Ensworth Ensights Winter 2020

ENSIGHTS I N S E ARC H OF T RU T H

WINTER 2020

HEALTHY BALANCED LIVES Healthy Beginnings in the Lower School Academic Balance & Peer Support Life Classes

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2019-2020 President Toby S. (T.J.) Wilt, Jr. Vice President Will Morrow Treasurer Bruce Crosby Secretary Jennifer Frist Legal Counsel John Jacobson Special Advisor Bruce Moore Edie McBride Bass* Jim Bowen

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.

Stuart Brunson Amy Christiansen

Administrative Team

Beth Courtney Ben Freeland Trish C. Frist* Craig Goguen Chad Greer Phyllis Hildreth Deb McDermott Neal Patel Josephine Smithwick Jamee Thompson Head of School David Braemer, ex officio President Ensworth Parent Association Barbara Smith, ex officio President-Elect Ensworth Parent Association Elizabeth Gerken, ex officio President Ensworth Alumni Board Jonathan Gluck, ex officio *Indicates Permanent Trustee

David Braemer Head of School Ricky Bowers Associate Head and Director of Athletics Dr. Sarah Buchanan Associate Head and Director of Enrollment Management Chan Gammill Head of Middle School Nowell Hesse Head of High School Jason Hiett Director of Technology Bedell James Director of Advancement Whitney Johnson Director of Finance and Operations Bruce Libonn Head of Lower School Bobby Mirzaie Director of Curriculum and Instruction

The “Kindness Chain� inspired by Leon Logothetis (page 7)

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4 | Healthy Beginnings in the Lower School

8 | A Healthy Balance at the High School

Contents HEALTHY, BALANCED LIVES 4 Healthy Beginnings in the Lower School 6 Everything I Really Needed to Know I Learned in Life Class 8 A Healthy Balance at the High School 12 Student Profiles

COMMUNITY 14 For the Record 28 Lower/Middle School Events 30 High School Events 32 Parent Association 43 Donor Profiles 52 Robert Inman Tiger Classic

FACULTY

ARTS 16 Into the Woods, Jr: Middle School Fall Play 18 The Winter’s Tale: High School Fall Play 20 High School Student Directed One Acts

36 Faculty Focus 40 Faculty News 42 Bookshelf ALUMNI 46 Alumni Notes

ATHLETICS 22 A Balanced Experience

50 Alumni Profiles

24 Middle School Athletics 26 High School Athletics

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36 14 | For the Record

Inside Pages: Cascades Rolland 100 Enviro Satin 70# Text; Cover: 80# Anthem Plus Matte Cover (Made in the USA)

36 | Faculty Focus

50 50 | Alumni Profiles

Copyrighted 2020 by Ensworth School. Ensworth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national origin in its admissions or its hiring policies. 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 Paul Downey, Bedell James, Anne Stringham, Kirby Wiley. CONTRIBUTING WRITERS David Braemer, Paul Downey, Tiffany Townsend, Kirby Wiley. PHOTOGRAPHY Travis Commeau, Mary Byrne Dailey, Paul Downey, Tim Jones, Nancy Keen Palmer-Gift, Adrienne Parker, John Picklesimer, Mike Strasinger, Kirby Wiley GRAPHIC DESIGN Mary Byrne Dailey

2020 WINTER | 1

MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Healthy Balance

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ith the recent end of the calendar year and decade, it is normal to take stock of oneself and one’s future situation. Doing so is at the heart of New Year’s resolutions, a practice whose roots can be traced back over 4,000 years to the ancient Babylonians.

Today, the most common resolutions center on living a more balanced, healthy life by losing weight, reducing stress, or improving important relationships.

Schools are no different when it comes to establishing such goals. While the resolutions generally come with the start of the academic “new year” in August, Ensworth has a unique opportunity for reflection and goalsetting ever y f ive yea rs through the accreditation process with the Southern Association of Independent Schools. Central to this process is a self-study, the establishment of clear goals for improvement, and feedback from a visiting team of school administrators who make recommendations and assess the school through its stated goals. For this accreditation cycle, Ensworth’s are the following: • Enhancing Our Commitment to Skills-Based Teaching and Learning • Supporting Students’ Health and Wellness Needs • Embracing Diversity and Supporting Identity and Inclusion • Supporting Growth and New Leadership Opportunities for Faculty We are now working to integrate the recommendations made by the visiting team with the feedback we received from a survey of students, parents, and faculty related

to these topics in order to establish specific plans that will guide our efforts going forward. Based on the commendations we received from the visiting team, it is clear that we are approaching this work from a position of great strength. In particular, they described our school as one with: • A community consistently described by all stakeholders as loving, welcoming, and dynamic.

• A clear sense of being mission-driven and vision-driven.

• A faculty described as caring, empowering, challenging, and accessible.

• A commitment to physical health and wellness from Kindergarten through 12th grade.

• A commitment to creating a healthy, intentional balance between academics, arts, and athletics, and providing a wealth and diversity of opportunity for students.

So, while roughly 80% of New Year's resolutions end up failing by the end of February, I am confident that we will be able to follow through on the resolutions we establish working through this accreditation process.

The combination of a community dedicated to continued improvement, a process that requires accountability, and the drive to always do what is best for our students, will inevitably lead to success. It will also ensure that Ensworth remains a school that is unquestionably committed to being a healthy, balanced institution.

David Braemer HEAD OF SCHOOL

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Healthy Beginnings in the Lower School

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nswor t h focuses on t he emotional and physical wellbeing of its students through all grades, but the foundation begins in the Lower School when hea lthy, balanced lives are developed through the Life and Physical Education curricula.

Faculty and staff also teach students about nutrition, helping students build a solid foundation for healthy choices that will last throughout their lives.

make informed decisions to balance ta ste a nd nutritiona l va lue. Foods are color-coded according to nutrient density and suggested portion control.

Joe Petriello, Food Service Director, is a veteran of several local schools’ kitchens and thrives in this atmosphere.

“Chef Joe” is very popular for his weekly “Seasonings” tables where students can build culinary creations. “They are meant to be monotony breakers,” he ex pla ins, “a nd add a little more excitement to the dining experience for the students and faculty.” Seasonings tables have included a taco bar, a loaded potato bar, a soft pretzel bar, a nacho bar, a hot chocolate bar, and a churro bar.

Kindergarteners enter Ensworth having rarely relied on themselves to make choices about what to eat. The dining hall allows these young Tigers to make tasty, healthy choices but with a little guidance. Starting in the fall of 2018, Enswor th’s lunch program became much more systematica l ly hea lthy A man peddling churros is bound to through the contract with SAGE Dining make friends. “I've also been working Services. One of the leading foodservice on my acting career,” Joe says. “I play providers specifically serving schools, the role of ‘Chef Joe’ in the four ththe company uses the SAGE Spotlight g ra de pl ay on Ja nua r y 2 4t h . T he Program® to help students and parents four th graders have been checking

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w it h me to ma ke su re I have been practicing my lines.”

Although Chef Joe is having fun and doing what he enjoys at Ensworth, he knows that companies like SAGE have a huge responsibility to youth in society and to stay on top of trends. SAGE is one of many companies, he explains, that “are actively embracing these values by offering transparency in regards to their menu options such as nutritional a nd ca lor ic i n for m at ion , of fer i n g special dietary menus to fit the needs of the rising food allergies, working with farmers to develop clean ‘farm to table’ menus, planting their own gardens to pull supply from, composting, sourcing from local vendors, and encouraging more plant-based diets and menus.”

Beyond the dining hall, students in Grade 2 benefit from a program that combines food science and art to learn about d i f ferent t y pe s of nut r ient-

HEALTHY BALANCE

dense foods. Part of the national culinary yum.’ If you don't like it, you just throw it nutr ition prog ra m of the sa me na me, away without making a big deal about it.”

Veggiecation came to Ensworth with the help of Grade 2 teacher Hope Moeller. With And, as many parents know, they aren’t a large illustrated backdrop, painted by art miracle workers and cannot force their teacher Evie Coates, the Grade 2 students children into liking something, but Moeller learn about a new vegetable every week, does see her work paying off. “I have heard studying the subject’s growth, nutritional from parents that often have their children value, taste, and uses in recipes. ask to make a vegetable we have made in class,” she recalls. “I do hear some feedback Moeller says that Veggiecation came about in the lunch line sometimes, like ‘ It 's because she and her fellow Grade 2 teachers zucchini!’” “were aware that our students were often unwilling to try new foods in the lunchroom T hese positive exa mples a nd ef for t s or snack tray.” With the Veggiecation represent just a small number of ways lessons, st udents tr y new vegetables that Ensworth fosters an appreciation for prepared in interesting ways and learn how wellness and nutrition in our youngest Hope Moeller, Grade 2 Teacher to be respectful in the process. students, laying a foundation for a healthy lifestyle.

“We encourage our students to give each vegetable a try—as a scientist—using their sense of taste to compare veggies to each other,” she explains. “But no one is looking over your shoulder to be sure you eat it. Our Paul Downey '92 biggest rule is: ‘Don't yuck someone else's Assistant Director of Marketing & Communications

“We encourage our students to give each vegetable a try— as a scientist— using their sense of taste to compare veggies to each other.”

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HEALTHY BALANCE

Everything I Really Needed to Know

I LEARNED IN LIFE CLASS “Learning to maintain happy, healthy, and balanced lifestyles empowers students to live out Ensworth’s mission and become positive contributors to society.”

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ll schools have established curricula to help students develop the hard skills they will need to be college and career ready. Older educational journals refer to the basics as the “three Rs” of reading, writing, and arithmetic. But what about other “Rs” such as respect, relationship, and resilience?

These soft skills help students succeed in leading healthy, balanced lives and are cultivated thoughtfully and intentionally through Ensworth’s Life class curriculum.

As Director of Counseling Dr. Ellen Reynolds recalls, the Life class curriculum has been in place at Ensworth since the 1980s. Over the course of the program and its growth, the classes have continued to address many of the same topics while incorporating new materials that better fit the time or relate to issues that are current within the community. “We use at least 40 different resources, and ultimately, we always try to tie everything we do back to our Mission,” she says.

Dr. Reynolds and fellow counselor Shari Harjo plan and collaborate together, keeping running Google Docs so they can easily shift and change things as needed. Dr. Reynolds shares, “The teachers work closely with us relative to topics and issues that are timely. And we also build off many student-led discussions and ideas. Life class is fluid; we don’t mind getting off-topic if something arises that is more important.”

In Kindergarten through Grade 3, Life class meets once per month with an additional responsive classroom circle once per month in Grade 3. Kindergarten students begin to learn the characteristics and skills important for living together in a community. Through stories, conversations, games, and poems, students are encouraged to be truthful, to support one another, to express gratitude, to be gentle and strong, and to appreciate and respect each others’ differences. In first grade, students develop an understanding of their relationships with others, their personal responsibility for their actions, and the power of their words. By focusing on responsibility, students examine positive self-awareness, practice making good choices, and learn how to exercise their independence.

As Grade 2 students begin to make more independent decisions, Life class helps them to understand the need to be inclusive, the expectation for good manners, and respect for the property of others. In third grade, students start to explore how it feels to fail and how to learn from mistakes. A study of nutrition is incorporated to help students learn the value of making healthy choices.

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HEALTHY BALANCE Beginning in fourth grade, Life classes meet every other schedule rotation. Fourth-grade classes discuss the expectations of friendships and how to make good decisions about friendships and peer pressure. Students consider the role and the qualities associated with a leader and develop an understanding of leadership in various settings and events.

Last year, the Middle School team of Dr. Reynolds, faculty member and coach Jason Maxwell, Middle School Dean of Students Brooks Corzine, and Head of Middle School Chan Gammill began leading the Life classes for fifth grade. “We want them to have people they know before they go into Middle School; it makes that move easier for kids, for them to feel comfortable with us and know they have someone to talk to,” says Dr. Reynolds. Through a variety of games, activities, and discussions, the fifth-grade students learn about growth mindsets and building positive relationships in school and beyond. These activities include mindfulness techniques and other strategies for maintaining focus and for dealing with anxiety.

In Middle School, as the topics addressed in Life class become more sensitive and potentially difficult to talk about, the classes are led by a male-female team. Much of the curriculum focuses on developing healthy relationships, both in dating and in friendships. Dr. Reynolds uses Owning Up by Rosalind Wiseman and helps students proactively set healthy boundaries. “Having honest conversations and communicating with one another in activities that sometimes are uncomfortable is important,” says Dr. Reynolds. “We really want to teach respect and tolerance in a world that is ever-changing.”

Grade 6 places an emphasis on the value of responsibility by teaching and practicing skills for peer mediation and conflict resolution. In seventh and eighth grade Life, through group activities and discussion, students develop cooperative attitudes for solving problems and for supporting one another. Appropriate use of technology is reviewed in the context of current events and with a focus on digital good citizenship. The classes also explore the issues of drug, alcohol, and tobacco use through guest speakers, research, presentations, and visual media.

By following the natural progression of childhood development, Ensworth’s Life class curriculum equips students with the knowledge, tools, and resources they will need to adapt and thrive in a changing world. Learning to maintain happy, healthy, and balanced lifestyles empowers students to live out Ensworth’s mission and become positive contributors to society.

This year, Life class lessons were woven together with a focus on kindness to align with a visit from Leon Logothetis, author and star of the Netflix series “The Kindness Diaries.”

“With Leon’s visit, we really took it on and made kindness a theme throughout the K-8 curriculum, incorporating a variety of books and pieces that have to do with kindness,” shares Dr. Reynolds. “Leon actually asked us to send him our curriculum. The theme of kindness has always been there, but seeing everything through that lens offers a more positive way to deal with challenges; you are teaching positive choices with positivity.”

In conjunction with Leon’s visit, fifth-grade students emba rked on 28 adventures in kindness from Logothetis’ book, Go Be Kind, which included creating a poster featuring ways others have shown them kindness and assembling “calming bags” for Lower School students for when they feel sad or anxious.

Eighth-grade Life students painted “kindness rocks” to hide around campus as a surprise for observant schoolmates, and all K-8 homerooms and advisories created a physical “Chain of Kindness” that connected the entire Red Gables Campus. As a result of these activities, Middle School students are working on creating a “kindness club” to keep the positive momentum going.

Tiffany Townsend Director of Marketing & Communications (with excerpts from the Lower/Middle School Curriculum Guide) 2020 WINTER | 7

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Healthy Balanced Lives in the High School

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HEALTHY BALANCE

A HEALTHY BALANCE at the High School

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rom rigorous academic schedules and homework to arts, clubs, and athletics, high school students have a lot on their plates. That’s why Ensworth intentionally built its program to offer students a schedule of classes, athletics, and activities that encourages a healthy balance between school and non-school life.

number on their report card. “Kids start to believe that they are their grade, and if their grade is not optimal, then they start to feel bad about themselves. I always tell kids ‘this does not define you. These numbers on this paper don’t now and will not ever define you.’”

That’s one reason you’ll find Kate McGlasson in the stands at sporting events of all kinds, and in the audience at most school plays, musicals, and concerts.

One way Ensworth helps students to maintain a balanced lifestyle is through its Academic Support Team. “Ensworth built a system that encourages a balanced life,” says Dean of “Kate goes to every game, event, concert, Academic Support Kate McGlasson. “What we anything you can think of, she is there…kids try to do is help a child build a life around that.” see that and see her and also the other faculty members at the different events, and I think The Academic Support Team helps students that helps them to feel cared for and loved. It with their academics in a variety of ways. builds the relationship between students and They offer afternoon tutorials so that students teachers,” says Horton. can get extra help from teachers and faculty outside of class. They also help students with test-taking strategies, time management, and organization.

But the impact the team has on students extends far beyond the classroom. “Students know they can come to us, and we care about their world whether it’s academic or social, or whatever it may be. That’s our name, support, and it’s not just academic, it’s overall support,” says Assistant Dean of Academic Support Krystle Horton.

Kate McGlasson says she believes that students perform better in the classroom when they feel their teachers see them for more than just the

“Students know they can come to us, and we care about their world whether it’s academic or social, or whatever it may be.”

Dr. Krystle Horton

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The Peer Support Team is another unique asset at Ensworth “I’ve always felt like Ensworth is a positive, welcoming that promotes a positive and supportive environment. The group environment, but what we do is find ways to build that in is made up of eleven students who serve as a supportive presence even more,” says the Peer Support Team’s key sponsor Matt for the student body and the community.

Kaminski. “We focus on initiatives that help create enjoyment and connection This year, the team has tried some in the community and that encourage new initiatives to become a more people to get to know each other and visible presence in the community, have fun together. These initiatives are including using bulletin boards to just small pieces that lead to a healthier create community engagement. One community.” board encourages students to show their gratitude to a fellow student or Exercise is also a vital part of living teacher by filling out a card and posting a healthy lifestyle, and Ensworth is it on the board. The Acts of Kindness committed to encouraging students bulletin board invites students to pick to be physically fit. In line with this up a card and do whatever kind act is objective, the high school offers an listed on there. individualized fitness program for Bryan Van Vleet each and every student. Regardless of

“We are promoting those healthy habits that are going to keep them healthy and happy throughout their lifetime.”

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HEALTHY BALANCE

“We are going to push them, we’re going to hold them accountable, we are going to love them as hard as we train them.”

Dr. Megan Mitchell

whether someone is an academic scholar, an art student, or an athlete, all students are required to take a fitness course each semester that meets four times per week during the school day.

Bryan Van Vleet is the Director of Strength & Conditioning at the High School. He says the main goal is the same for every student: to graduate physically fit and to prepare them to know how to take care of themselves. “There are so many studies out that show that having a balance that includes a healthy diet and regular exercise will cause an increase of blood flow to your brain, and the release of endorphins promotes a healthier, happier life. So we are promoting those healthy habits that are going to keep them healthy and happy throughout their lifetime,” says Van Vleet.

Through fitness classes, students are also introduced to different styles of physical fitness including yoga, strength training, and aerobics, which help them discover approaches to exercise that they enjoy and can sustain beyond their time at Ensworth.

Like the Peer and Academic Support Teams, Ensworth fitness instructors also believe in supporting students both in and outside of their fitness classes. “We are going to push them, we’re going to hold them accountable, we are going to love them as hard as we train them,” says Associate Athletic Director Megan Mitchell.

Kirby Wiley '10 Communications Coordinator

High School Seminar At the High School, students take part in required Seminar classes in Grades 9 and 10. These semesterlong courses build upon the developmental and social issues introduced in Life classes and help students hone Harkness skills. Active listening, self awareness, collaboration, patience, confidence, compassion, and empathy are values integral to the course.

T he H i g h S chool Cu r r icu lu m Gu ide refers to the Seminar program as “academic and personal, intellectual and relational.” As students move through Seminar 9 and 10, they learn to lead and participate in discussions, think critically, and reflect upon important issues pertaining to Identity, Diversity & Inclusion, and Health & Wellness.

Seminar Department Chair Brooke Morgan states, “Our goal with the Seminar program is to foster happy, healthy, whole young people who will lead purposeful and productive lives...both now and into adulthood. This starts with developing a strong sense of identity, purpose, and belonging in both the Ensworth community and society at large. We host honest conversations around a number of issues, teaching students to find and honor both their inner truth and the diverse perspectives of fellow classmates. In Search of Truth is truly the governing mantra in Seminar, where students discover who they are and how they can grow to be empathetic, compassionate contributors to society.”

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STUDENT PROFILES How two En swort h st udent s f i nd a hea lt hy ba la n ce

Gerard Bullock n describing senior Gerard Bullock, Dean of Academic Support Kate McGlasson offers, “It would be cliché to say that some students have an ‘it’ factor—but Gerard has it. Call it magnetism, positivity or charm, his support of the volleyball team is as unwavering as his four-year commitment to the orchestra. More importantly, it is the balance and transition that he seems to be able to carr y between commitments.”

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One look at Gerard’s student record reveals a mosaic of interests and experiences: quarterback of the football team, track, baseball, chamber orchestra, wrestling, musicals. This year, he also added the role of Student Government President to his resumé. “It’s a lot of work,” he recognizes, but he also notes the insight and perspective his different experiences have given him.

Gerard admits that he struggled a bit during his freshman year trying to figure out how to balance every thing he wanted to do. He credits Kate McGlasson and freshman year advisor Mr. Miller, along with his parents, for helping him get organized and learn how to manage his time. “Ultimately, you have to have the mindset that you know you can do it. I try to be as productive as possible throughout the day, doing my homework during free time. After football practice, I’ll go to evening tutorial and knock out some of my work there. It’s also nice because I can be a little shy in class, and I can ask questions in tutorial that I forgot to ask during the day.”

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Early on, Gerard chose to give up his free period to participate in the band, and he is grateful that his involvement in the arts broadened his Ensworth experience even further. “Once you involve yourself in different things, you get to know different types of people and form new friend groups. You get to know people you never talked to before and find what you have in common. You also build relationships with the teachers, like Mr. Salazar and Mr. Aveni, and the teachers encourage you to try different things.”

Gera rd’s college counselor Laura Stewa r t observes, “I have worked with Gerard over the course of his time at the high school and I have been so impressed by his commitment to living a healthy, balanced life. He exemplifies this through his commitment to academics and his deep involvement in so many facets of the Ensworth community. He is a musician, an athlete, a caring friend, a supportive fan, and our student body president. Plus, he has a great sense of humor and never takes himself too seriously. Gerard is a great example for others of what it means to truly live a balanced, healthy life.”

When asked what advice he might offer to new students, Gerard offers, “Explore things you never thought you would try. Ensworth enables you to do anything you want to; you can play a sport and do the musical, or you can be in Studio 4 Art and student government. You only limit yourself; Ensworth doesn’t limit you at all in anything you can do here.”

M a r y S pa r k s L av e y hile many might measure a healthy, balanced life by evaluating external factors, for senior Mary Sparks Lavey, the true indicator of a healthy life lies within. Although Mary Sparks has been involved in a variety of activities throughout her time at Ensworth, such as cross country, theater, Tea ring Down Wa lls, Gather to Grow, Knitting Club, and Book Club, just to name a few, she is honest about the internal challenges she has faced along the way.

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Mary Sparks shares, “Balance is my number one goal throughout life. It’s often hard for me to do this; for example, balancing school, a social life, and my mental and physical health has always been a challenge. Through different life lessons, and honestly, through a lot of therapy, I discovered that laying out the needs and wants I have as an individual, comparatively with the agreements I have made to others and myself, has helped me form a balanced lifestyle.”

As a result of her own experience, Mary Sparks tries to help encourage self-acceptance and self-care among her peers.

She started an organization of students that have placed signs around campus with the reminder “It’s ok to not be ok.” She notes, “I think the hardest part when dealing with mental health, or just life in general, is to first admit to what we are feeling, to confide and ask for help, and eventually try not to judge ourselves for what we feel is tricky. It’s hard to accept the reality of your health sometimes, but I think once you are able to accept that and know where you stand, it is easier to find strategies to help.”

Peer Support Team

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Mary Sparks commends the breadth of support Ensworth offers students but recognizes there is more work to be done, and she hopes that her efforts will lead to continued growth in this area. “I think that Ensworth encourages healthy lifestyles, and I believe Ensworth has a headstart on a lot more schools around Nashville and even in the nation with encouraging balance in diversity, educational styles, and extracurriculars. And for me, the most important thing Ensworth can improve is the curriculum around mental health.

If we had this integrated into our daily vernacular, we could set up resources when someone is ready to help themselves or find others to help them,” she shares.

Mary Sparks’ thoughtful approach to balance, her honesty about her own struggles, and her dedication to helping others have gained her the respect of both peers and teachers. David Berry observes, "Mary Sparks knows what matters, which is another way of saying that she knows what will matter over time. She has full respect for the homework assignment that is due tomorrow, but she also has the maturity, wisdom, and self-assurance to know and accept that the lunch table conversation she is having with a retired former teacher has a different kind of gravity and value. She knows that choosing to be fully present with that person in that moment is an act of both giving and receiving respect, grace, and love. And that is why—through her values and through her choices—Mary Sparks is making us a better community every day."

Tiffany Townsend Director of Marketing & Communications

Acts of Kindness & Gratitude, promoted by the Peer Support Team, are just one of the many ways Ensworth students and faculty support each other at the High School.

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COMMUNITY

FOR T H E R E C OR D

Best of High School A Cappella Encore’s newly released single, “My Mind,” has been selected for the Best of High School A Cappella compilation album for the third consecutive year. “My Mind” is available on iTunes/ Apple Music and Spotify.

Orange & Black Captains Lower and Middle School students cast their votes and chose Duncan Coppeans and Noelle Jamison as Orange Team Captains, and Jack Fleming and Grace Hasselbeck as Black Team Captains for the 2019-2020 school year.

"The Voice" Contestant Ensworth Junior Zoe Upkins recently competed on NBC’s “The Voice.” She wowed the coaches with her cover of “Angel of Mine” during a blind audition in October as three of the show’s judges fought to be her coach. Zoe picked John Legend who coached her throughout her time in the competition. Zoe made it through the Battlerounds before being eliminated in the second week of Knockouts.

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National Merit Semi-Finalists Congratulations to our four National Merit Semi-Finalists from the Class of 2020: Ryan Crants, Max Moeller, Colin Murray, and Sara Pickrell.

COMMUNITY

March 5–7 High School Musical: The Addams Family ENSWORTH

2020 IMPORTANT DATES Visit ensworth.com to confirm dates and for more information

March 13–22 Spring Break April 4 Prom April 10 April Break - No Classes April 17–18 Dance Concert May 11–15 Exam Week May 19 Middle School Closing Exercises May 21 High School Awards Day May 23 Class of 2020 Graduation

Super Saturday: MAY 2, 2020 Save the date for Super Saturday, hosted by the Ensworth Parent Association.

Super Saturday will be held on the Frist Campus on May 2.

2019–2020 Student Government Student Government: Congratulations to the following students on their election to the Student Government: Student Body President: Gerard Bullock Student Body Vice-President: Dominic Wynn Class of 2020 Senate: Rylie O’Neil (Class Speaker), Ryan Crants, Ella Grace Dillard, MyLan Le, Charlie Mahanes Class of 2021 Senate: William Vreeland (Class Speaker), Liam Frumkin, Esther Okai-Tetteh, Allyson Smith, Kelile Southwell Class of 2022 Senate: Marshall Wilt (Class Speaker), Anna Brock, Lanie Dyke, Genevieve Schaefer, DJ Weinstein Class of 2023 Senate: Katherine Sales (Class Speaker), Cam Gordon, Caleb Park, Helen Thompson, Reed Whitman

Dance Marathon Success Under the leadership of junior Lainey Garside, Ensworth hosted its second Dance Marathon on Saturday, February 1, 2020 and raised over $43,000 for the Monroe Carell, Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.

Way to go, Lainey and Ensworth students!

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ARTS

MIDDLE SCHOOL FALL PLAY NOVEMBER 16, 2019

When a once-beautiful witch curses a baker and his wife, rendering them childless, they venture “into the woods” to find what they need to reverse the spell and restore the witch's beauty: “A cow as white as milk, hair as yellow as corn, a cape as red as blood, and a slipper as pure as gold.” During their journey, they meet Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Jack, each one on a quest to fulfill a wish. This is the synopsis of Into the Woods, Jr. by James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim. The tangled web of familiar storylines lends

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itself well to our audience. While our little tigers enjoyed seeing those familiar characters come to life and intersect with each other, James Lapine’s witty characters and irreverent text engaged the adults in the room and gave our middle school performers some meat to sink their acting chops into.

Stephen Sondheim’s score is notoriously complex. Heidi Wolter (assistant musical director) searched for a month for a pianist willing to accompany our performance. Most candidates were

unwilling to tackle such difficult music.

We were thrilled when Russ Davis agreed to do it for us. When I suggested Into the Woods, Jr. to Aaron Velthouse (musical director) he cautioned me that the music would be difficult, but that our current middle schoolers are a strong group, and he felt confident they could sing it. He was right. Our cast was excited to be presented with the challenges the score presented—most of them were somewhat familiar with it from the movie a few years back. They really rose to the occasion—often being prepared

ARTS

with memorized lyrics before we asked them to be, helping each other master tricky rhythms and pitches, and enjoying the complexities of Sondheim’s score.

And then, somewhere in the middle of our intense focus on the singing of this difficult score, I started to notice how gifted this cast was as actors. They were thoughtful and intentional about what their characters were feeling as they were heading into the unknown to go after a wish they were desperate for—a baby, or freedom from a miserable home,

or true love. They brought humor and true connection to their time on stage and were a joy to watch. Middle school is such a wild time—kids are generally so aware of how they are perceived, and sometimes that can make them more reluctant to take risks on stage and commit to being ridiculous or vulnerable in front of their peers. It takes true bravery to look past those insecurities and play a character who is silly when you want to be taken seriously, or who is in love (this one is particularly hard for middle schoolers!). I was humbled

to see our young cast push themselves past their comfort zones—and there is no doubt that their efforts paid off. They delivered the difficult score beautifully, as Aaron Velthouse said they would, but they also proved themselves as actors— willing to take risks and challenging each other to rise, just like the baker and his wife, realizing they are both stronger when they depend on each other.

HOPE MOELLER

Drama Club Director, Grade 2 Teacher

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ARTS

HIGH SCHOOL FALL PLAY NOVEMBER 21–23, 2019

In previous director’s notes, I have suggested that, in essence, Shakespearean comedy is about “standing on the brink of tragedy and then dodging the bullet.”

Well, The Winter’s Tale is not a comedy, but it is not a tragedy either. In fact, we don’t really know what to call it. By the end of his career, Shakespeare was defying genere; scholars tend to refer to his final plays simply as “the late plays”—or sometimes as Romances. By romance, they do not mean romantic, but something more like fantasy. In

18 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS

Shakespeare’s day, a winter’s tale was synonymous with an old wive’s tale, or a fairy tale. It was a fable—an unlikely and incredible story—one that dealt with essential questions and essential truths.

Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale exists in a fantasy world that is as capable of darkness as it is of light. It is a world where accidents and errors unfold at a pace and on a scale that is utterly shocking, but it is a world where redemption and grace can always

rush in with equal force. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which we have also performed twice, is about going to bed wanting what you don’t have—and likely don’t deserve—and then waking up in the morning and finding it laying in your lap, no idea how it got there.

In the world of The Winter’s Tale, we are going to be asked to be a bit more mature; we are going to be kept wanting for longer than the space of a dream, and if we do indeed receive grace, it is not going to come while we are sleeping.

ARTS

I think that the reason I find myself drawn to Shakespeare’s late plays is that there is such an audacious purity to the storytelling. There is no beating around the bush; things happen fast—Leontes’ jealousy and ensuing downfall come upon him lightningquick, and seemingly out of nowhere.

The mechanism is unimportant; there is no time wasted. In the end, when redemption is given her chance to reenter the story, the mechanism remains conspicuously vague. Again

unlike Midsummer, if grace is going to come here, it is not going to come while we are looking the other way, but instead, it will come with a directness that challenges us—a directness that challenges our comfort level as an audience, and perhaps Shakespeare’s own comfort level as a playwright. What exactly does happen here?

Coming to this play a second time, I am struck by how clean the ending is. I said to a class this week, sometimes, the

trick to Shakespeare isn’t that he tells us the truth in language that is more heightened than our own, but in language that is so simple that we have to pause to hear it afresh. “To be, or not to be: that is the question.” No one has to look up any of those words.

DAVID BERRY

High School English and Arts Faculty

2020 WINTER | 19

ARTS

An Evening of Decisions:

Three Student-directed One Acts

Sally

Sure Thing

by Ella Talerico

Trifles

by Susan Glaspell

Saturday

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September 21, 2019

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7 PM

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by David Ives visit ensworth.com/boxoffice to order tickets

Ingram Arts Center Theatre

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT-DIRECTED ONE-ACT PLAYS SEPTEMBER 21, 2019

SURE THING

BY DAVID IVES “Being on the other side of the process is a whole new territory, but our program and company have allowed us to experience this new side in a nourishing environment. We were both drawn to ‘Sure Thing,’ not only for its obvious comedic heart, but also for the movement aspect. We both come from dance backgrounds, so the pace and the intention of the piece were important aspects we wanted to play with. Over the past four weeks, adapting to this new directorial persona has been a truly eye-opening experience.”

— Lilli Pankow and Elizabeth Rowland

Lilli Pankow '20 Elizabeth Rowland '20

Sure Thing - Student Directors

20 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS

ARTS

SALLY TRIFLES

BY ELLA TALERICO '21

BY SUSAN GLASPELL “Being on this side of the process is new for me. Mr. Berry has mentioned how some aspects of the directing role are tricky, which I can now speak to. However, the rewards and lessons that are gained outweigh all of that, and I am sure Mr. Berry would agree. I have not only grown in terms of how to work under peer collaboration and leadership, but also as an actor. Jordan and I have been able to build a show that feels especially unique even though our timeline and the play itself, were short. The cast worked extremely hard as we all tried to navigate the process together and I hope they are as proud of what we’ve made as I am.”

“The story of ‘Sally’ has been a long and exciting one, filled with drafts, rewriting, and even more drafts. One of us joined the production in the original workshopping cast, and the other several months later, but we’re both extremely grateful to have been included in this process.

Through several rewrites, changed scenes, and new songs, this show has been a journey, to say the least, but it’s been the most exciting and rewarding journey we could have asked for. This show is an important one, filled with laughs, tears, and an important message.”

— Ryan Crants and Dante Rodriguez

— Shealy Mischinski

Jordan Williams '20 Shealy Mischinski '20 Trifles - Student Directors

Ryan Crants '20 Dante Rodriguez '20

Sally - Student Directors 2020 WINTER | 21

ATHLETICS

E N SWORT H AT H LE T IC S

A BALANCED EXPERIENCE ACROSS MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS

22 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS

ATHLETICS

Ensworth believes that fulfilling a commitment, competing, and participating in athletics provide a vital part of a well-rounded educational experience.

We believe participating on an athletic team improves academic performance.

It is a privilege, not a right, to represent Ensworth as a member of an athletic team; therefore, Ensworth expects our athletes and coaches to dedicate themselves to the highest principles and conduct themselves with moral integrity. Ensworth encourages our student-athletes to become leaders by demonstrating discipline, compassion, humor, and joy, and by using their talents to the fullest.

Excerpt from Middle/High School Athletic Philosophy

A

s Ensworth has grown, we have continued to reevaluate our programs to ensure that they are best meeting the needs of our students and preparing them for future success. This year, the Middle School and High School Athletic Departments have worked together to develop a Middle/High School Athletic Philosophy to help provide consistency and continuity across the program in Grades 6–12.

High School Director of Athletics Ricky Bowers shares, “We are intentionally and appropriately connecting our high school educators and students with our middle school educators and students.

We will be speaking the same language in each program; there will be long-term terminology and leadership and better coordination and communication, not unlike what we are doing academically with linear curricular connectivity.”

Part of implementing this philosophy is the challenge of managing the large numbers and varying interest levels of students who want to participate on teams at the middle school level. Middle School Director of Athletics Sarah Biddy observes, “There are all different interests and abilities at this age; some just want to play and others are very competitive. We want to manage our growth in a positive and productive way

that will better serve our community and the talents and interests of each individual in the Middle School and also create a seamless process as they move up to the High School.”

To address these challenges and help refine the program, Ensworth will begin limiting team sizes in seventh and eighth grades. As part of this change, Biddy and Bowers note that they want to begin providing intramural opportunities, when possible, as an option for students who want to play but not compete. The administrators have already begun to incorporate more fitness into the Middle School PE program to ensure that all students are receiving the exercise and training that they need, similar to the fitness program at the high school.

“Everything we do arises from a desire to provide a quality experience for all of our kids,” notes Bowers. “Adopting this philosophy and making these improvements to our program will allow greater individualized attention and skill development. And if we do this well, everyone will be better served with their physical, emotional, and intellectual opportunities.”

Tiffany Townsend Director of Marketing and Communications 2020 WINTER | 23

ATHLETICS

MIDDLE SCHOOL

ATHLETICS HIGHLIGHTS

BOYS' GOLF

HVAC Champions

BOYS' TENNIS

HVAC AA Champions

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ATHLETICS

M I D D L E S C H O O L FA L L H I G H L I G H T S GIRLS' CROSS COUNTRY

GIRLS' GOLF

With eighth-graders Kate McGehee ‘24 and Maya Dandekar ‘24 providing strong leadership and positive encouragement throughout practices and meets, the 2019 Middle School Girls’ Cross country team enjoyed a fun-filled and successful season.

The team ran competitively throughout the season and had a strong third-place finish in the AA Girls’ HVAC finals. Seventh-grader Lily Bowen ‘25 (fourth place overall) and eighth-grader Kate McGehee ‘24 (fifth place overall) earned All-HVAC honors, and seventh graders Elli Baker ‘25, Wynne Braemer ‘25, and Lizzie McWilliams‘25 rounded out the top five for Ensworth in the girls’ race. There is a strong core of talented runners returning next season, so the future looks bright for the Girls’ Middle School Cross Country team!

• HVAC 3rd Place: Claire Gracey '24, Josie Wilt '25, and Claire Kurtz '25

BOYS' CROSS COUNTRY Led by eighth-graders A.J. Dale ‘24, Noah Sparrow ‘24, and Howell Wright ‘24, the 2019 Middle School Boys’ Cross Country team improved throughout the season and finished the year on a high note with a third-place team finish at this year’s HVAC Finals. A.J. Dale ‘24 finished fifth individually, earning All-HVAC Honors, and seventh-graders Travis Richter ‘25, Dev Patel ‘25, Mack Mahlendorf ‘25, and Grant Rehm ‘25 rounded out the top five for the Tigers. With four of the top five runners from this year’s HVAC Finals returning next year, the boys are looking to build on their recent success and are already excited about next year.

FOOTBALL • Grades 7-8 FOOTBALL: Watts Bond '24: Team MVP, Jack Fleming '24: Defensive MVP, Jay Johnson '24: Offensive MVP • Grades 5-6 FOOTBALL: HVAC Junior Division Champions • The Grades 5–6 football team went 7-0 and also recorded the most points scored in a season.

BOYS' GOLF • HVAC Champions • Lucas Herring '24, William Hull '25, Landon Jones '24, and Eli Wilt '26 finished in the top 10 along with leading the team to the sixth consecutive HVAC Championship, a 6-peat for the Tigers!

chipping in a goal of his own. The defense allowed only seven goals all season while posting two shutouts. Defensively, the team was led by eighth-graders Alexander Sifford ‘24 and goalkeeper Crew Armstrong ‘24.

• The Wall: Will Garner '24, Trevor Richter '24, Alexander Sifford '24

VOLLEYBALL

• HVAC AA Runners-Up • HVAC Individual Champions: Grace Hasselbeck '24 & Lila Butler '24 (#2 Doubles)

• The Middle School Volleyball team went 7-4 in the regular season which placed the Tigers fourth overall for the season and into the top bracket for tournament play. It was a great season that exceeded everyone’s expectations.

• Inman Wall: Reese Fogaros '24 & Sullivan Brown '24 • 6th Volleyball: HVAC Junior Division 2nd Place

BOYS' TENNIS

WRESTLING

GIRLS' TENNIS

• HVAC AA Champions • HVAC Individual Champions: Elliott Parker '26 (#2 Singles), Edward Coppeans '26 (#3 Singles), Wyatt Harmer ‘26 & Thomas Armstrong ‘25 (#2 Doubles)

GIRLS' SOCCER The Ensworth Girls’ Middle School Varsity Soccer team had a fantastic season, finishing in the HVAC Division AA semifinals with a division record of 3-2-0 and an overall record of 5-2-1.

This was an incredible group of soccer players, led by three eighth graders that are recognized for their leadership, effort, and abilities on and off the field: Sullivan Brown ‘24, Camilla Garza ‘24, and Addie DeCoster ‘24.

The 2019 Ensworth Middle School Wrestling Tigers had an exciting season. Led by eighthgraders William Chung ‘24, A.J. Dale ‘24, Peter Darst ‘24, Jack Fleming ‘24, Michael Hughes ‘24, Owen Jackoboice ‘24, Jay Johnson ‘24, Oden Sohr ‘24, Grant Watts ‘24, Declan Werthan ‘24, and Spencer Yu ‘24, the Tigers finished fourth in the HVAC tournament.

Tournament placers were Bishop Starling '26 (2nd Place, 92 lbs.), Grant Watts '24 (3rd Place, 138 lbs.), Spencer Yu '24 (1st Place, 148 lbs.), and Jack Fleming '24 (1st Place, 158 lbs.).

BOYS' SOCCER • The 2019 Middle School Boys’ Soccer team finished their season falling in the quarterfinals of the HVAC Gold Division Tournament. The team earned a record of 4-2-2. Offensively, the team was led by eighth-grader Will Garner ‘24 and his nine goals. Eighth-grader Robert Koehner ‘24 led the squad in assists with six while also

2020 WINTER | 25

ATHLETICS

HIGH SCHOOL

ATHLETICS

BOYS' GOLF

State Champions

COLLEGIATE SIGNINGS

Congratulations to the following students who have signed letters of athletic intent at the collegiate level: Cal Archdeacon Amherst College ( football)

Keshawn Lawrence University of Tennessee ( football)

Drew Byers University of Notre Dame ( baseball)

Lily Martin Emory University (volleyball)

Kallie Chelsvig University of Notre Dame (swimming)

Ethan Sipe Dartmouth College ( football)

Austin Henderson University of Minnesota ( football)

Dontavia Waggoner North Carolina State University ( basketball)

26 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS

ATHLETICS

H I G H S C H O O L FA L L H I G H L I G H T S BOYS' CROSS COUNTRY In the fall season, all cross country runners improved their personal times by an average of 90 seconds for the 5k distance. The team improved their finishes from last year at both the Metro Nashville Championships (with runners Lucas Rehm ‘23 and Sam Horn ‘23 earning top 30 places) and the State Cross Country Championship.

GIRLS' CROSS COUNTRY This fall’s girls team was led by a new, talented freshman runner, Remi Schimmel ‘23. She finished 18th at the Jesse Owens invitational and 9th at the Metro Championship Meet. Chloe Edwards ‘21 and Katherine Groomes ‘23 joined her as two new hard-working and talented runners on our varsity squad. The combination of these fresh faces and a dedicated and experienced returning crew, which included Lucy Butler ‘21, Sara Daugherty ‘21, Gray Fleetwood ‘22, and Lizza Hubbard ‘20, allowed for Ensworth to have a strong finish at the TSSAA State Cross Country Meet.

FOOTBALL The Ensworth Tigers finished the season with an 8-4 overall record and an appearance in the DII-AAA Playoffs Semifinals. The Tigers’ offense averaged 33 points per game led by quarterback Gerard Bullock '20 with 2,006 yards passing, 11 touchdowns and 10 Rushing touchdowns. Leading receivers were Austin Henderson '20, Elijah Jenkins '20, Keshawn Lawrence '20, and Isaiah Horton '22. Leading rushers were Charles Ingram '22 and Gabe McDaniels '20. The defense was strong this season with Toleo Malone '21, Andre Turrentine '21, and Bryce Edmondson '21 leading the team in tackles. Cal Archdeacon '20 set the tone up front leading the team in sacks while William Wright '20 led the secondary in interceptions and pass break-ups.

Special Teams were key for the Tigers, led by kicker Evan Cooley '20 and punter/kicker Hayden Horn '21. Keshawn Lawrence '20 was also key in the return game with 4 punt returns for touchdowns.

FOOTBALL AWARDS & RECOGNITION • Gerard Bullock '20: Sept. 6 Titan Up Player of the week, Oct. 25 Beaman Scholar-Athlete of the Week, National Football Foundation HS ScholarAthlete Award • Keshawn Lawrence '20: Tennessee Titan Mr. Football Semifinalist, Tennessean 2019 AllMidstate Team (1st Team), Selected to the All American Bowl Roster, Texas, Selected to the Polynesian Bowl Roster, Hawaii • Toleo Malone '21: Max Preps Semper Fidelis Player of the Game, Nov. 1, 2019 • Andre Turrentine '21: Tennessean 2019 AllMidstate Team (2nd Team) • William Wright '20: Tennessee All-West Team • Division II-AAA East All-Region Team: Cal Archdeacon '20, Gerard Bullock '20, Austin Henderson '20, Keshawn Lawrence '20, Andre Turrentine '21, William Wright '20 • Tennessee Sports Writer Association (TSWA) Division II-AAA All-State: Gerard Bullock '20, Keshawn Lawrence '20, Andre Turrentine '21 • Tennessee High School Football Coaches Association (TnFCA) Division II-AAA All-State: Cal Archdeacon '20, Gerard Bullock '20, Austin Henderson '20, Keshawn Lawrence '20, Andre Turrentine '21

BOYS' GOLF: • State Champions (first in school history) • Team Regional Champions • Jack Taylor '23: Individual Regional Champion • Julian Maxwell '20: Tennessean All-Midstate Boys' Golf 1st team

GIRLS' GOLF: • Team Regional Runner Up • Annabel Frist '21: Individual Regional Champion

MOUNTAIN BIKING • Sara Daugherty ’21: Tennessee Interscholastic Cycling League, JV Girls Division, 12th Place • Hunter Haney ’23: Tennessee Interscholastic Cycling League, Freshman Boys Division, 11th Place

• Samuel Mayer ’23: Tennessee Interscholastic Cycling League, Freshman Boys Division, 5th Place • William Vreeland ’21-Tennessee Interscholastic Cycling League, JV Boys Division, 19th Place

GIRLS' SOCCER: The Girls' Soccer team made strides in nearly every statistical category this past season. The Tigers went 8-5-1 overall, 4-1-1 in regional play, and finished second in the Region. The team advanced to the state quarterfinals, where they were edged out in a penalty kick shootout.

The team started out the season unranked and remained that way for the first three weeks.

After several strong and convincing wins, Ensworth found themselves ranked in the top 5 in Tennessee and maintained a strong ranking the remainder of the season.

SOCCER AWARDS AND RECOGNITION • Division II-AA All-Region Team: Gianna Bullock '21, Lila Hunt '20, Sara Pickrell '20, Olivia Prentice '22, Genevieve Schafer '22, Avery Smith '21 • Division II-AA Tennessee High School Soccer Coaches Association (THSSCA) All-State Team: Gianna Bullock '21, Sara Pickrell '20

VOLLEYBALL • Stat leaders for volleyball: Ace: Katie Barrier ‘23 (40), Kills: Lily Martin ‘20 (342), Digs: Katie Barrier ‘23 (668), Blocks: Emilija Vanagunas ‘20 and Erina Shin ‘21 (48) • Volleyball won the Rae of Hope Tournament at Wilson Central High School

VOLLEYBALL AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS • Lily Martin '20 - Division II-AA Middle All-Region team, Division II-AA All-Region Tournament team, Tennessean All Mid-State Volleyball 1st team 2020 WINTER | 27

COMMUNITY

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Ensworth Events LOWER/MIDDLE SCHOOL

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a & b Grade 8 Pumpkin Races c & d Spirit Assemblies e, f, g & h Grandparents Day i, j, &k 38th Annual Pancake Breakfast l & m Grade 1 Pet Show

COMMUNITY f

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COMMUNITY a

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Ensworth Events HIGH SCHOOL d

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a, b, c Special Olympics Day at the High School d, e, f Grandparents Day g Myra McLarey's Retirement Celebration (and a Story & Song reunion) h, i, j Homecoming Week Competitions k Encore performs at an all-school assembly l "E-Harmeny" Barbershop Quartet (surprise performance at the Winter Choral Concert) m Winter Rock Band Concert

2020 WINTER | 31

COMMUNITY

Build Our Community

J

| Support Our School

| Educate Our Parents

ust as Ensworth’s exceptional faculty strives for our children to have healthy, balanced lives, the Parent Association works hard to foster healthy, balanced lives for our Ensworth families. We do this by building a sense of community amongst our families, offering insightful and timely parent education, and providing opportunities for service in support of our beloved school.

Building Our Community.

In the crazy, hectic, overscheduled times in which we live, it is more important than ever to come together as a community and connect. When I ask other parents what makes our school so special, they invariably say it is the sense of belonging they experience at Ensworth. The PA is instrumental in building this warm and inclusive community. Every year, our entire Ensworth community celebrates the joy of being Tigers at three fun-filled events: Pancake Breakfast, Tiger Night 2020, and Super Sat u rday. We a l so come together in fellow parents’ homes for delicious meals and conversation at grade level and multi-grade parent gatherings. The friendships and personal relationships forged at these gatherings lay the foundation for our connected parent community.

Michele Borba, author of Unselfie, joined us in January and shared proven and teachable habits to nurture empathy in our own children. In addition to these nationally acclaimed speakers, our Parent Education Committee offered small classes on “mindfulness” and “positive tools

for parenting.” A Singapore math video series and two phenomenal book clubs, Our children aren’t the only ones learning “Parenting with Purpose” and “Fiction with at Ensworth! With a focus on kindness and Friends” provide additional opportunities empathy, the PA kicked off the year with an for learning, fellowship and fun. inspiring presentation by Leon Logothetis of The Kindness Diaries, a Netflix series Supporting Our School. about kindness and the power of human T he PA h a s more t h a n 4 0 0 pa rent connection. Leon told us “the kindest thing volunteers suppor ting Enswor th in we can ever do is to simply see someone my riad ways ever y day. Our pa rent else” and challenged us to “go forth and volunteers shower love on our faculty and be kind!” Following Leon’s charge, Dr. staff, run the lost & founds, shelve books

Educating Our Parents.

32 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS

in the library, help with admissions, coordinate parent education, plan Super Saturday and Tiger Night, staff concessions, and spread sunshine to Ensworth families, faculty and staff.

PA volunteers raise revenue through Tiger Night and other fundraising ventures, allowing us to make a gift to the school and fulfill our pledge to the Capital Campaign for the construction of the new lower school building. The funds also support faculty professional development, parent education classes, guest speakers, parent gatherings, class parties for our children, Senior Grad Night, the Freshman Homecoming dinner, and so much more.

With over three months left in the school year, there are still many more fabulous opportunities to get involved and build valuable relationships that will last a lifetime.

We hope to see you at our upcoming parent education events, and of course, Super Saturday!

Barbara Smith

2019-2020 President of Parent Association

COMMUNITY

Spotlight on Three Ensworth Parents W H O A R E B U I L D I N G O U R C O M M U N I T Y O N E S M I L E AT A T I M E :

Jessica Baba | Curtis Shaw Child

| Daphne Butler

V i s i t t h e E n s w o r t h B l o g t o r e a d t h e f u l l i n t e r v i e w s : e n s w o r t h .c o m / b l o g

Jessica Baba: Where did you grow up and what brought you to Nashville?

I was born and raised in the Los Angeles area. I lived and worked in the Bay Area and Washington, D.C. (including a stint at NCIS) during my undergrad years and graduated from law school in San Diego. I moved to Nashville because I was tired of the beach and mild winters. Actually, I moved because Damon (Mr. Jessica Baba) was moving back home after we graduated from law school and I thought I’d try it out. Fast forward (how many years later?!), and I’m still here!

Why did you choose Ensworth for your son Paxton? We did extensive research on the schools here. We even attended the high school open houses (and got a lot of strange looks when people fou nd out ou r “prospective student” was five years old).

In the end, Ensworth was the clear leader in its dedication to innovative education. We loved that the school as a whole always looks forward and is constantly searching for ways to improve, no matter how large or small.

Another important factor was the strength of community— from the very beginning, we saw the support system, from the admissions process to the current parents that offered to answer questions, as well as faculty/admin responsiveness.

Why do you share your time and talents volunteering with the PA? I think our PA reflects the vitality of the support system of Ensworth and the school community’s dedication to helping provide the best experience possible for all of our children. The level of parent involvement in any school is a great indicator of the strength of the school’s dedication to helping children reach their fullest potential both inside and outside the classroom. For our family, that means I try to offer my time and energy (what little I have left after the two year old!) as a volunteer because that means being a part—small, but a part, nonetheless—of the school where my son will spend a majority of his educational years.

What is your goal as Chair of the LS/MS New Parent Support Committee? My goal is to facilitate a smooth and pleasant transition into the school year not just for the students, but the parents as well. We want every new family to feel welcome and comfortable right off the bat. It is our hope that the committee can serve as a reliable resource and networking system for all of our new families.

Besides volunteering at Ensworth, in what other ways do you give back to your community? Prior to full-time parenting, I worked on pro bono legal cases, including some for various local non-profits. I also previously served as a K-9 Search and Rescue (SA R) handler for a team that volunteers for the local SAR squad. We used to air-scent train deep in the woods at various parks throughout Nashville with two German Shepherds, a Belgian Ma l i nois, a nd a Labrador Retriever.

As a working mother and tireless volunteer, how do you strive to maintain a healthy and balanced life? I think “strive” is a really good way to put it—I never feel like I’m quite there! I think the most important (and difficult) way I’ve learned to attempt balance in my life is to try to stay in the present. Everything moves at light speed now. Basically, we blink, and our Tiger bag-toting kindergarteners are grown. So, while I do my best to plan and stay on top of *everything* possible, I also stop to smell the roses (in our garden) once in a while. And do crafts. So many crafts.

What is something people would be surprised to know about you? Random facts are my favorite! I’ve baked and decorated cakes for two weddings and officiated one; I love watching drifting and used to help in the pit with Paxton (my brother-in-law drives Pro2); I have twenty-five hens (for eggs only!), and I celebrate Japanese and Persian New Year.

2020 WINTER | 33

COMMUNITY

Spotlight on Three Ensworth Parents W H O A R E B U I L D I N G O U R C O M M U N I T Y O N E S M I L E AT A T I M E :

Jessica Baba | Curtis Shaw Child

| Daphne Butler

V i s i t t h e E n s w o r t h B l o g t o r e a d t h e f u l l i n t e r v i e w s : e n s w o r t h .c o m / b l o g

Curtis Shaw Child Tell us a little bit about your family. We’re an artsy, two-dad family with fraternal twin boys who are interested in sportssports-sports (soccer, basketball, football) and playing guitar.

My husband, Desmond Child, is a songwriter/record producer who has contributed a lot to the soundtrack of our lives (www. desmondchild.com) and is always looking for more instagram followers @desmond.child (so follow him!) I’m the primary caregiver with a background in theatre and film-making. Being a parent has been my greatest creative project!

Why did you choose Ensworth for your sons Roman and N y r o? T here i s a ba l a nc e in the way the school is organized where the students are academically challenged, but don’t feel over whel med by school work. Ensworth is a place where different points of view are welcomed around the table and kids are able to express themselves and have conversations (which is such an awesome skill to learn so early in life.) Ensworth students have fitness everyday, and the many options of sports teams and the rock band all tipped our decision.

As a two-dad family, have you felt welcome at Ensworth? I’ll admit, I was cautious when we joined the school community in ninth grade, coming from a liberal Montessori school, but I can say that our family has been welcomed and it’s a non-issue for our boys to have two dads at school. The Ensworth student and parent communities really do embrace diversity and difference and it has been a great fit for us.

How do you hope to make a difference through volunteering with admissions? I appreciate how hard it can be coming in new and not really knowing people. I want to make sure

34 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS

everyone feels welcome because my family felt so welcome when we started at Ensworth. We are a two-dad family. Not everyone knows someone like that. For me, my involvement is about standing up and representing. I love talking to parents and making a personal connection with others. When we went through the admissions process at Ensworth with Roman and Nyro, I really felt like Ann West and the Admission folks saw us and understood how we would benefit the school by offering a perspective they hadn’t really had within the community before. I want others to feel the same. I want them to understand that when Ensworth says they welcome diversity and different points of view that it’s really true and not just a talking point.

You are incredibly involved at Ensworth not only through your effor ts volunteering, but also by attending parent gatherings, parent education events, and social events. Why do you feel it is important to be so involved in your sons’ s chool? There are so many parents that do so much more than I do, but everybody does what they can. By seizing on opportunities to get engaged at Ensworth, you not only help yourself and the school, but you also meet new people and make new friends. I’ve met some dear friends by diving in and getting involved and attending school events. It’s amazing to see all the opportunities our kids have to express themselves at Ensworth and it’s just enjoyable to observe kids grow into these amazing performers, athletes, and people!

Visit the Ensworth Blog to read the full interview and to learn about Curtis's documentary, "TWO: T h e S t o r y o f R o m a n a n d N y r o " a t e n s w o r t h .c o m / b l o g .

COMMUNITY

2019-2020 PARENT ASSOCIATION

Board Members Barbara Smith President

Daphne Butler: Why did you choose to send your four children to Ensworth?

Ensworth is a happy place. You see it in the facu lt y a nd the kids. And there is something extraordinary here for everyone.

How can you argue with that?

You have been a room parent/parent coordinator for too many years to count and have served on just about every Parent Association committee. Why do you share your time and talents for the benefit of Ensworth? Community plays a huge part in ensuring the health of the individual. I think it is really important for a school community to have a strong culture and I choose to volunteer in ways that will impact the culture at Ensworth. I like having a little hand in organizing the parents and making sure everyone feels welcome. That’s a big thing to me. When I served as sixth grade coordinator, I called all of the new families. Through those conversations, I realized that as great a job as the school does communicating with parents, personal connection is the most important piece of making a new family feel welcome. I LOVE the Tiger Buddy program and New Parent Support Committee for this very reason.

What did you learn about Ensworth and yourself when you substitute taught and worked as a Kindergarten intern? I learned that teaching is one of the hardest professions in the world. I am in awe of teachers, and Ensworth is filled to the brim with outstanding ones. I spend a lot of time in Nashville schools, and the caliber of teachers at Ensworth is a standout in my opinion. Plus, the faculty body is a really happy bunch—all clearly happy to be at Ensworth—that in and of itself speaks volumes about the school’s excellence. Through my experience as a seventh grade Spanish sub for Sra. Gould, I realized how much I enjoyed working with teens, in particular middle school aged children. I am now in the process of getting my masters in counseling so I can focus on cognitive behavioral therapy for teens.

Besides Enswor th, what other organizations do you support? I am passionate about educational equity in Nashville. Only one in three children in Nashville’s Public Schools is reading on grade level by third grade. I believe this is the product of an ecosystem that has failed to provide high quality education for decades. This seems unfair to me, so I spend a lot of my time with organizations (like Teach for America) that are dedicated to changing that reality.

Elizabeth Gerken President-Elect Britt Horn Immediate Past President Tiffany Armistead Secretary Denise Boosalis Treasurer Mike Haney Treasurer-Elect Jennifer Rasmussen-Sagan Communications Chair Katie Porterfield Communications Chair-Elect Ned Spitzer Fundraising Chair Jim Boosalis Fundraising Chair-Elect Sharon Pensinger Parent Education Chair Lori Glenn Parent Education Chair-Elect Libba Vickery HS Representative Kirsten Crosby HS Representative-Elect Delia Darst MS Representative Mina Patel MS Representative-Elect Irene Head LS Representative Amanda Graff LS Representative-Elect Anna Talerico Arts Council Chair Pam Humbert Arts Council Chair-Elect Monica Michalec, Camilla Jackson Auction Liaisons

What is one thing that parents might not know about you? I am terrified (no doubt for having seen both “Jaws” and “River Monsters”) of swimming in opaque waters!

Jessica Baba LS/MS New Parent Support Chair

What inspires you? Altruistic people.

Carrie McLaren Volunteer Coordinator Chair

How do you strive to lead a healthy and balanced life? I try to get healthy doses of exercise and laughter every day—those, of course, to offset my entirely unbalanced, disorganized life!

Stephanie Sundock HS New Parent Support Chair

Ashley Owen Volunteer Coordinator Chair-Elect Kiabe Supuwood-Allen, Curtis Shaw Child, Julie Gray, Coco Kyriopoulos, Allison Wootson At-Large Representatives

Save the Date

2 0 1 9May W I2,N2020 TER | 35 Super Saturday

FACULTY

Hans Holzen

Blends Creativity & Science What is your background?

I was born in San Antonio but raised i n Na shv i l le a nd g ra du at e d f rom Brentwood High. My dad, a retired surgeon, was also a bluegrass fanatic.

My two sisters and I grew up learning to play the fiddle and traveling far and wide for bluegrass festivals and fiddle concerts. My mom became a music camp administrator. One of my sisters became a Zoo Veterinarian in Orlando, and my other sister, who is still in the area, is a CPA with Asurion. We all still play music together at family reunions.

4 8 states, Ca nada , a nd Europe, a nd per for m i n g on P ra i r ie Home Companion and Austin City Limits.

Also, I got to live in New York for five years, which led to me meeting my wife and becoming a teacher.

Where have you taught math and science before?

I transitioned out of music full time and into education about six years ago.

I was moving a lot when my wife was establishing her career and finishing her Ph.D. in Psychology. I have taught middle school math and science in Winder, GA, Omaha, NE, and Metro Nashville Public Schools.

You’ve been seen playing music with the Middle School band groups. Tell us more about your Are there any particular musical background.

I had a lot of exposure to Nashville's advantages to teaching fif th music scene as a young person and graders? began playing professionally at age 16 on Music Valley Drive. I majored i n mu s ic a n d t ou r e d w it h b a n d s and songwriters for about 10 years.

Highlights were traveling through

Mo s t of a l l , I lo v e t h e c u r io s it y that f if th g raders sti l l possess; it is wonderful for engaging them in science. It seems to be a sweet spot where they are developing enough to think about some big concepts, but still young enough that they haven't reached the "I know it all" stage. You can really see some lightbulbs go on in the classroom; it's a real pleasure to watch that.

The theme of this issue is “healthy, balanced lives.” In what way have you tried to live a healthy, balanced life?

A s a hu s b a n d , a p a r e n t o f y o u n g children, and a committed teacher, it can be so hard to maintain a healthy and balanced life, for sure. Fortunately, my wife and I are great partners and enablers for healthy eating and exercise.

We choose to eat a lot of fresh food, and she's good at shaming me when she knows I'm indulg ing in sweets too much! We realize that exercise is connected to a healthy mind, so we try to prioritize workouts when we can. It certainly helps to have facilities on campus for that and to have healthy and delicious options for lunch every day at Ensworth. Other things that help me keep a healthy mind and attitude are cooking for my family and playing my mandolin (even if it's only a few minutes at a time).

How do you see Ens wor th as encouraging healthy, balanced lives for their students?

Enswor t h does a n excel lent job of encouraging a healthy life for students.

The physical education staff here is the best I've ever seen, and the students' involvement in PE and recess are seen as an important part of every day. The food is fresh, varied, made with highqu a l it y i n g re d ient s , a nd ex p er t ly prepared. I also think it helps that the students know the chefs and the kitchen staff. The people feeding us are putting a lot of love and craft into what they do, and that can be felt by the students and teachers.

FACULTY

Gloria Kemp

Keeps Balance through Athletics, Yoga, and Nutrition

H

igh School Girls' Volleyball Head Coach and Fitness Instructor, Gloria Kemp, juggles many responsibilities at Ensworth and beyond as a coach, nutrition teacher, and professional athlete.

Although focused on sports most of her life, Kemp considered a government career after committing to play volleyball at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in her home state of Florida. “Working for the CIA seemed like a really appealing job as a 16-year-old,” she says, “Because you don't know anything.”

After years in athletics, she has discovered that nutrition and physical performance are a life-long endeavor. “It's definitely more intentional now,” she observes. “Even the workouts that I do are more of a holistic, whole-body approach rather than specific, explosive training. That's beneficial for the long-term sustainability of a healthy life.”

coach. Kemp remembers that her coach was calm, even when nine months pregnant. “She had this stillness about her,” she recalls. “I was intrigued by that."

Kemp’s 200-hour yoga teacher training led her to an ashram on Mallorca, a Mediterranean island off the coast of Spain. This trip, along with the spiritual lessons of living in a monastery, inspired her to pursue new passions such as travel, rock climbing, and hiking.

During the 2018-2019 winter break, she traveled from Nashville to Los Angeles, stopping in iconic locations like the Grand Canyon, Red Rock Canyon, and Joshua Tree. It was on this trip that she began a creative project. “‘Warrior of the World' had been a phrase that I had been saying to myself. It seemed like it was getting louder and louder, so I decided to go to a new place every month and do the ‘Warrior II’ yoga pose,” she shares.

Since joining Ensworth in the fall of 2018, Kemp has started teaching nutrition classes To further her healthy, balanced life, Kemp is to students. “Nutrition has become a big part pursuing her holistic nutrition certification, which of my life over the past five years,” she explains. will also benefit the students. She’s thankful to be in a “It's definitely something I wish I knew about when I was school that values mental and physical health. younger because it could've taken me further in athletics. My performance would have been better.” Coach Kemp has switched “I teach yoga and nutrition,” says Kemp. “The fact that those are to a mostly whole-food, plant-based diet, which leads her to available at a high school is amazing. And the emphasis that we spend a lot of time at the dining hall’s salad bar. Her creative, put on community here is a huge part of having a healthy life. You nutritious salads have piqued the interest of students and fellow just can't do it alone.” faculty members who ask her to make salads for them.

The quest for greater balance led Kemp to become certified as a teacher of yoga, a practice she was introduced to by her college

Paul Downey '92 Assistant Director of Marketing & Communications 2020 WINTER | 37

FACULTY

“Ensworth does an outstanding job of keeping the student’s health and wellness at the core of every decision we make.”

Jim Mann Gives His Best Self to Students, Colleagues, and Family Middle School math teacher Jim Mann leads a healthy, balanced life so he can give completely of himself to those entrusted to him. He has been in education for 20 years, the last five of which have been at Ensworth.

He acknowledges the realities of our distracted culture, observing, “Staying present in the moment is a hard thing to do. I work very hard to make sure that when I am at school, all of my attention and energy is poured into the students, colleagues, administrators, and families that I serve.” When the school day is over, however, Jim says, “I make sure to leave it all behind and pour the same amount of attention and energy into being the best dad, husband, son, and friend that I can be.”

38 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS

Jim does enjoy spending time with and the Country Music Hall of Fame. his colleagues, even to the extent of He has lent these talents to his students organizing evening social gatherings at Ensworth by coaching cross country, at local watering holes. In the reminder teaching an audio engineering course emails to faculty and staff, his co-host, in the af ter school STEM program, Middle School Latin teacher, Trey House, and judging for the annual robotics has given Mr. Mann a number of colorful tournament. titles such as “the Chief Design Curator of Faculty Health and Wellness” and Above a ll, Mr. Mann is thankful to “the Minister of the Faculty Health and be in a school that supports healthy, Wellness Department.” balanced lives for everyone. He explains, “ Enswor th does a n outsta nding job A lt h ou g h M r. M a n n m a i nt a i n s a of keeping the student ’s hea lth and ref lective nature, refined through his wellness at the core of every decision we practice of yoga and jiu-jitsu, he can be make. From offering an ever-evolving decisive and act when necessary. Just menu of healthy and tasty meal choices three weeks after meeting her, he became to implementing policies and support engaged to his wife, Maarika. The couple systems for helping students manage is nearing their 21st anniversary and has stress effectively, Ensworth sets the three children: Gabriella '14, Rhianna '18, industry standard on how to build a and John. school community that is healthy, happy, and well-balanced.”

Ji m’s i nterest s ex tend beyond t he classroom, as well, having run hurdles at Bowling Green State Universit y, achieving a blue belt in jiu-jitsu, writing Paul Downey '92 numerous songs, and hosting shows at Assistant Director of Nashville’s world-famous Bluebird Cafe Marketing & Communications

FACULTY

Angela Pursley

Serves Healthy Meals Prepared with Love As the High School Kitchen Manager, Angela Pursley starts her day at Ensworth around 5:30 AM. She and her team serve breakfast to approximately 70 students each morning, followed by a lunch service that feeds more than 600 students and faculty.

healthier and higher-quality meats, such as grass-fed beef and chicken that is free of antibiotics and other additives.

And offering a 12-foot salad bar with additional options is a major plus in helping our community stay healthy. We probably have one of the best salad bars in Nashville!”

Angela and her team continue to grow the menus every year to make them healthier and more robust. At the end of each school year, they evaluate what’s on the menu and consider what has worked Preparation includes two hot bars, a well and what might need to change, 12-foot salad bar, sandwich bar, soup, and they attend a food show with Sysco and a grab-and-go station. Depending on to learn about new products and items. the calendar, there may also be special They recently moved from a 5-week menu events or dinners to help cater. “I don’t rotation to a 6-week rotation in order to think there’s ever a day that someone offer more variety. Some of the new items hasn’t requested something special from this year include beef tips and noodles the kitchen—there’s never a day the same!” and a build-your-own-bowl day that says Angela. offers quinoa and beyond beef, a plantbased meat alternative.

In her 15 years at Ensworth, Angela has seen many changes in the kitchen Another change Angela has observed a nd i n t he approa ch t o prov id i n g over the years is the growth of dietary healthy, balanced meals for students. restrictions and food sensitivities. “We “Several years ago, Ensworth brought have a handful of students who want our in a registered dietitian and we worked guidance in finding options that work toget her on t he menu . We l i m ited with gluten, nut and dairy allergies, and fried options and started purchasing others figure it out on their own. At the

beginning of every day, we look at what is on the menu and consider what they can eat and decide if we need to make anything different to help supplement.

We try to get as close as we can to what we have; we want them to feel like they are eating the same things other students are eating.”

In addition to nourishing the students’ appetites, Angela and her staff contribute to the hea lth and well-being of the students by supporting them in all their endeavors. It is not uncommon to see the kitchen staff in the audience at plays and concerts or in the stands at games, and often they are the ones clapping and cheering the loudest. “We are all mothers and we just love the students; it’s easy to be part of their lives. We like them as people—we aren’t just their cafeteria ladies. We are here for them. We have a lot of friendships we have developed with students that last beyond graduation.”

Tiffany Townsend Director of Marketing & Communications 2020 WINTER | 39

FACULTY

FAC U LTY & S TAF F N E WS

Weston Kaplan

Sophia Zuercher

Hank Downey

Anja Holzen

Logan Wilkerson

FACULTY BIRTHS Jennifer Ames Zuercher (Glenn) Sophia Lily Zuercher August 31, 2019 Brad Wilkerson (Blaire) Logan Hudson Wilkerson July 21, 2019 Hans Holzen (Lily) Anja Allegra Holzen July 31, 2019 HS Kitchen Staff were nominated for the "Cheers to Life" Awards

Stephanie Kaplan (Zachary) Weston Brooks Kaplan December 26, 2019 Paul Downey (Liza) Henry Joseph "Hank" Downey January 16, 2020

FACULTY WEDDINGS Kristin Ware to William Paine December 28, 2019

FACULTY RETIREMENTS Laura Riley 2000-2019 40 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS

Bryan Van Vleet is the Tennessee State Director for the National High School Strength and Conditioning Association (NHSSCA). Van Vleet hosted a free strength and conditioning clinic called Family Day in October and is planning a larger state clinic at Ensworth in March. Family Day included four speakers that spoke about topics from off-season training to sports nutrition and concluded with a round-table discussion.

The Kindergarten team, Sukey Johnson, Camy Sachez, Megan Florentine, and LeAnn

Jackoboice, attended the National Association for the Education of Young Children conference in November.

At the annual Tennessee Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance Conference for Professional Development, Tish Picklesimer and Stephanie Kaplan presented on “How to Introduce Yoga and Mindfulness into your Physical Education Program.”

Kaplan also serves as the Tennessee Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance Elementary Physical Education Board

FACULTY

Representative; she is the only private school K-12 representative on the board for the state.

Laura Koerner Stewart, Director of College Counseling at Ensworth, was inducted into the five-member 2019 Vanderbilt Athletics Hall of Fame Class on Friday, August 30.

As a soccer player, Laura tops the Vanderbilt record books for career goals (57), single-season goals (19), career points (140), and singleseason points (46). Throughout her college career, she earned spots on the All-SEC first team, the National Soccer Coaches Association (NSCAA) all-region team, and the SEC Academic Honor Roll.

High School baseball coach, Jason Maxwell, was a clinic speaker at the National Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) annual convention in Nashville in early January.

As a speaker, Coach Maxwell joined College Baseball World Series champion coach Tim Corbin of Vanderbilt, three-time American League Manager of the Year Buck Showalter, and former major leaguer Brett Butler. Jason's session was on the topic of "Infield Play: Trust Your Abilities and Play to Your Strengths."

Ensworth’s high school kitchen staff of Angela Pursley, Debbie Corbin, Monica Armstrong, Lisa Aldridge, Carol Bredesen, Katrina Rouse, Tinker Van Why, and Stephanie Watson were recognized in October at the “Cheers to Life” Awards benefitting the Starfish Infertility Foundation. The Gittens family

nominated the group for their giving hearts, noting, “Growing up in an environment foreign to your socioeconomic reality can place a lot of stress on developing youth. Naturally, our instincts have a tendency to seek out comfort, and that is what we found in Ensworth's High School lunch ladies. These women from varying backgrounds shared with us a common perspective of love.”

Justin Tatman, athletic trainer at the high school through STAR Physical Therapy, spoke at the 29th Tennessee Athletic Trainers' Society (TATS) Annual Meeting and Clinical Symposium on Sunday, January 19, 2020. Justin presented on the topic of "An Update of Evidence in SportsRelated Concussion for the Athletic Trainer," stemming from his previous role as program coordinator for a multidisciplinary concussion program in Minneapolis.

This past summer, high school athletic trainer Jill Keeler completed the Titlest Performance Institute (TPI) training and is now a TPI Certified Expert. TPI is a tool that analyzes a golfer’s swing and body, including how they compare to those of professionals and amateurs. At the beginning of the fall golf season, the TPI screen was used to evaluate each high school golfer. Based on the TPI screen results, Jill designed golfspecific corrective exercise programs for individual golfers. In conjunction with the Director of Strength and Conditioning, Bryan Van Vleet, the athletes were also given golf-specific fitness programs that addressed

the team’s global deficiencies.

Implementation of the program has been successful in that by the end of the season the golfers reported they felt an improvement in their swing and performance. Ensworth’s golf program is the only high school program in the state of Tennessee to have a TPI Certified Expert on staff.

Results from the TPI screen offer valuable information for Ensworth’s golf coach, Virgil Herring, as another tool to help develop each athlete to their fullest potential.

Grounds and Sports Turf Wins National Award: The Ensworth Grounds and Sports Turf crew won a Pioneer Athletics Fields of Excellence® Award for their work on the football field at Daily Stadium on the High School Campus. In their announcement, Pioneer Athletics commented, “Pioneer understands that excellence in athletic field maintenance goes unrecognized and often, unappreciated. The Fields of Excellence Award Program honors outstanding athletic fields and the hardworking field crews who diligently maintain them.”

Laura Riley recently retired after 19 years with Ensworth. During her tenure, Laura served in a variety of roles within the Business Office, including Assistant Business Manager, Director of Human Resources, and Director of Employee Benefits. Laura is a member of the Ensworth class of 1966, and her three children, Robert '95, Ellen '98, and Carolyn '02 all attended Ensworth, as well.

2020 WINTER | 41

FACULTY

FAC U LTY B O OK S H E LF What did the Ensworth faculty read this winter?

DEAN SCHNEIDER Middle School English Infinite Hope

Author: A sh ley Br ya n "Infinite Hope is a nonfiction book for middle school through adult about Ashley's experiences as a black artist during World War II, focusing on his experience on Omaha Beach during D-Day. Ashley is my friend who lives on Little Cranberry Island in Maine, where I go each summer. He is 96 years old and has two new books out this year."

VIRGIL HERRING

Director of Golf / Head Golf Coach

Talking to Strangers

SARAH BUCHANAN

Associate Head of School; Director of Enrollment Management Paris in the Present Tense

Author: Ma rk Helprin

"Recently, I have been spending time looking through books and travel guides centered on Paris in preparation for an upcoming trip to this glorious city. And so I stumbled upon Mark Helprin’s Paris in the Present Tense. If you are a reader of novels who appreciates fully-developed characters filled with compassion and humanity, and who enjoys novels that pull from a character’s past to explain and support actions and decisions that drive the story, then this is a book you will enjoy. It is a contemporary story that is brilliantly written and filled with interesting characters. It is truly a 'love letter to Paris' that continues to speak to me."

Author: Ma lcolm Gladwel l “This is one of the greatest books I have ever read, a true page-turner. It discusses the complicated factors of dealing with people we don’t know. I believe it should be mandatory reading for high school students, especially the section on dealing with the opposite sex in college and how drinking in excess can lead to 'misreads and oversights' of judgment. Very powerful and my book of the year for 2019.”

BRAD KNOPP

High School English Bearing False Witness: Debunking Centuries of Anti-Catholic History

JJ ANTHONY

College Counseling

Why Does College Cost So Much?

Authors: Rober t B. A rchiba ld & Dav id H. Feldma n

"While the title rightfully leads one to think about the rise in college tuition prices, there is an interesting discussion about how colleges offer services in-line with other industries operated by highly educated workers like healthcare and law. The authors place higher education on a similar rise in cost trajectory over time with these services to highlight how the rise in college costs is not dramatically out of touch with these services’ offerings."

Author: Rodney Sta rk

"Stark is a Protestant scholar, lest anyone should suspect special pleading in this study. He also provides an extensive bibliography for those who'd want to examine his sources. I have approx 45 minutes a day for non-school-related reading and I finished this book in 4-5 sittings."

42 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS

Visit the Ensworth Blog at ensworth.com/bookshelf for more faculty book recommendations.

COMMUNITY

Donor Profile Kailey & J.R. Hand

The vision of the Excellence Begins with E Campaign requires collective motivation from a variety of stakeholders to bring it to fruition. We sat down with a family in our community to ask about the inspiration behind their decision to step up as leaders in supporting the capital campaign.

Kailey and JR Hand are parents of Harper '31, Jackson (age 5), Beckett (age 3), & Hayes (10 months).

What do you think makes Ensworth unique?

Ensworth places an emphasis on developing the whole person. With academics as a key focus, the opportunities for developing interests in sports, the arts, and service are vast and encouraged. We believe this attention to wellroundedness helps instill confidence in students that will last a lifetime. It develops excellence in academics, extracurriculars, and philanthropy, thus making Ensworth a unique institution.

What inspired you to give to the Excellence Begins with E Capital Campaign?

Our family views Ensworth as a community we intend to be part of for many, many years. We are “all-in.” While at Ensworth, we hope our four children will reach their full potential, meet various goals, and fulfill dreams.

Contributing to the growth of an institution that will put these hopes into motion is essential to us as parents. Ensworth encourages a love of learning, a spirit of philanthropy, and a focus on kindness—all of which are critical components of being a well-rounded human being. We choose to give to this campaign so our children, along with all of the students at Ensworth, continue to have a facility that supports this.

How does a strong culture of philanthropy enrich the Ensworth experience?

We value kindness as a family. It is important that our children grow up knowing there is a world outside of our home- a world that has needs, a world that has issues, and a world we can all help with in many ways. An academic environment that encourages a culture of philanthropy allows our children to experience opportunities for service as a natural part of their

everyday lives. They are socialized to give back. It becomes innate, and for us, this might be the most critical component of life-long learning.

What would you say to others to inspire them to embrace the vision and support the school?

We would remind fellow parents that supporting the school in whatever way possible benefits t hei r ch i ld /ch i ld ren , b ot h emotiona lly and physica lly.

Emotiona lly, it prov ides a n oppor t u n it y for pa rent s to demonstrate a commitment t o on e's c om mu n it y a n d p a r t i c ip a t ion i n r e a c h i n g common goals. Nothing feels better than “giving back,” and we have a first-hand opportunity to show our children how to do this. Physically, it provides all students and staff with a state-of-the-art educational facility.

Teachers will be able to implement cutting-edge practices and support lessons/curriculum with world-class technology and resources. Investing in Ensworth allows the school to grow and evolve, constantly becoming the best it can be, and in turn, providing our children with a learning environment that will help them reach their maximum potential.

Finally, we challenge you to be “All-In.” This goes so far beyond a monetary contribution. Give your time: volunteer! Give your support: encourage your student and his/or her peers! Give your thanks: let a teacher or staff member know how much you appreciate them! Full participation, in whatever means possible, makes Ensworth a limitless institution!

2020 WINTER | 43

COMMUNITY

Donor Profile

Elizabeth & Gregg Gerken, Katie & Mike Haney, & Katherine Letterman

Left to Right: Hunter Haney '23, Katherine Letterman, Kate Haney '25, Mike Haney, William Gerken '26, Katie Haney, Elizabeth and Gregg Gerken

The vision of the Excellence Begins with E Campaign requires collective motivation from a variety of stakeholders to bring it to fruition. We sat down with a family in our community to ask about the inspiration behind their decision to step up as leaders in supporting the capital campaign.

Katherine Letterman is mother of Elizabeth Gerken and Katie Haney. Elizabeth and Gregg Gerken are the parents of William '26, and Katie and Mike Haney are the parents of Kate '25 and Hunter '23.

44 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS

What do you think makes Ensworth unique?

L et ter man: The continuity of a co-educationa l program from kindergarten through 12th grade. Also, the Harkness table in the high school gives a voice to each child and encourages learning, thinking, and speaking.

Gerken: We chose Ensworth because we felt that the school had a commitment to excellence in every area, including academics, the arts, sports, and the cultivation of respect for others. The opportunity for a K-12 academic experience that builds on core skills each year was also appealing. Now that we have been here seven years, I can say with confidence that we made the right choice, and we have seen first-hand the happiness of the students at Ensworth, as the hallways are filled with students’ smiles and laughter.

COMMUNITY Haney: We believe that life is better with rich experiences, strong friendships, opportunities to explore and learn, and a solid set of values. Ensworth reaches wide and deep to provide these things. The students are exposed to amazing ways to learn, opportunities to give back, travel, make connections with friends, sing, act in a play, be on a team, and the list goes on...

What inspired you to give to the Excellence Begins with E Capital Campaign?

Letterman: Education is the one thing given to a child that can never be taken away. Contributing to the Ensworth capital campaign ensures the strongest educational program in the best learning environment. Watching my grandchildren thrive at Ensworth encouraged me to contribute in order to continue the Ensworth legacy for future generations.

Gerken: As a family, we have always believed that our commitment to community organizations, especially our school, calls for us to do more than just the minimum. Giving to the capital campaign is a recognition that we have benefited from the investments made by Ensworth families who have come before us, and now it’s our turn to do something to pass the Ensworth experience on to future generations.

Furthermore, our family feels that investing in Ensworth means investing in the value of William’s education.

We want to ensure that Ensworth has first-class facilities and programming and is widely known as the best choice in Nashville for primary and secondary education.

development, means that the school will never be static; it will be dynamic! We also value Ensworth’s use of the Harkness table which we believe promotes understanding and respect among people with differing view points, which will be important to society in the future.

Haney: We are most excited about the new science classrooms and expanded space for language learning because these resources position our children to be robustly engaged with the world they will face in the coming decades.

How does a strong culture of philanthropy enrich the Ensworth experience?

Letterman: Learning to give back begins in kindergarten and is built upon each year. Various grades are active in the community volunteering (Habitat for Humanity, Abe’s Garden, Harris-Hillman). Students learn to be grateful for what they have and learn the benefits of philanthropy. A grandmother has a responsibility to model that behavior!

...we have benefited from the investments made by Ensworth families who have come before us, and now it’s our turn to do something to pass the Ensworth experience on to future generations.

H a n e y : We see t he excel lence at Ensworth. When you give, whether you give in time, effort, skill, or money, you have some sweat in the game. You become invested. You are on the team that can make a difference. We believe Ensworth is worth our time, effort, dedication and financial support.

What excites you the most about the future of Ensworth?

G e r k e n : Giv i n g generou sly i s a reward in and of itself, but giving also inculcates additional pride in what Ensworth is achieving; giving makes us active participants in Ensworth’s progress. We hope that our giving is an example and a model for William to follow in giving back to the causes and organizations that he values.

H a n ey: We have benef itted from previous philanthropy and we are ble s se d t o b e a ble t o c ont r ibut e currently! We hope that our children will learn from these examples to continue generous philanthropy long after they leave Ensworth.

What would you say to others to inspire them to embrace the vision and support the school?

Letterman: An Ensworth foundation prepares a child to be intellectually curious, morally sound and an involved member of our community. Why wouldn’t anyone embrace that vision and offer their support?

Letterman: I love the focus on an individual child so that each student can achieve his or her potential. Ensworth is not a mold into which a child is pressed; the school encourages individual passion and allows the student to explore that dream. The variety of activities and electives offer so many possibilities!

Gerken: It’s difficult to allocate hard-earned and scarce dollars to any initiative, but by giving, one feels more ownership in the school and in its progress—that’s a feeling that will be with us long after William has moved on to college and his career, and that is the kind of feeling that is most worth our investment.

Gerken: We are excited about how Ensworth continues to evolve to prepare our children for the challenging and exciting future that lies ahead. Ensworth’s commitment to continuous improvement in its curriculum, and in faculty growth and

Haney: Ensworth is providing enriching experiences combined with solid support for the individual student. Our children are becoming well rounded, happy, contributing people. This is worthy of support.

2020 WINTER | 45

ALUMNI

ALUMNI BIRTHS Liza and Paul Downey '92 Henry Joseph Downey on January 16, 2020 Kristin and Michael Eskind '94 Benjamin Gold Eskind on June 15, 2019

Ensworth Alumni

C LAS S NOT E S ALUMNI WEDDINGS

Sally Ryan '97 and Patrick Ryan Michael Andrew Ryan on August 31, 2019

Matt Reasor '92 married Collins Smith 10/05

Caroline and Tee Tompkins, Jr. '97 Witt Robinson Tompkins on October 10, 2019

Leigh Rebrovick '01 married Evan Malone 8/3

Katie Tompkins Dick '99 and Hagan Dick Jameson John Dick on October 15, 2019

Julie Eskind '98 married Andrew Fite Galbierz on 06/22

Beth Green '03 married Ari Schiftan on 9/14 Kat Braswell '08 married Wirth Campbell '11 09/14

Florence Page Brown '03 and Cooper Brown Margaret “Maggie” Alyson Brown on December 26, 2019

Lilly Gianikas '08 married Blake Taylor 09/28

Alexis and Jack Nuismer '08 Norman Jack Nuismer IV on October 14, 2019

Laura Barrier '09 married Jack Slaughter 09/28

Alex Tucker Norris '08 and William Norris Anne Carson Norris (Annie) on September 22,2019

Carell Brown '09 married Tim Robinson 08/18

Melanie Berk '09 and Brendan Flanagan August James Flanagan on July 28,2019 Emma and William Decker '10 Katherine Blair Decker on November 25, 2019

Molly Nesbitt '08 married Elliott Warren 9/28

William Brewer '09 married Niki Heller 01/01

Julie McDonald '09 married Andrew Traylor 10/19 Taylor Thompson '09 married Michael Becker 09/21 Lilli Wallace '09 married Jonathan Maki 11/09 Annie Buttarazzi '10 married Freddy Tovo 09/28

Jeremy Bolin '10 and Becca Bolin Rachel Ann Bolin on August 24,2019

Annie Bransford '11 married Nick Weiss 07/06

Brandi Byner-Burrow '10 and Jabo Burrow Ivy Michelle Burrow on December 5, 2019

Rachel Smith '11 married Trey Weir 12/31

Amanda Pargh '01 and Chase Heyse William Zojak “Zo” Heyse on September 1, 2019

Natalie Beaman '12 married Caleb Scott 07/01

Elizabeth Faison Clifton '01 and Philip Clifton Walter Ellis Clifton on November 7, 2019 Katie Goldstein Jarrett '01 and Ben Jarrett Charles “Charlie” Seligman Jarrett on October 9, 2019 Concetta and Will Smith '01 Caroline Conway Smith on November 2, 2019 Kathryn and Tyler Moore '02 Tyler “Clarke” Moore, Jr. on October 21, 2019 46 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS

Sarah Chapman '11 married Derek Besenius 11/09

Kate Barnes '12 married Alexandar Hart 09/28

Kaitlynn Jackson '12 married Justin Whiteaker 12/11 Miranda Mott '12 married Ryan Gabet on 10/12 Will Dunn '14 married Ansley Phillips 10/13

IN MEMORY Patrick James Ferris '16

May 16, 1997–December 3, 2019

ALUMNI

Ensworth Alumni

C LAS S NOT E S 1970

Jim Steinhouse '70 recently

retired after selling their family business Steinhouse Supply Co. It was the only job he ever had, working there 41 years.

1980

Rashed Fakhruddin '83 was one of two honorees for the Human Rights Outstanding Award during the Tennessee Celebration of International Human Rights Day 2019.

1990

Matt Reasor '92 has a new art installation featuring 190 watercolor botanicals representing the trees of Vanderbilt’s arboretum in the lobby of Nashville’s newest boutique hotel, Graduate Nashville.

Jennie Rebecca Rodgers Springer '92 founded a non-

profit called Faithfully Restored.

She and three friends (including former Grade 2 teacher Jamie Heard) started the group after feeling a deep longing to give back and provide hope to other women in need. In addition to her work with Faithfully Restored, Jennie Rebecca

Julie Eskind '98

teaches classes at barre3 in Brentwood. Learn more at faithfullyrestoredwomen.com.

Heather Niesen Wolper '92 in 2017 began her pie

business, Good Pie Y’all, to give back to a church project, then grew it into a business that still gives back to the community as well as helping her family.

Michael Eskind '94

accepted a position in the summer of 2019 as Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for Track And Field at the University of North Carolina having spent the previous seven years in the same position at Stanford University.

Reed Harrison Nirula '96 Leveraging consulting

experience with Reliance Entertainment and Memesys Cultural Lab in Goa and Mumbai over the past year, Reed has been tapped to head development at Andolan Films in Bombay, where she will join the team making features, documentaries and TV series for platforms across the Indian market.

2000

Whitney Haley '01 was named Vice President & General Counsel at FCA Venture Partners.

Author W. M. (Will) Akers' '02 debut novel, “Westside,” was reviewed in The New York Times. His book is described as “a literary cocktail of gun molls, rotgut moonshine and skittering shadows” and “His prose is sharply crystalline, especially when describing minute, bittersweet and even ugly moments.”

Kat Braswell Campbell '08

began a new job as an Aesthetics Nurse at a new practice called Indie Skincare.

Her job includes botox, microneedling, medical grade chemical peels, and dermaplaning.

Lucy Ralph '08 is Assistant

to the Vice President and Publisher of Garden & Gun magazine in Charleston, SC.

Rebecca Ralph '08 is a Senior Account Representative with Taqarabu Hybrid Communications, a Public Relations and Communications firm in Dubai, UAE.

Rashed Fakhruddin '83

Molly Nesbitt '08

Robert Blair Adams '09 is

Founder and COO of Zenith Mental Health.

Miles Asafo-Adjei '09

recently started working at HCA Healthcare as a Human Resources Manager on the Cultural Development and Inclusion team.

Melanie Berk '09 and husband Brendan Flanagan welcomed their first child, a sweet baby boy named August, shortly before their first wedding anniversary. Melanie works for an animal welfare nonprofit called Paws4ever, where she runs the foster program and teaches dog behavior.

Christina Chintanaphol '09

Graduated PharmD in 2018 from University of Tennessee, now working as a Clinical Evidence Specialist at Medtronic.

Paul Clements '09 lives in Tulsa with his wife Marisa and their two dogs. Paul earned his Bachelor of Graphic Design & Master of Architecture from Drury University, and received his architecture license for Missouri in spring 2019.

Witt Robinson Tompkins 2020 WINTER | 47

ALUMNI

Sam Deaton '09 serves as President-Elect for the Nashville Junior Chamber of Commerce and will become President in July.

clinical therapist at Children’s Hospital’s Behavioral Health Unit. She recently married Jonathan Maki on November 9th, 2019.

In March 2019, Spencer Foote '09 was promoted to be a

Lauren Wines Thompson '09 married Robert Thompson in June 2019. Katie Smalley '09 was one of her bridesmaids.

Music Booking Agent at WME (William Morris Endeavor), where he books musical talent for fairs and festivals across the country.

Arun Gokhale '09 is currently sponsored to complete an MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

She also moved to Washington, DC to teach middle school math at Georgetown Day School.

2010

full time into her art business.

Hannah Beath '10 completed a two-year term with the Peace Corps, where she served as an education volunteer in Sierra Leone and a health volunteer in Fiji overseeing health education services in local schools and communities. Upon returning to Nashville, Hannah worked with the Oasis Center, serving primarily immigrant and refugee youth. She now resides in Connecticut and works as a program coordinator for a nonprofit organization that supports community health centers and provides health services for low-income individuals.

Gary Pope '09 began working

Kirby Wiley '10 joined

Toby Graves '09 began a new job as Real Estate Advisor at Engel and Volkers.

Tyler Johnson '09 is a USAF

F15C Fighter Pilot. He served in Europe for 3-1/2 years with 12 temporary deployments and one six-month tour in the desert. Tyler married the love of his life, whom he met skiing in Austria. They are moving to Japan for the next three years.

Jennifer Oxford '09 is going

at Ensworth in July as Dean of Students Associate; Library Associate.

Cosley Pulliam '09 resides

in Charleston, SC, where she manages a group of member advocates for PURE Insurance.

Jackson Roland '09 has been with Apple for a few years now.

His first two years at Apple, he was an image quality engineer.

His current role is as a display experience engineer/software developer.

Emily Vaughan '09 became a

registered dietitian, working at Tristar Centennial Weight Loss Management Center.

Lili Wallace Maki '09

is an LMSW working as a 48 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS

Ensworth in October as Communications Coordinator.

Lila Davis '11 went to Parsons School in NYC following Vanderbilt and got her associate degree in interior design. She worked in the city for Alexa Hampton. Wanting to return to Nashville, she got a job with Hastings Architecture doing commercial interior design; she will celebrate three years there in March.

Elam (Mangum) Freeman '12 was named to the

in May 2019 with these accolades: Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude, SMU Hyer Society (nominated students are in the top 4% of the student body) & University Award for Outstanding Scholar of 2019.

She majored with Departmental Distinction in English, minored in Ancient History. Sophie is currently employed at William Morris Endeavor (WME) in Nashville.

Claire Kirchoff '13 After

Coleman Goodwin '16

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation “Nashville’s Top 30 Under 30.”

This elite award recognizes 30 of Nashville's top professionals, philanthropists, & civic leaders under 30. By committing to a 16-week recognition program and philanthropic competition, they will add tomorrows for children and young adults living with cystic fibrosis. graduating from the University of Virginia with a Master's degree in Educational Psychology, Claire performed a year of service with AmeriCorps in Nashville through the Martha O'Bryan Center, where she supervised an after school program at Cameron Middle School. Claire is currently pursuing a School Counselor endorsement through the University of Tennessee, Martin and will be completing her final internship this spring. She has also applied for a Fulbright Scholarship to serve a tenmonth term as an English Language Teaching Assistant in Nepal.

Bobby Bethke '14 is living in Glendale, CA, and pursuing a career in film. He has been an extra on several TV series and a production assistant for films and commercials. He recently previewed his short film, The D-Team, in Nashville for friends and family.

Sophie Cudd graduated from Southern Methodist University

graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Accounting in only 3 1/2 years while playing baseball 2 1/2 years at Lipscomb University. He interned with Surgery Partners this past summer. He has an internship with LBMC for the winter/spring. In the summer, he is interning with Elliot Davis.

In the fall, he will be pursuing his Masters in Accounting.

Corinne Parrish '17 and Liza Sweeting '18 were

both inducted into the Order of the Gownsmen, Sewanee’s oldest academic honor society.

Corinne additionally serves as a Sewanee Angel, a facultychosen student ambassador for the university.

David Reynolds '19 is a starting defensive lineman in his freshman year at Florida International University. David was featured on ESPN back in October for his interception during the FIU v. LA Tech, an impressive play that they called the kick-pick of the week!

Ashlyn Johnson '11 is

currently living in New York City working as a publicist at a fashion and lifestyle consulting agency. She is beginning a master's program in Psychology in 2020 and is enjoying her second year in an all-female a cappella group.

S E N D U S YOU R N E WS !

Keep in touch with your classmates and let them keep up with you. Send your latest news, moves and photos to alumni @ ensworth.com.

ALUMNI

Anne Carson Norris

Annie Bransford '11

Annie Buttarazzi '10

Kate Barnes '12

Corinne Parris '17 Liza Sweeting '18

Rachel Smith '11

Matt Reasor '92

Julie McDonald '09

Lili Wallace '09

Clarke Moore

Benjamin Gold Eskind

Carell Brown '09

Katherine Blair Decker

Coleman Goodwin '16

Jameson John Dick

Norman Jack Nuismer

Taylor Thompson '09

Sally Ryan '97

Natalie Beaman '12

Ivy Michelle Burrow

Will Dunn '14

Lilly Gianikas'08

Laura Barrier '09

Kaitlynn Jackson '12

Kat Braswell '08 Wirth Campbell '11

Miranda Mott '12 2020 WINTER | 49

ALUMNI

A LU M N I PROFILE S A closer look at Ensworth Alumni

Kelleigh Bannen '95 Singer, Songwriter, and Podcast and Radio Show Host

You might hear her singing on the radio, or hosting Apple Music’s first country-focused radio show, “Today’s Country.”

Kelleigh Bannen ‘95 wears many hats in the country music world: singer, songwriter, and podcast and radio show host.

Bannen’s dream of pursuing a career in the music industry first sparked in high school when she co-wrote a song with Christian music artist, Mark Schultz. But she tucked that dream away as she graduated high school and headed to college to pursue something “more practical” with her education.

She continued writing songs in her spare time, but it wasn’t until after she graduated college and was studying for the LSAT that she started writing in a more earnest and serious way. It was then that she asked herself the difficult question: do I have what it takes to become a country music artist and to make a career out of this? “I still don’t know if I have an answer to that question,” Bannen says today, “but I’m just still doing it.”

Bannen wrote a handful of albums that never came out, but she didn’t let that stop her from pursuing her dream. While continuing to write and record her songs, Bannen launched a new podcast, “This Nashville Life,” in 2016 to share stories from behind the scenes of Music City’s biggest export and to share with listeners the good, the bad, and the ugly of what it’s like to be an aspiring country music artist. “This Nashville Life” is now in its fourth season.

After ten years of hard work and dedication, Bannen finally released her debut album, Favorite Colors, in October of 2019.

Unlike most of today’s country music artists, Bannen helped 50 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS

write each and every one of the 14 songs on the album. “Even though we are moving away from an album format, it was just important to me to make an album so I could at least say I made an album. Instead of fretting over all the songs being perfect, they just are a snapshot of where I am right now and over the last few years,” Bannen says of her first album.

On top of all of her commitments and work in the music industry, Bannen still finds time to go to the gym or to exercise three times a week. “I find I’m a lot less cranky and I’m a lot more generous and creative when I’m moving my body,” Bannen admits.

It was her time at Ensworth that Bannen says helped her to have a positive mindset about exercising and living a healthy lifestyle. “I think about that joyful, innocent approach to working out and exercising when it wasn’t about body image; it wasn’t about being skinny; it wasn’t about being anything; it was just about moving and having fun. I think that’s something that, for me, has been a journey to learn to embrace the idea of being strong over being a certain body type and also enjoy being strong and how that makes me feel—how it makes me feel empowered.”

When asked what advice Bannen would give to aspiring artists, Bannen says, “Spend as much time as you can discovering what makes you unique. Instead of trying to become like others, embrace the things that may seem like flaws to the outside world, the things that make you different and focus on developing your own voice. I think the things that win in a big way win because they connect, people feel something, and also because they do something different.”

ALUMNI

Francie Fisher Corcoran ’09 Co-owner of barre3 in Brentwood

Student government, track, cross country, and Capstone projects are just a few of the activities Francie Fisher Corcoran '09 participated in during her 13 years at Ensworth. It was learning to balance all of her extracurricular activities, her rigorous coursework, and spending time with friends and family that taught her the importance and benefits of living a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

Now, Francie is living out her life-long dream of being a business owner, opening up a ba r re3 st ud io i n Brent wood i n September 2019 with her business partner, Jessie Ganick. Barre3 is described as a full-body workout that combines strength conditioning, cardio, and mindfulness, but the results are much more than just physical. “Rather than walking out of our studio feeling defeated, barre3 leaves you feeling stronger in your mind and body.

It’s not about the number on the scale or the way your clothes fit, but rather, it’s about finding joy in movement and staying present amongst the chaos.”

Francie first discovered barre3 in 2014 when she moved to New York City. “I felt so lost, intimidated, and uncertain after leaving two wonderful networks in Nashville and Winston Salem. Barre3 became my haven in NYC; it was my secret escape when I needed 60 minutes to just move and center my thoughts, and it always left me feeling like I was worthy and enough.”

Francie’s love for barre3 would continue to grow as she made the decision to move back to Nashville and become an instructor at the barre3 studios here. Over the next few years, Francie says she gained a new type of confidence that would end up translating into every area of her life, “Finding barre3 has instilled a new type of confidence in me—one that allowed me to fall in love with my now-husband, Tom, one that has helped me navigate the world of Public Relations, and one that ultimately pushed me to take the leap and open my own studio. Barre3 helps me stay grounded so that I can continue to be a better wife, daughter, leader, friend, and colleague.”

That confidence is what led her to open her own barre3 studio. Her goal now is to pay it forward in hopes of helping other people find that confidence through her classes. “Our hope is that clients can embrace imbalances as opportunities to move life forward toward a more balanced state. We want them to feel strong, powerful and humbly confident after leaving our studio so that they, too, can go meet their soulmate, tackle their fears, and take care of loved ones.”

You can visit Francie’s barre3 studio at 4908 Thoroughbred Ln. in Brentwood.

Kirby Wiley ‘10 Communications Coordinator 2020 WINTER | 51

ALUMNI

The 14th Annual Robert Inman Tiger Classic was held Monday, October 28, at The Golf Club of Tennessee. Since 2006, the tournament has raised close to $300,000 for the endowment fund, which provides financial aid for eligible students. The Robert Inman Endowed Financial Aid Fund was established by the Ensworth Alumni Board in honor of Robert Inman, a beloved teacher and coach at Ensworth for 33 years. Mr. Inman coached four athletic seasons for over 30 years and served as a mentor and inspiration to his students, encouraging them to develop their talents and discover their individual strengths.

Congratulations to the Winners!

1 ST P L AC E TE A M

CLO S E S T TO THE HO LE

LO NG E ST D RIV E

P UTTING C O NTES T

Greg Lanford Brian O'Shaughnessy Cameron Simmons Kyle Simmons

Hole #4, Tom Harwell Hole #10, Jackson Dale

Men, George Hite Women, Julie Frist

David Williamson

1st Place Team

Save the Date!

2 0 2 0 R O B E R T I N M A N TIG E R C LASSIC : SE P TE M BE R 21, 2020 Email Olivia Carmichael Fitts '10 for a verbal commitment: fittso@ensworth.com 52 | ENSWORTH ENSIGHTS

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Summer courses, programs, and leagues for students of all ages!

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2020