ENSIGHTS I N S E ARC H OF T RU T H
WINTER 2017
T RADI T ION S Tr a d i t i o n s i n Ar t s Tr a d i t i o n s o f S e r v i c e Tr a d i t i o n s t h a t Te a c h
BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2016-2017 President Philip D. Krebs Vice President Toby S. (T.J.) Wilt Secretary Christi Turner Treasurer Phil Hertik Legal Counsel John Jacobson Edie McBride Bass* Kathryn C. Brown Jeffrey Buntin, Jr. Laura F. Chadwick Amy Christiansen Sandy Cochran Bruce Crosby Jonathan N. Dyke Alec Estes Amanda Farnsworth Persephone Felder-Fentress Trish C. Frist* Craig Goguen Kerry Graham Alice I. Hooker* A. Bruce Moore, Jr. Will Morrow Anne W. Nesbitt Margaret Ann Robinson* Josephine Smithwick Jamee Thompson Head of School David Braemer, ex officio President Ensworth Parent Association Candy Bass, ex officio President-Elect Ensworth Parent Association Elena Rollins, ex officio President Ensworth Alumni Council Lee Oakley, ex officio *Indicates Permanent Trustee
In Search of Truth ENSWORTH Mission Statement Ensworth is a kindergarten through twelfth grade, coeducational independent school. The School promotes academic excellence and inspires students to be intellectually curious, to use their talents to the fullest, to be people of integrity, and to be contributors to society.
Administrative Team David Braemer Head of School Dr. Sarah Buchanan Associate Head and Director of Enrollment Management David Morgan Associate Head and Head of High School Ricky Bowers Associate Head and Director of Athletics Bruce Libonn Head of Lower School Chan Gammill Head of Middle School Darrell Wells Director of Finance and Operations Jenny Hannon Director of Institutional Advancement Bobby Mirzaie Director of Curriculum and Instruction Jason Hiett Director of Technology Right Head of School David Braemer begins tug-of-war at 2016 Field Day
14
24
3
Contents
20 Summer Grants
2 Traditions
24 Traditions that Teach
Message from the Head of School
ACADEMICS
FEATURES
28 COMMUNITY 7 Traditions that Build Community 22 For the Record 42 Grandparents Days
3 Ensworth Traditions
Alumni, students, and
ARTS
faculty share memories of their favorite Ensworth traditions
28 Traditions in the Arts
14 Traditions of Service
32 Willy Wonka Middle School Play
A spotlight on Ensworth’s Service Learning Program
44 Lower/Middle School Events 46 High School Events 48 Parent Association
34 The Little Prince High School Play ALUMNI ATHLETICS 36 High School Athletics 38 Middle School Athletics
50 Alumni Class Notes 51 Alumni Events 53 Robert Inman Golf Tourn.
41 Tennis Memberships FACULTY 55 Faculty Bookshelf 56 Faculty News
100%
Inside Paper: 70lb Matte Text New Leaf Reincarnation (100% Post Consumer Recycled Fiber. FSC, SFI, Green-e, Processed Chlorine Free, and Ancient Forest Friendly) Cover: 80lb Anthem Plus Matte Cover (Made in the USA)
Copyrighted 2017 by Ensworth School. It is the policy of Ensworth to administer its educational programs, including admission and financial aid, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national origin. Ensworth is a member of NAIS, CASE, SACS, SAIS, and the Tennessee Association of Independent Schools. ENSIGHTS is a bi-annual publication of Ensworth’s Office of Institutional Advancement. EDITOR Tiffany Townsend EDITORIAL STAFF Mary Byrne Dailey, Hannah Cooper, Polly Douse, Jenny Hannon, Alli Hicks, Leigh Ivey, Nancy Keen Palmer-Gift, Cindy Rose, Anne Stringham, Lynn Vincent DESIGN Mary Byrne Dailey, Lynn Vincent CONTRIBUTING WRITERS David Braemer, Hannah Cooper, Polly Douse, Alli Hicks, Leigh Ivey, Heather MacDonald, Nancy Keen Palmer-Gift, Tiffany Townsend PHOTOGRAPHY Mary Byrne Dailey, Jasmine Davis, Adrienne Parker, John Picklesimer, Jason Robinson, Mike Strasinger, Chris Tuley, Daniel White
A Special Thank You to Adrienne Parker and Anne Stringham for their contributions to make this issue possible. Their extensive knowledge of Ensworth is invaluable.
Message from the Head of School
Traditions Every year on New Year’s Day, my wife, Timiny, will break open a jar of pickled herring and coerce my children and me to consume a little bit of the fish to ensure good health in the New Year. This is a longstanding tradition for Timiny’s family and, while I do not like pickled herring at all, I do appreciate the value of this practice. Eating herring on New Year’s Day links us to both family and heritage, transcending distance and generation. It also forces awareness and appreciation for the health and well-being that we all hope to continue to enjoy. Traditions such as this are important, as they are part of the connective tissue that holds families together. I have no doubt that your family enjoys, and occasionally endures, similar traditions for similar reasons. Schools, like families, exist as small communities that are very personal in nature, and it is not surprising that they possess their own sets of traditions. From my experience, school traditions seem to fall into two categories: those that serve as guideposts and those that exist as fence posts. As guideposts, traditions are critical links to what a school truly values, reinforcing ideals that should always be part of one’s experience as a member of that community. As fence posts, traditions are limiters to the growth and development of a school, perpetuating institutional norms that exist to maintain “the way that things have always been done.” I am proud that Ensworth is a school with a number of important traditions and that these traditions serve as guideposts for our continued evolution as a school. For example, one of my favorite longstanding traditions is the fact that students are assigned lunch tables in kindergarten through eighth grade. This practice of having students sit in different groupings with a different faculty member each week builds community in a thoughtful, intentional manner, ensuring that each student is well known by both their peers and the entire faculty.
2 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
The impact of this tradition can be felt in the high school, as the spirit of this tradition has been carried forward, even if lunch tables are not assigned. Unlike most schools, there is very little of the stratification that often exists between grades at the high school level. This did not happen by accident, but rather through conscious efforts that ref lect Ensworth’s commitment to creating a true sense of community among students and faculty. The result is a school environment that crosses both campuses where students and faculty can bring out the best in each other because they know and appreciate each other. The Nobel Prize winning poet and essayist T.S. Eliot took a strong position on the topic of tradition in his famous Page-Barbour Lecture at the University of Virginia in 1933. Eliot warned against traditions that attempt to maintain or return to some romanticized point in time, recognizing that sentimentality can prevent one from seeing the realities of that time and place, and, therefore, can impede progress. It is during this lecture that Eliot made the famous statement, “A tradition without intelligence is not worth having.” While I have no idea whether or not T.S. Eliot had a taste for pickled herring, I do agree with his perspective that when traditions serve as fence posts, they are harmful to the future of communities and societies. I also believe that when thoughtfully and intentionally maintained as guideposts, they can actively support the core values of a community. These are the types of traditions that are important at Ensworth and that will remain essential to our continued development as a school.
David Braemer HEAD OF SCHOOL
E N S WORT H
TRADITIONS A Collection of Memories from Alumni, Students, and Faculty
2017 WINTER | 3
COM MUNI TY
Traditions.
Special rituals that weave through time to unite and strengthen
our Ensworth community. For the past 59 years, Ensworth has been cultivating traditions.
These experiences revolve around academics, arts, athletics, and service learning. They enable a sense of belonging through similar experiences—a shared project, shared activity, and shared bond. While traditions happen naturally, with people looking for patterns and similarities over the course of time, Ensworth emphasizes these rituals to make them a point of growth and reflection. The most fundamental threads of tradition that weave throughout these school-wide rituals return to the same common foundation—the people that began the tradition and those that have carried out these traditions over the years. Students’ memories, from one to 50 years ago, reflect on the experiences and people that ensure Ensworth holds a special place in our hearts. Whether it is working on selfportraits, raising funds with the first grade pet show, or trekking out west, it all comes back to the same thing: Ensworth was established by hard-working, wonderful people devoted to the children they instructed. It is a community that strives to take care of each other. Ensworth traditions are built on serving others, respecting others, and striving for excellence. As former math teacher Bill Kautzman says, “That sense of community...we really, really took care of each other. If anything was going on, everyone in the school had your back. It made you want to be here and give everything you had to the school.” bright warm orning where the I remember the m ki ng up the face, as I was wal su n rose onto my ond. I was so pa rrot na med Dim driveway w ith my lped me put t show. My mom he pe e th t ou ab d te exci around at ght spot . I looked ri e th in ge ca rd the bi , right before ere there, too. Then all the pets that w coming right d hear a big crowd I knew it, we coul really interd Dimond and was ve lo ne yo er Ev . us to d it was a e me so happy an ad m is Th r. he in ested n, Grad e 6 forget. Stella Gree moment to never
The trip I led took place in the wilderness. You find your way with maps and a compass. You only travel by canoe. The woods are too thick and it’s marshy. Your canoe is your way in and your way out. After one of our trips, I got this wonderful note from a young girl, and it said, “Thank you for teaching me to do more than I ever thought I could and taki ng me out of the craziness of this world.” She got it. You give kids the oppo rtunity, they are going to rise to the occasion. They are away from mom and dad, they are on the edge of becoming adults and this is a kind of grow ing up experience for them . Enswor th is really about the grow th of a child. Bill Arth ur, Form er Art Faculty
One of my favorite memories from my time at Enswort h would have to be the seventh grade canoe trip through the Quetico. My friends and I learned to truly depend on each other while traversin g the beautifu l Canadia n wilderness with Bill Arthur and his sons. I cherish the two weeks and 110miles I spent with that small group of friends. Wilson West, Class of 2012
COM MUNI TY
My puppet show was during the yea r when they decided to try out poems instead of a story. I had a puppet that was suppos ed to show on the line “grandpa str umming,” except the per son reading the poem forgot to say my line, and went on to the nex t one. I said “NO! It’s gra ndpa str umming!” Later that day, I was incredibly upset with mysel f, but my mom helped me out , and now, it’s just a funny memory of mine. Annie Linley, Grade 6 ra Wa ng in fourth grade, I was Ve I remember when I was the mi lk on remember sta nding in the Biography Fa ir. I ss and with my mom’s prom dre crate with a ma nnequin felt rea lly ch older tha n me, and I talking to people so mu unity. welcomed into the comm ad e 8 Elizabeth Carney, Gr
Field Day was special for me. For the most part, all of my close friends and I were Blacks. They would all stay the night at my house on that Thursday so we could shave our heads and get ready together. We took it very seriously. I think Field Day is the reason why I fell in love with track as a sport. Creed McClellan, Class of 2011
elt for the Franklin D.Roosev as w I n he w r be em I rem ople ca me to d a big group of pe Biog raphy Fa ir, an ot my sentence. my feet and I forg the poster under membered the ghed, and and I re si , es ey y m ed os cl I went to the relieved then they so as w I t bu , ch spee holding d; it was like I was xe la re I d an on rs next pe Dinkins, Grad e 6 my breath. Frank
r the el Jorda n fo a h ic M g s r bein g my li ne I remembe d cha n g in n a . ir s a n o F tt y bu Biog raph ressed the p e n o e m o s ever y time ra d e 7 ax well, Jayden M
G
One of my favorite tradit ions wa s try ing to guess how Mrs. Hemp el got the pickle in the jar. We all wa nted to know, how did that gia nt pickle fit in tha t tiny jar?! Ellen Green, Cla ss of 20 00
The cla ss ret rea ts are my favorite En swort h tra dit ion , and I don’t know how other school s function wit hout them. Cla ss ret reats give us a cha nce to grow relationships with our cla ssmates and adv isors through fun act ivities and essential conversations. It helps you see how much love is present in the class and how much our adv isors care about us and our Ensworth experience. Lucy Eubanks, Gra de 10
2017 WINTER | 5
COM MUNI TY
We sta r te mile, th d w ith the fou e ha lf-m r t h g ra d ile, the boxes o 400 me e m i le. They r i g i na l d id e v e t ly e r. They . B a ck t piping, r y th did hur hen, Ro a nd b e d b les w ith ing: the t ween b e c au s races, h er t Inma n ma ca rdbo e the k de hurd e would a rd ids wou this fie le b s ld e o o u ld to th knock v t e o r f P t here re VC them o e field d W hen pa i r i n g ver. Th ow n be it was d t e h lo k e i w m d r y s w , there life int would here t would o t h is e be a clo he current foo r un from vent fo ud of d r the ki tba ll fie ust . R o d s . Bi l l ld is. ber t po Arthu r, For m u re d h i e r Ar t F s a c ulty
I remember my first black team pep rally. Everyone was bouncing around to the music, and the capta ins were chanting and throw ing stuff. It was so much fun, and I had no idea how seriou s everyone took field day till then. It was one of the best days of my life; even though we lost, it was so much fun! Lillian Lewis, Grade 7
e that year I had a broken colla rbon . de gra rth fou in y da ld y I remember my first fie le. But when Field Da ich made me feel terrib wh , ate d cip an rti ds pa t en no fri rer for my and I could I was the loudest chee . me er th bo at e, th on let rb t colla arrived I did no may have had a broken e big orange ba nner. I th ng ldi Grad e 6 ho , n rst rso Da pe e en th . Carm en thanks to Enswor th ok br t no s wa t iri sp but my
My favorite memor y/tradition was defin itely Spirit Week, especial ly the huge ga me of Capture th e Flag w ith the entire school. Tava rr es Jefferson, Clas s of 20 09
I love the ritua l music that we play at high sc hool major events, inc the Book Signing by ne luding w students and facult y, our Awards Assemb and of course Gradua lies, tion. At these events, an d whenever I hear Edwa Elga r’s Pomp and Circu rd mstance #4 or William Walton’s Crown Impe March, appreciation an rial d joy for Enswor th and the wonderful experie that we share together nces well up in me.
David Morgan, Head of High School
I remember going to the First Grade Pet Show this year. Since I was new I didn’t really know what to expect, but it turned out to be very funny. All of the first graders were very proud of their pets and were able to tell us different facts about their pets. I also found it funny that if the first graders didn’t have a pet they would borrow one from a neighbor or friend. I will always remember that day and the joy that came with it. Miles Pepper, Grade 7
6 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
with ng project wa s worki ng My sen ior ser vice lea rni out uth . ABLE Youth is all ab a group cal led ABLE Yo . At irs lea rn to be independent helping kids in wheel cha r, yea ior sen blies, during my one of our all school assem e pet com ir ba sketba ll tea m to ABLE Youth brought the ach basketball tea m (and Co aga inst our state cha mpion ily was amazing to see how eas Bowers) in wheel cha irs. It t ins aga re sco move around and ABLE Youth’s tea m could k Ric te. tba ll tea m in the sta the best high school ba ske are t with ABLE Youth and we Slaughter wa s my contac 2009 topher Coode, Cla ss of still in contact today. Chris
COM MUNI TY
ex peria life changing y ul tr as w p ri T ole, Wyoming, The OutWest e in Jackson H m ti r e ou g in ur ence. D clared that w if ford and I de S d el ly fi al ar B Dorot hy e—and we actu ere af ter colleg th e ak in g ov m ld ou w ex perience. W g n gi an ch fe li er y did—anot her the Aw fu l” ev blar in g “Eric an m my In in r. e bl M deli up to ill forever be in w ak re yb da at 86 of 19 morning Sutton, C la ss en Schwartz ar K y. or em m
on My class put h grade play. rt u e fo e er h th T is a dog. emor y hich I played w My favorite m in s, n I ia so at e, off m of 101 Dalm ouldn’t come w t a production gh li ot sp ed ov ishap and the utes until it m was a tech m five long min r fo g in rk ba stage , C la ss of 20 09 was stuck on hael Smith ic M . n so er p to the nex t
Our class was the first to go to Alaska . Just before Mr. Inm an sta rted the van in the Ensw orth parking lot, he pul led out a map of the United States, stu died it for a few seconds, and made the decision, “We are tak ing the nor thern route, throug h Glacier.” The first day, we dro ve all night and arr ived jus t before the sun was rising abo ve the Badlands. To this day , it was the MOST beautiful sig ht that I have ever seen. We spe nt the day sleeping among the roc ks, too tired to pitch a tent, the n the whistle... on to the nex t destination! Ma ny nights, we ’d find ourselves sleeping along the side of the highway becaus e Mr. Inman couldn’t find a pro per campsite. He’d shout out at 3 a.m, “Everybody out of the van! On ly bring your sleepi ng bags, and don’t forget to look both ways before you exit. Th is is a camping trip and we’re camping!” He was right, it wa s a camping trip and I loved eve ry minute of it. It’s the rea son I chose to attend the Unive rsit y of Colorado at Boulder. He inspired a love of the outdoo rs, the mountai ns, the rivers and the incredible wildlife. I met my husband at CU, and I’m convinced it was because of my “knack ” for pitching a ten t in pouring rain in less tha n five minutes. Thank you, Mr. Inm an! Ashley Dale Rosen, Cla ss of 1981
My favorite Enswort h memo ry... there are almost too ma ny to name! The first one that comes to mind is college t-shir t day my senior yea r. It was rea lly incredible to see everybody ’s hard work and ambition reflected in their col lege t-shir ts as we wa lke d around campus that day. Looking back at it as a col leg e graduate, it means even more to me now. That day onl y ma rked the beg inning of what our class would accom plish and become. Looking at everyone now, almost five yea rs later, it gives me so much pride - pride in the education that I received and pride in my peers that were brought tog ether because of Ensworth. So ma ny people from my cla ss are doing big things today. I love continuing to watch tha t unfold.
Kristen Hollis, Cla ss of 201 2
the favorite memories from Field Day is one of my d an m Being a pa rt of a tea Lower/Midd le School. time for such a long period of growing with that tea m . uldn’t trade for anyth ing wa s an ex perience I wo the m fro m ibute to the tea Know ing I could contr were y up until it felt like we lower grades all the wa ll grade was something I wi the ma in event in eighth wi ll that is something that always cherish . I hope l. oo pa rt of the sch always remain and be a of 20 08 David Oglesby, Cla ss
2017 WINTER | 7
COM MUNI TY
ys one of my favor ite da Pa ncake Brea kfast is ! ry ng pecia lly when I’m hu throughout the year, es I day finally comes where I’m so happy when the , and pa ncakes, bacon, eggs ca n stuff myself with kf ul an th s UTS! I’m alway of course, DOUGHN d, foo e working to serve th for the eighth graders be the doug hnut s. To and Kr ispy Kreme for d ve to be my favor ite foo honest, that would ha xt year ’s! there. Ca n’t wa it for ne
One of my favorite Ensworth memories comes from my fourth grade class play. From the audition process to the day of the show, Mrs. Rober ts taught us how to be confident in our abilit ies and how to own the stage! Though our performance was riddle d with mishaps and forgotten lyrics, the 2003 production of Peter Pan was one that my classmates and I will never forget!
Morgan Biddy, Class of 2011
6 Sophia Frist, Grad e
ding was r. Inma n lea M h it w t es gs were much agine, Out W 1976 and thin s A s you ca n im a w r a ye y benches from nture. M oved a ll the m quite an adve re e w , ll a duffle bags ! First of rds w ith our a o rb different then o o fl e e va ns. s, covered th the back of th in g in g n the two va n u lo ip g ” the the entire tr ad, “sleddin sb rl a C t a a nd traveled s e d t cav ing the Gra n were the ba ood trees, hik w High lights d , a re t n n zo ia ri g A repelling ted desert in in a p l sa nd dunes, fu ti u iting the bea ckson Hole. Ca nyon, v is ons from Ja et T e th g in 76 a nd hik , C la ss of 19 uff rothers) D Martha (B
ced me as an ade when they announ I remember in first gr cause of my be that I would be one orange, I already knew that I was a tisfaction of know ing older brother, but the sa . My whole meant the world to me pa rt of the orange tea m ppier than er to the orange side ha face lit up, and I ra n ov to forget! me d of feeling is ha rd for anyone else. That kin s, Grad e 7 Phoebe Kyriopoulo
e at ite trip during my tim Out West wa s my favor all y da the es, long va n rid Ensworth. Between the e ton ws dye their ha ir, Yello of the girls decided to ch sh in g ou rselves to rea Nationa l Pa rk , and pu ive rewarding and ex pa ns summits with the most le rab mo me st de for the mo views, it definitely ma ss trip. Lilly Gianikas, Cla
still is, an integra l par t of my The Quetico Canoe Trip was, and ting into when I first went on the life. I had no idea what I was get though extremely difficult at the trip as a rising eighth grader, and trips of my life. Now every three time, it was one of the greatest wor th Alumni, get into our cars or so yea rs, a group of us, all Ens Ely, Minnesota for another round and ma ke the 20 hour trek up to tico Canoe trip will always be on the bounda ry waters. The Que Mr. Arthur enough for sta rting special for me, and I cannot tha nk ncer Foote, Cla ss of 2009 such an incredible tradition. Spe
of 20 08
Many years ago, th e school had a sing le holiday singing concer t in December w ith fu ll pa rticipation by ever y stud ent and ever y grad e. It had to have been an ex ha usting, chal leng in g time for the cheerf ul, ener getic music teache r, Frances Edwards. It was joyf ul and loud. Re ga rd less of each year ’s spec ific prog ra m , the ni ght ended w ith the entire scho ol on stage, in wha t is now the Inman Gym, belti ng out the song “W e Wish You a Merry Christmas !” Nine years. Ev er y year. A good time and a po wer ful memor y. Overt on Colton, Class of 1974
8 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
COM MUNI TY
., l Oly mpics! R .J n was the specia io it ad d tr an th s or ng w om so My favorite Ens er a set list of ra nd th ge to t s pu ay ld w ou Iw es. I al John, Duke and al l of the athlet h it w ed nc da ts en er yone te in all of the ev ja m out whi le ev st brother compe ge un yo end. y e m th g at in s iend enjoyed watch w ith al l of his fr e nc da d an y da throughout the 08 s, Class Sterling Gitten
of 20
The Pet Show has always been a big part of the school. We had two tennis cour ts where Frist Hall was located, and this is where the Pet Show always was. It was inside the fence. The kids sat around the fence of the tennis cour ts, and you went dow n there and walk ed all around and looked at all of the pets that the kids brought. At that poin t in time, a cow may be brought in, a pig, a horse. A lot of these kids had farm s, and they would bring in their animals. John Picklesimer, Former Grade 5 Facu lty
d into adulthoo ntative steps te t rs fi on e k th g ac p din lders, a food ur, understa n on your shou For Bill A rth oe n ca certainly a h it w t. Though we printed on fr r u yo on were best im fun; it ent pack ot mea nt to be n d a sustainm e an er , w ck o ba ic r et u yo s, and in Qu e two weeks austion, scar h th , ex it h it ow w n e k 't et at didn me, compl ls, fi nding th be a tr ying ti ghed our sou ei w d. ly u was mea nt to in tr m e w the the fi rst time y, or desire, of it il ab p ca e r tea rs. It was th embe it rpass ow we all rem ten able to su eh of m is y so d t bo bu . e th fun... bt since, tion, it wasn't for ever y dou , ca le va ac a st 't n ob y as It w ge, for ever ever y challen e difference. that way. For e made all th av h s k ee w o those tw 08 is, C la ss of 20 Peyton Dav
sister brought my cra zy ade Pet Show when my I remember the First Gr someone she wa nted into the show, my dog saw tes nu mi 10 t ou Ab y. pupp the gate, and out out of her chair, through ter sis my d lle pu e sh so to jump on that memory. lking. I will never forget where everyone was wa ad e 6 Sophie Williamson, Gr
I have only been here for 1 1/2 years, but I have more memories from my time here than I had from my old school where I was for five years. I remember my first year here walking into the Pancake Breakfast; it was probably the most hectic thing I had ever been to. Once we ate the best homemade pancakes ever and had to leave, my brother (1 year of age) and sister (2 years of age) would not let go of my leg, and I probably spent three minutes prying them off and was around four minutes late to class because of my brother and sister, but it was the best 45 minutes ever. Gage Baxley, Grade 6 The Pa ncake Brea kfa st is one of the most ex citing days at Enswor in my opinion. I remem th, ber my little sister in lin e getting pa ncakes, an the kindness the eight d h graders showed her. I remember looking for of my friends, and then one eating brea kfast togeth er. Af ter the brea kfast, ever ybody would head outside to the Quad, or go into class. It is one my favorite times of th of e school year. Elise Polkowski, Grad e 7
2017 WINTER | 9
COM MUNI TY
Tr a d i t i o n s t h a t B u i l d
Community
10 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
COM MUNI TY
Y
ou sense the meaning of the Ensworth community when you snag the black and orange hairspray during Halloween prep “just in case” Wa lgreens runs out in May. You sense the meaning of the Ensworth community when you hear a Harry Potter reference and think not of Hufflepuff or Gryffindor, but of Truth, Vitality, Integrity and Morality. Two of the most spirited traditions at Ensworth are the Black & Orange teams on the Lower/Middle School Campus and the Tiger Houses on the High School Campus. These teams and houses are meant to teach students the value of healthy competition, collaboration, teamwork, and strong leadership. The traditions originate from integral components of Ensworth: black and orange, representing traditional tiger colors, and the Houses of Truth, Vitality, Integrity and Morality, modeled after the Ensworth mission and vision statements. These team and house competitions are studentdriven and incorporate athletic and academic achievements throughout the
year, furthering Ensworth’s mission to nurture the whole child through exercises in mental, physical, and moral maturation. “As Ensworth was starting, I was not consciously aware that we were commencing what would become a tradition,” says Rob Crichton ’62, first Orange Team Captain, when asked about the Orange vs. Black competition. “The competitive participation we all enjoyed in most aspects of school life is what made it a wellrounded, community competition. Everyone could play their role in a way that made them a contributor to their team, whether it was athletically or academically.” Lee Oakley ’75, Alumni Board President, agrees that “with the inception of Ensworth, no one predicted how strong the spirit among these two teams would grow, but when the young are given an opportunity to belong to a group, possibly for the first time in their lives, it’s going to take hold.” After years of nominations, speeches, elections, spirit assemblies, and field days ending with tug-of-war, the Black vs. Orange 2017 WINTER | 11
COM MUNI TY
opportunities to implement new traditions emerged. A significant amount of responsibility was placed on the members of the Cornerstone classes, especially the members involved in Student Government, to help establish new community-building activities. Andrew Colton ’09, first Student Body Vice President says, “we knew this was In the Black & Orange competition, a unique opportunity for all of us, so we points are generated by students wanted everyone to feel empowered to throughout the year in the classroom, be a part of the process of establishing in their community service, and in traditions and creating culture.” The their athletic achievements. One of the competitive mentality of Orange vs. highlights of the rivalry is the Field Black was carried over to the High Day celebration in May, when teams go School Campus and manifested in a head-to-head in activities such as long four-house competition format. “Many jump, relay races, and tug-of-war. Even of the most enjoyable traditions that we the quietest competitor joins in the started in those first years, most having cheers and songs at their team’s early morning pep rally, motivated by the When I encounter energy of their eighth grade captains.
competition still ignites a passion for achievement among the students at Ensworth in the classroom and on the playing field alike. Mr. Crichton says that “when I encounter a Lower/Middle School Ensworth student, I inquire, ‘Are you an Orange or a Black?’ This question triggers a lively conversation.”
a Lower/Middle
As seventh grade student Kate Greer School Ensworth explains, “Field Day is the best day of the year. Some might say it’s better than student, I inquire, their birthday. The night before is like ‘Are you an Orange Christmas; no one can sleep. Everyor a Black?’ This thing about it is so much fun: waking up early in the morning, going to the question triggers a before-party, spray-painting your hair, lively conversation. decorating the cars that will take us to school, and blasting music to get Rob Crichton ’62 excited, then arriving at school and First Orange Team Captain joining in the huge pep rally. At Field Day there are tears shed, hugs given, screams, and so much cheering on. It is to do with Spirit Week, have survived a day the whole school comes together and continue to have a positive impact,” and just has fun.” says Duke DeLoache ’08, first High School Student Body President. The underlying power and presence of the Black & Orange competition finds The energy of Field Day is matched by no greater truth than in Aristotle’s the energy on the High School Campus phrase, “the whole is more than the sum during Spirit Week. High School of its parts.” Aden Barrett ’23 shares students accumulate points through “After Field Day, the eighth graders daily challenges such as the egg toss, started to chant, ‘We are Ensworth, dodge ball, bingo, and the grand finale of couldn’t be prouder, if you can’t hear us, “Mr. Morgan Says.” Head of High School say it a little louder!’ It was a memorable David Morgan puts a clever spin on the moment to see everyone chanting, classic “Simon Says,” and points earned hugging the other team, and congrat- during this competition are known to ulating each other. Because you can’t be some of the most challenging to have a tiger without orange AND black.” acquire. Champions are discovered in the most unsuspecting places, boosting With the addition of the High School, pride in any and all accomplishments, 12 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
as Senior Lucy Sohr shares, “the Tiger Houses have an incredible impact on the Ensworth community. They teach us to work as a team toward a common goal, have school spirit, and step out of our comfort zones. If you asked me freshman year if I would ever get in front of the entire student body and take part in a belly flop contest, I would have said you were crazy, but I guess a little healthy competition can really make you expand your boundaries.” High School students learn the value of strength in numbers when the game of Merge commences on campus. Cour tney Dadda rio ’17 ex pla ins, “Everyone receives a card of a person they have to tag and say ‘merge’ to. In order to not get tagged, you have to be with two or more people or in a classroom; other than that you can get ‘merged.’ By the end of the week, the person with the most cards of the people they ‘merged’ will win points for their Tiger House. I can’t wait to play during Spirit Week!” When all the points are tallied at the end of the year, the winning house earns the coveted Devon Cup. While these two traditions foster a spirit of competition among students, they also cultivate a strong sense of belonging and help develop friendships across grade levels. As Asha Bhatt ’23 shares, “I was really scared at my first Field Day, I have to say. I was scared that I was going to mess up, which I did. But when I did, my teammates came up to me and assured me that I was amazing, and they said things that made me not scared of messing up. This is when I knew I had teammates that would not let me fall.” Whether Black or Orange, or in Truth, Vitality, Morality or Integrity, students discover that they are stronger together.
Alli Hicks ’09 Alumni Relations Manager Nancy Keen Palmer-Gift ’03 Communications Coordinator
COM MUNI TY
Whether Black or Orange, or in Truth, Vitality, Morality or Integrity, students discover that they are stronger
TOGETHER.
2017 WINTER | 13
COM MUNI TY
Tr a d i t i o n s o f
Service A core part of the Ensworth experience—and a key element of the school’s mission— is the dedication to service learning, teaching students the importance of making positive contributions to society. Through this commitment to service, Ensworth has developed long-standing relationships with local community organizations and created memorable and meaningful traditions for students.
By Tiffany Townsend Directory of Marketing & Communications 14 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
COM MUNI TY
K i nderga r ten a nd H abit at MAG IC PE N N Y Love is something if you give it away, give it away, give it away. Love is something if you give it away. You’ll end up having more. It’s just like a magic penny. Hold it tight, and you won’t have any. But lend it, spend it and you’ll have so many they’ll roll all over the floor.
E
ach spring, Ensworth’s kindergarten students learn the Magic Penny song as part of their service learning project with Habitat for Humanity. Prior to pennies, though, the kindergarten service project centered around a combination of cookies and yarn. Cris Hempel, a teacher at Ensworth for 36 years, remembers the activity that preceded the Habitat for Humanity Project. “We used to have each kindergarten student bring in a dozen cookies; then we would sell the cookies in the main hallway for 10 cents each. We would take the money from the cookie sale to buy yarn, and we would deliver the yarn to a senior center, where the
residents would use it to make hats and sweaters and such. Then, we would take the woolen items and donate them to the hospital. Of course, the students couldn’t go into the hospital, so we would sit in a bus in the parking lot, and someone from the hospital would come out to greet us and collect the items. It was very random.” Dismayed by the disconnected project, Mrs. Hempel asked for ideas from parents at one of the Parent Night events. The next day, she received a note from Amy Grant, asking if she had ever considered partnering with Habitat for Humanity. Amy helped connect Mrs. Hempel with Jim Crowley, who was Executive Director of Habitat
for Humanity at that time. “Jim had the mind and heart of a teacher,” says Hempel “and he had great ideas for involving the students.” The plan that Mr. Crowley and Mrs. Hempel developed in that first year has not altered much in the years since. A significant element of the project is that it marks the first time kindergarten students speak on stage. Each class stands on the stage in Robinson Hall during the three lunch sessions and announces the kickoff of their penny collection. For the next month, the kindergarten students collect pennies, greeting during morning arrival with signs and collection buckets and reminding parents and students 2017 WINTER | 15
COM MUNI TY
to contribute their change. Students then count and roll the coins, learning lessons about grouping and value as they go. When all the coins have been counted, the entire grade participates in the Penny Parade, marching their collection to the bank around the corner from campus. Grade 6 student Katherine Dagley remembers, “After all those mornings of hard work collecting pennies and giving announcements, we had finally rolled up a ton of pennies and we were very proud, knowing that we had done that all by ourselves. We had started our walk to Regions Bank when, all of a sudden, we heard cheering around the corner. Then we saw all the middle schoolers making us a tunnel to walk through and giving us high fives. It made us all feel so special; like we had accomplished something big, and we had.” The day after the Penny Parade, the family that will live in the home visits the kindergarten classes. Teacher Megan Florentine shares, “We show the children a photo of the family and share a brief biography in advance, but seeing them in person leaves the students almost awestruck. To them, this Habitat family is famous! Asking questions about the family’s plans for the house allows the kindergartners to connect with the family and to imagine the Habitat house as a real family home, like theirs. It is particularly special when the children who will live in the Habitat house are brought along on the 16 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
visit to Ensworth, because our students quickly realize how much they all have in common.” Students receive a firsthand view of what their pennies can do when they visit the job site. Heaving buckets of gravel, they work together to create the sidewalk for the home. On a tour of the house, students learn about the construction, and they each pick a special place to sign their name on the studs of the home, so they are forever a part of the building. As Mrs. Hempel notes about the Habitat for Humanity Project, “These little children, the youngest in the school, take the smallest form of our currency, the penny, and use it to give someone else a basic human need – a house. And they feel good about it. They’ll never forget it.”
T IG E R C I RC LE
For Ensworth’s 50th anniversary, the Ensworth community participated in a special project for Habitat for Humanity, building four homes on a cul-de-sac named “Tiger Circle.” More than 400 parents, faculty, alumni, and students volunteered over four weekends to complete the homes.
COM MUNI TY
Fo u r t h G r a d e & H a r r i s H i l l m a n
W
hen Bev Roberts started teaching at Ensworth, the fourth grade service project involved collecting newspapers and donating/recycling them. “I could tell that the students were not involved in the project in a personal way, and it was mostly the parents who were doing the work.” Mrs. Roberts decided to cold-call Harris Hillman, a Metro Nashville school for students with disabilities and learning challenges, to see if the fourth grade could visit and help the organization in any way. She thought it would offer a meaningful opportunity to educate her students about differences. Recognizing that the severe disabilities could be unsettling for the students at first, she thought that having them perform for the Harris Hillman children might be less intimidating. For their first visit, the fourth grade students developed a radio show, entertaining the Harris Hillman students with songs and dances they had composed. “As our kids performed, the Harris Hillman students started clapping and smiling, and you could see barriers being broken down and connections being made,” Mrs. Roberts remembers. The following year, Harris Hillman invited Ensworth to join them on their ice skating trip, where students helped guide the Harris Hillman children around the ice on wheelchairs and sleds. “When discussing the ice skating trip with a teacher at Harris Hillman, it came to our attention how expensive it was for them to rent buses to transport the children to the skating rink,” Mrs. Roberts notes. “So the following year, we had students make contracts with their parents to earn money
MOR E LONG - S TAN DI NG S E RVIC E T RADI T ION S
G ra d e 1
Pet Show since 1972 and collecting pet supplies for local animal shelters
G ra d e 2
Collecting toiletries for Monroe Carell Children’s Hospital since 2005
G ra d e 5
Reading at local elementar y schools and donating books to Book ‘Em since 2002
G ra d e 6
Collecting food for Second Harvest Food Bank since 1989
G ra d e 9
Partnering with Warner Parks and Harpeth River Watershed Association since 2004
2017 WINTER | 17
COM MUNI TY
for doing chores; then we took the money we collected and presented a check to Harris Hillman.” Throughout the years, the partnership between Ensworth and Harris Hillman continued to grow. Harris Hillman invited the fourth grade to be a part of their Junior Olympic games in the spring, where the students began performing a few songs as part of the closing ceremony. The art teacher at Harris Hillman noticed how well the Ensworth students interacted with her
18 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
students, and she asked if they would also be interested in volunteering at the music and arts festival. Now, in the 32nd year of the partnership, the fourth grade visits Harris Hillman four times each year. Students often write journal entries about their experiences with Harris Hillman, reflecting on the lessons they have learned through their relationships with the Harris Hillman students. “The entries tend to have the same themes,” says Mrs. Roberts, “they are all about meeting individuals, recognizing the
problems and struggles that others have, and celebrating the little successes of each child.” A few alumni memories of Harris Hillman were printed in Ensights magazine in 1999. Meghan Talley ’93 shared, “It was an awesome experience to perform for them, to interact with them, and, above all, to learn from them. They certainly had a great deal to teach us. I remember a little boy named Trey…we were able to spend some time with him and appreciate the things that every kid has in common.”
COM MUNI TY
Sophomores & Special Oly mpic s
T H E E VOLU T ION OF
O
T RADI T ION
ne of the oldest service traditions at the High School is the Special Olympics Fall Sports Festival, hosted by the Ensworth sophomores. When Roc Batten, the first Director of Service Learning at Ensworth, was developing the High School program, his goal was to establish projects that could become staples of the student experience. One of the constraints he faced was finding something big enough that everyone could be involved at the same time. Roc called Special Olympics, and they were excited about the prospect of a partnership. In the fall of 2006, Ensworth hosted the first Special Olympics Fall Sports Festival on campus. Before the visit, students learned about the challenges and difficulties that people with special needs encounter, so they could better understand and assist the visiting athletes. Students helped the Special Olympics athletes as they competed in a variety of sports, including basketball, soccer, and track and field. Then, everyone came together for a picnic lunch in the quad, followed by dancing while the student band played. “It was
great because we got to see our own students in a whole different realm— outside of the classroom and the sports field—and I was impressed by their response, how humble and helpful they were,” remembers Roc.
A
s traditions in service have developed over the years, the
common drive behind any change has been the desire to create a
Throughout the years, the event has been refined and expanded, hosting more than 300 athletes each fall and offering additional sports such as bowling and bocce. And the partnership with Special Olympics has also grown, with Ensworth now hosting the Special Olympics Regional basketball tournament in the spring as well as the swimming portion of the State Summer Games at the Natatorium. Grade 10 student Catherine Cowles notes, “I had one of the most memorable times when I got to participate with helping the special needs children that came on Special Olympics day for service learning. One of the boys told me that he was having the best day of his life. This very much touched my heart, and I will never forget that day. This will always hold a special place in my heart. “
more meaningful experience for students. For many years, the Grade 8 students also worked with Habitat for Humanity, providing a bookend experience for their K-8 years. However, the large size of the group and age restrictions on construction meant that the projects they could participate in were limited. Middle School History teacher and Service Learning Coordinator Hayley Brantley started a new tradition with the Grade 8 Special Week in the fall. Students choose from four different service issues: hunger and homelessness, early childhood education, environmental issues, and literacy. They meet each day in groups to study different aspects of their issue; then on Friday, they visit an organization that addresses the issue they have studied. The students continue to focus on the same issue throughout the year, and they have another opportunity in the spring to gain hands-on experience. Some groups stay with the same organization they visited in the fall, while others may visit a non-profit that offers a different perspective or process for addressing the issue they are studying. “Students now have more autonomy and ownership with their service learning, which mirrors the experience they will have at the High School,” says Mrs. Brantley. 2017 WINTER | 19
AC AD E M I C S
Summer Academic Grants
Ensworth Students Share Their Summer Experiences High School students at Ensworth with strong academic records were fortunate to have the opportunity to apply for summer Academic Grants. Qualified students submitted proposals for grants that would allow them to immerse themselves in academic programs across the country and around the world. In addition to the Academic Grants awarded to students, Service Learning grants for programs in Peru and Tanzania were also awarded, thanks to the generosity of another supportive member of the Ensworth community.
I took two classes, Politics
Through my experiences and
I was inspired to do this program
& Economic s and L aw &
world class instruction, I was
because I love learning Chinese
Society, and learned about
able to learn about the economic
and I wanted to immerse myself
Great Britain’s modern-day
differences between Uber and
in both the culture and language.
economic and political rela-
taxis in high population areas,
This experience taught me so
tionships with America, and
which was my group’s case
much about the Chinese culture
how the British and American
study, as well as core skills of
and language that would not have
justice systems compare. I was
recognizing and writing about
been possible in a classroom. I
very lucky to be in England for
interesting topics in a first-hand
had the opportunity to interact
the Brexit vote. It was a unique
manner. I was inspired to attend
with so many different people
and unforgettable experience
the New York Times Economics
and I learned so many things
to study politics and economics
Program because of my interest
about China, the people, culture,
in the aftermath of Brexit. I am
in business and economics,
and language that I never would
so thankful to Ensworth for
as well as my desire to learn
have had the opportunity to learn.
giving me the opportunity to
about reporting. I am thankful
SE R E NA HOWA R D
study abroad and expand my
for the Capstone committee for
East China Normal University,
perception of the world.
accepting and funding my appli-
Shanghai; Chinese Language
G R AC E H A L L
cation and encourage all others
Immersion Program
Oxford Traditions by Oxbridge
to use Ensworth’s resources to
Academic Program
pursue their personal interests.
W I L L I A M WA L L AC E New York Times Program for 20 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
Economics, New York
AC AD E M I C S
I worked on a Georgetown entrepreneurship and learned what it takes to run a business by learning from people who have done it before. Our
w e ek- long
project was to create a business model and pitch it to the camp
During my three-week program
EMF is a classical music
leaders at the end of the
I took classes and participated
program for college students
week. My brother did a summer
in labs covering a wide range
and a small group of advanced
camp for a different program
of topics, including physics,
high school musicians. I
at Georgetown before. He had
geology, physiology, computer
spent between five and eight
a great time at his, so I figured
science, evolution, epidemiology,
hours a day playing my violin
I would try and get a grant from
marine biology, chemistry, and
in orche s tr a rehear s al s ,
there to study something I have
glaciology. I love science and
chamber rehearsals, private
a keen interest in: entrepreneur-
was excited to participate in a
lessons, studio classes, and
ship. It was a great experience,
program that could academ-
individual practice. It was a
and I highly recommend it.
ically interest me, that could
lot of work, but my passion for
A N DR E W G A R SI DE
help me decide what to study
music enabled me to actually
Georgetown University
in college, and that was in a
enjoy the many hours I spent
Entrepreneurship Program
different country and continent
on the edge of my seat at
with people from across the
rehearsals or working alone
globe that I could learn from. I
in a practice room. I could tell
met students from all across
a significant difference in my
the globe, as my 25-person
musical abilities even by the
science program consisted of 16
end of the first week; by the
different nationalities. I learned
end of the program I could not
that it is extremely important to
only learn new music more
learn how to communicate and
quickly, but I had gone a long
spend time with people from
way toward developing my
different backgrounds with
own personal interpretations
different experiences. I highly
of great works of music. The
recommend applying for a grant
skills I developed at EMF have
and taking the risk to travel
helped me to be a better leader
abroad and make new friends
in the Enswor th Chamber
and new memories. This grant
Orchestra and the Curb Youth
and experience abroad was one
Symphony at Blair. I gained
of the best trips of my life, and I
music al conf idence that
will forever have friends across
enables me to play at a higher
the globe.
level and set an example for
JA M E S ST E RC H I University of St. Andrews, Scotland; Summer Science Program
my classmates.
H A N NA H SM A L L E Y Eastern Music Festival Greensboro, North Carolina 2017 WINTER | 21
COM MUNI TY
FOR T H E R E C OR D Tyra Gittens Wins Gold at AAU Jr. Olympic Games
Congratulations to Ensworth senior, Tyra Gittens ’17. She won gold at the AAU Jr. Olympic Games for high jump and broke the National record for the games scoring 5337 points. She jumped 6’1.” Her jump was recognized as the best jump for the year for any high school student in the country. She also had a personal record in javelin, throwing 105’1/2 ft. Tyra was honored with the Joe Ferrell award for athletic excellence and sportsmanship.
Math Standout
Colin Murray ’20 was recognized by the TN Mathematics Teachers Association for his performance last spring. Colin placed second in the Geometry division of the 2016 Tennessee Mathematics Teachers Association (TMTA) Annual Statewide High School Mathematics Contest. Additionally, in the Middle Tennessee Region, Colin won first place in the Geometry division. Over 300 students competed in the first Nashville Interscholastic Math League Competition at Pope John Paul II High School in Gallatin last Thursday. Our Math Tigers from both the Middle School and High School had a strong showing, and Colin placed 3rd in the Algebra 2 category.
National Merit Semifinalists
Hannah Smalley ’17 and Sam Hood ’17 were named National Merit Semifinalists out of approximately 16,000 semifinalists. 22 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
Model UN Awards
Ensworth took 25 high school students to the Model UN and Youth Government Conference this fall. John Smalley ’19 received awards for Best Delegate and Best Position Paper, Carter Pankow ’17 won awards for Best Delegate and Delegate Choice, Clay Higgins ’18 won the Delegate Choice award, and Caroline Seitz ’18 won an award for the third year in a row for the Best Delegate.
Robotics Teams Advance to State
Ensworth recently hosted the 4th Annual East Tennessee Nashville Qualifier for First Lego League robotics. Eighteen teams competed including two teams representing Ensworth. Our Grade 6 team brought home the 3rd Place Champion’s Award and qualified to advance to the state tournament held on February 11 at Tennessee Tech in Cookeville. Our Grades 7-8 team also had a great day and joined Grade 6 in Cookeville in representing the Tigers.
’17 High School House Captains House of Integrity Hannah Doochin Ben Wallace
House of Truth Rachel Byarlay Thomas Estes
House of Morality Taylor McSpadden Rodney Owens
House of Vitality Jada Dotson Jack Davidson
COM MUNI TY
USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team Minicamp
Sophomore James Wiseman ’19 participated in the USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team minicamp. He was also selected to try out for the USA Junior National Basketball Team. James was one of 20 sophomores (54 high school student-athletes in all) invited to attend. He was the only player from Tennessee.
8th Grade Orange & Black Captains Class of 2021 Cole Allen and Lucy Butler were elected captains for the Black Team. Annabel Frist and Orin Bass were elected captains for the Orange Team.
Art Awards
Artwork by High School art students Claire Cato ’17, Shoshana Kelner ’19, Isabella Kendall ’17, Carson Lovell ’18, Jamen Rollins ’17, Marianna Staff ’19, and Iain Zwiebel ’18 were chosen for display at the Middle Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition at Belmont. Congratulations to Isabella Kendall’17 for winning “Best of Photography” in the exhibition. Her winning photo (shown below) along with five other photos from Ensworth students are on display at Belmont University in the Leu Center for the Visual Arts through January 27. Isabella Kendall, who is currently working on a Capstone in fashion photography, also had an image that she took of Patricia Marie Fine Jewelry published in the December issue of British Vogue.
Meigs Magnet School Scholastic Chess Qualifying Tournament
This fall, at the Meigs Magnet School Scholastic Qualifying Tournament, the K-3 section with Rhys Dyer ’26 led the charge 5-0 and taking a clear first place. Trophy winner William Smithwick ’27 and medalists Elliott Parker ’26, Oliver Dyer ’29, and Sanders Rhodes ’29 also competed in the K-3 section and rounded out our first place finish. In the unrated section, Amare Allen ’25 and Max White ’27 competed as a team and brought the third place trophy back to school.
Published Student Author
Award winning photograph “Filtered Reality” by Isabella Kendall
Middle TN Freshman Honor Choir Malcolm Bryan ’20 was ranked 7th out of all freshman tenors auditioning for the Middle Tennessee Freshman Honor Choir. He’ll be representing Ensworth in an intensive two-day clinic among the best singers in the region to prepare for an upcoming concert.
8th grade student Jacqueline Frist ’21 wrote a book called “Blue View Island.” Polly Douse in the Communications Office recently conducted a podcast with Jacqueline. She talked about the writing process, writer’s block, her inspiration, and what it takes to be a published author at 14. Jacqueline also talked about how Ensworth has helped her become a better writer, her favorite things about Nashville, and her activities and hobbies. To listen, go to: http://ensworth.podbean.com/e/ interview-with-jacqueline-frist/ 2017 WINTER | 23
AC AD E M I C S
Tiffany Townsend Director of Marketing & Communications
24 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
AC AD E M I C S
Traditions that Teach A Clo s er L o ok at Ac adem ic Tr a d i t i o n s a t E n s w o r t h A few of Ensworth’s beloved traditions are also educational experiences, offering lessons not just for the classes that host the activity, but for everyone else on campus, as well. Through these traditions, students gain new perspectives on everything from words to the world around them.
The Eighth Grade Roller Coaster Project Each spring, the science hallway in the Lower/Middle School transforms into a makeshift amusement park, with models of roller coasters lining the walls. During and after school, Grade 8 students can be found testing the structures, refining and rebuilding as they attempt to create the perfect gravity ride.
understanding of and experience in roller coaster operating principles, design, and construction in order to be hired by the client for this project?”
Students must design their coaster as a free-standing object that fits within a 61x61 inch base and is no taller than ceiling height. Because the coaster is a “gravity ride,” they are not In 2003, the Grade 8 science team decided to broaden allowed to use any other form of energy, such as magnets or their coverage of the physical sciences with the addition electricity. Primary construction materials are PVC pipes, of a physics unit in the fourth quarter. Keith Crowe states, tape, paint, hot glue, construction paper and posterboard. “We felt that the students would have the algebra needed For the model to be successful, a glass marble must be able by that time to handle the math, but we needed a ‘hook’ to travel from the top of the first hill to the end of the coaster to pique their interest and maintain their enthusiasm using no other force besides gravity. They also must create throughout the unit. We decided on a unit on kinematics a proposal that sells their coaster design, including data (the study of how objects move) and designed the roller analysis and a building plan. coaster unit from there. By the end of the unit, students have a hands-on and working knowledge of potential and Students have $25 to spend on the creativity category for their kinetic energy, frictional forces, velocity and acceleration, coaster. Mr. Crowe explains, “The project changes a little conservation of energy and momentum.” each year as we choose new themes for the students to design their roller coaster around. Their creativity and unique impleThe project begins with a challenge: You are currently mentation of the project keeps it fresh and new.” working at an engineering firm that specializes in the design and construction of amusement park rides. Your firm has Once the models are complete, Grade 5 students test the been asked to submit a proposal for a new roller coaster to coasters and decide the award for the Most Exciting Ride, be built in the fall, and this proposal must demonstrate that and Mr. Crowe selects the group with the winning proposal. the firm is best qualified to take on this project. The student The exciting culmination of the project is a trip to Six Flags in groups are encouraged to ask themselves, “How do we, as April, where students get to experience the real-world applia roller coaster engineering team, best communicate our cation of the physics principles they have learned and tested.
2017 WINTER | 25
AC AD E M I C S
The Fourth Grade Biography Fair Since the late 1980’s, Grade 4 students have been stepping into the shoes of a famous American for a day, taking on a historic persona for the Fourth Grade Biography Fair. Frist Hall is filled with doppelgangers of historic figures, and parents and students of all ages wander through the maze of celebrities perched atop crates, pressing posterboard buttons to hear the speeches that the students have memorized. Although each speech only lasts a minute or two, considerable research and preparation are required for the event. Students are provided with a list of approximately 125 Americans from which to choose, although they also have the opportunity to suggest ideas of their own. There are certain criteria for inclusion: the famous Americans must have lived long enough to establish their career; there should be a biography written about them, preferably one for young readers; and they should be at least 40 years old. Each Grade 4 teacher goes through the list with the class, talking about each person’s accomplishments and looking at their biographies.
The speeches that students deliver on the day of the fair are just the tip of the iceberg. Each fourth grader reads at least one biography cover to cover. They also learn how to take notes from the book and one other source, supplementing their research on the internet. The finished product is a research paper that students write using their notes. The speech they give during the fair only represents a few of the interesting things that they learn along the way. Some years, students may also paint portraits of their famous American or write poems about them. The event has not changed much over the years, except that the students are now organized by the year of their famous Americans’ birth. Ms. Earhart says, “Many of the famous people knew each other and worked together. It’s fun for the kids to find connections as they research, and it makes sense that they are standing with their contemporaries.”
Belle Mason, Grade 6, remembers her Biography Fair experience: “I was Annie Oakley. It was one of my favorite memories Students make lists of 10-12 famous Americans they are in fourth grade. I was so nervous to get up on a crate and speak interested in studying, and Bev Roberts and Whitney Earhart to the whole school about this wonderful person. Sometimes lay out all of the requests and determine which student will I would mess my lines up and changed a few while I was represent each person. Ms. Earhart notes, “We never have two speaking. The one line that I never forgot was a quote that children research the same person in the same year. We do our Annie Oakley said, ‘Keep your eye on the eye mark and you’ll best to match as many of the children with their top choices, hit it. Not the first time, not the second, and maybe not the but there are always some commonalities between their lists. third, but if you keep on aiming and keep on trying you’ll hit Most years Walt Disney, Amelia Earhart, Shirley Temple, and the bull’s eye of success’.” Bill Gates are among popular choices.” 26 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
AC AD E M I C S
The Third Grade Vocabulary Parade Are there any lexicographers who suffer from hippopotomon- Frasier, which helps strosesquipedaliophobia? Would it be fortuitous if a flibber- students understand tigibbet lost his voice? Unsure how to begin to answer these what a vocabu la r y questions? Try asking a third grader. parade is. Each teacher provides the class with For more than 10 years, students at Ensworth have become a list of words, and word smart with the help of a Grade 3 tradition. The Vocab- students are encourulary Parade started with past faculty member Ella Payne, aged to select words who implemented the activity with her own class, and it soon whose definitions they expanded to involve the whole grade. do not know and are interested in learning. In the beginning, the group performed only for the other Sometimes, students members of their grade in Robinson Hall. Then other will discuss the words with their families and may come up teachers expressed interest in bringing their classes to join with their own words to research. They have to memorize the audience, and the event outgrew the dining hall and the spelling and definition of their word and use it in a meanmoved to Frist Hall. The decision was made earlier this year ingful sentence, and they also design a costume that is a fun to present the vocabulary parade in an all-school assembly representation of their word. for Grades K-8. As Barbara Royse notes, “The combination of learning a new word and sharing and teaching it on the big The Vocabulary Parade generates excitement about learning stage is an excellent balance of academics and performance. and helps broaden everyone’s conversational repertoire. As It is also the perfect step in the thought-out public speaking teacher Debbie May states, “I love the Vocabulary Parade, process...first grade pet show, second grade puppet show, because it is a unique way to help students discover the fun third grade play on the small stage, and the fourth grade play and entertainment that can come from learning new words, on the big stage.” while expanding their creativity through designing their own costume to depict their word and perform its meaning The third grade faculty begin the project by reading a picture on stage in front of the school. After all the ballyhoo, you are book called Miss Alaineus, A Vocabulary Disaster by Debra sure to walk away with a plethora of fun, new words.”
The Social Issues Conference at the High School Although the Social Issues Conference has its origins in the Service Learning program, the event offers students an opportunity to educate themselves and others about the critical issues facing the Nashville community and the organizations that address those issues. The event started out as a simple fair for students to learn more about non-profit organizations that serve the local community, but has grown into an all-day event that is open to the public and includes special speakers and performances. Examples of previous keynote speakers include former Mayor Karl Dean, 2014 Miss Tennessee Hayley Lewis, and Hal Cato, CEO of Thistle Farms. More than 20 local organizations take part in the conference, presenting workshops for guests and students. Senior service scholars also give presentations on their senior service project. The event offers an opportunity for juniors to gather information and decide on an individual service-learning project for their senior year. Greg Eubanks writes, “The purpose of the day is to allow non-profits the opportunity to connect with potential volunteers and for all of us to be inspired to serve the community.” 2017 WINTER | 27
TRADITIONS IN THE
Visual Arts For over 40 years, old Oxford cloth shirts have enjoyed second lives in the hallways and classrooms of Ensworth. Always worn backward, sleeves cut off, and with a name printed in bold, black marker, the oversized shirts protect Ensworth’s youngest students from the medium awaiting them in art class. Tiny fingers pinch at damp clay as dust and an occasional swipe of wet earth settle into the fabric of a formerly pristine dress shirt.
28 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
AR T S
T
he children cannot wait to get their hands on clay,” says Rose Pickel, Fine Arts Department Chair at the Lower/Middle School Campus. “A very popular kindergarten tradition is learning to develop ceramic projects by exploring the technique of ‘pinch pots’ which ensures that virtually all precious little clay pieces will survive the kiln. Our first project of the year is always to create turtles with an overturned pinch pot serving as the body. They are really magical little creatures that are very special to the little ones.” Mrs. Pickel joined the Ensworth faculty in 1977. While Ensworth’s arts program and curriculum have changed since that time, some of the particular units of study have remained the same. Mrs. Pickel and a more recent arts faculty addition, Kathryn Swords, agree that students in Kindergarten through Grade 4 are the least inhibited, calling for a curriculum that draws heavily on the students’ imaginations. Ms. Swords explains, “the younger students aren’t so worried about getting it ‘right’ and are more interested in expressing their interpretation of a story or the work of a famous artist. We try to create as many opportunities as possible for them to draw on their creativity and imaginations in the classroom.” An early and frequent exercise in artistic creativity is the creation of narrative pictures derived from storytelling. As the children listen to stories like The Little Rabbit Who Wanted Red Wings—a favorite of Mrs. Pickel’s mother, who was also an educator—they create visual interpretations in crayons, tempera paints, and oil pastels. She laughs as she
describes her students’ awe upon discovering ‘magic white,’ the white pastel that softens and transforms other colors when blended with them. “The kindergarteners are fascinated by ‘magic white’ and marvel at its ability to change their work. When I teach them again as sixth and eighth grade students, they are still talking about it.” One of the units Ms. Swords and her students most look forward to is a project developed more than 25 years ago by recently retired faculty member Bill Arthur. Grade 4 students create
The Batik Project D AT E S B A C K T O THE TIME OF K A T E H AV E N , A W E L L -LOV E D MEMBER OF THE E N S W O R T H FA C U LT Y F ROM 19 6 4 -19 8 4 . three-dimensional folk art houses in the tradition of Southern artist Beverly Buchanan, all with found objects used in unconventional ways. “It sometimes takes me a minute to see their vision,” Swords admits, “but once I listen to them describe the piece and the placement of this object or that one, it really is a very intentional process and it’s fun to watch their imaginations at work.”
Instruction in basic techniques and the introduction of a variety of media lay the foundation for an artist’s time at Ensworth. As a student moves on to the studio classrooms of Ms. Swords, Evie Coates, Tim Wallace and, eventually, the fine arts faculty at the High School Campus, additional concepts are demonstrated and practiced. These new practices are layered on top of what was taught in the early years of that student’s education. New techniques and media are introduced and explored through the study of particular artists, artistic movements, and historical and cultural events. A favorite among Grade 3 students is Ms. Coates’ Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) unit, which is a collaboration between Coates and Lower School Spanish teacher Meg Cooper. Together, Ms. Coates and Mrs. Cooper present a history of the celebration, complete with traditional Mexican treats and decorations and a review of associated artwork. Students then create images of Calaveras, the familiar skull iconography associated with the holiday, to hang throughout the school. Because the classroom celebration is scheduled to fall on a day sometime around the actual Mexican holiday, the date of the event is a surprise to the students and is highly anticipated. “I love that we’ve created traditions, and sometimes without realizing it, that students and their families know are a hallmark of a particular grade level,” says Coates. “A parent recently sent me a photograph of the ‘gnome family’ that they display around the holidays each year. I taught each of her three 2017 WINTER | 29
AR T S
daughters and they all created a ceramic gnome as fifth graders. I love that. Or the fact that I can simply pull out a brown piece of butcher paper to begin a lesson and it almost immediately becomes apparent to the students that we’re about to study Georges Rouault. The students are so accustomed to seeing and appreciating the work of the classes that have come before them, and they anticipate and look forward to those projects.” Perhaps some of the most visible projects come from the Grade 8 students, whose curriculum was developed at a time when Grade 8 marked the culmination of a student’s artistic instruction at Ensworth. The result is a collection of highly personal keepsakes that require a good deal of precision and planning. Some of the most time-honored traditions include the Grade 8 batiks, ceramic hands, and self-portraits. The batik project dates back to the time of Kate Haven, a well-loved member of the Ensworth faculty from 1964-1984. This project takes six weeks to complete and involves the conception and draft of a design, painting melted wax onto fabric in varying stages to either allow or prevent dye from coloring the cloth, and drying time. Ceramic hands have been a tradition for over 30 years and are part of the Grade 8 unit on Michelangelo’s study 30 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
of the human form. Throughout the year, the colorful batiks, wildly decorated hands, and self-portraits are displayed in common areas such as the Dining Hall and Carell Gallery in the lobby of Frist Hall, ensuring that they are visible to students and visitors alike.
Ceramic Hands H AV E B E E N A TRADITION FOR OV E R 3 0 Y E A R S A N D A R E PA R T OF THE GRADE 8 UNIT ON
printed, and divided into small grids that students then transfer onto larger pieces of paper. Pickel acknowledges that teaching this unit certainly involved trial and error. “The first year we created eighth grade portraits, I instructed the students to create them on such a scale that the result was an absolutely enormous piece of paper. It took such a long time for the students to complete and then we could hardly find enough wall space to accommodate all of them!” Now the portraits hang together in the Dining Hall during the last days of the school year. The younger students enjoy observing the pieces and trying to recognize the familiar faces, and the parents and friends who attend Middle School Closing Exercises admire the work of their Middle School graduate. The project was conceived as a final but temporary mark for the eighth graders to leave on their school.
Expanding a school by an entire division creates the opportunity for establishing ST U DY OF T H E new traditions. When the High School Campus opened its doors in 2004, HUMAN FORM. the new buildings were beautiful but were very sparsely decorated, and the The final project, the Grade 8 self-por- founding faculty members constantly traits, began in 1985 as a means of sought ways for the High School students teaching the process of using a grid. to truly make the school their own. John Students’ photographs are taken, Faulkner was hired to establish the Fine
MICHELANGELO’S
AR T S
Arts Department and brought with him a background in ceramics. Drawing on a tradition from Phillips Exeter Academy wherein each senior carves a wooden block throughout the year, Faulkner found an opportunity to create a new tradition for Ensworth seniors: the Senior Tile Program.
ular motif is popular—2011 was a year of trees, for example—but the variety always stuns me. What’s interesting to me is that there are so many individuals represented in this project each year, but a common thread of some sort—a design element or a theme—always unifies
MY SENIOR TILE
Cati Blitz is a member of the Fine Arts faculty at the High School and has WA S T H E P E R F E C T directed all but two years of the Senior Tile Program since its inception in WAY T O E N D 2008. With the introduction of student electives at the High School level, not HIGH SCHOOL . every student is enrolled in art class each year as they are in Lower and I T WA S L I K E Middle School, and many need a primer on the ceramic arts. Ms. Blitz begins PU T T ING M Y OW N the process with a series of slideshows and demonstrations. She encourages PERSONAL MARK students to think about what best O N A S C H O O L T H AT represents their personalities. A variety of symbols—icons in the shape of athletic W O U L D A LWAY S equipment or numbers representing a student athlete’s time on the court or MEAN A LOT TO ME . field, the college mascots of a student’s new school, a student’s initials and class year—tend to dominate the popular motifs, but an occasional surprise occurs Class of 2013 every now and then. “Millie Chapman ’08 chose to inscribe her tile with a cherished family cookie recipe,” Blitz them somehow.” The tiles are all glazed relays. “There are years when a partic- in the same color, which creates a clean
and harmonious look for such a diverse collection of artwork, and the tiles are hung throughout the hallways. As at the Lower/Middle School Campus, the underclassmen look forward to seeing the finished artwork of their older peers, who by then have spread throughout the country to attend their next schools. “Our goal is to fire the tiles and have them arranged and in place by Homecoming each fall,” Blitz says. “It’s neat to watch our alumni return to find their tiles and those of their friends and classmates. These personal, creative, visual representations of our students speak to their time here on campus, and serve as a lasting and beloved contribution to the school.”
Faith Sanford
Leigh Ivey ’01 Director of Annual Fund & Stewardship 2017 WINTER | 31
AR T S
Middle School Drama Club Fall Play November 12, 2016
32 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
AR T S
DIRECTOR’S NOTES “I am continually inspired by the willingness of our students to try something new. Our Middle School production of Willy Wonka featured many students who were singing or dancing onstage for the first time, several who were soloing for the first time, and a sixth grader who ran our sound system having never been in a sound booth. Despite the novelty of these challenges, our cast and crew were determined and joyful throughout the rehearsal process. I think their discipline and enthusiasm were contagious. I couldn’t be more proud of their performance.”
Hope Moeller Drama Club Director Second Grade Teacher
2017 WINTER | 33
AR T S
Ensworth Presents Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s
The Little Prince High School Fall Play Frist Hall November 17 & 19, 2016
34 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
AR T S
DIRECTOR’S NOTES The Little Prince is a story about isolation. It’s about feeling isolated from the community, isolated from loved ones—it’s a story about feeling alone in the desert. But more than this, it is a story about how to live in community, how to live in a relationship. It’s about stepping out of one’s own isolation and giving oneself over to another person. It’s a story about learning to take responsibility for one another. What the Fox calls “taming” one another. Through the rites of love, courtship, and community, we tame one another, and as the Little Prince learns we become responsible for what we tame. Ultimately, The Little Prince is a story about how life’s terrifying ephemerality is redeemed by the love that we have for one another—a love that in this story seems capable of canceling out the feelings of isolation that threaten each of us in the wake of time, space and individual hardship. I would like to thank both my family and my cast and crew for keeping me in the warm embrace of community each day.
David Berry English & Arts Faculty High School
2017 WINTER | 35
AT H L E T I C S
HIGH SCHOOL
36 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
AT H L E T I C S
FALL SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
CROSS COUNTRY:
GOLF:
The Ensworth Cross Country program showed substantial growth this season. The girls’ and boys’ teams increased participation from 21 members in the 2015 season to 49 members in the 2016 season. The boys’ team improved their team performance at the State Championship Meet from 10th to 9th overall. Mary Sparks Lavey (9th grade) finished 19th/113 runners at the Tennessee Classic and Donny Lawrence (11th grade) finished 22nd/492 runners at the Jessie Owens Invitational.
The Boys’ and Girls’ Golf teams had a strong season highlighted by the girls winning the DII-AA Region Championship and going on to become the State Runners-Up! Individually at the State Championship, Caroline Frist finished tied for third place, Annabel Frist tied for sixth place, and Corinne Parrish finished in tenth place. Caroline Frist was named to the DIIAA East-Middle All-Region and TSWA All-State Teams.
FOOTBALL: Ensworth Football demonstrated considerable improvement this season, making it to the State Semifinals and finishing with a record of 8-4. DII-AA East-Middle All Region Team selections include Rodney Owens, Jaylon King, Jarquis Hendricks, Peyton Terry, Nicky Clifton, and Tanner Antonutti. Honorable Mention All-Region selections were Jaylan Theus, James Sterchi, Pryce Wade, and Taylor Smith. TSWA All-Midstate Team selections include Rodney Owens (First Team Offense), Tanner Antonutti (Second Team Defense), and Jaylon King (Third Team Offense). Tigers who were voted to the TSWA All State Team are Tanner Antonutti, Rodney Owens, and Peyton Terry.
GIRLS’ SOCCER: The Girls’ Soccer team made school history by advancing to the State Championship. They finished the season as State Runners-Up. Jenna Rolfe was voted to the DII-AA East-Middle All-Region Team, TSWA All-Midstate, and TSWA All-State Soccer team. Gracie Munson was voted to the DII-AA EastMiddle All-Region team and Hailey Braemer was named to the TSWA All-State team.
VOLLEYBALL: The Volleyball team had a mixture of senior leadership and young talent that fueled a successful season. The Tigers tied for third in the region, made it to the State Quarterfinals, and finished with a 10-8 record. Senior Tricia Brown lead Ensworth as a member of the DII-AA East-Middle All Region Team, TSWA All-Midstate Team, and the TSWA All-State Team.
Winter Sports (Basketball, Bowling, Ice Hockey, Swimming & Diving, and Wrestling) will be featured in the Summer edition of Ensights.
CONGRATS, TIGERS! Five Ensworth Seniors signed on November 9, 2016 to play a collegiate sport. Jada Dotson
Isabel Grant
Tyra Gittens
Katy Rippetoe
Chandler Schultz
Univ. of Arkansas Softball
Univ. of Massachusetts Rowing
Texas A&M University Track & Field
Oklahoma State Equestrian
Belmont University Baseball
Two additional Ensworth Seniors signed on February 1, 2017 to play a collegiate sport.
Jarquis Hendricks
Rodney Owens
Univesity of the Cumberlands Football
University of Louisville Football
2017 WINTER | 37
AT H L E T I C S
MIDDLE SCHOOL
38 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
AT H L E T I C S
FALL/WINTER SEASON HIGHLIGHTS CROSS COUNTRY
Our Girls’ and Boys’ Cross Country team had a great season. They worked hard to improve on their times and continually supported each other. For the girls, Gray Fleetwood (third place finish individually) and Harper Dale (fourth place finish individually), were our top finishers and earned All-HVAC medals. Our top five girls (Gray Fleetwood, Harper
Dale, Claire McGehee, Genevieve Schaefer, and Adelaide Mason) all finished in the top twenty-five finishers of the race. The boys also had a great season, and every single boy ran a personal record by shaving seconds, or sometimes minutes, off their previous best time in the HVAC meet. The coaches were sad to see the season come to a close, and are immensely proud of the Girls’ and Boys’ Cross Country team.
GOLF
Both the Girls’ and Boys’ Golf teams had great seasons. Marshall Wilt finished in the top 5 of the individual competition, and the girls’ team (Vaughn Banks,
Katherine Dagley, and Marshall Wilt) finished as
HVAC Champions. The boys’ had a triumphant year as well, with their team (Clark
Akers, Edward Hull, Bo Maradik, and Toby Wilt)
also winning the HVAC championship. Toby Wilt was named HVAC individual champion, and Clark Akers
and Edward Hull both placed in the top 10 for low scores in the HVAC Championship.
FOOTBALL: The Middle
School Football team had a very good season, and ended up going 3 and 3. They worked together to defeat Waverly, Friendship Christian, and Lipscomb Academy. The eighth graders did a great job of leading the team. Eli Sutton was named most valuable lineman, Cole Allen was named most valuable on defense, and Bryce Edmondson was named most valuable on offense.
SOCCER: The Girls’ Varsity Soccer team had a great season, and then earned second place in the HVAC in an overtime final against CPA. Ensworth players named to all-HVAC were Anna Chambers (Defense), Avery Smith (Defense), and Sloane Chestler (Forward).
Anna and Gianna Bullock
were our team captains this year. One season highlight was traveling to Sewanee to play (and win!) against GPS early in the season. From Coach Brantley, “they were so much fun to coach and they improved tremendously over the course of the season.” Boys’ Varsity Soccer also had a good season, and really improved as the season progressed. In the HVAC tournament, the boys won their first two games against BGA and DCA and then fought Harding in the finals.
TENNIS: The Girls’ Tennis
WRESTLING: Tiger
VOLLEYBALL: This year,
SWIMMING: The Swimming Tigers had a great year and were named the combined (girls and boys) HVAC Champs - a first in Ensworth history! Additionally, the boys’ team won the state championship middle school swim meet. In the women’s division, Emily Harris won the 200 free and Brooke Hughes won the 100 breast. In the men’s division, Clark Akers won the 1 meter diving, Aaron Shackell won the 200 free, Evan Petty won the 200 IM and 100 breast, and Rob McCall won the 100 fly and 100 back. The men’s 200 medley relay team (Oliver Pilkinton,
team went undefeated in the HVAC regular season, and then finished the season strong as HVAC tournament champions. Avery Smith was named the #2 singles Champion, while Anna Brock and Lucy Butler were named #1 Doubles Champions and Elizabeth Saltsman and Sophie Sundock were named #2 Doubles Champions. Way to go, Tiger Tennis! The boy’s team had a great season as well, with an overall record of 5-2. At the HVAC Tennis tournament, Karim Daouk, Liam Frumkin, and Benji Wallace were Singles semifinalists, and John Morrow and Max Bunting were #1 Doubles semi-finalists. Sixth graders Cole Hooper and Owen Henderson played #2 Doubles and rallied from 3-6 to 6-6 in the day’s most entertaining match, but fell 8-6. The team placed 4th at the HVAC Tournament.
our Girl’s Volleyball program had four different teams for Grades 6 through 8. The Girls’ Varsity team had a great season with an overall record of 12-4. The eighth graders set a great example for younger girls and helped to facilitate teamwork and lead the team. Kaiya Wynn,
Sarah Herbert and Jacqueline Frist
Wrestling had a great season and end of season, with Andrew Yu placing first in the HVAC tournament in his weight bracket. Brookes Langston placed second in the HVAC tournament in his weight bracket. Overall, the Tigers worked hard and represented Ensworth well.
Evan Petty, Rob McCall, and Noah Lucy) won, as
did the men’s 200 free relay team (Noah Lucy, Oliver
Pilkinton, Aaron Shackell, and Ben Smitherman), and
the men’s 400 free relay team (Evan Petty, Rob McCall, Aaron Shackell, and Will Materazzi).
were named to All-HVAC.
C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S ! GIRLS’ TENNIS HVAC Champions
BOYS’ & GIRLS’ GOLF HVAC Champions
BOYS’ SWIMMING State Champions
BOYS’ & GIRLS’ SWIMMING Combined HVAC Champions 2017 WINTER | 39
AT H L E T I C S
C e l e b r at i n g
a
Tradition
in
In a newer tradition that spans across campuses, varsity teams that advance to compete in the state championship are given a celebratory send-off by students at both the High School and Lower/ Middle School campuses. The younger students enjoy cheering on their Tigers, and the athletes are boosted by the show of support from the entire school.
This fall the High School Girls’ Soccer Team was cheered on by the Lower/Middle School students and faculty before heading to the state championship game.
This moment was very special to me during our season. Getting off the bus at the lower school and seeing the kids lined up and down the side walk was overwhelming and exciting knowing that they were cheering for us. Every student and teacher was smiling and ready to send us off for the championship game. Rachel Ryman Class of 2017 Girls’ Soccer Team 40 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
AT H L E T I C S
The advantage is yours... Ensworth’s
n e w t e n n i s fa c i l i t y
will be completed soon.
be among the first to become a member
6
indoor courts,
8
Ensworth Tennis Center
o u t d o o r c o u rt s , c ov e r e d pa r k i n g , e xc e p t i o n a l v i e w i n g a r e a s
Ensworth students now have the opportunity to play and learn tennis in the newest indoor facility in Tennessee. The tennis center will also be available to adults through memberships.
Membership Information L i m i t e d n u m b e r o f a d u lt m e m b e r s h i p s Memberships now available to the Ensworth community; registration open to the public beginning March 2017 Membership Includes • Year-round tennis center access
Membership Season
• No indoor or outdoor court fees • Winter contract times
April 1–March 31
Please note: Clinics and instruction will be available to the community; however, members will always have priority access over non-members.
A d u lt A cc e s s
Cost
During the School Year:
• Ensworth Current Parent Memberships: $1200/year
Monday–Friday, 9am-2pm;
• Ensworth Alumni Memberships (age 26+): $1500/year
Limited nights & Saturdays
• Parents of Alumni Memberships: $1500/year • Current Ensworth students & young alumni (under age 26): No membership fee
During the Summer Months:
• Public Memberships: $1800/year
Monday–Saturday
T o R e g i s t e r
Access 9am-8pm; Availability around student programs
ensworth.com/tennis
Questions?
Greg Chambers: chambersg@ensworth.com 2017 WINTER | 41
COM MUNI TY
Grandparents Day LOWER/MIDDLE SCHOOL
42 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
November 22, 2016
COM MUNI TY
Grandparents Day HIGH SCHOOL
September 30, 2016
2017 WINTER | 43
COM MUNI TY
b
a
Ensworth Events LOWER/MIDDLE SCHOOL
c 44 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
COM MUNI TY
d
e
g
f
h
i
a Captains Assembly b Spirit Assembly c Halloween Day of the Dead Art Class d e f First Grade Pet Show g h Grade 8 Pancake Breakfast i Pumpkin Races j Coach Bowers & the Ensworth Tiger come to visit Kindergarten before the Homecoming Game
j 2017 WINTER | 45
COM MUNI TY
a
b
Ensworth Events HIGH SCHOOL c
e
46 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
d
f
COM MUNI TY g
h
j
i
a b Grade 9 Book Signing c d e Ensworth hosts Special Olympics f g h Student Assembly Performances i College Fair j Homecoming Week House Competition 2017 WINTER | 47
COM MUNI TY
ENSWORTH
PARENT ASSOC I ATI ON
MOTHERS’ AUXILIARY
to PARENT ASSOCIATION
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE VOLUNTEERS
budget. “A bright spot developed when the Mothers’ Auxiliary sponsored an Auction in May to benefit the school. The Auction, with Louise Fort Linton as chairman, was a huge success, making a net profit of $5,994.89. With these funds, the school bought fences for the athletic field, kitchen equipment, classroom furniture, dining room tables and film strips and was able to return a $1,500 surplus.” From this year forward, the Mothers’ Auxiliary / Parent Association he Mother’s Auxiliary was created continued to raise funds through various in Ensworth’s founding year of fundraisers to support the school. This 1958 with just a few members and was past year, the Parent Association was able led by their first President, Mary Pope to present $150,000 to Ensworth to help Crichton. Today, led by President Candy fund a variety of necessary projects and Bass, the Board of the Parent Associ- programs for the school. ation is 25 members strong and every Ensworth parent is a member of the When Ensworth became a K-12 school, the role of the Parent Association grew Parent Association. tremendously to serve three groups, Initially, the school’s leadership realized Lower, Middle and High School. Candy the importance of mobilizing the Bass gratefully acknowledges the Auxiliary to help raise funds to purchase countless volunteers, both past and equipment that was not covered by the present, from our dedicated Ensworth
The strong partnership and volunteer spirit that exist between the parents and the school have played a key role in Ensworth’s success. What is now known as the Parent Association began as the Mothers’ Auxiliary.
T
48 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
community who help us successfully support the variety of programs and activities on both campuses. Volunteers continue to be found serving in our classrooms and libraries, hosting a nd pla nning pa rent gatherings, working concessions, helping in the arts, working on the Auction and Super Saturday and planning educational programs and events. Always, when there has been a need at the school, the parent volunteers have filled those needs. Throughout the years, parents have been opening their attics to donate items for the auction, securing funds to provide needed library books, creating opportunities for parent education, or building a sense of community by hosting parent gatherings. The same volunteer spirit that led to the creation of the Mothers’ Auxiliary in 1958 continues today through the Parent Association. We recognize the many contributions and traditions established from previous Mothers’
COM MUNI TY
AUCTION
Fun Facts: • Fun Auction Themes: Big Easy, Blast from the Past, A 3 Ring Circus, Ocean Commotion, Get the Spirit of ‘76 With Us, Downtown Hoedown and Quest for the West, Evening in Paris, Music City Madness, Safari, Space, Wizard of Oz, Construction Production
2016-2017 Parent Association Board
Back Row: Danielle Whitson, Adele Rowan, Britt Horn, Jason Sheer, Shannon McGuffin, Dallas Wilt, Mike Haney, Rebecca Larson, Jody Abram, Lauren Lunsford, Trista Goguen, Beth Downey; Front Row: Karlen Garrard, Laura Easter, Dipti Patel, Kirsten Crosby, Sarah Bryant, Candy Bass, Elena Rollins, Tiffany Armistead, Carolyn Hall, Heather MacDonald; Not pictured: Connie Zagerman, Ashley Freeland, Barbara Smith
Auxiliary / Parent Association volunteers, and we look forward to many more years of continuing and building upon their inspiring legacy.
Auction & Super Saturday
all day and at dinnertime the cafeteria opened up for a barbeque supper and pizza. Included in the extravaganza were the talent show and a raffle with items up for prizes.
For many years, the Auction and Super Saturday were a two-day event. It has only been in recent years that the two events became separate in our school calendar. Today, these events continue to be the Parent Association’s biggest fundraisers and community builders. Both are planned and executed by At its inception, the Auction was centered countless Ensworth volunteers. This around decorated booths which were effort has been steeped in rich tradition, attended by community volunteers who which in the end, is a wonderful uniting worked their individual booths for the factor that has provided almost sixty all-day, and in some years two-day, affair. years of memories and support to the As the auction evolved, booths included a Ensworth School. dunking machine, crafts, country kitchen, garage sale, clothing sale, children’s book nook, general store, educational projects, Written by Britt Horn & Heather MacDonald. swap shop, antiques, magician, go fish, Information taken from Ensworth - The First Twenty-Five Years by Ann Harwell Wells. white elephant, pony rides, toys and games, cake walk, flower mart, and many more! The live Auction was a part of the SAVE T H E DAT E big day and would take place among all of the festivities. Early newspaper articles touted that “practically every mother” Super Saturday was involved in contributing to the success of the Auction, and that camaat the High School Campus raderie led to the expansion of a carnival May 6, 2017 theme, which is now known as Super Saturday. To support this addition, the Mothers’ Auxiliary added large and small Get involved! ferris wheels, kiddie rides and pony rides Contact Kristen Smith for information: to the event. Food and treats were served smithk@ensworth.com The Ensworth Mothers’ Auxiliary wasted no time in 1958 planning to sponsor Ensworth’s first Auction, which took place in the spring of 1959. From raising funds to building community, the Auction is part of the strong foundation of tradition within our great Ensworth community.
• Funniest Auction Items/Prizes: 8 cases of Coors Beer, a Santa Gertrudis steer, 250 Bicentennial Silver Dollars, a new Ford Falcon, a 54” gray pony named Mr. Comfort (after the first headmaster), a Fabuglas Commander 16-foot boat, an “electric piano” and a “cellular mobile for people on the go” worth $2000.00 • Ensworth First Auction Made the News - In 1959, the Ensworth Auction raised and lost $4,627. The cash and checks generated by the Auction were stolen from the Ensworth School’s safe over the weekend. In spite of that early loss, which was recouped through private donations, the Auction continues as the school’s most successful fundraising event. • ‘Smells Fishy Around Here’ - The 1967 Auction Chairs got really creative with a new innovation trout fishing in the swimming pool. “It worked out well in the planning until it was realized that trout could not be put in chlorinated water. The solution was to transport water from Radnor Lake to Ensworth.”
2017 WINTER | 49
ALU M N I
ENSWORTH
BIRTHS
ALU M N I
Corinne Barfield Kidd ’88 (Brock)
Bayne McCray “David” Kidd, November 3, 2016
Ensightings
John Buchanan ’92 (Brooke)
Graham Alexander Buchanan, October 17, 2016
Sarah Allen Cassanego ’96 (Dante)
Adrian Lowell Cassanego, September 10, 2016
Anna Russell Kelly Friedman ’97 (Chris) Edmund “Cole” Friedman, June 2, 2016
Graham Barton Meadors ’99 (Porter)
1
Barton Porter Meadors, October 6, 2016
Caroline Hale Berberich ’01 (Garrick)
Margaret Hale Berberich, November 23, 2016
Danielle Hollis Powell ’09 (Charles) Bethany Grace Powell, August 27, 2016
Mandy Williams Johnson ’11 (Mark Russell) Oakleigh Pearl Johnson, September 22, 2016
3
2
4
WEDDINGS Ellen Green ’00 to Brian Hoffman - September 2016 Lee Noel, Jr. ’00 to Caroline Whittemore - May 2016 Elizabeth Triggs ’00 to Hughes Tipton – December 2016 Jim Beckner ’01 to Molly McKay - December 2016
6
5
7
Carolyn Barton Riley ’02 to Matthew R. Von Lunen - Dec. 2016 Austin Fabel ’08 to Kate Forsyth - August 2016 Kendall Morales ’08 to Mike Frazier-Gicz - October 2016 Katie Ward ’08 to Garrett Anderson - November 2016 Wynn Smythe ’09 to Lisette Benefield - October 2016 Mary Cannon Spradley ’09 to Stewart Swain - January 2017
8
Elam Mangum ’12 to Spencer Freeman - May 2016
IN MEMORIAM Andy Beasley ’71 May 27, 2016 Tristan Van ’82 October 18, 2016 Adam Ramsay Michael ’92 November 22, 2016 50 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
9
1 December 16th Alumni Hockey Game 2 Adrian Lowell Cassanego 3 Barton Porter Meadors 4 Graham Alexander Buchanan 5 Conor McDermott ‘11 & Corn Elder ‘13 reunite at the Senior Bowl 6 Becca Rolfe ‘14 (High Point University) recently won three soccer awards 7 Macon Thornton James ‘08 and family 8 2014 Alums Michael Buttarazzi, Jake Estes, Wyatt McClellan, Will Dunn, Alex Holton, & Jack Nesbitt gathered over Winter Break 9 Mati Anderson ‘13 in Florence, Italy
ALU M N I
ENSWORTH Alumni
1970
1990
Leaf Seligman ’73 received
Todd Lawrence ’92 was
the inaugural contribution from 100 Plus Women Who Care in Keene, New Hampshire, supporting their mentoring program for women leaving jail. Leaf is the co-founder of Monadnock Restorative Community.
Bess Adkins Marshall ’74
is a Professor of Pediatrics in Endocrinology at Washington University in St. Louis. She researches rare forms of diabetes and serves on the Faculty Senate Council and the board of the Academic Women’s Network.
Rachel Tidman Kaiser ’76
is an emergency physician at St. Thomas West Hospital and also a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve. She was recently selected to be the Commander of the 7229th Medical Support Unit in Nashville.
1980 Laurin Howell ’87 is the
president of NUMBERS SKINCARE, a new clinical skincare line made locally in Nashville. She continues to work as a nurse practitioner with a group of neurosurgeons at the Howell Allen Clinic in partnership with St. Thomas Medical Partners.
Mary Wallace Patrick Broome ’89 currently lives
in Augusta, Georgia with her husband Matthew and their two children ages 10 and 8. She teaches preschool, leads a cooking team, and helps run the PTO.
named the Executive Director at Urban Green Lab in September.
George Scoville ’94 just
C LAS S NOT E S
2010 Andrew Dudley ’02
continues his studies at Belmont. He also teaches Crossfit and works at Cumberland Heights.
reached the midpoint of his legal education at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. He intends to return to Nashville to practice in 2018.
Nancy Keen Palmer-Gift ’03 joined the Ensworth
Jameson Norton ’98 was
James, recently adopted two children from Colombia, Eliam Giovanny James (5.5 years old) and Jude Emanuel James (17 months).
named CEO of Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital and Clinics, one of the three hospitals within Vanderbilt University Medical Center. His family, including wife Anna, Jameson (age 4) and Claire (18 months) moved back from Tampa, Florida to start the new role. Jameson was one of the recent winners of Nashville Business Journal’s 40 Under 40.
2000 The Next Door, a Nashville 501(c)3 nonprofit, recently launched a sub-group of their Board of Directors comprised of young professional women committed to their mission to provide a continuum of evidence based services for women and their families impacted by addiction, mental illness, trauma and/ or incarceration with Christcentered compassionate care. Three of those dedicated women are Ensworth Alumni:
Ellen (Green) Hoffman ’00, First Tennessee Bank, Financial Advisor; Jessica Kinnard ’00, Medical
Reimbursements of America, Attorney; and Elizabeth (Triggs) Tipton ’00, Ingram Barge Company, Business Development Analyst.
Communications office as Communications Coordinator.
Macon Thornton James ’08 and her husband, Daniel
Hayley Evans ’10 just finished her first semester at Harvard Law School.
Will Gittens ’10 is living in
Atlanta, Georgia where he is recording music. His music can be found on Spotify.
Claire Glassford ’10 was recently in the feature film Collateral Beauty.
Rebecca Marcin ’10 is a
Training Coordinator at IGS Energy in Oxford, Ohio.
John Schulz ’10 completed his Masters in Literature at
Audrey Nelson ’09 graduated the University of Maryland in Cornell Law School in May, passed the New York State Bar Exam, and works for the law firm of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft in New York City in their Finance Group where she represents investment firms and banks in the lending side of commercial real estate transactions.
May 2016. He currently attends Princeton University where he is working on his Doctorate in Literature.
Peter Awad ’11 is living in
Boston, Massachusetts, where he was recently promoted to an Associate at Audax Private Equity.
passed the bar exam and has started practicing law at Bass, Berry and Sims after moving back to Nashville following law school at the University of Tennessee.
Ashlyn Johnson ’11 graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Kenyon College and began interning in New York City with fashion stylists and in Public Relations. She recently started a new job as a fashion coordinator at a fashion PR firm.
Caroline Hart ’09 is a
Lee Srebnick ’11 is a
Katie Smalley ’09 recently
Bilingual Clinical Therapist at Nashville Children’s Alliance.
Zach Walker ’09 dances
professionally, recently appearing in Alvin & the Chipmunks 4, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, K-Love and CMT Awards. He and his wife own The Pro Trac studio in Donelson, Tennessee.
Marketing Manager at Tilt in Silicon Valley.
Carol Allen ’12 graduated Cum Laude from Denison University with a B.A. in Communication and Psychology. After graduation, Carol moved to West Hartford, Connecticut, to start her job as an Affiliate Partnership and Development Coordinator for ESPN. 2017 WINTER | 51
ALU M N I
ENSWORTH Alumni
Thomas Doochin ’12 is
living in Washington, D.C. after receiving his B.A. from UNC Chapel Hill. He cofounded CommuniGift, an online platform changing the way customers give to charity, while in college, and is working as the CEO.
Drake Evans ’12 is currently working at the Hospital Corporation of America in Richmond, Virginia.
Elam Mangum Freeman ’12 lives in Nashville and is the Assistant Director of Commercial Properties at Elmington Capital.
Mati Anderson ’13 received
the Chancellor’s Award for Global Competitiveness and is currently interning for Europe’s largest dance event and trade show, Danzainfiera, in Florence, Italy. She is working as their International Relations Coordinator for all English speaking countries. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with her BFA in Dance from Troy University in December.
Anthony Batey ’13 earned
All-SAA Conference Team Honorable Mention honors as linebacker at Berry College. Berry College finished the season as the Southern Athletic Association CoChampions.
Avery Bennett ‘13 graduated
from Harvard University, a year early with Advanced Standing, last spring and moved to Stockholm, Sweden. He is currently teaching 8th and 9th grade Chemistry and Biology and plans to go back to school to begin professional studies next year. 52 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
Andrew Bowers ’13 recently completed his last season as quarterback at Wheaton College and earned his second consecutive All-CCW recognition. This past season, he was 153 for 240 with 2,119 passing yards and 22 touchdowns.
Dougie Dingess ’13 wrote
a paper in her International Communications class titled “Media Framing of Pope Francis in Argentina versus the United States,” that was chosen for the International Association of Communications and Media Research Conference held in Leicester, England this past summer. Furman University fully funded Dougie and her partner’s attendance at the conference where they presented their paper.
Corn Elder ’13 is cornerback
at University of Miami, Ohio, and was named to the 2016 All-ACC Football Second Team Defense.
Claire Kirchoff ’13 will
graduate from Roanoke College in the spring of 2017. She is currently applying to graduate programs in Virginia, Nebraska and Illinois.
Talia Mayden ’13 was
awarded an Arts at Michigan grant for her video installation piece titled “Blue 42” through the University of Michigan.
Abby Perkins ‘13 is in
the 3/3 Program at Tulane University Law School. The 3/3 Program is a joint degree program that enables students to receive their BA/BS and the JD in as few as six years.
C LAS S NOT E S Sally Seitz ’13 is a senior at
Middlebury College where she is dual majoring in Theater and English with a focus in playwriting. She is currently working on a full-length play for her senior playwriting thesis. The play will be a period piece taking place in 1920’s in East Tennessee. Its working title is Harum Scarum, a southern ghost story with a feminist perspective.
Rolfe is the fifth different HPU women’s soccer player to be named Big South ScholarAthlete of the Year.
David Allen ’15
attends William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA. He competes for the Men’s Gymnastics Team and currently holds 10th place in the all-time William & Mary record books for All-Around competitors. David received the Provost Award for varsity Shelby Crants ’14 is a athletes maintaining above a pre-med student at Stanford 3.5 average, as well as earned University where she is also a member of the Stanford Dollies. an All-American ScholarAthlete designation. David will be staying on William & Mary’s J.D. Dotson ’14 earned campus for the 2017 summer Honorable Mention All-SAA Conference Team honors for the to conduct academic research. Centre College Colonels. Daniel Mangum ’15 is a sophomore at Washington Alexandra Farnsworth ’14 University in St. Louis, finished her fall golf season majoring in Computer Science, with a third place finish in Finance and Economics. He the Las Vegas Intercollegiate is the Treasury Officer for the Invitational. She shot a five Washington University in St. under par 67 which was a Louis Student Union and the single round season best for President of the Washington Vanderbilt golf. Her 7 under par tournament score was also University Student Investment Fund. During the summer Vanderbilt’s best finish of the of 2016, he served as the season. Financial Analyst Intern in the IT Department at Deloitte. Ellen Hardcastle ’14 is a composer in New York City and manages a chamber orchestra. Brock Ochsenreiter ’16 joined the Indiana University golf team and successfully Richard Rolapp ’14 is competed in all five fall college completing a two-year church events as a freshman. Brock is mission in Taichung, Taiwan. currently ranked #3 out of the 10 golfers on his team. Becca Rolfe ‘14 was named the Big South Scholar-Athlete of the Year and a member of the Big South All-Academic team S E N D U S YOU R N E WS ! while playing soccer at High Point University. In addition, Keep in touch with your Rolfe was named to her third classmates and let them keep All-Conference team and up with you. Send your latest earned her second first-team news, moves, and photos to Alli Hicks at nod after starting all 18 games alumni@ensworth.com. for the Panthers in midfield.
ALU M N I
Robert Inman Tiger Classic was a Great Success
Monday, October 24, 2016
On Monday, October 24, the Ensworth community gathered to
CHAIRS
honor beloved Coach Mr. Robert Inman at the 11th Annual Robert Inman Tiger Classic. Twenty-seven teams made up of alumni, faculty, current and past parents and grandparents competed in a scramble formatted tournament with an assortment of competitions throughout the course, including longest drive, hole-in-one and putting contests. It was a beautiful October day out at the Golf Club of Tennessee, and we greatly appreciate the support from our sponsors and participants as well as the Golf Committee Chairs, Burrus Cox ’13, Greg Duvall, Tom Harwell ’83 and Victor Vallejo. All proceeds from the Robert Inman Tiger Classic go toward the Robert Inman Endowed Fund, which helps provide financial aid for students at Ensworth. The winner of the first flight was the McCarthy Jones and Woodard team, Forrest Conner, Nathan Kurita, John Howard, and Shawn Bailes. First place in the second flight was the Cumberland Transit team, TJ Wilt ’91, Tim Bucek, Skeet Fleming and Joanne Hayes ’60. Laurie Seabury won the women’s longest drive contest, while Hunter Creekmore won the men’s. Ensworth alumnus Grant Caudill ’10, was victorious in the very competitive putting contest.
The Golf Club of Tennessee Tom Harwell ‘83, Greg Duvall, Burrus Cox ‘13, Victor Vallejo
Thank you to our sponsors: Wyatt Johnson Renasant Bank TOA Sims Orthodontics Missy Rodriguez Brower Realty Sam’s Place/Sperry’s Wrightcore Dale Inc. Northwestern Mutual Groove Inc. All Pest Solutions Mira Winery Christie Cookie Vaco Thompson Machinery McCarthy, Jones & Woodard Cumberland Transit Crichton Group Nat Harris Family Flipside Premier Golf Services John Comfort Society
- Alli Hicks ’09, Alumni Relations Manager
1st Place: John Howard, Shawn Bailes, Nathan Kurita, Forrest Conner 2017 WINTER | 53
ALU M N I
ENSWORTH
Alumni FALL E VE N T S
1
2 4
3 6
5 54 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
7
1–3 Alums from the Black & Orange Captains’ Reception gather on October 4, 2016 1 Jane Campbell Kelley, Mary Lauren Barfield Allen, Julie Riven Dretler, Dorothy Barfield Sifford, Elizabeth Cherry Barrett 2 Callie Hughes & Janie McNamee 3 Russell Harwell & Rob Crichton 4 Young Alums compete in the 2nd Annual Alumni Basketball Tournament on November 22, 2016; Tournament winners: Gary Pope, Miles Asafo-Adjei, Tavarres Jefferson, & Tate Lanford 5 SMU students/Ensworth Alums gather in January 2017 6 Kendall Downey & Lindsey Foster at the Baylor Ensworth Alumni Gathering 7 Hunter Travis at the Alumni Basketball Tournament
FAC U LT Y
FAC U LTY B O OK S H E LF KERRY BAUCHIERO High School Spanish
The Nightingale By Kristin Hannah , Historical Fiction
A story of two sisters’ lives during World World 2 in German-occupied France and their incredible but very different stories of survival. I love historical fiction, particularly set in World War 2, and this was the most compelling one I have read because it highlights women’s roles during the war. You won’t be able to put it down!
HAYLEY BRANTLEY Middle School History
My Name is Red
photographs depicting southern landscapes taken using historic processes (19th century collodion to be exact). The images remind us how expressive and serendipitous photography can be.
CHRISTINE DOZA High School Mathematics
The Blindfold By Siri Hustvedt , Fiction
Four interconnected short stories about a graduate student at Columbia and four strange encounters, this work explores themes of mental health, perception and self-perception through a feminist lens. I know that sounds rather dry and scholarly, but this is a fun and interesting (and strange) read!
By O rhan Pamuk , Fiction
A murder mystery novel set in 16th Century Istanbul, this book is a fascinating novel about Turkish history, Islam, art, and romance. It is a page turner; I kept trying to figure out who the murderer was!
TREY HOUSE Middle School Latin
Between the World and Me By Ta-Nehisi Coates , Biography
JENNIFER BUDDE G rade 1 Teacher
The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World His Holiness the Dalai Lama , Archbishop Desmond Tutu with Douglas Abrams ,
Mr. Coates, a national correspondent for The Atlantic, writes a searing letter to his son about his own experiences as a black man in America. Earning a National Book Award for this work, Mr. Coates powerfully dives into the role race and violence have played not only in his own life (in particular the story of a friend killed by police in Maryland), but in the story of America. Essential reading for anyone wanting to understand one of the oldest and most explosive issues in our society.
Nonfiction , New York Times Bestseller
These two Nobel Peace Prize Laureates met for a week to discuss and share their thoughts on the question: How do we find joy in the face of life’s inevitable suffering? Through their personal life experiences and leadership roles, these men have suffered and accomplished great things in life. It is sometimes hard to keep life in perspective and this book offers some insight in a calm and nurturing way.
AUDRY DEAL-M C EVER High School Art
Deep South Sally Mann , Photography
DEAN SCHNEIDER Middle School English
The British Table By Colman Andrews, photography by Melissa Hamilton & Christopher Hirsheimer, Cookbook
This is the latest collaboration, following The Country Cooking of Italy and The Country Cooking of Ireland. It’s a beautiful cookbook and travel book about the people, places, and foods of England, Scotland, and Wales. I’m sure Mr. Lloyd would enjoy it (and even be surprised that there is good food to be found in his home country!).
This is a lovely body of contemporary 2017 WINTER | 55
FAC U LT Y
FAC U LTY N E WS WE DDI NG S
BI RT H S
Stephanie Lawrence to Zachary Kaplan October 2016
Krysten Call (Jonathan) Preston Brandt Call, 11.17.16
Connor Schutzman (Tricia) Mary “Wiles” Schutzman, 11.26.16
Andy Kelley (Ling) Nia Qin Kelley, 12.12.16
Polly Douse (Chris) Robert Philip Henderson Douse, 1.25.17
I N M E MORY
FAC U LTY N E WS Rebekah Capps, Admissions, received her M. Ed. in Learning and Instruction from Peabody College at Vanderbilt.
Esty Foster Headmaster 1964–1971 Dec. 30, 1927 – Dec. 3, 2016 Esty Foster was Ensworth’s second Headmaster, serving from 1964-1971. Under his leadership, the school grew from 400 to 450 students. He oversaw the expansion of the school’s academic and athletic programs as well as the physical expansion of the campus, with the addition of new classrooms, a library, and a renovated dining hall. He will be remembered most for his dedication to children and their families. As Ann Wells noted in Ensworth: The First 25 Years, “Although he taught no classes, he was a teacher himself in his careful attention to the boys and girls in his school. He was a gentle friend to all of the children at Ensworth. He was an articulate spokesman for the rights of the young and for the need to give them more than one chance to do their best.”
High School Arts Faculty Audry Deal-McEver’s large wall sculptures will be part of The Evocative Garden, a national exhibit juried by Gail M. Brown at the Disjecta Contemporary Art Center as part of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts’ 2017 conference in Portland, OR. Audry also recently taught a workshop for the Frist Center for Visual Art as part of the programming for their recent exhibit of Newcomb Pottery. The class focused on ceramic surface design techniques. Lower School Chinese faculty member Caitlin Harris is enrolled in a global competency course titled “Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment for Global Competence.” The course explores how foundational domains related to global competence can be inducted into a variety of curriculum areas to support the development of students and examines the power of performance assessments combined with global competence to engage your students in their own learning and to prepare them for college, career, and the world. The coursework and certification are offered by Teacher’s College of Columbia University, World Savvy, and Asia Society’s Center for Global Education. In March 2017, Meredith Howell, Ensworth Nutritionist & High School Fitness Instructor, will complete the 200-hour teacher training program at Empower School of Yoga, based out of Shakti Yoga. Lower/Middle School Technology faculty Terri Schulz and Chelsy Hooper presented at The Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC), known as the largest, national, independent education technology conference in the US. They presented a session on formative assessment; using free, online, crossplatform classroom response and gaming tools to evaluate student knowledge in real-time.
Nancy Keen Palmer-Gift ’03 – Communications Coordinator
NEW HIRES 56 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
Mike Sollberger – Director of Financial Aid; Business Office Associate Joe Goeken – Ensworth Aquatics Coach Jahleik Mack & Teresa Barrientos - Lower/Middle School Kitchen Staff Helen VanWhy & Stephanie Brown-Watson - High School Kitchen Staff
SUMMER at ENSWORTH 2017
SUMMER COURSES, PROGRAMS, AND TRIPS FOR STUDENTS OF ALL AGES
ensworth.com/summer
Follow Us! I N S TA G R A M
FA C E B O O K
B LO G
EnsworthSchool
@Ensworth
The Ensworth School
ensworth.com/blog 2015 WINTER | 57
SPRING COMMUNITY EVENTS February 11
Ensworth Auction E-Vent Loveless Barn 6:30pm February 25
Middle School Spring Play: USA Frist Hall 6:30pm March 7
Grades K–1 Choral Concert Frist Hall 6:30pm
March 9–11
High School Musical: Tarzan Ingram Arts Center 7:00pm March 15
Grades 2–3 Choral Concert Frist Hall 6:30pm April 7
High School Instrumental Concert Ingram Arts Center 7:00pm
58 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS
April 21–22
Dance Concert
Ingram Arts Center 7:00pm April 26
Grandparent Lunch Ingram Arts Center 11:30am April 27–29
High School Spring Play Ingram Arts Center 7:00pm May 4
Grades 4–8 Choral Concert Frist Hall 6:30pm May 5
High School Choral Concert Ingram Arts Center 7:00pm May 6
Super Saturday
High School Campus 8:00am–1:00pm
May 9
Grades 5–8 Band Concert Frist Hall 6:30pm May 11
Senior Capstone Presentations Ingram Arts Center 6:30pm May 12
Field Day
LS/MS Campus All Day May 23
8th Grade Closing Exercises Brown Athletic Center 9:00am May 24
Senior Send-Off Celebration High School Campus 6:00pm May 27
High School Graduation High School Quad 9:00am
What’s wrong with this picture? It’s only 65% complete. 100% is important. Get on board with the Annual Fund today and help ensure that we provide a complete experience for our students. We’re currently at 65% parent participation. Please help us reach 100%!
Give today!
E N S WO RT H . C O M / G I V E
Questions? Leigh Ivey ‘01, Director of Annual Fund & Stewardship: iveyl@ensworth.com Annual Fund Parent Chairs: Stephanie & Jon Sundock, parents of Ben (Class of 2015) and Sophie (Class of 2021)
Annual Fund Faculty Chairs: Jennifer Lawson, Michelle Little, J.K. Scott, Danny Wright
Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage
PAID
Nashville, TN Permit No. 2630
ENSWORTH SCHOOL 211 ENSWORTH PLACE NASHVILLE, TN 37205-1997
Coming soon
TO A S PI RI T STORE NE AR YOU
Commemorative Ensworth posters – the perfect graduation gift! Designed by Anderson Design Group (Spirit of Nashville Poster Collection)
ensworth.com