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THE MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI, PARENTS, AND FRIENDS | FALL/WINTER 2020
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FALL/WINTER 2020
Leverage the Westminster network with
DEFINING MOMENTS
A YEAR OF RADICAL SHIFTS, NEW OPPORTUNITIES, AND NO TURNING BACK. WILDCAT NETWORK
A NEW ERA FOR OUR CAMPUS
A MOVEMENT FOR RACIAL EQUITY
A PANDEMIC RESHAPES 2020
PG. 12
PG. 22
PG. 30
Worth 1,000 Words
Your gifts grow courageous, caring leaders—every day. The Westminster Fund is essential to Westminster’s mission of helping young people become the leaders our world needs. When you support Westminster by giving to The Westminster Fund, you invest in the promise of young people who care about their communities and the greater world. The generosity of parents, alumni, and friends empowers our students to start their leadership journeys now and grow into citizens who affect real change, guided by dedicated faculty every step of the way. Join us in equipping Wildcats to lead with conscience, every day, by making your gift today.
MAKE YOUR GIFT BY VISITING westminster.net/giving
For nearly 70 years, Campbell Hall has been a home away from home for thousands of Wildcats—it is poised to grow its legacy as a place where lifelong lessons are learned and lifelong friendships are formed well into the future.
FALL/WINTER 2020
CONTENTS CONTRIBUTORS Executive Editors Liz Ball Emilie Henry Managing Editor
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Erin Dentmon Production Manager Jennifer Liu Editorial Staff Justin Abraham Molly Morris
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Stacie Davis Rapson ’83 Caroline Rothschild Contributors President Keith Evans Jane Lauderdale Armstrong ’74 Brooke Boothby Lyse Herrera Pamela Nye Katie Trainor
FEATURES
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A New Era for Our Campus
New academic and community spaces make their debut as part of Westminster’s most ambitious construction project ever.
Bailey Ward Regina Wood Art Direction & Design Green Gate Marketing Photography
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A Movement for Racial Equity
Our community members took bold steps toward greater equity in our world and on our campus.
Art of Life Photography Dennis Carter Paul Ward Matthew Warren Student, faculty, staff, and parent photographers
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A Pandemic Reshapes 2020
Wildcats face COVID-19 with optimism and fortitude.
DEPARTMENTS 2 4 38 42 62 66
From the President Wildcat Tracks Wildcat Den Faculty and Staff Alumni News Class Notes
COMMENTS TO THE EDITOR: Please address postal correspondence to: Liz Ball Associate Vice President for Strategic Communications Westminster 1424 West Paces Ferry Road, NW Atlanta, Georgia 30327 Email: lizball@westminster.net Phone: 404-609-6259
The Lewis H. Beck Archives at Westminster Printing Perfect Image
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Westminster continues to follow the most up-to-date public health guidelines regarding COVID-19. Photos in this issue were taken throughout the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years and reflect the guidelines in place at the time they were taken.
Please direct Class Notes submissions to the Office of Alumni Engagement: classnews@westminster.net For change-of-address requests: advservices@westminster.net
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Friends, Johan Cruyff, hailed as one of the world’s greatest soccer players of all time, was known for his “total football” playing style. His unique understanding of spacing and fluid movement on the field left a lasting mark on the game. Cruyff observed that in 90 minutes of soccer, 87 minutes were played without the ball. While other players focused on the three minutes per game of trying to master the ball, Cruyff’s secret was to focus on how to be in position to score and win away from the action. We certainly feel like we have had the ball over these past several months. A pandemic with no end in sight,
courageous and timely calls for racial justice and equity, the first major construction projects on campus in more than a decade, and reopening our campus for the school year with COVID-19 splashed across the headlines—all of these challenges and more have tested our vision, our will, and most definitely our stamina. But to think metaphorically for a moment about Cruyff ’s insight, our 87 minutes without the ball turned out to be our most important. For nearly a decade, our faculty and staff invested countless hours away from the ball integrating technology into our curriculum and processes. When circumstances passed the ball our way last spring and we had to deploy Virtual Westminster, we were ready. We were in position again in August when only an effort undertaken with the whole field in view could enable an in-person opening to the school year. When national issues of systemic racial injustice put a spotlight on the distance Westminster still has to travel to create a shared sense of belonging, our community leaned on longstanding relationships as channels for listening, often painful
truth-telling, and ultimately a plan for moving forward. Our next initiatives will benefit greatly from the foundation that our faculty and staff have created over many years. We also had the “ball” of continuing major building projects in the midst of it all. Years of intensive campus planning, a generous philanthropic community, and diligent attention to choosing an outstanding team—from architect to contractor to project manager— enabled on-time and on-budget completion of beautiful new facilities. Whether in soccer or in life, there is no question that when three minutes with the ball come along, any of us could face a defining moment. But the lesson of these past months, and the multiple challenges presented along the way, is that many of our defining moments happen in the daily striving to prepare and to excel. This is where the Wildcats—fully engaged, always a bit restless—do some of their best work. For Johan Cruyff, and for Westminster, this is what defines us. Best Wishes,
Keith Evans President
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ADMINISTRATION
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
EMERITUS TRUSTEES
Keith A. Evans President
Joel T. Murphy ’76, Chair Elizabeth Kilcullen Blake, Vice Chair Marilyn S. Black Rosalind G. Brewer J. Donald Childress Michael J. Egan ’74 Jack N. Halpern ’67 Scott D. Hawkins Katharine W. Kelley ’82 Stephen S. Lanier ’96 Janet M. Lavine Sukai Liu David M. Love ’90 Lisa Olivetti McGahan Richard V. McPhail III Allison Bolch Moran ’86 R. Brand Morgan ’94 Floyd C. Newton III ’73 Thomas E. Noonan Rahul Patel William T. Plybon Kelly A. Regal Louise Scott Sams ’75 Stephen L. Schoen ’80 S. Stephen Selig ’61 Jeffrey P. Small Jr. ’85 C. Austin Stephens ’93 Timothy P. Tassopoulos Dana Weeks Ugwonali D. Scott Weimer Jay Yadav
James S. Balloun Betsy Barge Birkholz ’69 Lisa Borders ’75 James E. Bostic Jr. David E. Boyd Peter M. Candler ’60 Samuel G. Candler Richard W. Courts II ’55 Ann Draughon Cousins Suzanne LeCraw Cox ’71 Joseph M. Craver F. T. Davis Jr. ’56 Harold A. Dawson ’82 Virginia Gaines Dearborn ’56 W. Douglas Ellis Jr. Joseph W. Hamilton Jr. Allen S. Hardin Thomas D. Hills ’62 Ronald P. Hogan Barbara Benson Howell W. Stell Huie L. Phillip Humann M. Hill Jeffries Jr. ’73 E. Cody Laird Jr. J. Hicks Lanier ’58 Dennis M. Love ’74 Carolyn Cody McClatchey ’65 Terence F. McGuirk Olga Goizueta Rawls ’73 Margaret Conant Reiser ’73 B. Clayton Rolader ’72 John W. Rooker ’56 Kenneth S. Taratus L. Barry Teague John A. Wallace James B. Williams George B. Wirth
Toni Boyd Vice President for Finance and Operations Tim Downes Director of Athletics Emilie Henry Vice President for Institutional Advancement Jim Justice Dean of Academics and Curriculum Whit McKnight Head of Lower School Marjorie Dixon Mitchell ’82 Director of Enrollment Management Danette Morton Head of Middle School Thad Persons ’88 Dean of Faculty Bob Ryshke Executive Director, Center for Teaching Cindy Trask Head of Upper School
PRESIDENT Keith A. Evans ALUMNI ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVE Sarah Hawkins Warren ’00
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Wildcat Tracks Before campus closed in March 2020 to prevent transmission of COVID-19, students celebrated several of the traditions of the spring semester. Even after our switch to Virtual Westminster, students continued competing on academic teams and winning awards. For a look at some of the special ways students celebrated milestones and enjoyed Wildcat traditions in the latter months of the 2019-20 school year, read our story about the COVID-19 pandemic, beginning on page 30.
Showering the Shelters During the annual Shower for the Shelters, Lower School students and their families collected household and personal hygiene items to donate to six Atlanta-area shelters that provide housing and services for children and adults.
We Felt the Love During the Winter Theater Season Middle and Upper School students staged captivating productions of The Lion King, Jr. and Anon(ymous) in the winter theater season. The Westminster Junior Players donned colorful costumes while singing beloved songs like “Circle of Life” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” while the Upper School’s Anon(ymous) retold Homer’s “Odyssey” through the story of a young refugee struggling to navigate her way through a chaotic fantasy landscape to find a place to belong and find her family.
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WILDCAT TRACKS Students Selected for Governor’s Honors Program Though the 2020 Governor’s Honors Program was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Katie Kronauge ’21, Rachel Liu ’21, and Grace Hardymon ’21, were selected to attend the prestigious summer program. Students go through a series of nominations, applications, and interviews in hopes of receiving an invitation.
Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Three Upper School students—Max Graves ’20, Sarah Lao ’21, and Meimei Xu ’20—were the recipients of six national Scholastic Art & Writing awards! Meimei was honored with two gold medals and one silver medal, Sarah received one gold and one silver, and Max received a silver medal with distinction. This year, approximately 320,000 pieces of art were submitted for consideration, and less than 1 percent received national recognition!
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WILDCAT TRACKS Bringing History to Life Second graders dazzled parents, teachers, and fellow Love Hall students with their knowledge of famous figures like Babe Ruth, Malala Yousafzai, and Thomas Edison during the living museum.
Lower School Lunar New Year Parade Love Hall was filled with sound and bright costumes as students celebrated the Lunar New Year with a parade through the hallways.
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Cats Recognized by the State Legislature State legislators recognized students at the Capitol twice this year. The Senate adopted a resolution to honor Ananya Ganesh Ęź20 for her academic, scientific, and community achievements. Similarly, the House of Representatives honored the Upper School robotics team. The WiredCats met with several representatives to discuss potential ways to improve STEM and robotics education throughout the state.
WILDCAT TRACKS
STAR Students and Teacher Anup Bottu ’20 and Claire Chen ’20 were Westminster’s 2020 STAR students. Both students selected Upper School history teacher Laura Drewicz Ewing ʼ00 as their STAR teacher. STAR (Student Teacher Achievement Recognition) awards, given by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, recognize high school seniors who achieve the highest SAT score and are ranked in the top 10 percent of their class. STAR students nominate a teacher who has been most instrumental in their academic development.
Westminster Named an Apple Distinguished School Again! Apple has recognized Westminster as a Distinguished School for 2019-2022. The designation is reserved for programs that exhibit visionary leadership, innovative learning and teaching, ongoing professional development, compelling evidence of success, and flexible learning environments. The honor is due in large part to the School’s IT Services team and faculty who continuously innovate learning across campus and even at home during the COVID-19 pandemic!
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WILDCAT TRACKS
Robotics Team Wins State Championship The Middle School robotics team took first place at the 2020 Georgia State Middle School VEX Robotics Championship. The final round of the competition pitted two Westminster robots against each other. The 6199E team—Augie Bunting ’25, Tejas Kadadi ’25, Gideon Zemedhun ’24, Rohit Ramineni ’24, and Willem Mandel ’24—narrowly beat out the 6199A team of Alexandra Kent ’24, Zainab Barodawala ’25, and Lillian Dase ’26. The 6199E team also won the Judges Award and Sportsmanship Award at the tournament and received an automatic bid to the world championship.
Several Awards in the Forecast Yash Kadadi ’21 won numerous awards at the 72nd annual Georgia Science and Engineering Fair! His project, “SWIFT: A Novel Machine Platform for Space Weather Forecasting,” received the Grand Award, meaning it was one of the top ten entries in the state. In addition, he received the American Meteorological Society Award, Naval Science Award, and US Air Force Achievement Award, and his project was named best in category for physics and astronomy.
Science Bowl Finishes Fifth in the Nation The Upper School’s Science Bowl team tied for fifth place in the National Science Bowl competition. Aaron Yu ’21, Ridings Bald ’20, Anup Bottu ’20, David Goetze ’20, and Mason Yu ’23 participated in the virtual event and made it to the quarterfinal round, besting their ninth-place finish last year.
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WILDCAT TRACKS
Upper School Math Team Wins International Tournament Despite competing from their respective homes, the Upper School math team won Math Madness, an online math tournament where high school math teams from across the world compete against each other. Avi Athota ’21, Anup Bottu ’20, Dean Cureton ’22, Johnny Fang ’20, Stephen Shin ’22, Aaron Yu ’21, Mason Yu ’23, Brandon Zhou ’21, and Gavin Zhou ’21 defeated teams from schools in South Carolina, California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, and New York to be crowned champions.
Rocketmen The Carlisle brothers—Robert ’04, Ryan ’07, and Kirby ’12—helped launch America back into space! The trio all work at Elon Musk’s SpaceX in Los Angeles and helped the company’s Dragon capsule launch NASA astronauts from American soil for the first time since 2011.
You Be the Chemist Winners Leah Black-Holmes ’24, Tejas Kadadi ’25, Charice Horwitz ’24, and Esfan Daya ’24 took first place in Georgia’s You Be the Chemist Challenge, a Middle School-focused competition that celebrates the science of chemistry.
Keep up with the latest Wildcat news on social media! westminster.net/social
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WILDCAT TRACKS
Westminster Center Takes Shape The realization of Westminster’s campus plan has been able to continue uninterrupted amid the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to dedicated partners like general contracting firm J.E. Dunn, project management firm BDR, and countless vendors, Westminster Center, the fourth and final building within this phase of the campus plan, remains on schedule to open its doors for the 2021-22 academic year.
Every day, it is more apparent that this 46,000-square-foot building, sometimes referred to as our “new front door,” is an addition that will provide greatly needed multifunction space in a way that seamlessly blends with other buildings added to campus throughout our School’s history. Sitting at the head of Westminster’s historic quad, Westminster Center is a physical embodiment of the School’s commitment to not only serving its students, but the city of Atlanta and the world. The building’s flexible classrooms/conference spaces, chapel, two-story
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great room, cafe, art gallery, spirit shop, and offices for externally facing operations will serve to connect Westminster and its students to the greater world in a deeper way. “Everything about the space makes you want to explore,” explains Vice President for Finance and Operations Toni Boyd. “When visitors arrive in the reception area, they will be able to see the variety of activities happening throughout the building and will be immediately drawn into Westminster’s historic quad through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the opposite end of the building.”
WILDCAT TRACKS
A New Space to Park… and Perform! Another (very popular) goal of the School’s campus plan focused on the addition of accessible parking on campus. A new three-level 406-space parking deck opened at the start of the 2020-21 school year. Faculty and staff welcomed the new convenient parking option upon their return to campus. One unexpected benefit of the new structure? Acoustics!
Safe, mostly outdoor, spaces have been created all over campus to continue Westminster’s performing arts programming while still adhering to our COVID-19 safety protocols. The parking deck has quickly become a popular practice and performance space, known for having some of the best acoustics on campus.
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A NEW ERA FOR OUR CAMPUS NEW AND RENOVATED SPACES DEBUT
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awkins Hall and the newly renovated Campbell Hall didn’t have the opening any of us expected. In a way, it harkens back to a story Dr. Pressly told in his memoir about driving a van across Atlanta himself the week Westminster opened—success despite obstacles. Whether it’s a transportation director quitting right before the start of the school year in 1951, as Dr. Pressly’s tale recalls, or a respiratory virus circling the
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globe in 2020, we are used to making the best of unexpected beginnings. Despite the facemasks and temporary furnishings that keep physical distance between students, Upper School academic buildings Campbell Hall and Hawkins Hall were full of energy the first days of school. It didn’t take long for students to make themselves at home in new spaces like the staggered seating
Spaces in the ďŹ rst phase of the most ambitious construction project in School history opened at the start of the 2020-21 school year, transforming a swath of campus from Campbell Hall to Alfred E. Thompson Stadium.
on the ground floor of Campbell Hall or study spots in the crow’s nest of Hawkins Hall. The grab-andgo dining offered in Brewer Cafe became a popular option on day one, with students at social distance filling the dining area as well as the Schoen Dining Plaza just outside its doors. Teachers using a hybrid model with students attending both in person and via Zoom took full advantage of the two, and in some cases three, whiteboards with
projectors in each room. On the first day, tools hummed in The Roberto C. Goizueta Innovation Lab as students began building solar cars. These early days are only the beginning. We anticipate students asking questions, chasing their curiosities, and growing in connection for years to come in all corners of these new spaces.
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A new social space for students on the bottom floor of Campbell Hall features stadium seating, movable chairs, charging stations, and more. It has quickly become one of the most popular places to spend time between classes.
CAMPBELL HALL A
s soon as you walk in the front door of Campbell Hall, you’re greeted. “Our school community set out to transform Campbell Hall in a way that would enable a higher level of connection between students and faculty. That starts the minute someone walks in and is evident throughout the entire building. Even with the constraints of COVID-19, students are able to gather in small socially distanced groups to work together, to socialize, to share ideas,” Head of Upper School Cindy Trask says. The wide hallways, large windows, and spacious classrooms betray your memories for a moment—
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this is not the Campbell Hall you remember. The lockers are gone, as are the dropped ceilings— we’ve added cell phone drawers and backpack hooks instead, and a new chilled-beam airconditioning system means the windows let in more light without being blocked by ductwork. You’d count fewer classrooms, too, as each room is about 1.5 times the size of the originals, with each hallway including some socializing space for students, as well as faculty office suites. “With all of the disciplines represented in Campbell and Hawkins Halls, students and faculty are gaining comfort with framing problems and thinking in
With students traveling all over campus and using many digital materials, the Campbell Hall lockers were removed to make way for wider hallways, glass panels between the halls and classrooms, and areas to sit and study or socialize.
Each classroom in Campbell Hall is about 1.5 times as large as a pre-renovation classroom with higher ceilings thanks to a new ventilation system that uses chilled-beam technology instead of traditional ductwork. Each classroom includes at least two whiteboards equipped with easy-to-use, high-definition projectors. Students sit in individual desks this year to aid the School in implementing COVID-19 protocols; we look forward to later replacing these temporary desks with tables that can be configured in a variety of ways.
interdisciplinary ways, and I am excited that the new spaces will help nurture these skills and benefit students across all grade levels,” Cindy says. “The smaller conference rooms provide space for contemplation and the collaborative spaces on every floor are alive with student voices.” The basement, home to everything from advisement to arts over the years, is now a lightfilled, multi-use space that has quickly become a popular spot for students at all times of the day. On one side, windowless rooms are replaced by spaces for connection: a student commons, conference rooms for small groups of students,
and a faculty lounge that combines work space and a relaxation area. These common areas are flanked by classrooms, including dedicated spaces for the Jones Family Writing Lab and the Small Family Math Lab. We’ve come to call this part of the building the “superhighway" because of the number of students who come through either to stay a while or on their way to Hawkins Hall. On each floor, short indoor bridges lead to Hawkins Hall, creating seamless connections between the two buildings.
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Hawkins Hall blends spaces for every type of student activity. Classrooms are surrounded by places where students can spend time independently or in groups, like the crow’s nest given by Janet Lavine and Rick Williams at the left of this photo.
HAWKINS HALL H
awkins Hall is somewhere you can’t help but feel the energy of the Westminster experience. Across three floors, Hawkins Hall is abuzz with student activity, ranging from quiet study to dining to innovation to socializing. The top floor is all about the views. A crow’s nest looks out onto the new Community Plaza and renovated Thompson Stadium. An observation deck overlooks the activity in the Catalyst Lab. Counter seating lines the sides of a central atrium— look up toward the sky or down to see the hustle and bustle of the rest of the building. The second floor is home to The Roberto C. Goizueta Innovation Hub, anchored by The Roberto C. Goizueta Catalyst Lab. Light-filled classrooms and a variety of study spaces and faculty offices
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complement the lab—offset by floor-to-ceiling glass partitions that can fully open into the adjacent common area, the innovation happening inside the Catalyst Lab is always visible. The ground floor is home to the Brewer Cafe, a casual dining space where grab-and-go lunches are already a popular dining addition. Snacks will eventually be offered before, during, and after school hours to accommodate student schedules full of athletics, club meetings, and more. Tucked in beside the main dining area, the Noell Dining Room provides a quieter place to eat with friends. The adjoining outdoor space, Schoen Dining Plaza, is already home to students eating, socializing, and studying at all times of the day.
Engineering students began using the Roberto C. Goizueta Catalyst Lab the first week of school.
Schoen Dining Plaza is designed for all-day usage, whether students want to sit down to eat food from the grab-and-go dining inside Brewer Cafe or enjoy the outdoors at another time of day.
“Schools are a window to the future, and, in my mind, no experience is more invigorating than the impassioned pursuit of knowledge and ideas.” Seating surrounds a three-story atrium at the heart of Hawkins Hall. Along with floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides of the building, the skylight atop the atrium fills Hawkins Hall with natural light.
— ROBERTO C. GOIZUETA, May 1994 Westminster Commencement address
This excerpt is featured in the Goizueta Innovation Hub
WHAT’S ON THE WALLS?
The walls of Campbell and Hawkins Halls may not actually talk, but they do tell stories: of Westminster, of Atlanta, and of their own purpose and creation.
Original drawings of Campbell and Hawkins Halls from the architecture firm that designed the buildings, Ennead, remind students that any worthwhile idea will go through many iterations.
An archival photo of Campbell Hall recognizes the donors who made the original building possible while reminding students of the story and history of our campus.
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A modern-day W across from the archival photo of Campbell Hall connects the innovative work yet to be done with the legacy our students are joining.
Wooden accents along the wall and ceiling designate student social spaces throughout the buildings. Also set off by green carpeting, these areas provide much-needed spaces for connection that were lacking before these buildings opened.
Binary code is certainly fitting for an innovation space. What makes this wall even more special is that this binary code spells the names of each member of the Class of 2020.
The namesake of the Roberto C. Goizueta Innovation Hub is celebrated in a dot mural on the window of the virtual reality lab. His words from Westminster’s 1994 Commencement ceremony accompany the portrait.
Each floor of Campbell Hall features a set of maps—one from 1951 and one from 2020. Highlighting population, roadways, and waterways, these floor-to-ceiling maps of the area surrounding Westminster further connect the School to its own past and that of the entire city.
The views through the bridge windows are spectacular. What you might not notice at first is that they’re made of a material called frit glass, a special patterned glass that allows birds to safely fly around the building.
Even the stairwell is an opportunity for a little encouragement!
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Alfred E. Thompson Stadium can now seat 2,000 spectators and features improved amenities for both student-athletes and fans.
STADIUM & MORE A
renovation to Alfred E. Thompson Stadium and a new Community Plaza enhance the Wildcat experience. With concrete stands, an updated press box, on-site locker areas, and new restroom and concessions areas, plus improved accessibility, the stadium’s amenities add to the community tradition of cheering on the Wildcats. New landscaping around all the projects of this first construction phase improves mobility on campus while blending seamlessly with the beautiful
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outdoor spaces we have been fortunate enough to enjoy for nearly 70 years. While each project is impressive in its own right, Campbell Hall, Hawkins Hall, the stadium, and the Community Plaza work together to create an atmosphere that bolsters the School’s efforts to build community, foster connections, and keep learning and leadership at the forefront. All of these campus enhancements are coming to life through the visionary generosity of
The Egan Bridge, one of three indoor bridges connecting Campbell Hall and Hawkins Hall, gives students a place to pause with a floor-to-ceiling view of new landscaping that makes the most of Westminster’s rolling topography.
A Community Plaza creates continuity between Thompson Stadium, Hawkins Hall, and the rest of campus. The McGahan Family Press Box atop the stands and the Kellett Concession Stand, seen at right, help create an outstanding fan experience. For now, a tent along the plaza provides a shaded spot for classes as we maximize outdoor learning spaces to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
our community. By continuing Westminster’s philanthropic tradition, our community is ensuring that students today and well into the future will be served by spaces that catalyze discovery, prioritize connection, and unlock possibilities. “Generous members of the Westminster community understand that a gift to Westminster is exponential. By making these spaces possible, they are helping to extend the potential of our students, who will make a valuable impact in communities near and far. Their gifts represent
a collective belief in a better future shaped by Westminster’s own,” says Emilie Henry, Vice President for Institutional Advancement. To give generously is to express a belief in an organization’s power to impact lives and futures. The donors who have contributed to these projects have given us more than classrooms, lab spaces, and common areas. They share their optimism and hope for the future—and their trust that Westminster is a place where leaders grow.
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& & P P U U K A K E A P E SSP & & T S T E S T E T O R O PPR & & N N O I O T I S T E S UE Q QU & & N E N T LLIISSTE D A LLEEAD 22 | Fall/Winter 2020
A Movement for Racial Equity By Erin Dentmon, Advancement Writer More than two months into isolation after COVID-19 took hold in the United States, news started spreading about George Floyd, a Black man who died when a white police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly eight minutes on May 25. Protests began—first in Minneapolis, where the killing occurred, then around the nation. Atlanta’s protests made national headlines as tens of thousands protested downtown and in neighborhoods across the metro area. Amid the protests, some turned to rioting, leading Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to issue a citywide curfew and Governor Brian Kemp to call in the Georgia National Guard. Further demonstrations began when police shot and killed Rayshard Brooks in a Wendy’s parking lot in the Peoplestown neighborhood of Atlanta on June 12. Unrest had gripped the nation, and Atlanta in particular. In these dark times, a movement gained traction. People called for an end to racial injustice in every sphere of public and private life—from police departments to real estate to religion. The Wildcat Nation spoke up too. Students, faculty, families, and alumni protested, petitioned, and posted for national change. And they also challenged the School. In this article, you’ll read about a few of the people who stood up for a better Westminster. One thing they all have in common is their belief that our community can grow to ensure our school is one that is welcoming, inclusive, and fair for all involved. You’ll notice that there are people of all ages, races, and genders featured in this article. That’s because working against racism is everyone’s job. And, like everything we do, it’s work that stretches beyond our gates. Young people who learn to stand against racism while they’re students will have the courage and ability to do so throughout their lives.
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JASMINE JONES ’21 WHY I SPOKE UP Senior class officers invited the entire Upper School to a virtual Moment of Solidarity on June 13, along with issuing an open call for speakers. Jasmine Jones ’21, Alyse Harrell ’23, and Khushi Niyyar ’22 all addressed their peers and classmates. Fellow seniors Camryn Brewer, Tejiri Ogufere, and Kelli Flowers also contributed to Jasmine’s speech. “The system was not designed for Black people to thrive. And it’s only when those who the system benefits stand by those who are suffering and decide to rebuild our society into a place where everyone can thrive, can we all move forward. Each of us must do our part in this movement, whether that be going to protests, signing petitions, donating, or simply becoming aware of what’s going on. Complacency kills. Silence kills.”
With COVID-19 still a threat during the summer of protest, digital action became more important than ever. So a student-organized Moment of Solidarity became a time to act for Jasmine Jones ’21, who was limiting time spent outside her home. “I wanted to help. I wanted to do things. I was signing petitions and sending emails here and there, and when this opportunity came, it was like, ‘here is my place,’” she recalls.
Jasmine encouraged her white peers to step up alongside students of color: “Minorities often feel the responsibility of trying to represent their entire race, so I gave insight into why we need help, because we can’t always be educating everyone and preaching all the time. It was a call to action to say everyone is part of this change.”
A brief moment of nervousness arose before Jasmine spoke as the gravity of the words she was about to say sank in. After addressing the students and faculty members in attendance, Jasmine says she felt fully supported and received encouraging emails from several teachers. In addition to confronting the urgency of creating systemic changes,
FACULTY LAURA DREWICZ EWING ’00, W E EXAMINE POWER WHY Daily classroom choices can create opportunities for meaningful conversation. Upper School history teacher Laura Drewicz Ewing ’00 challenges her students to look closely at what is and isn’t said by those in power. “If students only ever see cultures aside from white European cultures as being oppressed, as being victims, then there’s no power there. And power is really what we’re looking at when we study history.” Critical thinking and analysis skills are some of the most important things students should practice in history classes. How to analyze the point of view, context, audience, and purpose of any text or piece of information is a skill students practice almost daily. When you consider what that means for studying race and racism, it often takes the form of looking at historical texts written by Europeans and asking questions: What other
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perspectives aren’t represented? How does this portray the prevailing systems and structures of the time as good? How does this differ from accounts written by people with other cultural biases? Some of the most complex, and important, questions investigate power: who has it, where it came from, how they’re preserving it, and more, says Upper School history teacher Laura Drewicz Ewing ’00. Students are also asked to examine how people and societies stripped of “official” power still found ways to exercise agency and affect change. “Looking at power in as complex a way as possible is really important for students to be able to think about equity and liberation in a meaningful way,” Laura says. “It gives them a more thorough understanding of the world they live in, and of the ways they can make it better.” It’s key to combine these analytical lessons with opportunities for self-
reflection (inside the classroom and through other avenues like affinity groups), Laura says, and the combination of being able to think critically about the world and about oneself is the way history lessons become powerful tools for building engaged global citizens.
ZOË-GRACE HARGROVE ’19 I PETITIONED WHY Zoë-Grace Hargrove ’19 and three other recent graduates—Chandler Searcy ’20, Payton Selby ’20, and Saige Simone Haynes ’19—wrote a letter to Westminster’s senior leadership team urging specific actions amid growing nationwide unrest. The group gathered signatures and presented their requests to the senior leadership team in June. “The name Westminster carries weight, and in times like these, silence isn’t an option. In 2020, ignorance is not an excuse. Straddling the fence isn’t an option either, especially when you have students who face these issues on a day-to-day basis, and they’re part of your community.” As protests and even riots picked up in Atlanta following the death of George Floyd, Westminster released an initial statement of grief. A group of young Black alumni talked among themselves and shared a feeling that the School needed to say and do something more substantial. “We came together and said, ‘How do we use our diplomatic skills while being clear and concise about what we want from Westminster—what is necessary to present the institution in the best way possible?’” says Zoë-Grace Hargrove ’19.
They began writing a letter that soon became a petition. In an affinity group meeting, Director of Enrollment Services Marjorie Mitchell ʼ82 gave the group the opportunity to present their concerns to the School’s senior leadership team. So, the petition became a presentation. The alumni asked for academic, social, and community changes to foster a more equitable environment for Black students and students of color. Zoë-Grace says, ultimately, it was important for her to speak up at Westminster so future students like her do not have to encounter painful racist experiences like those she did— some of which she believes were rooted in ignorance, and sadly, some intended to make fun and inflict pain. Yet, she remains hopeful that with more community work in empathy, equity and inclusion, these are behaviors that students at Westminster can ultimately learn to overcome. “There were many experiences, some that I don’t remember but my parents remind me of, where it was pure ignorance that didn’t demonstrate the type of institution I know Westminster can be, and it didn’t demonstrate that these are the future leaders of Atlanta, America, the world,” she says. “Those are the types of situations we
can ameliorate if we have the education in place.” Despite those racist incidents, Zoë-Grace has faith in what she believes Westminster aspires to be, “The Beloved Community.” “I’ve seen the moments of progress since I arrived at the School, just looking at the diversity in the faculty, the opportunities in place like affinity groups, looking at the travel abroad opportunities. We know there has been change, so that maintains the hope factor for me. But it’s those personal experiences that say, ‘We’ve come a long way, but there’s still so much farther and deeper that we need to go.’”
WILDCATS FOR EQUITY
As part of Westminster’s renewed commitment to equity and inclusion among our students, families, alumni, and faculty and staff, the School committed to a series of action steps in June:
1 Developing Strong Institutional Leadership an Immediate Impact on 2 Making Our Climate and Program Our School Community 3 Ensuring Reflects Our City and Nation
Ourselves Accountable to 4 Holding Our School Community Financial Resources are 5 Ensuring Dedicated to Long-term Change
Students, parents, alumni, and faculty and staff well beyond those interviewed for this article have rallied around creating a more equitable and inclusive school. As we make progress in each of the above five areas, we are providing updates through our website. Visit westminster.net/wildcats-for-equity to read more about the steps the Westminster community has taken so far in this important effort.
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R VEATCH, FACULTY WHY WE LEAD WIRED
JEN DRACOS-TICE AND JENNIFE WIRED, Whites Invested in Racial Equity Dialogue, is an anti-racist affinity group for white faculty and staff members. Upper School English teacher Jen Dracos-Tice and Middle School history teacher Jennifer Veatch began the group in 2010 with the support of Upper School Diversity Coordinator Judy Osborne. A decade later, WIRED is revisiting the book largely responsible for its founding, Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum, now with a 75-page foreword detailing the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement and the events that precipitated it. “I really thought anti-racist work was about learning about other races, but part of it is learning how my racial identity shows up in my classroom and my life. Spoiler alert: it’s everywhere. WIRED was a big turning point in my own development.” Jennifer Veatch
could come together and discuss their own role in racism without burdening colleagues of color. A group for white faculty to do just that had begun that year at Westminster. Then just for female faculty and called WWIRED (White Women Invested in Racial Equity Dialogue), the cross-divisional group met off campus about once a month, led by Jen Dracos-Tice and Jennifer Veatch. Initially, communicating the mission of WIRED (now just spelled with one W as faculty and staff of all genders participate) was difficult. Faculty of color wanted to know that the group was about working rather than “support.” Some people confused the group with white affinity groups at other institutions that were actually intended to celebrate white supremacy. As Jen Dracos-Tice remembers it, there was worry that the group would be subversive or anti-Westminster. Over the last 10 years, the format has changed a few times. But it remains a place for white faculty to explore racial identity and learn how to become anti-racist allies for people of color. “So often, when white people are trying to be the ‘good white person,’ we want to take the role of the listener. Obviously, it’s so important to be a listener, but to really learn, you have to be doing, and so WIRED is a place to do the work,” says Jennifer Veatch.
Jen Dracos-Tice
Jen Dracos-Tice recalls reading Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? in the summer of 2010 and being “grabbed” by the ideas in the book. When the author, Beverly Daniel Tatum, came to campus the next spring, she spoke about the importance of affinity groups—including the idea that white colleagues
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ments of the last decade has been other faculty members’ growth as leaders in anti-racist work, like the group who took it upon themselves to read and discuss Waking Up White this summer. In the Upper School, faculty members Laura Drewicz Ewing ’00, Clare Costello, and John Terry are taking active roles in leading WIRED.
Ultimately, participating in WIRED is about exploring identity development to improve every student’s learning experience. The group read the 20th anniversary edition of Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? this summer. “It made me very, very, very sad to read it again with the knowledge of how many more Black men and women have been murdered since the first publication of the book in 1997. The book’s 2017 edition is just as relevant today as it was when it was first published 20 years ago,” says Jen Dracos-Tice. One of the most heartening develop-
Jennifer Veatch
As white faculty continue to move toward anti-racism, more leaders have emerged. With the partnership of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion coordinators across the School, these leaders are committed to working toward anti-racism to create a school culture that embraces and celebrates the unique backgrounds and gifts of every community member.
CHUCK EASLEY ’82 UNITY WHY I ADDRESSED THE COMM Chuck Easley ’82 has always kept close ties to Westminster through service on the Alumni Association Governing Board, as a member of various Board of Trustees committees, as a community coach, as a parent of an ’09 grad, and in other ways. So when Westminster announced a series of Community Conversations about racial equity this summer, Chuck spoke at all three sessions. “If understanding your history is lost, you’re missing the moment to grow and learn. And what better place than Westminster to grow and learn?” Combining the personal experience of attending Westminster as a Black student in the 1970s and ’80s with professional experiences leading change management at major corporations, Chuck Easley ’82 hoped to remind his fellow Wildcats of the School’s history—and position it in
a way that helps Westminster move forward. “If your history isn’t carried forward, you can end up learning what’s already been learned, and instead of taking any steps forward, you end up back at zero,” he says. Westminster’s history as a school that inspires its students to think deeply is clear when Chuck begins talking about his teachers and mentors like Eddie DuPriest and Frank Finsthwait and the ways he learned how to think while a student here. He says he hopes the School will rely on parts of its existing culture, like its record of teaching students to wrestle with cognitive dissonance, to make change that is authentic to the School and pushes the community forward in meaningful ways. Chuck remembers learning about teachers and coaches like Bob Ward and Paul Koshewa and their willing-
ness to compete against teams and schools with Black players before, during, and after desegregation. Just as he remembers those coaches as models, Chuck says it is still important for Westminster to lead in ensuring racial equity in its classrooms, locker rooms, stage, culture, community, and across Atlanta: “Let’s make sure we have our house in order. Like it or not, others are going to look at Westminster and ask what we’re doing—there’s a certain level of accountability. There is a Westminster way. We must cherish, respect, add to it, and expect that excellence in all we do, all the time.”
, FACULTY TYREE CHURCHILL SIMON ’92 E IN MIND WHY WE TEACH WITH CULTUR Groups of faculty across campus consistently examine both their materials and methods through the lens of creating an equitable, inclusive classroom experience. Tyree Churchill Simon ’92 leads the Middle School English professional learning community (PLC) and is working with her English department colleagues to ensure the texts they teach reflect a variety of identities. “In order to have a worldview that is truly realistic, the canon has to be diverse. In fact, the choice of what we teach in English classes can be the most ethical choice of our career.”
thought and intention into selecting texts that connect with students while introducing them to new ideas. Amid this summer’s protests, and the hurt and confusion many students were feeling, the teachers of the English department renewed their focus on finding books that reflect the diversity in their classrooms and introduce cultures not represented. “If literature is our lens into humanity in all of its messiness, injustice,
beauty, and hope for our own humanity, then it is critical that we provide a lens that allows students to see the diversity that our world includes—the full range of humanity and experience,” says English PLC leader Tyree Simon ’92. When these stories are paired with classroom discussions, they allow students to wrestle with what Tyree calls the “necessary discomfort” of life, building the critical-thinking skills they will need throughout their lives.
Reading a book that changes your view of the world, others, or yourself is an almost universal experience in Middle School English. That’s by design—faculty put a great deal of
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KADABA, FACULTY I AM D AN LY AF HL SC NE AN H LEIG WHY WE CELEBRATE IDENTITY Learning more about the world is what Lower School is all about—and that includes learning about the things that make people the same or different. First grade teaching team Ami Kadaba and Leigh Anne Schlafly share a few examples of how to talk about differences like race, culture, and religion with small children—and why it’s important. “We want our students to feel like they are important and like who they are matters.” Leigh Anne Schlafly In the first grade classroom of Leigh Anne Schlafly and Ami Kadaba, one of the important lessons students learn every day is to celebrate their own identities and those of their peers. Whether the class is made up of students of different races or religions or even different heights, the teachers guide their students toward respectful conversations that lead them to be excited about one another’s cultures and identities.
First grade students are at an age where they already observe some differences between themselves and other people, though they are still just beginning to learn about others. “They’re very aware of who they are. They’re much more aware of their outsides than their insides,” Ami says. One annual class project is to have each student make a paper model of themselves. These models include depictions of their interests and families, as well as giving each student a chance to reflect their own physical appearance by choosing their own paper colors and shapes for their bodies and features. The “people” hold hands on the wall at the front of the classroom all year long, with a teacher’s model on either end.
Elsewhere in the classroom, the bookshelf is stocked with biographies and stories about people of varying ages, races, languages, and cultures. Families of all religions are invited in (over Zoom this year!) to share about the holidays they celebrate. “We want all our students to feel comfortable and proud of who they are,” Leigh Anne says.
“Kids know who they are; it’s not a secret. It’s not something to hide or something you don’t talk about,” Leigh Anne says. “We’ll hold our arms out and say, ‘What color will you choose for yourself?”
ANDREW DOTSON ’21 WHY I MARCHED Andrew Dotston ’21 was one of an estimated 2,000-3,000 people who marched from the intersection of West Paces Ferry Road and Northside Parkway to the Governor’s Mansion on June 7 in the Buckhead for Black Lives March, organized by students and young alumni of Westminster, Lovett, and Pace. “One thing I thought was important was the symbol of taking up the street.” Andrew Dotson ’21 remembers seeing thousands of people gathered at the Publix shopping center when he arrived to march down West Paces Ferry Road in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Andrew didn’t have a formal role in organizing the Buckhead for Black Lives protest, but he made sure to spread the word
28 | Fall/Winter 2020
on social media beforehand. Like many, he’d been actively discussing the racism issues resurfacing around the country. “With the nature of where the march was taking place, the more people who were there to show solidarity with the cause, the more powerful it would be,” he says. Students, parents, faculty and staff members, and others marched two miles from their gathering spot to the Governor’s Mansion, where several students spoke about their experiences of racism and their hopes for the future. The public nature of protesting drew Andrew to the march. “It was important to break from what has always been done—the sense of ‘oh, we should talk about it,’ in a controlled
setting. It forces other people to listen in a sense and leaves a legacy with it,” he says. “You could see the recognition from faculty and people in the administration that Black voices in particular wanted things to change within the campuses. It showed unity that the different schools wouldn’t be able to ignore.”
DOMINIQUE HOLLOMAN ’97 GING WITH BLACK ALUMNI WHY I’M ENGA Dominique Holloman ’97, a member of the Alumni Association Governing Board, is leading a newly created Black Alumni Council that operates as part of the alumni association. “When you think about Westminster and some of those intrinsic values we have, one of them is excellence. When you come from a place of excellence, you always believe that you can do better, that things can be better, that you can change things for the better.”
member to be a voice and share a voice,” she explains. Having done similar work with her collegiate alma mater, the University of Georgia, Dominique was asked to lead the steering committee to create a Black Alumni Council that will lead initiatives designed to engage Black alumni.
Out of a sense of purpose and duty to improve the experiences of Black students and alumni, Dominique Holloman ’97 volunteered to help engage Black alumni in whatever way would be effective. “I felt it was my responsibility as an alumni board
Dominique says she wants the School to better recognize and celebrate the experiences of its Black students and alumni, which are varied from one another but are fundamentally different from those of white students in some ways. She desires to create spaces and opportunities for Black alumni, acknowledging while there are some who would describe their Westminster years positively, others don’t. “There is a huge chunk of our alumni base we are missing by not having Black alumni engaged,” she says. “When we intentionally create space, that assists with connectivity and engagement. If you can’t see yourself in a space, you don’t feel a reason to connect.”
USTEE DANA WEEKS UGWONALI, TRIN MMITTEE WHY I’M LEAD G A BOARD CO One of the initial steps in the School’s work toward creating a cultural shift for greater equity and inclusion was the creation of a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee under the Board of Trustees. Dana Weeks Ugwonali, a trustee and parent of three Wildcats, leads this diverse group of 19 trustees, parents, alumni, and staff. “If you look at our Christian mission to love and serve and our commitment to fostering leaders for tomorrow by supporting the larger community with the inclusion of all traditions and people, Westminster is poised to lead in this area and make a difference.” Dana Weeks Ugwonali views chairing the Board of Trustees’ new Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee as an opportunity to lead work many are passionate about in a place we
all hold dear. “I had some powerful discussions with President Keith Evans, Board of Trustees Chair Joel Murphy ’76, other Board members, and many community members, and we saw that Westminster is ready not only to tackle the tough conversations but also to invite everyone to participate in this work,” Dana says, noting that the School, prior to this summer, had already engaged in DEI work that our community can build upon. In 2020, the work hit particularly close to home for Dana, who is halfBlack and half-Asian, as COVID-19 disparately affected Black and Brown communities and caused an increase in anti-Asian sentiment. On top of that, the intensity and frequency of violence against Black men and women circulating by video meant children were seeing more news about racism than ever before. “This summer’s events and subsequent protests made us talk about things that make a lot of people uncomfortable, but now we see that there are a
growing number of people who feel compelled to act,” she says. When it comes to advancing equity and inclusion at Westminster specifically, Dana focuses on the way education is foundational for the rest of a student’s life: “With this work, we have an opportunity to grant people of all races, all genders, all sexual orientations, and all faiths the same access to share and receive the incredible education we have to offer. Families trust Westminster to be able to give their children a top-notch education and to help set them up for success later in life.” While the work is urgent, Dana, the Board, and the School are focused on creating longterm change through processes that are thorough and inclusive of many different community members: “It’s impossible to solve systemic inequality in a year, but we can move the needle and build upon the foundation of lots of people who have been doing excellent work.”
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A Pandemic Reshapes 2020 An unidentified virus that infected a cluster of people in Wuhan, China, in late 2019 went on to ripple throughout the continents, altering daily life for nearly everyone on Earth. Businesses and public life shuttered as COVID-19 began its global spread. At the time of this publication eight months into the pandemic, the virus remains a large factor in lives around the world. After launching a remote learning program we called Virtual Westminster less than a week after returning from Spring Break, physical classrooms sat empty for months. Alumni working in hospitals around the country were suddenly doing so with rationed
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face masks, plastic face shields, and swirling questions about the mysterious new virus. Many in our community knew friends or family members who contracted COVID-19. Sadly, some in our community lost friends and loved ones to the disease. Despite—and at times, inspired by— the monumental difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic, spring 2020 was a time Wildcats leaned on our shared values. The collection of stories here represent only a few of the countless community members who persevered through the pandemic and helped others do the same.
Virtual Westminster
Teaching and Learning Through A Pandemic more all happened over Zoom and other remote learning apps.
Upon returning from Spring Break on Monday, March 9, cases of COVID-19 had started popping up in the United States, and even in Atlanta. It was clear that we wouldn’t avoid its effects by limiting travel. The School called an emergency teacher workday for Thursday and a beta test of virtual learning for Friday. Just in case. Thursday began as a crash course in digital teaching to prepare for the beta test and any future digital learning, should it be required. Teachers worked on technical skills like creating breakout rooms in Zoom, syncing with iPads, and taking advantage of other apps. They also adapted lesson plans for the flow of videoconference discussion—something still unknown to many at that point. Late that afternoon, Governor Brian Kemp held a press conference to ask schools and child
care centers to close their doors temporarily. Teachers and students alike became accustomed to virtual learning as it became the “new normal” for the remainder of the spring semester. Wildcats even found ways to have a little fun with it: background show-and-tell, scavenger hunts, musical performances recorded Brady Bunch-style, visits with far-flung guest speakers, and
During the summer months, many faculty members turned their attention toward further using technology to create engaging lessons for students, whether in the classroom or learning remotely. “I had already begun designing interactive units for my students as an extra tool to help them better grasp grammar for the coming year due to the implications of COVID, and having the opportunity to participate in Westminster’s professional development sessions this summer really helped me to create more comprehensive and student-centered interactive units for my students who would be attending virtually, and those would be face-to-face,” says Upper School French and Spanish teacher Jason Smith.
The IT Team Most people who spend their days on campus are familiar with the magic that happens at the Knowledge Bar. From small issues that feel like anything but for the user (a stuck spacebar or a lost voicemail) to the infrastructure that supports internet connections for 6,000+ devices on campus at once, the Instructional Technology team keeps Westminster running. And when COVID-19 hit, these Cats rose to the occasion. While students were away for spring break, the team started working on a contingency plan: How would they be able to
distribute iPads to the youngest students, who don’t typically take classroom devices home? Which digital platform would most smoothly allow teachers to facilitate rich conversations between their students? After the transition to Virtual Westminster, the team provided live service to anyone who called the help line during regular hours through a phone tree including all 12 members of the department. Students needing to have a device repaired or replaced were able to make individual appointments for socially distanced hand-offs on campus.
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The ER Doctor
Whitney Cesari Deal ’03 When emergency physician Whitney Cesari Deal ’03 donned her protective gear for shifts in the emergency rooms of MedStar Franklin Square and Union Memorial in Baltimore, Maryland, she often thought about Westminster. With gear sitting unused in our science labs and hospitals facing shortages of personal protective equipment in the spring, the Middle School donated its entire goggle supply to the hospitals where Whitney works.
not typical protective gear, Whitney explains. Given that, she and her colleagues still wear the ones provided by Westminster. Whitney continues to treat COVID-19 patients. There are many ways the pandemic has been difficult for the medical community, but one stands out to Whitney: the experience of bringing a phone to the bedside of patients who are about to be intubated. “We know that might
be the last time that patient talks to their family members,” she says. COVID-19 is anything but normal, even in an emergency room. But for Whitney, treating patients with the virus is a point of pride. “We are trained for this. The scariest times are when we are ready to step up. I chose to be an emergency medicine doctor because we are there 24/7. I take pride in that.”
“I could never have imagined this scenario where I am getting medical equipment from the very same classroom where I dissected a pig and learned to light a Bunsen burner,” Whitney wrote in a thank you note in late April. “I had to intubate a patient with COVID last night for the first time, and I wore my Westminster chem goggles. I seriously felt like I had you all cheering for me as I was sweating under all my gear trying to come through for this patient.” Most viruses don’t spread through the eyes, so goggles are
The Letter Writer When campus went dark in March, President Keith Evans committed to writing a letter to Westminster parents every school day Virtual Westminster was in session. “Writing each day since we vacated campus has been an attempt to rescue from this crisis
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the hidden blessings that any of us might otherwise overlook,” he wrote to families May 21, the final day of Virtual Westminster. “For that reason, a few paragraphs every 24 hours or so have kept me firmly connected to a sense of hope and gratitude.”
We’ve archived President Keith Evans’ letters at westminster.net/ covid-19 for a look back at the daily ebbs and flows of virtual learning and COVID19’s societal toll.
The Restaurateur Michael Lennox ’03 COVID-19’s effect on restaurants has been evident throughout the pandemic. With temporary closures, pivots to new business models, loss of work for employees, and even permanent shuttering, the upheaval has been great. For restaurateur Michael Lennox ’03, only one response made sense: jump in and do something for the hospitality community. Warming weather signals the beginning of the busy season at Michael’s restaurants, Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall, Muchacho, and Golden Eagle. The restaurants— and the 125-plus people employed there—depend on a large amount of foot traffic from the Atlanta BeltLine. With a pandemic sending people into their homes just as spring approached, it quickly became clear to Michael that keeping the restaurants open in the early days of COVID-19 wasn’t going to make sense. The day after temporarily closing his restaurants, Michael pivoted toward providing meals for out-ofwork restaurant employees across Atlanta and started pulling from
his restaurant network to form a nonprofit to coordinate the relief effort. Inspired by the daily custom of “family meal” in restaurants, where the staff shares a hearty meal together before a shift, Michael named the new nonprofit ATLFAMILYMEAL and got to work. “It was rooted in the understanding that, if all the restaurants in Atlanta are closed, you have hundreds of thousands of people who are without jobs,” Michael says. “Under the best conditions, before COVID-19, the vast majority of the hospitality industry lives paycheck-topaycheck. You’ve got a recipe for massive hunger and food insecurity.” So, ATLFAMILYMEAL recruited closed or underutilized restaurants around the city to start preparing meals for delivery to hospitality workers. As of September, more than 100,000 meals had been served to hospitality staff all over metro Atlanta, with financial gifts from businesses and individuals making it possible to provide free meals.
Alumni, parents, and past parents own more than 30 restaurants in the Atlanta area. Wildcats everywhere were asking their friends, neighbors, and community, “How can I help?” in the early days of the pandemic, and Westminster’s alumni engagement team created #CATS4CATS as a resource to help our community support one another. The online guide features links to restaurants and franchises owned by members of the Westminster
Restaurants are paid to produce meals through ATLFAMILYMEAL, giving kitchen staff who are out of work or working reduced hours an additional income opportunity while the restaurant industry rebuilds. While still providing meals to hospitality workers, as well as running his since-reopened restaurants, Michael is focused on his long-term vision for ATLFAMILYMEAL. The nonprofit has secured funding to provide at least 300,000 more free meals, as well as developing initiatives like workforce development and food and hospitality education in pursuit of more sustainable and inclusive local food systems.
community and encourages people to order takeout or purchase gift cards or merchandise from the businesses. The #CATS4CATS initiative has grown since its April launch and now includes a guide to Wildcat-owned small businesses of all kinds in the Atlanta area.
Visit westminster.net/cats4cats to browse the 45+ businesses listed! WESTMINSTER | 33
The Innovators The fifth grade InnovationCats all had April 18 marked on the calendar—that was the Saturday they were set to take over the outside spaces at Love Hall for the second annual “What IF?” Innovation Fair, a time for students and their families to be creative with interactive experiments. The fifth graders had been planning the fair for months, so they didn’t let the cancellation of the in-person event keep them from sharing opportunities to innovate.
“The goal of the Innovation Fair is to let the creative juices flow and let people innovate, so we made tutorials on things people could build at home, but we tried not to give step-by-step instructions,” says InnovationCat Alex Chen ’27. Alex learned to be more creative with materials inside his home to make tutorials about how to build a lightsaber and make an infinity mirror. Other challenges the club issued included building Rube Goldberg machines and creating at-home roller coasters.
“The sad thing is that we didn’t get to see people while they were building things, but we did get to see the compilations of the projects,” Alex says. “People did look pretty happy in their videos. I hope it made their quarantine a little brighter.”
The Musician As a New Yorker and a performing guitarist, Kaki King ’98’s life changed drastically in March 2020. Kaki was wrapping up production on her newest album, Modern Yesterdays, when the city began to shut down. And when she caught COVID-19. “I couldn’t taste hand soap in my mouth. I had to wonder, ‘Am I going to die at the Javits Center?’” she remembers, noting one of the conference centers that was transformed into a makeshift hospital as New York City became the early epicenter of the US outbreak.
stay put, and New Yorkers did that with pride, love, resilience, and stamina,” Kaki says. It took about a month for her to feel fully healthy again. And like many parents suddenly at home with young children, being home with her wife and kids was a jolt in the midst of a career performing around the world: “The fact that I could go check into my own hotel room meant that when I was home, I could be incredibly present. Not having that reprieve has been a very deep change.”
Between the seemingly endless list of possible symptoms, conflicting messaging about the disease’s toll on the body, and almost no available testing, the early days of the pandemic were full of confusion.
Coming off a several-month touring hiatus, Kaki was set to start performing live again in April ahead of releasing Modern Yesterdays in October. With her live shows cancelled, she opted not to jump into too much virtual performing.
“It was certainly terrifying, but there was nowhere to run and panic. The best thing to do was
“I have had a long career, and I intend to have a long career again, and it was too much for me
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to take on right now. The health of my family, the sanity of my children, their ability to grow up with some kind of childhood—that has absolutely taken the first priority,” she says. Still, she’s ready to return to live performance as soon as it’s safe to do so: “I miss the sound of a crowd. I miss the experience of meeting the audience afterward and getting to work with a talented crew every night. I love the sound of a well-tuned sound system, the lighting, all of it. I miss every aspect of it. I terribly miss being an audience member, maybe even more so. I will feel a sense of homecoming the next time I step on a stage in front of a live audience. It’s the only job I’ve ever had, and it’s the only thing I’ve ever loved doing.”
The Art Collector Katherine Andrews ’24 Inspired by her own grandmother, then-eighth grader Katherine Andrews realized she could spread joy to senior citizens who were suddenly unable to visit with family and friends. So, she rallied her fellow students and collected more than 250 pieces of artwork to give away. With the help of Middle School Civic Engagement Coordinator Hartley Jeffries Glass ’02, art poured in, with teachers and advisors encouraging students to turn in pieces. Students from across Westminster contributed pieces, as well as a few of Katherine’s neighbors and other friends.
Katherine delivered the artwork to Cathedral Towers, a nonprofit apartment complex for seniors in Buckhead. She collected enough art for every resident to receive a piece, and then some! “The residents were very happy about the donations,” Katherine says. “Several of them spoke to me about how grateful they were for all of the artwork and said that it put smiles on many faces!” Now inspired by a cousin, Katherine plans to put together another art donation for the holidays, sending pieces to children’s cancer organizations this time.
Watch the news story local station FOX 5 Atlanta ran about Katherine’s project at westminster.net/magazine
The Athletic Teams The spring sports season, in which four varsity teams sought to repeat as state champions, was canceled even before region play began in earnest. Student-athletes and coaches continued to build on the relationships first created on the field through daily workouts, weekly Zoom calls, and creative social media videos.
“Part of the reason we play sports is that it gives us an opportunity to risk, it gives us an opportunity to face uncertainty, it gives us an opportunity at times to hurt and ultimately gives us an opportunity to build resilience. Otherwise, there’s really no justification for the amount of time and effort that we put into high school sports. If we just do it to have fun, if we just do it to glorify ourselves, then that’s really not worth the time that we put into it.” — Varsity girls soccer head coach Clark Meyer, in an online Atlanta Journal-Constitution feature about the pandemic’s impact on high school sports WESTMINSTER | 35
As the pandemic continued, the Class of 2020 missed many of the milestones they’d anticipated. Faculty and staff from across the School rallied to create drive-through experiences so these students and their families could celebrate while observing social distance. See more photos of the events on pages 52–55.
The Mask Distributor For the last three years, Azeez Ishaqui ’21 has used his own savings and donations from family friends to purchase sewing machines so widows in a village near Bengaluru, India, can take sewing jobs to earn money. With public health officials urging the use of face masks starting this spring, Azeez came up with a new way to help the women earn money while helping even more people. He contracted with the women in India to make more
than 1,000 masks, which he then donated to Atlanta Mission, Our House, and The Salvation Army. Azeez was “moved by the economic disparity so much that an unstoppable force from within told him to do something about it, and, thus, his service project was born,” college counselor Anthea Economy told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Azeez continues to raise money to have more cloth masks made.
Read the AJC’s article about Azeez and the mask project at westminster.net/magazine
36 | Fall/Winter 2020
The Supporters The counselors, learning strategists, and nurses who make up our Student Support team can be found all over campus on any given day. With students suddenly working from their homes all across Atlanta, the team had to adapt to help meet students’ academic and social-emotional needs without the in-person connections that are the typical bedrock of their work. Keeping student meetings engaging and personal while maintaining privacy proved to be a challenge but also resulted in getting to know students differently in some ways, like when pets showed up on screen or when Lower Schoolers wanted to give house tours. By using digital tools like short videos, Student Support faculty were able to respond to needs they heard from teachers about global difficulties students were having during Virtual Westminster—topics like learning to be
more disciplined in the early days of remote learning or a loss of confidence amid the uncertainty of the pandemic. “At a high-achieving school with high expectations, we had students who felt like they couldn’t meet those expectations when the world around them had changed. Our students did get frustrated, but then they took the time to be okay,” says Upper School Learning Strategist Cat Monroe. Cat notes that more students reached out directly to the learning support team than in a typical semester instead of waiting to be referred by a teacher. Working from home while taking care of their own families’ needs, the Student Support team, like all faculty members, balanced their personal lives with great care and dedication for their students. Many people took note with gratitude: “I received more thank you cards during COVID than I have in my entire career,” Cat says.
Perseverance Continues As campus slowly reopened beginning with outdoor summer camps and the return of select staff over the summer, COVID-19 continued to be a leading factor in all decision-making, as it is at the time of publication. Faculty designed lessons that could be taught virtually, in person, or in a hybrid model. Staff placed gallon jugs of hand sanitizer at every building entrance on campus. Nurses
and others learned to operate scanners that measure each student’s temperature every morning. Amid these changes, students continued to persevere, rely on one another, and spread positive change in the world. Just as we look back on the end of the 2019-20 school year with both sadness and many reasons to be proud of our community, the same types of stories are unfolding now. WESTMINSTER | 37
Wildcat Den
SPRING/SUMMER 2020 ATHLETICS NEWS The close of in-person learning across the state in March meant an abrupt end to the spring sports season. Our soccer, lacrosse, tennis, golf, track and field, baseball, rowing, and gymnastics teams, all off to strong starts, were unable to complete their seasons but remained connected through digital platforms. We look forward to once again reporting on athletic results in the Spring 2021 issue of Westminster Magazine!
STUDENT-ATHLETE RECOGNITIONS From Middle School to the pros, Wildcat athletes made a mark this spring despite the cancellation of athletic competitions. Enjoy reading about the athletes featured here and the range of athletic accolades they’ve earned!
38 | Fall/Winter 2020
LACROSSE
FOOTBALL
CHARLIE TRENSE ’15
the Notre Though his last season with short, Charlie cut was Irish g htin Dame Fig in the rall was selected seventh ove draft by se ros Lac 2020 Major League rds host Liza The . rds Liza k the New Yor sity in ver home games at Hofstra Uni k. Yor Hempstead, New
BLAKE GILL
IKIN ’16
Blake, who wrapped up four seasons Penn State’s as starting pun ter, signed w the New Orle ith ans Saints as an undrafte free agent. d He is the onl y Nittany Lio nail seven p n to unts of 65 o r more yard s.
SWIMMING LD
TRACK & FIE
ITH ’24 , GRACE SM n was short ring seaso for sp t e e e th m h g ld u e o
Th nd fi one track a le it only took k the Midd a re b to 4 ’2 h rdles! it u m h S r Grace 00-mete rd in the 3 8, co .3 6 re l :4 o 0 o f Sch h a time o it w n d e a h n is in the tio Grace fin o.2 ranking the event. N a r e h g earnin girls in dle School among Mid
SOFTBALL
JOE RODRIGUEZ ’16 AN
D GIGI JOHNSON ’22
Joe, a first class cadet at the Coast Guard Academ y, is the first swimmer in Academy’s history to qua the lify for the Olympic trials. He swam the 50-meter fre in 23.07 to qualify for the e USA team trials, which wil l now take place in June 2021. Gigi Johnson ’22 qua lified for the trials in the 200-meter breaststroke with a time of 2:30.69.
BASEBALL
RANKIN WOLEY ’16 JULIE RHE
E ’21
Julia, a me mber of th e Wildcat so team, is th ftball e recipient of a region Georgia Po al sitive Athle te Award a Northside nd the Hospital Le adership A The Positive ward. Athlete Aw ards prom more positi ote vity in youth sports with recipients honored fo r th attitude, te ammate en eir “optimistic couragem servant lea ent, dership, an d heart for others.”
elder picked up an The Auburn Tiger infi eason accolades sts po impressive list of ete d SEC Scholar-Athl including being name thlete -A lar ho Sc le Ma s rn’ of the Year and Aubu a as d was also tabbe of the Year. Rankin cond All-American and Se ll ba se Collegiate Ba ge lle Co the by an ric -Ame Team Academic All . ca eri Directors of Am Sports Information
WESTMINSTER | 39
WILDCAT DEN
NATIONAL SIGNING DAY Twenty-four members of the Class of 2020 signed letters of intent to play a sport at the collegiate level. Visit westminster.net/magazine to watch WCAT’s Signing Day coverage.
Sarah Grace Allen Rowing Smith College
40 | Fall/Winter 2020
David Dickey Golf Furman University
Will Benton
Maggie Graham
Football Southern Methodist University
Soccer Duke University
Peter Bernot
Will Graves
Swimming Washington & Lee University
Lacrosse Haverford College
William Bollwerk
Will Hallmark
Swimming Lafayette College
Football Furman University
Ryan Chambliss
Parks Harber
Lacrosse Swarthmore College
Baseball University of Georgia
WILDCAT DEN
Connor Hinkes Swimming University of Notre Dame
Zachary Roe Cross Country and Track & Field University of Georgia
William Lybrook
Davis Smith
Baseball Harvard University
Basketball Michigan State University
Tyler McCamey Soccer Princeton University
Katherine Vuckovic
Cross Country and Track & Field University of Toronto
Walker McPhail
Alex Wagner
Golf Washington & Lee University
Soccer Vanderbilt University
Betsy Moore Volleyball Washington & Lee University
Paul Weathington Jr. Lacrosse Princeton University
Riley Patton
Joel Williams
Soccer Davidson College
Baseball Florida A&M University
Tori Penn
Alex York
Soccer University of Georgia
Swimming and Diving Emory University
WESTMINSTER | 41
Faculty and Staff
Farewells The four faculty members who retired at the end of the 2019-20 school year represent, in many ways, the relationships that make Westminster a special community for so many. This group has guided and served students from their first days in Lower School all the way through making the leap to college. We give thanks for the myriad ways they have shaped the Westminster experience, and we wish them the best as they pursue new adventures.
Nancy Beane Associate Director of College Counseling 31 years “What’s so exciting to me is that I have no idea when I counsel students what they’re going to do five years, 10 years, 20 years out. And watching them on their paths to success, it’s just been so exciting. I am in total awe of what so many of our students have done.”
Nancy Beane arrived at Westminster in 1989 as a history teacher with more than 20 years of classroom experience. By 1992, she found a new passion in helping students find the best place to build on their Westminster experience on a college or university campus. By 2016, she was elected President of the 15,000-member National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), the pinnacle of professional leadership in her field.
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The trajectory of Nancy’s career is not so surprising to her beloved colleagues or to her legion of devoted students and alumni. Her honesty, transparency, candor, and plain-spoken common sense inspire trust in the gentle guidance that she offers along the journey of choosing a college. Her personal integrity created a connection for our families while her high professional standards won the confidence of colleagues both in secondary schools and in higher education. Nancy’s professional leadership did not begin with her role at NACAC. She had previously served as the President of the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling in 2004-05 and on the Board of Trustees for the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools from 2012 to 2015. Fellow college counselor Anthea Economy appreciates the way Nancy received her with open arms into the college counseling office at Westminster and says, “The single most important lesson Nancy taught me was to pay attention closely to each and every child, and to always care for them, and to always love them. She always took time out of her schedule to help me learn and grow.” Nancy consistently showed genuine and enthusiastic interest in the students under her care, attending performances, sporting events, recitals, and ceremonies during her personal time to encourage and support her “kids.” She was able to personally advocate for her students in the college admissions process because she truly knew them, loved them, and showed up for them. Nancy accomplished a rare feat in her career. She
FACULTY AND STAFF earned the affection and respect of her colleagues, her students, and their parents while putting Westminster in the national spotlight as a leader in a challenging but vitally important field. For the keen insight, hard work, and faithful spirit that her many achievements demanded, we say “thank you!” and wish Nancy a retirement every bit as fulfilling as her legendary career.
to build on in their later academic pursuits. Many Westminster alums note that they learned to write here and have Peggy to thank for that. Fortunately, Peggy assures us that when she isn’t traveling or spending time with her beautiful granddaughter Chloe, she wants to stay connected to Westminster through substitute teaching. Peggy, for your fun-loving spirit, the lessons you’ve taught, the books you’ve read, and the difference you’ve made in hundreds of young lives, we thank you and look forward to seeing you back in Love Hall often. Congratulations, Peggy!
Peggy Jagger
Fourth Grade Teacher 10 years Peggy’s spirit is captured in a few lines of poetry she shared from Mary Oliver’s collection, Devotions. Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.
Great teachers often hone their craft in a variety of settings, learning new strategies for different student audiences. Peggy Jagger is one such teacher. We are profoundly grateful both for her positive impact on Love Hall’s culture and her commitment to the broader purpose of helping young people realize their full potential. Most recently a fourth grade teacher, Peggy began her time at Westminster as a literature teacher in the Girls’ High School in 1968. After a career in various schools teaching across age ranges, Westminster was fortunate to welcome Peggy back full-time in 2012 and reap the benefit of all of her experience, versatility, and wisdom. In Westminster’s fourth and fifth grades, Peggy distinguished herself as a masterful teacher whose expertise in teaching writing created a strong foundation for her students
Patty Johnson
Lower School Physical Education Teacher 25 years “I have the best job in the whole world— teaching physical education and coaching! There is no better place to see kids be themselves as they make a commitment to be healthy, to be fit, and to learn a wide variety of lifetime skills. Seeing my students grow up from the Lower School through Upper School is ‘icing on the cake.’”
Patty Johnson’s enthusiasm, energy, and initiative are proof of what happens when you wake up everyday believing you have the best job in the world. For 25 years, Patty taught physical education in Love Hall, including a 13-year stint as PE Department Chair. Patty’s life’s work has been ensuring that elementary-aged students develop a wellness mindset—physically, socially, and emotionally. Patty gained the respect and admiration of her colleagues and students alike as she demonstrated energetic leadership on cross-divisional projects, created the robust and popular Lower School intramurals program, and ensured the success of favorite Lower WESTMINSTER | 43
FACULTY AND STAFF School events like the annual Swim Meets and Field Days. More recently, she started Athleti-Cats, a highly sought-after fifth grade leadership club. Patty’s positive influence extended beyond the Lower School in her work as a beloved golf and cheerleading coach. She was recognized in 2003 with the Merrill Award, a fitting tribute to her always positive spirit and devotion to Westminster. That devotion has never wavered over the years, and we fully hope and expect that Patty will remain connected to the School even in retirement! Patty and her husband, Norman, are the parents of Westminster alumni Natalie Johnson Charles ’99 and Grant Johnson ’02, and they look forward to spending lots of quality time with their precious grandchildren, Emy, Ella, Jane, and Jules. Thank you, Patty, for your faithfulness over time and for the joy that you have brought to our School. You have left an indelible impression on your students and colleagues, and we wish you every good thing in the years ahead!
of the 2019-20 school year. Under Bill’s guidance and leadership, our PE program for Westminster’s youngest learners has flourished. Ask any child about their favorite part of the day, and PE is pretty much guaranteed to make the list—and many would specifically mention the games of Star Wars! In the gym with Bill, our youngest students were introduced to athletics, healthy lifestyle choices, and the joy of being physically active. Additionally, Bill has always prioritized investing in the whole child. Beyond the core discipline of physical education, Bill has seamlessly incorporated literacy and math into his curriculum. Love Hall students have known and loved him for his warmth, humor, and skill at painlessly extracting loose baby teeth! Bill has been a cornerstone of the Love Hall faculty and has been honored for excellence in his teaching as a recipient of the Bobo Family Award, Alumni Fellows Award, O. Wayne Rollins Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching, and the William A. Parker Sr. Exceptional Service Award. Bill, thank you for sharing your gifts with us and allowing our students to discover and unwrap theirs. From the students who first learn how to throw and catch in your class to those who go on to pursue athletic endeavors because of your encouragement, your impact on every Lower School student is inspiring. We hope you enjoy all of the beautiful moments ahead with your family—especially with your grandchildren, Will, Faith, Sarah, Kate, Haddon, Autumn, and Caroline!
Bill Mosley Lower School Physical Education Teacher 41 years Bill shared Benjamin Franklin’s wisdom as an important guidepost in his career: “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve me and I learn.”
After more than four decades of service to Westminster, beloved Lower School physical education teacher Bill Mosley retired at the end
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FACULTY AND STAFF
Retired Faculty Throughout the Years Peggy Jagger
Nancy Beane
PE Cats: Patty Johnson and Bill Mosley
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FACULTY AND STAFF
Welcome, New Faculty! We welcome 24 new Wildcats to the faculty this year! The anecdotes they offer here show just a glimpse of their adventurous spirits and vast career experiences. DAVID ABRAHAM Upper School History
SARAH DARLING Upper School English
I’ve been on multiple silent meditation retreats, each lasting several days. You could say I’ve attained Enlightenment. *I* wouldn’t say that. But YOU could.
I have always known I wanted to be a teacher. In first and second grades, I would teach the other kids in my neighborhood on my little chalkboard easel at my house. I would like to think I was the first person to teach them fractions!
ALISON AITKEN Middle School Science During college, I participated in an outreach program to expose urban elementary students to unusual and exotic animals. The animals were often more terrified than the students.
JAHANNAH CHRISTIAN Second Grade During college, I traveled to the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil. I cheered on the Jamaican track team with my family.
I learned three languages in college and traveled to countries where I could practice each one. Japanese was the hardest language to perfect.
JAMIE HEMKEN Middle School English
LUCY DIBLASI Second Grade
I collect and read cookbooks cover to cover. I’m drawn to them because cookbooks are like maps...they are precious archives of humanity’s collective wisdom.
So far in 2020: I planned a wedding, got married, moved to a new state, got a new job, and learned how to teach remotely. All during a pandemic and global movement. Whew!
JAMES JESSUP Middle School History
MIKE D’ANDRAIA Upper School Permanent Substitute I make the best pasta fagioli in the world!
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DARIA DILLARD Middle School Math
One of the most exciting things I did in college was to share the stage with the great leader and social activist Angela Davis. I was invited to an event addressing issues related to race and community relations. She and I were both panelists and speakers for the program.
SOPHIE DANIELS Lower School Learning Strategist
CLARA JURCZAK Middle School Math
I have participated in almost every type of singing group including allwomen’s chorus groups, jazz choir, A cappella, musicals, and chamber choirs.
I love to draw, and I take a sketchbook with me whenever I travel. Drawing helps me to slow down and take in my surroundings.
FACULTY AND STAFF
TOM JURCZAK Upper School Science Lab Manager I have picked, in all probability, in excess of 25 gallons of black raspberries in my lifetime.
JAY MCCANN Associate Director of College Counseling I’ve realized that I have unintentionally done a major hike before any big life stage I’ve stepped into. For instance, I hiked the Camino de Santiago both times before my boys were born. Hiking has been one of the best refuges for my own life journey.
GIANNA SCHMIDT Pre-First Grade I grew up as a competitive dancer. My favorite style of dance is contemporary due to the expressive choreography. Dance is still a strong passion of mine, and you can often find me doing pirouettes or relevé around the house.
BROOKE SCHAEFER Upper School Facilitator An unusual hobby or passion I have is for organizing! I worked as a professional organizer in Los Angeles two summers ago. The coolest person I had the pleasure to organize for was Shonda Rhimes.
LAURIE MCRAE Pre-First Grade
KASEY STOUT Lower School Physical Education
I love reading mystery books—a passion that started after reading And Then There Were None in seventh grade. Since then, I’ve read every Agatha Christie novel.
I ran my first mile on accident when I was 4 and haven’t stopped running since.
MICHELLE MURPHY Middle School Math
XUEFEI SUN Upper School Chinese
Keith Evans was my headmaster! I graduated from Collegiate School in Richmond, Virginia. He had a beard back in those days.
I enjoy singing, dancing, and traveling. I am a member and sometimes a Concert MC for the Atlanta Eastern Heritage Choir.
JARON NEAL Lower School Physical Education I am a lifelong Braves fan, and I’m excited to be living in the city of my favorite team.
ROCKIE RONDEAU Lower School Visual Arts I started shooting archery when I was 14. I got into competitive target and 3D archery very quickly and was, at the time, the youngest-ever professional female archer at 19. I’ve competed all over the country and internationally with Team USA.
JENNIFER SANDE ’95 Upper School Math
BRANDON THOMAS Upper School English My first job out of college was as a cook. I did that for a few years until I went to grad school. I still cook for anyone who’s hungry—pig roasts for the entire boarding school at my last place, big grills for friends, and tacos for whoever is hungry. And huevos rancheros aplenty for myself.
WHITNEY WOODWARD ’97 Fourth Grade I love running, and this year I will have completed 20 Peachtree Road Races. I always run it with my mother (who has finished 39 Peachtrees!).
I enjoy artistic applications of math. My newest hobbies include photography and quilting.
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FACULTY AND STAFF
2020 Faculty and Staff Award Recipients Our faculty and staff bring their best selves to help our students grow every day. Through endowed funds established by generous friends of Westminster, annual awards recognize faculty and staff excellence. We extend our congratulations to this year’s recipients and our heartfelt thanks to the donors who invest in our teachers, coaches, and staff members. Alumni Fellows Award
Brent Cavedo, Terri Fry Kaplan ʼ76, Matt Myers, Judy Osborne
The George H. and Lucile K. Lane Distinguished Endowed Chair in English Catherine Zidow
The Goizueta Foundation Faculty of Distinction Kevin Soltau
The Janet Aldridge and George Piercy Science Professorship Akwetee Watkins
The Joseph and Amelia Craver Endowed Professorship Shazeen Porbandarwala
The Anise Chason Wallace Foreign Language Professorship Estefania Olid
Goizueta Foundation Professorship in Language
The Love Family Endowed Chair Vielka Reina
Cynthia Swanson ʼ02
The Bobo Family Award Haley Harris
The Hawkins Professorship in English The Davidson Family Professorship
The Madison F. Cole, Sr. Professorship Matthew Munday
Sabrina Johnson
Katie Campbell
The Mary DuPriest Award for Staff Excellence Tavia Mullen, Eric Saulsberry
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FACULTY AND STAFF The Merrill Award
Scott Cain, Sarah Latham, Daniel Searl, Sarah Stephenson
The O. Wayne Rollins Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching
Claire Aiken, Zac Ferguson-Cogdill, Toi Curry, Ashley Gayanilo, Amy Patel, Dena Scott, Scott Stewart, Melissa Williams, Alisha Williamson
The Schoen Faculty Excellence Award
The William A. Parker, Sr. Exceptional Service Award
The Schoen Staff Excellence Award
Woodward Chair of Christian Education
Brett Alberty, Nicole Justice, Clark Meyer
Liz Ball
The Wildcat Way Coaches Award LB Joel ’09
Beth Abdillah, Pamela Nye, Francisco Simbaña, Heather Widness
Ralph Geeza
The Woodward Fund Biblical Studies Professorship Emily Chapman Ashe ʼ82
The William A. Parker, Sr. Mentoring Faculty Award
Patrick Egan (7th Grade Student), Margaret Arnett (8th Grade Student), Elizabeth Hanson (9th Grade Student), David Charney (10th Grade Student), Doug Boomer (11th Grade Student)
WESTMINSTER | 49
Catching Up
with Retired Faculty: Sandra and Tom Curtis by Jane Lauderdale Armstrong ’74
“THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE WESTMINSTER,” say Sandra and Tom Curtis, and they should know. They taught at the School for a combined 70 years, and their imprint remains in the programs and standards of excellence they established during their tenure. Not to mention that, through the forces of chamber music and cheerleading, Westminster was the background for their love story. Sandra was the first to arrive, joining the Girls School faculty as an art teacher in 1970. Immediately, Sandra found a lifelong friend in her department colleague Gina Carnes. “We worked so well together; we just clicked,” Sandra recalls. When Gina left Westminster, Sandra took over AP Art History classes and became the department chair. Sandra earned two masters degrees in art and education while teaching at Westminster, one from Georgia State and the other from the Bank Street School in New York. Sandra served under all four of Westmister’s past presidents and worked as Dean of Faculty and Academics during Bill Clarkson’s tenure. For several years, she was the only woman on the senior leadership team.
she was an anchor, a listening ear, and a trusted mentor. I truly don’t believe the Center for Teaching would have succeeded without her partnership. Over the years, Tom and Sandra became close family friends.” Although Tom Curtis had considered becoming an Episcopal minister in his younger years, he determined that his true calling was teaching after earning a PhD in Greek and Latin from the University of North Carolina. While on the faculty at the Christ School outside Asheville, he met Jack Kenimer, a former Westminster teacher, who thought Tom would be extremely well-suited to the high academic standards of Westminster. Tom followed up on Jack’s advice and joined the faculty in 1984 to teach Latin and later Greek and German. Bob Spence, a beloved music teacher and superb pianist, found out Tom was interested in classical music and invited him to come to a piano party he was hosting. At the party, Tom noticed an attractive young woman and struck up a conversation. The young woman was, of course, Sandra. Not long after, she passed along some information on chamber music from the Woodruff Arts Center to Tom. He called to thank her for the information. Sandra, the sponsor for the cheerleaders, asked Tom if he would like to join her as she accompanied the group on their bus rides to events, and he said yes! With that, their relationship blossomed, and they were married in 1986.
Particularly gratifying to her was the opportunity to help establish the Center for Teaching, a partnership between Westminster and Drew Charter School devoted to helping teachers improve their craft. Bob Ryshke, the executive director of the Center for Teaching, describes his work with While Tom was teaching Latin and Greek, President Sandra this way: Donn Gaebelein decided Tom would be a splendid New Testament teacher as well. That assignment ultimately “When I arrived on campus, fresh from our move from developed into becoming the department chair for Biblical Las Vegas, Sandra Curtis was one of the first Westminster Studies. As a teacher, Tom set a tone of academic rigor and faculty to welcome and embrace my family and me. Sandra scholarship. As one former student describes: “Sitting in has so many precious qualities, but one that sticks out is his classroom, you couldn’t help but feel inspired by his her humanity and empathy for others. Sandra made the intellect and passion. A teacher like Dr. Curtis makes you decision to move her Dean of Faculty office from Campbell want to do your best for him.” Combining his language to Scott Hall so that I would have a colleague nearby. background with his role as department chair, Tom worked Throughout the last five years of her Westminster career, with the Foreign Language department to create hybrid
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FACULTY AND STAFF
Sandra and Tom Curtis have been married nearly 35 years and met while teaching at Westminster.
This pottery built by Sandra Curtis is made with Mica clay and features Native American designs.
courses for languages and Bible, allowing students to continue in their foreign language study and meet their New Testament requirement.
Demosthenes and Hyperides and plucky, independent Phryne, whose celebrated beauty inspired the famous statue of Aphrodite by Praxiteles. A third novel is also in the works. Titled Hector Ascending, the book transports readers to 2nd century CE where they are introduced to an 18-year-old gladiator who becomes a Christian.
Kay Solomon, Chair of Biblical and Religious Studies at Westminster, thoughtfully summarizes Tom’s impact on the department: “Tom Curtis is a scholar. He walked the halls and sidewalks with his head literally in a book, the way we place our faces in our smartphones. His passion for biblical texts was unrivaled and was poured out each day to his students, who sometimes caught a bit of that passion too. So much so that he sometimes tutored students in, of all things, koine (pronounced koy-nay) Greek, the original language of the New Testament, upon request. Tom was important in leading the department into the 21st century, encouraging the teaching of texts in a way that is accessible to all, no matter the faith tradition.” Sandra and Tom retired in 2012 and moved to Sandra’s family home on Lake Santa Fe in northern Florida, where she has a studio for her clay work. She also regularly participates in art workshops. In the summer, Tom and Sandra escape to their getaway home in Clayton, Georgia. Tom has written two novels that are available on Amazon Kindle. In his first book, Arsinoe’s Journal, we meet the clever and feisty Arsinoe II, Queen of Egypt from 278270 BCE. His second book, To Live the Good Life, is set in Athens during the years 324-322 BCE. The novel portrays the quest for the good life by notable characters such as
The Curtises speak affectionately of their years at Westminster. Sandra reminisces about the abiding bonds of friendship they made with so many faculty and staff— they continue to stay in touch with many colleagues! Tom agrees, citing the breadth of perspectives represented among his Bible department colleagues who made the work so dynamic. He reserves his highest praise for the students and the quality of the relationships he was privileged to share. When asked what his desire for Westminster would be as the School continues to move forward, Tom offered two thoughts: Continue to teach Christian values, and never lose the focus on studentfaculty relationships, as those relationships are what make Westminster such a special place.
Jane Lauderdale Armstrong ’74 is a lifelong Wildcat—alumna, teacher, and daughter of David Lauderdale, one of our School’s earliest faculty members. She combines her love for Westminster’s history and her penchant for the written word to write profiles about retired faculty members for each issue of Westminster Magazine.
WESTMINSTER | 51
Class of 2020 Congratulations, Graduates! As the Class of 2020 finished their last semester virtually, it was time to get creative to celebrate an extraordinary class. Seniors marked several milestones through a series of four Friday Senior Drives in April and May, capped off by a grand finale that included a drive-in movie, the granting of diplomas, and a fireworks show. Students crossed the Pressly steps and received their Westminster Bibles during a formal Commencement ceremony in August.
Dean of Academics and Curriculum Jim Justice and Director of Athletics Tim Downes were part of the “hype squad” cheering for the students before they picked up their goodies.
Class of 2020 Supply List Over the course of four weeks, seniors collected items—some they’d been expecting and a few surprises—designed for fun, nostalgia, and to equip the graduates for the next chapter!
Graduation paraphernalia College counselors, grade chairs, and other faculty waved at the front gate. Nancy Beane’s sign was a big hit!
cap and gown, announcements, celebratory yard signs
Yearbook
dedicated to college counselor Nancy Beane and physics teacher Adam Pullen!
School swag
T-shirts, pom poms, cups, photos
New faculty and staff joined the celebrations every week, forming a socially distanced line halfway down the campus loop road the last week.
52 | Fall/Winter 2020
College survival gear
Laundry hamper from the Alumni Association and a mini toolkit from PAWS
Sweet treats cookies, Rice Krispies treats, cupcakes, popcorn balls, jarred mudslide cake, and candy
Mudslide in a bag Slip ’N Slide, squirt gun, sunglasses, rally towel
CLASS OF 2020
Betsy Moore and mom Anna Bacon Moore ’89 celebrate with a yard sign.
Hailey McKee drives through with her mom Yolanda on her way to receive her yearbook and other treats.
Staff and faculty organized the events to maintain safety with a sense of celebration.
Seniors enjoyed a new sweet treat every week, handed out by President Keith Evans and other faculty.
Parents, siblings, and even dogs joined the fun!
The “Mudslide in a Bag” pickup included the tools for an at-home mudslide—and faculty got a head start spraying the soon-to-be grads!
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CLASS OF 2020
Many graduates were greeted with hugs, smiles, and photo ops as they returned to their seats at the August Commencement ceremony!
Sarah Jane Peterson receives a Bible from President Keith Evans on the front steps of Pressly Hall.
Class of 2020 Co-President Albert Liang addresses his classmates at Commencement.
Faculty and staff, including Upper School nurse Ellen Lagrone ’75, brought out their finest spirit wear (and masks!) for the final drive-through celebration.
William Lybrook shows off his new diploma while waiting to watch the senior video during a “drive-in movie” on the back parking lots at Kent Field.
Connor Frank and family celebrate in style during the final drive-through.
Graduate Ryan Chambliss takes a look at his newly received Westminster Bible during the Commencement ceremony in August.
To ensure proper distance between attendees at Commencement, graduates sat with parents in clusters of chairs each six feet apart from the next cluster.
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CLASS OF 2020
After viewing the traditional senior video, the Class of 2020 and their parents were surprised by a fireworks show!
Christianna Doele and sister Eula Doele ʼ22 enjoy the fireworks show from the roof of their car.
CLASS OF 2020 SENIOR HONORS Anup Bottu, Lauren Kennedy Valedictorians Albert Liang, Laura Sams Salutatorians Sara Ann Brackett Forensics Award Claire Chen Performing Arts—The Band Leadership Award Cole Seagroves Performing Arts—Frank Boggs Award for Outstanding Vocal Achievement Eliza Fleming, Saanya Kapasi Performing Arts—Theatre Arts Award Kevin Chen Performing Arts—Norma Allen Gaebelein Orchestra Award Mason McGarrity Visual Arts 3D Award Emily Puett Visual Arts Digital Award Stephanie Choi Visual Arts Drawing and Painting Award Tori Penn, Paul Weathington Jr. Senior Athlete Award Anna Bradford The Goizueta Foundation Chinese Award Christianna Doele The Goizueta Foundation French Award
Chandler Searcy The Goizueta Foundation Lazaro Herrera Spanish Award
Charlotte Brown, Woods Curry Croft Family Service and Fellowship Award
Caroline Miller George R. Lamplugh Excellence in American History Award
Chandler Searcy Head of Upper School Award
Meimei Xu Gwendolyn M. Cleghorn Award Johnny Fang David T. Lauderdale Jr. Memorial Award Matthew Cha, Lauren Kennedy Leila Mason Venable Eldridge Memorial Award Anup Bottu, Matt Ellis Robert M. Sims Math/Science Award Leslie Coronel The Branham Award for Greatest Progress
Anna Davis Atlanta Journal-Constitution Cup Catherine Wang Thyrza S. Askew Nobility Award Morgan Moore Judith A. Smith Citizenship Award George Alford James G. Patton Citizenship Award Elizabeth Carter Frances Isabelle Outler Memorial Award Albert Liang Richard L. Hull Memorial Award
Labib Mamun Berry Senior Award Zachary Roe, Taylor Thomas Vernon S. Broyles Jr. Christian Leadership Award Mary Grace Morrison, Kavya Vadapalli The President’s Volunteer Service Award Ana Palacios Community Service Award Addie Anderson, Cole Bergman Spirit Award
WESTMINSTER | 55
CLASS OF 2020
Mapping the
Future
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
The Class of 2020 is enrolled at 76 colleges and universities across the United States and internationally. We are cheering them on as they continue their educational journeys!
STANFORD UNIVERSITY (2) CAL POLY, SAN LUIS OBISPO UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA BARBARA (2)
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES (2) UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (3)
SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY (7) TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY (5) UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AUSTIN (2)
56 | Fall/Winter 2020
CLASS OF 2020
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY GRINNELL COLLEGE INDIANA UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO (2) NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY (2)
DARTMOUTH COLLEGE (5)
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME (4)
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN (6)
RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
SMITH COLLEGE WILLIAMS COLLEGE
COLGATE UNIVERSITY CORNELL UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY (2) OF KENTUCKY CARNEGIE MELLON (2) UNIVERSITY (2) CENTRE COLLEGE
BOSTON UNIVERSITY HARVARD UNIVERSITY (3) MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY TUFTS UNIVERSITY
BROWN UNIVERSITY (3) YALE UNIVERSITY (4) BARNARD COLLEGE NEW YORK UNIVERSITY (2) LAFAYETTE COLLEGE LEHIGH UNIVERSITY PRINCETON UNIVERSITY (5) HAVERFORD COLLEGE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA (4) SWARTHMORE COLLEGE GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY (4) HOWARD UNIVERSITY (3) COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA (9) VIRGINIA TECH (2) WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY (7)
DAVIDSON COLLEGE (2) FURMAN UNIVERSITY (3)
DUKE UNIVERSITY (5) ELON UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, CHAPEL HILL (10) WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY (4)
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA (4) COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA (11)
BERRY COLLEGE RHODES COLLEGE
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY RICE UNIVERSITY
TULANE UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA (4)
BELMONT UNIVERSITY (3) VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY (7)
AUBURN UNIVERSITY (6)
SEWANEE: THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH (2)
EMORY UNIVERSITY (6) GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (8) GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
INTERNATIONAL: THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF PARIS UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO (2)
WESTMINSTER | 57
Ties That Bind A beloved tradition is taking a “Ties That Bind” photo after Commencement with new graduates and family members who are alumni of Westminster, Washington Seminary, or NAPS. This year, generations of Wildcats came together in more creative ways to celebrate the strong ties that bind them together!
Addie Anderson ʼ20, Virginia Anderson ʼ12
Mason Arbery ’18, Scott Arbery ’20
Virginia Bailey ’20, Liz Bailey ’17
Wiley Ballard ’12, Perry Ballard ’70, Annie Ballard ’20, Collier Ballard ’19
Anna Bass ’20, Tyler Bass ’17
Claire Bergman ’18, Cole Bergman ’20
Peter Bernot ’20, Annie Bernot ’18
J.D. Blitch V ’20, Betsy Blitch ’18
Ashley Hurt Bollwerk ’88, William Bollwerk ’20, Charlie Hurt Jr. ’55
Christian Bradley ’17, Grayson Bradley ’20, McClain Bradley ’14, Clay Bradley ’79
Angus Carson ’20, Kate Carson ’19, Howard Carson ’78
Matthew Cha ’20, Ryan Cha ’18
58 | Fall/Winter 2020
COMMENCEMENT
Ryan Chambliss ’20, Robbie Chambliss ’16
Ed Croft ’60, Ward Croft ’18, Wicker Croft ’20, Addie Croft ’16, Stockton Croft ’87
Corrie Delva ’20, Nicky Delva ’14
Drew Domescik ’92, Eric Domescik ’88, Caroline Domescik ’20, Kirk Domescik ’86, Benjamin Egan ’19
Vincent Fang ’19, Johnny Fang ’20
Dhruva Ghosh ’20, Ishan Ghosh ’18
Gillian Gracey ’20, Louise Tanner Gracey ’84, Alex Gracey ’18
Maggie Graham ’20, Delaney Graham ’18
Kate Gryboski ’19, Christopher Gryboski ’20
Kel Harper ’75, Mary Claire Harper ’20, Keller Harper ’16
Addison Jones ’18, Trevor Jones ’20, Wirt Jones ’85
Jessica Levine ’20, Billy Levine ’88
Max Linkon ’20, Sam Linkon ’17
Will Lybrook ’87, William Lybrook ’20, Lorie Shell Lybrook ’89
Sydney Martin ’20, Forrest Martin ’17
WESTMINSTER | 59
COMMENCEMENT
Ali Shinall ’02, Walker McPhail ’20, Wimberly Shinall McPhail ’91, Phillip Shinall ’94
Kate Miller ’18, Caroline Miller ’20
Morgan Moore ’20, Brian Moore ’90
Anna Bacon Moore ’89, Betsy Moore ’20, Sarah Bacon ’93, Sterling Bacon ’91
Douglas Nichols ’18, Anne-Catherine Nichols ’20
Ana Palacios ’20, Alex Palacios ’18
Laura-Hill Mitchell Patton ’87, Riley Patton ’20, Jack Patton ’17
Beckwith Browne Payne ’20, Riley Browne Payne ’18
Elizabeth Brougher ’18, William Brougher ’21, Charlotte Polly ’20, Miller Polly ’18
Julianna Puett ’18, Emily Puett ’20
Gevin Reynolds ’15, Telissa Reynolds ’20
David Roe ’92, Zachary Roe ’20, Laura Roe ʼ89
Trevor Rowland ’15, Schyler Rowland ’20
Mac Sams ’86, Laura Sams ’20
Ryan Schaufele ’20, Justin Schaufele ’18
60 | Fall/Winter 2020
COMMENCEMENT
Barret Seagroves ’14, Cole Seagroves ’20, Graham Seagroves ’13
Brayden Smith ’17, Davis Smith ’20
Maddie Turner ’17, Austin Turner ’20
Tanner Uzzell ’20, Sawyer Uzzell ’17
Alex Vuckovic ’15, Katherine Vuckovic ’20
Badger Warner ’19, Riley Warner ’20
Alison Wilkinson ’20, Anna Wilkinson ’18
Jonathan Williams ’20, Adam Williams ’17
Henrietta Wright ’20, Taylor Mitchell Wright ’92
Daven Yadav ’20, Chethan Yadav ’16
Thanks, Wildcats, for all the creative ways you showed your families’ school pride! Peter York ’18, Peter York ’82, Alex York ’20, Andrew York ’20, Jonathan York Jr. ’10 (On FaceTime), Kelly York Hays ’09, Katherine York ’13, Jon York Sr. ’79
WESTMINSTER | 61
Alumni News Dear Alumni, I think we can all agree that 2020 has not been the year we expected. As a country, as a state, and as a school community, we have persevered through a pandemic for the better part of a year. In that process, we have all dealt with uncertainty—and many of us have suffered loss in one or more ways, including in the form of loss of a loved one, loss of livelihood, loss of important experiences, or loss of what we expected our lives to be like this year. It has been anything but easy. During such trying times, many of us turn to our families and faith communities for strength and support. But over the course of the past few months, I’ve found an additional source of encouragement: our alumni community. I’m not surprised at this revelation—but I am heartened by it. Part of our School’s mission is to develop leaders of conscience. And at the most basic level, we cannot become leaders of conscience without first respecting, valuing, and caring for each other. Over the past few months, I’ve seen our school community do just that.
Two specific examples come to mind. In response to important current events—and more broadly to reaffirm Westminster’s commitment to equity and inclusion—Westminster announced in June its commitment to establish a Black Alumni Council. This important group of leaders will help ensure that our School engages, mentors, and supports our Black students and Black alumni. And upon seeing local restaurants lose income in the immediate wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Westminster developed Cats4Cats. This robust list of Atlanta-area restaurants and small businesses owned and operated by Westminster alumni and parents encourages our community members to support each other. As we look toward 2021 with both apprehension and optimism, I hope you will do what you can to uplift our fellow alumni in Atlanta and beyond. And I hope you know our alumni community stands ready to support you, too. Go Cats!
Sarah Hawkins Warren ’00
President, Alumni Governing Board
BLACK ALUMNI COUNCIL The Black Alumni Council, a sub-committee of the Westminster Alumni Association Governing Board, includes Black alumni who reside throughout the United States and represent a wide range of age groups—from the Class of 1973 to the Class of 2019. The Council will spend the year establishing their structure and mission and identifying ways to engage with both current students and alumni. Dominique Holloman ’97 Chair Corliss Blount Denman ’73 Vic Bolton ’76 Ira Jackson ’83 Maria Elmore Harleston ’84 Idara Bassey ’87
62 | Fall/Winter 2020
Thomas Morse ’93 Andre Sulmers ’95 Bobby Rashad Jones ’97 Lauren Duncan Griffey ’97 Wade Rakes ’98 Jae Scarborough ’99
Matt Bland ’01 Ryland McClendon ’03 Samiyyah Ali ’06 Michael Russell ’12 Julian Mason ’18 Zoë-Grace Hargrove ’19
ALUMNI NEWS
Alumni Leadership As leaders within our Alumni Association, the volunteer members of these boards and councils help fulfill Westminster’s alumni strategic plan and are ambassadors for the School.
2020-21 ALUMNI GOVERNING BOARD Sarah Hawkins Warren ’00 President Wab Kadaba ’87 President-Elect Catherine Humann Callaway ’03 Alumni Giving Chair
Andrew Blaisdell ’99 Recording Secretary Susie Soper ’64 Helen Funk McSwain ’70 Ellen Hale Jones ’81 Billy Levine ’88
Charlie Henn ’91 Bianca Camac Bell ’94 Chris Suh ’95 Anna Driver Wick ’95 Dominique Holloman ’97 Walter McClelland ’97
Wade Rakes ’98 Kennedy Hicks ’01 Caroline Rawls Strumph ’08 Ross Conway ’09 John Jones ’74 Honorary Member and
Board Historian
2020-21 YOUNG ALUMNI COUNCIL Caroline Rawls Strumph ’08 Co-Chair Ross Conway ’09 Co-Chair John Gray Seiler ’06
Stephanie Newton Bedard ’07 Crawford Long ’09 Kealy Hartman ’10 Rachel Jordan ’10
Louise Cook Morgan ’10 Sarah Grady ’11 Ellie Lee ’12 Nigel Walker ’13 Sam Barkin ’14
Chase Evans ’14 Emma Reifenberger ’14 Robert deGolian ’15 Cabell Zakas ʼ16
Young Alumni Council: Leveraging the Alumni Network Westminster’s Young Alumni Council is a group of 16 young alumni who plan networking events and other opportunities that help fellow young alumni remain in touch with Westminster and one another. Why do we have a Young Alumni Council? Our young alumni are in an exciting life stage—beginning and pursuing professional and personal journeys that are unique to young adulthood. The Westminster alumni network is powerful, and our Young Alumni Council spearheads initiatives that help other young alumni maintain and grow Wildcat connections. “The Westminster alumni network has been extremely helpful to me in many different aspects of my professional career thus far. Through these opportunities, it is our hope that they will take advantage of the invaluable resources available to them as Westminster alumni,” says co-chair Ross Conway ’09. Co-chair Caroline Rawls Strumph ’08 says she has seen the value of the Westminster net-
work firsthand as she has established her legal practice. “I hope that through the Young Alumni Council, I can empower and encourage other young alumni to lean on the Westminster community to help navigate the challenges associated with building a career through alumni mentorship, employment opportunities, and other community support.” As part of their work, the two Young Alumni Council co-chairs sit on the Alumni Governing Board, advocating for strategies that engage young alumni within our broader alumni opportunities. The Westminster Alumni Association’s Strategic Plan calls for experiences that engage alumni across all life stages—our Young Alumni Council members are committed to helping fulfill this mission through robust and valuable offerings. If you graduated between 2006 and 2016, we’d love to have you be part of our young alumni programming!
WESTMINSTER | 63
Save the Date for
Reunion Weekend, April 23–24, 2021! We look forward to celebrating 18 different classes: 1970 1985 2000
1971 1986 2001
1975 1990 2005
1976 1991 2006
1980 1995 2010
1981 1996 & 2011!
Join your classmates in competing for the ultimate prize—The Reunion Cup! The Reunion class with the most points will win The Reunion Cup and bragging rights forever! Compete against your fellow Wildcat Reunion classes and earn points by: • Posting during social media challenges • Participating in alumni and reunion events • Giving to The Westminster Fund in support of your class’s Reunion fundraising goals Visit westminster.net/reunioncup for more information on leading your class to victory!
64 | Fall/Winter 2020
ALUMNI NEWS
Alumni Events Around the Country West Coast alumni had the opportunity to catch up with one another and hear Wildcat news at events in early February. Our first-ever official event in Seattle was a blast, and it’s always great to see our California alumni!
Nancy Beane, beloved college coun selor, made the trip to San Francisco and Los Angeles to see our California Wildcats before retiring in May! On February 12, alum ni attended a reception in San Francisco at Salesforce, and on February 13, LA alumni headed to a reception at Redbird. Alumni enjoyed seeing Mrs. Beane and hearing updates about what’s happening on campus.
On February 11, Trustee Roz Brewer P ’13 P ’21, Chief Operating Officer at Starbucks, hosted a reception at Starbucks headquarters in Seattle. Alumni toured the space, heard from Roz, and caught up with fellow Wildcats!
WESTMINSTER | 65
Class News From travel to making Wildcat connections to exciting career moves, the Wildcat Nation never sits still—enjoy reading about what your fellow Wildcats have been up to! Be part of the fun—visit westminster.net/class-news to submit your updates for the next issue. This issue reflects Class News submitted on or before July 31, 2020.
1957
1 Classmates and friends Wynn Conrad Henderson, Marion Gaines Sturdivant, Laura Smith Spearman, Mary Wayne Dixon, Susan White Mathis, Grace Woods Rich, and Jen Acree pictured together at lunch.
1958
2 Tom Wilkins writes, “The Wilkins Foundation is continuing work on a medical center project in the Sud-Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa. Most recently, the foundation has contributed funds for a new medical care facility. Where people formerly had to walk about 35 kilometers to seek primary health care, this work is now done locally. In my communications with the medical care facility, the doctor does not speak English. So, we communicate via email in French. Beside my computer is my Westminster French textbook circa 1957 (pictured) when Mademoiselle Groleau taught me French. The textbook is still a great help to this day. ”
1965
3 On July 23, Alice Harris was elected Fellow of the British Academy, a fellowship of around 1,400 leading national and international academics elected for their distinction in the humanities and social sciences. Like all foreign members, she is a Corresponding Member.
1972
Since leaving Westminster in 2016, Jere Wells has been teaching at Yale Divinity School and directing the Educational Leadership and Ministry (ELM) program there. His wife Della is serving as priest of Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Newport, Rhode Island. Given the COVID-19 restrictions this fall, Jere is teaching remotely from there. He writes, “for those Wildcats searching for the perfect ‘quahog stuffie’ or lobstah roll, come visit!”
1977
Heather Birt Graff writes, “2019 was great. Turned 60 and spent 2+ months in Europe. Thanks Westminster for the strong foreign language department. 2020 looks to be an adventure of a different sort. Love to the class of ’77!”
1984
In New York, David Zivan has been named editorin-chief of WineandWhiskeyGlobe.com. He has even tricked classmate Trip Johnson into occasionally writing scotch reviews.
1987
Tripp O’Connor joined Alston & Bird, LLP as the Chief Financial Officer.
2004
Stephan Lee writes, “In September, I released my debut novel, K-POP CONFIDENTIAL! It’s the story of a Korean-American teen named Candace Park who travels to Seoul to train at the same record label as the biggest
Memory Lane
Revisiting the Westminster Days of This Year’s Reunion Classes
1971
1976
1981
CLASS NEWS
1
2
1986
3
1991
1996
CLASS NEWS
boy band in the world. It’s definitely full of glamour and drama, but at its heart it’s about a teen’s journey from being quiet and go-with-the-flow to becoming someone who knows how to use her voice for what’s right. It’s also about discovering your inner worth outside of the sky-high standards put on you by adults (I think any Westminster kid can relate to that!). It’s also about embracing your culture and heritage, and I’ve been told that adults who’ve never heard of K-pop at all enjoy it just as much as teens!” 4 Madeleine Houser Williams, Ty Moddelmog, Gena Dennard Inman, Elizabeth Ezzell Perry, Miller Wood, Heather Livingston, and Anna Mintz gathered for a baby shower in early March celebrating Nellie Black Brewer.
2005
5 Lauren Cunningham writes, “I met up with classmate Rachel Nimmons for a socially distanced dinner in Chicago in July. We had a great time reminiscing about our Westminster days!”
2011
6 Shelby Grady is a professional actor who is currently producing her first feature film, Brutal Season. They are currently fundraising and are very excited to be shooting in Atlanta in December. The film is a chamber play, taking place entirely in the kitchen of a Brooklyn family’s 1948 working-class apartment, in which Shelby will portray the youngest daughter.
about devoting her life to the service of medicine and is thrilled to embark on this new journey!
2018
Caroline Stewart writes, “I am currently a junior at Emory University getting my degree in playwriting with a minor in music. A play that I wrote with two other friends titled Leaving a Message After the Beep was selected for the Women’s Theatre Festival this summer. I worked to both produce and direct this play while also adapting the script to fit a Zoom format. After two successful showings, we received three awards for our performance: Jury Selection for Outstanding Props Design, Audience Choice for Outstanding Performance by Janae Jett, and Audience Choice Achievement in Scenic and Properties Design.”
Retired Faculty
8 In early February, retired faculty Charlie Breithaupt, Sandy Larmore, Rob Larmore, Sally Finch, Craig Sewell, Merrilyn Eastham, Laura Johnson, Woodrow Barnes, Stan Moor, and Dave Drake ’61 gathered for a luncheon at Cherokee Town Club. 9 Retired English teacher Eddie DuPriest hosted friends Dave Drake ’61, Frank Finsthwait, and George Lamplugh for lunch recently—they removed their masks for a brief moment to capture the moment in a photo!
2015
9
7 In July, Maia Young began her first year of medical school at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine. With wisdom from advisors, support from mentors, encouragement from friends, and love from family, Maia’s childhood fascination with the mechanisms of the human body and dream of enhancing the lives of others through healthcare have become a reality. She credits her experiences at Westminster for empowering her to believe in herself and advocate for others. Maia is passionate
Memory Lane
Revisiting the Westminster Days of This Year’s Reunion Classes
2001
2006
2011
CLASS NEWS
5
6
4
7
8
Your Legacy. Their Future. When you make a planned gift to Westminster, you join a network of like-minded peers through membership in The Cornerstone Society and gain comfort in knowing your generosity leaves a lasting impact. You create abundant opportunities that inspire our students to find ways they can change the world with compassion and intellect. A gift for Westminster in your estate is an investment in future leaders of conscience.
View our new planned giving guide at westminster.planmygift.org 69 | Fall/Winter 2020
CLASS NEWS
Celebrations Congratulations to the Wildcats celebrating recent weddings, births, and adoptions! Find each entry’s corresponding photo number to the left of the announcement.
Marriages
8 Priya Mani, March 18, 2020, daughter of Emma
Gardner and Nish Mani
2004
Eliza James McDermott, February 16, 2020, daughter of Caroline Durkee McDermott and J.D. McDermott (not pictured)
1 Henry Bowden and Yao Wu, November 16, 2019
2006
2 Alex Hill and Selby Merritt, June 15, 2019
Faculty and Staff
3 Lucy DiBlasi (faculty) and Teddy DiBlasi,
9 William Robert Murphy, July 4, 2020, son of
Kerrie Glass Murphy and Rob Murphy
10
July 19, 2020
Brooks Wallace Vavrichek, June 2, 2020, son of Emily Nolan Vavrichek and David Vavrichek
2003
Latrice Clark Jordan (staff) and Vincent Jordan, May 3, 2020 (not pictured)
11
Births and adoptions
Rebecca Meyer Brown, February 28, 2020, daughter of Laurie Meyer Brown and Taylor Brown
12
McAndrew “Max” Alton Garcia, April 20, 2020, son of Caroline Garcia and Kyle Garcia
13
Irby Russell Gould, June 26, 2020, son of Charlotte Meadors Gould and Taylor Gould
14
Robinson Isaiah Sridhar, June 17, 2020, son of Kristin Cargill Sridhar and Michael Sridhar
1983 4 Grace Elizabeth Smith, July 3, 2018, daughter of
Kristen Smith and Ted Smith
2001 5 Layla Loraine Colston, June 17, 2020, daughter of
Elizabeth Edwards Colston and Jake Colston
6 Walker Layne Trost, March 25, 2020, son of Julia
Hamilton Trost and Jeff Trost
2002 7 Ann “Annie” Chapin Cleveland, February 24,
2020, daughter of Elinor Cowan Cleveland and Cameron Cleveland
70 | Fall/Winter 2020
2004 15
Henry Mathis Brewer, April 27, 2020, son of Nellie Black Brewer and Eli Brewer
1
2
4
8
12
3
5
6
9
7
10
13
11
14
15
WESTMINSTER | 71
CLASS NEWS
2005 16
17
Robert “Robbie” Grigsby Marchick, May 15, 2020, son of Libby Spears Marchick and Adam Marchick Katherine Cowan McDavid, December 18, 2019, daughter of Stirling Douglas McDavid and Clem McDavid
18
Hannah Grace Tulloch, April 27, 2020, daughter of Susie Fellows Tulloch and Ross Tulloch
19
Leonardo “Leo” Yates Umana, May 23, 2020, son of Sarah Yates and Brian Umana
2006 20
Maren Alexis Kohli, July 15, 2020, daughter of Brittany Kohli and Rishav Kohli
21
Woodson “Woods” Gregory Miller, September 20, 2019, son of Mollie Evans Miller and Greg Miller
2007 22
Miles Lloyd Barge, July 14, 2020, son of Molly Schoen Barge and Andrew Barge
23
Owen Lee Cruce, March 6, 2020, son of Katie Sturniolo Cruce and Bryan Cruce
2011 24
Darren Harvey Collins, June 5, 2020, son of Jaris Turner Collins and Luke Collins
Faculty and Staff 25
Patrick Charles Egan Jr., March 21, 2020, son of Kathryn Egan and Patrick Egan (Middle School faculty)
26
Iris York Ferguson-Cogdill, July 21, 2020, daughter of Cole Ferguson-Cogdill and Zac FergusonCogdill (Middle School faculty)
72 | Fall/Winter 2020
27
Amir Lynden Gregory, April 22, 2020, son of Vedriea Gregory and Byron Gregory (staff)
28
Braelyn McKenzie Jordan, May 14, 2020, daughter of Latrice Clark Jordan (staff) and Vincent Jordan
29
Oliver “Ollie” Robin Sombatsaphay, April 25, 2020, son of Jennifer Liu (staff) and Vilay Sombatsaphay
16
20
17
21
24
27
18
19
22
23
25
28
26
29
WESTMINSTER | 73
In Memoriam We extend our deepest sympathy to the members of the Westminster community who have lost a loved one.
Washington Seminary Alumnae 1937
Frances Holliman Griffin, March 23, 2020
1941
Carolyn Howell Lovell, April 11, 2020
1942
Lucia Walker Fairlie Pulgram, February 5, 2020, mother of Deirdre Pulgram-Arthen ’74, Laurence Pulgram ’76, Anthony Pulgram ’78, and Christopher Pulgram ’81
1946
Florence “Bunny” Griffin Saussy, May 27, 2020
1951
Florence Warren Hendee, July 26, 2020, mother of Flo Monroe Hix ’79 and William Monroe ’82
1953
Lavinia Pretz Phillips, July 1, 2020
Westminster Alumni 1954
Beth Turk Stockton, February 9, 2020, mother of Meck Stockton ’84
1954
Lanny Tuller Webster, May 28, 2020, sister of Charlie Tuller ’56
1957
Lucile Clare Evans Atkins, February 7, 2020
1959
Howell Cooper, April 10, 2020
1961
Edward Franklin “Ace” Franze III, June 22, 2020
1962
George Connell Jr., April 13, 2020, father of Sarah Connell ’89 and George Connell III ’92
74 | Fall/Winter 2020
1965
Lee Avery Catts, March 9, 2020, sister of Millie Avery Lochridge ’71, Herb Avery ’75, and Bill Avery ’78
1965
Palmour McIntire Dodd, July 31, 2020, wife of Zane Dodd ’65, sister of Sarah Ellen McIntire Love ’72, and mother of Elizabeth Dodd Kanne ’93 and Lucy Dodd Roth ’01
Community Doris Berry, May 13, 2020, former faculty and mother of Ginger Berry Verch ’82 Shirley Field Berry, July 15, 2020, mother of George Berry (faculty) Jim Brigman, May 15, 2020, father of Matt Brigman ’06, Glenn Brigman ’09, and Katherine Brigman Short ’11
Patsy Anderson McFarland, May 19, 2020, sister of Ellen Anderson ’71 Kay Young Dodd, April 30, 2020, and Sidney Anderson Tucker ’73 mother of Billy Dodd ’98 Mary Ann Kilpatrick Russell, Joyce Gelzer, July 13, 2020, mother of May 24, 2020 Erin Gelzer ’95 and John Gelzer ’00
1966
Nancy Candler Matthews Musarra, February 11, 2020, mother of Amy Musarra Kramer ’93 and Matt Musarra ’98 Jo Robinson Westervelt, June 15, 2020, sister of Frances Robinson Huber ’55
1968
Jan Elaine Sealey Ramirez, January 2, 2020
1974
Asa Candler VI, February 24, 2020, brother of Dick Candler ’76 Charlie Heinz, March 3, 2020, brother of Billy Heinz ’71 and Julie Heinz ’78, father of Heather Heinz Szyperski ’02
1996
Charlotte Kellett, May 16, 2020, daughter of Sammy Kellett ’63
2006
Joseph Thornton, March 7, 2020
2018
Raymond Baltz, March 12, 2020, brother of Jacqueline Baltz ’15
Fred Howell, April 20, 2020, husband of Jeanne Byrd Howell ’63 Ann Marie Jacob, March 25, 2020, mother of Yvonne Spiotta (staff) Lyons Barnett Joel Jr., May 29, 2020, father of Ben Joel ’76, Alan Joel ’79, and Connie Joel Jervey ’82 Dave Kaplan, April 27, 2020, husband of Marcia Phillips Kaplan ’69 Susan Pyeatt Kimmey, April 30, 2020, mother of Susannah Kimmey Bartko ’04 George H. Lane III, February 17, 2020, father of George Lane IV ’89, Holly Lane ’98, and Jenny Lane Wright ’00
Worth 1,000 Words
Your gifts grow courageous, caring leaders—every day. The Westminster Fund is essential to Westminster’s mission of helping young people become the leaders our world needs. When you support Westminster by giving to The Westminster Fund, you invest in the promise of young people who care about their communities and the greater world. The generosity of parents, alumni, and friends empowers our students to start their leadership journeys now and grow into citizens who affect real change, guided by dedicated faculty every step of the way. Join us in equipping Wildcats to lead with conscience, every day, by making your gift today.
MAKE YOUR GIFT BY VISITING westminster.net/giving
For nearly 70 years, Campbell Hall has been a home away from home for thousands of Wildcats—it is poised to grow its legacy as a place where lifelong lessons are learned and lifelong friendships are formed well into the future.
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THE MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI, PARENTS, AND FRIENDS | FALL/WINTER 2020
WildcatsWork is your one-stop shop for career resources, virtual networking events, and professional development platforms. Be sure to check out the WildcatsWork webpage by visiting westminster.net/ wildcatswork!
FALL/WINTER 2020
Leverage the Westminster network with
DEFINING MOMENTS
A YEAR OF RADICAL SHIFTS, NEW OPPORTUNITIES, AND NO TURNING BACK. WILDCAT NETWORK
A NEW ERA FOR OUR CAMPUS
A MOVEMENT FOR RACIAL EQUITY
A PANDEMIC RESHAPES 2020
PG. 12
PG. 22
PG. 30