sets

Sail with PIRATE QUEEN

Fine Arts Center Production Manager SCOTT SARGENT has published his second novel, Caleb McCallister and the Pirate Queen. A follow-up to his 2023 debut, Caleb McCallister and the Sword of Light, Pirate Queen is a Percy Jackson -esque fantasy steeped in Irish legend. The book follows 15-year-old Caleb McCallister and his friends as they unravel the mysteries surrounding an ancient relic, taking readers on an adventure flled with myth, magic and memorable characters.

Book two in Sargent’s Sentry Series, Caleb McCallister and the Pirate Queen has already made waves in the literary world, debuting at No. 35 in Amazon’s Teen & Young Adult Country & Ethnic Fairy Tales & Folklore genre before moving up to No. 9. Meanwhile, Sword of Light climbed to No. 16 in the same category.

Caleb McCallister and the Pirate Queen is available on Amazon. Like what you read? Leave a 5-star review! l

History Buffs

JON SOREN UYHAM ’26 [1] and ANNA KATE HOWELL ’25 [2] have been selected from hundreds of students nationwide to participate in The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History’s Student Advisory Council (SAC), a cohort of high-achieving students in grades eight through 12 with an interest in history. During monthly virtual meetings, SAC members provide feedback on the Institute’s programs and materials that helps refne its outreach to young people. In addition, students hear presentations from Institute curators, guest speakers and fellow SAC members, and they often serve as speakers at Board of Trustees meetings and special events. l

Pace Summer Programs by the Numbers

SUMMER 2024 will go down in Pace Academy history as one of the busiest on campus. Despite maintenance and repaving projects, a Castle makeover, and upgrades to the Natatorium, Pace Summer Programs managed to provide opportunities for learning, physical activity and fun. Danger Camp, Coach White’s Basketball Camps, Pace Camp Splash and Friday Knight Live by Destination Theatre topped the list of in-demand offerings. Here’s how the summer shook out:

• 1,673 campers

• 132 camps over 6 weeks

• 45 Pace students, faculty and coaches served as counselors

• 30 Pace faculty and staff offered camps

• 22 third-party camp providers

Keeping Up with Keeping Pace

Keeping Pace continues to thrive as it approaches its 20th anniversary. This past summer, the free, four-week program for students entering grades two through six enrolled 87 students, known as Keeping Pace Scholars. In partnership with La Amistad—an organization that offers after-school tutoring, parent education and English classes for Latino students and families—Pace provided a combination of on-campus academic instruction and extracurricular activities. From tennis practice made possible by a grant from the ALTA Foundation to math and art, Scholars enjoyed a month of meaningful enrichment programming.

Photos by MAKENZY SLOAN ’22

THIS PAST SUMMER, our faculty and staff turned the world into their classroom. From professional conventions to international explorations, teachers and administrators alike demonstrated their commitment to lifelong learning.

[01– 02] ELLIE NEUFELD, Middle and Upper School visual and performing arts teacher, had the honor of guestconducting the Municipal Band of Bauru during a concert in Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil. Afterward, she was invited to lead a conducting session at the XVI Simpósio de Música in Marília, São Paulo, where she served as a guest clinician, teaching a daylong masterclass on conducting. Neufeld also rehearsed and conducted a concert for Festival do Trompette, a renowned trumpet festival. Additionally, she returned to the podium with the Municipal Band of Bauru, this time conducting a concert featuring Phillip Smith, the former principal trumpet of the New York Philharmonic.

[03] Latin teachers MICHELLE YANCICH ’13, STEWART TARVIN and ELIZABETH KANN attended the National Junior Classical League (JCL) convention in Knoxville, Tenn. There, they served as chaperones, led workshops, proctored and judged contests, and helped support the two Pace students on the Georgia JCL board, VAN MULLER ’25 and CLAIRE JIANG ’25

[04] From a porch in Pennsylvania, Upper School history teacher DR. CHRISTINE CARTER completed an online Advanced Placement Summer Institute course to prepare for teaching AP Comparative Government and Politics.

[05] Dean of Student Academics and Upper School history teacher MINDY LAWRENCE used the Knight Capital Award to travel to Barcelona, Spain. There, she explored Roman ruins, made a stop on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, toured important locations in the Spanish Civil War and immersed herself in the rich history of Catalonia.

[06] Upper School English and AP African American Studies teacher BRANDI WHEELER dedicated her summer to enriching personal and professional growth. She embarked on a history-focused tour of Charleston, exploring an array of museums, tours and historical sites that highlight African American history, including the International African American Museum. Additionally, she attended this year's Advanced Placement Annual Conference in Las Vegas, where she gained fresh insights from fellow AP educators and was inspired

by a keynote speech from author and sports personality Emmanuel Acho.

[07] Upper School history teacher EMILY STEVENS put her impressive Dungeons & Dragons skills to work on the road this summer. She spent approximately 60 hours as a Game Master for Baldman Games, running Dungeons & Dragons sessions at Origins Game Fair in Columbus, Ohio, and Gen Con in Indianapolis. Her players ranged in age from early teens to retirees. “I've found that running D&D games employs many of the skills that I've honed in the classroom, but without the grading,” says Stevens. “Instead of pushing students to improve their skills with homework and tests, I throw a bunch of monsters and mayhem at my players and let them come up with dynamic solutions. The goal is collaborative storytelling and a rollicking good time for all!”

Stevens also ran a Dungeons & Dragons camp for Pace Summer Programs for the third consecutive year. The camp welcomed Middle School students, with some of Stevens’ own Upper School Dungeons & Dragons Club members serving as counselors.

Had Me a Blast!

[08] In June, fourth-grade teacher MARISA ZHUÑO and frst-grade teacher BRYANNA LEYEN attended the Klingenstein Center’s Summer Institute for Early-Career Teachers, a highly selective, fully funded fellowship offering intensive, graduatelevel learning for teachers with fewer than fve years of classroom experience. Participants explore curriculum, pedagogy and assessment design as well as best practices in teaching. The program, part of Columbia University’s Teachers College, took place in Princeton, N.J.

[09 –10] In June, thanks to the PerezQuintana Culture and Arts Teaching Fund, an initiative of Pace Academy’s Isdell Center for Global Leadership (ICGL), Middle School performing arts teacher TARA HARRIS and Upper School world language teacher EDNA-MAY HERMOSILLO spent 10 days in Benin and Togo. There, they immersed themselves in art, dance and music, learning more about the cultures and religions of the French-speaking countries. They explored Vodou culture in depth, visiting temples and markets, witnessing ceremonies and engaging with experts about the religion.

They also visited Catholic cathedrals, gaining a broader perspective on the region’s spiritual practices. In Ganvié, a town built atop a lake by people seeking refuge from enslavement, they observed young children operating boats on their own. The town’s vibrant market operates entirely on the water, with residents buying and selling produce from their boats. “All daily life happens on the lake in buildings on stilts,” Hermosillo explains.

“A highlight for me was the presentation of music and dance by Béninois students,” Harris says. “Seeing students’ joyful expressions through music always takes me back to the thrill of learning and performing music as a child. I believe it is essential for students to experience the arts of other cultures, even when it means having to stretch and reach beyond our usual tastes and exposures.”

[11] In July, Upper School science teacher MEGAN DICKHERBER attended a virtual conference, The Science of Teaching and School Leadership Academy, through The Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning at St. Andrew's Episcopal School. “The focus was research-informed

practices in the classroom—how to take advantage of our natural brain neuroplasticity,” says Dickherber.“Teachers are truly brain changers!”

[12] Upper School world language teacher DRA. PAULA PONTES, with the help of the Perez-Quintana Culture and Arts Teaching Fund, spent two weeks immersed in the culture of the Cataluña region of Spain, learning about international schools as well as language and culture. In addition, she prepared for the ICGL’s Year of Food with a visit to a coffee farm and cooperative. There, she explored sustainable farming initiatives in a region renowned as the world’s largest coffee producer.

[13] As July turned to August and the start of school drew near, Middle School counselors LELE FALLON and SUE ERRERA attended the Positivity Project (P2) National Conference in Savannah, Ga. In anticipation of the launch of Pace’s Mental Wellness Initiative, Fallon and Errera discovered new ways to foster a positive school culture and student success using P2’s many tools. l

UPPER SCHOOL CONVOCATION SIXTH-GRADE

MIDDLE SCHOOL CONVOCATION

NINTH-GRADE RETREAT

SENIOR RAFTING TRIP

Homecoming hit early this year. On the morning of Sept. 13, students of all ages gathered in the Inman Center gym to kick off the weekend with a neon-themed pep rally, which included performances by the band and cheerleaders, student and faculty competitions, recognition of fall student-athletes, and the introduction of the 2024 Homecoming Court.

During halftime of the varsity football team’s game versus Mays High School, the Pace community once again feted this year’s Homecoming royalty, which included CARYS ALLEN ’28, KIEL CULPEPPER ’28, NEIL FLEMING ’28, GUS LOOMIS ’28, CARLIN BEAVER ’27, MAYA REISS ’27, DAVIS BERMAN ’27, WILL MCDAID ’27, GRACE RICHARDSON ’26, GABI SWARTZ ’26, HAYDEN CLAY ’26, JOHN HARDESTY ’26, HARPER AUCHINCLOSS ’25, ANNA KATE HOWELL ’25, AUDREY WELCH ’25, CHARLIE COSTANZO ’25, WESTON PIERCE ’25 and SAM ROSETTI ’25. Auchincloss and Rosetti were later crowned Homecoming Queen and King. l

Forecast: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs!

The 2024 Pace Academy Fall Fair embraced the Isdell Center for Global Leadership’s annual focus on Food and, on Saturday, Oct. 19, transformed the campus into a cornucopia of fun. The event, inspired by the classic children’s book Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs , featured carnival games, infatables and food trucks, as well as Fall Fair favorites like the Box Maze, Pace Jail, MASH Sideline Tent and the Candy Castle. MEREDITH SUTTON and BETHANY BUTLER co-chaired the delectable day alongside a team of fve-star parent volunteers. Critics raved about the hospitality, ambiance and oversized serving of fun.

Photos by Julian Alexander ’17

Thanks to our Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs sponsors:

when they are seen, loved and heard, they are prepared to face challenges, they trust themselves to be choicemakers and problem-solvers, and, as adults, they can successfully manage their own lives in healthy ways.” Bartolomucci shared tools to help families integrate mental wellness and positive psychology at home and provided developmentally appropriate strategies for emphasizing children’s strengths and fostering resilience.

In September, families interested in helping children navigate social media and technology learned from Chelsea Lopez, director of educator advancement at The Social Institute, an organization dedicated to equipping students, educators and families with skills necessary to navigate the digital world in healthy, high-character ways. In a presentation geared toward parents and caregivers of students in the Lower and Middle Schools, Lopez discussed the impact of social media and technology on students today and provided proactive strategies for fostering responsible technology use.

The Parenting Connection continued the social media conversation during its frst book club meeting of the year, where attendees discussed psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s bestseller, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness . Nearly 50 parents gathered to share and refect on Haidt’s four norms for a healthier childhood: no smartphones before high school; no social media before 16; phone-free schools; and more independence, play and responsibility in the real world.

Those who wished to dive further into issues around technology were invited to participate in Parents on Technology, a Connection Group—small groups open to all parents and caregivers that meet throughout the year to discuss specifc topics.

LIVING RESILIENCE WITH CALEB CAMPBELL LOWER

SCHOOL COFFEE AND CONVERSATION

A new initiative of the Parenting Connection, Connection Group offerings also include Craft Club, Parents on Nutrition and Knights Stroll, a walking club.

November included Living Resilience, a keynote address for both students and parents from Caleb Campbell, a West Point graduate, former U.S. Army lieutenant and former NFL linebacker who now advocates for mental wellness. Campbell’s struggles with mental health led to a personal transformation and career change; he now works “at the intersection of success and emotional wellness,” sharing his insights on vulnerability, emotional intelligence and fnding purpose in an effort to empower others. Resilience was also the topic of conversation at the Parenting Connection book club’s second meeting, which explored How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character, by Paul Tough.

Lower School Coffee and Conversation gatherings bookended the semester. Director of Lower School Student Life ALEX HUGUELET and Lower School counselors MADELYNN COOTS and PAM PETRILLO hosted the informal programs, which examined Pace’s approach to mental wellness as well as parenting strategies to help build resilience in children.

“Our goal is to offer families a variety of ways in which to engage in programming around mental wellness,” Millaway says. “Whether parents join a book club discussion or watch a recording of one of Dr. Bartolomucci’s talks online, we want them to know and feel that the Pace community is here to support them—and to equip them—as they navigate parenthood. We’re all in this together.” l

JUST BE YOU IDENTITY:

For the past three years, the Offce of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion has set an annual theme—an intention—for its work and for the school community. As the 2024–2025 school year began, Chief Equity and Inclusion Offcer JOANNE BEAUVOIR BROWN and Director of Equity and Inclusion BRIA SAMUELS ’13 announced IDENTITY: Just Be You as their focus.

“This year’s theme has a dual purpose,” says Beauvoir Brown. “We want every member of our community to show up as their authentic selves, and we want to clearly articulate and understand our identity as a collective community.”

Using Liza A. Talusan’s The Identity-Conscious Educator: Building Habits & Skills for a More Inclusive School as a framework, Beauvoir Brown and Samuels challenged faculty and staff to use the school’s core values as the foundation for their interactions with students and with each other and, during August pre-planning sessions, employees created community agreements to articulate their shared values within departments and divisions. When students returned to campus, they also reviewed Pace’s core values and Lower School Pillars of Character in the context of identity and of building community.

“With this year’s theme, we emphasize the importance of recognizing and valuing individual identities rather than taking an identity-neutral approach to community building,” says Beauvoir Brown. “By being identity-conscious, we can create a more inclusive environment where everyone’s unique experiences and perspectives are acknowledged and appreciated.” l

Summer School

Recent programs from the OFFICE OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION have included:

Nashville’s Ensworth School once again played host to Tearing Down the Walls, a conference on race and leadership in which students and faculty from nearly 30 Southeastern independent schools participated. The conference affords students from diverse racial and socio-economic backgrounds the opportunity to become bridge-builders in the area of race relations. As one of the gathering’s speakers, Chief Equity and Inclusion Offcer JOANNE BEAUVOIR BROWN helped equip students with the skills they need to be leaders on their campuses. HARRISON BROWN ’26, IZZIE ESHIWANI-NATE ’26, MADELYN FOWLER ’27, KITTY LUBIN ’27, MATTHEW SKOP ’26 and Upper School DEI Coordinator NIKKI MCCRARY represented Pace.

2

Marking the Jewish High Holy Days

September included celebrations around Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the Jewish High Holy Days. Students, faculty and family members educated the Lower School community about the holidays during a dedicated Community Time; members of the Middle and Upper School Jewish Affnity Groups shared their traditions with their peers during special assemblies. In addition, Jewish parents hosted a lunchtime celebration in the Pace Gardens, and Lower School students took part in Tashlich, an atonement ritual performed on Rosh Hashanah in which the previous year’s sins are cast off.

Recent programs from the OFFICE OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION (continued)

OUR CORE VALUES

• We create success through partnership with parents, students and faculty.

• We are dedicated to developing the whole child.

• We have respect for each other and our ideas, beliefs and diverse cultural backgrounds.

• We think critically, embrace curiosity and develop global mindsets. 3

Celebrating Latinx Hispanic Heritage Month

Latinx Hispanic Heritage Month provided opportunities for students, faculty, staff and families across divisions to learn more about and honor the contributions and infuence of Hispanic and Latinx cultures in the U.S.

In the Lower School, visual arts teacher RACHEL NICHOLSON incorporated into her curriculum projects such as nichos (small, hand-made boxes), alebrijes (folk art sculptures), papel picado (traditional folk art made of colorful tissue paper) and sugar skulls, which were included in a Lower School ofrenda, or altar, celebrating Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Lower Schoolers, led by Spanish teachers POLI APARICIO and VIVIANA LOPEZ, also participated in The Pulsera Project, a fundraising initiative beneftting Nicaraguan artisans. Over the 11 years that Pace has partnered with The Pulsera Project, the school has raised nearly $33,000 through the sale of colorful hand-woven bracelets.

Students in MARIA SINGLETON’s seventh-grade Spanish class undertook a project about Latinx Hispanic Heritage Month, which included researching the history and evolution of piñatas before making their own using paper-mache. In the Upper School, members of the Hispanic and Latinx Alliance group, led by LAURA AGRONT-HOBBS, kicked off the month with an educational assembly and closed it with a live ofrenda display commemorating Dia de los Muertos.

Latinx Hispanic Heritage Month concluded with student- and family-led festivities under the tent in the Pace Gardens, which included traditional Latin American cuisine, music and dancing.

Creating Community

In September, families of color in every division gathered to connect, welcome those new to Pace and catch up with old friends at a back-to-school gathering. Attendees enjoyed food, fun and fellowship. In addition, Pace families with same-sex parents came together to celebrate the new school year at an event hosted by parents RICK MCMURTRY and RANDALL KILPATRICK

Honoring Indigenous Heritage

On the second Monday in October and throughout the month of November, the U.S. celebrates Indigenous peoples past and present. The Lower School community, led by Pace parent BILLY RICE and WILLOW RICE ’33 and Pace parent DANIELLE SCARBOROUGH and KELLON SCARBOROUGH ’36, honored the occasion during Community Time.

Upper School students in MINDY LAWRENCE’s AP European History and American History classes collaborated on a presentation focused on Columbus’ arrival in the Americas and the lasting impact on Indigenous people. “My students also shared the ways in which Native Americans in Georgia and surrounding states were affected by European explorers and settlement in addition to highlighting the history of both Columbus Day and the recent shift that some states have made to the celebration of Indigenous Peoples’ Day,” Lawrence reports.

1 2 3 5 4

Welcome to the TEAM!

New faculty and staff assume leadership positions

TATUM BRANAMAN [1]

Associate Director of the Isdell Center for Global Leadership

Branaman oversees the Isdell Center for Global Leaderhip’s community engagement program and loves pairing academics with real-world challenges. She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology from the University of Central Arkansas, served in the Peace Corps in Ethiopia, and previously coordinated service programs at Atlanta Girls' School and The Kinkaid School in Houston.

PATRICK J. CAMPBELL [2]

Assistant Head of Middle School for Student Life

Campbell joined the Pace community from Whitefeld Academy, where he served as dean of students. He earned a Master of Arts from Columbia International University and a Master of Education from Concordia University-Portland, and he brings more than two decades of teaching experience to his role. In addition to his administrative duties, Campbell teaches history and coaches Middle School girls soccer.

CURTIS JOHNSON [3]

Associate Director of College Counseling

Johnson joined the Offce of College Counseling from Woodberry Forest School in Virginia, where he served as associate director of college counseling. His resume also includes stints at Memphis University School and Sewanee: The University of the South, his collegiate alma mater. In May 2025, Johnson will graduate from Columbia University’s Teachers College with a master’s in independent school leadership.

SERETHA JOHNSON [4]

Front Offce Coordinator

From her perch at the front desk of Pace’s iconic Castle, Johnson ensures that guests and school community members alike feel welcome and appreciated. A graduate of Tennessee State University, she has worked as a realtor and in various capacities at Delta Air Lines and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

GARY WILKINS [5]

Director of Strength and Conditioning

Wilkins joined the Offce of Athletics after working in strength and conditioning at North Carolina State University, Morehouse College and Georgia State University. A former collegiate and professional football player, Wilkins earned a bachelor’s degree from Furman University. l

Inside the SONI FAMILY LIBRARY

BRITTANY BARNES [6]

Lower School Head Librarian

A graduate of Kennesaw State University with a master’s in library and information science from the University of West Georgia, Barnes came to Pace from Atlanta Public Schools, where she served as a library media specialist. A former classroom teacher, she strives to develop and nurture a rich love of literacy in students, faculty and the Pace community as a whole.

NIKKI POYER [7]

Lower School Librarian

Now in her 10th year at Pace, Poyer has moved from the Castle front desk to the Lower School’s Soni Family Library. She earned a bachelor’s in English from Northern Illinois University and will complete her master’s in library and information science at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee this spring. l

Have you included Pace in your will or estate plan? If so, you are a Castle Circle member, and we hope you’ll let us know!

If you’d like to confrm—or explore— Castle Circle membership, please contact TED JEFFRIES in the Offce of Advancement at 404-926-3725 x208 or ted.jeffries@paceacademy.org, or visit www.paceacademy.org/planned-giving for information.

INFaces & Spaces, we introduce members of our faculty via the classrooms and offces where they spend their time. In this issue, we talk to Upper School visual arts teacher DONICE BLOODWORTH

01. “The Pace community is so family oriented,” Bloodworth says. “I keep in touch with parents of alumni—some text just to check in, some call for parenting advice, some just want to get together. I love that I’ve been a part of that for 24 years.”

02. “I let my students use their own voices more than me trying to fnd the voices I want them to have,” Bloodworth says. “There’s freedom in that. Kids should have fun and should express themselves. Taking that approach has been an area of growth for me in my teaching, and I think it’s refected in my room.”

03. A decade ago, GRAHAM ANTHONY, now Head of Middle School, recruited Bloodworth to help coach Middle School wrestling. Not long after, the baseball program also came calling. “I’m the only person on the varsity baseball staff who didn’t play professional baseball,” Bloodworth chuckles. “I love it. I’ve met so many amazing people through coaching.”

04. Bloodworth’s Pace Academy career began in 2001. Since then, generations of students have cycled through his classroom studio, discovering new talents in courses like Drawing and Painting and honing their skills in Advanced Studio Art. Many have found a lifelong friend in their teacher. “I try to create a really comfortable, safe space,” Bloodworth says. “When kids need advice or support, they know that they can come to me—even years after they’ve graduated. I really enjoy that. Through art, I’ve become a teacher of relationships.”

05. Over the years, work by alumni including LAUREN QUIN ’11, LYDIA JAMES ’15 and CAROLYN PROPST ’15, now professional artists, has adorned one wall in Bloodworth’s classroom. The current piece, which Bloodworth painted, is a tribute to BRIANNA COCHRAN ’13, PARKER BERMAN ’17 and STEPHEN WALKER ’17, members of the Pace community who have passed away.

06. An acclaimed professional artist who works under the name DaCre8iveOne, Bloodworth earned a bachelor’s of fne arts in illustration from the Atlanta College of Art. His work, particularly his award-winning Naturally series, “celebrates people,” he says. “I mostly paint Black people, and my goal is to make sure that they feel beautiful. The highest compliment I receive is when a mom tells me she put my images in her daughter’s room because her daughter doesn’t like her hair. I want the world to see and feel the beauty that I see in people.”

07. It’s hard to spot the walls in Bloodworth’s studio. Notes, inspiring quotes, graduation invitations, newspaper clippings, doodles and drawings—a living archive of his time at Pace—cover every surface. “It all reminds me of this community and what we do here.”

08. Improvement is the name of the game when it comes to Bloodworth’s pedagogical goals.

“I’m not the nicest critiquer,” he reports.

“My goal is for students to be better than they were when they walked in here. I think I shock a lot of kids with my honest feedback, but I want them to challenge themselves.”

FACES & SPACES

Pace Fund Co-Chairs

ALLI & MATT

RICHARDSON

Pace Fund New Family and Inclusion Co-Chairs

AISHA & MARCELLUS

PARKER

Pace Fund Co-Chairs

KERI & JIM

ROTH

Pace Fund New Family and Inclusion Co-Chairs

COTE & MARC

SPIEGEL

Meet the Pace Fund Volunteer Team

This year’s Pace Fund volunteer leadership team embodies what it means to give back while deepening their personal relationships within the Pace Academy community. Pace Fund Co-Chairs ALLI and MATT RICHARDSON and KERI and JIM ROTH fnd meaning in the place where volunteerism and philanthropy intersect.

The Richardsons are parents to REID RICHARDSON ’25, GRACE RICHARDSON ’26 and GRAHAM RICHARDSON ’30 and give to the Pace Fund because they treasure the community they’ve found here.

“Pace is such a special place, and the Pace Fund is the school’s top giving priority,” says Alli. “If we can do this one very simple thing that Pace asks of us to enhance this environment, it’s a no-brainer for us.”

Fundamental to cultivating and maintaining Pace’s sense of inclusion and belonging among Pace’s parent community is the role of AISHA and MARCELLUS PARKER and COTE and MARC SPIEGEL , this year’s Pace Fund New Family and Inclusion co-chairs. Cote Spiegel says her fondest memory at Pace is how the community helped welcome her daughter, ANSLEY SPIEGEL ’35, as a newcomer to the school: “All the steps and intentional preparation poured into Ansley were amazing.”

For Aisha Parker, a Pace highlight has been witnessing the impact of the Isdell Center for Global Leadership (ICGL) on her son, BRYSON PARKER ’30. “The ICGL allows students to engage directly with the broader world, enhancing their understanding and appreciation of diverse communities and cultures. It also fosters a commitment, both individually and within the Pace community, to creating positive and lasting change.” l

SCAN NOW! Join the Richardsons, Roths, Parkers and Spiegels in giving to the 2024–2025 Pace Fund. Learn more and make a gift or pledge at www.paceacademy.org/support/the-pace-fund

welc oming Lauren L orberbaum to the Board of Trustees

This fall, LAUREN LORBERBAUM joins Pace Academy’s Board of Trustees. A Pace parent since 2020, Lorberbaum and her family have been all-in with Pace since their arrival, and we are thrilled to welcome her to the Board.

Lauren and her husband, SEAN DONOHUE, have three children: CARSON DONOHUE, EMMA DONOHUE ’32 and PAIGE DONOHUE ’32. Pace has quickly become a second home to the Donohue family. “We moved to Atlanta from New York City suddenly in 2020 with few roots. Pace immediately impressed us with its strong sense of community, diversity and [Lower School] Pillars of Character.” Like many families, the Donohue children missed out on critical time in the classroom during COVID. “We found the ARC [Academic Resource Center] program to be an integral part of our academic transition to Pace. The school was immediately capable of meeting the individual needs of our children and creating a more seamless transition back into the classroom.”

Lorberbaum is a graduate of Girls Preparatory School in Chattanooga, Tenn., and received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania. She remains engaged with her alma mater through the nonproft Penn Pro Bono Alumni Consulting, where she serves on the board and advises small nonprofts on how to address their unique challenges. In her professional life, she is an accomplished consultant for fnancial institutions. Lorberbaum has spent time at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as well as Diamond Management and Technology Consultants. Currently, she works as an independent consultant collaborating with institutions to improve their IT and business strategies.

Since joining Pace, Lorberbaum has been active with the Lower School in various capacities, such as serving as a grade representative and volunteering at events. As she steps into her new role on the Board, Lorberbaum looks forward to further supporting the community that has given so much to her family.

“I hope Pace remains a place where all children can thrive, where they set high expectations for themselves and develop the confdence and knowledge to ask big questions and tackle complex problems,” she says. l

2024–2025 Parent Organization Leaders

As the Pace Academy community embarked on another year, the school welcomed new leadership across its parent organizations. ASHLEY GRICE and DAVID GRICE took the helm as co-presidents of the Booster Club; GINGER FAY and JULIA KAUFMAN now lead the Pace Arts Alliance; and KATHERINE MITCHELL serves as president of the Parents Club.

Thanks to all of this year’s parent leaders and volunteers!

BOOSTER CLUB LEADERSHIP

CO-PRESIDENTS: Ashley [1] & David [2] Grice

VICE-PRESIDENTS: Lisa & Tim Lemke

SECRETARY: Sara Blackwood

TREASURERS: Buddy Blaha & Neil Nag

PACE ARTS ALLIANCE LEADERSHIP

CO-PRESIDENTS: Ginger Fay [3] & Julia Kaufman [4]

SECRETARY: Melissa Sebel

TREASURER: Ella Avdyeyeva

PAST PRESIDENT: Ann McLean Nagle ’87

PARENTS CLUB LEADERSHIP

PRESIDENT: Katherine Mitchell [5]

VICE PRESIDENT: Sneha Desai

SECRETARY: Sylvia Gies

TREASURER: Jared Brown

PAST PRESIDENT: Stephanie McDonald

Photos by Julian Alexander ’17

an evening of gratitude

Celebrating Knights Circle Members

On Sept. 18, Pace Academy hosted more than 70 members of the Knights Circle, the Pace Fund’s highest level of giving, in the Kam Memar Lower School’s Gandhi Hall to enjoy delicious food and even better company. The gathering, now in its ninth year, is an opportunity for Pace to show its deep appreciation for members’ dedication to the school. During the 2023–2024 school year, attendees contributed transformational gifts to Pace with donations of $10,000 or more.

During the evening’s program, Board of Trustees Chair ELIZABETH CORRELL RICHARDS welcomed and thanked guests for their leadership and generosity not only to the Pace Fund, but also to the Accelerate Pace capital campaign and to Excellence in Every Endeavor, the initiatives outlined in the school’s strategic plan. She thanked 2023–2024 Pace Fund Co-Chairs CIARA IRONS and BILL MONROE, as well as the additional 50 parent volunteers who inspired families to participate. Head of School FRED ASSAF discussed strategic goals for the year as outlined in the strategic plan, and he introduced the Isdell Center for Global Leadership’s Visiting Scholar DR. SHAUNA DOWNS, who refected on this year’s global theme of Food

We celebrate each and every member of the Knights Circle and give deep thanks to all Pace Fund donors, who together gave more than $2.4 million in the 2023–2024 school year. l

The Upper School One-Act

Members of the Upper School drama department really fexed their acting chops by taking on a 55-minute cut of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing as their submission to this year’s regional GHSA One-Act Competition. Through twists and turns, mayhem and mix-ups, the piece highlighted the danger in believing everything you hear and the importance of allowing yourself to change your mind and follow your heart.

The annual competition presents a unique set of growing pains to actors and technicians alike. “It defnitely challenges you because you have to get used to performing in front of judges,” says HANNAH KLEIN ’25 (pictured in blue dress), who played the role of Beatrice. “Our audiences are normally parents and friends, so no one is directly judging you. Another challenge is the competition’s time constraint—you can’t really revel as much. You have to focus on the time.”

Shakespeare, as a genre, provides a unique growth opportunity of its own. “This was a chance for us to just live in the language of the material,” Director of Fine Arts SEAN BRYAN notes. Acting in a Shakespearean play provides a supplementary education to dissecting unfamiliar writing styles in English classes. The language and meter of the piece challenges actors and technicians to maintain a melodic fow rarely seen in modern work. “You can’t paraphrase your lines,” Klein refects. “That was harder, too.”

“It’s about the actors connecting with the words; it’s about the crew connecting with the next set change,” says Bryan. “When everything is connected, we can have an amazing, imaginative, magical evening of theater storytelling… that’s what makes it special.” And work as a connected team they did.

However challenging, the GHSA One-Act Competition is universally loved by students who participate, as it provides a moment for true ensemble work. “Everyone is nice to you,” says JEFF KLINGER ’28. “Being the only freshman in the play, I was a little afraid that I would end up just sitting in the corner waiting for my scene. But everyone, from sophomores to seniors, was incredibly welcoming and fun.” l

Nothing to See Here

Got Spirit! Got Spirit! Middle School’s Middle School’s

IF ALIENS EVER INVADE Pace Academy, we now know that there is nothing to fear. The cast of Aliens vs. Cheerleaders, this year’s Middle School play, used kick-butt karate moves and ’80s references to leave the audience in stitches. But nothing prepared patrons for the 14-foot-tall robot, manned by alien cast members, that marked the climax of the fnal fght scene.

Director PATRICK CAMPBELL brought yet another bright, fun, comedic success to the stage that highlighted the actors’ ability to jump, head-frst, into wacky roles and make them their own. The technicians, led by Production Manager SCOTT SARGENT and Technical Director JAX ROOTES, rose to a challenge and made sci-fction come to life. The show dazzled and entertained while driving home the message that you don’t need to be a government-trained super soldier to take on an alien, or a bully; you just need spirit! l

Photos by FRED ASSAF and ANN MCLEAN NAGLE ’87

Upper School student-artists continued tradition by gracing The Zalik Theater lobby with the breathtaking work featured in this year’s Juried Art Exhibit. Open to all Upper School students, this annual showcase includes art in several mediums—from pottery to photography to paintings—and pieces that cross multiple mediums. Faculty and members of the Advanced Studio Art class evaluated the pieces, resulting in awards for ANGELIKA AVDYEYEVA ’26 (Faculty Award) and KATE CUNNINGHAM ’25 (Studio Best in Show). Honorable Mentions went to GRIFFIN BRYAN ’25, HAYES HURD ’26, KATE CUNNINGHAM ’25 and LUCA VENTURI ’26 l

1. Sculpture by Griffn Bryan ’25, Honorable Mention

2. Vase by Hayes Hurd ’26, Honorable Mention

3. Painting by Kate Cunningham ’25, Best in Show

4. Cunningham (left) and Avdyeyeva (right)

5. Painting by Angelika Avdyeyeva ’26, Best in Show 2

Introducing THE 12-HOUR PLAY FESTIVAL

Rome wasn’t built in a day—but Rome didn’t have a group of Pace Academy artists working on its construction. On Aug. 31, at promptly 7 a.m., Upper School theater students gathered to conceptualize, write, act, costume and technically design a series of 10-minute plays. The students were split into groups of three and given the simple parameter that their play must begin with the phrase “I’ve been betrayed.”

Overseen by Technical Director JAX ROOTES and Communications Associate SAVANNAH ROOTES, as well as Atlanta-based playwright and author LUKE EVANS, students ran with the prompt and created three distinct pieces: a high-stakes mystery drama, a scandalous and shocking telenovela and a playwithin-a-play gone wrong that played on the ever-beloved trope of miscommunication.

“Students proved to themselves they could rise to meet a challenge and pushed themselves out of their comfort zones,” the Rooteses report. “The experience taught them the value of casting off perfection for the sake of creation and reminded them what they can accomplish when they work as a team. We hope that this year’s festival marks the start of an annual tradition.” l

ICGL Visiting Scholar Dr. Shauna Downs discusses food security

“Why does food security matter?” Isdell Center for Global Leadership (ICGL) Visiting Scholar DR. SHAUNA DOWNS asked students during her three-day visit to Pace Academy in September. “And why, even in the richest countries in the world, is food insecurity a problem we can’t seem to solve?”

Downs, associate professor at the Rutgers School of Public Health, was on campus to talk Food, the 2024–2025 ICGL annual theme. A food systems scientist, Downs researches the design, impact and implementation of interventions aimed at promoting food and nutrition security—universal access to healthy food that meets all peoples’ dietary needs. She’s traveled the world while exploring food environments in low- and middle-income countries and their infuence on sustainable diets, and she has a particular interest in the links between climate, food systems, diets and nutrition.

Food security affects every aspect of human existence, Downs explained to students, faculty, staff and friends of the school. In fact, the United Nations has declared Zero Hunger the second of its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which aim to address the world’s most pressing social, environmental and economic challenges by 2030. “From disease and emotional well-being to the economy and education, everything is dependent on food,” Downs said. “But today, nearly 3 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet. What’s getting in the way of achieving SDG 2?”

Downs believes that increased awareness of peoples’ lived experiences must serve as the foundation of society’s journey to food security. “We have to understand the systems that infuence the problem in order to create solutions,” she said during her visit, pointing to climate change, infation, population growth, war and waste as major contributors to food insecurity— but also to the choices individuals and communities make on a daily basis.

“Globally, we produce enough food to feed everyone on earth, but, for myriad reasons, we waste one-third of all of that food,” Downs reported. “If we can reduce waste, redistribute potentially wasted food and eat more plant-powered meals, we could make more nutritious food available to more people.”

Growing food in better, more sustainable ways will also lead to increased food security, Downs said. “For example, in the U.S., we typically grow one crop per feld per growing season, which leaves farms and farmers vulnerable should disaster strike. Integrating crop diversifcation and soil conservation with cover crops and reducing chemical inputs would make farms more resilient and sustainable in the long run.” In addition, Downs said, reducing inequality in the food system—by funding government programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), supporting the farm bill and engaging in research that promotes sustainable agriculture practices— also makes healthy food more accessible.

“While SDG 2 feels unattainable, there are things you can do to help ensure a food-secure future,” Downs told students. “Be curious about why systems are the way they are. Ask questions. Adopt a global mindset and seek out people with different perspectives. Make changes in the ways you think about and consume food and support others as they do the same. Let’s work together to co-create solutions.” l

FEEDING THE FUTURE

Published in 2022, The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2022 provides a global overview of progress on the implementation of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture” is the second of 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

F OOD F A CTS

Here’s where things stand:

• About 1 in 10 people worldwide suffers from hunger

• Nearly 1 in 3 people lacks regular access to food

• Soaring food prices affected 47% of countries in 2020 (up from 16% in 2019)

• 149.2 million children under age 5 suffer from stunted growth

LEARN MORE AT: unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2022/

Isdell Global Leaders explore FOOD in New

York City

TAKING A BITE OUT OF THE BIG APPLE

INOctober, the Upper School’s 2024–2025 Isdell Global Leaders (IGLs)— SAMANTHA AYENI ’26, DAVID HALSEY ’26, REESE HONEYCUTT ’26 and CULLEN WEST ’26 —embarked on a feld research expedition to New York City. Selected through an intensive application process, the IGLs are spending the school year exploring all things Food, this year’s Isdell Center for Global Leadership (ICGL) global theme. Their work includes coursework, research, two travel opportunities and a commitment to sharing their fndings with the Pace Academy community.

Led by ICGL Director TRISH ANDERSON and Associate Director TATUM BRANAMAN, the group tackled a robust itinerary that spanned four of New York’s fve boroughs—Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens—as well as Governors Island. Their goal was threefold: to examine how immigrant cultures are embedded in and experienced through food; to explore food access and equity systems in a mega-city; and to understand the relationship between food production and climate change through academic and policy discussions.

Over the course of the week, the group engaged in hands-on and immersive experiences while logging approximately 15,000 steps each day. In the West Village, they focused on the history of Italian pizza-making, while on the Lower East Side, they delved into Jewish immigrant life and cuisine, sampling classic dishes at Kossar’s Bagels and Bialys, Yonah Schimmel’s Knish Bakery, and Katz’s Deli. They observed how the area, once home to Jewish, Italian, Irish and German immigrants, has evolved into a hub for newer Asian immigrant communities. And, in Jackson Heights—where more

than 100 languages are spoken—street food from Bangladeshi, Nepalese and Mexican vendors took center stage.

“We really focused on the diverse immigrant and cultural groups, the foods specifc to those groups, and how the foods evolved once they made their way to New York,” Ayeni says. “It was fascinating to see how these distinct cultures have not only integrated into the city but also transformed it in signifcant ways.”

A visit to Manhattan’s Union Square Greenmarket prompted conversations regarding food access and agriculture. The market features more than 140 vendors, offering fresh, regional produce while supporting programs like SNAP/EBT and FMNP, government-funded initiatives aimed at alleviating food insecurity. The discussion continued at La Morada, a renowned Oaxacan restaurant in the Bronx that doubles as a mutual aid kitchen, providing 5,000 meals a week to local communities and serving as a model of culturally responsive support for residents in the Bronx, Washington Heights and Harlem.

At both the CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute in Manhattan and Riverdale

Neighborhood House in the Bronx, the IGLs learned how many in the academic and nonproft sectors are working to foster equitable, sustainable and communitybased food systems.

“I learned that the biggest threat to agriculture is consolidation,” Honeycutt reports. “By disenfranchising local farmers, we create more dependency on large-scale agriculture, which speeds climate change and reduces access to healthy food, among other negative impacts. Instead, if we diversify the food system, we increase sustainability and food sovereignty, and more people gain access to it.”

Rooftop farms like those operated by Brooklyn Grange offered the IGLs additional insight into sustainable, food-secure living in urban settings as well as the intersection of food production and climate goals, which Glenn Denning of Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs discussed with the group.

“Professor Denning taught us that it really does matter what you put in your body,” West says. “You can be eating plenty of food, but if you’re not eating healthy food, you’re still food insecure.”

At New York University, Dr. Matthew Hayek’s lab offered a powerful example of this situation, Halsey says. “We learned about Indigenous people who were pushed from New York into New Jersey. The state knowingly sold them contaminated land, which has caused all kinds of health problems. That really stuck with me—people in marginalized communities often don’t have food sovereignty.”

The IGLs continue to ponder the lessons learned in New York and consider how to implement changes in their own lives that will promote food security and sustainability.

“At lunch and after school, I’m more likely to go to the salad bar,” West says.

“We’ve talked about asking [Pace’s dining service] Flik to move the vegetarian option to the front of the lunch line,” Ayeni reports. “Or we could close the Snack Bar at lunch so people have to eat in the cafeteria, which would reduce food waste.”

They’ve foated the idea of rooftop gardens on campus or an expanded hydroponics program. “We want to make nudges,” Honeycutt says. “We want to implement practices at Pace that will encourage better relationships with food.” l

FOOD TERMS TO KNOW

FOOD SECURITY: Access to affordable, nutritious and culturally appropriate food for all people at all times

FOOD EQUITY: Access to affordable, good food for all community members

FOOD INSECURITY: The limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe food, or the limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways

FOOD SOVEREIGNTY: A community’s ability to determine the quantity and quality of the food that they consume by controlling how their food is produced and distributed

SOURCE:

FEEDING ATLANTA

Third graders helped tackle local food insecurity during feld trips to the Atlanta Community Food Bank, an organization dedicated to ending hunger in Atlanta, where one in six children goes to bed hungry every night. Students sorted and packaged food, which was then distributed to food pantries, community kitchens and child care centers across the city. l

THE YEAR OF FOOD

From family recipes and feld trips to matcha and macromolecules, here’s how Pace Academy is digging into the 2024–2025 ICGL theme…

A PLATE OF HOPE

Un Plato de Esperanza, the story of Spanish-American Chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen—an organization that provides meals in the wake of natural disasters and humanitarian crises around the world—served as a jumping-off point for ffth graders’ discussion of food security, sustainable farming and the ICGL essential question “How does food connect the people and the planet?” The discussion continued in science class as students tested food for various nutrients and, in Spanish, used visual thinking strategies to deepen their understanding of food insecurity in Mexico. l

WHEN FUNGI IS FOOD

Seventh-grade students explored science concepts, particularly the periodic table, by examining elements found in everyday foods from around the world. Recently, their focus shifted to fungi and the nutritional and sustainable value of mushrooms and other plant-based foods. As part of this hands-on learning, students grew their own mushrooms and tracked the various stages of development. l

BRINGING THAILAND TO THE LOWER SCHOOL

This past April, a cohort of Lower School faculty members traveled to Thailand to prepare for the ICGL’s Year of Food. Cohort members are tasked with using their learning to develop classroom curriculum around the theme, and to kick things off, the 10 teachers created an interactive exhibit throughout the Kam Memar Lower School highlighting experiences such as seed-saving, traditional cooking, and exploring Thai markets and farms. As part of pre-planning in August, Lower School faculty members, guided by the cohort, toured the exhibit. Once students returned to campus, coordinated scavenger hunts allowed them to engage with the colorful, creative displays. l

FOOD HIGHWAYS

This year’s Upper School ICGL Food Highways Fellows, led by faculty members MINDY LAWRENCE and JENNIFER WILSON, have spent the semester exploring the history, cultures and traditions behind the many restaurants along Atlanta’s Buford Highway and other local culinary destinations. Their recent recommendations? Try El Rey Del Taco and Matcha Cafe Maiko. l

COOKING UP CONNECTIONS

Throughout the frst semester, parents of second graders visited classrooms to share family recipes that refect their cultures. From crepes and quesadillas to gyoza and guacamole, students sampled traditional cuisines from around the world while learning about their classmates’ favorite family dishes. The Food exploration continued with a visit to HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern, where students tackled one of this year’s ICGL essential questions: “Where does our food come from?” Big Table Restaurants’ Catering and Events Manager Jason Storm guided students through educational stations covering topics such as herb exploration and food sourcing. l

ICGL GALLERY

Last year, in preparation for The Year of Food, members of the Middle School ICGL Faculty Cohort traveled to Chile and Thailand. Their learning came to life for eighth-grade students, who toured a gallery of photos taken on the trips and, in science classes, connected their teachers’ experiences abroad to the ICGL’s essential questions: “Who has access to food?,” “How does food infuence culture, health and happiness?” and “How does food production impact the government, economics and the environment?” l

FOOD SCIENCE

“Food is probably the easiest ICGL theme to incorporate into biology,” says Science Department Chair DR. KAYLAN HAIZLIP. Students in Haizlip’s AP Biology class kicked off their exploration of all things Food by studying macromolecules that make up what we eat. “We utilize these large building blocks to build up our muscles and all of our organs,” Haizlip reports. Study of cellular respiration—the breaking down of food into energy—is next on the syllabus. l

GRAB YOUR PRE-FIRST PASSPORT!

Every year, students in Pre-First “travel” around the world, investigating countries and cultures from Kenya to China. This year, the Class of 2037’s study of Mexico incorporated learning around ancient methods of food production, namely chinampas, or foating gardens. Early Aztec populations developed these chinampas by constructing rectangular plots on shallow lake beds to grow crops like fruits and vegetables. Students discovered that today, Mexico City’s Xochimilco district is renowned for its colorful trajineras, fat-bottomed boats inspired by the area’s historic gardens and canals—and they even created their own! l

THE PACE ACADEMY

community may be in the midst of the Isdell Center for Global Leadership’s (ICGL) Year of Food, but certain members of the ICGL team already have their sights set on 2025–2026, The Year of Climate. “Incorporating our annual global theme into our curriculum takes a tremendous amount of time and planning,” says ICGL Director TRISH ANDERSON. “That’s where our Lower and Middle School ICGL Faculty Cohorts come in.”

During the 2023–2024 school year, nine Middle School teachers and 11 Lower School faculty members participated in three study tours to Chile and Thailand. Their goal was to gather information, insights, materials and ideas to share with students and the Pace community throughout The Year of Food. “By sharing their experiences with our younger students, our faculty bring the ICGL theme to life in ways that simply would not be possible without having boots on the ground,” Anderson explains.

The frst cadre of the Climate cohort—Head of Middle School GRAHAM ANTHONY, science teacher LISA DUBOVY, STEAM teacher KATIE SANDLIN and math teacher KORREY WALFORD —took to the skies in October to explore climate change, climate justice and youth engagement in Denmark.

“I’ve been studying climate change for more than 25 years, and I wanted to visit a city that has actually made some changes,” Dubovy says. Denmark became the frst nation in the world to establish a Ministry of Environment in 1971 and has since invested heavily in clean energy and climate action. The country consistently ranks frst on the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), which uses a standardized framework to compare the climate performance of 59 countries and the European Union. Denmark also relies on public-private partnerships to advance green solutions.

Copenhagen served as the cohort’s home base during their time abroad. There, they explored the causes and impacts of rising global temperatures, extreme weather and sea-level changes while examining strategies for mitigation and adaptation. Visits to the Danish Architecture Center’s Water is Coming exhibit and CopenHill—a waste-to-energy plant that doubles as a recreational space—highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative technology in addressing global climate challenges. Bike tours and time in the eco-city of Augustenborg and sustainable neighborhoods like Nordhavn showcased Denmark’s leadership in sustainable urban design and progressive climate policies.

Local experts and educators also contributed to the cohort’s discussions. “Meeting with Ditte Lysgaard Vind at BLOXHUB, the Nordic hub for sustainable organizations, was particularly insightful,” Anthony says. “She and her team have developed a framework that operates within two critical boundaries: planetary limits and societal needs. By framing the challenge as a balance between these boundaries, BLOXHUB has shifted its mission toward exploring positive, creative solutions within specifc constraints.”

Dubovy plans to incorporate her fndings into her sixth-grade science curriculum. “I’ve restructured my environmental unit and designed a project that will allow students to explore various pathways to creating sustainable communities,” she explains. “My hope is that they’ll not only learn but also be inspired to make changes in our own community.”

Anthony shares similar plans. “It was such a refreshing and exciting experience to become a student again, even for just a week,” he refects. “Having dedicated time to immerse myself in an incredible experience abroad while being educated by a team of experts is a rare opportunity for teachers. With knowledge comes passion, and not even jet lag can dull the enthusiasm, rejuvenation and motivation I’ve gained. I’m excited to bring these resources and insights back to our colleagues to enrich everything we do.” l

THE MIDDLE SCHOOL ICGL COHORT PREPARES FOR CLIMATE ACTION

CHIP PORTER ’78 and Maudlin Pond Press have released The Li’l Bronze Derby That Was! —a book capturing the intense historical rivalry between Newberry College and Presbyterian College, known as the Bronze Derby. Chip, a proud Presbyterian College alumnus, is also the author of The Southern Massacre: The Story of the 1979 Presbyterian College Blue Hose Football Team. You can fnd The Li’l Bronze Derby That Was! at maudlinpond.com

[01] The Brooklyn Museum selected artist and studio furniture maker RICHARD HAINING ’97 for its Brooklyn Artists Exhibition, running through Jan. 26, 2025, and celebrating the remarkable creativity and diversity of Brooklyn’s populace. The exhibit features 200 artists, chosen from more than 4,000 applicants. Richard, known for his STACKED Collection, created the selected vessel from California redwood salvaged from decommissioned New York City water towers that once graced the city’s skyline.

[02] C.J. THOMAS ’23 is a computer science intern at Corbin Advisors, a business management consulting, valuation and advisory frm. “Day to day, my job involves both back-end tasks, like creating a web-scraping program to collect information, and front-end tasks, such as designing a dashboard to organize that information visually,” C.J. writes. “I’m thankful that Pace offered computer science and that I had teachers like ALEX ERMIDES who helped me explore my interests and career path.”

FACULTY & STAFF MILESTONES

[03] Upper School Academic Coach JORDAN SILVERBOARD and her husband, Dan, welcomed daughter Ellie Reid on July 20, 2024.

[04 – 05] Maintenance and grounds crew member LIONEL SMITH and his wife, Katelyn, welcomed a new family member on Sept. 20, 2024. Lionel Nazira Jr. weighed 8 pounds, 9 ounces and was 21 inches long. Big sister Norah is thrilled.

MARRIAGES

[06] LUCY WELLBORN SMITH ’13 and WILLIAM SMITH ’12 were married on Aug. 24, 2024, at the Piedmont Driving Club in Atlanta. BENTLEY LELLYETT ’12, JIMBO SMITH ’20, ANDREW THURMAN ’12, JAMES WALSH ’12, JONATHAN WEBSTER ’12, SALLIE HAYS MARTINEZ ’13, SARA MULLALLY ’13, ALEX PARÉ ’13, JULIE SMITH ’18 and CAROLINE SMITH WASSERMAN ’13 were in the wedding party. The couple lives in Atlanta.

[07– 08] MORGAN BREWTON-JOHNSON ’14 married Sam Hall on Oct. 11, 2024, at Beacon Hill Books and Cafe in Boston. KENNY SELMON ’14 and HANNAH SEABRIGHT ’14 attended. The couple met while studying at Princeton University and, nine years later, tied the knot. Morgan recently completed a three-year MPP/MBA program at Harvard Business School and deferred her return to Bain & Company for a year while working as a talent manager in the worlds of fashion and Formula 1 racing, an opportunity that allowed her to spend six months in Paris. “Now I'm back

at Bain while Sam fnishes his MBA at MIT,” Morgan reports. The couple lives in Boston with their dog, Zoe.

[09] CALLIE CUNNINGHAM WAGGONER ’14 married Brett Waggoner on Sept. 21, 2024, at Vintage Oaks Farm in Watkinsville, Ga. Alumni in attendance included CAROLINE MILLS BURRUSS ’15, CHARLIE BURRUSS ’14, TOMMY BURRUSS ’14, JARED DATOC ’14, EMMA DOWNEY ’17, SAM DOWNEY ’14, BOBBY STONECIPHER ’14 and JULES ZAPPONE ’14. The very proud parents of the bride are longtime Pace faculty members JOLIE CUNNINGHAM and STEVE CUNNINGHAM. Middle School teacher ANNA MURPHY provided foral arrangements and decor for the celebration.

[10] ELIZABETH HAWN WOLEY ’16 and Rankin Woley were married on Oct. 19, 2024, at Caledonia Golf & Fish Club on Pawleys Island, S.C.

[11–12] ALEXIS BENSON JENKINS ’17 and ANDREW JENKINS ’19 were married on Oct. 19, 2024, at The Roof at Ponce City Market in Atlanta. Alumni in attendance included MAGGIE JENKINS ’21, JAKE JENKINS ’16, SOPHIE FERRY ’18, SANDY XIE ’17, KENDALL KIRKMAN ’17, KATIE JORDAN ’17, BRIAN ZELDIN ’19, JACK FERGUSON ’19, CARTER FERGUSON ’19 and JUNE BRENNER ’16

The couple lives in Dallas, Texas, where Alexis is an associate attorney for Winston & Strawn LLP, and Andrew plays baseball in the Detroit Tigers organization.

[13 –14] ISABELLA ABDULLAH LOPRESTI ’17 married Anthony Lopresti on Oct. 19, 2024, at the Cator Woolford Gardens in Atlanta. Alumni in attendance included CAROLINA ABDULLAH ’15, KATE BETHEL ’17, KAKI COX ’17, JOSIE CROSS ’17, OLIVIA DILLON ’17, JESSICA HAIDET ’17, MOLLY LEVINE ’17, SALLIE QUINER ’17, JUSTIN RAYMAN ’17, BEN SIEGEL ’17 and HARRIS QUINER ’15

BIRTHS

[15] ADAIR ROGERS VILELLA ’02 and her husband, Joaquim, had a baby girl, Isabella Ref, on Oct. 23, 2024. Isabella weighed 7 pounds, 10 ounces. The family lives in Atlanta.

[16 –17] MAGGIE REYNOLDS ’06 and her husband, Tom Roberts, welcomed daughter Mary Coleman, “Colby,” on Aug. 21, 2024. Colby was 7 pounds, 1 ounce and joins big (canine) brother Harvey. The family lives in Denver.

[18 –19] JESSICA WASHINGTON USRY ’08 and her husband, Terrence, welcomed their second child, Amara Noelle, on Aug. 5, 2024.

[20 – 21] CLAIRE DILLON ENSOR ’11 and her husband, Dray, welcomed daughter Ella Hughes on Oct. 27, 2024. She was 5 pounds, 11 ounces and 18.5 inches. The family lives in Atlanta.

[22] ASHLEY LITTLE LUETTERS ’16 and DANIEL LUETTERS ’15 baby girl Stewart Louise on Nov. 5, 2024. Louise and her parents live in Atlanta.

[1–2] Plein-air painter JILL STEENHUIS ’76 returned to Pace in November as part of a six-city U.S. tour. Based in Aix-en-Provence, France, Jill exhibits and sells her work at galleries, museums and private events worldwide. Her creative process is the subject of Painting the Invisible, a recent full-length documentary flmed over three years by her son, James Ruffato. While on campus, Jill set up on the front lawn to paint the school’s iconic Castle, where she once attended classes, as students, faculty and staff gathered to watch her work.

[3–4] ELLEN MEZRITCH FRUCHTMAN, who attended Pace from 1971 to 1977, returned to campus to celebrate the Jewish High Holy Days with granddaughters IZZY GORDON ’35 and MADDY GORDON ’35 and their second-grade classes. Ellen read students

a book about Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and shared apples and honey, a Rosh Hashanah tradition.

[5] The varsity baseball coaching staff hosted the Vanderbilt baseball team’s frst practice of the year at Riverview Sports Complex, welcoming R.J. AUSTIN ’22, a member of Vanderbilt’s team, back to Pace. “Observing their practice was a fantastic learning experience for our coaching staff,” says Coach DONICE BLOODWORTH

“The Vandy team was very appreciative and praised R.J. as a leader.” R.J. earned MVP and All-Tournament honors at the 2023 SEC Tournament and has been named to the 2024 Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List this season.

[6] While visiting Vanderbilt University, Head of School FRED ASSAF and Director of College Counseling JONATHAN FERRELL caught up with Pace alumni studying at Vanderbilt. l

Young Alumni on Tap

This fall, Young Alumni Committee Chairs DYLAN STEINFELD ’15 and JONATHAN WEBSTER ’12 organized a fantastic gathering in the Cask Room at Bold Monk Brewing Co., bringing together alumni from the Classes of 2012 through 2019 for an evening flled with lively conversation and connection. Keep an eye out for the next young alumni event or reach out to alumni@paceacademy.org to get involved! l

Catching Up in The Mile High City

In October, Head of School FRED ASSAF and Alumni Manager OLIVIA DILLON ’17 hosted Denver-area alumni for great views and good eats at Linger in the city’s Lower Highland neighborhood. l

www.facebook.com /paceacademyalumniassociation www.instagram.com /pace_alumknights

www.linkedin.com/in/pace-academy -alumni-association-a997a230/

ReuKNIGHTing

H

ec ing & Reuni Weekend

Alumni of all ages returned to Pace Academy in September for Homecoming & Reunion Weekend. The festivities began with a tailgate at Riverview Sports Complex, where alumni and their families enjoyed delicious Low Country BBQ and cheered on the varsity football team in its matchup against Mays High School. During the game, the Offce of Athletics honored former state champions, inviting any title-winning alumni from years ending in “4” onto the feld.

After Friday’s Homecoming game, reunion-year alumni gathered in the Kam Memar Lower School’s Gandhi Hall for a cocktail reception before heading to their class parties.

TAILGATE HOMECOMING COCKTAIL RECEPTION

Photos by Kyle Hess

Photos by Matthew Crenshaw

Class of 1974

Class of 1999

Class of 1984

Class of 1999

Class of 2004

Class of 2008

Class of 2014

Thanks to this ye ’s reuni v unte s:

CLASS OF 1984 - 40 YEAR

Angie Wadewitz Chesin, Courtenay Cochran Corrigan, Katherine Brown Ohlhausen and Cheryl Singer Weiss

CLASS OF 1989 - 35 YEAR

Emery Deyo Bourne and Carter Inglis

CLASS OF 1994 - 30 YEAR

John Hocutt, Anna Skiles Muir, Lindsay Thurman Mullin and McKittrick Simmons

CLASS OF 1999 - 25 YEAR

Will Amos, Will Flynn, Maggie Foster, Brandon Herman, Ashley McFarlin, Hussein

Nasreddin, Elizabeth McNeill

Silbert, Andrew Teegarden and Stewart Teegarden

CLASS OF 2004 - 20 YEAR

Nicole Van Leuvan

Dudenhoeffer, Sarah Wilson Greenfeld, Megan Knott

Mignano and Mandy Nemeroff

CLASS OF 2008 - 15 YEAR (better late than never!)

Alex Carter, Nick Crocker and Scott Jospin

CLASS OF 2009 - 15 YEAR

Morgan Lyndall and J.T. Sparks

CLASS OF 2014 - 10 YEAR

Shabrea Duffey, Evelyn Hobbs, Corey Richards and Mary Liles Fiveash Souter

CLASS OF 2019 - 5 YEAR

Class of 2019

Carter Ferguson, Deron Moore and Emily Payne

NEW ALUMNI BOARD MEMBERS

JOSH BLANK ’15 graduated from Elon University with a degree in sports and event management and spent four years in New York City working for the National Football League. He moved back to Atlanta in 2024 and is chief of staff to the president at AMB Sports and Entertainment. Josh is also a United States Soccer Federation licensed coach and serves on Elon University’s Youth Leadership Council.

FRANK HOUSER ’18 attended Bucknell University, where he studied civil engineering and competed on the varsity wrestling team. In 2022, he joined the team at SG Contracting, an Atlanta-based general contracting and construction management company, where he is a senior project engineer.

HEATHER HIPP BYRNES ’99 graduated from Duke University and earned her medical degree from Emory School of Medicine. As a reproductive endocrinology and infertility physician at Emory University, Heather cares for patients and teaches medical students, residents and fellows—she’s also a proud Pace parent to BAILEY BYRNES ’31

MEREDITH BRADSHAW ’13 double majored in communication studies and French at Vanderbilt University before earning a law degree at the University of Georgia. She now works as a commercial litigator in Arnall Golden Gregory’s Atlanta offce, where she lends her talents to the frm’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice. Meredith is both a Pace Lifer and a Pace legacy; her father, ROBERT BRADSHAW ’82, attended Pace.

CAMERON RUSS ’17 earned a degree in biomedical engineering from Georgia Tech and serves as program coordinator for biomedical innovation and entrepreneurship at Vanderbilt University's Center for Innovation, The Wond'ry. She is also a regionally trained National Science Foundation entrepreneurship instructor. Cameron remains connected to Pace through her mother, Pre-First teacher SONJA RUSS, and her sister, ISABELLA RUSS ’29.

HANK WYCHE ’05, a graduate of Southern Methodist University, spent the frst 15 years of his career in the Texas energy industry before moving to New England, where he now works in commodity investing for Mercuria. Hank is passionate about oil, gas and ideating solutions for a sustainable future. l With the start of the 2024–2025 school year,

Upcoming Alumni Events

WHO: COLLEGE-AGE ALUMNI

WHEN: Friday, Jan. 10, from 1:30–3 p.m.

WHERE: Inman Center Cafeteria

WHAT: Spirit Week Finale

WHO: ATLANTA-AREA ALUMNI AND FAMILIES

WHEN: Friday, Jan. 10, 5–8 p.m.

WHERE: Inman Center Cafeteria

WHAT: Alumni Basketball Night

WHO: ATLANTA-AREA ALUMNI, FACULTY AND STAFF

WHEN: Saturday, Jan. 25

WHERE: Monday Night West Midtown

WHAT: The Alumni Association’s annual cocktail party

WHO: WASHINGTON, D.C.-AREA ALUMNI

WHEN: Wednesday, Jan. 29

WHERE: Location to be determined

WHAT: Join Head of Upper School Mike Gannon, Principal Gifts Offcer Ted Jeffries and Alumni Manager

Olivia Dillon ’17 for cocktails in the nation’s capital

WHO: SAN FRANCISCO-AREA ALUMNI

WHEN: Saturday, March 8

WHERE: Location to be determined

WHAT: Join Head of School Fred Assaf, Director of Advancement Heather White and Alumni Manager

Olivia Dillon ’17 for cocktails and conversation

Have

You

Made Your Alumni Fund Gift?

Separate from the Pace Fund, the Alumni Fund helps provide need-based fnancial aid for all qualifed students. Give the gift of education now through Dec. 31, 2024, at www.paceacademy.org/alumni/support-the-alumni-fund or via @paceacademy_alumni on Instagram.

“Financial aid allows talented students to attend Pace regardless of their means. The opportunities of the school, the access to inspiring teachers and the inculcation of ‘the courage to strive for excellence’ should be open to as many qualifed students as possible.”

DAVE LIEBMANN ’87 Alumni Board

This summer, the Castle got a much-needed makeover. New decor and design elements honor the building’s past while modernizing the interior’s ground-foor level. Bright white walls bring new life and light to meeting rooms and offces. Structurally, however, the Castle remains unchanged—a testament to its enduring design.

This isn’t the frst time the Castle—built in 1931 and converted into a school in 1958—has undergone renovation. An early 1960s admissions booklet, recently donated by former student NANCY JACOBS LOVINGOOD, informs prospective families about changes that further transformed the building from a residence into a school.

“The building, proudly referred to as ‘The Castle’ by students, is both beautiful and functional. It provides adequate offce space, nine classrooms, two dining rooms and several special purpose rooms. Major alterations during the summer of 1959 completed the conversion of the building from a residence to a functional building.”

The brochure highlights the campus’ gardens and wooded areas, as well as the school’s efforts to “maintain a student body capable of successful achievement in the program of studies”—and of affording the annual tuition, which ranged from $300 to $500 depending on grade level.

In addition, the booklet includes a section titled History and Aims, which states that “recent developments have focused national attention on the educational programs of the schools in the United States,” referring specifcally to the desegregation of Atlanta public schools. It has never been a secret that Pace Academy was founded in the aftermath of Brown v. Board of Education (1954) or that, in 1967, it became one of the frst Atlanta independent schools to integrate.

These early advances—both physical and philosophical— laid the foundation for the Pace of today, a non-sectarian school where social, emotional, physical and cultural factors are woven into the academic program. Much like the Castle renovations, our continued efforts to foster an intellectual community dedicated to the education of the whole child refect our unwavering commitment to striving for excellence.

— with contributions from SAVANNAH ROOTES

Learn more about Pace Academy history at www.paceacademy.org/about/history

www.paceacademy.org