Ravenscroft Magazine Spring 2016 by Ravenscroft

SUMMER SPRING2015 2016| |VOL. VOL.XVIII. XIX. NO. 21

magazine

Reinvented Space for Reinvented Learning Intentional Design in Middle School

INSIDE: Senior Class Creates New Traditions |

The Circle of Learning and Leading | Pass The Gravy T-Shirts

“Once Upon a Mattress” fall musical

magazine

FEATURES 8 Innovation & Technology

DEPARTMENTS 2 Vision & Voice Connecting With Our Community Doreen Kelly, Head of School

Reinvented Space for Reinvented Learning: Intentional Design in Middle School

Academic Excellence

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Global Citizenship The Circle of Learning and Leading: Tower of Hanoi

Creative Leadership Pass the Gravy: John Moss’ ’04 T-Shirt Company

Lead From Here Juniors Improve College Essays Using Lead From Here Learnings

Creating New Traditions: Senior Class Steps Up, Gives Back

Notes from the Nest News and updates from the Ravenscroft community

Student Showcase Once Upon a Book: An essay by Olivia Rivera ’25

Center Stage Out Among the Stars: English Bernhardt ’14

RAVENSCROFT magazine is published three times a year by the Communications Office. Any suggestions or comments should be directed to Kathleen Louis, 919-847-0900, ext. 2828 or kathleen.louis@ravenscroft.org. Design by M Creative | Photography by Allie Wilson and Bob Handelman | Written by Allie Wilson, Kathleen Louis and Jennifer Marchi, Communications staff; Karen Lewis Taylor and Maggie Cohn

Game Day An Unconventional Road to Gold: Ashley Bratcher ’05

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Class Notes Ravenscroft Rewind

VISION & VOICE A message from our Head of School

Connecting With Our Community Doreen Kelly, Head of School DEAR RAVENSCROFT ALUMNI, PARENTS AND FRIENDS, We know that when students are balanced, joyful and well-rounded, they are more likely to meet their full potential — they are more likely to take risks, step outside of their comfort-zone in the spirit of growing and learning. During my time at Ravenscroft, my charge has been to “connect the head with the heart.” Specifically, while we instill academic excellence, we want to ensure that our students are well-rounded and supported to be fully-equipped citizen leaders in a world that is constantly changing. Not long ago, we developed a task force focused on identifying and creating best practices for ensuring the health and wellness of our students and our community. The research and results, from very thorough work conducted by the task force, led to a vision and direction for a new approach to Student Success. Our vision for Student Success is to have a variety of programs and services to support and ensure the success of every Ravenscroft student in today’s demanding educational environment — regardless of geographic, social or economic background. Along with Student Success and because of the wonderful generosity of Joy and Temple Sloan and the Sloan Family Foundation,* we’ve been able to endow the position of Assistant Head of School for Student Affairs. This position will provide

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vision, leadership and oversight of the clinical, fiscal and administrative services of Ravenscroft as they relate to supporting the contemporary developmental needs of student health, faculty development and community well-being, while coordinating all of our efforts in the areas of Student Guidance, Academic Skills, Diversity and Inclusion, Health and Physical Education. I am pleased to announce that Ravenscroft has the opportunity to appoint a highly qualified professional to lead this very important initiative. Dr. Susan Perry has accepted the role as Assistant Head of School for Student Affairs, effective July 1, 2016. The Upper School leadership team will aim to fill Dr. Perry’s current role, Assistant Head of Upper School and Upper School Counselor, for the 2016-2017 school year. Dr. Perry’s background, education and extensive professional experience will allow us to thoughtfully and purposefully align the school life with our ongoing commitment to academic excellence. The unique partnership of the Assistant Head of School for Student Affairs and the Assistant Head of School for Academic Affairs will provide very tight alignment and collaboration in order to address the contemporary developmental learning needs of our Pre-K – grade 12 students and co-create applicable faculty development efforts to provide a welcoming, inclusive learning environment.

DR. SUSAN PERRY, Assistant Head of School for Student Affairs

This innovative model is a differentiator, helping us continue to be a thought-leader in education. We are thankful to Joy and Temple Sloan for their generosity and forward thinking. This important work would not be possible without their philanthropic support.

Sincerely,

Doreen C. Kelly Head of School

*Joy and Temple Sloan were recently featured in the 2015 Report on Giving, “Connecting the Head and Heart of Ravenscroft” for their generous $1M gift to Embrace Possibility.

LEAD FROM HERE Updates from our Movement

Juniors Improve College Essays Using Lead From Here Learnings WHAT WEIGHS ON THE MINDS of juniors and seniors — and their parents? The college application process, of course! And what’s the most daunting step in the process? The essay. For years, Nicole Moore and Allison Kelly, Upper School English teachers, have tried various approaches to coax original, revealing essays from our seniors. Now, thanks to Lead From Here, they have a new tool to use. By their junior year, students are very familiar with the tool, because they’ve been using it since ninth grade in their literature classes. It’s called social identity mapping, and the Center for Creative Leadership has been using it in executive leadership training programs for years. At Ravenscroft, students are taught social identity mapping to help them understand literary characters’ traits and values. With the aid of a visual diagram (see below), they categorize characters’ various qualities as either: given (things you don’t have control over), chosen (things you choose), or core (intrinsic values and beliefs). By using social identity mapping, students receive greater insight into the literary work and are able to better understand and connect to the literary experience in ways that are more thorough and meaningful. Junior year, when it’s time to begin brainstorming the college essay, students are asked to create their own

by Maggie Cohn

social identity map — using the technique on themselves. Why? It’s important for the college essay to stand out. And how do you do that? Instead of writing essays on the same old, tired topics as their peers across the country (favorite sports or their summer internships), social identity mapping encourages students to delve into what makes them unique: who they are, what they believe, and how they got to be that way. It’s a path Upper School English teacher, Nicole Moore, instructs students to a level of self-awareness on Social Identity Mapping that is rare among high school He crafted his essay about why he students. And thinking this way leads loves to bake cheesecake, and what that to outstanding, unique college essays. Moore and Kelly love to share an said about him: he’s precise, he likes to example about a student who gradu- measure meticulously, he’s creative, he has an unusual talent, and he likes to ated recently. “He’s a great kid,” recalls Moore, make people happy. Cheesecake. Now that’s memorable. but for someone who didn’t know him, his greatness was not And there’s proof. Today, he’s a stureflected in the first draft of his col- dent at Southern Methodist Univerlege essay. “He’d had a business-related sity! Social identity mapping gave internship, and by gosh, he was going him more than admission to the to write about it.” The first essay was college of his choice. It also gave him ordinary — even a little dry. It was not a stronger sense of confidence and likely to make a strong impression on self-awareness that will last a lifetime. an admissions committee. Kelly sent him back to his so- Social identity mapping is just one cial identity map. And he was example of the techniques being taught reminded that in his chosen circle, at Ravenscroft to combine academic he had written that he liked baking, excellence with leadership learning. Colleen Ramsden, Assistant Head of specifically making cheesecake. School for Academic Affairs, explains, “We have identified many techniques that we know are essential for all of our students, of all ages, to learn. We’ve adapted these techniques to be age-appropriate and have incorporated them into the academic curricula.” To learn more, please contact Colleen Ramsden, Assistant Head of School for Academic Affairs, colleen.ramsden@ ravenscroft.org or call 919.847.0900.

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NOTES FROM THE NEST News from around the campus

Ravens Win the NCISAA Division II State Championship

HE RAVENS VARSITY FOOTBALL TEAM defeated Christ

School 50-26 in the NCISAA 3A Division II State Championship on Friday, Nov. 20. After falling behind 14-0 early in the first quarter, the Ravens went on to outscore Christ School 50-12 for the remainder of the game. This is Ravenscroft’s ninth state title in school history and their first since 2000.

DJ Washington ’16 Named Community Captain by the Carolina Panthers

Middle School Teams Win KidWind Challenge Two Ravenscroft teams won the KidWind Challenge in this fall. Eighth-graders Ethan Howell and Alex Tudor won the online KidWind Challenge in October with their wind turbine “Team Pacman Destruction.” Charlie Everhard ’20, Josh Youngbar ’21 and Thomas Hudson ’20 won with “Gateway to the Future” in November. KidWind Challenge entries are judged on performance,

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DJ Washington ‘16 was selected as a member of the Carolina Panthers Community Captain class of 2015. The Carolina Panthers recognized ten outstanding high school student-athletes in North and South Carolina who excel in their sport, in the classroom and in their community. DJ serves as a captain for both the Ravens’ football and wrestling teams. He’s achieved honor roll status throughout his high school career and serves as Ravenscroft’s student body president. The Panthers honored the students at a home game in November where each student received a personalized Carolina Panthers game ball.

creativity, quality and their research statement. Each received a $100 prize and are featured on the KidWind Challenge winners website. They’ve also been invited to compete at the National KidWind Challenge. This fall, Dr. Michelle Nunalee’s engineering students designed and tested their own turbine blades in class and wrote research statements documenting their process.

Five Students Selected for and Perform in North Carolina Honors Chorus Five Ravenscroft students were chosen to join the North Carolina Honors Chorus. Fifth-graders Jillian Wadley and Sienna Gilbert were selected out of 700 elementary school students to be a part of the Elementary Honors Chorus. Sixth grader Ryan Pretzer was chosen for the Middle School Honors Chorus for his third consecutive year out of 900 students auditioning. And Haley Murdoch ‘16 and Andrew Thrash ‘17 were selected from 900 students for High School Honors Chorus.

Miss Mary Royall Hight, Lower School Music and Middle School Drama Troupe Teacher, and students JILLIAN WADLEY ‘23 and SIENNA GILBERT ‘23

Each North Carolina Honors Chorus (Elementary, Middle School and High School) is a group of approximately 120 students who are chosen from across North Carolina to perform at the North Carolina Music Educators Association (NCMEA) Conference each year in November. The purpose of Honors Chorus is to honor outstanding students and provide students with a strong educational experience, with the opportunity to develop their abilities to the full extent. Mrs. Cameron Bolin, Middle School and Upper School Choral Director, and students HALEY MURDOCH ‘16 and ANDREW THRASH ‘17

Lower School Students Donate Over 2,000 Items to Wake Relief As part of a long-standing Ravenscroft tradition, students in grades Pre–K through five collected nonperishable food items in November to donate to the Wake Relief Food Drive. Led by teachers Megan Bever and Jen Baccus the program tied into the larger theme of empathy, reinforced by a Character Tree Talk for Lower School demonstrating the difference between sympathy and empathy. Student Council representatives along with members of the DADS group brought over 2,000 items to Wake Relief at St. Saviour’s on Tucker Street, Ravenscroft’s home until 1969, and stocked the shelves before Thanksgiving.

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NOTES FROM THE NEST News from around the campus

STUDENTS AND FACULTY PARTICIPATE IN DIVERSITY CONFERENCES Five Upper School student leaders — Daniela Mainz ’17, Chris Reynolds ’17, Maddy Ringenbach ’16, Sydnie Schwarz ’16 and Ally Tannenbaum ’16 — were selected by Ravenscroft faculty to attend the annual Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) in Tampa, Florida in December. The conference, a multiracial, multicultural gathering of students in grades nine through 12 from across the U.S., focused on self-reflecting, forming allies and building community. Hosted by NAIS, SDLC and the People of Color Conference (PoCC) occurred simultaneously over the same weekend. Nine faculty members attended PoCC including Cori Greer-Banks, Chris Cox, Alfie Hobbs, Shelley Torres, Cy League, Robbin King, Karrah Lewis, Dante Johnson and Lana DuBose. Additionally, Dr. Susan Perry, Assistant Head of Upper School for Faculty Development and Student Guidance, was selected as a member of the teaching faculty for the SDLC program and helped redesign and develop the curriculum for this year’s conference. MADDY RINGENBACH ’16, CHRIS REYNOLDS ’17, ALLY TANNENBAUM ’16, DANIELA MAINZ ’17 and SYDNIE SCHWARZ ’16

Evan Colby, Only Student in the World, to receive Perfect Score on AP Latin Exam

Gatsby Gala and Auction The Ravenscroft Parents’ Association hosted 360 parents and friends, dressed in their best 1920’s inspired finery, at the Gatsby Gala & Auction at the Renaissance Hotel in North Hills on Saturday, February 6. Guests dined, danced and bid in a silent and live auction. The evening raised over $225,000 for the Parents’ Association Embrace Possibility Endowment Fund and to send faculty and staff to leadership training at the Center for Creative Leadership in Greensboro, NC. Many, many thanks to event chairs Velvet Baker and Jen Wickline and to everyone who attended, sponsored and volunteered. Photos of the event are available online on Ravenscroft’s Flickr page.

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Senior Evan Colby is the only student in the world to have received a perfect score on his Advanced Placement (AP) Latin Exam in spring 2015. Of more than 6,600 high school students who took the AP Latin Exam, only 828 earned a top score of 5 and Evan received the only perfect score.

FACULTY NOTES News from our faculty and staff

Faculty Notes

ORMER ASSOCIATE HEAD OF SCHOOL and Upper School economics and history teacher, Bruce Miller has written a book, Oakwood to Oakwood, featuring short, lively biographies on those who rest in Oakwood Cemetery. Since retiring in 2002, Miller has researched the history of the cemetery and its residents, and has become a well-known local historian. Miller, over the past 10 years, has shared his knowledge through tours of the cemetery on the first Friday of every month. To recognize the impact Miller has had on the cemetery through sharing the stories of its residents, Friends at Oakwood has recently named the Magnolia Walk at the cemetery in his honor. Oakwood to Oakwood is available at the cemeteryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office as well as local retailers around Raleigh.

Varsity Boys Soccer Coach Alix Charles was named 2015 Coach of the Year by the North Carolina Soccer Coaches Association (NCSCA). Coach Charles is the Region 1 Private 3A Regional Coach of the Year.

Ned Gonet, Athletic Director and Varsity Football Coach, was recognized as the first recipient of the Charles Carter Cup Award presented at the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association (NCISAA) annual meeting of Athletic Directors in North Carolina. This award recognizes the outstanding dedication of Athletic Directors to the NCISAA, local conferences and individual schools.

David McChesney, Director of Fine Arts, and S.K. Chipley, accompanist and private lesson instructor, performed at the Biltmore in Asheville, NC in early December. Known as the Oak City Duo, McChesney and Chipley were chosen to perform at the Biltmore during this holiday season. With McChesney playing the trumpet and Chipley on the piano, they performed arrangements and improvisations of carols and songs which were written prior to the first opening of the house on Christmas Eve 1895. Over the two days, the Oak City Duo performed 30 songs in rotation over 10 performances.

(left) Jim Gibbons, Assistant Director of Athletics, Tim Savage, P.E. instructor and Assistant Athletic Trainer and Kerry Norman, P.E. instructor, all committed to and succeeded in teaming up to run/walk 2,015 miles in 2015, as part of Run the Edgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s online challenge!

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INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY

Reinvented Space for Reinvented Learning Intentional Design in Middle School

BY KATHLEEN LOUIS

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“H

OW DO WE BEST MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR KIDS?” is the question that guides Head of Middle School Denise Colpitts’ decision-making.

The Middle School’s relocation to its current building 10 years ago presented an opportunity to redesign the space to work best for 21st century teaching and learning. With a research-based vision and strategy, Colpitts and the Middle School faculty have welcomed change as they have sought to creatively make spaces more efficient and innovative. “What I’ve learned is that you can’t wait until you can do it all. You have to take small steps. You have to try things. Like the Makerspace (an engineering and design lab) — let’s get our feet wet — and it sparked the space we have,” said Colpitts. “Do what you can do to make a difference.” From classrooms to desks and chairs to paint colors, research and purpose have gone into decisions both big and small in the Middle School. Research has shown that the built environment influences behavior, attitude and learning. Positive feedback from Middle School students and faculty members strongly supports that research.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF COLOR:

Color

With a big vision in place, Colpitts looked to see what could be done fairly quickly and easily to achieve a holistic look in the Middle School and positively impact the student experience. Paint color was the first step in a plan to transform the building into a 21st century innovative and supportive learning environment. Looking to research done by the University of Georgia School of Design, paint colors were selected for the classrooms in blue, yellow and off-white. According to the research, cool colors like these help calm adolescents and “provide a subdued learning environment.” Pops of brighter colors bring energy to hallways and common spaces and can be found on furniture, artwork and lockers. “All other aspects of being intentional about design came over time as we read current articles. It all meshed together; it wasn’t any one or two things. We keep our eyes open for inspiration and if something seems like a good idea, then we figure out how to make it happen.’”

BLUE: Can bring down blood

pressure and slow respiration and heart rate. Blues are considered calming, relaxing and serene.

GREEN: The color of fresh starts

and growth. It also promotes physical and emotional well-being.

YELLOW ORANGE:

Evokes excitement and enthusiasm, and is an energetic color. Allows us to see the brighter side of things.

OFF-WHITE: Neutrals are relaxing

and calming. They anchor the brighter colors around them so the colors can play.

—freshome.com, housebeautiful.com and bourncreative.com

“We keep our

eyes open for inspiration and if something seems like a good idea, then we figure out how to make it happen.” SPRING 2016

“ We wanted to

create larger classrooms for kids because we know they have to move.”

Space Teaching and learning styles have changed dramatically, since the Middle School building was originally built 45 years ago as an Upper School. Recently, to expand teaching and learning space, offices and closets were removed from most of the classrooms, allowing for walls to be knocked down and classrooms enlarged.* “We wanted to create larger classrooms for kids because we know they have to move. Larger classrooms encourage collaborative learning and teaching while supporting Middle School kids who grow at different rates. Some may need a little more space to move around.” Middle Schoolers’ needs extend beyond classroom walls. Socializing before, after and during classes is important for personal growth and learning. To foster a sense of community and give students the independence and autonomy they crave and need at that age, Colpitts and faculty members have given attention to the common spaces in the building. “We’re working on providing more student furniture for the sixth grade hall so kids have spaces to sit, stand or just hang around in the morning or during their break — and to spread out the furniture, as well. Little things like that seem so obvious but until you see how the kids function, you say ‘ok, we need to shift this’.” The central courtyard, with its new brightlycolored sunshades, is a popular spot for students to relax, study or hang out with friends during the warmer months. The second phase will be to add more multipurpose seating, allowing for classes to be held outdoors on occasion. Seeing potential in the front commons computer lab, Colpitts transformed the area into a more useful, convenient and fun space for socializing, studying or even hosting a student meeting, with “funky furniture” such as bright bouncing chairs and couches.

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Seating Chairs and desks with wheels for Middle Schoolers? Eighth-grade world history instructor Cori Greer-Banks was skeptical at first but quickly saw the tremendous value the mobile chairs and desk, called Nodes, brought to her students’ learning and to her own teaching. “That little bit of movement really allows students to be more focused on their studies. I found they were more attentive in those chairs than with just the standalone chairs,” said Greer-Banks. From Nodes to stand-up desks, movement and variety have been proven to enhance a Middle Schooler’s learning. “Variety, that’s the goal — we have enough different kinds of seating arrangements as the child travels through the day, they aren’t sitting in the same hard desk,” said Colpitts. “They are a lot more comfortable than normal desks because of the shape, and if you’re not using the desk part, you can move it away,” said Ben Fesko ’20. “The Nodes have changed my learning experience by letting my legs move so I don’t feel an urge to move around, and I am paying more attention in class,” said Rachel Mathers ’20. With the mobility of the Nodes, teachers can quickly transform their classroom from a U-shaped class discussion to small groups or to a more structured test environment. The four different colors of Nodes in her classroom help Greer-Banks quickly break the class into teams, fostering inclusivity and collaboration.

*Thank you to Chris Farrow, Director of Building and Grounds, and his team for helping with all the Middle School building improvements!

“Nodes have changed how I teach because I can be more present in the moment as opposed to having to have planned each detail out of how I need my room setup for a certain lesson,” said Sarah Baker, Middle School Language Arts instructor. Latin instructor Colleen Girouard specifically asked for stand-up desks after conducting research for her classroom this year. Standing 99 percent of class time while teaching, she couldn’t imagine being a student and sitting in hard desks all day long. Stand-up desks give students the choice to sit or stand during class. “The classroom simply has more movement in it now, which gives the class a higher level of energy. When I walk around class to work with individual students, it is so much nicer to be looking them in the eye to talk or looking at their work together on the taller desk without hunching over the desk or the student. It feels like we are collaborating on a more equal footing.” Ninety-three percent of 43 Latin students surveyed reported improved focus and energy levels with the stand-up desks. All students enjoy the movement the swinging foot-bar offers, with over 80 percent using it often. Students shared additional thoughts:

“It is easier for me to concentrate when I stand.” “I’m more likely to pay a ention.” “I had a tendency to slump a li le when I was working at the old desks, but these new ones have improved my posture a lot. Also, it was much easier last year to get distracted on something in the older desks if I was tired, but these new ones help me stay alert and pay a ention to the lesson.”

What’s next Besides meeting the demand for Nodes in more classrooms, Colpitts plans in the short-term to add more seating to the central courtyard, finish the seventh grade classroom expansion and continue to improve the front commons area. Always looking for opportunities to improve spaces to make Middle School spaces more efficient, functional and innovative, Colpitts understands the importance of taking a conservative approach, piloting programs and taking small steps in making big changes.

SPRING 2016

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

SENIOR

BY KATHLEEN LOUIS 12

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S THIS YEAR’S senior class

prepares for college, the gifts they have left Ravenscroft will live on for years to come. Time and again, seniors have given back, not just to the Ravenscroft community, but also to the broader community through their commitment to service.

Demonstrating visionary leadership, seniors have worked closely with faculty advisors to imagine and create new academic programs to help fellow students. But seniors haven’t stopped there — they have made a profound impact in the community, giving time, energy and money to vitally important local charities.

seniors identified the subjects they’d be most comfortable tutoring and a detailed schedule was created, led by Erikson and NHS member Taylor Smith ’16, with the goal to fill every other period, every day with at least one tutor. Several non-NHS seniors volunteered to participate in the program to help fill schedule gaps. The program operates on a walk-in basis with some students’ questions being answered in five minutes while other students utilize the full period. Either way, NHS tutors are there to help and commit at least one of their study hall periods, often more, to tutoring. What began as a program for senior NHS students to assist other Upper School students, quickly evolved into one where the NHS students found their own skills strengthening, as well! Tutors found themselves developing important skills, such as empathy and communication, as they worked to clearly convey necessary information, often breaking down complex problems to make them easier to understand.

Peer Tutoring Program Ravenscroft seniors who are part of the National Honor Society (NHS), along with faculty advisor and Upper School math teacher Mike Erikson, saw a need and filled it. Embracing Erikson’s idea for a peer tutoring program during study halls, the Ravenscroft senior NHS students worked with him to make the concept a reality. The program aligns well with the mission of the National Honor Society: service, scholarship, leadership and character. Besides helping fellow students with academic challenges, peer tutoring during free periods helps NHS students fulfill community service requirements, while also providing leadership and learning opportunities. “There’s something to be said for getting advice from a fellow student,” said Erikson. “Seniors can easily remember the courses and the challenges of learning the material.” NHS rising seniors got to work last spring creating procedures and a schedule so the Peer Tutoring program would work both effectively and efficiently. Rising

Excited about the program and its success-to-date, NHS students have created a comprehensive marketing campaign. Planned outreach includes tutors visiting advisory meetings, performing a skit during all-school morning meeting, creating a teacher referral program, making announcements and posting flyers throughout the Upper School.

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“[It’s] not just another essay — it’s a great opportunity to find out more about yourself to help you become a better person.” VADEN ELLWANGER ’16 giving her speech to the Upper School in Jones Theatre

Senior Speech Program “You are setting a tone of excellence. You have this opportunity to inspire others.” At first, this year’s seniors weren’t particularly excited to learn of another graduation requirement. With encouragement and support from Kat Belk, math instructor and senior class dean, seniors have “risen to the occasion” as they have enthusiastically taken on this new challenge — the senior speech. Head of Upper School Peter Bogue introduced the Senior Speech Program as an opportunity for students to practice their presentation, writing and storytelling skills. But it quickly became apparent that the seniors were making it so much more than that — finding within themselves new confidences, talents and possibilities! “I’m so proud of the seniors. They have embraced the Senior Speech Program so positively, exhibiting leadership and dedication, making it a true personal-growth experience,” said Bogue. Seniors share a personal experience, memory or struggle that changed them in some way. This selfreflection becomes the heart of their presentation. “The most challenging part of the program was figuring out what to say because I had a lot of memories that were hard to express, and I had to choose which memories were most significant and would relate to other people,” said Vaden Ellwanger ’16. Keeping their audience in mind, seniors honed their writing and communication skills as they developed

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their presentation. Many students had to conquer their personal fear of public speaking and small-group advisories of 10-12 students proved to be hugely beneficial in dealing with this challenge. Advisory groups brought students even closer as they grew to understand their peers’ values, strengths and weaknesses. “I’ve always been nervous when it comes to public speaking, so getting up in front of my peers to deliver something more personal was challenging. However, it was worth it as it gave my advisory a deeper understanding of me,” said Aaron Inglee ’16. Aaron continued, “The most rewarding aspect was the opportunity to understand my own values as well as others’ values. I learned about myself and others in my advisory more than ever before, which successfully established a stronger bond within my advisory.” Each advisory voted for the presentation with the strongest content, delivery and emotional connection. The selected students from each advisory will be presenting to the entire Upper School during the spring semester morning meetings. After all 11 presentations, the senior class will vote to select the student to speak at graduation alongside the Class Valedictorian — a huge honor. Seniors have embraced the opportunity for selfreflection and growth, for public speaking practice and to serve as role models for their peers. Alexis Hunter ’16 encourages juniors to think about the speech as “not just another essay — it’s a great opportunity to find out more about yourself to help you become a better person.”

Senior Class Gift This year’s Student Government Association (SGA) decided to make a difference in the local community — and they have. “This is the first year that we have chosen relatively small and local charities, and by doing so, we are able to see more of a first-hand, tangible impact,” shared Lucy Russell ’16, SGA Senior Class Vice-President. Through a class vote at the start of the school year, seniors selected two local charities as recipients of its “class gift.” Funds raised through SGA events such as dances and sports tournaments will be used to support Backpack Buddies and Serving our Soldiers (SOS). Backpack Buddies provides healthy weekend meals for children from food-insecure families, while SOS engages young adults in the Triangle to help our troops. “Giving to SOS directly affects a member of our class, Clare Zaytoun ’16, which I think is especially meaning-

ful. She is the founder of Serving Our Soldiers (along with alumna Caroline Gainey ’15) and works tirelessly to expand and improve the organization. The money we are donating will be crucial in her work to help the troops. I am lucky to be close friends with her as I have seen first-hand her passionate dedication to this organization, so it is very special that we are choosing to honor SOS,” said Lucy. In addition, SGA has created and introduced the Community Service Project, in which the SGA representatives from each grade plan a community service project for the rest of the members of their class. The senior class representatives plan to work with SOS co-founder Clare Zaytoun to dedicate and execute their community service project — a spring 5K fun run — and further help Serving Our Soldiers.

Seniors participate in the Senior Parade on the first day of school around campus — a new tradition started this year

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GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP

THE CIRCLE

OF LEARNING AND LEADING BY ALLIE WILSON

THE LEAD FROM HERE CURRICULUM is vastly changing how Ravenscroft students view their impact on the world and the importance of leadership. It also touches much more than just students â&#x20AC;&#x201D; faculty, staff, parents and influencers in the Ravenscroft community are quickly seeing the value in Lead From Here.

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HIS GROUND-BREAKING CURRICULUM, pioneered by the

partnership between Ravenscroft and the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), has made so much impact already. Walk around campus and you will hear buzzwords from the Citizen Leader Framework sprinkled throughout conversations. Listen in on speeches and projects and you will see students going out of their way to make a difference in their world. It is wonderful when a major initiative such as this is embraced and understood so well. Moreover, the faculty and staff at Ravenscroft are also using the Lead From Here curriculum and applying it to their lives. One recent project demonstrates what it means to collaborate and communicate with others through a visionary and strategic project. For an Upper School CCL advisory lesson teaching the importance of communication and collaboration, Ravenscroft looked for the best way to obtain models of the Tower of Hanoi. This mathematical puzzle consists of three rods along with a number of different-sized disks that have to be moved from the leftmost peg to the rightmost peg while following specific rules.

Chris Farrow, Charles Riddick and Steve Parker

Chris Farrow, Director of Building and Grounds, saw an opportunity to utilize his team’s skills while saving the school money. He asked his team to build the Towers and Charles Riddick, a maintenance technician, to head up the project. “The savings to the school was around $1,000, but more importantly, we were able to produce a quality product customized specifically for the school,” said Farrow. A craftsman at heart, Riddick was excited to take on this project. “I was honored for (Farrow) to ask me to even do it. This is a part of Ravenscroft — the parts were built here at the school, so it makes it special,” said Riddick. Utilizing their distinct talents, the maintenance department constructed 100 towers for the Upper School. Steve Parker, another maintenance technician, stamped the character tree emblem on the finalized towers to add a personalized touch. Riddick ensured careful planning was implemented from the cutting, sanding, staining and even storage for the final products. “Our team was resourceful, adaptive, and had a clear vision from the start to the end results,” said Farrow. “I am extremely proud of the work this team has done.”

TOWER OF HANOI DIRECTIONS: The goal of the puzzle is to move all the disks from the leftmost peg to the rightmost peg, adhering to the following rules: 1. Move only one disk at a time. 2. A larger disk may not be placed on top of a smaller disk. 3. All disks, except the one being moved, must be on a peg.

Initial State

Goal State

SPRING 2016

Parker stamped the character tree emblem on the finalized towers to add a personalized touch

Along with this project, Riddick also finds a personal tie with this curriculum. Upon learning about the vision of Lead From Here and the competencies, he thought immediately of his mother and her impact on others. “The whole thing about Lead From Here — that was my mother’s life,” said Riddick. “All of the different competencies — self-leadership, empathy, resilience — that’s just who she was. The leadership we’re instilling in these young adults now is how she lived her life, and that’s a life well-lived.” Lillian Riddick, at the age of 50, found herself recently widowed. With resilience and motivation, she decided to go to nursing school and obtain her degree. She then used her newfound education and independence to travel to Kampala, Uganda, on a mission to help others.

“Our team was resourceful, adaptive, and had a clear vision from the start to the end results. I am extremely proud of the work this team has done.”

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When she eventually traveled back to the States, Lillian brought back four children from Uganda to help them receive an education. One of the children, Andrew Nyakaana, used his education and time in the states to give back as he saw through her example. “I imagine the life I would have lived if I had not received a life-changing opportunity from Lillian Riddick. With this opportunity, I felt called to give back to the disadvantaged children in the communities of Uganda,” said Nyakaana.

Nyakaana started the Riddick Mission in Lillian’s honor, with the goal to educate, mentor and empower disadvantaged children. True leaders — those who are able to lead themselves and others while impacting their world — are emerging from Ravenscroft. These leaders are students, parents, faculty and staff. Their talents are vast — working with their hands, heads and hearts.

THE GOAL OF THE RIDDICK MISSION: To educate, mentor and empower disadvantaged children.

Lillian Riddick in Uganda

Riddick Mission School believes every child regardless of their status (orphaned, neglected, etc.) has the potential to develop into a useful member of the community through education.

Scan the QR code to watch a video to learn more about the Riddick Mission.

Through education, the Riddick Mission School is empowering children to become useful members of the community

SPRING 2016

CREATIVE LEADERSHIP

Ravenscroft lifer JOHN MOSS ’04 and his home-grown t-shirt company take a seat at the table BY ALLIE WILSON

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WHO DOESN’T LOVE GRAVY? That’s what John Moss ’04 and Sara Laughter, co-founders of Pass the Gravy, mused as they thought about titles for their unique t-shirt company. The idea of their business began with a love for clever designs and a love for the Old North State. “I was working with Paul, Sara’s husband, and noticed him walking around with a North Carolina t-shirt with the word “’cue” in the middle. I love barbecue and I asked where he got it,” said Moss. The Laughters had a screen printer printing press at their home and Sara had made the “’cue” t-shirt for her husband, Paul. Moss asked if she could make one for him. The shirt received many compliments and comments. “From that point forward, I was like, we’re onto something,” said Moss. Moss was a lifer at Ravenscroft, attending from Pre-Kindergarten to 12th grade, and currently serves on the Alumni Council. “Ravenscroft instills the values in their students that it is important to give back and be involved.” That is just what Pass the Gravy does and more. They not only make clever North Carolina-themed t-shirts,

JOHN MOSS ’04 and Sara Laughter

they keep their materials, manufacturing and printing in the Carolinas. Additionally, they support local jobs, and give 10 percent of their net profits to Smart Start for early education and care for North Carolina children. One of their most currently relevant designs is “Tar Wars” designed by Ravenscroft alumnus and friend of Moss, Matt Hunter ’04. Moss was in Hunter’s wedding in 2014 and received a print with Hunter’s “Tar Wars” design on it as a gift. Fast forward two years and that design is currently one of the most popular for Pass the Gravy. “I’ve really enjoyed working with him [Hunter]. I’ve also known him longer than most people other than my family members,” Moss said. “We are excited about the next steps for Pass the Gravy,” said Moss, “The product is great, the quality is great. The product comes from here and we get to give away to the community. It’s a win, win, win. Hopefully the marketplace will continue to agree and our checks to Smart Start will get bigger and bigger.” To find out more about Pass the Gravy and to shop for your favorite NC-themed t-shirt, visit passthegravy.com.

MATT HUNTER ’04 and JOHN MOSS’ 04

SPRING 2016

STUDENT SHOWCASE Highlighting exceptional student work

Once Upon a Book

AN ESSAY by Olivia Rivera ’25

Story illustration by Olivia Rivera ’25

NCE UPON A TIME, there was a lonely page (from a book), in a lonely muted alley way. The page was forgotten and needed a child to pick her up to go on a new adventure. The book was dull and lifeless without a friend to flip through her pages. The book’s title changed every time a child picked up the page. The page was seen or touched in the past, until the great tragedy happened. It was a bright curious spring morning in the town of Wish. You could smell vintage paper and leather covers, you could hear the slow silent

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rustle of many books being read, you could feel the damp fresh air, you could taste the candied breeze float of your tongue and you could see the bright sun aglow. It happened fast. A dark cloud loomed over the sky and there was a tornado for three seconds, and then all the books were gone. The day turned gray and gloomy. All the wonder and imagination had gone. The town of Wish had turned into a place of laziness and the townspeople had lost their memory of any books they ever read.

One lonely morning, the page heard a rustle behind the bushes. A girl leapt out of them and stared right at the page. She walked around the page, wonder in her eyes. “Hello,” said the girl. She reached out and touched the page. Immediately, there was a big flash of light and the page turned into a majestic book. The book’s title was The Curse of the Gift. Then, the book started to talk. “Hello young girl, call me Melody. What’s your name?” asked the book. “Um, I’m Ivy. I am 9 years old. How come you can talk?” Except the book

couldn’t answer. “I am uncertain, for I’ve never been able before. But something’s telling me that it is because your wonder and curiosity.” Ivy continued to stare, but then shook it off. “Why are you here?” asked Melody. Well, I ran away from home because my family can’t wonder or imagine.” “I thought after the big tragedy all of the books were gone.” said the girl sadly. “Me too, but somehow I survived,” replied Melody. “Will you please read me?” So the girl found some rocks to lean on, and started reading. As she did this, her surroundings changed from a dark alley way into a bright meadow. It had mountains and streams, flowers and plants. Two days later, Ivy finished the book and explored the meadow still clutching the book in her hand. “You know Melody, I was thinking and I realized we have a connection with the story, The Curse of the Gift. We both have had hard times and good times.” Ivy stopped, and looked at the vast meadow. “I agree, but alas I am empty. After the wonder in the town of Wish had been taken away, I feel the need to get it back,” said the book as if there was anger inside her. “Well let’s go!” So the two of them went into the woods to think, when they came across a portal titled; The Town of Wish. “Let’s go in,” said Ivy with a hint of fear. She took a step back, and then jumped through. A purple substance flew behind Ivy and Melody. Blinding light escaped their vision and the whole world went black. “Where are we?” moaned Ivy. As Melody’s vision cleared, she realized that they were back in the town of Wish. “HA HA HA!!!” laughed somebody in a corner. “Well, well, well. What do we have here?” The dark figure moved out of the corner. “Remember me Melody?” This was

followed by shrill laughter. “Yes Mr. Nightmare. You stole the wonder from Wish,” said Melody fiercely. “Correct, but I see you haven’t gone. Ahh, who’s this?” He stared at Ivy, narrowing his eyelids. “How come you are imagining, wondering and thinking?” I don’t know, but I want you to bring all of that back!” stuttered Ivy. But when he asked her if that was a challenge, Ivy was speechless. “I guess I’ll just get rid of your little book here and you next.” But just as he raised his finger, Ivy stood in the way and said the word that she had never ever said before. “No. I won’t let you.” Except who thinks a nightmare

“It happened fast. A dark cloud loomed over the sky and there was a tornado for three seconds, and then all the books were gone. The day turned gray and gloomy. All the wonder and imagination had gone.”

OLIVIA RIVERA ’25

would listen? He shot the spell out of his finger but it couldn’t pass Ivy. “How dare you, I put a spell on the world that for eternity everybody would fear me.” The anger in his eyes tortured Ivy. “I’m not afraid, but all you care about is darkness. I told you to bring back the light. Three, two, one.” Because of Ivy’s confidence, the world was brought back to peace. People got back their wonder, and books were being read again. The town of Wish all realized that no matter how young or old you are, you can still make a difference by doing, saying, and thinking for change. As for Ivy, well she went back to normal, but she still had a spark of magic, wonder, and kindness.

SPRING 2016

CENTER STAGE Students and alumni excelling in the arts

Out Among the Stars English Bernhardt ’14 Follows Her Dream with National Tour of “If/Then”

(left) ENGLISH BERNHARDT ’14 as Dorothy in “Wizard of Oz” while at Ravenscroft; (top above) Performing as Annie with NC Theatre; English and cast of If/Then

When stars of stage and screen reflect on their success, they describe juggling odd jobs, toiling for every part, wondering if they’d make it — the blood, sweat and tears of the artist’s journey.

S RAVENSCROFT DRAMA AND to make her dreams come true long STAGECRAFT INSTRUCTOR Jason before that unglamorous gig — and

Sharp remembers it, English Bernhardt’s path to stardom literally involved blood. And guts. “My first experience with English was roping her into helping with the Upper School drama class production of ‘King Lear,’” he says. “She and Anastatia Hollis [’13], as middle school students, were called in to mop blood during intermission, including eyeballs gouged out and left on stage!” But Bernhardt ’14 was working

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she’s well on her way, as a cast member of the national tour of the Tony Award-nominated musical “If/Then.”

Life-long passion Bernhardt says she has always wanted to perform. “I started ballet when I was twoand-a-half years old, but I’ve loved to sing since I can remember,” she says. She took voice, dance and acting lessons at North Carolina Theatre Conservatory, performing in their

main stage productions alongside local talent and actors and directors from New York. “It was my training ground up until I graduated from Ravenscroft,” she says. “I was able to work with some of the most talented, highly respected people in the industry.” At Ravenscroft, English received the Hunter Scholarship in the Fine and Performing Arts, and took advantage of all that the fine arts program offered from private lessons to musicals. “I took choir and drama when my academic schedule allowed,”

by Karen Lewis Taylor

she says. “My voice teacher, Angela Santucci, always encouraged me to go after my dreams.” That experience is what the department strives for, says director David McChesney. “It is our belief that interaction with the arts has the power to change the thinking of our children, no matter what talent they bring to the process of creating art. We also bring a level of support that allows a student interested in pursuing the arts as a career to be exposed to a highquality artistic experience,” he says. “English was surrounded by so many here on campus with an interest in the development of her talent.”

Notable roles Bernhardt showcased her talents at both Ravenscroft and North Carolina Theatre. “One of my first shows at Ravenscroft was ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ which was an all-school musical,” she says. “I was cast as the youngest sister, Bielke, in fifth grade. After that, I continued to audition for school musicals when my schedule allowed.” Sharp first cast Bernhardt in the middle school musical “Seussical Jr!” “English played Gertrude and endeared herself to us with her exuberance,” he says. “After that she performed in principal roles in ‘Secret Garden,’ ‘Meet Me in St. Louis’ and ‘The Wizard of Oz.’” Along with other Ravens, she competed at the NC Thespian Festival, twice winning in Solo Music Theatre. She also appeared in 11 shows at North Carolina Theatre, playing the title role in 2010’s “Annie” and Eponine in 2014’s “Les Miserables,” featuring Broadway stars Craig Schulman and Lauren Kennedy. She played Kennedy’s daughter in 2015’s “Next to Normal.”

“It is our belief that interaction with the arts has the power to change the thinking of our children, no matter what talent they bring to the process of creating art.” English with cast of If/Then

“Having the opportunity to share the stage with [performers like] them is what got me to where I am today,” she says. “I learned how to be a professional and hold my own, as I was often the youngest” cast member.

Making things happen Her role in “Meet Me in St. Louis” in 2014 holds what she calls “a special place in my heart.” “That was the role that got me nominated for the Triangle Rising Star awards, and then eventually to New York to compete in the Jimmy Awards,” she says. “They bring in Broadway actors and actresses to work as vocal coaches, prepping everyone competing for the big show at the end of the week.” Bernhardt won the Jimmy for Best Featured Ensemble Member, but the benefits went beyond the award. “I was getting exposure to influential people in the business, right after I graduated,” she says. “If it weren’t for ‘Meet Me in St. Louis,’ that opportunity never would have been possible for me.” Her connections in New York came to fruition when she was cast in a reading for a new musical directed by Michael Greif, who

had directed “If/Then” on Broadway and was preparing to cast its national tour. “When it came time for my audition [for ‘If/Then’], my relationship with Michael made all the difference in the world,” she says. “He knew me, and my work ethic, and put his faith in me once again, casting me in my first national tour.” Sharp is not surprised by Bernhardt’s success. “English was always a pleasure to work with,” he says. “Her professionalism and accountability are what I admire most in such a young performer.” As Bernhardt adjusts to life on the road, again as the youngest cast member, she says she is “incredibly thankful to have this opportunity at such a young age.” “I am in the ensemble of our show, but I have a few speaking parts I have enjoyed getting to play around with,” she says. “I do lots of dancing and costume changing, so my show is very high energy.” “Traveling the country and seeing each different city has been both exciting and crazy at times,” she adds. “Tour is pretty spectacular, though. I am truly living the dream!” SPRING 2016

GAME DAY Students and alumni who are outstanding athletes

An Unconventional Road to Gold Ashley Bratcher ’05

The first-ever Women’s Baseball team to win gold at the Pan Am Games in 2015

Ashley Bratcher ’05 never imagined she’d be back on Ravenscroft’s campus, years after graduating, managing the USA Baseball Women’s National Team Trials.

AST SPRING, with the USA Baseball National Training Complex booked for the Division II Baseball World Series, Bratcher, Senior Director of Baseball Operations at USA Baseball, reached out to Ned Gonet asking to use the Ravenscroft field for the inter-squad game, which would bring the 36 women tryingout to represent the USA at the summer Pan Am games down to the 18 selected players. Playing in the first multi-sport international event to ever include women’s baseball, the 2015 U.S. Pan American Women’s

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Baseball Team made history claiming gold by beating host country Canada before a crowd of 5,224. Bratcher attributes her experience in athletics, particularly at Ravenscroft, to helping her develop skills essential to her success. At Ravenscroft, Bratcher was an exceptional basketball and softball player, playing Varsity all four years and helping to win the softball state championship her junior year. Bratcher also played JV volleyball and field hockey but quickly realized they weren’t for her. Learning

about athletic training while recovering from injuries, Bratcher was encouraged by “Coach P” (Coach Michelle Piette) to join the student athletic training program, allowing her to stay actively involved with athletics during the fall. Among other new experiences, this involved working on the sidelines of football games with Coach P who along with Coach Gonet she describes as “her biggest mentors.” When not playing a sport, Bratcher looked for opportunities to allow her to stay involved with athletics and continue to learn and

by Kathleen Louis

grow. Throughout high school and college, Bratcher viewed setbacks with a positive attitude, seeking out new opportunities rather than dwelling in what-could-have-been. Her energetic and optimistic outlook led her on a career path she didn’t expect but one in which she couldn’t be happier in — a career that allows her to pursue her passions, develop new skills and provides her with constant learning experiences. “One of the things I most took away from my time at Ravenscroft was time management skills, especially being an athlete there between after school practice, traveling to basketball

ASHLEY BRATCHER ’05

games and coming back late at night and having an assignment to do. It prepared me for college and a career and is a skill I use every day.” Her experience in athletic training at Ravenscroft inspired her to enroll in the athletic training program her sophomore year at UNC-Chapel Hill, which she attended to play softball. After tearing her ACL during a club rugby game her first semester, Bratcher was sidelined from playing softball in the spring. Additionally, faced with having to enroll in a cadaver lab as a program requisite during her junior year, Bratcher realized the athletic training program wasn’t for her and transferred into sports administration. When circumstances altered her original plan of playing softball at UNC and becoming an athletic trainer, Bratcher energetically adapted to a new path. She sought out oppor-

tunities which allowed her hands-on, practical experience such as working as a student manager with the UNC Women’s Soccer team and interning with the girls summer soccer camps at UNC. “Looking back on it, in the long run, playing a club sport in college is a lesser commitment so it allowed me to do athletic training and manage the soccer team. It all lined up better — to continue being an athlete at some level while pursuing things which would set me up for a career after college.” After graduation, Bratcher interned with USA Baseball managing and coordinating USA Baseball’s summer camp program. She excelled in her internship position leading to an offer to manage all operations at the tional Team. The Team will travel, along Cary facility. From hiring hourly staff with Bratcher, to Mexico for the Pan Am to overseeing scheduling, she made games later this year which Bratcher will sure everything ran smoothly. Bratch- coordinate and manage all the details for. “I get to work with people from all er was tasked, as well, with building and managing the Women’s National walks of life — 12-year-olds and their Team, which is still a large component parents, former big leaguers and major college coaches, the Japanese women’s of her job today. As Bratcher’s role evolved, in 2012, team… many people from very varied she took over the planning and backgrounds. It helps keep things interexecution of the annual National esting and fresh. I’m always learning.” Staying true to her interests and Team Championships in Arizona, USA Baseball’s largest event in size maintaining a positive, can-do attitude and revenue, attracting over 5,000 enabled Bratcher to adapt and grow participants in 2015. Bratcher also when her plans and goals — athletic, develops the curriculum for the annual educational or career — changed. BratchNational Team Development Program er is putting the skills she learned both for selected young men, teaching both on and off the field into use every day, on and off the field lessons. From the as she found a career that aligns with her big picture down to the details, she passions and talents. puts her finely honed operations skills to use through the managing of all logistics from travel to communication with parents and players to lodging and food. Recently promoted to Senior Director, Bratcher now oversees all programs for 12U through 17U. Her main focus this year is Bratcher with the USA Women’s Baseball team after they won gold at the building the 12U Na- Pan Am Games

“One of the things I most took away from my time at Ravenscroft was time management skills, especially being an athlete... coming back late at night and having an assignment to do.”

SPRING 2016

CLASS NOTES Catching up with our alumni

BIRTHS 1

3 2

1. LIZ GIBBONS ’96 and husband Jim wel-

4. STEPHEN RIDDICK ‘00 and wife Elizabeth

comed their son, James Edward Gibbons IV (Ward), on October 5, 2015. Sisters Libby and Weezie are thrilled to have a baby brother!

welcomed a son, William Brooks Riddick III, on August 3, 2015.

2. DR. EMILY HUBER CALLAHAN ‘98 and MIKE CALLAHAN ‘98 welcomed a son, Jack Patrick Callahan, on October 30, 2015.

3. SEAN FOWLER ’98 and wife Lizzy welcomed 7

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twin daughters, Clementine Elizabeth Fowler and Grace Sullivan Fowler, on September 25, 2015.

5. CHESTER ALLEN ’01 and wife M.A., along with big sister Lil, welcomed Chester “Fisher” Allen, junior on January 31, 2016.

6. MARGARET SCOTT ROBINSON ’03 and husband Will welcomed a son, William Hughes Robinson, on November 15, 2015. 7. WILLIAM MOSS ’04 and wife Chailee welcomed daughter Louisa on February 3, 2016.

TUCKER STREET

1977

Janet Harris Hathaway ‘46 passed away in March

Terry Wallace Chambliss

2014.

1973 Ted Salisbury tedsalisbury@hotmail.com

Sympathy to Roxanne and Ted Salisbury on the death of their son, Patrick, who passed away in July 2015.

1975

terry.chambliss@duke.edu

Ken Mayer is serving as president of AIA North Carolina (American Institutes of Architects North Carolina section) this year. Sympathy to Debbie Munn Baughn, Judi Munn ‘80 and Don Munn ‘82 on the death of their father, Dev Munn, who passed away on October 5, 2015.

1978

cindy@cindypoole.com

Class Agent needed! If you are interested in serving, please email Tammy Haywood, Director of Alumni Giving and Activities, at thaywood@ravenscroft.org.

Sympathy to Ken Marsh and Jean Marsh Barker ‘79 on the death of their father, David H. Marsh, who passed away on October 30, 2015.

Sympathy to Stan and Sammy Joyner ‘83. Their brother, Cliff Joyner ‘76, passed away in July 2015.

1976

Sympathy to Marc Scruggs and Evelyn Scruggs ‘79 on the death of their father, Marcus, who passed away in September.

Cindy Poole

Joel Reames joel@joelreames.com

Many thanks to Mary Catherine for serving as our Class Agent! Joel has agreed to serve, so please send your updates to him.

James Sansom joined the Ravenscroft Board in fall 2015. Sympathy to James on the death of his mother who passed away in July 2015. Sympathy to the family of Cliff Joyner, who passed away in July, 2015. His brothers, Stan ‘78 and Sammy ‘83, were also Ravenscroft grads.

1979

BRAD STEED ‘78 in his new “office” at JetBlue

LISA BROWN GLENN’s ‘79 son Gates Aldridge and COURTNEY NEWCOMBE ‘07 were recently married

Allison Gilbert Holmes allisonholmes@nc.rr.com

Several Ravens got together for a Segway tour with Bruce Miller! Those who enjoyed the tour included George and Debbie Andrews, Cathy Edwards Lull, Don and Dianne Jones Hyneman, Chuck and Clinton Lee (‘76) Duncan, John and Anita Daniel Kraynik, Con and Anne Sigmon McDonald,

Class of ‘79 golf outing, from left to right: LAWRENCE WATTS, JIM KILGORE, SKPPER DAY, JACK PUCKET, TOM RICE, GREG DEENER, TOM GIBBONS, KIRK SUMMERS and DAVID COZART

Class years without notes have been omitted. See Alumni at ravenscroft.org for class agents.

SPRING 2016

CLASS NOTES

Brett and Mary Hightower, David and Valerie Cozart, Tom and Beth Anne Gibbons, Holden Richards, Rocky and Margie Johnson Springer and myself. It was great fun! Scott Edwards has been in Chicago for 26 years.

LISA BROWN GLENN ‘79 and husband James Glenn

He has three kids. His oldest, a daughter, graduated from DePauw University in 2014 and is teaching high school math in Colorado Springs as part of Teach for America program. His middle child, a son, is a junior at Valparaiso University. He is passionate about meteorology and wants to study violent storms. He goes storm chasing tornadoes in the fall and spring. Scott’s youngest daughter just started her freshman year at DePauw University and has no idea what she’ll end up studying, although fraternity parties appears to be high on the list. The Edwards family spent some time in Bar Harbor, Maine, this summer. Scott still plays a lot of golf and hockey, twice a week, year round on hockey. Scott would love to host anyone for golf, drink or whatever, should they find themselves in the vicinity of Chicago.

Billy Simpson writes: “We took a family vacation

BILLY SIMPSON’S ‘80 children Pride, Carter Wray, and McKinney

to San Diego, Las Vegas, and the Grand Canyon this summer. Carter Wray is a freshman at Sanderson High School where she is in the Academy of Finance. We are very proud of her hard work in achieving this honor. She will get her license in January but not to worry because she may be the safest driver I’ve ever ridden with. Pride is an eighth grader at Martin Middle School. He plays on a travel soccer club as a goalie. In the past year he has played in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Virginia with upcoming trips to Nevada and California. He was just invited to play on a U.S. team made up of players from the southeastern part of the U.S. in Spain. Have not decided on that yet as he would miss about 10 days of school, and Melissa and I just don’t see the school work being done! McKinney has transitioned into Martin Middle School as a 6th grader this year and is doing well. She is very smart and has found out that it is best if the teachers don’t know that Pride is her brother because then she says they make her sit in the front of the class! McKinney’s soccer team is undefeated this year, and she is really enjoying her team. Everyone is growing up too fast, and Melissa and I are just trying to enjoy the down time when we can. I hope everyone is doing well and hope to see everyone soon.”

Lisa Brown Glenn, is still traveling North Carolina for the mortgage industry. She is employed by Stonegate Mortgage who purchases residential loans from mortgage brokers, bankers, credit

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unions and community banks. She has enjoyed top performing success throughout her career. Her husband James Glenn owns Glenn Eagle Lending, a mortgage broker. He is a constant triathlete who travels eastern North Carolina competing with Lisa cheering on the sidelines. They have James’ two children, Keeton and Mary. Keeton is attending UNC Greensboro and running track. Mary is a junior at Ravenscroft. YES, Lisa is still attending Ravenscroft functions as a step-parent! Lisa’s sons, Gates Aldridge and Logan Aldridge ’09, are living in Raleigh. Gates married his high school, sweetheart of 10 years, Courtney Newcombe ’07! Gates works for Epic Games and Courtney works at Cisco. Logan is working for North Carolina Orthotics and Prosthetics but that’s not all...he is a certified CrossFit Trainer, Adaptive Athlete Trainer, training for the ParaOlympics, founder of Adaptive Division, and travels speaking before corporations on achieving accomplishments beyond expectations. Lisa has returned to riding horses. She keeps her horse, Gin, at Wakefield Barn and is loving it! If you haven’t gone to her FaceBook check it out...she has also begun to paint portraits of horses, cats, dogs and favorite destinations. Send her a message!

Susan Braswell Long informed me that she went to the Mediterranean for two weeks in 2012. Also, her son, Tyler fell 35 feet during his sophomore year at Clemson! Luckily, he came out of this with only two chipped bones in his left shoulder. He had surgery 2 months after his accident and is thankfully fine now. Susan’s husband surprised her with a cruise for their 30th wedding anniversary this summer. Their son, Tyler dropped a floating device off of their boat for Susan to find with a poem in it. Her husband wrote the poem about their 30 years of marriage and the cruise itinerary. Tyler will graduate in May 2016 from Clemson with a degree in Business Information Systems. Sympathy to Marc Scruggs ‘78 and Evelyn Scruggs on the death of their father Marcus, who passed away in September. Sympathy to Jean Marsh Barker and Ken Marsh‘75 on the death of their father, David H. Marsh, who passed away on October 30, 2015.

1980 Class Agent needed! If you are interested in serving, please email Tammy Haywood, Director of Alumni Giving and Activities at thaywood@ravenscroft.org.

Sympathy to Anne Towle Love and her sister Beth Towle Neville ‘82 on the death of their mother,

Janet Harris Hathaway, a 1946 Tucker Street alum, who passed away in March 2014. Sympathy to Tomilynn Mutschler Harris and her brother Billy Mutschler ‘84 on the death of their father, William “Pete” Mutschler, who passed away in July 2015. Sympathy to Judi Munn, Debbie Munn Baughn ‘77, and Don Munn ‘82 on the death of their father, Dev Munn, who passed away on October 5, 2015.

Kenan Poole’s son, Kenan ‘19, recently won first place in the Winternational Junior Series at Pinehurst. Kenan won in the Freshman Sophomore Division with a four stroke victory. Sympathy to Don Munn, Debbie Munn Baughn ‘77, and Judi Munn ‘80 on the death of their father, Dev Munn, who passed away on October 5, 2015.

1983 Caroline Day Plummer

1981

carolinedayplummer@gmail.com

Class Agent needed! If you are interested in serving, please email Tammy Haywood, Director of Alumni Giving and Activities, at thaywood@ravenscroft.org.

Sympathy to Stan ‘78 and Sammy Joyner. Their brother, Cliff Joyner ‘76, passed away in July 2015.

Madeline Gilbert spent two days in a cooking

my family and I relocated to Greenville, S.C., in late 2013. The move was prompted mainly by the enrollment of our daughter Sloan at Clemson. Sloan selected Clemson so she could be on the inaugural Women’s Golf team. She was All-ACC her first year and is a two time Academic All-American. Our youngest daughter Caroline is a sophomore in high school and is pretty much your typical teenager. We are blessed with wonderful kids. Although not a techie, I somehow ended up in the IT world. I’m the Senior Director of the Global PMO at Experis. My team connects our US clients to our sister entities around the world and manages IT related projects. From time to time I get to travel a bit which I really enjoy. If you pass through the Greenville area, please look me up. I’m easy to find on LinkedIn and Facebook!

class with Art Smith (Oprah’s former chef) in November.

1982 William Gaither wmgaither@msn.com

Sympathy to Beth Towle Neville and her sister, Anne Towle Love ‘80, on the death of their mother, Janet Harris Hathaway, a 1946 Tucker Street alum, who passed away in March 2014.

Stephen Melott writes that he is now working in the Executive Offices of Saks Fifth Avenue in Raleigh.

KERIC SHANAHAN ‘83 with husband Adrianne and daughter Sloan.

Keric Shanahan writes “After 25 years in Atlanta,

1985 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP FOOTBALL REUNION Members of the 1985 State Football Championship team gathered together the weekend of October 16-17 to celebrate their 30th Reunion. Teammates drove in from all over to attend the homecoming dinner Friday night, be recognized at halftime of the varsity football game and attend a reception on Saturday night at Winston’s. They even visited with the current varsity team (who later went on to become state champions) in the locker room during halftime!

SPRING 2016

CLASS NOTES

1984

DENE DAWSON ‘85 and son Davis hiked the Pilmont Scout ranch this summer.

1988

John Parham

Cathy Myers Carlino

jparham@tcfnmail.com

ccarlino@carolina.rr.com

Sympathy to Billy Mutschler and his sister Tomilynn Mutschler Harris ‘80 on the death of their father, William “Pete” Mutschler, who passed away in July 2015.

Anna Dunn Fonville writes: “My twins West and Vaden will graduate this year from Ravenscroft. They are lifers — been there since kindergarten. Hard to believe.”

1985

Marcel Provencher writes: “My daughters Fionna ‘18 and Simone ‘19 play varsity

Class Agent needed! If you are interested in serving, please email Tammy Haywood, Director of Alumni Giving and Activities, at thaywood@ravenscroft.org.

Sympathy to Carrie Smith Vineyard and her sister Sonya Smith Beacham ‘89 on the death their father, former Ravenscroft Head of School, Grover Smith. He passed away in November.

Dene Dawson writes: “Enjoyed a great adventure

ANNA DUNN FONVILLE ‘88 with son WEST ELLWANGER ‘16, varsity soccer goalie at Ravenscroft

with my son Davis this summer as we hiked Pilmont Scout Ranch with his BSA Troop. Covered over 103 miles and climbed Mt Baldy (12,441'). I keep in touch with Chris Haga regularly. He and his family are in Dallas and doing well. Enjoy keeping up with many Ravens on FB.”

1986/1987

field hockey and tennis for the Ravens.”

1989 Amy Copeland Petitfils and Sonya Smith Beacham acpetitfils@yahoo.com sbeacham@cfcc.edu

Sympathy to Sonya Smith Beacham and her sister Carrie Smith Vineyard ‘85 on the death of their father, former Ravenscroft Head of School, Grover Smith. He passed away in November.

1990 Kristin Snyder Kash Kkash@houseofkash.com

Kelly Gould joined the Ravenscroft Board in fall 2015.

Class Agent needed! If you are interested in serving, please email Tammy Haywood, Director of Alumni Giving and Activities, at thaywood@ravenscroft.org.

Sympathy to the family of Walter Dauterman ’86 who passed away on December 21. Walter’s brother, John Dauterman ’87, was also a Ravenscroft grad.

1994 Tim Johnson tej916@gmail.com

ANNA DUNN FONVILLE ‘88 with daughter VADEN ELLWANGER ‘16, cheerleader at Ravenscroft

Sean Fowler ’95 EXECUTIVE CHEF AT AWARD-WINNING RESTAURANT

MARCEL PROVENCHER’s ‘88 daughters, FIONNA ‘18 and SIMONE ‘19, and his mother after a recent Ravenscroft choir recital

R AVENSCROFT magazine

Raleigh restaurant Mandolin has been named a 2015 award recipient of the Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNA), a national organization that honors the best chefs and restaurants in North America. Mandolin’s executive Chef Sean Fowler ’95 features a menu that combines international cuisine and Southern favorites using seasonal ingredients from local farms.

Class years without notes have been omitted. See Alumni at ravenscroft.org for class agents.

Benji Rountree ’95 EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AT AWARD-WINNING COMPANY Psycho Rock Productions’ movie, CUT!, was nominated for 12 awards and won ﬁve awards at the San Diego Horror Film Festival, the FANtastic Horror Film Fest. Awards include Best Feature Film, Best Director of a Feature Film, Best Original Story/Script, and Best Line. Benji Rountree ‘95 is Executive Producer of Psycho Rock Productions. CUT! is now available on HULU.

1995

William Wilkins took his two kids to watch the Ravens win the NCISAA Division II Football State Championship. He still lives in Raleigh with his kids and is doing well.

jmadison77@gmail.com

Katie Perry Barr writes: “My husband, Mack, is in Planned Giving at the University of Virginia. We moved over a year ago to a farm outside Charlottesville, and our babies are growing too fast!”

Jeremiah Kramer, son of Ryan Kramer, was chosen to be the Coke Zero Kid at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers game on December 6th. He met many of the players including former Bucs quarterback and Super Bowl XXII MVP Doug Williams.

Tim Johnson writes: “If anyone from 1994 is

Sean Fowler and wife Lizzy, welcomed twin

reading this, rest assured I’ll be trying to find you and demand an update for the next magazine :-). Our daughter Lucy is enjoying preschool, and our son Gus is enjoying just about everything. I guess that’s typical for an almost 2-year-old. The big news this year was more on the work front as I went out on my own and partnered with a former colleague in the communication coaching/consulting space. We teach folks how to be better speakers, and it’s a blast. Anyone at all, please send me an email as I would love to reconnect: tej916@gmail.com.”

WILLIAM WILKIN’s ‘94 daughter at this year’s Football State Championship game

Jen Madison Snook

KATY PERRY BARR’s ’94 children Jack (13), Charlie (11), Mary Mack (9), George (6) and Lucy (2)

daughters, Clementine Elizabeth Fowler and Grace Sullivan Fowler, on September 25, 2015.

1996 Katy Geil Smyth katygeil@hotmail.com

Antwan Harris presented the NFL Super Bowl 50 Gold Football to Ravenscroft on October 25. This was in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Super Bowl. The NFL

Jeremiah Kramer, son of RYAN KRAMER ’95, was chosen to be the Coke Zero Kid at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers game on December 6th

Matt Perniciaro’s ’97 COMPANY HELPS CREATE TACO BELL SCHOLARSHIP Matt Perniciaro ‘97 and his company, Bow and Arrow Entertainment, created the Live Mas Scholarship in conjunction with Taco Bell. The scholarship awards funds ranging from $2,500 to $25,000 to students to follow through on their creative ideas — ideas that have a positive social impact and beneﬁt the world. The unique scholarship awards the dreamers and the creators, “the kids who could change the world,” helping them pursue their dreams and make a diﬀerence.

MATT CANTANDO ’95 and JEN MADISON SNOOK ‘95 enjoyed catching up and having their sons meet for the first time in Raleigh in July SPRING 2016

CLASS NOTES

WEDDINGS

6 1. KATIE HILBERT ‘97 married Robert Bardou on

5. LAUGHTON JONES ’06

October 3, 2015.

married Ellen Easter on May 9, 2015.

2. CHANEL HUNT ’01 married Adrian Prioleau on November 15, 2015. 3. JOSH EDWARDS ’04 married Anna Foxworth on May 9, 2015.

8 6. MATT WILSON ’09 and MEGHAN MCDONNELL ’08 were married on June 13, 2015. 7. AUSTIN HILL ’11 married Hallie Marohl in June 2015.

4. LAUREN JANSON ‘06 married Peter McIlwaine in

8. EMILY MARTIN ’11 married Bobby Porter on June 20,

September 2015.

2015.

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Liz Gibbons and husband Jim welcomed their son, James Edward Gibbons IV (Ward), on October 5, 2015. Sisters Libby and Weezie are thrilled to have a baby brother! As for me, Katy, I’m busy as a full time mom to Rocky (4) and Bo (19 months), wife to Garrett, and Assistant Director with Stella & Dot. Blessed doesn’t even begin to cover it! Many former Ravens celebrated the wedding of JEFF WALKER ‘97 and Megan Ryan on October 31

sent a gold football to every high school in the world that’s produced a player or coach who has appeared in a Super Bowl. The league invited over 3,000 players to deliver the gold football to their individual high schools. Harris attended UVA and was drafted by the New England Patriots in 2000, where he played defensive back for the team for five seasons. He won two Super Bowl titles as a member of the Patriots in 2002 and 2004. He also played for the Cleveland Browns. Harris is also a member of Ravenscroft’s Alumni Sports Hall of Fame.

Chris Colvin moved to Massachusetts last summer and is now Director of Athletics at Nichols College in Dudley, MA. When Ivy Peed Pointer isn’t saving lives as a doctor at WakeMed, she’s beginning her career as a rap star...We all saw this coming in those amazing cheerleading routines... Check her out here: www.youngiv.org

ANTWAN HARRIS ’96 and Ned Gonet, Athletic Director and Varsity Football Coach, after Harris presented the NFL Superbowl 50 Gold Football to Ravenscroft

1997 Elizabeth Warren Hamilton Ecarver22@nc.rr.com

Hi Class of 1997! Great to hear from many of you this time!

Jeff Walker married Megan Ryan on October 31, 2015. Many fellow Ravens were in attendance including Elizabeth Warren Hamilton, Michael An-

derson ‘98, Brian Ledyard, George Merritt, Ellen Mann O’Connor ‘98, Jeremy Bull ‘00, Robert Taylor, Billy Hogg, Gretchen Hogg O’Briant, Chad Dogget ‘98, Stacy Ingram Carothers ‘02 and Kristen Anderson Hudson ‘02. Katie Hilbert, now Katie Megan Bardou, married Robert Bardou on October 3, 2015. Fellow classmates Virginia Rolls and Will Apple attended her wedding.

Roy Hykal has moved back from Texas to Charlotte, N.C., to continue his work with PepsiCo.

Liz Rogers Biggerstaff ’98 INDUCTED INTO WINGATE SPORTS HALL OF FAME Liz Rogers Biggerstaff ‘98 was recently inducted in the

Sports Hall of Fame at Wingate University. Currently the Associate Athletic Director for Compliance at Wingate University, Biggerstaﬀ played both basketball and soccer while a student at Wingate University.

SPRING 2016

CLASS NOTES

Donald Cameron lives in Texas and is a sky-diving instructor. He has a little boy, Russell, who is one. He is working towards his FFA Senior Parachute Rigger certification.

Jennifer Merrill Warne is now the Regional ambulatory practice manager department of electrophysiology at Medstar Health/Cleveland Clinic in Washington, D.C. Michael Laidlaw was selected by the US Air MARY CRAVEN HINES DAWKINS ‘99 has three daughters: Johnsie (6), Tate (4), and Cora (8 months)

Force for additional subspecialty training and was accepted to the orthopedic surgery sports medicine program at the University of Virginia starting in August 2016. Mike and his family will be moving to Charlottesville for a year for him to complete the program. He will then return to the Air Force to complete his service commitment.

1998 Ellen Mann O’Connor Ellen.b.mann@gmail.com CARRIE BRENNEMAN GALLOWAY ‘00, her daughter Celia, and MARY LEAH SINGLETARY MILLER ‘00

Dr. Emily Huber Callahan and Mike Callahan welcomed a son, Jack Patrick, on October 30, 2015.

1999 Allison Drummond Stewart allisonkathleenstewart @gmail.com

Sympathy to Robbie Hukill, Taylor Hukill ’04 and Katie Hukill ’05 on the death of their father Robert Hukill, Jr. (Bob), who passed away in November.

2000 TYLER MATTHEWS ‘01 started a custom metal fabrication company called Hammered Pig Ironworks based in Delaware

Melissa Warren Dougher melissawdougher@gmail.com

Carrie Brenneman Galloway, her husband, Jay, and their daughter, Celia, visited Mary Leah Singletary Miller and her husband, Rodney, this October in Birmingham.

Stephen Riddick and his wife, Elizabeth, welcomed their son William Brooks Riddick III on August 3, 2015.

2001 Jaclyn White Morgan jaclyn.w.morgan@gmail.com

Chester Allen and wife M.A., along with big sister Lil, welcomed Chester “Fisher” Allen, junior on January 31, 2016. R AVENSCROFT magazine

Julia Kerr Peterson welcomed Banks Morgan Peterson on October 29th.

Chanel Hunt married Adrian Prioleau on November 15th. Tyler Matthews started a custom metal fabrication company (hobby job) called Hammered Pig Ironworks based in Delaware. He says he started with custom tap handles for a local brewery and it morphed into one off mild steel sculptures. Most of his pieces are based on wildlife, but says his clients continue to challenge him with their requests. See more his work here: facebook.com/hammeredpig.

2002 Alan Haydon ahaydon@gmail.com

William Earnhardt and his wife Lauren welcomed their first child, James William Earnhardt III, on March 19, 2015. The new baby is doing great!

Katherine Cadwallader writes: “After fundraising for 501(c)(3) organizations for the past three years, I have transitioned back into politics. This past summer I accepted the role of Finance Director at the North Carolina Democratic Party. I currently live in Raleigh with my partner, Gavin Painter, and all of our four-legged friends — one dog, two cats, and often a foster dog or two. I’m looking forward to a busy 2016 and a long exotic vacation after November!” Rachel Garrison reports: “I just moved back from L.A. to Raleigh and spent this past summer in Copenhagen, Denmark.” Chas Peyton writes: “I finished medical school at MUSC 2011. I’m currently in my 5th of 6 years in urology residency at Wake Forest Baptist Medical center. I will finish in 2017. I recently got married to Andrea Peyton in Dec. 2014 and we have a great life in Winston-Salem, N.C. I am planning to possibly pursue a fellowship in urologic oncology in the future.”

Jackie Popillo Kilgore is living in Raleigh and working as a Speech-Language Pathologist at a continuing care retirement community. She and her husband welcomed baby girl Hollis in January 2015. She’s staying busy and doing great! Moss Withers moved back to Cary from Holly Springs with his wife and two girls. Moss is currently the chairman of the Kraft YMCA in Cary, N.C., and the Holly Springs Chamber of Commerce.

Chris Davis writes: “I just got married in October, and fellow class of 2002 alum William Earnhardt was in the wedding. I’m in ER doctor in Winston-Salem, and I am working with climbers and EMS in the mountains to help establish the state’s first mountain rescue team.”

Guy Crawford writes: “I always knew I wanted to be a teacher but life has a funny way of changing things up on you. I am a lead Pre-K teacher at the Learning Experience in Durham, N.C. I am on my third month here and enjoy it everyday. It’s not elementary education, but I love my kids and what I do just the same. Teaching my kids to be the very best they can be is in the forefront of everything I do.” Laura Stephens Chipman writes: “Last year I left private law practice and started a new job as Legal Counsel at SAS Institute in Cary. In July, my husband Kevin and I welcomed our baby boy, Finley James. He is a joy! We live in South Durham with our dog Bennett.”

Meghan Crossin recently transferred from the U.S. Department of State’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., to a field position at its Denver agency, where she is thoroughly enjoying all the outdoor adventures that the Rockies have to offer. Alan Haydon writes: “After graduating from Embry-Riddle in 2006, I flew corporate aircraft for Aviation Management Group, a private aircraft management company based in Raleigh. In late 2010, I was hired by ExpressJet Airlines (Delta Connection), and I’m currently based in Atlanta, GA, flying the Bombardier CRJ-200 to cities in the Southeast and Midwest US. I’m still living in Raleigh and enjoy bumping into fellow Ravens in the airport!”

Logan Roise shares: “I went to Bojangles’ in October when visiting Raleigh for a wed-

ding. To maximize the true Bojangles’ experience, I recommend the four piece “Supremes Combo” with French fries and a huge sweet tea. Additionally, one can never go wrong by ordering two Bo-Berry biscuits to cap off what is an epic meal. Bon appetit!”

2003 Anna Claire Murnick Price acmurnick@gmail.com

Margaret Scott Robinson and husband Will welcomed a son, William Hughes Robinson, on November 15, 2015. Hugh Leatherman married Cate Morse on May 2, 2015 in Charleston. Rob Ponton and Leebo Smith served as groomsmen. Alice-Anne Leatherman ’06, sister of the groom, was a bridesmaid. John Bower writes: “The Bower family continues to expand. My wife Samantha and I welcomed our new baby boy, Miles Benjamin, on September 1st. Man to man coverage is a whole different ballgame! I’m in my 8th year working at The Rivers School outside of Boston, and this year was made a senior administrator in my role as Director of Diversity & Inclusion. Let me know if you’re ever in the area — would love to catch up.”

JOHN BOWER ’03 and wife Samantha welcomed a son, Miles Benjamin Bower, on September 1, 2015

2004 Gretchen Presnell, Ashley Board and Keith Strombotne gretchenphyde@gmail.com ashleyboard@gmail.com kstrombo3@gmail.com

William Moss and wife Chailee welcomed Louisa on February 3, 2016.

Drew Boyd ’04 FILM WINS BEST FEATURE FILM AT FESTIVAL Drew Boyd ’04 (center) produced the ﬁlm

Well Wishes, which won best feature ﬁlm at WILLiFEST! The Williamsburg International Film Festival is a component of WILLiFEST, a multifaceted event that strives to bring the most diverse art festival to New York City. The ﬁlm will be released on all digital platforms this spring.

SPRING 2016

CLASS NOTES

David Jones writes: “We moved to Richardson, TX this summer and love our new home. We serve with a pre-married ministry at our church for couples seriously dating or engaged. We are excited to be celebrating Christmas with our 13-month-old son, Braxton.” Jones Baby #2 is arriving in April!

Taylor Greene writes: “My two-year-old Lillie is going to be a big sister in June so Zoey and I are excited for baby #2. I’m in my first year of graduate school studying early American History with an emphasis on French & Native American cultural studies.”

Dr. Ryan Thys writes: “I completed my Ph.D. in Cancer Biology from the Wake Forest School of Medicine in May 2015 and recently accepted a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship to continue my research at Duke University starting in January 2016.” Josh Edwards married Anna Foxworth on May 9, 2015 in Southport. SUSANNE EGGLESTON ‘06 and husband Cary in Paris

Sympathy to Taylor Hukill, Robbie Hukill ’99 and Katie Hukill ’05 on the death of their father Robert Hukill, Jr. (Bob), who passed away in November.

Joyce Pope joined the Ravenscroft Board in fall 2015.

2005 Jessie Hale Tesh Jessie.tesh@gmail.com

CLEO GHOLIZADEH ‘08, STEPHANIE KRAMER ‘08 and SARAH HATTON ‘08 (who spent a semester abroad at Ravenscroft from England) all live in Europe

Sympathy to Taylor Hukill ’04, Robbie Hukill ’99 and Katie Hukill on the death of their father

Robert Hukill, Jr. (Bob), who passed away in November.

2006 Celeste Allen Chapman chapman.celeste@gmail.com

Lauren Janson is currently completing her Masters in Public Health/Registered Dietitian at UNC Chapel Hill. She married Peter McIlwaine of Northern Ireland in September at the Fearrington Village, and many former Crofters attended! She is also interning for Joy Bauer, the dietitian on NBC’s TODAY show, and is looking forward to graduating next December.

Laughton Jones married Ellen Easter on May 9th, 2015.

Susanne Eggleston writes: “Things are going well here in Richmond, VA. I currently work as a Contracting Specialist at Virginia Premier Health Plan, which is a Medicaid Managed Care Organization. Cary and I celebrated our third wedding anniversary in September with a trip to Paris, London and Ireland! The lease on our apartment is up in July, and we are planning on buying our first home together.”

2007 Rob Byrd robertgbyrd@gmail.com

Sympathy to Mallory Crumpler Grissom on the death of her mother who passed away in August.

2008 Taylor Rankin, Lauren Miller and Casey Stevenson tfr813@aol.com lauren.e.miller@vanderbilt.edu ccs32@duke.edu

Megan Dillinger writes: “I’m still in New York and have been working for Unilever for the past year and a half since finishing grad school. I was recently promoted to Assistant Procurement Manager for the Fats & Oils portfolio at Unilever, where I help develop and execute the buying strategy for liquid oils Back row: SARAH CUNNINGHAM MOELLER, MARY GLENN CRUMPLER COLEMAN, in North America. My favorite part DEE CONDREY, ABBY MURNICK JONES, CELESTE ALLEN CHAPMAN, ELIZABETH of this role is the ability to drive DARDEN WOOTEN, SHANLEY LESTINI and COURTNEY JAMISON ROANE sustainability initiatives and make Front row: SARAH FRICKE, LINDSAY MERWARTH, bride LAUREN JANSON tangible impacts in the market.” MCILWAINE ’06 and LYSANDRA LESTINI

R AVENSCROFT magazine

Gabe Skwara reports: “I am living in Asheville, and working for a local internet service provider called Skyrunner, which specializes in wireless internet, and can bring good internet service into under-served areas! My job is kind of a Jack-of-all-trades. I do installations, office work, and also interface with community leaders who want to get our service. It’s not what I thought I’d be doing, but I’m really happy with it! I get to work somewhere new every day, and am very familiar with the names of the mountains in wester N.C., as we have equipment on a lot of towers in the area. Which I get to climb occasionally, which is also fun.” Ryan Sandman writes: “I’m still living in D.C. and have since been accepted into Georgetown’s Sports Industry Management Masters Program and have been busy with that the past couple of months. I am still working part time at the Library of Congress while seeking some other part time work during the day to keep me busy since my classes are in the evenings.”

Kenton Harrison writes: “I’m currently living a quick swim across the Hudson from NYC in beautiful, picturesque Jersey City, N.J. I am the the graphic designer at an awesome company that conceptualizes, designs and manufactures custom promotional products. We work for various teams in all four major professional sports, a host of beer and liquor companies, and just about every sports supplement company in existence. Aside from that I’m doing vocals in yet another metal band with fellow ex-Raven Mike Prazenica. My band is called Lost Continent (shameless plug) and you should all go listen if you’re in the mood for a good ol’ fashion headbang.”

Ray Davis IV shares: “I’m living in Chattanooga and working for a leading flooring manufacturer as the Sr. Process Engineer at one of our laminate facilities.The position is focused on managing daily operations, driving process improvement using Six Sigma, and collaborating with others to execute change. Manufacturing has been a very rewarding career path and it gets better every year.” Another love affair that began as casual and awkward flirting in the Ravenscroft senior hall has led to a marriage. On June 13, Meghan McDonnell and Matt Wilson ‘09 were married in downtown Raleigh and then traveled to St. Lucia for a week long honeymoon. They bought their first home and are living in Raleigh where Meghan currently works as a Labor & Delivery nurse at WakeMed Hospital.

2009 Kathryn Fogartie, Jack Greenberg and Sallie King Katfogartie@gmail.com jack.d.greenberg@gmail.com shking@email.unc.edu

Justin Bradley is an assistant basketball coach at Dartmouth.

Ana Hoffmann recently moved back to Raleigh and is working as a Registered Dietitian at Lifestyle Medical Centers. On June 13, Matt Wilson married Meghan McDonnell ‘08 in downtown Raleigh and then traveled to St. Lucia for a week long honeymoon. They are living in Raleigh. Another love affair that began as casual and awkward flirting in the Ravenscroft senior hall has led to a marriage!

Mini reunion in Atlanta with HAMPTON STORY ‘09 (who is at Emory Law School), RYAN KELLY ‘09 and RACHEL BARNETT ‘09 (who is heading to Emory Med School)

2010 Natalie Salmonese, Tyson Pressell and Chase Bernhardt natalie.salmonese@gmail.com tarheel2006@gmail.com ccbern@umich.edu

Natalie Salmonese moved to Dallas, TX earlier this year with her dog Daisy. She is continuing her career in Trade Marketing for CPG companies and is enjoying new adventures in Texas!

2011 Patrick Bailey, Zaki Haidary and Allie Withers Jpb693@gmail.com zakihaidary@gmail.com alliewithers@gmail.com

Ildi Gaal ’10 COMPLETES NEW YORK MARATHON Ildi Gaal ﬁnished sixth among American women and 26th overall in the New York Marathon!

SPRING 2016

CLASS NOTES

Madeline Louden writes: “I graduated from The

Brandon Park is currently in graduate school at

George Washington University in May and am working as an Acquisitions Coordinator at Blue Fox Entertainment in Los Angeles.”

Wingate University studying pharmacy.

Haley Barefoot writes: “I will be graduating from Clemson’s nursing program and have accepted a job at Duke University Hospital in the Surgical/Trauma ICU.” Emily Martin married Bobby Porter on June 20. Martha Upton and Dawson Kirkland were bridesmaids and Sarah Heilman sang during the ceremony. They honeymooned in Grenada. Emily is currently working at Ravenscroft managing the RavenZone and is the varsity cheerleading coach.

AUSTIN HILL ’11 graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy

Dominic Parker has joined the Shenandoah University men’s basketball coaching staff as an assistant coach. He was the assistant coach at Richard Bland College in Petersburg, Virginia. Austin C. Hill graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in May 2015 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Systems Engineering with a concentration in Aeronautical Engineering and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. In June, Austin married Hallie Marohl of East Wenatchee, WA, also a Systems Engineering graduate from the U.S. Air Force Academy and newly commissioned Second Lieutenant.

2012 Angelika Barth, Jordan Jeter and Lewis Stocks angelikagaledesigns@gmail.com jjeter@elon.edu hstocks@ncsu.edu

Eliza Kramer plans to graduate from Vanderbilt this upcoming May with a B.A. in Psychology and a B.A. in Criminology. Garrett Bird will be graduating from Carnegie Mellon University in May with a B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering. He is currently planning to work in San Jose after graduation for a renewable energy company.

Hunter Nance plans to graduate in the Spring of 2016 with a B.A. in Computer Science. Hunter currently works at McClatchy Interactive and plans on working there full time after graduation.

Chad Stanback is currently studying Architectural Engineering at North Carolina A&T, and plans on starting an Architectural internship in London, UK this upcoming summer.

R AVENSCROFT magazine

Caroline Margolis was recently named Captain of the Boston College Women’s Lacrosse team and plans to graduate this May with degrees in Economics and Applied Psychology and Human Development. Jake Morin recently founded a seasonal Business Management and Construction Management company with Trey Shearin. Jake plans to graduate from East Carolina University in May.

Sydney Bullock is looking forward to leading students on an alternative spring break trip next semester to work with refugee resettlement. After completing a field practicum in the spring with Social Services, she is planning on pursuing a Master’s of Social Work program in graduate school.

Alex Kumbar worked this past summer with Cisco Systems and had a blast creating tools for their web presence. He has accepted a full time position with them and will be working in RTP starting in July. Alex Bowen is graduating in May and hopes to work in Raleigh or Charlotte upon graduation. Forrest Peed changed his major to mechanical engineering and expects to graduate in the spring. Andrew Franz is still playing basketball and finishing up his senior year. He accepted a job for next year at Deutsche Bank in NYC and will be working in the Investment Banking division.

Catherine Green will be working in Charlotte this summer as a Sales and Marketing intern for Graybar an electrical distribution company and will be graduating from East Carolina in December 2016. Matt Richards has been studying jazz guitar in the music industry studies program at App State and plans to go to graduate school to study music theory and composition.

Alex Camuti will be graduating from Clemson in May of 2016 and has accepted a job offer as a Management Trainee at CED (Consolidated Electrical Distributors) in Savannah, Georgia. He’s really enjoyed his college experience and rooting on the Tigers and looks forward to what the future has to offer! Jordan Jeter recently returned from studying in London, UK and plans to graduate in May.

Lewis Stocks graduated in December from NCSU and is currently interviewing for job opportunities in finance. Will Mueller studied abroad in Manchester, England, this past semester and upholds the role of VP of Finance for Kenan-Flagler Business School student government. This year he will be working as a consultant with Ernst & Young in Charlotte, NC. Caroline Mason studied in London this past semester traveling to places like Santorini, Istanbul,and Harry Potter World. She also began work in the Editorial department at Interview magazine and plans to graduate in May.

Matt McDowell’s football team won the Patriot League Championship this year and plans to appear in the FCS Playoff game vs. University of New Hampshire. He is looking at different job opportunities in which he can obtain patient care hours needed for PA school applications that he plans on completing after a year or two of work.

Caroline Lindquist is majoring in Environmental Studies and minoring in City & Regional planning. This summer she studied abroad in Spain and Germany on a Burch Seminar through UNC focused on renewable energy and sustainability. After graduation she plans to continue in the field on environmental urban design. Cathleen Pruden finished her term as the Chair of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee at Mount Holyoke. She is still in love with swimming, serving as the team captain. Last season she was named a CoSIDA Academic All American and the NEWMAC Swimmer of the Year. She is also writing as a college intern for Swimming World Magazine.

2013 Emily Bedsole, Bryant Dowd and Thomas Sigmon ebedsole2@gmail.com bdowd1@nc.rr.com thomasigmon@gmail.com

Meghan McAllister writes: “I was recently elected to the DePaul Panhellenic Council as VP of Public Relations. This January, I’m celebrating the one-year birthday of my life and style blog, Lincoln Park Minute. This past fall I interned at a fashion and lifestyle boutique PR agency, Skirt PR. This winter and spring, I will be a marketing and events intern at Modern Luxury, a nationwide magazine.”

Margaret Edwards transferred to NC State this year where she is high jumping on the Track and Field team. She plans to study abroad in Valencia, Spain this summer as part of her Spanish Education major. Alfre Wimberly writes: “I am still attending UNC Chapel Hill and am double majoring in Environmental Science and Chemistry. Last spring, I earned the Hollings Scholarship with the NOAA. This summer, I have confirmed an internship in Seattle to develop an Emergency Action Plan for the NOAA Small Boats West Coast program. In fall 2016, I will be studying business abroad in Ireland, and in spring 2017 I will be studying energy and sustainability in Thailand.”

ALEX NESVISKY ‘14 plays offensive line for the varsity football team at Case Western Reserve University

Max Smikey is excited to be starting his second co-op next semester. He will be working for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA on the Mars 2020 rover project, as part of the planetary sample acquisition and handling team.

Kianna Jimenez is a double major in Chemistry and Math with a minor in Spanish. She is currently pursuing a research project, which will soon be published in a scholarly journal. She recently was one of the presenters for the research study for the American Chemical Society in Tennessee (College division). She continues to hold positions of Ambassador, Orientation Leader, and CAB. Upcoming future endeavor: Internship in Chemistry/Engineering. Bryant Dowd is currently a junior at Washington and Lee University, majoring in Business Administration and minoring in Computer Science. He was recently elected as President of the W&L Venture Club, an entrepreneurial organization that provides consulting to startups and growing small businesses. It also hosts an annual two-day CEO and alumni Entrepreneurship Summit. Bryant will also be serving as President of his fraternity, Phi Delta Theta, beginning in January. He will be working as a Summer Analyst for Wells Fargo’s Investment Bank this upcoming summer and is loving every minute of being in Lexington at W&L.

2014 Mary Grady Bell and Humza Rizvi mgbell@live.unc.edu humzarizvi@gmail.com

Eryn Murphy was hired as a staff writer for The Odyssey Online at NC State.

SPRING 2016

CLASS NOTES

Jamie Mason has transferred into the GW School of Business with a concentration in Sports Business and is Chaplain of Pi Kappa Phi.

Chase Johnson has declared a minor in Film Studies and is President of Pi Kappa Phi. Thomas Matthews has declared a minor in Classical Studies.

Humza Rizvi has declared a concentration in InterCAROLINE GAINEY ‘15 joined Kappa Delta sorority at NC State and plays on the club volleyball team

national Economics and is Philanthropy Chair of Pi Kappa Phi.

Juanita Perdomo has declared a major in Global Studies and minors in Medical Anthropology and Biology. Kayla Reali has declared a Pre-Business major. She is also Academic Excellence Chair of Kappa Delta and an Advertisement Assistant for The Daily Tar Heel. Alex Nesvisky is a member of Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity, member of Theta Tau Professional Engineering Fraternity, playing offensive line for the varsity football team, and throwing shot put, discus, hammer throw, and weight throw for the varsity indoor and outdoor track and field teams at Case Western Reserve University.

Conner Irey is playing defense for the Huntingdon College Lacrosse Team, a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity and is a communication major. Rebecca Israel writes “I am at Chapman University in Orange, California. I am a BM Vocal Performance and BA Communication Studies double major. I perform in Opera Chapman, Chapman on Broadway, and the American Celebration. I am Vice President of Finance in my sorority, Pi Beta Phi.”

2015 Mykayla Perry, Rebecca Qubain and Alex Woodward mykayla_perry@baylor.edu rqubain@purdue.edu awoodward322@gmail.com

Alex Payne writes: “I haven’t declared a major, but I’m currently playing club lacrosse and am 2nd chair trumpet in the Richmond Jazz ensemble. My dorm Flag football team also won the championship as freshmen which is pretty neat.” Sympathy to Chazz UpChurch on the death of his father who passed away in July, 2015.

Rebecca Qubain writes: “I’m really enjoying Purdue. I was in a concert band this semester, and

Alumni Counci left to right: LAURA HELTON KALORIN ‘92, DAN RESSNER ‘99, JIM BARNES ‘93, ELIZABETH WARREN HAMILTON ‘97, WILL HAMLIN ‘91, SCOTT MANNING ‘03 — President Elect, CHESTER ALLEN ‘01 — President, ANNA CLAIRE MURNICK PRICE ‘03, GEORGE SMITH ‘78, SARAH GILLESKIE HOVERSTAD ‘04, JOHN SCOTT ‘01 and TIM WICKER ‘84. Not pictured: KATY GEIL SMYTH ‘96 and STEPHEN RIDDICK ‘00

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will be again in the spring. I have also joined the pep band for the women’s basketball team.”

Axel Barth biked for 70 days and 4000+ miles from Baltimore to San Diego as part of the 4K for Cancer program, raising funds and awareness for young adults affected by cancer. Prior to the trip, he raised about $7,000, far surpassing his goal of $4,500! The entire 4K team of 24 bikers raised over one million dollars. NC State freshman, Ryen Frazier, earned ACC Performer of the Week honors in September. At her

first collegiate race, the adidas XC Challenge, Ryen broke the course record by 22 seconds with a winning time of 16:04, helping the Wolfpack women achieve a first-place finish.

Caroline Gainey reports: “I have had a fantastic first year at NC State! I am a double major in Communication (Interpersonal Concentration) and Psychology. I joined Kappa Delta sorority and have been playing on our club volleyball team. I also accepted a position on a notable psychology research team early on in my freshman year, and I have been loving every second of it!”

IN MEMORY

Bridges Among life’s road each person Benefits from bridges that are crossed. Some bridges old and weathered Some new and at precious cost. But each bridge serves a purpose A function to perform. Some bright with notable attention Others lonely, tattered and worn.

And so with friends about us Who help us in ways untold. And make our passage less painful As life’s pilgrimage unfolds. R. GROVER A. SMITH, JR.,

former Head of School (1979-1986), passed away on November 6, 2015. Dr. Smith implemented many transformative changes at Ravenscroft that continue to make an impact today, including the addition of AP courses and programs for academic skills assistance. Most notably, he is recognized for helping Ravenscroft achieve ﬁnancial stability during economically challenging years.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Esther, and his daughters Miriam Henderson, Sharon May, CARRIE VINEYARD ’85 and SONYA SMITH BEACHAM ’89.

The status doesn’t matter Nor funds, or rank, you see. For the Guide who leads us onward Has a different plan for thee. So let us all be bridges As along the trail we go. That those in need of crossing May a goodly passage know! — Written by Grover A. Smith

SPRING 2016

RAVENSCROFT REWIND A look back in time in Ravens history

The Sunfish Synchronized Swimming Team 1975

A synchronized swimming team, the Sunfish, was created at Ravenscroft in the fall of 1974. The all-female team put on several performances during swim meets. From the 1984 yearbook: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Clad in a team suit of yellow, red and white, the Sunfish proved they could do just about anything in the water! Led by Mrs. Adamczyk, the swimmers astonished viewers with their dolphins, kips, tubs and many other stunts, MOST of which were done in unison.â&#x20AC;?

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GIFTS OF EVERY SIZE ADD UP TO MAKE A

BIG IMPACT

$50 100 $5,000 Annual Fund support touches every corner of Ravenscroft, every student and every academic program. To make your gift, contact Jennifer Gerber, Director of Annual Giving jennifer.gerber@ravenscroft.org | 919-847-0900

7409 Falls of Neuse Road Raleigh, NC 27615 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

OUR MISSION

The Ravenscroft community, guided by our legacy of excellence, nurtures individual potential and prepares students to thrive in a complex and interdependent world. by Devin Scioletti ’20 — 8th grade art project called Campus Reflection. Markers on paper.

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