VISIONS WINTER 2013
THE MONTGOMERY ACADEMY Visions - Winter 2013
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The MA Fund is a vital source of institutional momentum for The Montgomery Academy, and the primary way for parents, alumni and friends to help sustain the special features that set our school apart. Your gifts make possible a robust environment for learning in and out of the classroom, and are essential to our enduring pursuit of excellence. A few of the opportunities for leArning And discovery thAt your gifts to the MA fund MAke possible Resource teachers in every Lower School grade
Three theatrical productions each year
Physical Education equipment for grades K-12
20 Advanced Placement courses
27 art electives for Upper School
Two extensive libraries with over 50,000 volumes
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34 different athletic teams with 68% of the student body participating on at least one team (grades 7-12)
Lower School culture study
Choral groups in Lower, Middle and Upper Schools
Music theory courses
Award-winning speech and debate program
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Visions
WINTER 2013 The Montgomery Academy Established 1959
Head of School Dave Farace dave_farace@montgomeryacademy.org
Associate Head of School Vivian Barfoot vivian_barfoot@montgomeryacademy.org
Director of Advancement Carolyn Peddy Bryan ‘75 carolyn_bryan@montgomeryacademy.org
Director of Communications Leigh Barganier leigh_barganier@montgomeryacademy.org
Annual Giving & Alumni Programs Coordinator Marie Harrington marie_harrington@montgomeryacademy.org
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ALUMNI
ADVENTURE
ATHLETICS
COMMUNITY
ARTS
The Montgomery Academy 3240 Vaughn Road Montgomery, Al 36106-2725 (334) 272-8210 • Fac (334) 277-3240 www.montgomeryacademy.org The Montgomery Academy is a member of
Mission
The mission of The Montgomery Academy is the pursuit of excellence within the four major spheres of Academy life: academics, the arts, athletics and activities. Implicit in this is the existence of an environment in which students are simultaneously supported and challenged. The ultimate component of this mission is to assist students in becoming adults of strong moral character who contribute to society in both their professional and community lives.
National Association of Independent Schools The Montgomery Academy admits students of any race, religion, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students of the school.
A LETTER FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL To Lead Is To Serve When I first joined The Montgomery Academy Community in 2010 as Head of School, my top priority that year was simple: to learn through listening. I spent most of my time engaged in conversations, asking open-ended questions and, you guessed it, listening. It was such an important year of discovery and understanding that I decided to extend my listening tour indefinitely. Fast-forward to 2013 and I feel like I have a good handle on what makes the Academy so special. I believe there are three distinctive themes, points of pride, if you will, that explain our success over the past 53 years: (1) the Pursuit of Excellence ethos that permeates all corners of our campuses, (2) our Classic College Preparatory Program that has led to 75% of our students earning $25 million in college merit scholarships over the past five years, and (3) our commitment to Educating and Empowering Servant-Leaders. In this edition of Visions, you’ll learn about the Academy’s focus on community service and outreach as a means to cultivating servant-leaders. One misconception about independent schools is that our students “live in a bubble,” that they lead insular lives within the confines of cozy campuses. I couldn’t disagree more! In fact, I believe Montgomery Academy serves as a platform for our students to grow and develop into leaders of character. Our students have an appetite for meaningful service and engage in a variety of projects in the River Region and beyond. Last year we created a community service project team comprised of teachers and students from all three divisions to coordinate and focus our K-12 efforts. The MA Community spent the entire school year directly supporting a public school located in Hackleburg, AL that had been destroyed by the devastating tornados in April of 2011. I watched our students rise to the challenge and make a real and lasting impact on the school and its students over the course of the school year. Along the way, they honed critical values and skills like empathy, integrity, and teamwork. They also made mistakes, hit roadblocks, and dealt with frustrations, ultimately learning that failure is not the enemy but rather an opportunity for growth. This year we have entered into another successful yearlong partnership with the Salvation Army that you will read about in the following pages. As we celebrate our students’ commitment to service, I would be remiss if I didn’t offer a word of sincere gratitude to all of the adults in our community who inspire servant leadership, from the MA dad, a busy attorney, who serves as my son’s basketball coach (in addition to coaching two other teams!), to the “Gala Moms,” MA parents who invest countless hours in our annual POA fundraiser, to our Board of Trustees who lead and guide the school, to a Lower School administrator and her husband who became foster parents in the blink of an eye when two of her students needed such care. Our children are watching us and learning that a good, virtuous life is achieved through serving others.
DAVID J. FARACE
Read "Let’s Give Back!"”on page 28 to see all the ways the Academy is leading through service.
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The Advancement Office has already been very busy this school year taking trips to see our alums! In October, 30 alums from the Birmingham area gathered at the Rogue Tavern and enjoyed catching up with Cheryl McKiernan, Gene Johnson, Carolyn Bryan, Marie Harrington and Dave Farace. In November Dave Farace, Carolyn Bryan and Marie Harrington traveled to Atlanta, where the MA alums in the area were treated to delicious appetizers while visiting with one another at Verde Taqueria resturant. Busboys & Poets was the place to be in Washington, D.C. for the alumni social held in January. Make sure to like the MA Alumni Facebook page so you don’t miss an alumni social in your area!
Upcoming MA on the Road Events April 30, 2013 Montgomery area alumni social
ATL 160 Mi.
BHM 92 Mi.
DC 798 Mi.
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Class Notes
Class Notes 1981 Marc Tyson’s daughter, Lissa Handley, was crowned the 2012 Homecoming Queen at the University of Alabama. Marc and his wife, Lissa currently live in Birmingham, Alabama.
1990 Beth Eskridge Mantooth and her husband Reg, proudly announce the birth of their daughter Margaret Inge “Maggie” on November 18, 2012.
Stanton Reid and his wife Emily proudly announce the birth of their daughter Emily Marguerite on August 28, 2012. Marguerite joins big sister Pammy who is two and a half years old. They currently live in Atlanta, Georgia.
1996 Robert Hughes and his wife Ginger Ann announce the birth of their daughter Sadie Virginia on October 1, 2012. They currently live in Atlanta, Georgia.
1997
George Arthur Pfeil IV was born February 14, 2012, son of Emily Culpepper Pfeil and her husband George. They currently live in Atlanta, Georgia.
Smith Watson Beevers and her husband Jonathan announce the birth of their daughter Ann Colin on November 1, 2012. The currently live in Atlanta, Georgia.
1993
William McLemore and his wife Meredith proudly announce the birth of their daughter Eliza on August 2, 2012.
Davis Smith and Caroline Kyser Smith ‘97 joyfully announce the birth of their son Davis “Houghton” Smith, Junior born October 12, 2012. Houghton joins big sister Anne Emery who is three years old.
Ashley Harwell Norton and her husband Mark joyfully announce the birth of their son Thomas on July 14, 2012. HOUGHTON SMITH
1998
Michael Thornton and Esther Ruth Marie Patterson were married on December 16, 2012 in Nashville, Tennessee. They currently live in Montgomery.
McCain Ashurst and his wife, Melissa are excited to announce the birth of their daughter Frances Louise on July 7, 2012. Francie joins big sisters Jenny and Macy.
1994
Ross Beshear and Katherine Mears were married on September 29, 2012 at Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church in Mountain Brook, Alabama.
Print Correction: Please accept our apologies for our misprint: Emlyn Saunders Minor’s husband’s name is Andy. Mike Crouch and his wife Melinda proudly announce the birth of their son John David on October 25, 2012.
1995 Robert Brown and his wife Stephanie are excited to announce the birth of their son Spencer Patterson on October 18, 2012. Spencer and his parents live in Birmingham, Alabama. Austin Becker Norton and Elliott Sebastian Norton, twin boys of Allison Eaddy and her husband Ed, were born on November 7, 2012. Bo Jinright and his wife Lindsey joyfully announce the birth of their son Charlie on August 1, 2012.
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Colin Beau Elliott, son of Rush Elliott and his wife Candice was born on December 17, 2012. Colin joins big brother Liam. Jennifer Turner and Alan House were married on June 16, 2012 at First United Methodist Church in Montgomery. The happy couple live in Birmingham where Jennifer is a high school math teacher.
1999 Nora Lavin Brown and her husband Jeff joyfully announce the birth of their son Oliver Rhys on October 1, 2012.
JENNIFER TURNER & ALAN HOUSE
Class Notes Boyd Sutherland Caldwell was born on August 13, 2012. Boyd is the son of Tyler Caldwell and his wife Sara. They currently live in Auburn, Alabama. Carolyn Florey was awarded an M.A. Degree in International Development from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies during May 2012 commencement exercises. Carolyn and her husband, John Garrity, reside in Washington, D.C. where Carolyn works with the United States Agency for International Development. Catherine Ball Walker and her husband Ed announce the birth of their son Benjamin Edward.
2000 Nell Winston Ashurst was born on June 14, 2012 to proud parents Trevor Ashurst and his wife C’Airey. Martin Barnes and Lauren Sheffield were married on June 9, 2012 at First United Methodist Church in Montgomery. Kristin Bentley and Andrew Smith were married on September 15, 2012 at First United Methodist Church in Montgomery. Betsy Crum and Rob Davis ’02 were married on August 18, 2012 at the Seaside Chapel in Seaside, Florida. Betsy and Rob live in Birmingham, where she is a pediatrician with Vestavia Pediatrics and he is a Loss Control Representative with Alfa Insurance. Bernie Dorrough and his wife Catherine are excited to announce the birth of their daughter Ellie on June 14, 2012. Blair Hodgson and Henry Clay duQuesnay were married on June 30, 2012 at Saint James Episcopal Church in Alexander City, Alabama. They currently live in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jennifer Armstrong Howell and her husband Trey are pleased to announce the birth of their son William Clayton on October 22, 2012. Chet Marshall and his wife Brittany proudly announce the birth of their son Thomas “Hinton” on August 7, 2012. Wren Wilson Mielke daughter of Laura Goldman Mielke and her husband Nick was born on July 20, 2012. Wren joins big sisters Harper and Lilly.
2001 Matthew Garrard and his wife Charlotte proudly announce the birth of their son, Matthew Milton on June 14, 2012. Julia Hatcher Millsap, daughter of Temple Millsap and his wife Laura was born August 25, 2012. They currently live in Birmingham, Alabama. John Scott and Allison Wachs were married on June 17, 2012.
2002 Ashley Harris and David Chancellor were married on August 25, 2012. Ray Hawthorne and Ali Douillard were married on April 27, 2012 at the Hans Fahden Vineyard in Calistoga, California. Ray is an Assistant District Attorney for the 19th Judicial Circuit. They currently live in Pike Road, Alabama.
2003 Parker Johnson and his wife Kristy are excited to announce the birth of their son Thomas Scott born on December 11, 2012. Laura (Dozier) and Wade McClendon proudly announce the birth of their son “Wiley” Williamson on October 29, 2012. William Wilder McLemore was born on January 8, 2013, son of Josie Mitchell McLemore and her husband Larry. Ty Tyson and his wife Melissa happily announce the birth of their son Fred White Tyson III on January 3, 2013.
WILEY McCLENDON
WILDER McCLEMORE
2004 Jason Bryan and Alice Underwood were married on November 27, 2012. Robert Mooty and his wife Katherine are pleased to announce the birth of Robert Styles Mooty, Jr. He was born on October 1, 2012 in Montgomery Alabama.
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Class Notes
Class Notes Sarah Simpler married Thomas Glover on August 25, 2012 at First United Methodist Church in Montgomery.
received a bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Services from Auburn University.
Amanda Weil and Kevin Sokol were married on December 16, 2012 at Temple Emanu-El in Birmingham, Alabama.
Julia Ann Starke and Will Stansfield were married on October 13, 2012 in Montgomery. They currently live in Atlanta, Georgia
2005 William Bloom graduated from the University of Virginia Law School in 2012 and is currently clerking for Federal Judge William Holcombe Pryor in Birmingham. Dixon Dorand and Emma Claire Simomra were married on December 15, 2012 at the Church of the Advent in Birmingham, Alabama. Dixon is currently an MD/PhD candidate attending Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Emily Dozier married Mickenly Cooper Smith on November 10, 2012 in Luther, Montana. Emily graduated from Wofford College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting and is currently employed by Peacemaker Ministries in Billings, Montana. Clay McInnis and Melissa McKinney were married on September 22, 2012. They currently live in Montgomery, Alabama.
2008 Hunter Hamrick made his professional golf debut in the 2012 US open in San Francisco, California. Lauren Owens and Steven Mitchell were married on August 4, 2012.
2010 Jake Jacobs served as a Congressional intern in Martha Roby’s office in Washington, D.C. Jake is a student at Auburn University where he is majoring in Political Science and minoring in French.
2011 Callie Price was named to the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg Dean’s List for spring semester of the 2011-2012 academic year.
2006 Lanier Smith and Taylor Holt were married on January 12, 2013 at First Baptist Church in Montgomery. Lanier
Commencement 2013 Schedule: Awards Night
Baccalaureate
Commencement
Bear Field House Wednesday, May 22 6:00 p.m.
Bear Field House Thursday, May 23 10:00 a.m.
Courtyard Thursday, May 23 7:00 p.m.
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Obituaries 1967 Jim Chambers passed away on June 27, 2012. A native of Greenville, AL, Jim was the son of the late Dr. James Lowell Chambers Sr. and Billie Carolyn Davis Chambers who survives. Mr. Chambers served in the U.S. Air Force, was an electrical engineer for Amana and Intergraph, taught at Riverside Christian Academy, was head of the Lincoln County American Red Cross and was a member of the Fayetteville First Baptist Church in Fayetteville, TN. Survivors, in addition to his mother, include his wife Peg Chambers of Fayetteville; son Jim Chambers (Melissa) of Vanntown, Tennessee; daughters Heather Smith (Robert); Mary Margaret Alverson (Brad) of Fayetteville; Katie Templeton (Brannon) of Molino; brothers Mark Chambers ’82 (Laura) of Auburn, AL; Bill Chambers ’70 (Sharon) of Gulf Breeze, Florida.
2004 William Ryan Locklar, 26, a resident of Wetumpka, Alabama, passed away on December 15, 2012. He was born in Montgomery, Alabama, on June 28, 1986. He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Patricia Borowski-Baskett. He is survived by his parents, Ricky Gene and Linda Borowski Locklar; a brother, Ian Scott Locklar of Wetumpka, Alabama; grandparents, Ceciel and Faye Locklar of Union Springs, Alabama, and Rick and Gene Borowski of Alexander City, Alabama, Dale Basket of Montgomery; and great-grandmother, Mary Jane Badowski of Williamsburg, Virginia, as well as many aunts, uncles and cousins. Reprinted from the Montgomery Advertiser
Stay Connected: Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Visit us at www.montgomeryacademy.org/alumni to learn about upcoming events and more.
Calling all Academy Alumni! Have you recently begun an exciting new career, gotten married or had a child? Have you taken any exciting trips? Share your news and send us your photos for the Spring/Summer edition of Visions. Email: marie_harrington@montgomeryacademy.org
Parents of Alumni: If your child no longer lives at your address, please notify the Alumni Office at marie_harrington@montgomeryacademy.org or 334-273-7155 of his/her new mailing address, and let us know if you would like to continue to receive this publication.
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Photo L to R
ALUMNI COUNCIL Standing: Alex Carothers '98, Hart Johnson '97, Clay McInnis '05, Jeanie Montiel Parnell '95, Gary Tsai '01, Mallory Watson Searcy '02, Robert Mooty '04, Sommerville Hill '98, Philip Sellers '02. Seated: Mahaley Paulk McInnes '92, Leigha Cauthen '99, Elizabeth Bloom Williams '02, Britney Crawford '06, Rachael Saucer '03 Not pictured: Evans Bailey '01, Allen Sheehan '00, Mary Beth Brown Walls '02, Gray Borden '97, John Ashworth '92, Georgia Stevenson Holmes '01, Taylor Williams '03
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NEW INITIATIVES FROM THE ALUMNI COUNCIL While it may seem to some that The Montgomery Academy experience extends beyond commencement, in reality if alumni do not have children in school at the Academy or do not have close daily ties, the connection begins to take the shape of past experiences rather than present ones. The Academy Alumni Council recognizes this disconnect and is launching two initiatives later this spring that are intended to keep all of our connections to the school a little more current. The first initiative undertaken will be an alumni newsletter that will be sent in an email format twice yearly. The newsletter will compliment Visions, but will be targeted specifically to Academy alumni. The format will offer alumni spotlights as well as school updates and news not available in Visions. As an initial foray into the project, the Alumni Council helped facilitate the alumni spotlight article in this issue. Our hope is that this article and those in the future will foster connections to and within our alumni community. Our second initiative is to explore options to further engage local area alumni. One idea that the council is investigating is a lunch event with speakers talking on issues that alumni will find interesting. The distinguishing difference from this event and other luncheons will be the Academy experience that will be shared by all in the crowd. The ultimate goal is to create an opportunity for alumni to see old friends, to meet alumni with whom they might not already be familiar, and to foster connections within the local alumni community that will extend beyond the lunches themselves. The Montgomery Academy Alumni Council is dedicated to making the Academy experience a positive one that bridges a lifetime. We hope you will enjoy both of these initiatives and will tell other alumni about them. After you see what we put together this spring, let us know what suggestions you might have for improvement. Our goal is to create something that is useful to you and worthy of your time. If you have input you want us to consider or have suggestions for future alumni interviews or lunch speakers, please contact Marie Harrington at 334-273-7155 or marie_harrington@montgomeryacademy.org. Thank you,
Sommerville Hill '89 Alumni Council President
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CAREER CONNECTIONS
If you are interested in being a part of Career Connection 2012-2013, please contact Marie Harrington at 334-273-7155 or marie_harrington@ montgomeryacademy.org
Now in its third year, Career Connections is a program that brings Montgomery Academy alumni back to campus to speak to sophomores about opportunities available to them after high school, college and beyond. Initiated by Alumni Coordinator Marie Harrington, the program has brought in a plethora of alumni in different fields to speak on their profession, including city planners, financial advisors, architects, attorneys, physicians, entrepreneurs, teachers and more. The alumni not only talk about their career, but how The Montgomery Academy helped prepare them for college and their adult life. They also will often discuss faculty members and courses that inspired them. Recently architect Sommerville Hill ’89 spoke about his profession and how the Academy prepared him for it. “As an alumnus who has benefited from what The Montgomery Academy has offered me, I feel it is important to give back to the school,” said Mr. Hill. “I hope by showing students examples of people who were once where they are and are now in their professional careers, that they will understand that where they hope to be in 20-30 years is closely dependent on the choices they are making now.”
Alumni Speakers Fall 2012: Sommerville Hill ’89 – Architect with Brown Studio Alice Novack ’92 – Assistant Curator of Education, Adult Programs at Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts Burton Ward ’86 – President of Central Alabama Community Foundation Kendall Dunn ’80 - Orthodontist Gary Tsai ’01 – Operations Manager at Regitar USA, Inc. Allen Sheehan ’00 – Attorney with Capell Howard Chris Duggar ’90 – Physician - Obstetrics and Gynocology
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ALUMNI BOOKSHELF Fairhope - by Jeanie Parnell Jeanie Montiel Parnell, class of 1995, published her first novel, Fairhope in December of 2012. A love story set in the charming small town of Fairhope, the novel tells the story of best friends Cam and Margo. “Fairhope is a love story, but it is about many different types of love; the love of home, of friends, of family and also true love,” said Parnell. Though Fairhope is fiction, there are many influences from her real life in the novel. Parnell has always loved to write and noted the Academy was instrumental in nurturing that passion. “I attribute my ability to write solely to the teachers I had at The Montgomery Academy. Mr. Johnson, Mrs. Brewer, Mr. Ball, Mr. Franek, and Mrs. McKiearnan taught me to write, and I am very grateful! Now that I have a child at the Academy, it is wonderful to feel confident in the education he will receive.” Parnell is a stay-at-home mother of three and graduated with a degree in interior design from Auburn University. Look for her next romance novel, The Lonely Place on bookshelves soon!
The Searing Veil - by Oliver Haynes Oliver Haynes, class of 2008, self-published his novel, The Searing Veil in October 2012. A post-apocalyptic narrative about a society that is struggling to survive, the novel takes place in a network of caverns called Adullam. One day a masked, eccentric character named Lucien arrives and people don’t know what to think of him – some think he’s a threat, others a prophet, but everyone knows that his arrival will ignite a change of some kind. Haynes says he joined the writing club at the Academy his senior year and that’s where he began writing short stories about the character Lucien. “I became fascinated with the character delved into this world that I’d been creating in my mind,” he said. Haynes worked on his novel between classes and on breaks from school at Rhodes College. He will graduate in the spring of 2013 with a degree in business and a minor in English.
Doc: The Story of a Birmingham Jazz Man - by Burgin Mathews Burgin Mathews, class of 1996, teaches AP English and creative writing at Spain Park High School in Birmingham, Alabama and is the co-author of the recently published Doc: The Story of a Birmingham Jazz Man. Doc is the autobiography of jazz master Frank “Doc” Adams, stemming from his tours with Sun Ra and Duke Ellington to his own work as an educator and band director for over 40 years in the Birmingham City School system. Mathews met Doc a few summers ago at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame where Doc is a tour guide. “I quickly became fascinated both by this remarkable yet mostly unknown jazz story, and by Doc’s own personal story,” said Mathews. He began interviewing Doc and through the collaborative process of compiling stories and experiences a book began to take form. “It’s an oral history, so it’s his words, drawn from our many hours of recorded conversation, arranged and edited for the page by me.” Mathews has had a life-long love of writing, but it was the Academy that fostered his passion tremendously. “I can honestly and easily say that the single best aspect of my education at the Academy was the way that writing was emphasized while I was there, whether or not we intended to become “writers.”’ In 10th grade Mr. Franek was especially critical in encouraging me and others to think about and to shape our voices as writers, and to really pursue it as a craft,” he said.
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT georgena terry
To say that Georgena Terry loves bikes is an understatement. She lives and breathes
them. Georgena is the Founder and President of Terry Precision Bicycles for Women, the original women's bicycling company she founded in 1985. The company began with the manufacturing of hand-built bicycles and has expanded into cycling apparel, saddles and accessories. Georgena has now has achieved legendary status in the bicycle industry. Bicycling Magazine named her one of four women's cycling pioneers who helped shape the sport in 1996. In 2002 Georgena was named one of 11 cycling innovators by Outside Magazine–the only woman recognized. In 2012 The League of American Bicyclists recognized her as one of the Top 25 Agents of Change in American Cycling History. She is regularly interviewed by all the major cycling publications, has appeared in Business Week, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated, and on CNN.
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After graduating from The Montgomery Academy in 1968, she received her BA from Chatham College, a MBA in Finance from Wharton and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie-Mellon University. You can visit her personal website at www.georgenaterry. com or her company website at www.terrybicycles.com
Q. What inspired you to start Terry Bikes? I took up cycling seriously in the late 1970s. Just out of curiosity, I decided to build a bicycle frame for myself. I noticed that a lot of women had the same complaints about their bikes – sore shoulders, stiff neck, general discomfort. It occurred to me that all these women were saying the bicycle industry was missing a big market–so I decided to pursue it. Starting Terry Precision Bicycles for Women was an opportunity for me to combine mechanical engineering with my love of cycling. I come from a family of small business owners, so the chance to finally have my own business was a big motivator as well.
Q. What would you do for a living if you didn't make bicycles? I’d probably be working as a mechanical engineer for a company making a product I really believe in. But I’d be trying to figure out how to start my own business.
Q. For you personally, what is the most challenging aspect of the work you do now? I have two jobs. One is with my new company, which took over the design and construction of hand-built bicycles for women, a task that was formerly done by the company I founded. Staying on top of my website and following up on opportunities to promote rides and workshops in addition to delivering bikes is intense. I’m also working on a master’s degree in Environmental Law and Policy at Vermont Law School through a distance-learning program. It’s challenging and fulfilling being
a student again, studying a subject that is absolutely mission-critical in a world whose environmental assets are increasingly under phenomenal pressure.
Q. What is your most memorable Montgomery Academy moment? “Tearing down” the former Governor’s Mansion, which was the original home of the Academy. The mansion was practically falling apart under its own weight. We just helped it along a bit: a bit of wallpaper here, a piece of plaster there….
Q. How did Montgomery Academy prepare you for the challenges of starting your own business? The Montgomery Academy taught me how to learn. By that I mean the faculty was adept at giving me the tools I needed to dig in deep and figure things out. I was taught the best way to learn about something was to immerse myself in it with a fierce single-mindedness. I think those threehour final exams we had to cope with in third grade helped develop that tenacity and ability. It’s a testament to the excellence of the Academy that it was able to achieve that.
Q. Who was your favorite teacher at the Academy? I can’t name just one, there were many: Wade Segrest, Gus Hamner, Kate Clark, Réné Leveque. And my apologies to any I’ve forgotten to include…. My favorite teachers had a knack for making their subject matter fascinating enough that I was willing to “stretch” my mind to try to master it. That’s a great life skill to learn. To this day, I think Gus Hamner taught us as though we were in college rather than in high school.
Q. What advice would you give to current Montgomery Academy students to help them achieve success in business and in life? Go with your passion. Seek advice, but tell the nay-sayers to take a hike. If you really believe in yourself, you will succeed. But you’ll have to work hard to make your goals come to fruition. TINSTAAFL (There Is No Such Thing As A Free Lunch) still rules, despite what the marketers tell you!
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2012WEEKEND ALUMNI
Weekend Academy alumni from the classes of 1972, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992 and 2002 traveled far and wide to return to campus on October 19 and 20 and celebrate their class reunions! Over 200 alumni, family, faculty and former faculty attended the Tent Party on Friday night before the football game, an exhilarating 42-27 victory over LaFayette. At the reunion dinners the next evening, 100 alums mingled and toured campus before enjoying a delicious meal and fellowship with one another. Richard Cawthon ‘72, from Salt Lake City, Utah, was recognized as the alum that traveled the farthest to return for this special weekend!
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Alumni Weekend
2012 18 Visions - Winter 2013
Magical
Iberian Perspectives By Ana Baker
As I poured over catalog options for the Upper School trip to Spain, a single idea kept whirling about: how best to maximize our ten-day visit to a country as diverse as Spain? As I glanced at the itinerary titled “Toda España” (All Spain), I thought: ... quite an ambitious adventure.! Nevertheless, it made me think of a Spanish culture and civilization sampler that the students would be exposed to effectively.
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We arrived in Madrid late Friday afternoon after a long flight that left students and chaperones tired, but eager to explore. Our tour manager, highly knowledgeable of our trip objectives, knew immediately what to do. The first stop in the capital was the San Miguel Market, housed in an old building decorated with wrought iron and offering an extensive number of food vendors ranging from fruits and vegetables to fresh meat, poultry, seafood, and anything else under the sun. The market is unique for its distinctive group of small cafes and eating areas interspaced among all the vendors. A feast for the eyes and a delight for the palate, it was indeed a favorite place among our travelers! The following day a much anticipated visit to the Prado Museum let our students see firsthand the old Spanish masters of the Renaissance and Baroque periods.
Later in the day, the Reina Sofía Museum got the attention of the modern art aficionados where Picasso’s painting Guernica was the highlight of our afternoon. Our visit to the greenest European capital would not be complete without experiencing a tapas dinner, an array of appetizers revealing the food of Madrid to the adventurous palate.
Works by Diego Velázquez, El Greco, Francisco de Goya, and Esteban Murillo left the textbooks and came alive during that rainy morning.
We visited the “Alcázares Reales,” the Spanish kings’ official residence dedicated to the preservation of the old Moorish Palace. A few miles from Seville, our
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The high velocity train AVE sped our group to our next stop, Seville in two and a half hours, giving the majority of our students a first experience at railway travel. Seville took us to a different region of Spain where the middle-eastern influence can be found in its long history. This city is indeed an elegant place with its “María Luisa Park,” its “Plaza de España” Complex built for the 1928 World’s Fair, and its neighborhoods with undeniably exquisite architecture.
group visited Córdoba, known as the XI Century West European cultural center and famous for its University and philosophers. A guided visit to its mosque is a sight to behold for young students not thoroughly acquainted with the Muslim religion and the extensive squared area occupied by its prayer building. Part of the building was transformed into a Gothic style cathedral, allowing the worship two major monotheistic religions under the same roof. At the entrance of the Mosque, there is the ubiquitous “Patio de los naranjos” with its orange trees and a series of water channels for the customary ablution of the faithful Muslins to purify themselves before entering the mosque. The city of Granada is reminiscent of the Catholic Kings, Isabel and Fernando, under whose alliance several small kingdoms were brought together as the modern nation of Spain. Granada also marks the historical victory of the Christians over the Arabs, ending eight centuries of Muslim dominance of the Iberian Peninsula. Gypsy influence is quite strong in Granada, especially when visitors walk through the Alhambra Palace and the Generalife Gardens, the last Moorish stronghold. In Granada’s Albaicin section, students had a flamenco lesson followed by a delicious dinner and a flamenco performance, a royal ending to our visit to an amazing place. As our group left the southernmost region of Andalucía, we headed to Valencia, the orchard of Spain and a region that is a great exporter of agricultural products to Western Europe. Valencia is the provincial capital and a major metropolis by the Mediterranean Sea. Despite being an old port city dating to the Roman Empire, Valencia is quite modern. The famous
architect Santiago de Calatrava designed the new Arts and Science Complex that has become an international place of culture and entertainment. This complex is comprised of an opera theater, a digital movie theater, an interactive science space, an observatory, as well as an aquarium. Our Spanish tour ended in Barcelona, Cataluña often known as Anton Gaudí’s city. Gaudi’s imaginative creations and innovative lines are present at every corner of this metropolis. The “Paseo de Gracia,” full of upscale fashion houses and department stores, also shows several buildings with not only Gaudí’s signature but also other early XX Century avant-guard architects. Gaudi’s unfinished project, the Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) Cathedral towers over the entire city. Barcelona impressed our students not only for the elegance of its buildings, but also for its cultural diversity. The vast majority of the city’s population speak Catalan, Castilian, English and French and its habitants are extremely well- educated, industrious, and quite energetic. It is not surprising that several of our Academy graduates have chosen Barcelona as a place to live presently. For a brief moment in time, thirty-one students stepped through ancient doors, walked into precious old buildings, and enjoyed inviting manicured gardens to experience learning at its best. They used all their senses to absorb a different civilization and a different people who speak a language they are learning to master.
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MOVERS & SHAKERS
JULIE SINCLAIR
By Ginger Lowe
“Movers and shakers” are present in all professions and due to their work ethic and personalities, are often found in influential positions. However, there are times that these “movers and shakers” go unnoticed. We may be aware of them but we may not have full knowledge of their sphere of influence. One such “mover and shaker” is within our own school walls. Coach Julie Sinclair has been quietly building her dynasty here at The Montgomery Academy for the past 34 years and although she has had opportunities to continue her career elsewhere, Sinclair has chosen to stay true to her initial
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coaching and teaching roots. While our school community certainly knows who she is, I daresay that many are not aware of how passionate Julie is about her volleyball, her students, her athletes, and the Academy. Sinclair’s career as the Varsity volleyball coach has been very successful. At the end of this most recent volleyball season, Julie’s career wins stand at 1135 with three ASHAA State Volleyball Championships and eight Runner-ups. Throughout her MA tenure, Sinclair’s teams have averaged 33.4 wins per season which is no easy feat! Her total wins also places Sinclair in an elite group of high school coaches
nationally. Mr. John Gillis of the National Federation of State High School Associations noted that Sinclair is nationally ranked in two different volleyball categories–she is #7 in Most Career Wins category and #6 in the Most Wins, Active Coaches category. Coach Sinclair is also passionate about “her girls.” Throughout the years, she has touched the lives of many young women. Amelia McCall ‘07 former standout at the Academy and 2010 Division III National Collegiate Player of the Year while at Emory says, "Coach Sinclair undoubtedly possesses a passion for volleyball that is incomparable, but it is her ability to awaken the individual passions and desires of players that makes her a phenomenal coach and lifelong friend. She inspired my love for the game at a young age and I am forever grateful.” As someone who has known Julie since she began her coaching and teaching career, I am honored to work alongside her both on the court and in our classroom. While passionate about her program, athletes and students as Sinclair is, she never overlooks the bigger picture of Alabama high school volleyball. She serves on numerous committees with the Alabama High School Athletic Association and works closely with Wanda Gilliland, Assistant Director of the Alabama High School Athletic Association. Gilliland stated, Julie is a team player within the association and will do whatever is best for volleyball in the state."
Coach Sinclair was recently selected to be inducted into the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame, a prestigious honor and one most certainly deserved. What a fitting award to show how people within this state’s athletic realm esteem Sinclair. The Montgomery Academy’s own Julie Sinclair, definitely a “Mover and Shaker!”
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Girls Cross Country Team Wins Consecutive State Title, Fifth in Seven Years Boys Come in Third By Kevin Weatherill
This past fall the boys and girls cross country teams continued to prove themselves as formidable opponents in state competition. Led by captains Krisie Stakely, Drake McGowin, and Claire Rickard, the girls team opened the season with a win at home in the Capital City Kickoff Classic while the boys who were led by captains Everett Fuller, Taylor Dockery, and Jack Barganier finished second to LAMP. The remainder of the regular season was a combination of both traditional meets and as well as new. The teams again traveled to Moulton for the Chickasaw Trails, Scottsboro for the Scottsboro Invitational and Kiesel Park for the Tiger Classic and added the MA Invitational at Gateway Park, which was also the site of the 2012 sectional meet. Running strong on the Gateway Park course, the girls came in second in the inaugural MA Invitational to eventual Class 6A state champion Mountain Brook. Later in the season, both teams traveled to the Disney Cross Country Classic, finishing third in girls and fourth in boys against competition from schools in the southeast, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, and Canada
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Both teams continued their fine form in Montgomery by winning sectionals at Gateway Park. Taylor Gerard finished as the girls sectional champion, with Kaylee Quinn (2nd), Drake McGowin (4th), Maggie Chambers (6th), Emily Pierce (8th), and Kate Harris (9th) joining Gerard on the All-Section Team. The boys were led by a three, four, five finish from Jack Barganier, Jack Anderson, and Taylor Dockery, each earning a spot on the All-Section Team. A week later at the Class 1A-2A state meet, the girls team put five runners in the top fifteen to earn its fifth state championship in seven years, outrunning new Class 2A rival St. Bernard’s of Cullman 41-57. Gerard (3rd), Quinn (8th), McGowin (9th), Chambers (13th), and Harris (14th) represented the Lady Eagles on the All-State Team. The boys ran a spirited race to finish third behind champion Hatton and runner-up St. Bernard’s. Three members of the boys team placed in the top ten finishers and earned spots on the All-State team – Barganier (2nd), Anderson (4th), and Dockery (9th). The Montgomery Advertiser named Taylor Gerard its Runner of the Year for the second consecutive year while teammates Kaylee Quinn, Drake McGowin, Maggie Chambers, and Kate Harris gave MA five of the six members of the All-Metro Team. For the boys, Jack Barganier and Jack Anderson were named to the All-Metro Team. The 2013 girls team will have big shoes to fill as they say goodbye to two of the program’s most decorated runners in seniors Krisie Stakely and Drake McGowin. The boys team, which has all runners returning, looks to continue their quest of a state championship, the first since 2002.
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LET’S GIVE BACK!
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In addition to providing students with an outstanding college-preparatory education, The Montgomery Academy has made it a priority throughout the past 53 years to teach its students the importance of giving back thus instilling a life-long sense of community responsibility. Yearly one would find students, faculty and staff in all three school divisions involved in service projects. In 2011-2012, the Academy chose to consolidate all its efforts and help Hackleburg Elementary and High School recover from the devastation caused by tornadoes in April 2011. Academy students collected books to for the Hackleburg library, raised money to buy new playground equipment, and helped to sponsor the school’s prom in the spring, among other things. As you will read, the Academy community is committed to giving back to help those in need in the River Region and beyond.
Salvation Army
For the 2012-2013 year, the Academy has paired up with the Salvation Army and several projects have already been planned and completed. Working with the local Salvation Army agency has provided many hands-on opportunities for our students. During the first week of November, Academy Lower School students collected children’s books and items for hygiene kits for their annual fall sharing project. The children brought in shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothbrushes and other products and assembled over 60 complete hygiene kits for adults and children. The kits, along with a large amount of donated books and other supplies were delivered to the Salvation Army by Lower School parents and students.
Students from both the Upper and Middle School campuses participated in the “Coats for Comfort” campaign this winter. Through this effort, students and faculty collected and donated 221 used coats. For their holiday project, the Latin Club and the Girls Bible Study stuffed stockings with toys for children and delivered them to the Salvation Army Bell Street location. Members of the Academy’s service club HEART (Helping Eagles Are Right There) participated during the holiday season by ringing bells outside different area businesses in the annual Red Kettle Campaign. Throughout the school year, Upper School students in the Interpersonal Relations class serve meals at the Salvation Army location on Bell Street. The students are involved in every aspect of the meal from greeting patrons, to making dessert, to serving on the lunch line and cleaning up. Recently, Middle and Upper School students participated in a food drive where each grade from 5-12 was assigned an item to bring for the collection. In the Middle School the various grades brought cereal, oatmeal and pasta items while the freshmen and juniors brought peanut butter and the sophomores and seniors brought jelly. This effort resulted in boxes of food that were delivered by Middle School students to the Salvation Army.
Feeding the Multitude Ministry
On Thanksgiving Day, Montgomery Academy faculty, staff and family members participated in the Feeding the Multitude Ministry. Started by Academy employee Greg Visions - Winter 2013
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McCall and his wife Linda in 2000, the program provides those in need with non-perishable food items year round. “Thanksgiving is the only time of year we serve hot meals,” said Mr. McCall. “We had three public locations set up around Montgomery where anyone could come and eat Thanksgiving lunch and 13 private locations serving different elderly apartment complexes. We also had volunteers deliver meals to those who could not leave their homes.” Led by Academy Athletic Director Anthony McCall, Academy volunteers served the noon meal at Elizabeth Wright Apartments on the Faulkner University Campus while others delivered meals to the elderly at their homes. With the help of over 150 volunteers, the program served approximately 2,000 meals throughout the Montgomery community on Thanksgiving.
Brantwood Children’s Home
Since 1917, Brantwood Children’s Home has been providing a safe, stable, structured environment for abused, neglected and other “at-risk” children. Currently Brantwood serves children and youth ages 10-21 and offers programs which are designed to help these young people cope with and succeed in society. 28 Visions - Winter 2013
For the fourth year, Academy Upper and Middle school students sponsored the 25 residents of Brantwood Children’s Home for Christmas. Students, faculty and staff purchased the desired gifts along with fun extras and delivered them to the children the week before Christmas. This project is coordinated by the Academy’s service club HEART (Helping Eagles Are Right There) and the enthusiasm of the students was truly heartwarming. “Sponsoring a child at Brantwood gives me such a great feeling of fulfillment because I know I am helping another child have a wonderful Christmas,” said junior Liza Hunter. In fact, many of the Academy students bought the presents themselves with money they earned doing chores around the house or from after school jobs. “All of us get really involved – we do the shopping, the wrapping, the delivering - everything. We all love having this opportunity to help others,” said SGA President Laura Katherine Crum.
Community Day
One of the many traditions at the Academy is the annual fall and spring Community Days where Middle and Upper School students and faculty participate in various activities
to aid organizations in the River Region. In the fall, Upper School students visit area agencies and nonprofits to provide services such as painting, cleaning, yard work, dog walking, and office work. Upper School students engage in the same type of activities in the spring while Middle School students stay on campus and work on projects that benefit area agencies. Over the years, Middle School students and faculty done a variety of projects which include creating placemats for local senior living facilities, donating and organizing used clothing for Goodwill, and working a dog wash with the proceeds benefitting the Humane Society.
Coaches vs. Cancer
Five years ago, Coach Anthony McCall organized the first “Coaches vs. Cancer” event at a varsity basketball game at the Academy – the first secondary school in Montgomery to do so. Over the years since the inaugural game, the Academy has donated over $23,000 to the American Cancer Society in its fight against cancer.
School Uniforms
For the past two years through the Kenya Relief organization, The Montgomery Academy POA has donated hundreds of used school uniforms that were left over from the uniform resale to an orphanage in Migori, Kenya. The Kenya Relief organization collects items for orphans and hospital patients as well as many other programs that were established to improve the quality of life in this African community. This year, clothing was also collected for a Haitian orphanage to help children affected by the devastating earthquake of January 2010. Enough uniforms were donated to provide each child two outfits.
“I can’t think of anybody who hasn’t been touched by cancer in some way,” Montgomery Academy coach Anthony McCall said. “Either a parent, a friend, a relative, everybody’s been impacted. I lost my mother a few years ago. It gives me a way to give back to that fight and do something I love, coaching basketball.” The Academy has played the Trinity Presbyterian School Wildcats for the “Coaches vs. Cancer” game. “Our friends at Trinity do a good job of making their fans aware. There’s always a big turnout, McCall said. “My goal is to help and each year we strive to raise as much or more than we did the previous year.” The Academy donates 100 percent of the admissions instead of the 20 percent that The American Cancer Society asks of the hosting school. For the 2013 game, the Academy raised $5,113 which included not only all the admissions, but also a portion of the night’s concession stand profits was given by the Academy’s POA (Parents of the Academy). “Every year, we have a cancer survivor speak for a few minutes before the varsity boys game to share their experience and why this effort is so important,” McCall said. This year’s speaker was Montgomery Academy Associate Head of School Vivian Barfoot.
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MURDER
IN THE
KNIFE ROOM 30 Visions - Winter 2013
The Montgomery Academy Middle School Theater Department performed Jonathan Rand’s comedy Murder in the Knife Room in October 2012. This is the third play by Mr. Rand that The Montgomery Academy has produced in recent years. With over 50 students acting and producing the murder-mystery comedy, it was a hilarious success! Murder mysteries are a trope in entertainment that readers and audiences enjoy, year after year. From Poe’s Murder in the Rue Morgue to Bruckheimer’s CSI, we are fascinated by the simple setup of the dead body and a list of suspects. Add in our love of “Clue” and Murder Mystery Parties and it seems we just can’t get enough of trying to answer the question, “Whodunnit.” One of the most famous murder mystery writers is the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie. Her play, The Mousetrap opened in the West End of London in 1952, and has been running continuously since then. It has the longest initial run of any play in history, with over 24,500 performances so far. The play is also known for its twist ending, which the audience is traditionally asked not to reveal after leaving the theater. Audiences in attendace for Murder in the Knife Room were asked to observe the same discretion as they left the Wilson Theater.
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As an alum have you ever thought about all the incredible opportunities you had as a student at MA? Wearing the cardinal & navy, representing the Eagles on the playing fields, performing play on the stage, traveling for chorus & forensics, and gaining an academic foundation that helped you in college and beyond. Remembering those times were all a part of the MA experience. Providing the funds needed to keep those memories alive come from the MA Fund. By contributing to the MA Fund, you are directly impacting the young people attending the Academy. Choosing to participate in the MA Fund affords you an opportunity to give back to an institution that has truly enriched your life and continues to enrich the lives of its students. Please consider giving to the MA Fund so that current and future generations of students continue to have the opportunity to pursue excellence.